《I Got Rich in Period Fiction》


 Chapter 1 - 1 01 The Ultimate Match

    ?Chapter 1: Chapter 01: The Ultimate Match Chapter 1: Chapter 01: The Ultimate Match In the early days of April in the Northwest, the sun was hidden behind clouds, making the air feel somewhat chilly.


    Sister-in-law Li saved Qiao Qingyu, the wife of Chief Engineer He, from the rafters in the Tenghai Research Temporary Family Accommodation.


    Regrettably, not only did she not receive praise, but people also murmured behind her back, ¡°She tied a slipknot, waited for you to come over, how could you be fooled again?¡±


    Sister-in-law Li: ¡°...¡±


    They just took advantage of her honest nature.


    But the woman was rescued, just not opening her eyes. Sister-in-law Li, pushing the few people in the room, said impatiently, ¡°Alright, alright, go home and cook, it¡¯s going to be awkward when Chief Engineer He gets back.¡±


    ¡°Alas, what a pity for Xiao He, such a good man, and he ended up marrying a wife who¡¯s stupid, lazy, and so much trouble.¡±


    ¡°Mr. He is being foolish, a Qingyu is going to be Xiao He¡¯s downfall for his whole life!¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Shaking her head helplessly, Sister-in-law Li closed the door firmly and left the courtyard of Chief Engineer He¡¯s home.


    The room instantly fell silent, and Qiao Qingyu, who had long been awake, finally couldn¡¯t resist opening her eyes.


    The first thing she saw was a dark wooden beam across the ceiling, and several cobwebs hung in the corners of the ceiling.


    The mottled yellow mud walls surrounded her. The light that seeped in revealed that the room was dirty and shabby, resembling the Northwest rural homes from old photographs of the last century.


    The only bright color was a pair of red ¡°happiness¡± characters posted on the wall.


    Qiao Qingyu stiffened all over and suddenly realized something. She sat up abruptly and incredulously widened her eyes as she looked at the wall across from her.


    There hung a calendar.


    Displaying the date: April 1, 1980!


    In an instant, a flood of memories swarmed in.


    She had traveled into a novel she had read a few days ago and became a cannon fodder character with the same name and surname as the main male character¡¯s wife in the book.


    The male lead was He Xiuyu, the chief engineer at the Tenghai Research and Experiment Base, not only handsome as jade with a clear and bright demeanor, but also one of the first doctoral graduates in the late seventies, admired by all like a rare bloom on a lofty peak.


    The original owner of this body had fallen in love with him at first sight and utilized the He family¡¯s, specifically Mr. He¡¯s, indebtedness to her mother to successfully marry He Xiuyu.


    Maybe all cannon fodder characters have a common trait: they are ignorant and foolish, and above all, they cause trouble. The original owner stirred up so much trouble that people got tired of her antics and she became the laughingstock of the family accommodation.


    Qiao Qingyu was thankful she arrived early.


    At this moment, aside from crying, making scenes, and threatening suicide, the original owner had not yet burned down the family accommodation for disliking the shabby house, nor had she split open the study¡¯s lock with an axe to destroy the main male character¡¯s notes, let alone sold his little niece for a piece of soy sauce beef...


    Most importantly, the main female character had not yet been reborn!


    She wouldn¡¯t have to face a conflict with the main female character and end up with an unmarked grave.


    All was not lost. Everything could still be salvaged. Qiao Qingyu clenched her fist in joy, but then, she froze.


    There was something in her hand!


    She was about to open her palm, but at that moment, an abrupt screech of tires came from outside. Qiao Qingyu startled, hurriedly turned over and leaned on the windowsill to look outside.


    The firmly closed gate of the courtyard was pushed open, and a young man stood at the entrance, with a military green jeep behind him.


    The window glass was somewhat blurry; his features weren¡¯t clear, but she could see the handsome outline hidden under the dappled sunlight. He was wearing a coffee-colored woolen coat, his tall figure exceptionally upright.


    He felt the woman¡¯s gaze in the room, his steps faltered slightly, and then he quickly walked towards the inside of the house.


    The courtyard was small, and in the moment Qiao Qingyu was daydreaming, the man had already entered the room.


    It was indeed He Xiuyu who had returned!


    Qiao Qingyu was stunned for a moment. The main male character of this book was indeed very handsome.


    Truly worthy of the description ¡°as refined and elegant as jade.¡±


    He approached her in a few strides, looking down at her with a high and remote gaze. His eyes were cold, but his voice was calm, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I¡¯m back.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked up and met his gaze.


    He Xiuyu had a pair of seemingly passionate but actually indifferent peach-blossom eyes¡ªall his emotions were there, but now they were so deep they could not be seen clearly.


    A wave of regret surged in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart. If this man weren¡¯t the main male character, He Xiuyu, who met her aesthetic preferences in every way, would truly be a pleasure to behold.


    She was just about to say something, but a sharp pain came from her throat¡ªthat was the mark left by the hemp rope used in the hanging, and she couldn¡¯t help but cough a few times.


    The next moment, He Xiuyu sat down beside her, stretching out his hand to pinch her chin. His fingertips were slightly cool but very dry. With a serious look in his eyes, he applied a little force, making Qiao Qingyu lift her chin.


    He Xiuyu glanced at the red mark on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s neck. This was the third time this woman had tried to hang herself. After a moment, he let go of her, his voice deep and his breath clear, ¡°It¡¯s good you were saved in time...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu finally found her voice, though it was slightly hoarse, ¡°I... I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, can we talk?¡± asked He Xiuyu.


    Qiao Qingyu stared at the man in front of her. It was time to talk¡ªabout how to get a divorce!


    After all, they had been married for just over a month, hadn¡¯t even shared a bed, and so far had only met three times.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Qiao Qingyu nodded eagerly.


    He Xiuyu seemed surprised and looked intently at Qiao Qingyu. After a moment, he picked up the iron-clad thermos from an old table, poured water into the teacup, placed the teacup beside Qiao Qingyu, and took out a stack of money and food coupons from the pocket of his coat, placing them on the table. He said in a serious tone, ¡°This is the salary I drew in advance; take care of it.¡±


    A soft approach before a hard stance?


    His EQ was quite high, worthy of being the main character!


    Before Qiao Qingyu could speak, he continued, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, this place is just a temporary residence. The family accommodation for Tenghai Research and Experiment Base will be completed by the middle of next month, so just hold on for a while longer. As for Beijing, when the right time comes, I will naturally take you back.¡±


    ¡°... I won¡¯t go back to Beijing with you, you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s expression suddenly turned dark and obscure. He pressed his thin lips together, and his gaze finally landed seriously on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face.


    From the moment he entered, he felt that something was amiss.


    It was the same face as always, but now, those usually dull eyes had become moist and clear, as clear as the autumn sky.


    He was slightly surprised and finally put away the impatience in his heart, speaking gently, ¡°I won¡¯t be at the base this month, and even if you seek death again, I might not be able to rush back in time. Qiao Qingyu, life is only once, and once lost, it does not return. I hope you can cherish it!¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh, I won¡¯t hang myself again,¡± Qiao Qingyu¡¯s voice was truly sincere.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t show it, but he still breathed a sigh of relief. If something happened to Qiao Qingyu, it wouldn¡¯t just be the loss of a life, but both the He Family and Qiao Family would never find peace.


    He was very busy; he had too many things to do, so he had no time to waste on affairs of the heart.


    He pondered for a moment, thinking that perhaps Qiao Qingyu¡¯s repeated crises were due to a lack of security. He tried to make his voice gentle, ¡°Although our beginning was very bad, I am a person who is loyal to marriage. You have no need for baseless suspicions. If nothing unexpected happens, we may spend a lifetime together.¡±


    He gave her an assurance, hoping that Qiao Qingyu would be a good wife to him.


    He would also do his utmost to fulfill this marriage and be a qualified husband.

 Chapter 2 - 2 02 Seed Laboratory No. 001

    ?Chapter 2: Chapter 02 Seed Laboratory No. 001 Chapter 2: Chapter 02 Seed Laboratory No. 001 Qiao Qingyu had not expected He Xiuyu to give her a guarantee.


    This was something the original owner had sought but not obtained.


    Unfortunately, even after hearing such words, her heart remained unmoved, as if the original owner had left cleanly and thoroughly.


    She pondered for a moment and tentatively said, ¡°Since our beginning was terrible, continuing might turn out even worse. These past days, I¡¯ve finally realized how impulsive I was initially, so let¡¯s get a divorce.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s expression suddenly froze.


    His peach blossom eyes intently stared at Qiao Qingyu, his piercing gaze slicing across her cheek like a blade, as if verifying the truth of her words.


    Qiao Qingyu bit her lip, not blinking as she let him scrutinize her.


    The absolute truth.


    Absolutely the truth!


    But then, an almost inaudible chuckle sounded; he laughed, but the laughter didn¡¯t reach his eyes, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, marriage is no child¡¯s play. This is the first time I¡¯m hearing such words, but I hope it¡¯s the last.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    Her words had sounded decisive, but she regretfully thought that this wouldn¡¯t be the last time.


    She was about to say it a second time.


    What can you do about it!


    At that moment, a middle-aged man¡¯s voice came from the doorway, ¡°Xiao He, it¡¯s time, we need to leave.¡±


    Were there still people in the jeep?


    He Xiuyu stood up, his brow furrowing as he glanced at the room, messy as a pigsty, his gaze then landing on Qiao Qingyu, who stared back at him with clear bright eyes, ¡°I have to go now. Sister-in-law Li has saved you once again, remember to thank her.¡±


    With that, he turned and strode away.


    Qiao Qingyu quickly turned to peer out the window, the low courtyard wall not enough to block the tall figure of He Xiuyu. He got into an army-green jeep, and with a roar of the engine, it began to move away, the dust kicked up obscuring Qiao Qingyu¡¯s view...


    Qiao Qingyu lay coughing on the windowsill for a while, feeling a bit better, then she noticed she was still tightly clutching her right hand.


    She hurriedly opened her hand, and an object shaped like a walnut lay in her palm.


    She squinted her eyes, a hint of confusion flashing through them.


    She had had an accident while saving two children from drowning; she had managed to get the children safely to the shore, but then she had sunk into the cold lake water, weakened.


    Before her consciousness faded, a black vortex had appeared before her eyes, and an object floated at the vortex. Clinging to the thought of struggling even in the face of death, she had grabbed the object in her hand.


    When she woke up, she found herself transformed into a cannon-fodder female supporting character in a period drama.


    Although logically this object should not have traveled with her into the book, since she was already in the book, what else was impossible?


    Qiao Qingyu turned the object over and over, not a walnut nor a stone, but rather resembling a plant seed.


    Unconsciously, she squeezed it hard.


    Suddenly, a sharp pain emanated from her palm; Qiao Qingyu hurriedly opened her hand, but found it was already empty. Shortly after, an electronic voice sounded: ¡°Fingerprint verification successful, Space Device activated, Seed Laboratory 001 at your service...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu blinked and suddenly found herself standing in a space filled with white mist.


    She stared wide-eyed in shock.


    Before her were rows of five-tier metal shelves lined with thick glass plates, filled with transparent glass jars.


    Her eyes lit up as she leaned closer to see that the jars contained freshly sprouted seeds; her heart raced. Could this be a random gift of good luck?


    She looked around and then saw a floating panel in mid-air. After accessing it, Qiao Qingyu found out what she had activated.


    This experimental lab, built of frosted glass without doors or windows and approximately 800 square meters in size, was also called the Space Device. It had drifted in the universe for countless years, holding shelves of newly sprouted seeds of various kinds¡ªsome of which Qiao Qingyu had never even heard of.


    With the laboratory space set to be immobile, operating it was extremely simple. Qiao Qingyu slowly came out of her surprise. Was this prompting her to start farming?


    She couldn¡¯t even tell wheat from grass!


    After leaving the lab, the Space Device had transformed into a barely noticeable red mole on the pad of her index finger. By pressing her thumb on it for ten seconds, she could freely enter and exit the Seed Laboratory.


    Suddenly, she furrowed her brows, and the next moment, Qiao Qingyu smelled an odd odor. After looking around, she realized it was coming from the bedding and her clothes.


    She nearly gagged from the stench.


    She couldn¡¯t help but think of He Xiuyu¡¯s unwavering expression just then, her gaze falling on the stack of money and food coupons on the table.


    That was the original owner¡¯s monthly living expenses.


    The original girl was genuinely gluttonous; having arrived at the family compound just over a month ago, she had already spent all the 800 yuan, food coupons, and meat coupons He Xiuyu gave her.


    Considering the strong purchasing power of 800 yuan back in the 80s, that was significant.


    But the indulgence wasn¡¯t in vain, for she looked plump and tender, especially her eyes, watery as if they could speak.


    Putting down the small mirror, Qiao Qingyu pinched her nose and stepped out of the house.


    It was currently 10:30 in the morning. The sun shone unobstructed over the land of the Northwest. The experimental base was about a hundred miles from the temporary family compound, surrounded by barren land. Due to it being April, the frigid Northwest only had sprouting grass.


    Qiao Qingyu contemplated a bit, then decided to put other things aside for the moment and tidy up the house. Despite being a temporary residence, there was a plumbed pipeline and a large pot in the kitchen. She boiled a large pot of hot water and threw the washable quilt and bed sheet into a large basin containing pieces of lye.


    The mud-brick house had the kitchen in the center and one room on each side. Qiao Qingyu stayed on the east side, while the room on the west, which was locked, was said to be where the male lead, He Xiuyu, kept his books and notes.


    She glanced over only briefly before turning her gaze away.


    In another month, when He Xiuyu would return, she would continue discussing the divorce with him.


    It had to be said that He Xiuyu was also a victim in this marriage.


    This story started with He Xiuyu¡¯s grandparents.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s father was named He Shan, currently a senior consultant somewhere, and the only child in his family. At ten years old, his parents bought him a child bride, four years his junior, named Han Xianglan.


    The two grew up together like childhood sweethearts with particularly fond feelings. Unfortunately, at fifteen, He Shan was conscripted, and that departure lasted ten years.


    The year 1950 saw He Shan return home full of hope and dreams, only to find out that five years prior, at sixteen, young Xianglan had been sold by He Shan¡¯s parents to a farmer in a neighboring village for a bag of coarse rice.


    When they met again, Han Xianglan already had a three-year-old son.


    Stricken by a severe illness and filled with hate, rage, and guilt, He Shan left Hejia Village...


    Han Xianglan was Qiao Qingyu¡¯s biological mother!

 Chapter 3 - 3 03 Hand-Pulled Noodles with Egg

    ?Chapter 3: Chapter 03 Hand-Pulled Noodles with Egg Chapter 3: Chapter 03 Hand-Pulled Noodles with Egg Last winter, He Shan¡¯s uncle passed away, and He Shan took He Xiuyu back to his hometown, while the original host Qiao Qingyu just happened to visit her aunt¡¯s house in Hejia Village, and instantly took a liking to the handsome He Xiuyu.


    Upon hearing from the aunt that he was He Shan¡¯s youngest son and also unmarried, she set her sights on him.


    The long-past affair between He Shan and his mother was no secret within these ten miles, and the girl naturally knew about it; she had the guts and the thick skin to actively seek them out. Once He Shan heard she was Han Xianglan¡¯s daughter, he was naturally overcome with emotion, almost to the point of tears.


    Twenty-nine years had passed, and Han Xianglan hadn¡¯t accepted any help from him, nor had she exchanged a single word with him, so naturally, this had become a sore point for him.


    Consequently, there was no guard against the mere seventeen-year-old Qiao Qingyu, and thus that very night, the original host successfully sneaked into He Xiuyu¡¯s room...


    The incident was quite an embarrassment.


    Upon hearing the news, Han Xianglan fainted on the spot, and Qiao Qingyu¡¯s father was even more ashamed and angry, declaring he would rather beat Qiao Qingyu to death than let her step into the He family¡¯s threshold.


    However, Qiao Qingyu still got her wish.


    The two of them got their marriage certificate, and in mid-February, He Xiuyu brought her to the Northwest...


    As Qiao Qingyu sorted through the plot, she hung the freshly washed quilt and sheets on the clothesline and began to tidy up the room she was living in.


    Since it was temporary accommodation, there wasn¡¯t much furniture, but the bedding was brand new, with a long, sprawling kang bed and a freshly woven reed mat.


    An old kang cabinet stood against the west wall, containing two bags of milk candy and a bag of peach pastries.


    These were the original owner¡¯s snacks.


    Besides a broken table and two broken chairs, there was nothing else in the room; indeed, it looked too rudimentary. The original host, in her quest for a better life, had alienated everyone, only to find that the place she came to was even less like home, so she was extremely disappointed and kept pestering He Xiuyu to take her back to Beijing.


    Qiao Qingyu slightly furrowed her brows; indeed, life here was very hard.


    She straightened her clothes and headed to the kitchen. Although there was now enough food to go around, refined flour was still rationed per person; however, the family did have half a bag of fortified flour and a small bag of millet.


    In the jar was some soybean paste given by Sister-in-law Li, and there were a few eggs in the cupboard; they weren¡¯t short on oil, salt, soy sauce, or vinegar, either.


    Qiao Qingyu made a pot of egg hand-pulled noodles and served up a large bowl to take to Sister-in-law Li¡¯s house in the front courtyard.


    At the doorway, Sister-in-law Li¡¯s son Xiao Hu was squatting in the yard waiting for his meal. As he looked up and saw Qiao Qingyu, he started crying out in fear, ¡°Bad person, bad person is coming to steal my candy...¡±


    Sister-in-law Li came out with an embarrassed face, pulling Xiao Hu and scolding, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking nonsense, Aunt Qiao stole my White Rabbit milk candy, and she pinched me when I didn¡¯t give it to her,¡± Xiao Hu complained, feeling wronged.


    The accusation was true, but Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t admit it; it was too embarrassing.


    After all, when Sister-in-law Li had confronted the original owner, she had also denied it.


    She placed the big bowl on the wooden table outside and said earnestly, ¡°Sister-in-law Li, thank you for saving me again today. Here is some egg noodle I¡¯ve made. It might not compare to yours, but it¡¯s a token of my appreciation...¡±


    Sister-in-law Li stood frozen, her eyes filled with surprise and uncertainty as she looked at Qiao Qingyu, mouth agape, unsure of what to say. Was this really Qiao Qingyu?


    It was as if a different person stood before her.


    ¡°Sister-in-law Li, I was immature before and caused you unnecessary worry, I¡¯m truly sorry.¡±


    ¡°...What are you apologizing for? It was just my luck to come across you, and I couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch you die,¡± Sister-in-law Li finally snapped out of it and hurriedly reassured Qiao Qingyu.


    ¡°That still shows Sister-in-law Li¡¯s kindness,¡± Qiao Qingyu¡¯s voice choked up, her eyes slightly moist, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Sister-in-law Li arriving in time today, I would have been long gone. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, child, stop thanking me already,¡± Sister-in-law Li¡¯s face turned red with urgency.


    Qiao Qingyu sighed inwardly. These were indeed simple and honest people.


    She then fumbled in her pocket and pulled out a handful of White Rabbit Creamy Candies, placing them in Xiao Hu¡¯s small hand with a broad smile on her face, ¡°Xiao Hu, these are candies from Aunt Qiao, but remember to listen to your mother and not eat too many, okay...?¡±


    Xiao Hu¡¯s eyes were like shiny black grapes. He looked down at the candies, a bit puzzled¡ªhad he remembered wrong? Was it someone who looked very much like Aunt Qiao who stole his candy?


    ¡°Sister-in-law Li, I¡¯ll be going back first.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu said as she quickly walked out of Mr. Li¡¯s courtyard.


    By the time Sister-in-law Li realized it, Qiao Qingyu had long disappeared.


    Sister-in-law Li looked at the egg noodles and frowned but still couldn¡¯t resist picking up her chopsticks, prepared for the taste to be repulsive. However, she was surprised to find her eyes widening in astonishment.


    The noodles were chewy, the eggs flavorful, and the lightly salted broth was clear and speckled with glistening drops of oil¡ªgood heavens, this was delicious.


    She would have never imagined that Qiao Qingyu had such exceptional culinary skills!


    Sister-in-law Li hurriedly took the large bowl inside. With only herself and Xiao Hu at home, this bowl of fragrant egg noodles meant she didn¡¯t need to cook lunch.


    She felt deeply moved. Qingyu seemed to have become more sensible.


    ...


    This temporary family compound, which was previously a village, had barren land and harsh climate. After the land and houses were requisitioned by the research base, the villagers happily moved to the better-conditioned Xiaxi Commune.


    At that moment, in one of the northern courtyards of the family compound, Liu Qiao Wen, the wife of Chef Song from the base canteen, stood on tiptoe to peer into the yard where Qiao Qingyu lived.


    Shortly thereafter, she hurriedly rode her bicycle to Xiaxi Commune, making a phone call that got redirected several times before finally reaching Mr. He¡¯s home.


    Meng Siqi, He Shan¡¯s wife, answered the call. Liu Qiao Wen clearly wasn¡¯t new to communicating with Meng Siqi, and spoke hurriedly, ¡°Dean Meng, Qiao Qingyu tried to hang herself again this morning. She didn¡¯t succeed, and Sister-in-law Li saved her... He Xiuyu came back, stayed in the house for less than ten minutes, then left in a jeep. At noon, Qiao Qingyu took a bowl of food over to Sister-in-law Li...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I came to call you as soon as I saw her enter the yard,¡± Liu Qiao Wen said, eager to please.


    Meng Siqi¡¯s expression was somber, biting her lip, ¡°Alright, then you can go back.¡±


    ¡°Dean Meng, about my brother¡¯s matter...¡± Liu Qiao Wen¡¯s voice became even more humble.


    Meng Siqi frowned impatiently, ¡°What¡¯s the rush? We¡¯re not short of staff here; we have to wait for the right opportunity...¡±


    ¡°But please, you must keep it in mind. I won¡¯t bother you anymore. I¡¯ll call you immediately if there¡¯s anything new with Qiao Qingyu...¡±


    Meng Siqi responded with a terse ¡°Hmm,¡± and hung up the phone.


    Meanwhile, He Shan was descending the stairs unhurriedly, wearing an army-green woolen coat. With his tall stature, a hint of white at his temples, and still being sharp at over fifty, particularly those piercing eyes that seemed to easily see right through your thoughts...

 Chapter 4 - 4 04 Barren Land

    ?Chapter 4: Chapter 04 Barren Land Chapter 4: Chapter 04 Barren Land He Shan stood at the staircase, his gaze lingering on Meng Siqi before casting a nonchalant glance at the telephone next to her. Meng Siqi quickly suppressed the resentment in her eyes, approached with a smile, and said, ¡°Old He, are you heading to North City?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    He Shan let Meng Siqi straighten his coat buttons.


    ¡°How many days?¡± asked Meng Siqi.


    ¡°About ten days,¡± He Shan replied leisurely.


    ¡°Then you must take your medicine on time, don¡¯t stay up late, and don¡¯t eat anything cold...¡± Meng Siqi¡¯s voice was gentle as she instructed him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Xiao Zhang is keeping an eye on it.¡±


    Having said that, He Shan walked toward the door, but stopped at the threshold, turned around, and looked at Meng Siqi solemnly, ¡°Siqi, I know what you are thinking, but things have reached this point, and there¡¯s no possibility of change. I, He Shan, have lived my life without owing anyone or anything, but the person I owe the most is her. This is what the He Family owes her!¡±


    Meng Siqi¡¯s expression instantly darkened.


    He Shan seemed to ignore her expression and continued to instruct, ¡°Life in the Northwest is tough. Although Qingyu was born in the countryside, she hasn¡¯t really suffered much. Send her some food and clothing...¡±


    Meng Siqi nodded with difficulty, ¡°Mm, I understand.¡±


    He Shan glanced at Meng Siqi and then left with long strides.


    Meng Siqi collapsed on the sofa, her well-maintained face contorted in anger.


    He Shan had always pined for Han Xianglan, and she had tolerated it because, after all, he hadn¡¯t deceived her initially. Over the years, she had devoted herself to taking care of him and the family, believing that as time passed, everything would fade away. Yet, who would have thought that in their old age, Han Xianglan¡¯s daughter would marry the son she loved the most.


    She beat her chest, feeling nauseated. How disgusting! What was this supposed to mean? The He and Qiao families were meant to have nothing to do with each other for generations, yet now they had become related by marriage. It was as if their spirits couldn¡¯t be exorcised!


    At that moment, Meng Siqi felt like she had a fishbone stuck in her throat.


    If she couldn¡¯t drive Qiao Qingyu out of the He family, she would go mad!


    Far away in the Northwest, Qiao Qingyu, of course, had no idea about the depth of Meng Siqi¡¯s hatred. She ate her egg and flour noodles with a frown.


    The house really didn¡¯t even have a single leaf of vegetables.


    Not to mention any green onions for seasoning.


    She entered the 001 Seed Laboratory again, this time examining closely¡ªonce she finished, Qiao Qingyu stood up straight, thinking the lab nearly had a compendium of all plants.


    She had counted and there were more than seven hundred thousand kinds.


    From towering ancient trees to ground mosses, various grains, vegetables, fruits, and naturally flowers and wild grass...


    As far as she knew, there were three hundred and fifty thousand known plant species on Earth, but the Seed Laboratory had twice as many, including rare plants that were already extinct.


    Qiao Qingyu looked around and couldn¡¯t help but sigh. If the laboratory continued to exist, she might possess wealth capable of creating a whole new planet.


    Of course, that required hard work.


    In the early eighties, before the widespread use of machinery, farming was not a simple task.


    Qiao Qingyu decided to give it a try first.


    After all, each seed came with detailed instructions.


    She left the laboratory and found a metal shovel in a corner of the yard before heading outside the residential compound¡¯s walls with a wicker basket in hand.


    What she hadn¡¯t expected was to be stopped halfway by a woman riding a bicycle.


    Qiao Qingyu searched her memory¡ªthis short-haired, slightly plump woman was named Liu Qiao Wen, Chef Song¡¯s wife, and in her thirties this year.


    ¡°¡±¡±It must be one of the few acquaintances the original host had around here.¡±¡±¡±


    ¡°¡±¡±This woman indeed contributed significantly to the original host¡¯s self-destructive path.¡±¡±¡±


    Qiao Qingyu planned to bypass her, but Liu Qiao Wen followed and blocked her way again. Liu Qiao Wen had left the bicycle at the entrance. Qiao Qingyu nonchalantly glanced at the yellow mud on the bicycle tires and asked softly, ¡°Sister Qiao Wen, did you go to the commune?¡±


    Liu Qiao Wen was stunned.


    ¡°Your name contains the character ¡®Qiao¡¯ for ¡®cunning,¡¯ and you¡¯re really quite cunning in what you do. I remember the last time I attempted suicide, Sister Qiao Wen, you also went to the commune. And this time it¡¯s the same...¡± Qiao Qingyu continued.


    Liu Qiao Wen¡¯s back broke out in a cold sweat, looking at Qiao Qingyu as if she had turned into a different person.


    Qiao Qingyu stared at Liu Qiao Wen and suddenly smiled, her eyes curving into crescents, ¡°Sister Qiao Wen, He Xiuyu has come back...¡±


    Liu Qiao Wen¡¯s mouth hung open, and finally regaining her senses, she said with a hint of seeking credit, ¡°Qingyu, wasn¡¯t I right? A woman can¡¯t be too honest. To catch a man¡¯s heart, you need to show him what you¡¯re capable of. The old saying, ¡®one cry, two fuss, three hang,¡¯ isn¡¯t wrong.¡±


    ¡°Sister Qiao Wen is the smartest, but the old saying also mentions, ¡®don¡¯t do it more than three times.¡¯


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°It means this is the last time,¡± Qiao Qingyu said, and then shyly hung her head, ¡°Sister Qiao Wen, my He Xiuyu said he wants to have a good life with me.¡±


    Liu Qiao Wen was shocked.


    Her face turned pale. If He Xiuyu was scared by Qiao Qingyu¡¯s suicide attempt and decided to settle down with her, Dean Meng would tear her to shreds!


    This had been her very own advice to Qiao Qingyu.


    How had He Xiuyu agreed to it?


    Qiao Qingyu bashfully turned away, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s a bit embarrassing to talk about this, I have to go.¡±


    ¡°You...¡±


    Liu Qiao Wen was left speechless as she watched Qiao Qingyu walk away.


    Liu Qiao Wen felt something was off. She hadn¡¯t finished speaking and was about to call her back when Qiao Qingyu suddenly stopped in her tracks, her voice crisply louder, ¡°Sister Qiao Wen, last week I lent you fifty yuan. You said you¡¯d return it by the end of March. Now it¡¯s the beginning of April. Please bring it to my house tonight.¡±


    Afterward, Qiao Qingyu strolled away leisurely.


    A few women who had gathered around looked at Liu Qiao Wen with suspicion.


    One of them scoffed, ¡°I wondered why you were always with Qiao Qingyu. Turns out there was something in it for you.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you looked down on Qiao Qingyu the most? Why would you borrow money from her?¡±


    Liu Qiao Wen¡¯s face alternated between shades of green and white. Seeing that Qiao Qingyu had walked far away, she irritably shoved aside the women and slammed the yard door shut.


    Her heart thumped uneasily as she furrowed her brows tightly. If Qiao Qingyu really settled down with He Xiuyu, her own days would be difficult.


    ...


    Ten minutes later, Qiao Qingyu stood in front of a dirt slope, clutching a handful of soil, and sighed softly. The Northwest¡¯s barren land resembled a starved, skeletal old man, with only the sparse wild grass proving there might still be a sliver of vitality.


    No matter how good the seeds are, without fertile soil, it¡¯s wasted!


    Thus, Qiao Qingyu had no intention of cultivating land here.


    She had to return to the Qiao Family Team, where the soil was so rich that even sticking a chopstick in it might cause flowers to bloom. Only such fertile land could better enable the seeds from the laboratory to bear plentiful fruit.


    Now the only difficulty was how to repair her relationship with her biological parents.


    After all, she had been driven out of the Qiao Family Team by them.

 Chapter 5 - 5 05 She and He Are Separated by Thousands of

    ?Chapter 5: Chapter 05 She and He Are Separated by Thousands of Waters and Mountains Chapter 5: Chapter 05 She and He Are Separated by Thousands of Waters and Mountains Qiao Qingyu pondered for a while and had a rough idea in her mind; she looked around and began to specifically dig soil where there were wild grasses.


    When she returned home with half a basket of soil, she was also panting from exhaustion.


    Luckily, she was an orphan in reality, parentless and had been self-reliant, so her physical and mental adaptation was fairly good.


    It was just a pity for her three hundred square meter villa, the brand-new sports car, and designer bags...


    Qiao Qingyu stood in the uneven yard with her hands on her hips, a strange thought suddenly emerged in her mind. Was there a possibility that she and the original owner had swapped places?


    A few moments later, she shook her head; thinking about anything now was meaningless. What mattered most was surviving.


    When she was cleaning the yard earlier, she had found two wooden boxes. In the seventies, cardboard boxes were scarce, and important items were sent in these kinds of wooden boxes.


    They must have been used by He Xiuyu to mail books.


    With a bit of modification, these boxes could be filled with soil for planting things.


    Although she could not distinguish between wheat and grass, the skill of growing vegetables, which was ingrained in the Huaxia people¡¯s bones, was easily activated.


    She also had to be thankful that the original owner was lazy. The ashes from burning firewood were not discarded and were piled up in the corner. As a scholar, although she studied economics and was called a financial genius by insiders, she knew that the main component of wood ash was potassium carbonate¡ªan inexpensive and fully nutritive inorganic fertilizer.


    After mixing the wood ash with the dug soil and putting it into the wooden boxes, Qiao Qingyu entered the lab by verifying her fingerprint. She took out a bottle each of seeds for onions, ginger, garlic, cabbage, and spinach. It had to be said, the lab¡¯s seeds were great, each one plump and bursting with life.


    Qiao Qingyu was actually puzzled¡ªwhy could her fingerprint open the lab?


    Unfortunately, there were no answers at present.


    After planting them, she returned the rest to the lab. As Qiao Qingyu passed a row of shelves, she suddenly stopped. On the third row, there was a kind of seed called thousand silk hemp, a deep-rooted annual herb that flowers from May to June and fruits from June to August. It¡¯s highly adaptive and can be planted in all kinds of soil...


    A brief bit of information followed, mentioning its three main values: the leaves and roots have medicinal value, the seeds can be pressed for oil, and the stems are rich in fibers that can be used as raw materials for paper-making and synthetic cotton. Plus, it can improve soil quality...


    It seemed similar to castor, but had many more uses and values.


    However, Qiao Qingyu had never heard of thousand silk hemp.


    Could it be a foreign species or a plant that had long been extinct on Earth?


    She contemplated thoughtfully. It could be planted in any kind of soil and could improve the soil as well; she gently stroked the bottle, then left the lab.


    She and He Xiuyu were separated by vast distances, and divorce was inevitable. Besides, the main male character was inevitably destined for the main female character¡ªaccording to the laws of romance novels, anyone who competes with the main female character for a man never ends well.


    Therefore, she could only stay here for a maximum of two months before she would have to leave.


    Qiao Qingyu stopped thinking about the thousand silk hemp. She moved the wooden boxes with a few vegetables inside to the room, placing them at the end of the heated brick bed. The temperature here was suitable due to the large temperature differences between day and night in the Northwest, and there was plenty of sunshine during the day, so it should be suitable for the development and growth of the seeds.


    This was also a bit of an experiment.


    In the evening, Qiao Qingyu sewed up the sun-dried quilt cover, spread clean sheets and pillowcases on the bed, and then started boiling water for a bath. She had endured it for a day; although the original owner was quite clean, it still wasn¡¯t quite the same.


    Until the moon was high in the sky, Liu Qiao Wen hadn¡¯t come to return the money.


    It seemed she had taken Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words merely as the wind by her ears.


    That night, she simmered a little porridge and had it with soybean sauce for dinner. When Qiao Qingyu lay down, she let out a long sigh and finally felt fatigue. She thought she wouldn¡¯t sleep well on her first day in the novel, but surprisingly, she slept dreamlessly until dawn.


    After tidying up, Qiao Qingyu went to the families¡¯ office, an ad hoc organization located in the old village committee¡¯s yard.


    There were three people in charge.


    The director was Director Lin¡¯s wife, Shen Fen. The other two were young staffers, one named Zhu Mingli and the other Sun Aizhi.


    Their main responsibility was the logistics for over three hundred women in the families¡¯ quarters¡ªarranging things like school admissions for children, finding jobs for the base staff¡¯s families to supplement household expenses, and dealing with family disputes and neighborhood disagreements...


    The work they handled was very trivial, quite similar to that of a street office.


    At that moment, with the door open, the three inside the room were visibly shocked upon seeing Qiao Qingyu.


    Wasn¡¯t this He Xiuyu¡¯s new bride?


    Ever since Zhu Mingli had found her a job feeding pigs in the cafeteria and she had been scolded, no one from the office dared to assign Qiao Qingyu any work.


    But today, Qiao Qingyu was not here to find work; she was seeking an opportunity to learn. With the original character having not even completed elementary school, she had no reason or excuse to participate in the college entrance examinations this year or the next.


    Thus, she had to concoct a genius persona for herself!


    Qiao Qingyu composed her expression and stood in front of Shen Fen¡¯s desk, bowing her head, her voice trembling slightly with genuine remorse, ¡°Director Shen, I¡¯m here to apologize to you.¡±


    Hmm?


    Shen Fen, holding a large tea mug, paused, puzzled, looking at Qiao Qingyu, only to be surprised to find that this morning¡¯s Qiao Qingyu seemed different from the one she had seen a few days ago.


    Her head was bowed, showing only her eyelashes, dark as raven feathers; her lips were rosy, and she had tied her hair in a ponytail with stray strands falling on her shoulders. The morning sunlight cast a golden shimmer on her, making her appear radiant.


    Shen Fen¡¯s heart skipped a beat, unable to define the feeling as she listened to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s slightly embarrassed words, ¡°Director Shen, revolutionary work does not discriminate between the high and low, the noble and the humble. I need to reflect on this. Although Staff Zhu arranged for me to feed pigs and I shouldn¡¯t have been picky, I still need to explain¡ªI grew up in the countryside but never fed pigs because it¡¯s not that simple; it involves lots of scientific and cultural knowledge...¡±


    Shen Fen¡¯s expression somewhat softened¡ªthese were words she liked to hear. Before coming to the Northwest, she had been a teacher at a key high school, but had followed her husband¡¯s career to this remote place.


    ¡°You¡¯re right to reflect on this, and you shouldn¡¯t use abusive language either. Everything should be discussed rationally; the ways of a belligerent rural woman can¡¯t be used here.¡±


    She then emphasized her tone, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, you should also consider Xiao He a bit more...¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, intellectuals speak differently indeed, Director Shen. You¡¯re absolutely right in your guidance. Don¡¯t worry, I will correct my mistakes.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s voice was heartfelt, and she glanced apologetically at Zhu Mingli, ¡°Staff Zhu, I¡¯m uneducated, so I thought when you said that shameless and despicable people are best suited for feeding pigs, you were scolding me. I am really sorry...¡±


    Suddenly, the room plunged into utter silence!

 Chapter 6 - 6 06 This is a real and complex world

    ?Chapter 6: Chapter 06 This is a real and complex world! Chapter 6: Chapter 06 This is a real and complex world! Zhu Mingli¡¯s complexion changed instantly as she suddenly stood up, her back breaking out in a cold sweat, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, you¡¯re talking nonsense, I didn¡¯t curse at you!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded hastily, ¡°Yeah, I thought about it afterward and figured that the words shouldn¡¯t be for cursing, so I came here to reflect on my mistake. I¡¯m really sorry for causing you such distress!¡±


    Zhu Mingli: ¡°...¡±


    Whose distress? Qiao Qingyu, you dare to scheme against me!


    Shen Fen stared at the frantic Zhu Mingli, knowing full well her ulterior motives. Although Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t a match for He Xiuyu, that didn¡¯t give her the right to insult Qiao Qingyu.


    Her expression turned stern and she spoke sharply, ¡°Zhu Mingli, did you say those words?¡±


    Zhu Mingli looked at Shen Fen and flinched. After all, Shen Fen came from a teaching background, and her severity somehow instilled a wave of fear in Zhu Mingli.


    She moved her lips but was unable to utter a word. Qiao Qingyu obviously started to feel nervous and scared, ¡°Director... Shen, do those words really mean to insult someone, then...¡±


    Hesitating for a moment, tears of injustice welled up in her eyes, ¡°Then let¡¯s just pretend Staff Zhu never said such things. After all, I was the only one in my family at the time.¡±


    She bowed her head and silently twiddled the hem of her clothes.


    What more did Shen Fen need to understand? She commanded harshly, ¡°Zhu Mingli, apologize to Qiao Qingyu!¡±


    Zhu Mingli felt extremely embarrassed, ¡°I...¡±


    ¡°Zhu Mingli, as a staff member and as a culturally educated person who finished high school, you cannot possibly be unaware of the real meaning behind those words. So, apologize right now!¡±


    Zhu Mingli burst into tears, pushed her chair aside, and ran out of the office covering her mouth.


    Shen Fen¡¯s face darkened even more; she was the leader here, and this blatant disrespect was simply intolerable.


    She turned to the dumbfounded Sun Aizhi, ¡°Go and tell Zhu Mingli that she can come back to work when she apologizes. Otherwise, she won¡¯t have a place here anymore.¡±


    Were they really going to fire Zhu Mingli?


    Sun Aizhi, scared, hurriedly ran out to find Zhu Mingli.


    Qiao Qingyu wiped away her tears, still keeping her head lowered and silent, yet her heart remained undisturbed. No matter how flawed the original owner was, aside from affecting He Xiuyu, she hadn¡¯t wronged anyone else. Regardless of Zhu Mingli¡¯s feelings toward He Xiuyu, she had no right to insult Qiao Qingyu with such words.


    The original owner was no fool; she was quick-tempered, how could she not have recognized the insult at the time and thus had retorted back.


    But she hadn¡¯t thought about seeking justice for herself.


    Zhu Mingli was a staff member, and her actions represented more than herself.


    Shen Fen calmed herself down, then pulled Qiao Qingyu to sit beside her, sincerely saying, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I¡¯m truly sorry; I wasn¡¯t aware that Zhu Mingli had said such things to you. You should have come to me at that time, I would have dealt with her strictly!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu lifted her head and sniffed, then showed a forced smile to Shen Fen, ¡°Director Shen, it¡¯s actually all my fault. If I were educated, I wouldn¡¯t have been unsure whether those words were meant to insult me. I really regret not continuing my studies back then...¡±


    She then spoke with a soft voice full of longing, ¡°If there were a study class, I¡¯d definitely be the first to sign up.¡±


    ¡°Study class?¡± Shen Fen looked thoughtfully at Qiao Qingyu.


    ¡°Yeah, right after liberation, our Harvest Commune once held one. I heard that some people even obtained a middle school graduation certificate from the study class.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Aren¡¯t those study classes just for illiteracy elimination?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the details; I only heard it from the adults at home.¡± Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t intend to continue, some things were better left implied. She looked up at Shen Fen with her watery, large eyes, filled with admiration, ¡°Director Shen, thank you so much. You¡¯re truly a fair and impartial leader!¡±


    Shen Fen¡¯s mood completely lightened, and her voice softened unbelievably, ¡°If you have any difficulties in the future, come find me.¡±


    ¡°Sure, if there¡¯s an issue, I¡¯ll definitely come to you first.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu made a few more polite comments before leaving the office. After she had gone, Shen Fen began to reflect sentimentally. A village girl without much education married an esteemed and privileged man¡ªwas this a stroke of good luck or not?


    She then thought about the study class that Qiao Qingyu mentioned.


    After sipping some tea, she assessed the educational level of the women in the base housing complex. She had to admit, there were not many with a high level of education.


    Some were even less educated than Qiao Qingyu.


    It seemed that organizing a study class was indeed a great idea. Shen Fen¡¯s enthusiasm flared up; she was a teacher by trade, and if the leaders agreed, she could get the study class started right away.


    Filled with excitement, she made a call to the base¡¯s logistics leader.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Qingyu, having just left the office and intending to go directly to the Xiaxi Commune market, was stopped on the road by a jeep that came driving up from the direction of the base.


    A girl in a trench coat stepped out of the car and stood in front of Qiao Qingyu. The wind tousled her hair as she glared at Qiao Qingyu with a chilling gaze, her clenched fists trembling slightly.


    Qiao Qingyu was taken aback¡ªwasn¡¯t this the main female character, Su Yunyao?


    From the look of hatred in those small eyes, she must have been reborn!


    But why had the timeline advanced?


    Qiao Qingyu smoothed her hair and silently recollected the storyline. Su Yunyao was deeply in love with He Xiuyu, bordering on obsession.


    Especially since He Xiuyu and his father had simply returned to their hometown for a visit and ended up getting married, to a villager no less. For her, it was like a bolt from the blue.


    She had thought she would be He Xiuyu¡¯s bride.


    Naturally, she and Qiao Qingyu were like fire and water. She had ruined Qiao Qingyu¡¯s life, and Qiao Qingyu had nearly ruined her reputation. In the end, they were like sworn enemies.


    Indeed, neither of them were easy to deal with.


    Although memories of the original plot quickly flashed by, Qiao Qingyu knew that the original character and He Xiuyu had indeed spent a lifetime together.


    Even if they were worlds apart and never had children.


    However, in the life where the main female character was reborn, the original character exited the stage rather early.


    Because she had actually sold He Xiuyu¡¯s niece for a piece of soy-sauce-marinated beef, and by the time the child was found, her limbs had been broken...


    Enraged, He Xiuyu nearly strangled Qiao Qingyu to death.


    Qiao Qingyu fled and then was torn apart and eaten by a pack of wolves...


    Thinking of this, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s gaze grew heavy as she looked at Su Yunyao. In the life without rebirth, although there were conflicts and clashes, everyone had lived to an old age.


    But in this reborn life, there was death and crippling¡ªyet the main female character advanced triumphantly, developing aerospace technology ahead of its time and laying a solid foundation for China¡¯s aerospace industry.


    At the end of the book, she and He Xiuyu got engaged.


    The author didn¡¯t write about their wedding, concluding the story with their engagement.


    But now, even though she was in the book, she knew this wasn¡¯t a simple world made of text.


    This was a real and complex world!

 Chapter 7 - 7 07 She Surely Cant Understand Right

    ?Chapter 7: Chapter 07 She Surely Can¡¯t Understand, Right! Chapter 7: Chapter 07 She Surely Can¡¯t Understand, Right! He Xiuyu was at somewhat of a disadvantage, after all, the main female character was reincarnated with memories, and originally she had been a part of He Xiuyu¡¯s team; naturally, she knew all about He Xiuyu¡¯s scientific research achievements from his previous life.


    This life, it would be the same pattern.


    But it didn¡¯t concern her much.


    After a brief silence, Su Yunyao masked the hatred in her eyes, but her voice was still cold, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, do you still recognize me?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu replied with a smile, her voice soft and gentle, ¡°Of course I do. The day after Xiu Yu brought me back, you came to see me, saying you were Xiu Yu¡¯s childhood sweetheart and boasting about how great your affection for each other was...¡±


    Su Yunyao was stunned, not reacting immediately. According to her memory, shouldn¡¯t Qiao Qingyu have pounced and started fighting with her?


    And then there would be vulgar insults hurled at her.


    She had been prepared for that.


    The driver, Sun Dazhi, sitting in the jeep¡¯s driving seat was also startled. Su Yunyao, had she actually said that to Qiao Qingyu?


    Impossible, right?


    ¡°Right, you also said I was a shameless and despicable woman, a stain on He Xiuyu¡¯s honor, and you added that my mother and I had no shame. I got very angry at that time. You can insult me, but you should never insult my mother. I was so angry I slapped you...¡±


    Su Yunyao¡¯s face changed color and she instinctively denied in a sharp tone, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, you are talking nonsense. I never said such things.¡±


    Sun Dazhi looked at Su Yunyao skeptically. He knew about He Xiuyu bringing his wife back since he was the one who picked them up, and he was also aware of the incident of Qiao Qingyu slapping Su Yunyao.


    Everyone was quite upset at the time.


    But who was really telling the truth?


    Before Sun Dazhi could figure it out, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes suddenly welled up with tears, looking utterly aggrieved, ¡°Well, it was just the two of us in that room. If you say you didn¡¯t say it, then let¡¯s assume you didn¡¯t say it.¡±


    Then, her eyes turning watery, she deliberately made a fierce face, ¡°Su Yunyao, no matter how close you are to Xiu Yu, if you insult my mother, I will never forgive you, hmph!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu took a couple of steps forward and skillfully opened the rear door of the jeep, getting into the vehicle with a swift motion. Sun Dazhi turned his head in shock, and Qiao Qingyu wiped away a tear, her voice choked, ¡°I know people at the base look down on me, but it was my own doing. Yunyao sister can scold me, but she shouldn¡¯t have insulted my mom.¡±


    Sun Dazhi, ¡°...¡±


    It seemed logical¡ªtroubles shouldn¡¯t extend to one¡¯s parents, but what did getting into the car mean?


    Su Yunyao watched incredulously as Qiao Qingyu got into the car, and after a long moment, she squeezed out three words through clenched teeth, ¡°Green tea bitch!¡±


    Was this a blatant insult to her?


    She was certain Su Yunyao didn¡¯t understand it, right!


    At that moment, with tears in her eyes, she raised her wrist and asked somewhat naively, ¡°Sister Yunyao, what¡¯s a ¡®green tea¡¯ watch? Is it similar to the plum blossom watch Xiu Yu bought for me?¡±


    The sunlight fell on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s fair wrist, and the small plum blossom watch reflected a rainbow of light, making Su Yunyao find it extremely glaring.


    Sun Dazhi couldn¡¯t help but interject; ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, it seems there isn¡¯t a brand like that.¡±


    He looked at Su Yunyao, ¡°Did you say it wrong? What ¡®green tea¡¯ watch is there?¡±


    Su Yunyao was going crazy.


    How could there not be one, wasn¡¯t there one right in front of her!


    How could she not have known this side of Qiao Qingyu?


    Sun Dazhi sighed. He was just a driver and didn¡¯t feel it was his place to comment much, but he said to Qiao Qingyu with a gentle attitude, ¡°All right, Comrade Qiao Qingyu, let¡¯s not talk about the past anymore.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu quickly nodded her head, ¡°Yes, Brother Sun is right. I¡¯ll listen to you; we won¡¯t talk about the past.¡±


    ¡°Do you know who I am?¡±


    ¡°I know ah, Sun Dazhi, Brother Sun.¡± Qiao Qingyu smiled radiantly, but the next second, she became despondent and said, ¡°Brother Sun, I was just on my way to Xiaxi Commune. I was planning to send a telegram home. I would have almost reached by now, but this delay...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not far and there¡¯s still time. I¡¯ll take you there,¡± Sun Dazhi said with a hearty laugh.


    ¡°I really appreciate it, Brother Sun.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s voice was light and her laughter was joyous.


    ¡°No way!¡± Su Yunyao shrieked furiously, grabbing the car door, her voice becoming somewhat shrill, ¡°This is a base vehicle, and she¡¯s just a village woman. Why should she use it, Brother Sun? Are you going to make a mistake?¡±


    She yelled at Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Get out of the car!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu did not move but stared unwaveringly at Sun Dazhi, wanting to see how the comrade driver would handle this situation.


    But in Sun Dazhi¡¯s eyes, it seemed as though Qiao Qingyu was just struck dumb with fear.


    Ordinarily, Sun Dazhi didn¡¯t want to get involved in women¡¯s disputes because it had nothing to do with him, and it wasn¡¯t proper for a man to intervene. Yet, he felt that Su Yunyao was being unreasonable.


    No matter her relationship with He Xiuyu, now that He Xiuyu had a wife, etiquette and reason both demanded she acknowledge her as ¡®sister-in-law.¡¯


    He too was a peasant¡¯s child, and the derogatory way she referred to a village woman sounded so unpleasant.


    Sun Dazhi uncharacteristically turned serious, ¡°Comrade Su Yunyao, Chief Engineer He is fully committed to the research base, and his contributions are visible to all. Now, he does not have time to tend to his home, and Comrade Qiao Qingyu has traveled a long distance to the Northwest, which was not easy. Therefore, I¡¯ll take her to Xiaxi Commune to send the telegram. If this leads to any mistake, I will bear it alone. By the way, weren¡¯t you supposed to go to the office? Don¡¯t delay yourself; I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    Su Yunyao released her grip on the car door.


    Reason slowly took hold of her, and while her heart surged with shock and anger, she couldn¡¯t erupt. She glared hatefully at Qiao Qingyu, so fiercely that if looks could burn, Qiao Qingyu might have turned to ash at that moment.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled at her, unbothered, her eyes curving joyfully.


    The jeep started, and she even waved her hand at Su Yunyao, amiably saying, ¡°I just came from the office. Only Director Shen is there...¡±


    She knew Su Yunyao was there to see Zhu Mingli.


    Ever since she married He Xiuyu, the two women had grown closer.


    The moment the words left her mouth, the jeep had already sped away in a cloud of dust.


    Su Yunyao¡¯s complexion turned ashen, and she spat several times, the sand kicked up by the tires getting into her mouth.


    She stood by the rough roadside, her eyes dark and ominous. Qiao Qingyu, you¡¯re ruthless, but sooner or later, I¡¯ll expose you as the tramp you are!


    She had suddenly woken up in the middle of the last night with memories of her past life.


    She had loved He Xiuyu her entire life. For him, she willingly conducted research and experiments in the desolate Northwest; for him, she had turned down Fang Haoze, who had always loved her; for him, she had sacrificed her reputation and her youth.


    But even until her death, she never had him!


    He always kept his distance, sternly reminding her that he was a married man, and she shouldn¡¯t speak out of turn or entertain inappropriate thoughts.


    But that vile village tramp, that shameless woman, how could she ever be worthy of He Xiuyu!


    If only she had been reborn earlier!

 Chapter 8 - 8 08 She will get away from He Xiuyu very soon

    ?Chapter 8: Chapter 08 She will get away from He Xiuyu very soon! Chapter 8: Chapter 08 She will get away from He Xiuyu very soon! Su Yunyao was very sad, if only she could have been reborn before He Xiuyu returned to Hejia Village.


    Nevertheless, she was also very grateful.


    Heaven had given her another life, just to let her make up for her regrets. This time, she would definitely help He Xiuyu escape from that ignorant and foolish village woman. She was going to marry him, love him deeply, and use her knowledge to help him avoid detours and reach the pinnacle of science.


    Furthermore, in the past life, He Xiuyu and that shameless village woman never had children. In this life, she wanted to bear his children.


    A daughter like her, and a son like him!


    They were childhood sweethearts with identical aspirations. This time, they would surely become the happiest family.


    Tears sparkled in Su Yunyao¡¯s eyes. She really missed him. Even though she had just seen him yesterday, now it felt as though it had been two lifetimes.


    At that thought, Su Yunyao quickly wiped away her tears. Her steps became light; she had too many regrets to make up for and too many mistakes to correct.


    How wonderful it was; Heaven must have seen her suffering and thus given her this chance to be reborn.


    She would surely cherish it well.


    As for Qiao Qingyu, she was really not worth mentioning.


    Even if she seemed a bit smarter, it couldn¡¯t change the fact that she was an ignorant village woman.


    Su Yunyao felt there was no need to be angry with her.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t love Qiao Qingyu at all, so soon she would be expelled from his life!


    ...


    At this moment, Qiao Qingyu could guess that Su Yunyao was probably thinking of ways to make her leave He Xiuyu.


    She was curious, wondering what it felt like not to view things from the main female character¡¯s perspective.


    But soon she had no time to think about that, as she was jolted so violently that her face turned pale. What kind of road was this? It was terrible. Sun Dazhi had already slowed down as much as he could, but it still wasn¡¯t much better.


    Fortunately, halfway through, the road conditions improved a lot, but the roadside was bare; the view was extensive, yet it was truly desolate.


    This place was on the edge of the Huang Sha region in the Northwest, near Xiaxi Commune. She saw patches of farmland where people were working. Seeing a jeep pass by, everyone straightened up and watched them.


    The farmland still looked very barren; in the distance, sparse elm trees stood in front of Yellow Earth Slope.


    ¡°Brother Sun, the farmland here is so inferior compared to North City. Why don¡¯t these people go to North City to farm? There are many uncultivated mountains near my hometown,¡± Qiao Qingyu remarked.


    Without chemical fertilizer, the crops grown year after year had only made the barren land more barren.


    Even with chemical fertilizer, it wasn¡¯t much better.


    Improving the environment had only one solution: people had to leave!


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to leave one¡¯s native soil. They¡¯ve lived here for generations, how could they bear to leave? North City might be better, but it¡¯s not their home,¡± Sun Dazhi said with a sigh.


    Qiao Qingyu nodded; that was exactly the reason.


    And now they had arrived at Xiaxi Commune.


    The area occupied by the commune was quite large, but it was also surrounded by farmland. The commune system hadn¡¯t been abolished yet, and those living here were still farmers.


    It was time for work, and there were hardly any pedestrians on the road.


    The jeep stopped at the post office. Qiao Qingyu got out of the car briskly, smiling warmly, ¡°Brother Sun, you can go back. I¡¯ll be heading to the cooperative store to buy some things soon.¡±


    Sun Dazhi hesitated for a moment. He truly couldn¡¯t stay for a long time, ¡°Are there many items that you bought, and considering the journey is not close, how will you bring them back?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I didn¡¯t buy much. I¡¯ll walk back with a few students from the family quarters. Brother Sun, thank you. You can go back now.¡±


    Temporarily, students from the family quarters attended the comprehensive school at the Xiaxi Commune. There were about four or five children. Qiao Qingyu had not planned to walk back with them; she intended to stroll around here a bit.


    Sun Dazhi did not insist further and, after giving a few instructions, drove off.


    Qiao Qingyu stood at the entrance of the post office, curiously looking around.


    At the main entrance stood a green iron mailbox. Pushing the door open led directly into the small post office of Xiaxi Commune.


    Behind a counter about half a meter tall was a postal worker wearing glasses. He was sorting through various envelopes and remittance forms.


    In this era, telephones were not widespread. For those separated by mountains and rivers, letters were the common means of communication. If one were really in a hurry, they could send a telegram, costing 1.5 yuan per word.


    Mr. Chang looked up and saw it was Qiao Qingyu. He knew this young woman; she was a regular customer at the supply and sales cooperative and reportedly the daughter-in-law of a prominent scientist at Tenghai Research Base. Mr. Chang quickly called out, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, good timing, here are your remittance form, a parcel, and a letter.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was stunned for a moment. She was there to send a telegram to her original body¡¯s parents but hadn¡¯t expected there to be so many items.


    The family quarters office at the base did not have the authority to issue introduction letters. Thus, the research base had issued identification cards to direct family members, and naturally, Qiao Qingyu had one.


    An hour later, Qiao Qingyu retrieved six hundred yuan from her remittance form, along with a letter and a parcel.


    Holding these items, she left the post office, somewhat worried. She wished she had asked Sun Dazhi to wait for her.


    Qiao Qingyu sat on the steps at the corner of the wall, the money tucked inside her canvas shoulder bag, all in ten yuan banknotes.


    He Xiuyu had initially given Qiao Qingyu eight hundred yuan. Six hundred yuan of this amount she had mailed back to her hometown, and she had spent the remaining two hundred yuan.


    She had just remembered that.


    Yesterday, He Xiuyu had given her a salary of eighty yuan, plus fifty kilograms in food coupons, a few kilograms each of meat coupons and oil tickets, and others...


    In the early 1980s, it was still an era where purchases were made with coupons.


    And He Xiuyu belonged to the higher-income group.


    Although in principle she shouldn¡¯t spend He Xiuyu¡¯s money, she was now penniless and needed to wait until she could earn her own.


    But holding onto this money and the coupons indeed felt like holding onto burning coals.


    Qiao Qingyu hesitated for a moment but then opened the letter.


    The letter was written by Qiao Qingyu¡¯s younger brother, Qiao Mubao...


    It filled exactly two pages of stationery. Qiao Qingyu quickly read it, and her expression gradually darkened.


    Her current situation seemed to be a bit tricky.


    Because of this awkward marriage, Han Xianglan had fallen seriously ill and spent all the family¡¯s money. Qiao Qingyu¡¯s father had taken Han Xianglan and left the Qiao Family Team. Mubao had dropped out of school. There were too many people gossiping behind their backs in the village, and the sister-in-law had taken nephews and nieces back to her parents¡¯ home.


    The once harmonious Qiao Family was left with only the straightforward and honest big brother, Qiao Genbao.


    In the letter, Mubao didn¡¯t say where they had gone, but he had mailed the wedding dress Han Xianglan had made by hand for her. He asked her to live a good life with He Xiuyu but to never return to the Qiao Family Team, as if she had no family there.


    There was also money, which was the He Family¡¯s; they had sent it all back unspent.


    This was a complete severance of relations!


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s frown deepened slightly as she placed the letter back in the canvas bag.


    Hugging the cloth bag containing the wedding dress, a hint of confusion flickered in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s moist eyes. Did she really have no way out now?

 Chapter 9 - 9 09 Giving You One Minute to Think

    ?Chapter 9: Chapter 09 Giving You One Minute to Think Chapter 9: Chapter 09 Giving You One Minute to Think Moments later, Qiao Qingyu stood up.


    Holding the package, she walked into the post office again. Mr. Chang watched her with a puzzled expression, adjusted his glasses, and asked, ¡°Why have you come back?¡±


    ¡°Uncle Chang, I need to make a long-distance call to my family.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then fill out a form first.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± Qiao Qingyu had adjusted her mindset and felt much more relaxed. She filled out the form, handed over her family member ID, and then sincerely praised, ¡°Uncle Chang, Sister Qiao Wen from our family compound always says you provide good service and are a great public servant.¡±


    Mr. Chang was pleased and chuckled while he took a careful look at the application form and stamped it. He then led Qiao Qingyu to the telephone booth next door. After opening the door, he humbly said, ¡°It¡¯s all part of serving the people; it¡¯s what I should do. Liu Qiao Wen is too kind.¡±


    She didn¡¯t press the matter further, as Qiao Qingyu had already guessed whom Liu Qiao Wen was calling.


    It must be her so-called mother-in-law she had never met¡ªMeng Siqi.


    Qiao Qingyu found it amusing; what era was it that they were resorting to the tactics of a spy?


    She thanked Mr. Chang again and then entered the telephone booth.


    After closing the door, she began dialing.


    Making phone calls was a hassle at that time. First, you had to connect to the operator, then be transferred several times before reaching the person you wanted to call.


    Moreover, the content of the call could likely be clearly overheard by the telephone operator.


    Except for certain special calls.


    So, being a telephone operator at that time was quite impressive.


    The call connected, and the voice on the other end was coarse and unexpected¡ªit was her own uncle, Qiao Zhiyuan, the leader of the third small team of the Qiao Family Team, whose greatest lifelong ambition was to become the team chief.


    Unfortunately, the team chief was even younger than him, so there was no chance of succession.


    Initially, Qiao Qingyu wanted to speak to her eldest brother, Qiao Genbao, but this person was even more suitable. She composed herself, and her voice was slightly choked, ¡°Uncle, this is Qingyu.¡±


    The other end paused, then a string of curses came shooting through the old black telephone handset, ¡°...you wretched girl, how dare you call, you¡¯ve completely disgraced your father and mother...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu could imagine that Captain Qiao must have been spitting as he spoke.


    ¡°Uncle, I have something important to discuss with you. Is there anyone near you?¡± Qiao Qingyu¡¯s voice was not loud, but it was clear. She didn¡¯t hesitate to interrupt the other party¡¯s tirade.


    There was a pause on the other end, but because of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s serious tone, he gruffly asked, ¡°I¡¯m alone at the team office, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Uncle, do you want to become the team chief or even the leader of the Harvest Commune?¡± Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words were shocking, and on the other end, Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s back broke out in a cold sweat, and his heart skipped a beat.


    ¡°You wretched girl, what nonsense are you spouting, you...¡± He stopped mid-sentence because he suddenly remembered whom Qiao Qingyu married.


    Not to mention He Shan in Beijing, but He Xiuyu managed an experimental base bigger than the county town.


    It was said that he had several hundred university students under him.


    Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s ambition differed little from his name, and although he was in his fifties, he still felt hope for advancement.


    ¡°Do you think I can decide what I want?¡± Qiao Zhiyuan, having regained his composure, replied irritably.


    ¡°Uncle, let¡¯s not beat around the bush. If you listen to me, I promise you¡¯ll achieve what you desire.¡±


    There was a moment of silence on the other end, and he seemed tempted, ¡°Let¡¯s hear it then.¡±


    ¡°I have a new type of corn seed here. It matures in ninety days, yields three tons per acre, and is drought-resistant, flood-tolerant, disease-resistant, and sturdy against lodging. Planting is simple and it has extremely low soil quality requirements.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan on the other end sharply inhaled in disbelief before Qiao Qingyu could finish, ¡°Three tons per acre? You¡¯re talking nonsense...¡±


    ¡°You should know whom I married and where I live, right? The people around me are all great scientists, something you probably don¡¯t realize. It¡¯s inconvenient to talk over the phone, but, uncle, if you agree, start your journey tonight. Call me before you board the train, and I¡¯ll pick you up at the provincial station. Oh, and by the way, I¡¯m giving you one minute to think about it. Not only is the phone call expensive, we can¡¯t tie up the line forever, right?¡±


    ¡°You girl...¡±


    What conclusions could he draw in one minute when his mind was completely blank?


    ¡°The opportunity is only once, and it wasn¡¯t easy for me to get it. If you don¡¯t want it, there are many others in line waiting.¡±


    ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m offering it to you first because you¡¯re my kin. Now is the perfect time for planting. If you delay, it¡¯s a year¡¯s harvest wasted. Let me do the math for you: your small team has a total of three thousand acres. If you plant two thousand acres of corn and we disregard all unforeseen factors and even undercalculate at two thousand nine hundred pounds per acre, you¡¯d still harvest a total of five point eight million pounds of corn.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan gasped for breath. He had been working in the fields since his teens, and his life revolved around the soil; he was an old farmer. Last year, they planted two thousand acres of corn, and with favorable weather and decent seeds, they reaped two million pounds of corn in the fall, which earned the Harvest Commune a towel reward for their team as they ranked first in the commune for corn production.


    But five point eight million pounds was more than double the yield, and no one needed to explain the implications to him; he knew better than anyone.


    ¡°But what if the crop fails?¡± Qiao Zhiyuan asked, worried.


    Qiao Qingyu was silent for a moment. Ideally, she should have run her own experiments with the lab¡¯s seeds for a year before scaling up for widespread cultivation.


    However, the lab¡¯s records on the seeds were very detailed, with strict scientific data on planting methods and soil requirements. This was especially true for commonly grown crops.


    She hated to dilly-dally, ¡°Uncle, you could request five hundred acres as a trial field. This corn has a short maturity period and shows quick results. You¡¯ll see the effects within a month. Have you made up your mind?¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan, ¡°...¡±


    Rotten girl, your chatter doesn¡¯t even give me time to think.


    Qiao Zhiyuan gritted his teeth and stamped his foot, ¡°Every Agricultural Research Institute needs to run experiments with new seeds. I¡¯ll be the first one, I¡¯m all in...¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan was, after all, a farmer with great courage and vision. If it weren¡¯t for his low level of education, he could truly become a member of the commune. But with her assistance, that wouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    Heh, that¡¯s confidence!


    ¡°Not everyone gets the chance to grow such seeds, and I considered you first because you are my uncle. If the cultivation is a success, you will become not just the first scientist farmer in our Harvest Commune, no, in our entire county. You surely understand what that means more clearly than I do.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan, ¡°...¡±


    Why hadn¡¯t he noticed before what a smooth talker this girl was? Was it true what they say, that a person takes on the qualities of their spouse, like ¡®marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, follow the dog; marry a beggar, and walk with a stick¡¯?


    Had she become cultured overnight just by marrying a scientist?

 Chapter 10 - 10 10 Should we give her a chance to correct

    ?Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Should we give her a chance to correct herself? Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Should we give her a chance to correct herself? ¡°Stinky girl, you haven¡¯t even asked where your dad and mom went after all this time?¡± he remembered and grumbled unhappily.


    ¡°Where did my dad and mom go?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked straightforwardly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±


    ¡°That settles it then, asking would¡¯ve been useless.¡± Qiao Qingyu sighed, then quickly changed the subject, ¡°Uncle, let¡¯s talk about my parents when we meet up. I suggest you bring two people along, It¡¯d be great if you could bring a truck, and of course, it¡¯d be even better if you could bring some of our hometown¡¯s black soil. These seeds I¡¯ve got have sprouted, so be careful when you transport them...¡±


    The maize seeds in the lab were stored in large bottles, each weighing twenty pounds. If she weren¡¯t unable to return to Qiao Family Team, she wouldn¡¯t have had to go through such trouble.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s settled then. We¡¯ll call you when we get to North City.¡±


    ¡°Take note of the phone number for our family compound¡¯s office...¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Being an efficient man, Qiao Zhiyuan hastily noted down the phone number and then rushed off to find the team leader.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Qingyu went to the counter to pay.


    It hurt a bit, spending three whole yuan!


    Every penny she spent now belonged to He Xiuyu. Life is tough indeed!


    Qiao Qingyu, holding her package, left the post office and checked the time, then headed to the supply and marketing cooperative. Like all rural supply and marketing cooperatives, this one didn¡¯t have many goods, but it had a variety of things: fabric, hairbands, books, paper, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and even liquor and sugar, although there were no tea leaves or cigarettes. In those days, few people in the countryside drank tea, and what was commonly known as filter cigarettes wasn¡¯t as popular as smoking from tobacco pipes and rolling dry tobacco.


    Some of the tobacco leaves were home-grown; others were dried from tree leaves.


    Serving guests a bowl of sugary water and rolling a dry tobacco cigarette for them was considered high-standard hospitality.


    Qiao Qingyu looked around. There were quite a few things she needed to buy, but she couldn¡¯t carry them all back. In the end, she only purchased a pound of white sugar and a pound of the local specialty, millet cakes, and then walked all the way back to the family compound with her packages.


    It took her an hour and she was exhausted.


    Qiao Qingyu made up her mind to buy a bicycle. She still had the bicycle voucher He Xiuyu had given her. In any case, she already owed He Xiuyu quite a lot of money. She would just pay him back once she started making money.


    At this time, Sister-in-law Li from the front yard saw Qiao Qingyu return and quickly brought her a bowl of second-class rice with a layer of stir-fried pickles on top.


    In the Northwest during April, it was the time when winter food stores were depleting and new crops weren¡¯t ready yet. Since the base had just been established, the logistics had to first accommodate the base¡¯s researchers.


    So, the most common food in the family compound was pickles.


    Qiao Qingyu received the bowl with a smile and placed it on the table, ¡°Thank you, Sister-in-law Li, I am indeed a bit hungry.¡± She then handed over half of the wrapped millet cakes to Sister-in-law Li, ¡°Millet cakes are quite nutritious. This is for Xiao Hu.¡±


    Sister-in-law Li naturally couldn¡¯t accept it; it seemed like they were bartering, and millet cakes were expensive at five jiao per pound, whereas pork was only eight jiao. Ordinary people rarely indulged in such an extravagant treat as millet cakes.


    With her husband making a little over forty yuan, and half of it being sent back to the family in their hometown, she only bought half a pound of millet cakes for Xiao Hu as a treat during the New Year¡¯s.


    ¡°You keep it for yourself,¡± she said. ¡°Besides, Xiao Hu doesn¡¯t like pastries and such.¡±


    As Sister-in-law Li was about to leave, Qiao Qingyu grabbed her arm with a beaming smile, ¡°Sister-in-law Li, I consider you family. You give me food, and I accept it happily without any formality, right?¡±


    Sister-in-law Li nodded; she had a forthright nature and naturally liked this way of interacting.


    ¡°So, I¡¯m giving Xiao Hu some millet cakes, and you shouldn¡¯t be formal with me either, right?¡±


    Sister-in-law Li hesitated for a moment, thought it over, and seemed to conclude that made sense.


    ¡°Alright, then I won¡¯t be polite,¡± Sister-in-law Li gladly accepted and, after giving Qiao Qingyu a few instructions, hurried back home.


    Sister-in-law Li¡¯s cooking skills were impressive, even the pickled vegetables she stir-fried were very flavorful, and Qiao Qingyu cleaned her plate, eating both the rice and pickled vegetables.


    Upon waking from her nap, she knelt, stunned, beside the wooden box; the cabbages she had planted yesterday had already sprouted two green leaves.


    Ordinary cabbages usually take three to four days to sprout, but in the lab, this time was halved.


    It seemed that in another week, she would be able to eat fresh, tender young cabbage.


    Although she had a mysterious confidence in the lab, Qiao Qingyu still breathed a sigh of relief.


    In the afternoon, Director Shen brought Zhu Mingli with her.


    Before entering the house, Zhu Mingli apologized to Qiao Qingyu in the yard, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have said hurtful things, it was my fault, I hope you can forgive me!¡±


    God knows, saying these words, Zhu Mingli¡¯s heart was bleeding.


    She bowed her head, desperately trying to hide the resentment in her eyes, but Qiao Qingyu saw it clearly.


    She sighed, didn¡¯t address Zhu Mingli, but turned to Director Shen, speaking softly and gently, ¡°Director Shen, I feel terrible for making you come all this way.¡±


    Director Shen spoke, ¡°It¡¯s not just about this one matter. Your uncle called from home yesterday, saying he will leave at five in the morning by truck to Xichuan, and wants you to wait for them at Xichuan City¡¯s bus station the afternoon the day after tomorrow.¡±


    Her uncle really moved quickly with his obsession for office, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s lips curled slightly upward, ¡°Thank you, Director Shen. Please come in for some water.¡±


    ¡°No, thanks, we are still busy.¡±


    Director Shen glanced at Zhu Mingli, knowing she was reluctant and didn¡¯t truly realize her mistake.


    In this era, everyone is equal, without a hierarchy of high or low, noble or humble.


    The comrades who feed pigs at the base work very hard; Zhu Mingli¡¯s words not only insulted Qiao Qingyu but also those who fed the pigs at the base. She wasn¡¯t really suitable for working at the office; Director Shen had to give that some thought.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, Zhu Mingli has recognized her mistake. Please forgive her this time and let¡¯s give her a chance to correct herself, shall we?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes were bright as she admired Director Shen, ¡°Director Shen, you truly deserve to be called a teacher of the people, you are so cultured. Just now I was thinking, how can I express my thoughts at this moment?¡±


    Director Shen smiled softly, then she surprisingly found that the girl, Qiao Qingyu, was truly beautiful, with willowy eyebrows, watery eyes, cheeks as tender as a peeled egg, pale pink lips, and a prominent nose; especially when she smiled, her entire demeanor became radiant.


    She sighed inwardly, thinking that Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu, just by their appearances, seemed a match made by nature.


    Qiao Qingyu turned her head to look at Zhu Mingli, speaking earnestly, ¡°Staff Zhu, since you have come to apologize, I also forgive you. I hope you can truly recognize your mistake, not just outwardly.¡±


    Zhu Mingli, ¡°...¡±


    She felt really suffocated.


    ¡°Because what you said isn¡¯t just insulting me. Regardless of what prejudices you have against me, you can¡¯t dismiss everyone with a single stroke.¡±


    Zhu Mingli clenched her teeth, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, I will be more careful in the future.¡±


    Director Shen looked at Qiao Qingyu with satisfaction, thinking the girl was indeed clever.

 Chapter 11 - 11 11 Find a Legitimate Origin for Your Own

    ?Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Find a Legitimate Origin for Your Own Laboratory Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Find a Legitimate Origin for Your Own Laboratory Shen Fen thought of something, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I¡¯ve discussed it with the base leaders, and the office will start preparing for literacy classes tomorrow.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was genuinely happy this time; she was about to shed the label of illiteracy. ¡°Director Shen, I¡¯ll be the first to sign up.¡±


    ¡°Good, good, good, once the preparation work is finished, we¡¯ll notify everyone.¡±


    After a few more words, Shen Fen noticed that Zhu Mingli was visibly restless. She frowned slightly but also prepared to head back to the office. Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes shone brightly, ¡°Director Shen, I¡¯m actually heading to Sister Qiao Wen¡¯s place. Let¡¯s walk together.¡±


    Shen Fen really liked talking to Qiao Qingyu, who had suddenly become sensible; because this girl was clever, she grasped things instantly, and it wasn¡¯t tiring talking to smart people.


    Laughing and chatting, they arrived at Liu Qiao Wen¡¯s doorstep. At the time, Liu Qiao Wen was drying the sheets in the courtyard. Seeing that it was Qiao Qingyu, her expression darkened, and she hid behind the sheets.


    ¡°Sister Qiao Wen, don¡¯t hide, I can see you. Oh right, have you forgotten about the matter I mentioned to you yesterday? Do you need me to repeat it?¡± Qiao Qingyu¡¯s crisp voice started to ring leisurely.


    Liu Qiao Wen hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Qingyu to be so direct. She didn¡¯t care about Zhu Mingli, but Shen Fen was someone she still feared a bit. If Shen Fen were to find out, it wouldn¡¯t look good for her.


    ¡°Alright, I remember, wait for me. I¡¯ll go get it for you.¡± Liu Qiao Wen entered the house with resentment.


    Shen Fen and Zhu Mingli returned to the office.


    Qiao Qingyu leaned against the doorframe, squinting her eyes in the warm sunshine of the spring day, pondering her next steps.


    Returning to the Qiao Family Team definitely wasn¡¯t an option; Han Xianglan wouldn¡¯t want to see her, because her most beloved daughter turned her decades of persistence and avoidance of suspicion into a huge joke.


    So, she might really need to hunker down here for a few months.


    Then, within a hundred miles radius of the family compound, it wouldn¡¯t be bad to grow some thousand silk hemp; she just didn¡¯t know who owned the rights to this land.


    Moreover, she planned to establish an Agricultural Research Institute to provide a legitimate source for her laboratory.


    She considered whether she should affiliate with Tenghai Research.


    Just then, an irate Liu Qiao Wen came out of the house holding fifty yuan, throwing cold glances at Qiao Qingyu, who, while basking in the sunlight, looked like a pretty little cat, a trace of jealousy flashing in her eyes.


    A rural girl like her dared to be so beautiful!


    She threw five ten yuan banknotes onto the ground in front of Qiao Qingyu and accused her with a tone of disappointment and anger, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, you are truly ungrateful. Despite how good I¡¯ve been to you, isn¡¯t it just fifty yuan? You¡¯re always demanding it; it¡¯s not like I have not given it to you, are you a pauper? Have you never seen money in your life...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu slowly straightened up, a hint of ruthlessness passing through her eyes; what seemed like a small cat just a moment ago now resembled a cheetah ready to pounce.


    The air around her instantly became gloomy.


    The thing Qiao Qingyu hated most in life was someone throwing things on the ground, expecting her to bend down to pick them up.


    It wasn¡¯t that her waist was so noble; it was because those who threw things were despicable!


    She was an orphan who had experienced from a young age the taste of relying on charity for food and clothing.


    She made a lot of money, but she always cherished every grain of food.


    Pointing at the scattered banknotes on the ground, her gaze dark and severe, she articulated each word, ¡°Liu Qiao Wen, pick up the money!¡±


    Liu Qiao Wen had never seen Qiao Qingyu like this before.


    She was only eighteen, so much younger than her, yet her gaze was fierce, and her presence was commanding, carrying the authority of someone superior, and even the surrounding air seemed to drop several degrees.


    Her furious emotion had now turned into panic and confusion.


    Cold sweat began to form on Liu Qiao Wen¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, you, you... what do you mean? Didn¡¯t I give you all the money?¡± Liu Qiao Wen roared weakly, ¡°Don¡¯t bite the hand that feeds you!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at her coldly, then turned and walked away.


    Liu Qiao Wen felt a sinking feeling in her chest and chased after Qiao Qingyu for a few steps before yelling, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, you ungrateful wretch.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stopped in her tracks, turned around, and looked at Liu Qiao Wen calmly, her voice even more serene, ¡°Liu Qiao Wen, since we¡¯ve known each other, how much meat and sweets have you eaten from my house, and how many kilos of millet and white flour have you taken from me? Should I make you a list? Yet, I have never even drunk a sip of water from your house. Who is the ungrateful one here? Should we ask everyone to weigh in on this?¡±


    ¡°You...¡± Liu Qiao Wen turned ashen-faced, looking at Qiao Qingyu with disbelief, yet unable to utter a word.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mouth curled into a sneer as she turned and strode off towards the office.


    A sudden unease began to grow in Liu Qiao Wen¡¯s heart.


    The sun had set below the horizon, and the remaining light enveloped the vast land as wisps of cooking smoke rose from the family housing.


    The base¡¯s security personnel took Liu Qiao Wen away.


    Qiao Qingyu had reported Liu Qiao Wen for espionage under her real name.


    Each time He Xiuyu returned, Liu Qiao Wen would go to the commune¡¯s post office to make a phone call.


    Somehow, this matter spread swiftly throughout the entire family housing area, but no one dared to treat it as a joke.


    For a time, the air in the family housing complex became tense.


    Sister-in-law Li was somewhat worried, but seeing Qiao Qingyu smiling cheerfully, she reassured herself.


    She didn¡¯t like Liu Qiao Wen because that woman was always egging Qiao Qingyu on to cry and make a scene with He Xiuyu, and she also liked to take advantage of others, which was simply disgraceful.


    Qiao Qingyu knew Liu Qiao Wen wasn¡¯t a spy, but she wouldn¡¯t be accused of slander because the party involved was He Xiuyu¡¯s own mother. In the end, it could only be attributed to an internal conflict.


    Naturally, she would be fine, but Liu Qiao Wen would have to face the music.


    The base had strict regulations against disclosing the whereabouts of research personnel.


    Not even if that person is your own flesh and blood!


    This was the unyielding system; unconditional compliance was the only requirement!


    Being able to get rid of two annoying problems at once, Qiao Qingyu slept soundly.


    But the base¡¯s security office was ablaze with lights.


    Liu Qiao Wen was terrified and no longer cared that Meng Siqi was He Xiuyu¡¯s mother. If she didn¡¯t tell the truth, she was going to jail.


    Because she had indeed reported He Xiuyu¡¯s whereabouts, and even though the individual was his mother, she had still broken the rules.


    So, Liu Qiao Wen, crying and wailing, told the whole truth.


    Director Lin conducted the interrogation himself and found the situation very tricky. He Xiuyu was at an important and secretive meeting and was unreachable.


    He had no choice but to call Shen Haoze. With He Xiuyu absent, Shen was temporarily in charge of the technical aspects.


    Moreover, he had a good relationship with He Xiuyu.


    Shen Haoze was taken aback. Qiao Qingyu had reported Liu Qiao Wen for espionage under her real name? What was that woman up to now?


    Su Yunyao¡¯s face darkened with anger, and her mouth curled into a cold sneer as she scoffed, ¡°Qiao Qingyu is shameless. Who does she think she is, to report someone just like that? How could Liu Qiao Wen possibly be a spy? It looks like slander to me. They should arrest Qiao Qingyu and put her in jail instead!¡±

 Chapter 12 - 12 12 Wedding Dress

    ?Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Wedding Dress Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Wedding Dress Su Yunyao had no memory of this incident at all.


    Liu Qiao Wen was merely close to Aunt Meng because of her brother¡¯s job, to call her a spy was simply ridiculous.


    Shen Haoze glared at Su Yunyao, donned his coat, and leisurely said, ¡°Liu Qiao Wen indeed informed Aunt Meng of He Xiuyu¡¯s whereabouts over the phone. She not only violated the family rules, but such a phone call is also very dangerous. Can you guarantee that no one was listening? Therefore, Qiao Qingyu was not making false accusations!¡±


    Su Yunyao glared at Shen Haoze resentfully, but was left speechless.


    She watched Shen Haoze leave and after thinking for a moment, she followed him.


    If they could imprison Qiao Qingyu for false accusations, it would indeed be satisfying. If not, it would at least completely sever Qiao Qingyu¡¯s connection with Aunt Meng.


    Either way, she wasn¡¯t at a loss.


    Unexpectedly, she was unable to meet Liu Qiao Wen.


    Standing at the entrance of the security office, Su Yunyao looked displeased; the base personnel really showed no respect.


    Was it because of her low position?


    Once her experiments yielded results, she thought, let¡¯s see if these people dare treat her this way again!


    The night was too deep, and it seemed Shen Haoze wouldn¡¯t be coming out anytime soon, so Su Yunyao had to leave sulkily.


    ...


    The distant eastern horizon began to show pale white, with faint light seeping out like spreading ripples. In just a moment, the entire sky turned clear and bright.


    Another morning had arrived.


    Qiao Qingyu brushed her teeth, washed her face, and cooked some millet porridge with soybean paste for breakfast.


    While cleaning up the house, she noticed a canvas bag containing over six hundred yuan.


    Frowning in thought for a moment, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes lit up. She pressed her fingers for ten seconds then entered the laboratory, where, as always, air was breathable, but time stood still.


    She first checked the corn seeds; one mu of land required about four jin, so she needed to prepare two thousand jin for her uncle.


    That meant one hundred large bottles.


    The corn seeds, due to their size, were stored on shelves along the edges, along with items like peanuts, potatoes, and ginger.


    The corn seeds occupied five shelves, with exactly one hundred on each shelf.


    Qiao Qingyu recorded the corn planting methods, precautions, and seed-saving procedures in her manuscript book. Her handwriting was neat and tidy, looking like something a primary school student could write.


    The corn had to be planted and seeds saved for continued cultivation since the laboratory had limited seeds.


    But Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know whether the laboratory had this function or how to operate it if it did. Nonetheless, seed saving was a fixed procedure.


    Looking at the paper and pen in her hand, Qiao Qingyu left the laboratory with a thought.


    After several experiments, she had roughly determined the items that could be brought into the laboratory.


    Paper, fountain pens, money, wooden boxes, and cigarettes were allowed.


    Clothes, bedding, shoes, socks, and canvas bags were not permitted, nor was food.


    Moreover, the laboratory had automatic disinfection and purification functions.


    She noticed that the skin on her face had become much smoother in just a few days.


    Wrapped six hundred yuan in a piece of kraft paper and placed it in a wooden box that had been cleaned by Qiao Qingyu beforehand, with two large pieces of kraft paper laid at the bottom of the box.


    The box was placed in a corner of the laboratory, making it look much tidier.


    The three boxes of cigarettes left from entertaining guests were also unapologetically placed in the wooden box by Qiao Qingyu.


    At this moment, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s gaze fell on a parcel on the kang cabinet, inside was a wedding dress hand-embroidered by Han Xianglan for her most beloved daughter.


    After hesitating for a moment, Qiao Qingyu still opened the parcel.


    A ray of sunlight hit the fabric just right, the red patterns rippled like water waves, it was actually satin with dragon and phoenix clasps, embroidered with flowers representing wealth.


    The stitches were fine and the embroidery exquisite.


    Without exaggeration, it could be considered a piece of art.


    Han Xianglan was skilled and gentle by nature, and was praised by everyone within ten miles, but in her old age, she was betrayed by her own daughter.


    Apart from the new wedding dress, there were also several new polyester shirts and pants, and a pair of new cloth shoes with plush and embroidered flowers. Qiao Qingyu unpacked them one by one; in the next second, she shook a small cloth bag out of the clothes, and upon opening it, found it contained money and coupons.


    Qiao Qingyu carefully counted the contents: thirty-eight yuan and five mao eight fen, three jin four liang of food coupons, along with fabric and cotton coupons, which were valid nationwide.


    Although she uttered not a word, Qiao Qingyu felt a warm yet somewhat sour feeling in her heart; Han Xianglan and Qiao Zhicai spoke of cutting off relations, but still gave their only savings to their daughter.


    She carefully wrapped the wedding dress and placed it in the cabinet.


    Afterwards, she took a long sigh, believing that with time, they would soon forgive her, but before that, she needed to do something for them.


    There was also her dropout younger brother, and her lonely older brother.


    With a clear goal in mind, Qiao Qingyu locked the front door of her house and headed to Sister-in-law Li¡¯s house, ¡°Sister-in-law Li, I¡¯m going to the commune to get a letter of introduction.¡±


    ¡°Qingyu, where are you planning to go with the letter of introduction?¡± Sister-in-law Li asked affectionately.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to Xichuan City. My uncle and the others are there for some business, and I thought I¡¯d visit them.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll have to take the long-distance bus to the city tomorrow, right?¡±


    ¡°If I can get the letter of introduction today, I¡¯ll leave today.¡±


    ¡°Our residential compound is safe, no thieves around, don¡¯t worry, and besides, I¡¯m here,¡± Sister-in-law Li said briskly.


    At that moment, Xiao Hu poked his head from behind Sister-in-law Li and added, ¡°Count me in too, I can help protect our home and country.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu gave him a thumbs up, praising, ¡°Look at our Xiao Hu, so young and already thinking about protecting our home and country. Aunt Qiao will buy you something tasty when she comes back.¡±


    Xiao Hu¡¯s eyes sparkled at the mention of treats, and he nodded vigorously, ¡°Aunt Qiao, I¡¯ll definitely help keep an eye on the house.¡±


    Despite these words, Sister-in-law Li still cautioned Qiao Qingyu to be careful on the road.


    From Xiaxi Commune to Yushu County, there was only one bus that left every day at two in the afternoon from the front of the commune, taking about two hours to reach Yushu County. There was a connecting bus to Xichuan City at five o¡¯clock, which could match up timing-wise, but it was quite a journey.


    By the time they reached Xichuan City, it would be about seven in the evening.


    In fact, the distance was just a few hundred li.


    Qiao Qingyu missed the chance for a lift and had to walk back to the commune again; she held her family member ID to find Fang Xiaomei to write the letter of introduction.


    Fang Xiaomei was a local who knew Qiao Qingyu. At the start of the year, Fang Xiaomei was introduced to a driver from the base¡¯s vehicle team by someone, and in late February, Qiao Qingyu was brought by He Xiuyu to the residential compound.


    Fang Xiaomei felt although their romantic relationships were different, they came from similar backgrounds and should have a lot to talk about, so she invited Qiao Qingyu over.


    The two got along quite well initially, but Liu Qiao Wen caused a few disruptions, and they fell out.

 Chapter 13 - 13 13 Bait

    ?Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Bait Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Bait It never occurred to me that by the middle of last month, Fang Xiaomei¡¯s partner had suddenly proposed breaking up with her, the reason being a lack of common interests.


    As a result, Fang Xiaomei never sought out Qiao Qingyu again, and Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t visited her.


    At this moment, when Fang Xiaomei saw that it was Qiao Qingyu, she really froze for a moment then seemed to remember something, snorted coldly, and turned her head away.


    Qiao Qingyu sat down in front of her and patted the table, ¡°Mr. Fang, please turn your head around, this is my family certificate; I need you to write me an introduction letter to Xichuan City.¡±


    Fang Xiaomei turned her head sharply, looked down at the family certificate, and recalled the times they played together when Qiao Qingyu had shown it off to her. At that time, she had proudly claimed that she would soon have a family certificate too.


    Remembering this, Fang Xiaomei felt her face burning hot; she glared at Qiao Qingyu and blurted out, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, you did this on purpose to humiliate me, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu knocked on the table, sternly saying, ¡°Comrade Fang Xiaomei, it¡¯s working hours now, please fulfill your job responsibilities and write the introduction letter for me.¡±


    Fang Xiaomei, ¡°...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s serious demeanor, coupled with her beautiful brows and eyes, actually made Fang Xiaomei relax all of a sudden.


    Fang Xiaomei snorted with laughter, quickly wrote the introduction letter, but she didn¡¯t have the authority to stamp it, ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll go to the vice director to get the stamp.¡± Saying this, she stood up to leave, but Qiao Qingyu stopped her, ¡°Xiao Mei, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    Fang Xiaomei didn¡¯t think much of it and led Qiao Qingyu to find the vice director. The commune¡¯s location was quite large, with three single-story buildings, and after crossing a courtyard, they arrived to the vice director¡¯s office.


    The vice director¡¯s surname was Qian, a man in his forties, whom everyone called Mr. Qian. He stamped the introduction letter and casually asked, ¡°Are you going to Xichuan City today?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°Yes, Vice Director Qian. My uncle is on a business trip this time, and I can¡¯t delay his work, so I¡¯m going early to buy some of our Xichuan specialties for them. I heard that this time they¡¯ve introduced a type of corn seed with a yield of three thousand jin per mu, and they are preparing to make a big effort.¡±


    Not only Mr. Qian but even Fang Xiaomei was taken aback.


    Three thousand jin per mu, is that true?


    Although the land here was infertile, they had also grown quite a bit of corn and naturally understood what a yield of three thousand jin per mu meant.


    Mr. Qian¡¯s eyes revealed an eager glint, yet he still suppressed it, his voice calm as he asked, ¡°Hmm, such a high yield, not bad.¡±


    Because of Fang Xiaomei, he knew that Qiao Qingyu¡¯s family was in North City, and he also knew that Qiao Qingyu¡¯s uncle was a small team leader.


    That¡¯s right, Fang Xiaomei was his niece.


    The land in North City was so good, the yield of corn was already high, plus corn is quite delicate, demanding high soil and environmental quality during its growth period, so even with good seeds, they couldn¡¯t grow them at Xiaxi Commune.


    However, Qiao Qingyu looked at Vice Director Qian, seemingly asking casually, ¡°Vice Director Qian, who owns the wasteland around our family courtyard now?¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, what are you asking this for, planning to farm?¡± Fang Xiaomei couldn¡¯t wait for her uncle to speak, directly asking.


    She had heard from Qiao Qingyu herself that she rarely worked in the fields because her family was very fond of her; her dad not only did not favor sons over daughters, but it was actually the opposite.


    ¡°The wasteland around the family courtyard has just been assigned to Tenghai Research and is no longer managed by the commune,¡± Vice Director Qian did not conceal anything since the other party was the wife of Chief Engineer He Xiuyu of Tenghai Research Base; he didn¡¯t say anything because Qiao Qingyu would find out sooner or later.


    Qiao Qingyu spoke slowly, ¡°I was just curious.¡± Then she changed the subject, ¡°My uncle mentioned a crop called thousand silk hemp that not only requires very little from the soil and environment but can also improve the land. It seems quite suitable for us in Xichuan to plant, and the value of its produce is even higher than that of castor...¡±


    Vice Director Qian¡¯s eyes lit up as he hurriedly asked, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, can you be more specific? Can we plant it here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not clear on the specifics myself; my uncle just mentioned it in passing. I¡¯ll ask him when I see him,¡± Qiao Qingyu decided not to continue. She had set the bait; now it was up to Vice Director Qian to show some courage.


    She slipped the introduction letter into her purse, smiled at Mr. Qian, and said her goodbye, ¡°Vice Director Qian, thank you for stamping the introduction letter. I know you¡¯re busy!¡±


    In fact, Vice Director Qian had many more questions to ask, but after opening his mouth, he held back. Matters regarding seeds were no small thing; any delay could mean going hungry.


    After all, the planting plans for this year had already been reported to the county.


    Fang Xiaomei escorted Qiao Qingyu to the gate. Seeing Qiao Qingyu¡¯s beaming smile made her feel somewhat stifled. Fang Xiaomei said with some malice, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, Chief Engineer He is a Ph.D., and you didn¡¯t even finish elementary school. You¡¯re worlds apart and don¡¯t have anything in common. There are so many beautiful female college students at the base, beware he might kick you to the curb one day!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried because I see better than you do.¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, what do you mean by that? Are you saying I¡¯m blind?¡± Fang Xiaomei glared angrily.


    ¡°Yes, I am. Even with my eyes closed, I can pick better than you can with eyes wide open. Doesn¡¯t that mean you¡¯re blind?¡±


    It was true; when Qiao Qingyu had crawled into He Xiuyu¡¯s bed, she really had her eyes closed.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, you¡¯re insulting me!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled slightly, turned around, and left, leaving Fang Xiaomei stomping her feet in frustration on the spot.


    ...


    That evening, Qiao Qingyu finally got off the crowded, smelly public bus. Her face was pale as she clung to a pillar, retching for a while before feeling a little better.


    Traveling really was miserable in this era.


    She rested for a while, then used the introduction letter to check into a hostel near Xichuan City¡¯s bus station. Dinner time had passed, but she still found a privately-run noodle shop.


    1980 marked the first year of reform and opening up, and Xichuan, being a provincial capital, had seen some people start their own businesses.


    The noodle shop just had a sign at the front. Upon entering, Qiao Qingyu found the interior to be very clean. The owners were a young couple. She ordered a bowl of hot oil noodles, and when they were served, the fragrance made her squint with pleasure.


    People from the Northwest loved their noodles and had developed many different varieties. The strength of the young wife was evident in her dough kneading, resulting in chewy noodles that were quite delicious.


    After stirring in a layer of fragrant fried scallions, Sichuan pepper powder, sesame and other toppings into the noodles, each bite was a delight.


    The land of the Northwest wasn¡¯t all barren; most of it was quite fertile, and the wheat and millet grown there were especially tasty.


    They just couldn¡¯t compare with the yields from the lab.


    Qiao Qingyu went back to rest after having her fill, as she was too tired. She slept until dawn, had a simple breakfast at the noodle shop, chatted with the young wife for a while, then took her 300 yuan and a bicycle ticket to head to the city¡¯s department store.


    Her bicycle ticket was nationally accepted, and since it was from the engineering department, she smoothly picked up her ride, a Peacock brand bicycle, for 180 yuan.


    She rode it directly to the Tenghai Research Base¡¯s office in Xichuan.

 Chapter 14 - 14 14 Paving the Road

    ?Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Paving the Road Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Paving the Road ¡°Pole vaulting was not a challenge for Qiao Qingyu, who stood five feet five inches tall.


    As she pedaled her bicycle under the blue sky with the spring breeze brushing her face, Qiao Qingyu felt even more stylish than when she drove her multi-million dollar sports car in reality!


    The office was not far from the department store. Pushing open the door, she presented her family certificate which boldly listed her spouse¡¯s name, He Xiuyu.


    The director of the office was a woman surnamed Zhao, in her forties, with short hair that gave her a clean and capable look. She greeted Qiao Qingyu with a warm smile, insisted she sit down, and poured her a glass of water, expressing a very affectionate attitude, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, please have some water and rest for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Director Zhao,¡± Qiao Qingyu replied in a soft and gentle voice, appearing very obedient.


    She then explained her purpose, ¡°...Director Zhao, I did not mean to bother the office, but my uncle brought me a lot of vegetable seeds this time. Even though Xichuan City is only a few hundred miles away from the Xiaxi Commune, it requires several transfers, and some of the seeds have already sprouted, especially the cabbage seeds. We must be careful in transporting them. Not to mention, my uncle also brought a lot of fertile black soil for seed cultivation. He said that with proper management, we can have fresh green baby cabbages in half a month. So, if I could hitch a ride on the office¡¯s trip back to the base, that would be ideal. If not, I will have to find another way...¡±


    The more Director Zhao listened, the brighter her eyes shone. Fresh green baby cabbages within half a month, and stewed with tofu in a big pot would allow the comrades at the base to replenish their vitamins!


    The office in Xichuan had many responsibilities, but its main job was logistical support for the base.


    This time of the year was a period when the old harvest ends and the new one has not yet begun, and she had been wracking her brain to bring in some cabbages and potatoes from the Jiangbei region. However, due to storage and transportation issues, the various grain-producing areas could only offer a few thousand pounds of potatoes, most of which had already sprouted.


    But she had agreed to the transportation despite this, since it was still better than eating pickled vegetables every day.


    She urgently inquired, ¡°How many cabbage seeds do you have?¡±


    It would be a letdown if there weren¡¯t enough.


    ¡°My uncle prepared a lot for me, nearly enough to plant fifty acres. Uncle loves me and is worried about me not having good food here, but he didn¡¯t consider how I could possibly use so much,¡± said Qiao Qingyu, her tone filled with vexation.


    Director Zhao couldn¡¯t help but rub her hands with excitement. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she negotiated, ¡°Qingyu, do you think you could spare some cabbage seeds for the base?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled sweetly, ¡°Director Zhao, actually even if you didn¡¯t ask, I had the same idea.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just wonderful, Comrade Qiao Qingyu! On behalf of the base, I thank you.¡±


    ¡°Director Zhao, you¡¯re too polite. As He Xiuyu¡¯s family, it¡¯s also my duty to do something for the base.¡±


    Director Zhao knew that He Xiuyu had married a village woman who was rumored to be uncultured, vulgar, and not much different from a shrew.


    She had even felt pity for He Xiuyu in secret.


    But this was a matter between the couple, and as a subordinate, it wasn¡¯t her place to comment.


    However, seeing her today, she realized that you should never rely on hearsay ¨C seeing is believing.


    This young woman was indeed a perfect match for He Xiuyu.


    Quickly, Director Zhao arranged for a truck. She had just purchased over a hundred pounds of dried wood ear mushrooms and a large jar of pickled mustard greens, which would now be taken back to the base with Qiao Qingyu.


    There was a guesthouse here, but Qiao Qingyu declined the offer to stay, citing that she didn¡¯t want to cause any trouble for the office. After all, since she was not an employee of the base, it wouldn¡¯t be quite appropriate.


    With each passing moment, Director Zhao found Qiao Qingyu to be more understanding and generous, and she looked at her with increasing fondness.


    As she was leaving, Qiao Qingyu inquired about the textile factory in Xichuan.


    If it hadn¡¯t been Qiao Qingyu¡¯s first visit to Xichuan, Director Zhao would have suspected that she already knew something, for her husband had been transferred to the Xichuan Textile Factory as its director just yesterday afternoon.¡±


    After finding out that Qiao Qingyu wanted to buy some odds and ends of fabric, Director Zhao didn¡¯t hesitate to personally take her to the Xichuan Textile Factory.


    Although Director Zhao¡¯s husband had been in office for only one day, Director Zhao herself came from the textile factory where she had served as Women¡¯s Director for eight years.


    She had a very good reputation and had protected quite a few people during difficult times, which resulted in some of the elderly having special feelings for her.


    Furthermore, now that policies had become more lenient, the factory could discretionally deal with some of the backlogged inventory.


    So, they took Director Zhao and Qiao Qingyu to the warehouse.


    They sold the faulty fabric and fabric scraps by weight, ten cents a pound.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t hold back and took away a thousand pounds.


    After all, there was a truck to transport it.


    She went to the finance office, paid one hundred yuan, and the factory assigned two transportation workers to deliver five sacks of fabric to the room in the bus station guest house where Qiao Qingyu was staying.


    Qiao Qingyu was also generous, slipping a pack of cigarettes to the two workers on the spot in the warehouse.


    Cigarettes were a rare commodity that needed coupons to be bought. Even the Xiaxi Supply and Marketing Cooperative didn¡¯t have a quota for cigarettes. Being pretty was already an advantage, and since Qiao Qingyu was also tactful, the two workers ended up hauling two more sacks of scrap fabric for her from the waste pile.


    Though they were only scraps, skilled people could still use them to make clothes.


    Qiao Qingyu locked her room door and then rode her bicycle to a family near the bus station that specialized in making millet cakes, a tip she got from the daughter-in-law who worked at the noodle shop.


    Twenty cents a pound, half the price of what the Xiaxi Commune Supply and Marketing Cooperative offered.


    This family had a heritage of craftsmanship, and the millet cakes they made were not only tasty but also easy to preserve, supplying the needs of customers within several dozen miles of the bus station.


    She bought five hundred pounds, spending one hundred yuan, and had the family¡¯s young man help move it all into her room at the guest house.


    With this, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s plan had successfully been half completed.


    She had thrown out the thousand silk hemp to get Vice Director Qian interested, and found Director Zhao to legitimately deliver the cabbage seeds to the base.


    Yes, she gave them away for free, not wanting any money.


    She was paving the way for her future plan, for she had her eye on the barren land in the family housing area and planned to contract it.


    What happened next depended on her uncle.


    In the afternoon, Qiao Qingyu finally met up with Qiao Zhiyuan and his group.


    Captain Qiao not only brought his own son but also brought the team¡¯s accountant and scorekeeper.


    The moment Qiao Zhiyuan saw Qiao Qingyu, his eyes reddened. Qingyu was the only girl in their generation of the Old Qiao Family, and so she had always been pampered. If not, how could she have been raised so healthy and chubby despite hard times?


    If it hadn¡¯t been for this incident, her brother¡¯s family would still be living well in the Qiao Family Team, and the villagers wouldn¡¯t dare to point fingers and laugh at them.


    The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. If it weren¡¯t for being in public, he might have started cursing.


    Qiao Qingyu grabbed Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s hand, her voice choking up, ¡°Uncle, big cousin, I¡¯ve missed you so much...¡±


    As soon as she said this, not only did Qiao Zhiyuan soften, but big cousin Qiao Tianbao, who had a stern face, also teared up, ¡°You silly girl, how could you be so foolish? Marrying anyone but a man with the last name He. It¡¯s such a long journey just to come back home, grandma talks about you all the time...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu asked with tear-filled eyes in a low voice, ¡°How are grandpa and grandma, where exactly are my dad and mom, and my younger brother, has he really stopped attending school?¡±

 Chapter 15 - 15 15 Its Free

    ?Chapter 15: Chapter 15: It¡¯s Free! Chapter 15: Chapter 15: It¡¯s Free! Qiao Zhiyuan said in annoyance, ¡°Your grandma is very sturdy; she hasn¡¯t been infuriated to death by you. Your grandma and grandpa miss you too¡ªthey¡¯ve asked me to bring you lots of your favorite sunflower seeds, as well as dried potatoes and dried mushrooms. Don¡¯t ask about your dad and mom; I¡¯m not clear on that either. Your brother has gone to the south, and so far, there has been no news.¡±


    At this point, Qiao Zhiyuan looked quite worried.


    A good home, just scattered like that.


    Qiao Qingyu was also worried¡ªwhere her parents were hiding; her uncle certainly knew, and he might have even been the one to have found the place. But her brother going to the south all by himself made her very concerned.


    Qiao Qingyu hung her head in silence, looking very sad.


    Qiao Zhiyuan sighed, ¡°Alright, don¡¯t be upset now. I sent your second cousin to look for Mu Bao.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stared at Qiao Zhiyuan with wide, shocked eyes.


    She really wanted to ask him:


    Uncle, are you serious? My second cousin is directionally challenged and highly nearsighted. If you send him to find Mu Bao, isn¡¯t that like losing one and wasting another?


    Qiao Zhiyuan apparently also felt it was inappropriate and said awkwardly, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who sent him; that damn boy doesn¡¯t like to do farm work and went out searching on his own. We only found out after he left.¡±


    Then he didn¡¯t want to talk about this matter anymore, because there was no use telling Qiao Qingyu. He asked, ¡°Where are the corn seeds?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re at the guesthouse; I¡¯ll take you to get them.¡±


    What followed was quite a bit of busy work¡ªhauling a hundred large bottles out of the room. The guesthouse staff didn¡¯t suspect a thing because earlier in the morning, several groups had brought her quite a bit of stuff. She thought to herself that it was good this comrade had taken a single room; otherwise, anyone sharing would certainly have complained.


    Qiao Tianbao, the elder cousin, was a driver in the county transportation team. Although Uncle was just a small team leader, he had widespread connections. Some cadres who had been sent down had worked in his team, and he had given them some caring, so wherever he went, people would give him some face.


    The only pity was that he couldn¡¯t write.


    But the elder cousin had finished junior high school and was arranged to work in the county transportation team, and the leader of Qiao Family Team was the younger brother of the head of the County Machinery Factory. So, if Uncle just applied his eloquent speaking gifts, he could call on people and vehicles as needed.


    Uncle handled things well; the accountant from the team headquarters, Accountant Zhang, came with him.


    All being old peasants, seeing the golden yellow corn seeds in the large glass bottles sprouting two small green leaves, Accountant Zhang touched his briefcase, not knowing if the money he brought was enough.


    They carefully placed the corn seeds into pre-prepared wooden boxes, a layer of wheat bran on the bottom, and a layer of canvas covering the top.


    Qiao Zhiyuan also asked uneasily, ¡°Qingyu, how much will this cost?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled faintly, ¡°Uncle, Accountant Zhang¡ªthe first batch of seeds is free. It¡¯s on the house!¡±


    Everyone was surprised, their eyes wide open. Free? Really?


    ¡°Qingyu, how can it be free? That¡¯s a lot of money, isn¡¯t it?¡± Qiao Zhiyuan asked, quite concerned.


    ¡°Uncle, the first batch is free, I fought hard to get it. I belong to the Qiao Family Team. Although people have talked behind my back, laughing at me, I haven¡¯t taken it to heart. The land of Qiao Family Team has raised me, and now that I have the ability, I also want to give back to my hometown. This is what my dad taught me since I was little; I¡¯ve always remembered it, I dare not forget...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s voice was filled with emotion, her words heartfelt and sincere. Listening to her, Accountant Zhang was deeply ashamed, his old face turning red. What a good child. Even after marrying, she hadn¡¯t forgotten her hometown. From now on, he vowed never to talk about her behind her back again.


    Moreover, he was shocked to find that this child had become more understanding after getting married, her speech more refined, her clothing better, and her fair little face rosy. She seemed to have a very good life with He Xiuyu.


    Qiao Zhiyuan initially felt touched and was almost moved to tears, but by the end, he smirked in his heart. His brother would never tell Qingyu these words; the most he would say was, ¡°Qingyubao, our Old Qiao Family only has you, a girl; all the money dad saved is for you, even half of what your elder brother earns, and your uncle and aunts still have to prepare you the richest dowry¡ªany less and I would be furious...¡±


    Although Qiao Zhiyuan thought this way, his heart ached, and he cried, holding onto Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qingyu, you¡¯re married, with no wedding decorations, no musicians playing, no one carrying you out of the doors of Qiao Family Team¡ªa lonely bridal procession. When I think of it, your grandma just cusses, feeling so upset...¡±


    That remark turned everyone¡¯s eyes red.


    Seeing the elder cousin about to speak, Qiao Qingyu quickly interjected, ¡°I know all this, but regret is useless now. We must look forward, and once my parents cool off, I¡¯ll go back home to see them.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan wiped away the tears and nodded. Qiao Qingyu quickly changed the subject, ¡°Uncle, you have to take good care of those glass bottles. They need to be recycled. According to the regulations, you would need to pay a deposit of two thousand yuan.¡±


    Everyone was startled. Accountant Zhang had brought all of the one thousand nine hundred yuan from the team; this was currently all of Qiao Family Team¡¯s assets, and it wasn¡¯t even enough to pay the deposit, causing the accountant to start sweating.


    Everyone held their breath for a moment, nervously looking at Qiao Qingyu.


    But Qiao Qingyu went on to say, ¡°Considering the actual situation of our team, after much persuading, I got the two thousand yuan deposit waived for us.¡±


    Accountant Zhang finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    He said repeatedly, ¡°Qingyu, I really can¡¯t thank you enough. You have done such a great thing. When you return to Qiao Family Team, the team headquarters will definitely thank you properly.¡±


    ¡°Accountant Zhang, talking about thanks makes us seem distant. However, we must keep the seeds, at least two thousand kilos.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for certain,¡± Qiao Zhiyuan assured.


    Qiao Qingyu handed Qiao Zhiyuan two sheets of paper, ¡°Uncle, this contains detailed information about the methods of planting corn, the precautions, and how to save the seeds. You must follow the instructions exactly. As long as there isn¡¯t severe drought or flooding, this year is bound to be a bumper year.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes brightened and he smiled. He loved hearing these words. He took the two pieces of paper carefully, repeatedly promising Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qingyu, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take good care of these bottles, making sure not a single one is missing when I give them back to you, and I¡¯ll save the best two thousand kilos of seeds.¡±


    Of course, when he got back home, he still had to fight for benefits for his niece. If it weren¡¯t for Qiao Qingyu, not a single cent might have been left in the money in the Accountant Zhang¡¯s briefcase.


    Even if he was a small team leader, he couldn¡¯t let his own people suffer a loss.


    At this time, the experiment base¡¯s truck arrived as scheduled.


    This truck was much more advanced than Qiao Tianbao¡¯s.


    The one he drove was handed down from a unit in the province. They were an agricultural county town, not very wealthy; in this place, the entire county had only a dozen or so trucks, each one treasured!

 Chapter 16 - 16 16 Hes Best at Playing the Long Game to

    ?Chapter 16: Chapter 16 He¡¯s Best at Playing the Long Game to Catch the Big Fish Chapter 16: Chapter 16 He¡¯s Best at Playing the Long Game to Catch the Big Fish Chapter 16


    The driver who drove for the base was a young lad named Chen, with a smart and handsome look about him. He knew that the most beautiful girl in the group was the new wife of Chief Engineer He of the base, so he was exceedingly polite to the bunch that seemed to hail from the rural north.


    He handed out a cigarette to everyone, chatting with a cheerful grin.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at him and thought he was quite a talent.


    The following period was another busy one. This time, upon arriving in Xichuan, although Qiao Zhiyuan was irritated inside, he did not come empty-handed. Aside from the sunflower seeds and dried potatoes that Grandma had given Qiao Qingyu, he also packed a sack full of dried goods for her: strings of green beans, dried radishes, daylilies, dried mushrooms, a bag of scallions, and two jars of chili sauce.


    Another cloth bag contained more than twenty pounds of soybeans.


    And a piece of oil paper wrapped a chunk of cured meat.


    Qiao Qingyu reckoned that was almost all the stock at home brought for her.


    She guessed the aunt-in-law and little aunt must be cursing her behind her back by now.


    Oh right, there¡¯s also the eldest sister-in-law, who disliked her the most.


    In fact, she was not only the ultimate original match in the era¡¯s literature but also the ultimate shrewish younger sister-in-law.


    Qiao Qingyu sighed.


    Among these, the daylilies were picked and dried by her eldest brother, who seldom had the heart to eat them.


    Truth be told, everyone was struggling to get by; it was just that they weren¡¯t starving.


    With this thought, Qiao Qingyu hurriedly went to the room and gave the bag of milk candies that Director Zhao had given her to her eldest cousin. ¡°Elder brother, this is what Director Zhao gave me, I haven¡¯t had the heart to eat them, when you go back, divide them among the little ones.¡±


    Qiao Tianbao was delighted and cherished the candies; he was a straightforward man and accepted the gift happily without any refusal.


    Qiao Zhiyuan wanted to say something but then thought better of it and swallowed his words back.


    Qingyu knew what she was doing; it was time for everyone to acknowledge that.


    After all, this time, bringing together the stocks and money from several families had infuriated the old ladies so much they nearly caused divorces.


    Latterly, the five bags of black soil packed in sacks were also directly lifted onto the base¡¯s truck.


    Qiao Family Team was nestled beside mountains and waters, with a large mountain to the north of the village. Qiao Qingyu had the uncle bring some wooden boxes along, and this time Qiao Zhiyuan had brought ten of them, all placed in the truck.


    At this point, nearly all the items Qiao Qingyu needed were in place.


    She was quite satisfied and had her eldest cousin take out two hundred pounds of millet cakes, a sack of flawed fabric, and a sack of scrap cloth.


    She pulled her uncle aside and whispered, ¡°Uncle, you must take good care of these five hundred mu of corn. I have a lot more seeds for crops here, all of good quality, but it¡¯s inconvenient to take them out right now. Also...¡±


    She paused, looking serious, ¡°Uncle, if anyone asks you about the seeds, no matter what variety, just say you¡¯re not clear on the specifics, do you hear me?¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan nodded solemnly, ¡°Qingyu, don¡¯t worry, your uncle knows what¡¯s important.¡±


    He thought to himself, the Qiao Family Team was able to reap such benefits firstly because Qiao Qingyu strived for it here, and secondly, it was surely due to He Xiuyu¡¯s influence.


    So he could not blabber carelessly; if he caused trouble for He Xiuyu and affected the couple¡¯s relationship, what then?


    Now that they were married, they had to live well. Although everyone was angry about Qiao Qingyu marrying He Xiuyu, deep down, they all hoped she would prosper.


    Qiao Qingyu was very pleased with her uncle¡¯s attitude, and she continued with her instructions, ¡°Keep the matter about the seeds confidential, but you can tell the leader of the Family Team that you can get a lot of new seeds.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan understood in a second.


    ¡°Qingyu, your uncle knows what to do.¡±


    He was a master at playing the long game.


    ¡°Uncle, I have a kind of dandelion seed here. It has a short growth period and high medicinal value. Would you like to plant some on your homestead land?¡±


    ¡°Dandelion? Isn¡¯t that just dandelion? Our place is full of it everywhere.¡±


    ¡°How much can there be? They¡¯re just scattered in the fields and besides, my strain is of high quality, the plants grow large and can be sold for money.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan was tempted. He had heard that the provincial pharmaceutical factory bought medicinal herbs, which were easy to dry, transport, and store. The trouble was how to sell them?


    ¡°But what if no one buys them?¡±


    ¡°Uncle, as long as you can grow them, I can help you sell whatever quantity you produce.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan had come with a skeptical mind, thinking that if he followed his niece¡¯s crazy ideas, the worst-case scenario would just be him taking responsibility. But now, he found himself unexpectedly convinced by Qiao Qingyu.


    He nodded without hesitation, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll plant it!¡±


    ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s settled then. I¡¯ll go get them for you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu entered the house, took out two bottles of dandelion seeds and one bottle of rose seeds, ¡°Uncle, one bottle of dandelions is for my older brother, and the other is rose seeds. My brother likes to plant flowers, so let him have some fun with these...¡±


    As for how to plant them, she didn¡¯t need to tell them¡ªthey had more experience than she did.


    Dandelions were easy to grow and reproduced quickly. Plant one acre this year, and the next year, it would turn into ten. All they needed was a place to spread.


    And since her older brother liked planting flowers, letting him try out the roses was paving the way for the other flowers she had. She had many varieties of flowers available, and if things went well, she planned to build a flower base at the Qiao Family Team.


    Her older brother was the perfect person to manage it.


    Qiao Zhiyuan put the bottles into his canvas bag. These were his personal items and couldn¡¯t be mixed with the collective¡¯s.


    Qiao Qingyu felt relieved. Her uncle was smart, the kind of person who was cunning yet had his principles. Given the chance and support, he could really achieve something.


    She continued to instruct, ¡°The rice cakes and fabrics you take back should be shared with the family, and don¡¯t forget to give some to Accountant Zhang and the scorekeeper too.¡±


    How to divide it specifically, her uncle had the most experience, so she wasn¡¯t worried.


    After loading the things for the Qiao Family Team onto the truck, Qiao Qingyu instructed them to secure the vehicle¡¯s cargo hold well to prevent the glass jars from breaking on the bumpy road. Meanwhile, she went to a nearby privately-owned bun shop and used wax paper to wrap up thirty large meat buns.


    These people were preparing to drive back overnight.


    She was also preparing to check out and ride back home on the base¡¯s truck.


    The big meat buns were even larger than an adult¡¯s fist and full of filling, meant to be provisions for their journey. Accountant Zhang looked at Qiao Qingyu with a fondness in his eyes.


    He didn¡¯t have much on him, just the public funds and three dollars. He would have to wait for Qiao Qingyu to return home before he could properly invite her to a meal.


    The remaining five bags of fabrics were also packed into the base¡¯s truck by several people.


    Qiao Qingyu had her cousin put her bicycle in there as well.


    Seeing the base¡¯s truck driver treat Qiao Qingyu and them so kindly, Qiao Tianbao truly believed that his only sister must be doing well here.


    Both trucks were loaded up nicely, with everything in order.


    By now, it was already past six o¡¯clock in the evening. Qiao Qingyu took them to a noodle restaurant run by a young couple.


    Each had a large sea bowl of hot oil-splashed noodles, accompanied by a large plate of pickles and deep-fried chili peppers, filling them up good. Xiao Chen wasn¡¯t there; he couldn¡¯t eat with these people¡ªone, because it was against the base¡¯s rules, and two, because it was inconvenient.


    He made an excuse of having something to do and avoided them.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t insist. She bought him three big buns and took them to the driver¡¯s cab.

 Chapter 17 - 17 17 Male Supporting Character Shen Haoze

    ?Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Male Supporting Character Shen Haoze Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Male Supporting Character Shen Haoze Qiao Zhiyuan felt a pang of distress that Qiao Qingyu had spent so much money, because it must have been given by He Xiuyu. To spend it seemed to lack backbone, yet not spending it, after having bought and eaten, what could be done?


    Thankfully, the old Qiao Family had prepared a dowry fund for Qiao Qingyu long ago.


    Qiao Zhiyuan gave Qiao Qingyu a red paper-wrapped packet, containing 200 yuan, and said with some sadness, ¡°This is a token of affection from us, the elders. Life at home isn¡¯t easy, so if you ever run into difficulties, just call your uncle...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu hesitated for a moment but still accepted it. Reluctantly, she saw her uncle and the rest off onto the truck. Watching as their truck disappeared from sight, she then boarded the base¡¯s vehicle and headed for the experimental base.


    The journey was silent, and in just over two hours, she arrived at the base.


    The logistics head of the base had been waiting here for more than an hour, having already received a call from Director Zhao ahead of time.


    Although he was surprised, it wasn¡¯t entirely unexpected.


    It was quite normal for Qiao Qingyu¡¯s uncle to come to Xichuan on business and bring her some vegetable seeds, considering they lived in one of the country¡¯s most important grain-producing areas and a major national granary.


    What was unexpected was Qiao Qingyu¡¯s awareness of the situation. So, upon seeing her alight from the vehicle, he promptly expressed his gratitude. Matter of factly, Qiao Qingyu had done them a great favor.


    After fifty glass jars filled with cabbage seeds were taken out of the truck, the logistics head felt even more confident.


    ¡°Director Xie, cabbage cultivation is very simple. But mixing some wood ash into the soil will make the cabbages grow faster.¡±


    ¡°Are there any other requirements?¡± Director Xie asked humbly.


    ¡°It¡¯s just like planting ordinary cabbages. This type of cabbage grows quickly; in half a month, it can reach thirty centimeters with about eight or nine leaves, and at that point, it¡¯s ready to eat.¡±


    Director Xie nodded repeatedly, emotively saying, ¡°These seeds can cover forty-five mu. This will solve the base¡¯s vegetable problems instantly. Comrade Qiao Qingyu, I truly can¡¯t thank you enough!¡±


    ¡°Director Xie, I¡¯m also a member of the base, so there¡¯s no need for formalities. By the way, it¡¯s important to save some seeds from the cabbage as well.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course, we¡¯ll save some. We have experienced comrades at the base who will surely select the best for seed preservation. Also, once planted, I¡¯ll have the bottles sent back to you,¡± Director Xie said cheerfully.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°Director Xie, if there¡¯s nothing else, I should be going back.¡±


    Director Xie seemed to remember something, hesitated for a moment, but still spoke up, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, Shen Haoze is waiting for you at the residential quarters. He wants to talk to you about Liu Qiao Wen.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± she replied.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t ask any superfluous questions, easing Director Xie¡¯s mind. Everyone said that He Xiuyu¡¯s wife was a shrew, who loved nothing more than crying, causing scenes, and threatening suicide. Now, seeing her, it was clear that someone must have been jealous and slandered her.


    What a fine young lady she was, noble in deed and courteous in speech.


    He well knew that the many young women at the base admired the young, handsome, and promising He Xiuyu.


    Ah, being Mr. He¡¯s wife was surely not easy.


    Director Xie still instructed Driver Xiao Chen from the base to take Qiao Qingyu back.


    The newly built road was close to the residential quarters; it took just over twenty minutes to arrive. Electric lights had been installed, and at this time of night, the quarters were still brightly lit.


    Shen Haoze and the others were at the brigade headquarters.


    At the moment, quite a few people were sitting in the brigade headquarters.


    Xiao Hu, with a small wooden rifle hanging on his chest, was glaring at Shen Haoze. Suddenly, seeing Qiao Qingyu push the door and enter, his eyes flickered with delight. He hurried to tattle, ¡°Aunt Qiao, Aunt Qiao, it¡¯s this guy here, trying your door when you weren¡¯t home, pushing really hard. If Jianguo and I hadn¡¯t been watching, he might have jumped in!¡±


    Sister-in-law Li quickly pulled Xiao Hu over, a bit embarrassed, ¡°Mr. Shen, Xiao Hu is just a child, please don¡¯t take it to heart.¡±


    Shen Haoze smiled slightly, ¡°No harm done, Xiao Hu is very alert, a good kid.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu reached out and patted Xiao Hu on the head, praising him, ¡°Xiao Hu is so brave, Aunt Qiao has bought you some treats. I¡¯ll give them to you when you go home, okay?¡±


    At the mention of treats, Xiao Hu¡¯s eyes brightened, and he stood a little straighter, clutching his little wooden rifle.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s serene gaze then swept over the young man in front of her with a refined and genteel appearance.


    He was the male supporting character Shen Haoze from the book.


    Although he had only met her briefly, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s memory was good, especially since the original owner of her body had a fondness for He Xiuyu, she naturally remembered Shen Haoze, who was He Xiuyu¡¯s best friend.


    His love for Su Yunyao was deep.


    Put simply, it was the kind where he loved her, and she loved him.


    But what was eerie was that such a relationship didn¡¯t affect the friendship between Shen Haoze and He Xiuyu at all. Later, when an explosion occurred in the laboratory, Shen Haoze sacrificed his young life to save He Xiuyu.


    Shen Haoze was tall and slender, refined and handsome, with fair skin. His whole presence radiated a strong scholarly aura, and it was said that going back three generations, the Shen family boasted of producing a top scholar.


    A true family of scholars and literati.


    Qiao Qingyu gave him a friendly smile.


    Shen Haoze glanced at Qiao Qingyu indifferently through his glasses and barely nodded.


    Basic politeness had to be maintained, but he really detested this woman.


    He despised how she had unscrupulously destroyed He Xiuyu¡¯s life, loathed her ability to cause trouble and create drama.


    He detested even more how she had called security to report without discussing it with He Xiuyu.


    She was a woman both ignorant and foolish, and yet overestimated herself.


    Nothing about her was redeemable!


    Sigh, no matter how one looked at her, she was dislikeable!


    Qiao Qingyu slowly retracted her smile, but the cheerfulness no longer reached her eyes.


    She wasn¡¯t a fool, of course, she sensed Shen Haoze¡¯s intense suppressed revulsion right away.


    She kept silent, waiting for the person who could speak first to open their mouth.


    The room fell silent.


    Liu Qiao Wen, standing in a corner, kept her head down, alongside her was Su Yunyao, whose eyes were full of scorn.


    Shen Haoze took a deep breath. Even though he exhaled, his chest still felt stuffy.


    He was very busy, with so many things waiting for him to deal with, yet here he was wasting his time.


    Just as he was about to speak, Director Shen, who was beside him, said, ¡°Little Shen, you guys discuss your business here, we¡¯ll go to the next room.¡±


    Shen Haoze nodded, his voice gentle, ¡°Thank you, Sister Shen.¡±


    Shen Fen¡¯s brows twitched, she looked at Qiao Qingyu, and instructed softly, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, you¡¯ve done well, don¡¯t feel burdened or pressured, Sister-in-law Li and I will wait for you outside.¡±


    The call from Qiao Qingyu had been made at her place. At the time, she was shocked and unbelieving.


    But today, the facts were laid out before her, leaving no room for doubt.


    Therefore, she harbored deep hatred for Liu Qiao Wen, who had tried to curry favor with Meng Siqi by finding a job for her own brother.


    Moreover, it was clear that Liu Qiao Wen had intentionally guided Qiao Qingyu towards making mistakes.


    The idea to threaten He Xiuyu with a hanging was something she had taught Qiao Qingyu.


    Ambition as clear as day.


    This, even more hateful!

 Chapter 18 - 18 18 Dont Treat Bean Buns as Mere Provisions

    ?Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Don¡¯t Treat Bean Buns as Mere Provisions Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Don¡¯t Treat Bean Buns as Mere Provisions If one were to say that there was an element of pretense in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s previous denunciation of Zhu Mingli with Shen Fen¡¯s assistance, by this time, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart held nothing but guilt and gratitude.


    The feeling of being supported without a hint of self-interest involved was very beautiful.


    She cherished it deeply.


    It must be said that, setting aside a few individual cases, people¡¯s emotions in this era were quite pure and sincere.


    Shen Fen took Sister-in-law Li and the reluctant Xiao Hu out of the office.


    The room quieted down once again.


    After a moment of silence, Su Yunyao could no longer hold back, and with furrowed brows and an impatient tone, she said, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, you¡¯ve misunderstood Liu Qiao Wen. She was just concerned about you, nothing more. Explain to Director Lin that you were mistaken, and then retract the punishment for Liu Qiao Wen...¡±


    Only then did Qiao Qingyu lift her eyelids and glanced at Su Yunyao, her lips curling into a faint smile, her voice crisp, ¡°Su Yunyao, what you just said is quite amusing. If I agree, it means I¡¯m making false accusations, if I don¡¯t agree, Liu Qiao Wen will hate me to the bone...¡±


    Although Su Yunyao had long been aware of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s sharp tongue, she still changed color at these words.


    Qiao Qingyu posed a very serious question, ¡°Regarding Liu Qiao Wen, I will only speak to the person in charge of this matter. May I ask who here is the responsible party?¡±


    Shen Haoze pursed his lips and said unwillingly, ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Good, then I¡¯ll listen to how you explain it,¡± Qiao Qingyu said.


    Her demeanor was serious and solemn as she sat in the chair. Even though Shen Haoze looked down at her from above, she still felt as if she was reporting to a superior.


    It was a very strange sensation.


    A few breaths later, he had no choice but to pull over a chair and sit opposite Qiao Qingyu, recounting the ins and outs of the incident to her.


    If he looked down, it would appear even more like he was giving a report, but meeting Qiao Qingyu¡¯s clear and piercing eyes, he suddenly didn¡¯t think this was a trivial matter anymore.


    Therefore, the words he was prepared to fiercely demand that Qiao Qingyu admit she had overreacted and misunderstood Liu Qiao Wen could no longer be voiced.


    ¡°The sequence of events is as it is. Since it involved He Xiuyu¡¯s mother, although Liu Qiao Wen¡¯s approach was incorrect, her original intent was not malicious,¡± Shen Haoze still explained with a stiff upper lip.


    Qiao Qingyu remained silent, and the room fell into silence once again.


    Just as Su Yunyao was about to speak, Shen Haoze gave her a slight shake of the head.


    Su Yunyao had nothing to do with this matter, and her interference would only make things messier.


    Su Yunyao swallowed her rising frustration, holding back what she was about to say.


    Qiao Qingyu had listened very intently just now. The plot had not been fully explained earlier, leaving her to rely on her own analysis, but now it was crystal clear.


    Meng Siqi despised Qiao Qingyu and wished to drive her out of the He Family, but she couldn¡¯t tell her husband or young son.


    These two men were both stubborn by nature.


    By chance, she learned that a temporary worker sister at the hospital was the wife of the head of the canteen at Tenghai Experimental Base.


    Thus, after these two people got in touch, they hit it off immediately.


    Meng Siqi, a shrewd person, didn¡¯t agree to anything specific with Liu Qiao Wen, so Liu Qiao Wen took it upon herself to volunteer, claiming she was Meng Siqi¡¯s eyes within the family compound.


    She even righteously declared her stance, saying Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t worthy of He Xiuyu, and that she would make an effort to drive Qiao Qingyu out of the family compound, as it would be met with widespread approval...


    Since it was the popular consensus, Meng Siqi readily agreed.


    Next, Liu Qiao Wen took the initiative to ingratiate herself with Qiao Qingyu, constantly offering strategies and plans, coupled with the fact that the original host was arrogant and simple-minded, which led to the drama of crying, making a scene, and threatening suicide.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, her eyes clear as water, and looked across at Shen Haoze, asking leisurely, ¡°Mr. Shen, I just want to know if Liu Qiao Wen¡¯s actions violated the family¡¯s confidentiality regulations?¡±


    Shen Haoze was taken aback, ¡°...¡±


    Liu Qiao Wen stared fixedly at Qiao Qingyu, her heart filled with hatred, anger, and panic.


    Several breaths later, Shen Haoze had no choice but to answer, ¡°She indeed violated the regulations.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Shen, are there corresponding punishment regulations for violating the rules?¡±


    ¡°Of course there are.¡± Shen Haoze¡¯s body stiffened somewhat, and this time his gaze toward Qiao Qingyu no longer carried any emotion.


    Both were smart people, and each understood what the other was saying.


    So, it was only now that Shen Haoze realized how childish his behavior was, bringing Liu Qiao Wen to confront Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu still sat without moving, ¡°Mr. Shen, the base¡¯s regulations and punishment provisions are clearly defined; as a family member, it¡¯s not appropriate for me to comment. This matter you and Director Lin surely know how to handle.¡±


    Su Yunyao spoke bitterly, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, don¡¯t push people too far when you have the upper hand.¡±


    ¡°Su Yunyao, do you not understand human speech? This matter has nothing to do with personal issues, and even less to do with me, Qiao Qingyu. This is an official matter, which should be handled according to the rules and regulations. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡±


    Su Yunyao glared at Qiao Qingyu with gritted teeth, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, how can a mud-legged person who hasn¡¯t even finished primary school be so full of grand principles?¡±


    Shen Haoze frowned¡ªthose words were quite unpleasant.


    But in front of everyone, it was difficult for him not to give Su Yunyao face.


    This young lady was proud and arrogant, and her anger could have serious consequences.


    Qiao Qingyu, with a smile that was not quite a smile and not at all provoked, said, ¡°Su Yunyao, your words are both funny and ignorant. Who decreed that ¡®mud-legged¡¯ people don¡¯t know legal provisions and can¡¯t understand logic? My uncle can¡¯t write, but he can recite ¡®Thousand Character Classic¡¯ and ¡®Hundred Family Surnames¡¯ backward. Can you?¡±


    Su Yunyao was speechless.


    She indeed could not recite them backward; she only knew Zhao, Qian, Sun, Li, Zhou, Wu, Zheng, Wang.


    How frustrating.


    When had Qiao Qingyu become so sharp-tongued?


    Her face turned livid with rage.


    Then they heard Qiao Qingyu continue to speak leisurely, ¡°From the day I met you, you¡¯ve been calling me a ¡®mud-legged village woman.¡¯ Counting up three generations¡ªno, just one generation¡ªyour beloved Brother Xiu Yu¡¯s family also came from ¡®mud-legged¡¯ origins. So who are you looking down on? Who are you insulting?¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, you...¡± Su Yunyao¡¯s face flushed red with retort.


    ¡°Alright, we should go,¡± Shen Haoze finally realized that his actions today had been extremely foolish. His head ached a bit, and he quickly stood up to stop whatever Su Yunyao was about to say next.


    He had seen clearly that in a battle of words, Su Yunyao was no match for Qiao Qingyu.


    He looked deeply at Qiao Qingyu. It was only the second time he had met her, but he felt as though she was a different person.


    However, since he had brought Liu Qiao Wen here, he had the responsibility to take her back.


    ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, sorry to have bothered you so late...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled but didn¡¯t speak.


    Liu Qiao Wen didn¡¯t dare to look at Qiao Qingyu, her head hung low as she followed behind Shen Haoze.


    As they reached the door, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s unhurried voice rose from behind, bearing the clear, playful tone of a young girl from next door.


    ¡°Liu Qiao Wen, is there something you¡¯ve forgotten?¡±


    The called-out Liu Qiao Wen was frightened, pausing in her steps, and turned to look at the smiling Qiao Qingyu in panic.


    After a brief silence, she hurried over.


    From her pocket, she took out fifty yuan.


    Five ten yuan banknotes, neat and tidy.


    Holding them with both hands, she bent over and extended them to Qiao Qingyu. Perhaps to hold back the embarrassment, perhaps to contain the hatred, her voice trembled slightly.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, this is the fifty yuan I borrowed from you. I¡¯m sorry it took so long to return it.¡±

 Chapter 19 - 19 19 He Xiuyu what kind of woman did you

    ?Chapter 19: Chapter 19 He Xiuyu, what kind of woman did you actually bring back from the northeastern countryside? Chapter 19: Chapter 19 He Xiuyu, what kind of woman did you actually bring back from the northeastern countryside? Qiao Qingyu looked at Liu Qiao Wen with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile.


    Shen Haoze and Su Yunyao also stopped in their tracks, puzzled as they looked at Qiao Qingyu.


    However, not only was Liu Qiao Wen¡¯s voice trembling but her hands were slightly shaking too, her heart filled with immense hatred, yet at the same time, she was terrified.


    She had deliberately approached Qiao Qingyu over the past month and had successfully made her obey, being a city person who endured her deep disgust to become ¡®sisters¡¯ with this foolish village girl from the northeastern countryside.


    She thought she had everything under control and that it wouldn¡¯t be long before Qiao Qingyu, this foolish girl who overreached, would be driven out of He Xiuyu¡¯s family compound.


    She thought it wouldn¡¯t be long before her most beloved younger brother could transition from a temporary worker to a permanent one.


    But who would have thought that she would be reported by Qiao Qingyu!


    Was it really just because she had thrown fifty yuan on the ground?


    Was she so noble that she couldn¡¯t bend down to pick it up?


    She really was too heartless and too cruel!


    Only then did Liu Qiao Wen realize that she didn¡¯t understand Qiao Qingyu as well as she had thought.


    But she dared not say anything now because she was about to be taken away for a month of labor punishment.


    She lowered her head, hiding the malice in her eyes, thinking a gentleman¡¯s revenge is not too late even after ten years!


    She swore, she would make Qiao Qingyu¡¯s life a living hell!


    Qiao Qingyu had not overlooked the hatred in Liu Qiao Wen¡¯s eyes, but she didn¡¯t care at all. With a faint smile on her lips, her voice gentle, she said, ¡°Liu Qiao Wen, it¡¯s often said that every meal is hard-earned, and the money earned by your loved one is no different. Moreover, you threw the money on the ground; luckily, you didn¡¯t step on it. Can you imagine the consequences if you had stepped on some important symbols?¡±


    Liu Qiao Wen suddenly looked up, staring at Qiao Qingyu as if seeing a devil. Her heart raced, and her lips trembled, unsure of what to say in her defense.


    Shen Haoze stood at the door; suddenly, a thought flashed in his mind, and the next second, his expression became complex.


    He murmured to himself: He Xiuyu, what kind of woman have you brought back from the northeastern countryside?


    Su Yunyao was unclear about the essence of the situation, but this time, she didn¡¯t speak out. She had been rebutted by Qiao Qingyu several times already; she was not foolish and naturally knew what to do.


    Truth be told, in her previous life spanning several decades, it seemed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s shadow was everywhere, yet she had never really noticed her.


    That woman made no attempt to progress, ignorant and foolish, ill-tempered, a complete shrew.


    If it were not for He Xiuyu being extremely loyal to marriage, this woman would have been driven out of He Xiuyu¡¯s family base long ago, but it was precisely because of He Xiuyu¡¯s character that she loved him unyieldingly.


    How she wished that his loyalty were directed at her!


    So, she understood Qiao Qingyu well, but now, she had to reassess Qiao Qingyu with a whole new perspective.


    Her appearance remained the same, yet her gaze had changed, her whole aura had changed.


    Because of such transformations, she seemed much more lively and vibrant.


    Especially, the way she raised her eyebrows and looked at you with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile seemed irresistibly charming.


    And such a Qiao Qingyu suddenly sparked a sense of panic in Su Yunyao, turning her complexion quite unsightly as she finally began to worry.


    Will Qiao Qingyu, having changed like this, still interact with He Xiuyu as she did in the previous life?


    Even she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say Qiao Qingyu was an ugly village girl.


    Could He Xiuyu remain indifferent to such a girl?


    Thinking of this, Su Yunyao felt as if countless venomous snakes were tearing at her heart, and she couldn¡¯t help but clutch at her chest in pain.


    Beside her, Shen Haoze finally averted his gaze, his brows furrowed as he looked at Su Yunyao¡¯s ashen face and asked with concern, ¡°Yunyao, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Su Yunyao slowly straightened up and shook her head.


    Her gloomy gaze fixed on Qiao Qingyu, seated in the chair, as she leisurely accepted the fifty yuan, watching Liu Qiao Wen, with a pale face, stagger towards them.


    Ultimately, Su Yunyao still chose to remain silent.


    Qiao Qingyu put the fifty yuan into her crossbody bag before standing up, but her steps hastened as she moved to the courtyard, where Shen Fen and Sister-in-law Li looked over worriedly, to whom she smiled.


    Shen Haoze felt terrible. He had thought they would catch a ride on the truck and head directly back to the base with Su Yunyao and Liu Qiao Wen, but Xiao Chen had to deliver things to He Xiuyu¡¯s house.


    Half the truck was filled with her belongings. Was this woman moving house?


    Frustrated, Shen Haoze had no choice but to wait at the office entrance for the truck to be unloaded before it could pick them up.


    Shen Fen stayed behind as well, unavoidably.


    She just happened to have something to discuss with Shen Haoze.


    Meanwhile, Sister-in-law Li and Xiao Hu were also sitting in the truck. The family quarters were not large, and a press of the accelerator brought them to the entrance of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house.


    A few people busied themselves and quickly moved the truck¡¯s contents into the courtyard.


    Xiao Chen drove towards the office.


    The house lights had already been turned on, dim though they were, but they still illuminated a huge pile of items.


    Sister-in-law Li inwardly marveled; Qiao Qingyu¡¯s family was really generous, giving her so many things.


    But it was too late, and they left the items in the courtyard. Qiao Qingyu handed Sister-in-law Li a paper bag with a beaming smile, ¡°These are pork buns I bought for Xiao Hu, and I have some mountain goods from my uncle and, oh, chili paste. I¡¯ll clean up and bring you some to try tomorrow; the chili paste is made by my uncle¡¯s wife and it¡¯s especially good with meals...¡±


    At that moment, Qiao Qingyu transformed back into a cheerful young girl.


    Sister-in-law Li was at a loss for words, gave Qiao Qingyu a few advisories, and left with Xiao Hu, who clung tightly to his pork buns.


    Qiao Qingyu locked the front door, simply freshened up, and laid down on the Kang (traditional Chinese bed-stove).


    She had been busy these past few days and felt weary. The moment she closed her eyes, she fell into a deep sleep.


    ...


    The next morning, Qiao Qingyu began to sort through her belongings.


    Ten wooden boxes each one meter in length and width.


    A large amount of dried goods.


    Five bags of flawed fabric and scraps.


    300 jin (pound) of millet cakes.


    Another 200 yuan in cash in her crossbody bag.


    Oh, and five sacks of black soil that surprised Xiao Chen.


    Qiao Qingyu swiftly began to organize.


    The ten large wooden boxes were neatly stacked in the corner.


    The five sacks of black soil, quite heavy, had been neatly lined up by Xiao Chen along the wall.


    When needed, one would simply open the ties of the sacks.


    Qiao Qingyu took out some of each type of dried goods and wrapped them in two large paper bags; one for Shen Fen and one for Sister-in-law Li.


    These were the two best people to her at the base, whom Qiao Qingyu included in her inner circle.

 Chapter 20 - 20 20 Heading to the Big Market

    ?Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Heading to the Big Market Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Heading to the Big Market Qiao Qingyu first delivered gifts to Sister-in-law Li, not only dried goods and millet cakes but also chili sauce. Sister-in-law Li had wanted to decline, but recently her family indeed only had soybean paste and half a jar of pickles left.


    The base¡¯s logistics would still take half a month to deliver supplies.


    She could manage all right, but it was not the same for her son.


    Xiao Hu was at a growing age and couldn¡¯t just eat pickles every day like the adults.


    She accepted the food Qiao Qingyu gave her, which included dried green beans, mushrooms and wood ear fungus, along with a few green onions. Sister-in-law Li was usually straightforward, but in her moved state, she suddenly didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Deep down, she had truly come to see Qiao Qingyu as a younger sister.


    ...


    At noon, Qiao Qingyu finally made herself a delicious lunch.


    She steamed a small basin of millet rice and stir-fried a dish with dried green beans, dried potatoes, and pickled meat that had been soaked overnight. She indulged in making half a dish of daylilies and, after some thought, Qiao Qingyu made egg drop soup, painfully plucked a few bok choy leaves to add to the soup, with golden egg blossoms and tender green bok choy leaves stirring one¡¯s appetite just by looking.


    She placed all the food on the only but scrupulously cleaned old table in the room, then sat down.


    She couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Since transmigrating into this book, she had finally been able to eat something she could enjoy.


    Although the millet rice was also tasty, the dishes would taste even better with white rice.


    Any choosy person could whip up good cooking skills if they wanted to cook, and Qiao Qingyu was just like that.


    Back then, there were not many pesticides and fertilizers, so even the sun-dried vegetables were full of flavor.


    Not to mention the daylilies and wood ear mushrooms from the deep mountains.


    In short, Qiao Qingyu ate very happily.


    She sprawled on the kang bed, looking at the black roof beams. Momentarily after, she still got up, took the brown paper package for Shen Fen, knowing that it would be awkward to visit during mealtime.


    Shen Fen¡¯s house was in the northern part of the family compound, even shabbier than where Qiao Qingyu was living, but Shen Fen kept it very clean.


    Life here was tough, so Shen Fen¡¯s in-laws remained in their hometown. However, she brought both her kids over, who were temporarily studying at the commune¡¯s school, one being a top student and the other a poor student.


    The top student was the son, the poor student the daughter.


    The daughter, twelve years old this year, didn¡¯t like studying, loved playing with knives and sticks, and her biggest dream was to become a valiant and heroic female soldier to protect and defend the country.


    But...


    At this thought, Qiao Qingyu hesitated in her steps. In the book, Shen Fen¡¯s daughter went missing, seemingly a half-year after the main female character was reborn.


    That would be this winter.


    She disappeared at the research base, and until the end, no one found her.


    It was an unreasonable event, especially since it was a heavily guarded research base, and the leader of the security department was Director Lin.


    How exactly she disappeared, perhaps the author forgot to write, or maybe it wasn¡¯t important, in any case, there was no result to the incident.


    Qiao Qingyu continued walking towards Shen Fen¡¯s house. This era¡¯s story, cloaked in the guise of scientific research, in reality, had the main theme of rebirth, a trashy life, and chasing after a man. The trash referred to her, and naturally, the man was He Xiuyu.


    As for scientific research, it was mostly He Xiuyu¡¯s findings from his past life, just taken and used by the main female character.


    According to the plot, she would be off the scene in another two months.


    Qiao Qingyu laughed.


    She couldn¡¯t just exit the stage, as she was very busy right now, her series of plans had just begun.


    In only a few minutes, Qiao Qingyu arrived at Shen Fen¡¯s house.


    Under the guise of giving the children something nutritious, like Sister-in-law Li, Shen Fen was happy to accept them. When leaving, she even took a few sour vegetables.


    Qiao Qingyu conveniently enrolled, and was just waiting for the teaching materials to arrive before the study class could start.


    After returning home, Qiao Qingyu began to get busy.


    Firstly, she counted her property. This trip to Xichuan had cost her a little over four hundred yuan. Her eldest uncle had given her 200 yuan, and her parents thirty-eight yuan...


    So now, she had a little over five hundred and sixty yuan on hand.


    But she also had over two hundred jin of millet cakes and five cloth bags of fabric remnants. Oh right, she also had an additional means of transportation¡ªa bicycle.


    After that, Qiao Qingyu started planting vegetables she would eat over the upcoming months, also taking the opportunity to conduct some experiments.


    She placed two wooden boxes beside the kang bed, lined the boxes with wheat straw, then filled them halfway with black soil mixed with ash from burned plants. She entered Seed Laboratory number 001.


    She took out seeds of vegetables she loved to eat, like chili peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and planted ten seeds of each type.


    In total, she planted eight varieties. Then the space on the west side of the large kang bed was filled to the brim with them.


    Having just washed her hands, she heard a loud knocking at the door.


    Qiao Qingyu opened the door and smiled; she had guessed that Fang Xiaomei would come to find her.


    Even though Sister-in-law Li had come by Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house these past few days, she hadn¡¯t entered the inner room, so the forthright Fang Xiaomei who entered the west room instantly saw the lush green cabbages and spinach, as well as the sprouting garlic and ginger stems, and the small green onions as tall as a finger.


    Fang Xiaomei¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, staring at Qiao Qingyu as she poured her water, ¡°Qingyu, did you grow all these?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Qiao Qingyu replied, placing the teapot filled with boiled water on the table, thinking to herself whether she should also grow some chrysanthemums for making tea.


    The laboratory had a type of white chrysanthemum seed that could bloom in four months, touted in the materials for its excellent effects and also for having its cold properties removed.


    If they truly grew well, the profit would be nothing short of impressive.


    A pity, really, time, all crops need time.


    She didn¡¯t even know how long she could stay here.


    She asked Fang Xiaomei, ¡°Did you come here for something?¡±


    After taking a sip of water, Fang Xiaomei excitedly said, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, there¡¯s going to be a big market at Xiaxi Commune tomorrow. You should know it has been nearly twenty years since the last one. It¡¯s going to be incredibly lively. I heard there will even be opera performances. Are you going? If you¡¯re going, I can come by and pick you up on my bicycle.¡±


    She blurted this out in one breath, obviously looking forward to the big market.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t hesitate, ¡°I¡¯ll go. No need for you to pick me up; just wait for me at the entrance of the market.¡±


    And so, the next day Qiao Qingyu rode her bicycle to Xiaxi Commune, carrying fifty jin of millet cakes to the first big market in twenty years.


    Xiaxi Commune had dozens of brigades, each brigade consisting of thousands of people. Now that they were all gathered together, the scene was quite spectacular.


    Naturally, sales were good.


    And the commune members were excited and thrilled.


    Nearly more than half of them had come just for the excitement.


    After having eaten half a jin of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s millet cakes, Fang Xiaomei couldn¡¯t help but watch the stall for Qiao Qingyu, while Qiao Qingyu made two round trips to sell off all the remaining millet cakes.


    She had made fifty yuan exactly, her first earnings in hand!


    Fang Xiaomei was dumbfounded; that was two months of her salary, and Qiao Qingyu had earned it in just one morning.


    How incredible!


    Qiao Qingyu felt she had brought too few millet cakes. Judging by the look of things, even a thousand jin could be sold at the next big market.


    However, right now there were no plastic bags, only yellow paper and wax paper for packaging.


    Buying a piece of millet cake also required a sheet of paper, which was too wasteful, so she temporarily decided not to consider this trade.


    Qiao Qingyu bought a few baskets of various sizes, a few small jars, a small elm wood dining table, and some other miscellaneous items, preparing to hire a horse-drawn carriage to take them back when she saw Fang Xiaomei, who had already gone back to work, coming to find her with her uncle, Vice Director Qian.

 Chapter 21 - 21 21 Indeed They Came for the Thousand Silk

    ?Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Indeed, They Came for the Thousand Silk Hemp Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Indeed, They Came for the Thousand Silk Hemp Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes curved slightly, and as expected, Vice Director Qian was very interested in thousand silk hemp.


    It had to be said that he was also a pragmatic grassroots leader.


    Otherwise, no matter how good something was, it would still be useless.


    Since it was a discussion of official business, the noisy market was not appropriate.


    Luckily, the market was originally set up on the vacant land of the supply and marketing cooperative, and right across from it was the office of the commune.


    The man driving the cart didn¡¯t recognize Vice Director Qian, but he knew Fang Xiaomei, who specialized in drafting letters of introduction for people going out on business.


    Thus, the enthusiastic driver took Qiao Qingyu¡¯s purchases to the courtyard of the commune.


    Of course, the horse-drawn carriage could not be hired permanently.


    The three of them walked towards the office of Vice Director Qian.


    Qiao Qingyu organized her thoughts about this matter and felt that there was an eighty to ninety percent chance of success.


    Firstly, her uncle¡¯s reputation was also very useful, and then there was the value of thousand silk hemp.


    In fact, she was just testing the waters; whether it worked out or not wouldn¡¯t affect her plans.


    But deep down, she still hoped to promote thousand silk hemp extensively because its economic value was ten times that of current crops.


    That is to say, just by planting it for one year, commune members¡¯ lives would significantly change.


    But implementing this was far from simple. For starters, each commune would report this year¡¯s planting plan before the end of the previous year.


    It wasn¡¯t a matter of planting whatever you wanted.


    Cultivating land requires seeds.


    And these seeds need to be bred.


    Some communes could breed them by themselves, but most were supplied uniformly by the county.


    So, changing the plan was not easy, and planting a new crop that had never been heard of involved considerable risks and responsibilities.


    It was different from her plan to contract the barren land near the staff quarters.


    She just didn¡¯t know what was going on here?


    Vice Director Qian, walking on the road, glanced at Qiao Qingyu following beside him.


    Last night, his niece mentioned that Qiao Qingyu¡¯s cabbages and spinach had grown more than an inch tall.


    It was said that these vegetables had short growth periods, their leaves were a glossy green, and they were growing exceptionally well.


    Moreover, Tenghai Research and Test Base had planted forty-five mu of cabbage, all of which came from the cabbage seeds brought by Qiao Qingyu¡¯s uncle and they were all the same variety.


    By coincidence, Xiaxi Commune¡¯s planting plan reported eight hundred mu that had not been approved.


    The reason was that the plot of land was very barren. Even the money for the seeds wasn¡¯t recovered last year, not to mention labor and material costs.


    They were not far from the sandstorm belt, so many nearby lands lay fallow.


    There was no choice; no matter what was planted, nothing would grow.


    So he remembered the thousand silk hemp that Qiao Qingyu had mentioned the last time she came with the letter of introduction.


    It was just unknown if her uncle had brought it this time.


    He was primarily responsible for agriculture. After pondering all night yesterday and discussing with the director and several others for a whole morning, they decided to take a risk and plant thousand silk hemp on all eight hundred mu of barren land.


    The cost of the seeds was something the dozen or so people at the meeting decided to cover first by digging into their own pockets.


    There are some things one must try, and they still had that pioneering spirit.


    However, Vice Director Qian felt it wasn¡¯t quite appropriate to discuss these matters with Qiao Qingyu, but there was no alternative, as he couldn¡¯t reach her uncle.


    Several people, each with their own thoughts, sat in Vice Director Qian¡¯s office. He didn¡¯t beat around the bush and got straight to the point, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, about the thousand silk hemp seeds you mentioned last time, are they still available for purchase now, and can we get them in time?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mouth curled into a smile. Indeed, they had come for the thousand silk hemp.


    ¡°Vice Director Qian, may I ask if you are truly considering planting thousand silk hemp?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the commune has eight hundred acres of wasteland. The planting plan hasn¡¯t been approved, but we¡¯ve decided to try planting thousand silk hemp after discussion in our meeting. Of course, this is just a preliminary decision. The specifics depend on the seed situation with your uncle and the logistics of our purchase.¡±


    Eight hundred acres of wasteland. Qingyu¡¯s eyes moved slightly, it seemed the land wasn¡¯t intended for cultivation this year.


    ¡°Vice Director Qian, you know I¡¯m close with Xiao Mei, so I¡¯ll speak plainly to you...¡±


    Fang Xiaomei smiled triumphantly; her words gave her quite the stature in front of her uncle.


    ¡°My uncle brought two thousand acres¡¯ worth of thousand silk hemp seeds.¡±


    Vice Director Qian was initially shocked, then delighted. Two thousand acres¡¯ worth? That much?


    ¡°The base¡¯s truck helped transport them back, although the castor seeds are small and don¡¯t take up much space,¡± Qiao Qingyu explained leisurely.


    Vice Director Qian was somewhat anxious but took a deep breath and asked in a serious tone, ¡°With so many seeds, where do you plan to plant them?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m planning to lease the wasteland near the base.¡±


    In Xichuan City, the household responsibility system hadn¡¯t been widely implemented yet, but as the vice director of the commune, he was familiar with the concept and knew it was only a matter of time, so he wasn¡¯t surprised.


    ¡°That wasteland is less than a thousand acres. Qingyu, do you think you could share some seeds with us?¡± Vice Director Qian negotiated amicably.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to plant them?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Otherwise, why would I have you come here...¡±


    ¡°But there are risks, after all, thousand silk hemp is a new variety.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, what doesn¡¯t have risks? Planting wheat or corn is equally risky, plus if we don¡¯t plant thousand silk hemp on that eight hundred acres of wasteland, we planned to leave it fallow this year anyway...¡±


    ¡°Vice Director Qian, for thousand silk hemp, you only need one kilogram of seed per acre. If harvested within the year, you can get about eight hundred kilograms of Heavenly Silk Seeds per acre,¡± Qiao Qingyu floated out the astonishing number.


    This time Vice Director Qian gasped. Normally, castor planting requires about two kilograms of seeds per acre, and harvesting three hundred jin in fertile fields was already the limit.


    Thousand silk hemp could yield one thousand six hundred jin per acre!


    Therefore, Vice Director Qian couldn¡¯t just sit back and relax; he stood up and began to pace excitedly. After a moment, he calmed down, ¡°Qingyu, you must be referring to fertile land.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu shook her head, ¡°Thousand silk hemp isn¡¯t very demanding on the soil quality, it can be tried on wasteland. As long as it¡¯s planted according to the prescribed method, you should get at least six hundred kilograms per acre.¡±


    Vice Director Qian became excited, ¡°Good, we¡¯ll buy seeds for eight hundred acres, how much will that cost?¡± Then he added, ¡°We¡¯ll take the risk ourselves, we would be grateful just for the provision of the seeds.¡±


    ¡°Vice Director Qian, let¡¯s handle this by the book. However, if you purchase the seeds from me, are you authorized to make that decision?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked seriously.


    Vice Director Qian laughed heartily and then nodded quickly, ¡°Of course, I can decide. Otherwise, I couldn¡¯t be discussing this with you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Eight hundred acres require eight hundred kilograms of Heavenly Silk Hemp seeds. Let¡¯s set the price according to the lowest cost of castor seeds, five yuan per kilogram, totaling four thousand yuan for eight hundred acres.¡±


    Vice Director Qian wasn¡¯t shocked, but it did hurt, because they had already made a budget in the morning¡¯s meeting, and it would have been about four thousand five hundred yuan.


    Now it was five hundred yuan cheaper...

 Chapter 22 - 22 22 Precautionary Measures

    ?Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Precautionary Measures Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Precautionary Measures Even so, the burden on his shoulders was heavy; the money was pooled together by more than a dozen people and had drained all their household savings, just to carve out a path to wealth for the members of the commune. He knew that merely growing wheat and millet could barely solve the problem of food and clothing.


    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s settle on that,¡± Vice Director Qian rubbed his hands together, somewhat embarrassed, and said, ¡°Qingyu, I didn¡¯t expect things to move this fast, but we haven¡¯t gathered all the money for the seeds, we¡¯ll need to wait a couple of days...¡±


    He then remembered the new term he had heard at the meeting: ¡°We can pay a portion as a deposit first.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mind whirred with thoughts.


    The wasteland near the family quarters was roughly one thousand acres, which she intended to contract by any means necessary. But once contracted, she would need a lot of manpower.


    She was short on manpower; Vice Director Qian was short on money.


    So, it was entirely possible to cooperate!


    A smile spread across Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face, ¡°Vice Director Qian, this money was all contributed by everyone, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Without waiting for Vice Director Qian to respond, Fang Xiaomei interjected, ¡°Yeah, Qingyu, you have no idea, my uncle took out all the savings from home, and even my cousin¡¯s bridal money, my aunt was crying at home.¡±


    ¡°Xiao Mei, don¡¯t talk nonsense,¡± Vice Director Qian reprimanded awkwardly, then sighed, ¡°Nowadays, everyone is bustling about with their lands, we can¡¯t fall behind. That¡¯s why over a dozen of us cadres pooled together over four thousand yuan, just to give it our all.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu spoke sincerely, ¡°Vice Director Qian, I¡¯m truly moved by your spirit. I¡¯ve changed my mind; I have an idea, would you like to hear it?¡±


    Vice Director Qian¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Qingyu, if you have any ideas, please share them.¡±


    This was his second encounter with Qiao Qingyu, but for some reason, as they talked, he would forget her age and listen carefully to every word she said.


    ¡°... I plan to contract the wasteland near the family quarters, but I lack labor. So, I will only take half of the money for the seeds, and in return, Xiaxi Commune will provide labor to help me plant the thousand silk hemp. Of course, there will be many issues to discuss in due course. If you agree, we can make it official; if not, then you can just buy the seeds.¡±


    Vice Director Qian was already inclined to agree halfway through Qiao Qingyu¡¯s proposal.


    Therefore, as soon as she finished speaking, he nodded immediately, ¡°No problem, we lack everything but people here!¡±


    Fang Xiaomei, ¡°...¡±


    Uncle, why do you have to speak such blunt truths?


    Everything went smoothly afterward.


    Actually, Vice Director Qian was in a hurry. Farming was tough, and missing the right timing could mean a wasted year. Upon learning that this was the right season and that the harvest could take place in August, he was beaming with joy.


    Of course, he was still anxious at heart because he had yet to see the seeds.


    So, Mr. Qian urgently dispatched a tractor, sending Fang Xiaomei and the commune¡¯s agricultural technician to escort Qiao Qingyu back to the family quarters.


    After unloading the purchased items, Qiao Qingyu entered the west room and lifted the large tarp hanging over the north wall.


    The tarp had been used to cover packages sent by He Xiuyu; it had been tossed in a corner before, but Qiao Qingyu had cleaned it up, and it now perfectly covered eight wooden crates.


    Qiao Qingyu liked her arrangements to be interlinked and always prepared for contingencies.


    Therefore, prepared as she had been, she took one hundred bottles of thousand silk hemp seeds from the lab early in the morning, with large bottles of agricultural crops containing twenty jin each.


    When she opened the lids of the crates, the technician¡¯s eyes gleamed instantly.


    You know an expert by their first move.


    As an agricultural technician, he was extremely familiar with crop seeds.


    It was his first time seeing such well-packed seeds, and his first time encountering seeds that were already germinating and didn¡¯t need cultivation.


    Here...


    He hurried forward, picking up a large bottle to examine.


    It looked a bit like castor seeds; each one was full, and the two tiny leaf buds were bursting with life.


    ¡°These have already germinated; can they be planted directly?¡± The technician humbly asked Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu would not be vague, ¡°Yes, they can be planted directly; no need for cultivation anymore...¡±


    ¡°What about the planting methods?¡± asked the technician anxiously.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already copied them down, but I have to hand them over to Vice Director Qian myself,¡± Qiao Qingyu apologized.


    The technician¡¯s face turned red, and he waved his hands hurriedly, saying, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I was just asking.¡±


    Fang Xiaomei glanced at him sideways, ¡°You don¡¯t seem to get tired of holding that bottle. Hurry up and call Er Zhuzi in. Let¡¯s get the seeds back to the commune quickly. The director and the others are still waiting.¡±


    A big wooden box measuring one meter by one meter could hold exactly ten large bottles.


    Er Zhuzi, a tractor driver, hurried into the room at the mention of his name and carefully helped the technician load the wooden box containing eighty large bottles onto the tractor.


    Thick wheat straw had already been laid out on top in advance.


    Even though the bottles were packed in wooden boxes, Er Zhuzi drove very carefully all the way.


    He had just heard that a deposit was required for these bottles.


    A ten yuan deposit for one bottle, and in his household, he could scrape together no more than five yuan, so he really couldn¡¯t afford to break them. He really couldn¡¯t.


    If he did, he truly wouldn¡¯t be able to compensate for it!


    The journey was silent and went smoothly all the way to the commune, where Vice Director Qian and others were already waiting at the entrance.


    Next came collecting the money and processing the paperwork, and this time, Qiao Qingyu did collect a deposit.


    After all, these bottles seemed to have a special function and needed to be well preserved.


    But she only symbolically collected 500 yuan.


    After all, part of this was Fang Xiaomei¡¯s dowry money.


    The commune had a special place for storing seeds, so the eight wooden boxes were emptied.


    Qiao Qingyu handed over the draft papers detailing the planting methods, attention points for thousand silk hemp cultivation, and information on germination, flowering, and harvest times to Vice Director Qian.


    ¡°... You must follow the methods outlined here while also adapting to local conditions. Only by doing so can these superior seeds yield a greater harvest,¡± Qiao Qingyu instructed.


    ¡°Right, right, right. Even the best seeds won¡¯t grow anything if they¡¯re not properly planted.¡±


    Vice Director Qian, coming from a farmer¡¯s background, certainly understood this truth.


    Because this was a small-scale trial, and the money was not from the commune¡¯s finances, Qiao Qingyu wrote a receipt and put the two thousand five hundred yuan into one of the wooden boxes on the tractor.


    Vice Director Qian was worried, but he knew there were guards at the gate of the family compound.


    And since she was Chief Engineer He¡¯s wife, he felt assured.


    Still, he advised Qiao Qingyu to be careful and then said with emotion, ¡°Qingyu, I really can¡¯t thank you enough this time. I will not say to stand by at all times, but as soon as you contract the wasteland, I will immediately send someone to help you with planting and management.¡±


    To speak the truth, Xiaxi Commune had taken advantage of Qiao Qingyu.


    That was two thousand yuan, after all. He would have to save for five years without spending a cent.


    Even though hiring help was not the norm now, that money could replace the work points of fifty able-bodied laborers for a year.


    Especially since they wouldn¡¯t be working every day.


    ...


    Indeed, Qiao Qingyu had no intention of having these laborers help her all the time.


    Some matters still needed attention.


    It is said to be good to bask in the shade of a big tree, and for the most part, she was still relying on He Xiuyu¡¯s name.


    Thus, it¡¯s best not to cause him any trouble.


    So, achieving partial mechanization was something that must be done this year.


    Of course, before that, she had to contract nearly a thousand acres of wasteland.

 Chapter 23 - 23 23 Well Water Does Not Offend River Water

    ?Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Well Water Does Not Offend River Water Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Well Water Does Not Offend River Water Two days later, Qiao Qingyu guessed that Director Xie had finished planting all the cabbages and she rode her bicycle straight to Tenghai Research and Experiment Base.


    At the same time, after four days on the road, Qiao Zhiyuan and his group finally arrived at the Qiao Family Team.


    Since they had with them valuable bottles and seeds, which weren¡¯t there when they left, Qiao Zhiyuan dared not let the truck drive too fast.


    Not to mention the poor road conditions and the truck breaking down twice along the way.


    Thus, even though they traveled overnight, they only reached the Qiao Family Team on the morning of the fifth day.


    Captain Sun was incredibly anxious, spending his time every day not busy waiting at the village entrance and looking at the Yellow Sand Road. Today was the same, his heart filled with anxiety¡ªQiao Zhiyuan had been gone for over a week and still hadn¡¯t come back. Could something have happened?


    But just as he was fraught with worry, far away at the end of the road, a large truck slowly approached the village.


    Captain Sun immediately became extremely excited and ran all the way to greet it.


    Behind him followed the villagers who had risen early...


    Qiao Zhiyuan and Accountant Zhang¡¯s return was indeed a triumphant one, so they were warmly welcomed, especially by Captain Sun, who was particularly happy because, thanks to Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s influence, they got the seeds without spending money.


    This saved them thousands of yuan.


    An old woman spotting the big bottles containing the seeds, her eyes gleaming, said, ¡°Captain, give me one of those bottles. I¡¯ll use it to pickle vegetables...¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan wasn¡¯t angry but responded with a smiling, ¡°Alright, one big bottle for twenty yuan.¡±


    ¡°Good gracious, twenty yuan? Why don¡¯t you just rob us...¡±


    Everyone laughed heartily, seemingly in disbelief.


    Accountant Zhang seriously warned, ¡°Stay back everyone. There¡¯s a deposit on the bottles; if one breaks, you¡¯ll owe twenty yuan.¡±


    Captain Qiao might have said this to scare them, but since Accountant Zhang was the one who spoke, the people took it seriously, and indeed, they stopped crowding around the truck, though many still lingered from a distance.


    It was heard that Qiao Qingyu had helped procure these corn seeds, which reportedly yielded three thousand kilograms per acre and matured in ninety days.


    The old farmers who had grown crops all their lives didn¡¯t believe it at all, scoffing at the idea. They thought it was definitely something Qiao Zhiyuan had done just to glorify his niece.


    Currently, the highest-yielding corn seeds produced just over a thousand kilograms per acre and took more than a hundred days to mature.


    They required meticulous care, not to mention resistance to disease, lodging, drought, and flooding.


    But when they saw the full kernels of corn contained in the glass bottles, their hearts wavered.


    Perhaps the packaging played a role, as the grumbling and cool remarks had noticeably lessened. However, a few women still made jokes about Qiao Qingyu¡ªalbeit indirectly. But surprisingly, the first one who lost his temper was Accountant Zhang.


    He raised his voice, ¡°All of you shut up! From now on, anyone who dares to gossip or speak ill of Qiao Qingyu behind her back had better not blame me, Old Zhang, for being rude!¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan was moved, it seemed like the spicy noodles and large buns hadn¡¯t been wasted, but his niece had indeed done her part.


    A few of the old crones, of course, weren¡¯t convinced as they were the usual troublemakers. With their hands on their hips, they wanted to start cursing, but they didn¡¯t expect Captain Sun to glare at them and say, ¡°Get back to work now! Move away from here. Each bottle of these seeds costs hundreds of yuan. If anyone damages them and causes a loss, I will make them pay for all the damages!¡±


    Cursing was one thing, and fighting another, but when it came to paying money¡ªeveryone was poor.


    Thus, these people backed off a few more steps.


    And so, under the careful handling of a group of strong laborers, the corn seeds were stored in a small warehouse at the team headquarters.


    Afterward, the truck took back the things Qiao Qingyu had sent home for her family.


    Uncle Qiao¡¯s wife knew her husband had come back, but she had no intention of going out to see him. Her heart was filled with hatred; for days, she felt as if she was suffocated, unable to breathe. All the money she had painstakingly saved for over a decade, a total of eighty yuan, had been given away to that old fool for Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu was the calamity, the root of all troubles for the Qiao family. As long as she was there, the Old Qiao family would never have peace.


    She did not dare to curse her dead, yet she felt her presence was a disaster.


    The next moment, she saw the main gate being pushed open. She was initially hanging clothes and then saw her husband entering the yard with packages big and small. The Old Qiao family had separated, though her father-in-law and mother-in-law still lived with them.


    Naturally, Grandma Qiao came out leaning on her cane, and upon discovering that the rice cakes, dairy candies, and two sacks of fabric were all from Qiao Qingyu, the old lady immediately burst into tears.


    Uncle Qiao¡¯s wife didn¡¯t believe it one bit. She thought it must be her husband who had spent money and then credited it to Qiao Qingyu.


    But she didn¡¯t dare say anything, only forcing a smile as she greeted him.


    No one noticed her facial expression or mood; everyone was happy to have something to share.


    Since the gifts were from Qiao Qingyu, Qiao Genbao¡¯s family was surely going to claim the larger share.


    Thus, Qiao Genbao carried home a heap of items, especially two bottles containing flower and dandelion seeds. He first carefully arranged the seeds before packing the rice cakes and dairy candies into paper bags. He took some of the fabric they received, stuffed it into a carry bag, and went to his father-in-law¡¯s house to pick up his wife and children.


    He figured once his parents cooled down, he needed to hurry and bring his family back, or else he wouldn¡¯t sleep peacefully.


    Then there was his worryingly young brother who, unknown to their parents, had gone to the South; they thought he was still studying.


    Unexpectedly, his sister had finally become sensible.


    The village was still buzzing with talk, but nobody mocked Qiao Qingyu. After all, she not only lived well herself but also helped the team obtain seeds without cost.


    This proved Qiao Qingyu was capable!


    And Qiao Zhiyuan had organized the work well, distributing everything clearly, then rode his bicycle to the neighboring village.


    He took nothing with him except for two dairy candies in his pocket.


    With so many children at home, he could only keep two; he dared not take more. Han Xianglan looked gentle but was stubborn; she wouldn¡¯t accept anything from the He Family.


    Meanwhile, in a low thatched cottage in Liuhe Village next door, the tall Qiao Zhicai occasionally looked outside, guessing it was about time for his elder brother to return.


    He had no idea how the trip had gone or how his beloved Qingyubao was doing.


    Just the thought that he was the one who had harshly driven his daughter out of the Qiao Family Team twisted his heart like a knife.


    Torn between his wife and his daughter, and the detested He Family people, he was truly in a dilemma.


    But just then, he saw his elder brother pedaling eagerly towards him, and he excitedly went out to meet him.


    And inside the house, Han Xianglan laboriously propped herself up in bed.


    A mother worries a thousand miles away!


    Having raised a particularly beloved daughter who married not only someone far away but also into the He Family added to her concerns.


    Decades had passed, and she harbored no hatred for anyone, including He Shan.


    But she knew the He and Qiao families should have nothing to do with each other.


    Yet now, the situation was embarrassingly complicated...

 Chapter 24 - 24 24 Contracting Wasteland

    ?Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Contracting Wasteland Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Contracting Wasteland Qiao Zhiyuan entered the room. He certainly knew what these two people wanted to hear, so he told them everything about Qiao Qingyu from start to finish.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Qingyu, who was riding her bicycle, had already arrived at Director Xie¡¯s office in the logistics base.


    The forty-five mu of white cabbage had indeed all been planted.


    The soil quality here was still quite good, at least much better than that near the residential compound.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t delay and directly inquired whether the wasteland near the residential compound had any other use for the logistics base?


    Director Xie laughed, a glint of sharpness flashed in his eyes, but he spoke truthfully, ¡°That piece of land has just been allocated for the base¡¯s use, and we haven¡¯t thought of what to do with it yet.¡±


    ¡°Director Xie, then just contract that wasteland to me,¡± Qiao Qingyu said crisply and straightforwardly.


    Director Xie was taken aback, not expecting Qiao Qingyu to have such a request.


    When he learned that Qiao Qingyu planned to plant thousand silk hemp and that Qiao Qingyu had already sold eight hundred mu of thousand silk hemp seeds, Director Xie paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back.


    He couldn¡¯t outright reject her for two reasons: the first was to save face for Chief Engineer He, and the second was because Qiao Qingyu had just provided forty-five mu of white cabbage seeds for free, which weren¡¯t cheap ¨C over one hundred yuan for forty-five mu.


    Besides, that wasteland really had no use.


    He had been thinking about how to exchange some benefits for Qiao Qingyu, after all, one couldn¡¯t let her contribute for nothing; at the very least a certificate of merit or something similar had to be arranged.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to discuss this with the leaders since we don¡¯t have a precedent,¡± he said.


    ¡°Director Xie, then I¡¯ll take the risk of setting this precedent, but if it¡¯s too troublesome for you, then forget it. The Northwest has vast lands, and I have thousand silk hemp seeds; I can plant them anywhere,¡± Qiao Qingyu said lightly.


    Director Xie hastily said, ¡°There¡¯s no trouble at all; we just need to see what regulations are needed. Come, I¡¯ll take you to the person in charge of this matter.¡±


    At the same time, he was somewhat tempted. If the thousand silk hemp seeds were as good as Qiao Qingyu claimed, then perhaps the logistics base could also make a go of it.


    It was known that the area allocated to them, in addition to the residential compound, included a radius of five hundred li around the experimental base. The base had a security boundary, and the land outside the boundary was about five thousand or more mu, all lying fallow.


    If it could generate benefits, it would provide the best logistics support for these scientists and engineers.


    So the following process was really smooth, but Qiao Qingyu knew that fifty percent of the reason was He Xiuyu, forty percent because of her own white cabbage seeds, and the land was fallow regardless, plus Director Xie wanted to be involved too.


    In these times, especially in Xichuan where resources were still scarce, being a logistics director was not an easy job.


    Of course, in addition to this, maybe it was also because of the Vice Director Qian of Xiaxi Commune¡¯s generous gesture.


    Anyway, within a day, Qiao Qingyu had contracted a thousand mu of land near the residential compound.


    The contract period was ten years.


    The total contracting fee was one thousand yuan.


    Qiao Qingyu signed the contract on the spot, paid the one thousand yuan contracting fee, and obtained the right to use this land for ten years.


    Although she and He Xiuyu were destined to go their separate ways.


    But this did not affect Qiao Qingyu¡¯s preparation to turn the thousand-li desert sand belt into thousands of mu of good farmland.


    After all, the seeds for improving soil in the laboratory were most suited for the vast desert around Xichuan City.


    After signing the agreement, Director Xie left the office with Qiao Qingyu. The early April wind was still chilly, slowly calming his previously excited mind.


    He then realized a serious problem.


    Could it be that Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t gotten the consent of Chief Engineer He and had taken out all the savings from her home?


    Would Mr. He have some thoughts when he came back, or was this all too childish?


    ¡°But the old leaders agreed as well.¡±


    Director Xie looked at Qiao Qingyu with mixed feelings. This little wife was too persuasive. She claimed that not only would they have thousand silk hemp seeds, but they would also plant Willow Wood and Barley Grass to improve the environment.


    She also said that given one year, she could ensure that the staff at the base would be able to eat fresh vegetables every day, regardless of the season.


    And somehow, she gave off the impression that everything she said would come true.


    So, on the spot, the old leadership decided and agreed to contract out the land to Qiao Qingyu.


    Although they were in scientific research, it didn¡¯t mean they were oblivious to the recent new policies.


    Land contracting and economic development were already going full swing in the Southern region, so their practice wasn¡¯t against the rules.


    Moreover, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s ability to persuade people was just too impressive. Director Xie thought to himself that it was a pity she wasn¡¯t in charge of political ideology. No wonder He Xiuyu married her¡ªit must have been a clear case of being sweet-talked.


    ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu,¡± he suddenly remembered something and hurriedly said, ¡°the glass jars for the vegetable seeds have all been emptied. The base doesn¡¯t have a spare vehicle today, but I¡¯ll have Sun Dazhi deliver them to you tomorrow.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was in a good mood, as the plan was going smoothly. She smiled, ¡°That¡¯s fine, if I¡¯m not at home, just leave them at Mr. Li¡¯s place.¡±


    Director Xie nodded, but someone called him at that moment, so he exchanged a few words with Qiao Qingyu and then hurried off.


    Qiao Qingyu had just taken a few steps pushing her bike when she was stopped by Su Yunyao, who seemed to be carrying a stack of documents needing the old leaders¡¯ signatures.


    Su Yunyao¡¯s gaze on Qiao Qingyu was heavy.


    It proved once again that Qiao Qingyu was indeed different from her younger self in the previous life, not just in expression, but even her aura had changed.


    In recent days, she had been restless, tossing and turning at night, and a bold thought crossed her mind¡ªcould Qiao Qingyu have been reborn just like herself?


    Thus, Su Yunyao was tormented, the more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed. After all, if she could be reborn, why couldn¡¯t others?


    What should she do if that was true? Could she still be with Brother Yu?


    With that thought, Su Yunyao¡¯s voice was bitterly sarcastic as she asked, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, what is a family member like you doing at the research base?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked down at Su Yunyao, who seemed somewhat haggard.


    This reborn main female character had likely been contemplating her own situation these past few days.


    After all, from the moment she had transmigrated, her actions were starkly different compared to the original body¡¯s owner.


    But Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t want to pretend.


    She figured Su Yunyao might suspect that she, too, was a reincarnator, but she would never guess that she was from a transmigration into a book.


    Ha, that was amusing...


    Even if Qiao Qingyu stood at the heavily guarded entrance of the laboratory and shouted, ¡°Comrades, the world we live in is actually a book, a period novel to be precise. The male lead is your Chief Engineer He, the female lead is your colleague Su Yunyao, and me, I¡¯m that cannon fodder first wife...


    Everyone would probably take her for a lunatic.


    Qiao Qingyu curved the corners of her mouth and suddenly stretched out her hand to press the bicycle bell.


    ¡°Ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling...¡±


    That era¡¯s bicycle bells were truly loud and clear, ringing out with a piercing sound.


    The sound startled Su Yunyao so much that she stepped back several paces.


    Qiao Qingyu showed off her pearly whites, ¡°None of your damn business!¡±


    Then she continued to push her bicycle forward.


    Su Yunyao¡¯s expression fluctuated wildly, and suddenly she blurted out, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, have you come back too?¡±

 Chapter 25 - 25 25 I Never Think About Married Men

    ?Chapter 25: Chapter 25 I Never Think About Married Men Chapter 25: Chapter 25 I Never Think About Married Men Qiao Qingyu halted abruptly, hand resting on the handlebars as she turned back to look at Su Yunyao.


    Then, she parked her bicycle properly and quickly walked a few steps to stand in front of Su Yunyao.


    In fact, Su Yunyao was very beautiful.


    With an oval face, phoenix eyes, a prominent nose, and having been well-read from a young age, her occupation gave her an indescribable air of intellectual beauty.


    It was also the kind of appearance that best fit the aesthetic standards of this era.


    No wonder Shen Haoze was so devoted to her.


    Qiao Qingyu really wanted to say, ¡°Su Yunyao, stop causing trouble and stop thinking about crushing scum and slapping faces. I¡¯ll soon divorce the male lead and make space for you.¡±


    But why should she say that?


    That made no sense at all, nor was it Qiao Qingyu¡¯s style!


    Qiao Qingyu sized up Su Yunyao and asked uncomprehendingly, ¡°Su Yunyao, what do you mean by that?¡±


    At that moment, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s gaze was clear and her eyes filled with confusion, her expression conveying the same. Su Yunyao¡¯s heart suddenly wavered.


    If Qiao Qingyu had also been reborn, given her hatred for her, would she just stay quietly in the family quarters and not settle scores with her?


    After all, the hatred and entanglements between them were simply too numerous.


    Yet, in the past few days, if she hadn¡¯t approached Qiao Qingyu, Qiao Qingyu wouldn¡¯t have even talked to her.


    Her mouth opened, and with a resentful glare at Qiao Qingyu, she blurted out, ¡°You uneducated bumpkin, you wouldn¡¯t understand even if I explained!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was not irritated at all, but replied with a smile that was not quite a smile, ¡°Su Yunyao, even though I¡¯m an uneducated bumpkin, I never covet married men!¡±


    Su Yunyao¡¯s heart skipped a beat, her face instantly turning red with panic and embarrassment. She clenched her teeth, her mind in total disarray, What exactly is happening? This isn¡¯t the her I remember!


    She was insulting her, testing her, just to see her reveal her true nature as a shrew, right?


    Because she understood too well how selfish, ruthlessly cold, and venomous this woman could be.


    Just as she was about to speak, Qiao Qingyu continued, ¡°Su Yunyao, if you dare say the words ¡®uneducated bumpkin¡¯ in front of Mr. He, I¡¯ll divorce He Xiuyu immediately!¡±


    Su Yunyao, ¡°...¡±


    Of course, she wouldn¡¯t dare.


    He Shan was someone with a strong sense of nostalgia for his hometown. He even told his own father that once he retired, he would take Aunt Meng back to Hejia Village, start a vegetable garden, raise some chickens and ducks, and spend his free time gathering wild goods from the mountains or fishing by the river.


    Three flowers, five spices, eighteen kinds¡ªthey all existed in the river of their hometown.


    He spoke with an animated spirit, unconcerned about his rural origins.


    Su Yunyao was once again left speechless.


    And she regretted it.


    Why did she stop Qiao Qingyu?


    Jealousy surged within her, as she wished she could pounce on her and scratch her face, tearing apart her aggressive and unrelenting mouth.


    She felt her dignity was once again challenged, experiencing a frustrating sense of injustice. The next second, all these emotions turned into bitterness.


    Finally, her thoughts changed.


    Originally, she only wanted to drive her out of the staff quarters and back to her hometown, but now she had changed her mind.


    Qiao Qingyu, I will leave you with nowhere to bury your body!


    She was a respected professor who had been alive for decades, could she not handle a country girl?


    She glared at Qiao Qingyu with a look of disdain, like one would at an ant, then turned around with the documents and left.


    She moved quickly, disappearing into the corridor of the office in the blink of an eye.


    Qiao Qingyu, uninterested, pursed her lips and rode her bicycle back to the residential complex.


    ...


    Inside the old leader¡¯s office, Su Yunyao finally found out indirectly what Qiao Qingyu was doing at the base.


    Contracting wasteland?


    Ha, a country bumpkin is still a country bumpkin, never forgetting about farming wherever they go.


    Even though it was a trivial matter and she really wanted to see Qiao Qingyu suffer from the weather, she couldn¡¯t let her have her way.


    Thus, Su Yunyao made a call to the office of the head manager, who was also a close friend of her father and had watched her grow up.


    Her voice sounded concerned, ¡°Uncle Qi, it¡¯s Yun Yao. I need to report a situation to you about He Xiuyu...¡±


    The person on the other end became serious immediately. He Xiuyu was the prized gem of the Tenghai Research Headquarters, and they couldn¡¯t afford any trouble with him.


    Moreover, because Yun Yao was speaking, he said sternly, ¡°What exactly is going on? Tell me quickly...¡±


    While it was still in the early stages of research and development, it was extremely important. He wouldn¡¯t allow a single issue at the Tenghai Research Base, nor any complications for He Xiuyu¡ªthe Tenghai Research Headquarters needed to ensure that all projects were progressing smoothly.


    ¡°It¡¯s like this, didn¡¯t He Xiuyu bring back a wife from his hometown? This woman is uneducated and loves to create drama which often disrupts Chief Engineer He¡¯s work. But as it¡¯s a family matter, we as colleagues and friends wouldn¡¯t normally comment. However, now the problem has become serious...¡±


    The head of headquarters naturally knew about He Xiuyu¡¯s marital state. His marriage had been approved easily since Qiao Qingyu¡¯s family was completely reputable without any blemishes.


    However, nobody expected that He Xiuyu¡¯s partner would be an uneducated country girl.


    But this was Xiao He¡¯s private matter, and even the leadership could not intervene.


    Moreover, Mr. He would not allow others to gossip.


    As long as it didn¡¯t affect the work, nobody paid attention to this matter, but it had become quite severe recently. Of course, he knew about it, but Xiao He had told him it would be resolved, so he didn¡¯t take it to heart.


    Now, it seemed that he had been negligent.


    There¡¯s a saying, ¡°How can you sweep the world if you can¡¯t clean your own house?¡± If the rear isn¡¯t stable, Xiao He can¡¯t focus on his work at the front.


    He quickly asked, ¡°How serious is it, Yun Yao? Don¡¯t conceal anything, tell me everything.¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu is just a shrew, always crying, causing scenes, then threatening He Xiuyu with suicide. No matter how busy, she always makes Yu rush back from the research base. That¡¯s one thing, but today she came to the research base, offered one thousand yuan, and contracted one thousand acres of barren land near the residential area. Uncle Qi, this is serious. If anything happens, Yu will be implicated by her. Besides, nothing grows on that land; she¡¯s just creating chaos to capture Yu¡¯s attention.¡±


    Mr. Qi listened intently, appearing calm, but anger was simmering beneath the surface.


    He trusted Su Yuan Yao¡¯s words completely.


    Because there was no reason for her to lie about this matter.


    After understanding more specific details, he hung up the phone and expressed his discontent at the base with Old Wei and Director Xie.


    Isn¡¯t this a joke?


    What can be done with that barren land?


    Not even grass grows, yet she contracted it for ten years with one thousand yuan. What will happen subsequently?


    Although He Xiuyu¡¯s salary was high, that was a year¡¯s income. Although there are bonuses from research achievements, these bonuses are hard-earned, and this incident doesn¡¯t reflect well on He Xiuyu.

 Chapter 26 - 26 26 The Rainbow Sling Bag

    ?Chapter 26: Chapter 26: The Rainbow Sling Bag Chapter 26: Chapter 26: The Rainbow Sling Bag As a family member, you should quietly support from behind, not hop around causing trouble for everyone.


    She¡¯s got some nerve, not considering Xiao He at all.


    At this time, Mr. Qi had a very poor impression of Qiao Qingyu.


    He really wished He Xiuyu would leave this troublesome woman right now.


    But He Xiuyu was in the middle of an important meeting at the moment, and he had other things to do afterward; he couldn¡¯t disturb him. So after thinking it over, he decided to call Old Wei, the base¡¯s former leader.


    And Qiao Qingyu had no idea about all this; she was holding the contract, happily placing it in a wooden box in the laboratory.


    She had already discussed with Director Xie and planned to start measuring the land tomorrow.


    Defining the boundaries of the contracted area, putting the agreement into practice, and then needing to plant the thousand silk hemp seeds as soon as possible.


    Moreover, she had a new plan.


    In the afternoon, Vice Director Qian personally brought two young men with a tractor to deliver eighty large bottles back to her.


    Qiao Qingyu checked each bottle carefully, then handed over a 500 yuan deposit to Vice Director Qian, praising, ¡°Vice Director Qian, your efficiency is really high. It only took three days to plant several hundred acres of thousand silk hemp...¡±


    ¡°Many hands make light work,¡± Vice Director Qian said with a smile. ¡°How about you here? When do you need our help?¡±


    ¡°The agreement was signed today, measuring the land tomorrow, but I need to treat the soil before planting. After all, it¡¯s not the same as the eight hundred acres of your commune¡¯s land.¡±


    ¡°Right, our land isn¡¯t great, but it¡¯s been cultivated for a few years, and I¡¯m familiar with it. The land you¡¯re contracting is not only poor but also virgin soil, so it¡¯s going to be very challenging.¡±


    Vice Director Qian was genuinely concerned for Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t reveal her plans; she had one thousand yuan on hand and was planning to rent two land tillers from Xichuan Machinery Factory.


    Otherwise, human labor alone would not finish the work in a month.


    Money comes and goes quickly; in the blink of an eye, half of the two thousand yuan was spent.


    After sending off Vice Director Qian, Qiao Qingyu began to sort through the flawed fabrics and scraps of cloth.


    This time, she was going to follow an old trick from the era¡¯s culture.


    That was to make shoulder bags from these scraps.


    In the late seventies, people often liked to carry military green shoulder bags.


    She had one herself.


    There were also some black leather bags, but the styles were somewhat simple.


    So when bright colors spread out, the innate love for beauty was irresistible.


    Of course, first, she had to make a good design come to life.


    Sister-in-law Li had a sewing machine at home; the deft Qiao Qingyu selected three different shades of yellow, added blue and red, along with a piece of black cotton fabric. Seeing that it was only after two o¡¯clock in the afternoon, she took these materials to Sister-in-law Li¡¯s house.


    Logically speaking, Sister-in-law Li only had one child, Xiao Hu, and Mr. Li¡¯s wage wasn¡¯t low, so their household should be well-off. However, she had to pinch pennies; even her clothes, washed to the point of fading, were not replaced with new ones, and she would save any good food for her child because each month, they had to send half of their cash to her husband¡¯s parents in their hometown, and Mr. Li had six younger brothers and sisters to support.


    So Sister-in-law Li¡¯s life was difficult indeed, and Qiao Qingyu planned to recruit her into the venture. If the shoulder bags made money, it could change her life.


    Of course, those times were hard for everyone, including the relatives of the Qiao Family Team.


    Aunt Qiao and the others particularly disliked her.


    The 200 yuan in her hand was probably the entire savings of these families.


    Otherwise, the original host couldn¡¯t have longed for Beijing, where people said you could eat meat every day, nor could she have spent 200 yuan in just one month.


    In the past few years, the Qiao Family Team had enough grain, but it was all coarse grains. Rice paddies were not widespread; the most commonly grown crops were corn, sorghum, and soybeans.


    The clothes worn by the villagers were layered with patches inside and out, and they lived in mud-brick houses. Those who had better circumstances decorated the front with red bricks, like Qiao Qingyu¡¯s family.


    It was rare to have a meal with white flour throughout the year; eggs and meat were even more of a luxury.


    In Qiao Qingyu¡¯s memory, she had only eaten rice once, which was last year during the New Year.


    It was also the first time in her life.


    Even after reaching Xichuan, corn flour and millet remained the staple food.


    So she often visited the supply and marketing cooperative at Xiaxi Commune to buy food, later she even went to Yushu County, and she inadvertently found the black market.


    Even though the purchasing power was strong in that era, the food and clothing prices at the black market were incredibly high.


    Nevertheless, it must be said that Qiao Qingyu was quite filial to Han Xianglan and Qiao Zhicai, otherwise she would not have sent them 600 yuan by mail.


    She now had over one thousand yuan in her possession. She had already set aside the amount she owed He Xiuyu, planning to repay him completely upon their divorce.


    But after paying him back, she wouldn¡¯t have much left, so she had to make money quickly. Otherwise, even basic food and clothing would be a problem, and if she thought about returning to the Qiao Family Team, she couldn¡¯t go back empty-handed and penniless.


    Her thoughts moved swiftly, and upon arriving at Sister-in-law Li¡¯s house, she briefly explained her purpose. Sister-in-law Li immediately started up the sewing machine, and Qiao Qingyu cut the fabric to size. An hour later, a beloved rainbow shoulder bag, fresh off the production, emerged.


    Sister-in-law Li had been sewing for more than a decade and had used various scraps to put together a school bag for her younger sister, with a ruffled fringe around the edge.


    But compared to this rainbow bag, it was worlds apart.


    What Qiao Qingyu designed was not a flowered school bag, but an ethnic-style patchwork shoulder bag, with black at the bottom, followed by yellow, brown, red, pink, blue, and light yellow at the top.


    It resembled a beautiful rainbow just after the rain.


    Temporarily without a zipper, Sister-in-law Li made two beautiful Chinese frog buttons. The strap was as wide as a thumb, made from flawed brown labor cloth. The so-called flaws were not tears or breaks, but a dyeing issue, meaning the fabric was printed when it shouldn¡¯t have been. However, such a strap was even more suitable.


    Not to mention Sister-in-law Li, even Qiao Qingyu, who had seen many designer bags, found it attractive.


    It was a victorious first attempt, and the first bag was a success.


    Encouraged, Qiao Qingyu began cutting triangular pieces of fabric, with Sister-in-law Li assisting her. Quick enough, they had completed another triangular patchwork shoulder bag before dinner.


    The fabrics used had contrasting colors, varied in size but did not appear fragmented, resembling an art piece even more.


    This time, Qiao Qingyu innovatively sewed a tassel-like accessory to the edge of the bag, using the same fabric as the strap. When worn on the shoulder and walked a few steps, the tassels swung slightly, looking quite quaint and novel.


    ¡°Qingyu, your hands are truly skilled; this is too beautiful,¡± said Sister-in-law Li. Women love clothes just as much as they love bags, and Sister-in-law Li was no exception.


    She had just taken a liking to the rainbow bag, and now she was equally enamored with the triangular patchwork shoulder bag.


    ¡°Sister-in-law Li, do you think these bags can be sold?¡±


    ¡°Of course, they can. I¡¯ve never seen such good-looking shoulder bags before.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled brightly, ¡°Sister-in-law Li, are you interested in joining me in this business?¡±

 Chapter 27 - 27 27 The Land Can No Longer Be Leased to You

    ?Chapter 27: Chapter 27: The Land Can No Longer Be Leased to You Chapter 27: Chapter 27: The Land Can No Longer Be Leased to You Although Sister-in-law Li didn¡¯t understand what ¡°working together¡± meant at first, her eyes widened after Qiao Qingyu explained it.


    Was this about going into business together?


    Going into business wasn¡¯t a new term, but for Sister-in-law Li, it might as well have been a tale from the Arabian Nights.


    At the beginning of the 1980s, for the individual economy, it was a new starting point. However, in people¡¯s minds, engaging in self-employment wasn¡¯t considered a proper job; an iron rice bowl was what everyone aspired to have.


    Especially now, when iron rice bowls could be passed down from one generation to the next ¡ª although this would only last a few years before everything came crashing down.


    But these things couldn¡¯t be explained to Sister-in-law Li; she wouldn¡¯t believe it even if they were.


    Qiao Qingyu had anticipated that Sister-in-law Li would find it difficult to accept this concept before she arrived.


    But convincing her was actually very simple.


    So, Sister-in-law Li was easily persuaded.


    Although she felt somewhat uneasy, the temptation was indeed great.


    Her husband was the smartest in the family; thus, they wholeheartedly supported his education.


    Even the youngest sister went to work in the fields.


    As a natural consequence, he now had prospects, was earning a wage, and certainly had to repay his family; so, she was very short of money. Despite her careful budgeting and frugality, she truly didn¡¯t have a single yuan in savings.


    If they could really make money, wouldn¡¯t their lives improve immediately?


    Thus, the two of them quickly made plans.


    The profits would be split evenly between the two families; Sister-in-law Li naturally disagreed because the fabric and tailoring were all Qiao Qingyu¡¯s contribution ¡ª she only had a sewing machine, and even the thread was provided by Qiao Qingyu.


    This was to her advantage.


    Moreover, her son Xiao Hu had recently enjoyed quite a few good things thanks to Qiao Qingyu.


    This time, Sister-in-law Li resolutely disagreed.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t insist either. Making handbags wasn¡¯t just a one-shot deal, but it was simple, easy to learn, and easy to replicate. If there really was a market for it, many people would swarm in.


    She was testing the waters, unsure of the outcome.


    But Sister-in-law Li wouldn¡¯t agree to just a ten percent share; that would be bullying. In the end, they settled on forty percent.


    After dinner, Sister-in-law Li and Qiao Qingyu sat on the kang, sorting fabrics. Qiao Qingyu had considered hiring a few skilled family members to help out, but eventually decided against it.


    Because it was not only troublesome but also impractical.


    This time, Sister-in-law Li finally saw the several large boxes placed beside the west side of the kang, which were filled with more than half soil and unexpectedly sprouted green vegetables. She stared in amazement for a long time and had to admit that Qiao Qingyu had really changed from before.


    She now felt that this Qiao Qingyu truly exemplified a down-to-earth wife getting on with everyday life.


    The old Qiao Qingyu always seemed to live by the philosophy that as long as today was satisfying, there was no need to worry about tomorrow.


    Furthermore, the old Qiao Qingyu was indeed selfish and sometimes harsh in nature.


    She had even advised her a few times, but all Qiao Qingyu ever gave her in response was rolling eyes or sharp words, so she could not be bothered to engage with her anymore.


    So, the current Qiao Qingyu was much better.


    The next morning, the golden sunrise pierced through the clouds, dazzling rays enveloping the land, heralding the start of a new day.


    Qiao Qingyu had just finished breakfast when she heard a jeep approaching from afar.


    Opening the gate, she was surprised to see Sun Dazhi; it turned out Sun Dazhi had brought back all the glass bottles.


    Qiao Qingyu, of course, wouldn¡¯t be negligent, even though no deposit had been left, she still had to check them.


    Director Xie was very meticulous in his work, and every bottle was intact.


    Sun Dazhi¡¯s first task was completed, and he breathed a sigh of relief. After all, these glass bottles were too delicate; he drove very carefully the whole way, but he still had a second task.


    ¡°Director Xie has asked me to take you to the base. He said you should bring the contract.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s movements paused for a moment. Asking her to bring the contract, there must be some change of events...


    It seemed Sun Dazhi didn¡¯t know about it, placing all the glass bottles into wooden crates, Qiao Qingyu took the contract and got into the jeep.


    They quickly arrived at the base.


    Unexpectedly, Director Xie was waiting at the entrance. Seeing his expression, Qiao Qingyu felt a sinking feeling in her chest; there must be a problem with the land contract.


    When Director Xie saw Qiao Qingyu, an embarrassed expression flashed across his face, but he still mustered the courage to say in a low voice, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, have you brought the contract?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at Director Xie with a smile that didn¡¯t quite reach her eyes, then opened her rainbow satchel and took out her contract. ¡°Director Xie, I have brought the contract. Can we now measure the land and determine my contracting boundaries?¡±


    Director Xie felt a layer of cold sweat forming on his forehead. He had never before in his life done something so duplicitous.


    ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, let¡¯s go to the old leader¡¯s office first. There¡¯s a matter we need to talk about.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t press further and followed Director Xie towards the office building with ease.


    Old Wei¡¯s face also didn¡¯t look good, but he still managed to squeeze out a smile when he saw Qiao Qingyu come in. ¡°Comrade Qingyu has arrived. Please, have a seat and rest.¡±


    He then exchanged a glance with Director Xie, so Director Xie began to speak awkwardly, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, there has been a complication with the contracting agreement.¡±


    ¡°What kind of complication?¡±


    ¡°That is, we can no longer contract the wasteland to you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu blinked and asked in confusion, ¡°Why have you changed your mind in just one day?¡±


    She then laughed, ¡°I have already familiarized myself with the relevant policies beforehand, and our operations haven¡¯t violated any rules...¡±


    Old Wei said in a grave voice, ¡°Indeed, there were no rule violations, but it was our lack of consideration. I apologize to you here.¡±


    ¡°The situation is such that Tenghai Research Headquarters has also learned about your contracting a thousand acres of wasteland. The leadership does not agree. First, the land is barren, and no matter how much money is invested, it will end in loss. Second, you are after all Chief Engineer He¡¯s family member. He is the chief engineer here, the person in charge of the experimental base, so it¡¯s not appropriate for you to take the lead in contracting the wasteland. This is not your fault, but a problem on our part...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression darkened, thoughts swiftly whirling in her head. After a moment, her expression softened, and she even spoke with a hint of guilt, ¡°I also have responsibility in this matter. If I had known that the old leader and you, Director Xie, couldn¡¯t make the decision, I should have waited more patiently.¡±


    The faces of the two men reddened, feeling a bit of embarrassment and annoyance because for the wasteland outside the safety area of the base, it was indeed within their authority to decide.


    Of course, their annoyance was not directed at Qiao Qingyu, but at the person who had called Mr. Qi at the headquarters.


    As for who it was, they had already figured it out after the phone call yesterday afternoon.


    It was no one other than Su Yunyao!


    But they could not reveal the truth as that would only exacerbate the conflict, wouldn¡¯t it?


    Old Wei coughed, ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself.¡± Then, as if eager to resolve the matter quickly, he took out one thousand yuan and placed it on the table, ¡°Your contracting fee is returned in full. I¡¯m really sorry about this.¡±

 Chapter 28 - 28 28 Compensation for All Losses

    ?Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Compensation for All Losses Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Compensation for All Losses Qiao Qingyu glanced at the one thousand yuan lying on the office desk but didn¡¯t reach for it. Instead, she lifted the contract in her hand, raised her eyebrows, and asked with a smile brimming her face, ¡°Leaders, did you not carefully read the last clause of the contract?¡±


    They had read it, how could they not have?


    They had drafted it together just yesterday.


    So these two were also waiting to see how things unfolded.


    Qiao Qingyu read slowly, ¡°...The aforementioned clauses are jointly agreed upon by both parties on a completely voluntary and equal basis. Neither party may breach the contract for any reason. Otherwise, the party who breaches the contract will bear all the economic and other losses caused to the other party.¡±


    Economic loss, that was the key point, and both men were staring at Qiao Qingyu intently.


    They had analyzed yesterday that there had been no investment yet, and the land hadn¡¯t been surveyed, so it seemed that no economic loss had been caused and therefore it should be easy to handle.


    But they had no confidence.


    Moreover, after talking with her yesterday, they realized Qiao Qingyu was not the uneducated, foolish, and ignorant village woman that everyone talked about.


    She was formidable!


    This time, Old Wei spoke solemnly, ¡°Rest assured, we will carry out the terms stipulated in the contract. All economic losses will be borne by Tenghai Research.¡±


    After saying this, Old Wei felt a fire brewing inside him; he was over fifty and was doing this sort of a breach for the first time.


    Contracting the barren land to Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t done on an impulse, nor was it just because Qiao Qingyu was related to He Xiuyu.


    He believed that contracting the wasteland to Qiao Qingyu was truly feasible.


    Of course, if Qiao Qingyu had been a stranger, there would have been no deal.


    Although Tenghai Research was a research experimental base, it did not mean he was uninterested in the green waters and mountains and thousands of acres of good farmland described by Qiao Qingyu.


    On the contrary, he was very interested.


    Tenghai Research was located in the northern part of Xichuan due to its specificity and necessity. This place was sparsely populated, especially north of the base where it stretched for over two thousand kilometers without a soul in sight, and also very close to the sandstorm zone.


    Alarmingly, the sandstorm zone had advanced four hundred and fifty miles towards the base in just three years.


    It seemed calm recently, but from past experience, if it did not rain, in another week, the sandy weather would start again.


    He had experienced two sandstorms here, which were the main reasons for the desert¡¯s advancement towards the base.


    Those who haven¡¯t lived through it can never appreciate what it means to have sand filling the sky.


    Moreover, if the situation continued to worsen, the existence of the research base was threatened.


    Qiao Qingyu was right, in such an environment, in a few years, either the sand retreats or the people do!


    But withdrawing was out of the question because the investment in the research base was simply too great.


    At the beginning of the year, the headquarters had issued instructions to start managing the surrounding environment of the base, and of course, that meant planting trees.


    He had also contacted the Agricultural Research Institute, but there were no suitable tree species. He thought it over, and it made sense; if there were any, Xichuan would have already started planting trees and it would have nothing to do with him.


    So, he was immediately interested when Qiao Qingyu mentioned the thousand silk hemp seeds.


    After several hours of discussion, I signed a contract with Qiao Qingyu that very day.


    But to my surprise, all my plans were denied by Mr. Qi in the afternoon because of Su Yunyao¡¯s tattling.


    Mr. Qi was mainly worried about He Xiuyu.


    Not only was He Xiuyu the chief engineer at the base, he was also the head of the aviation project. Tenghai Research had been established for less than three years, yet it already had more than a dozen scientific achievements.


    One can imagine how important He Xiuyu and his team were.


    He Xiuyu was an undisputed genius. He was involved in other fields as well and was currently the youngest chief engineer in the realm of research. So, a talent like him was regarded as precious by the headquarters.


    Of course, nothing untoward was allowed to happen to him or his family.


    Mr. Qi was right to consider these aspects, but I really wanted to tell him the truth: when discussing the contract for the wasteland, and when talking about thousand silk hemp, Willow Wood, and Barley Grass, I had completely overlooked the fact that Qiao Qingyu was He Xiuyu¡¯s family member.


    So, this situation was really regrettable yet frustrating.


    Naturally, as long as Qiao Qingyu¡¯s demands were not excessive, I agreed to them.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°Unilaterally tearing up a contract, no matter the field, comes at no small cost. Are you sure you want to compensate?¡±


    Old Wei nodded without hesitation, ¡°You can be assured of that. We keep our word.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu snorted with laughter, causing Old Wei to blush with embarrassment.


    ¡°Perhaps you think that because the contract has just been signed, the land hasn¡¯t been measured, and I haven¡¯t invested anything, the loss shouldn¡¯t be much, right?¡±


    Indeed, both of them thought so.


    ¡°I had planned to contract the wasteland for a while, and I had also looked up related policies and regulations beforehand. After confirming that I fully met the requirements of a contractor, I contacted my uncle. My family¡¯s financial situation isn¡¯t good, so my uncle, my younger uncle, my aunt, and even my grandparents risked their entire savings to give to me, sparking a lot of family strife.


    My aunt almost divorced my uncle because I took her dowry money. Moreover, my uncle borrowed a significant amount of money to help me buy seeds. To ensure that my grandparents could eat an egg every now and then and have meat every two months, our family truly burnt our boats this time.


    I cooperated with Xiaxi Commune; I provided the thousand silk hemp seeds, and they helped me with the planting. For the seeds, I only charged half, which means there¡¯s another two thousand yuan in Xiaxi Commune. It was an advance payment for labor and other expenses.


    But now, you want to unilaterally tear up the contract, yet I can¡¯t ask for the remaining two thousand yuan. This turn of events would negatively impact the members¡¯ perception of our Agricultural Research Institute. Besides, they can¡¯t afford to pay that money right now; the only thing they can offer is their labor...


    I could overlook the effort and dedication that I¡¯ve put into this, for the sake of He Xiuyu, but are you sure you want to take on all the other losses and the series of negative impacts that come with them?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s voice was calm, and so was her tone, but after her words, the office fell into a dead silence.


    Old Wei and Old Xie, ¡°...¡±


    They knew it wasn¡¯t going to be simple, but they hadn¡¯t expected it to be so complicated.


    Old Wei looked at Qiao Qingyu differently now. He knew she was capable, but he hadn¡¯t realized just how capable. No wonder He Xiuyu never left her side no matter how much she kicked up a fuss.


    Old Wei braced himself, ¡°Qingyu, do you have a specific figure?¡±


    He had to make his tone sound as friendly as possible to bridge the gap.


    Qiao Qingyu stood up, placed the contract on the office desk, her brows slightly furrowed, let out a long sigh, her voice tinged with a bit of grievance, ¡°I must stress once again that the money for the seeds and other expenses was all helped by my maternal family. I didn¡¯t touch a penny of He Xiuyu¡¯s money.¡±


    Old Wei and Old Xie¡¯s faces turned red. Even if it was He Xiuyu¡¯s money, what business was it of theirs? Who were they to worry about how a wife spends her husband¡¯s money?

 Chapter 29 - 29 29 Theres a Feeling of Throwing All Troubles

    ?Chapter 29: Chapter 29: There¡¯s a Feeling of Throwing All Troubles at He Xiuyu Chapter 29: Chapter 29: There¡¯s a Feeling of Throwing All Troubles at He Xiuyu When Qiao Qingyu said these words, she was downright indignant.


    Because she wasn¡¯t afraid of their investigation.


    The 200 yuan in her hand might seem little, but it was indeed the savings of several households from the Old Qiao Family. If the investigation traced back to her aunt, her aunt would definitely cry and curse her as a jinx and the scourge of the Old Qiao Family. She would think her eldest uncle had secretly borrowed who knows how much for her.


    As for the source of the seeds, her uncle was a smart and eloquent man, and he would definitely cover it up well. She wasn¡¯t worried about that at all.


    The key issue was the fall-through of the wasteland contract, which broke her plan and made her extremely irritated. If she couldn¡¯t maximize the benefits, how could Qiao Qingyu swallow this anger?


    But she had to maintain a balance, since excess is as bad as deficiency. Even if she wasn¡¯t worried about the seed issue, if someone really got serious, the source of her seeds couldn¡¯t withstand an investigation.


    Of course, no one could do anything to her either.


    But that was the worst-case scenario.


    ¡°Qingyu, our base will come up with the two thousand yuan. We won¡¯t put you in a difficult position,¡± Old Wei clenched his teeth and said, feeling the pain in his heart.


    ¡°But the thousand silk hemp seeds have already been purchased, costing five thousand yuan. If the seeds go bad after a while, several households from my uncle¡¯s side will lose all their money. My aunt and the others will hate me to death,¡± Qiao Qingyu¡¯s voice sounded deeply troubled.


    Old Wei felt like he couldn¡¯t even breathe.


    Five thousand yuan.


    He earned just over seventy yuan a month, and that five thousand was equivalent to six years of his salary.


    At the same time, he felt a bit of reproach towards her. Qiao Qingyu was too bold, daring to buy all the seeds before even securing the wasteland contract.


    It also put him in a very awkward position.


    But immediately, he scolded himself for trying to shirk responsibility. This wasn¡¯t Qiao Qingyu¡¯s fault. If he hadn¡¯t agreed, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.


    If that were the case, it wouldn¡¯t have involved him at all, right?


    In the end, it was his own problem.


    And Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t done anything wrong either. If she had waited until after securing the land to buy the seeds, it would have been too late.


    There was also no room for negotiation. The contract was clear and straightforward in black and white; they just had to follow it.


    He only had the authority to approve three thousand yuan, but five thousand was beyond his remit. He would need to report to headquarters for approval, and the process was very troublesome.


    Feeling embarrassed, Old Wei said, ¡°The amount involved is too large, it has to be approved by headquarters.¡±


    ¡°How long will that take?¡±


    ¡°Probably one or two months.¡±


    ¡°What about the seeds?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked leisurely, ¡°If the approval doesn¡¯t come through, who will bear the loss?¡±


    ¡°The base will bear it, we guarantee to reimburse you for the seeds,¡± Old Wei said with sweat forming on his forehead.


    However, Qiao Qingyu shook her head, her voice bearing a hint of disappointment, ¡°I don¡¯t believe in guarantees, whether spoken or written.¡±


    Although Old Wei felt suffocated, he had nothing to say.


    Both people were looking at Qiao Qingyu when Old Wei had no choice but to speak again, ¡°Qingyu, you state any conditions you have, as long as we can fulfill them, we will agree.¡±


    But Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t respond. Instead, she walked to the desk, picked up one thousand yuan and put it into her shoulder bag and then swiftly tore up the contract she held in her hand.


    She then picked up the copy belonging to the base from the table, tearing it to shreds as well.


    Old Wei and Old Xie watched Qiao Qingyu in shock, especially Old Wei, who opened his mouth but found himself at a loss for words.


    Such an action was all too clear¡ªit signalled to them both that she, Qiao Qingyu, would not pursue or mind the breach of contract they signed yesterday.


    Old Wei¡¯s face was so red, just like a cooked shrimp.


    ¡°Qingyu, rest assured, I will have the two thousand yuan paid out to you in a moment. This is for the compensation of your seeds. You¡¯re right; we can¡¯t let the members of Xiaxi Commune feel like our base doesn¡¯t keep its word. If you have any other requests, just let me know,¡± he said.


    Qiao Qingyu looked at Old Wei and sighed softly, her voice tinged with difficulty, ¡°Old leader, I know this is hard for you, and if I didn¡¯t ask for anything, you¡¯d definitely feel bad.¡±


    Old Wei nodded eagerly; that was exactly the point.


    ¡°I¡¯m planning to establish a seed cultivation laboratory, but I lack the qualifications. However, if I could affiliate myself with Tenghai Research Base, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems...¡±


    Old Wei and Old Xie exchanged glances.


    The request was reasonable and not excessive, and Old Wei certainly had no intention of looking down on anyone. Nowadays, many farmers had cultivated excellent agricultural seeds, some of whom were even illiterate.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible, but it involves technical authority, and we must wait for Chief Engineer He to return to make a decision, as he is fully in charge of the base¡¯s technical aspects.¡±


    By the end of his sentence, Old Wei suddenly relaxed.


    It felt like he was tossing all the troubles to He Xiuyu.


    Although it wasn¡¯t very kind to think that way, he truly had no other choice.


    But he wouldn¡¯t let Qiao Qingyu suffer loss either.


    Qiao Qingyu was taken aback. She hadn¡¯t expected that He Xiuyu¡¯s approval was needed.


    ¡°Waiting for his return is fine, but can we establish a preparatory office in the meantime?¡±


    Then Qiao Qingyu added, ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll resolve all matters regarding equipment and location myself. I just want to be under the auspices of Tenghai Research.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu had already thought that it was essential to secure a legitimate source and market for these seeds.


    Therefore, affiliating with Tenghai Research was currently the best option.


    In due time, when the moment was right, she would make the laboratory independent.


    Only then would she truly be free as a bird in the sky.


    Moreover, she never had any intentions of selling the thousand acres of thousand silk hemp seeds to the research base.


    That would really be letting them off too cheaply.


    The agreed contract was renounced so casually; she didn¡¯t believe there wasn¡¯t someone tampering behind the scenes. Yet, the old leaders couldn¡¯t hold their ground.


    They lacked any sense of contract spirit.


    Hence, she wasn¡¯t in a hurry to return to Qiao Family Team.


    Su Yunyao, didn¡¯t she always want to drive her out of the staff quarters, out of Xichuan, and back to her hometown?


    Why should she succumb to her wishes!


    Since she had found herself in this world, she had never considered making an enemy out of Su Yunyao ¨C she simply wanted to live and let live. But Su Yunyao clearly wasn¡¯t willing to let her be.


    And now, the storyline of crushing the scum and slapping the faces had begun.


    Qiao Qingyu was one hundred percent certain that Su Yunyao was the one who snitched to the headquarters.


    She had a new plan, but she had already given up on improving the soil and planting thousand silk hemp and Barley Grass on the base¡¯s wasteland. When compared, it made the actions of Vice Director Qian of Xiaxi Commune seem all the more valuable!


    Therefore, she wanted to help Vice Director Qian make Xiaxi Commune the wealthiest commune in Xichuan, and its members the richest in Xichuan.


    As for the tens of thousands of acres of wasteland near the base, let it lay fallow for now.


    In three months, the true potential of thousand silk hemp would be revealed, and by then, Old Wei and Old Xie would probably be much regretful.


    Because in three months, it would be late summer and early fall. Planting thousand silk hemp then? That would be a joke ¨C they would have to wait another year...

 Chapter 30 - 30 30 The Acknowledged Golden Boy and Jade Girl

    ?Chapter 30: Chapter 30 The Acknowledged Golden Boy and Jade Girl Chapter 30: Chapter 30 The Acknowledged Golden Boy and Jade Girl Qiao Qingyu learned from Sister-in-law Li that the base had planned to improve the environment and plant trees last year, but due to various factors, the project had been delayed and still wasn¡¯t completed.


    Missing out on such a great opportunity to improve the soil and green the environment for a whole year might seem to have caused no harm, but it was definitely a major oversight on their part.


    The person in charge of headquarters was a leader with the surname Qi, who, it was said, watched Su Yunyao grow up. Of course, as the main female character in a book, one is either miserably unfortunate or the recipient of boundless love and affection.


    And Su Yunyao belonged to the latter category.


    Her grandfather was also a well-known figure in Huaxia, mentioned with respect at the mention of Professor Su. Growing up in a privileged environment, her family never experienced any turbulence, and she, being the most adored by her grandmother, naturally lived a life where she got whatever she wanted.


    Even in difficult times, her quality of life did not decline.


    Not to mention, she was also very intelligent. He Xiuyu entered a program for gifted young children at the age of ten, and at the age of fifteen, she too was admitted to the program, standing out among her peers.


    Now with a master¡¯s degree, her, He Xiuyu, and Shen Haoze all belonged to the kind of people whose futures were boundless. Moreover, she and He Xiuyu were commonly seen as the perfect match, a golden boy and jade girl.


    But as a scientific researcher, instead of focusing on her research, she concerned herself with already married men, indulged in jealousy, and made petty reports. How could she not be punished for this!


    And Old Wei, upon hearing Qiao Qingyu¡¯s request, finally felt a weight lifted from his heart.


    He would provide the necessary convenience, but as for success or failure, he couldn¡¯t let Qiao Qingyu be at a disadvantage. ¡°Qingyu, you know we are a research base, and we really do have a set of agricultural science laboratory equipment. Though it¡¯s a bit outdated, it¡¯s still usable. I can make the decision and offer this equipment for you to use free of charge,¡± he said and then added, ¡°Consider it compensation for you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu laughed, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I will accept it.¡±


    But then she remembered something, her expression changed, and she said with concern, ¡°Mr. Leader, let¡¯s not rush into this just yet. If something changes and the equipment can¡¯t be provided to me, then wouldn¡¯t I have gotten my hopes up for nothing?¡±


    Whenever this issue was raised, Old Wei felt particularly frustrated and angry, but he couldn¡¯t tell Qiao Qingyu the whole truth. With a wave of his hand, he said: ¡°If you are not reassured, you can take the equipment back now.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu remained worried. ¡°Mr. Leader, you should call the headquarters first. It would be so embarrassing for me to go through all the trouble to take it home, only to have to return it to you the following day.¡±


    Old Wei, ¡°...¡±


    His words weren¡¯t pleasant to hear, but, unfortunately, they made particular sense today.


    Forcing himself to stay calm, he sighed and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll call the headquarters¡¯ leadership.¡±


    And Qiao Qingyu, with great tact, left the office to wait in the hallway.


    Old Wei steadied his emotions and immediately called the main office, reporting everything to Mr. Qi, and then solemnly relayed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s request.


    Mr. Qi had not expected Qiao Qingyu to have borrowed so much money from her family for this, nor the great deal of manpower, material resources, and financial resources she had invested, and all without using He Xiuyu in the slightest.


    This made him uncomfortable.


    The research projects at Tenghai Research Base were already complex in nature, but setting up a seed cultivation laboratory by family members was truly a first.


    However, Mr. Qi was aware that companies had already been established in the South.


    His intuition in this area was sharp, and he knew this was a future direction for development and a trend to follow.


    This matter couldn¡¯t be simply dismissed, and regarding Qiao Qingyu¡¯s situation, he also felt he had been too hasty.


    Suddenly, he thought of He Xiuyu...


    The final decision on this matter required He Xiuyu¡¯s approval, and at this moment, he felt as relieved as Old Wei.


    He trusted He Xiuyu¡¯s integrity¡ªif he felt it was feasible, he would agree; if not, the couple could discuss it behind closed doors.


    After all, the contract had been reluctantly enforced by Mr. Qi through Old Wei.


    So Qiao Qingyu¡¯s request was not unreasonable¡ªin any case, by not asking the base for compensation of the five thousand yuan for seeds, she showed great awareness.


    So he readily agreed.


    Old Wei hung up the phone and hurriedly called Qiao Qingyu back in. This time they didn¡¯t bother with a contract¡ªafter all, the idea of contracts had become a psychological burden to him. He simply wrote an order for Director Xie to take out two thousand yuan from finance and give it to Qiao Qingyu. Then, he sent Director Xie to accompany Qiao Qingyu to the storage where the seed cultivation analytical equipment was kept.


    The path led unobstructed to the logistical warehouse of the base.


    The items were stored in a corner, covered with a tarp. The warehouse keeper slowly lifted the tarp, which had accumulated a lot of dust over time.


    The equipment wasn¡¯t much¡ªabout seven or eight pieces.


    Qiao Qingyu took one glance and judged them to be equipment from the fifties or sixties.


    Such as microscopes, Petri dishes, germinators, and more¡ªQiao Qingyu guessed that these items would likely be of no use to her even if she did take them back.


    ¡°Director Xie, I heard from Xiu Yu that the new family quarters will be completed in May, and all of us can move in. I wonder how big the house allocated to our family will be?¡±


    Of course, Director Xie was aware of this, as he was the one managing the matter. ¡°Well, by mid-May everyone will be able to move in. According to rank, your family will receive the largest house, with yards front and back, and a living area of one hundred fifty square meters.¡±


    Director Xie guessed what Qiao Qingyu intended, but he still advised, ¡°Having a laboratory in your home will certainly be inconvenient. It might be better to find a spare office or laboratory on the base.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes lit up; this was precisely her plan.


    But she noticed Director Xie seemed hesitant to speak.


    Director Xie generously assured, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, as long as Chief Engineer He agrees to establish the seed cultivation laboratory, I will ensure you get a suitable laboratory.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°Then I really must thank you.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for thanks¡ªwe are the ones who did wrong...¡± Old Xie said, somewhat embarrassed, and then asked Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Do you plan to take these items home now?¡±


    ¡°Director Xie, some of this equipment is fragile. I¡¯m worried about damage if anything happens on the way. It would be such a waste,¡± Qiao Qingyu said with concern.


    Director Xie thought for a moment. ¡°How about this? I actually have a disused laboratory here. We can temporarily keep these items there. What do you think?¡±


    Naturally, Qiao Qingyu agreed.


    So Director Xie called two people to load the items onto a handcart. The base was large, and it took over ten minutes to walk from the warehouse to the abandoned laboratory.


    Though described as abandoned, it was perfectly adequate to store the equipment.


    A few people moved the equipment, Director Xie locked the door, ready to hand the key to Qiao Qingyu, and advised, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s only this one key to the room, so there will be no problem.¡±

 Chapter 31 - 31 31 Qiao Qingyu Appears Out of Nowhere

    ?Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Qiao Qingyu Appears Out of Nowhere! Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Qiao Qingyu Appears Out of Nowhere! How could Qiao Qingyu possibly go to collect the keys?


    She was merely a family member now; it would be easy for others to take advantage of her if it were known.


    ¡°Director Xie, please keep the keys for now, or just leave them in your office. I¡¯ll come to you when I need them later.¡±


    Director Xie nodded, staring at Qiao Qingyu with a smile. This girl was bold yet meticulous, a person who would not likely go wrong in the future.


    Unfortunately, that thousand acres of wasteland would continue to lie fallow, and he had no idea how this year¡¯s forestation task would be accomplished, as they hadn¡¯t even found suitable saplings yet.


    He had wanted to ask Qiao Qingyu about the Willow Wood and Barley Grass, but the cancellation of the contract had been embarrassing enough, and it was difficult to broach the topic.


    He would have to wait for He Xiuyu to return before discussing it further.


    Director Xie walked with Qiao Qingyu toward the main entrance of the base. He wanted to arrange for Sun Dazhi to drive Qiao Qingyu back to the staff quarters, but just then, someone behind called out breathlessly, ¡°Director Xie... wait... wait...¡±


    Director Xie quickly stopped and turned around, only to see Lao Sheng from logistics.


    He was very skilled at farming, which was why the forty-five acres of cabbage were under his watch. Looking at his breathless state, Director Xie felt a sinking feeling in his chest.


    Could something have happened to the cabbage field?


    It shouldn¡¯t be, the climate had been normal recently, still dry but without any dust storms, let alone a sandstorm, so the cabbage seeds in the ground couldn¡¯t have been damaged.


    The day before yesterday, he had checked the cabbage field, and there had been no sprouts, which already accounted for over a week.


    Lost in such disordered thoughts, Lao Sheng had already run up to him, his voice filled with excitement, ¡°Director Xie, quickly come to the cabbage field, they¡¯ve all sprouted...¡±


    Old Xie¡¯s heart dropped with relief, and he too started to feel excitement. He glanced at Qiao Qingyu beside him, his voice barely hiding his excitement, ¡°Qingyu, come take a look too.¡±


    In such a situation, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t refuse, so she followed the two men for over ten minutes until they reached the outer perimeter of the base.


    This was the area where the cabbage was grown.


    From a distance, one could see a stretch of faint green.


    Qiao Qingyu was not shocked; the several boxes of cabbage and little bok choy at her home were growing luxuriantly. There was no reason for such a meticulously tended field to perform worse than those planted by a novice like her.


    She looked at the field of cabbage sprouts; the soil below looked somewhat moist, it seemed it had just been watered. Since the beginning of spring, there hadn¡¯t been any rain, so the irrigation here was all done manually.


    Across the forty-five acres of land, the vibrant green cabbage sprouts were brimming with life, spreading vibrantly over the desolate land.


    Around the cabbage field, about seven or eight people were excitedly discussing something...


    Clearly, these were the base staff responsible for this patch of vegetables.


    Perhaps initially, when they planted the seeds, these people weren¡¯t confident.


    But farming was like this, you couldn¡¯t really conclude until the time of sprouting, growth, and harvest.


    Hence, when the cabbages sprouted in such a short period, the people were shocked and exhilarated, filled with elation.


    They were all experienced in cultivation, and with such a growth rate, as Director Xie said, they indeed would be able to eat fresh, tender, and green bok choy after half a month.


    Then, as time passed, the bok choy would grow day by day. Although this couldn¡¯t completely solve the base¡¯s problems, it alleviated a large part of the pressure.


    Director Xie was even more excited, as this was a project he personally oversaw. Initially, the bok choy seeds seemed very promising, but he wasn¡¯t sure if they would sprout.


    Now, they had finally sprouted, and at such a quick rate. Old Xie cautiously walked in the furrows of the field.


    After walking a considerable distance, he stopped, and Lao Sheng, who was walking with him, joyfully told Director Xie that he should have reported earlier but, since the seeds sprouted in the morning, he and the workers had been busy checking everywhere, achieving a 100 percent sprouting rate.


    Old Xie, hearing this, was even happier and quickly turned around to walk toward Qiao Qingyu, who was standing at the edge of the field.


    He repeatedly thanked Qiao Qingyu, who this time did not decline and confidently, with a meaningful tone, said, ¡°Director Xie, farming is not child¡¯s play. I wouldn¡¯t waste everyone¡¯s time on uncertainties.¡±


    Director Xie was taken aback, but then laughed it off carelessly.


    He didn¡¯t mind what Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words implied, and blurted out boldly, ¡°Qingyu, do you still have seeds for Willow Wood and Barley Grass?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu also chuckled, thinking to herself: Yes, I have plenty, but I won¡¯t give them to you.


    ¡°Director Xie, the Willow Wood and Barley Grass are also new seeds, and they are still in the final stage of cultivation. As I told you when we signed the contract, we need to wait for the thousand silk hemp to sprout before considering how to plant Willow Wood and Barley Grass.¡±


    Saying this, Qiao Qingyu paused, sighed with a tone of regret, ¡°Unfortunately, in less than a day, this plan was ruined. The barren land was not contracted, and we can¡¯t plant the thousand silk hemp. Moreover, there might be new troubles because of the Willow Wood and Barley Grass, so don¡¯t even think about it right now!¡±


    Director Xie gave an awkward smile¡ªhaving been through a lot today, his skin had naturally thickened, and he clearly understood the implication in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words: even if she had them, she wouldn¡¯t give them to the base.


    As for causing more trouble, Director Xie was actually a bit uncertain. Truth be told, everyone knew of Su Yunyao¡¯s feelings for He Xiuyu. Although the two were just ordinary superiors and subordinates, including him, everyone felt that Su Yunyao would eventually marry He Xiuyu.


    After all, the two not only shared common aspirations but also grew up together. It was quite normal for them to be together, and it might even turn into a lovely story of childhood sweethearts.


    But, who would have thought that Qiao Qingyu would appear out of nowhere!


    It was said that after He Xiuyu brought Qiao Qingyu back to the family compound, Su Yunyao not only cried sorrowfully but also smashed many of her own possessions...


    But what could be done now? Could they force He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu to divorce?


    Everyone had their own opinions on this matter. When he went home and discussed it with his wife, she did not support Su Yunyao. His wife argued that if He Xiuyu wanted to marry Su Yunyao, they would have confirmed a romantic relationship long ago¡ªwhy would they have waited until now?


    After all, both were in their twenties and not children anymore.


    So, Su Yunyao was just suffering from unrequited love!


    However, this was just gossip behind the scenes and didn¡¯t concern them.


    But this morning, Old Wei told him that the contract for leasing barren land had been vetoed by Mr. Qi from headquarters, who had somehow received the news very quickly. The two of them deduced that Su Yunyao must have informed on them.


    Therefore, they were quite unhappy with Su Yunyao¡¯s actions.


    But with Mr. Qi protecting Su Yunyao, they couldn¡¯t voice any complaints.


    Most importantly, it seemed that Qiao Qingyu had guessed that this mess was stirred up by Su Yunyao.

 Chapter 32 - 32 32 Settling Private Scores in an Official

    ?Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Settling Private Scores in an Official Capacity Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Settling Private Scores in an Official Capacity Because of these factors, he tactfully avoided mentioning Willow Wood and Barley Grass.


    But now, Qiao Qingyu was a thorn in Su Yunyao¡¯s side, a real pain in the neck. Who knows what Su Yunyao might do if she lost her sanity?


    For the sake of the base¡¯s stability and unity, he had to go see Old Wei. Su Yunyao¡¯s behavior could not be tolerated; public matters must be kept public, and personal matters private. If someone sought personal revenge under the guise of official business, then they really weren¡¯t suited to stay at the experimental base.


    His face still beamed with a smile, ¡°Qingyu, you make a good point. Let¡¯s talk about this another time. I¡¯ll have Sun Dazhi take you back home.¡±


    Director Xie was in a very good mood. He planned to later invite Uncle Wei to the cabbage field to enjoy the beautiful view. Indeed, the Northwest was too barren ¨C even in summer, there was hardly any greenery to be found.


    It truly was a very monotonous piece of land.


    Sun Dazhi drove Qiao Qingyu back to the temporary residences in a jeep, while Old Xie rushed to Old Wei¡¯s office. First, he talked about the cabbage field¡¯s seedling situation on forty-five acres, and then he brought up Su Yunyao¡¯s issue directly.


    Old Wei already disliked bypassing the chain of command and making unsolicited reports. If everyone did that, then what was the point of having leaders? The base¡¯s management rules and regulations would become just decoration, and everything would descend into chaos.


    Now hearing what Old Xie said, he felt even more that such behavior couldn¡¯t be tolerated or brushed aside carelessly. Who knew what her next move would be?


    Thus, Old Wei called a temporary meeting. First, he discussed some routine work, and then he reiterated the base¡¯s rules and regulations, sternly warning all staff, regardless of who they were, to report issues through the proper channels. Bypassing levels was unacceptable ¨C a sign of disorganization and indiscipline. If such behavior persisted, the individuals involved would face severe punishment.


    Shen Haoze was confused and slightly furrowed his brows, while Su Yunyao¡¯s face turned from green to white. She knew that this meeting was being held because of her, that these words were directed at her; the senior leader was specifically here to reprimand her.


    Su Yunyao remained silent with her head down.


    But the tight grip on her pen betrayed her angry emotions at the moment.


    She silently cursed to herself. Old Wei and Old Xie must have been charmed by Qiao Qingyu, easily agreeing to lease a thousand acres of land to that foolish and malicious village woman, all to curry favor with He Xiuyu.


    Their words may have sounded high-minded, but their actions were sycophantic and disgusting.


    A cold sneer flashed across her lips and disappeared just as quickly.


    But Old Wei saw it clearly. He frowned and after saying a few more words, announced the meeting was adjourned.


    Shen Haoze didn¡¯t leave, instead, he stopped Old Wei, asking with puzzlement, ¡°Senior leader, what did you mean by that? Has something happened at the base?¡±


    Old Wei was now back in better spirits. He patted Shen Haoze on the shoulder with a chuckle and said with heartfelt sincerity, ¡°Haoze, with Chief Engineer He not here, you¡¯ve been working hard.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not hard¡ªit¡¯s my duty,¡± he replied and then pressed on, ¡°Senior leader, tell me what¡¯s really going on, who were you talking about?¡±


    Old Wei sighed and helplessly shared with Shen Haoze the incident where Qiao Qingyu signed a lease and paid the fee to take over the barren land, only to have it immediately annulled by a call from Mr. Qi at headquarters.


    There was no reason to keep it secret.


    Shen Haoze was surprised and somewhat incredulous, ¡°Qiao Qingyu was going to lease a thousand acres of barren land?¡±


    Old Wei didn¡¯t want to discuss it further; everyone had pretty much the same reaction upon hearing the news.


    What Qiao Qingyu was really like, only those who had dealt with her knew. Perhaps the rumors circulating within the base¡ªthat Qiao Qingyu was a foolish and ignorant shrew¡ªwere deliberately spread by those with ulterior motives.


    He spoke solemnly, ¡°Haoze, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s leasing of the barren land was in accordance with current policies, regulations, and the base¡¯s rules. However, due to someone bypassing channels, the contract had to be torn up, resulting in a loss for us.¡±


    Then Old Wei looked at Shen Haoze seriously and asked sternly, ¡°Xiao Shen, tell Uncle Wei, why did you have that expression when you first heard about Qiao Qingyu leasing the barren land?¡±


    Shen Haoze was at a loss for words for a moment.


    He really wanted to say that Qiao Qingyu, that woman, what ability did she have to contract wasteland, wasn¡¯t that a joke? But he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it.


    The incident with Liu Qiao Wen had already taught him a deep lesson; Qiao Qingyu was not as foolish and ignorant as Su Yunyao had claimed. Of course, her ruthlessness was real.


    Qiao Qingyu had the capital, the seeds, the manpower, and the resources, so why couldn¡¯t she contract wasteland?


    After all, if she was self-financing and bearing her own losses or profits, what did it have to do with them?


    Shen Haoze took a deep breath and said with some difficulty, ¡°Uncle Wei, it¡¯s really not a problem for Qiao Qingyu to contract the wasteland.¡±


    ¡°So, you see, some comrades, I don¡¯t know with what motive, brought this matter directly to Mr. Qi without going through me or Director Xie. Mr. Qi, out of his protective feelings for He Xiuyu, is understandable, but this also proves how nasty such behavior is. Alright, I have other matters to attend to, you go ahead.¡±


    After saying this, Old Wei hurried out of the conference room; he wanted to go and see the lush cabbage fields with his own eyes.


    Shen Haoze stood at the entrance of the conference room, furrowing his brow in annoyance. When He Xiuyu was home, Qiao Qingyu was a handful, and when He Xiuyu wasn¡¯t home, this woman was still restless.


    He sighed and decided not to think about these messy matters; he still had two important experiments to conduct today.


    It would be better when He Xiuyu returned.


    Shen Haoze had never longed for He Xiuyu¡¯s return as eagerly as he did today.


    ...


    Back at the residential compound, Qiao Qingyu checked her finances and found that she now had over three thousand yuan. It seemed that just selling seeds might make her rich overnight.


    But she didn¡¯t dare do that.


    That would be tantamount to dancing on the edge of a knife, a path to self-destruction.


    Currently, Su Yunyao had not turned her attention to the seeds, but if she became suspicious and took legal action, that would be enough trouble for Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu was secretly annoyed; being at someone else¡¯s mercy did not feel good, so she needed to find a way to divert Su Yunyao¡¯s attention.


    Actually, the best method would be to divorce He Xiuyu.


    Without He Xiuyu, Su Yunyao naturally wouldn¡¯t have her eye on her.


    But to retreat without a fight like that felt somewhat frustrating.


    Moreover, divorcing He Xiuyu wasn¡¯t that simple. On the very first day after being transplanted into the book, she had proposed a divorce, only to be flatly rejected by He Xiuyu without hesitation.


    He Xiuyu was comprehensive in his considerations, because of the special relationship between the two families, marriage was not easy, and divorce was even harder.


    Most importantly, the desolate and barren expanse of ten thousand acres of land around Xichuan was indeed a great place to start her business.


    Turning a desert into an oasis would be a tremendously satisfying achievement.


    But the risks were not small either.


    Therefore, the Breeding Laboratory had to be established, and quickly at that!

 Chapter 33 - 33 33 One Plus One Equals You

    ?Chapter 33: Chapter 33: One Plus One Equals You Chapter 33: Chapter 33: One Plus One Equals You Qiao Qingyu organized her thoughts and then began to make shoulder bags with Sister-in-law Li with single-minded focus.


    Five days later, with red-rimmed eyes, Qiao Qingyu and Sister-in-law Li had made two hundred and eighty shoulder bags.


    The remaining fabric was too fragmented, but under Qiao Qingyu¡¯s design, the two managed to make another two hundred small drawstring purses, each the size of a palm.


    Colorful and varied, they looked like the highly ethnic and distinctive souvenirs found at tourist sites in later generations.


    She let Sister-in-law Li rest at home while Qiao Qingyu rode her bicycle to Xiaxi Commune.


    She took two shoulder bags and several small purses with her.


    Fang Xiaomei naturally couldn¡¯t let them go when she saw them.


    The two shoulder bags Qiao Qingyu had brought were, of course, one rainbow and one patchwork. Fang Xiaomei took a liking to the patchwork one, and then Qiao Qingyu suggested she give the rainbow bag to her cousin, the daughter of Vice Director Qian, who was about to get married.


    The rainbow shoulder bag was unprecedented in the current market, with its novel style and bright colors, it looked high-end and classy.


    Although it was made from ordinary labor cloth, it was no less inferior than pure leather.


    Fang Xiaomei underestimated it, she didn¡¯t yet realize that this was no ordinary shoulder bag.


    One that should sell for at least six yuan.


    Qiao Qingyu declined Fang Xiaomei¡¯s invitation to eat at her house, as there was a class in the afternoon that she had to attend no matter what.


    It was the first time the base family compound held a class, and it had garnered robust support from the base leadership; an elderly leader had specifically come to preside over the opening ceremony.


    When he saw Qiao Qingyu sitting in the first row, he expressed his satisfaction, saying that being uneducated was not scary, what was scary was the lack of ambition.


    Qiao Qingyu was still young, it wasn¡¯t too late to start learning now, and getting at least an elementary school diploma would be good.


    Next, the official class began.


    Of course, since it was the first day, they chose the afternoon; from tomorrow on, it would be in the evening, since everyone was a family member involved in numerous household chores, cooking, laundry, childcare, elderly care...


    Thus, Shen Fen scheduled the learning time from six to eight in the evening.


    The timing was just right.


    Shen Fen naturally was the person in charge of the class, with Zhu Mingli and Sun Aizhi respectively taking on the roles of math and Chinese teachers.


    The class was held in the large warehouse of the former brigade headquarters.


    Shen Haoze had helped solve the issue of books and furniture, but he wasn¡¯t there today, probably because he didn¡¯t want to see Qiao Qingyu.


    For Qiao Qingyu, it was the first time sitting together with so many family members; there were almost a hundred people, and the warehouse was full.


    Director Xie¡¯s wife was even there; her name was Lin Cujuan, and she even smiled at Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu naturally returned the smile, then Shen Fen happily announced the start of the class.


    The first lesson was in mathematics, and Zhu Mingli stood on the podium.


    With a smile of smug satisfaction, she looked down from above at the family members seated below, feeling really good.


    Especially when her gaze lingered on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s smooth, jade-like face for several seconds.


    She then moved her gaze away enviously and wrote the Arabic numerals from 1 to 0 on the blackboard using chalk.


    Her eyes moved around, and she began with a smile, ¡°Classmates, everyone recognizes the numbers on the blackboard, right?¡±


    Some people below laughed, ¡°Yes, how could we not recognize them, 1234567890...¡±


    Some of their family members also laughed along.


    She then wrote 1+1 on the blackboard, followed by an equal sign, and her gaze fell steadily on Qiao Qingyu who was also looking at her. She raised her voice, ¡°Now, I would like Comrade Qiao Qingyu to solve this problem.¡±


    She continued to ask, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, what is one plus one?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    It¡¯s the same as you, Zhu Mingli, you idiot!!!


    Shen Fen, listening in the back, furrowed her brows, feeling somewhat annoyed. Anyone could see that Zhu Mingli was targeting Qiao Qingyu. It was childish, too childish, simply nonsensical!


    But she couldn¡¯t go up and stop it either; doing so would be a slap to her own face.


    Suddenly, the classroom became very quiet.


    Actually, Qiao Qingyu really wanted to scold her so harshly that her parents wouldn¡¯t even recognize her, but with so many family members present, she had to be mindful of her image. She stood up, her face taut, and asked seriously, ¡°Teacher Zhu, may I ask a question before I answer?¡±


    In her heart, Zhu Mingli was laughing madly. Qiao Qingyu, whether you answer or not, you¡¯ve lost face completely today!


    ¡°Sure, ask,¡± she added lightly, ¡°I heard you didn¡¯t even finish first grade in elementary school. I¡¯m doing this to help you review the basics of mathematics.¡±


    A cold glint flashed in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes; she had decided. She would dismiss her from class early!


    Having such an idiot as a teacher was a disgrace to the students.


    ¡°Teacher Zhu, before class, did you find out the educational level of each family member sitting in this classroom?¡±


    Zhu Mingli, ¡°...¡±


    Yes, but how could she remember over a hundred people.


    ¡°Teacher Zhu, did you write a lesson plan before class?¡±


    ¡°Teacher Zhu, do you understand what it means to ¡®teach students according to their aptitude¡¯?¡±


    Zhu Mingli¡¯s face turned livid with rage. Damn it, was that even a question?


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t give Zhu Mingli a chance to speak. Her clear voice echoed in the worn-out temporary classroom, ¡°Teacher Zhu, as far as I know, the lowest educational level among the family members attending this class is third grade in elementary school, and the highest is first year of junior high. I am in fifth grade in elementary school. By asking such a question on the blackboard, are you treating this class as a game?¡±


    Zhu Mingli raised her voice angrily, almost shrill, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I was just getting a sense of your level, why so many questions?¡±


    ¡°If we don¡¯t understand something, we should ask. Otherwise, why are we sitting in this classroom?¡± Qiao Qingyu¡¯s voice remained calm, forming a stark contrast to Zhu Mingli¡¯s frantic state.


    Shen Fen at the back of the room couldn¡¯t sit still any longer. She stood up, about to say something, when at that moment, she heard Qiao Qingyu say with a winning smile, ¡°Since you went to all the trouble to come up with this question, it would seem disrespectful not to answer, Teacher Zhu. So, I can tell you that 1+1 equals 2.¡±


    Then she shifted the topic slightly and asked puzzled, ¡°Teacher Zhu, can you tell me why 1+1 equals 2?¡±


    Zhu Mingli was so infuriated that her chest heaved uncontrollably. She didn¡¯t manage a single retort to all the rapid-fire questions from Qiao Qingyu; she was about to burst.


    She stared fiercely at Qiao Qingyu, who looked back with a smile, thinking regrettably: Zhu Mingli, you are still too young, why haven¡¯t you learned anything from your mistakes!


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t sat down. With a smile on her lips and a face full of eager curiosity, her eyes clear as water, she said, ¡°Teacher Zhu, I really want to know why 1+1 equals 2.¡± She then turned to look at the family members around her and raised her voice, ¡°Family members, beautiful sisters, don¡¯t you also want to know why 1+1 equals 2?¡±

 Chapter 34 - 34 34 So Overbearing So Unreasonable

    ?Chapter 34: Chapter 34: So Overbearing, So Unreasonable! Chapter 34: Chapter 34: So Overbearing, So Unreasonable! The pretty sisters made some of the family members burst into smiles.


    They didn¡¯t really have a deep hatred for Qiao Qingyu, they just felt it was a pity that He Xiuyu, such a fine young man, was involved.


    However, in recent days, even though there wasn¡¯t much interaction, the slightly changed Qiao Qingyu still altered their views somewhat.


    Especially Sister-in-law Li, she got along with her just like real sisters.


    So, everyone laughed, some even really pondered the question Qiao Qingyu asked, ¡°Why does 1+1 equal 2 and not 3?¡±


    Lin Cujuan was the first to respond, ¡°Exactly, everyone knows 1+1=2, but why is it 2 and not 3? I¡¯m perplexed too. Teacher Zhu, I heard you graduated from high school, which means you are quite educated. Can you tell us why 1+1 equals 2?¡±


    Zhu Mingli was so angry that her face turned an ashen hue, and she was unable to speak.


    Shen Fen originally wanted to smooth things over, but after some thought, she calmly sat back down.


    If you stir up trouble, you should be able to solve it,


    otherwise, you don¡¯t deserve to be a teacher.


    Moreover, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s question wasn¡¯t being unreasonable or childish; on the contrary, this question had been posed a long time ago, and foreign mathematicians used over three hundred pages of theoretical knowledge to prove why 1+1 equals 2.


    It stirred up a huge commotion!


    These family members originally liked to gather and chat, and Lin Cujuan¡¯s question undoubtedly gave them a start.


    And after all, it was just a study class, not formal school students, so everyone was very casual.


    They genuinely started asking,


    ¡°Teacher Zhu, Qiao Qingyu asked a great question, I¡¯ve never thought about it, but now that you mention it, I am also curious, why is that?¡±


    ¡°Teacher Zhu, you surely know it, just explain it to us, then I can show off to my husband when I get home, I bet he doesn¡¯t know why 1+1 equals 2 either...¡±


    The classroom became incredibly lively for a moment.


    Zhu Mingli initially felt confident, but she didn¡¯t expect to be outwitted by Qiao Qingyu. As a high school graduate, she naturally wouldn¡¯t foolishly point at Qiao Qingyu¡¯s nose and scold her for not understanding such a simple arithmetic question; sometimes, simple truths require complex theories to be proven.


    However, she really didn¡¯t know what vocabulary to use to prove that 1+1=2.


    She stood at the podium, her hands trembling slightly.


    Looking at Qiao Qingyu, she wished she could kill her. Qiao Qingyu smiled at her, truly unreasonable¡ªclearly, she was the instigator, yet she blamed the other for not showing mercy after losing. What kind of nonsense was that?


    Qiao Qingyu sneered inwardly, but she still stood gracefully in the dilapidated warehouse, her eyes smiling, looking at Zhu Mingli, hoping to get a satisfactory answer from her.


    ¡°Teacher Zhu, it¡¯s been quite a while and you haven¡¯t answered, don¡¯t you know?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked, puzzled.


    Finally, Zhu Mingli found her voice again, and said furiously, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, you are disrupting the class order, does such a simple question even need proof?¡±


    ¡°Teacher Zhu, that¡¯s not right of you to say, as a teacher, you naturally bear the responsibility of clarifying our doubts. If you know, you know; if you don¡¯t, you don¡¯t¡ªthere¡¯s nothing shameful about that.¡± Qiao Qingyu¡¯s voice was calm.


    Zhu Mingli clenched her fists tightly, glaring daggers at Qiao Qingyu, she blurted out, ¡°I don¡¯t know, do you know then?¡±


    She was certain Qiao Qingyu wouldn¡¯t know either, after all, such a question could not be clarified in a few words and required proper, substantial terminologies¡ªcould a village woman who didn¡¯t even finish elementary school understand that?


    She was just taking advantage with her quick wit.


    Qiao Qingyu laughed, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, you don¡¯t know, but I do.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Lin Cujuan hurriedly urged, ¡°Qingyu, since you know, hurry up and tell all of us.¡±


    It seemed that Old Xie must have told her about contracting the wasteland and the emergence of cabbage seedlings, otherwise, how could Lin Cujuan show her such kindness?


    What goes around comes around, and Qiao Qingyu naturally nodded at her with a smile, ¡°Alright, since everyone wants to know, I¡¯ll talk about it.¡±


    Sister-in-law Li turned around and said to the family members, ¡°Everyone be quiet, let¡¯s listen to Qingyu and gain some insights, otherwise our husbands always think they¡¯re some kind of scientist or cultured person.¡±


    Although the family members were laughing, they stopped talking and were quite curious about what Qiao Qingyu could come up with...


    ¡°Actually, I also don¡¯t know...¡±


    Zhu Mingli was so angry she almost cursed, ¡°You don¡¯t know, you don¡¯t know and you¡¯re talking nonsense here?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t provoked and her beautiful eyes and brows carried a smile, ¡°I haven¡¯t finished talking yet, and you interrupted me, and besides, you¡¯re a teacher, how can you accuse a student like this?¡±


    Zhu Mingli, ¡°...¡±


    At this moment, she finally saw Shen Fen¡¯s calm face and her heart sank, she finally began to regret, why did she use this math problem to humiliate Qiao Qingyu?


    Wasn¡¯t this just shooting herself in the foot?


    But what could she do now?


    She could only clench her teeth and glared hard at Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you knew? Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to discuss it with everyone?¡±


    ¡°So yeah, you interrupted me before I could finish. You¡¯re really impolite, nevermind, I won¡¯t argue with you.¡± Then Qiao Qingyu paused for a moment, and her expression became serious, ¡°My educational level isn¡¯t high, of course, I can¡¯t prove why 1+1 equals 2, but I do know a principle, and that is 1+1 must equal 2, this is the definition, this is the axiom. We can prove it the other way around, assuming 1+1 does not equal 2, then all places that use numbers and calculations would become a mess, and our human society would be in chaos as well, so, 1+1 must equal 2!¡±


    She then added with a smile, ¡°You see, sometimes science is also unreasonable and domineering.¡±


    Shen Fen relaxed her expression, her face also wearing a slight smile.


    Because this question seemed simple, yet it was wonderfully profound.


    So explaining it like this was quite interesting.


    The family members on the other side first became quiet for a while, then they all nodded in sudden realization, and Lin Cujuan was the first to speak, ¡°Qingyu is right, if 1+1 isn¡¯t equal to 2, then all the following mathematical calculations would be messed up, so 1+1 must equal 2, just like that, so domineering, so unreasonable!¡±


    Then, she herself found what she had said amusing, and thus her hearty voice suddenly filled this temporary classroom converted from a warehouse.


    Everyone was infected and began to laugh along.


    Sister Wu suddenly had a brilliant idea and stretched out her hands, ¡°Look, these are hands, but why are they called hands? Because they are hands, there¡¯s no reason for it, just so domineering, just so unreasonable!¡±


    Someone joined in the fun and slapped Sister Wu¡¯s hands, ¡°Not quite right, these hands can also be called claws.¡±


    Sister Wu gave her a look, ¡°Sister-in-law, your family¡¯s hands are claws, mine aren¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Hand claws, haha...¡±


    Hearty laughter once again spread through the brigade¡¯s warehouse...

 Chapter 35 - 35 35 Bringing Disgrace Upon Oneself

    ?Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Bringing Disgrace Upon Oneself Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Bringing Disgrace Upon Oneself ¡°They say that from then on, all the family members of the students at the base liked that phrase¡ªthey didn¡¯t know yet that this was called ¡®playing memes¡¯ in later generations.¡±


    ¡°They say that when Mr. Li went home for the holidays, Sister-in-law Li seriously said, ¡®Brother Zhiqiang, do you know why I¡¯m your wife? It¡¯s because I have to be your wife. Otherwise, where would Xiao Hu come from? So, I¡¯m going to be just that overbearing, just that unreasonable!''¡±


    ¡°Mr. Li, with a dumbfounded face, ¡®...''¡±


    ¡°Xiao Hu, clueless, ¡®...''¡±


    ¡°Of course, all these are stories for another time.¡±


    ¡°At this moment, Qiao Qingyu was in a cheerful mood. Before sitting down, she modestly asked, ¡®Teacher Zhu, I don¡¯t know if what I said makes sense, or do you have any other opinions?''¡±


    ¡°At that moment, Zhu Mingli, even if she had other opinions, couldn¡¯t utter a single word, her mind was a blank slate.¡±


    ¡°No matter the era, there are always villains.¡±


    ¡°But honestly speaking, most people of this era are still quite naive, and even if they have ill intentions, they are not very skilled at it and don¡¯t have strong mental capacities.¡±


    ¡°Unlike Yun Yao, who is a returned advanced scholar, at this moment Zhu Mingli was just a girl who had turned twenty.¡±


    ¡°She resented Qiao Qingyu, but now that she had been beautifully counterattacked by Qiao Qingyu, she didn¡¯t know what to do next.¡±


    ¡°She stood there dumbfounded on the podium with no reaction at all, which forced Qiao Qingyu to raise her voice, ¡®Teacher Zhu, I have already answered the question you just asked, can we proceed with the lesson now?¡¯ Then she glanced at her watch, ¡®Oh dear, twenty minutes have already passed.''¡±


    ¡°Twenty minutes had gone by, and Zhu Mingli¡¯s face turned ashen¡ªwhat had she been doing? Just standing there, being humiliated by Qiao Qingyu?¡±


    ¡°Her lips trembled, but she couldn¡¯t say a word.¡±


    ¡°Everyone looked at Zhu Mingli with odd glances. Some of the clever women had already guessed why Zhu Mingli targeted Qiao Qingyu.¡±


    ¡°The way they looked at Zhu Mingli was tinged with a bit of mockery.¡±


    ¡°You said you wanted to embarrass Qiao Qingyu and make her lose face, you should have thought of a better way. Pulling out a question as simple as 1+1, who are you trying to fool?¡±


    ¡°Even a three-year-old knows the answer to such a math question. Asking Qiao Qingyu, who maybe didn¡¯t finish elementary school but has lived up until now¡ªaside from idiots and lunatics, who doesn¡¯t know what 1+1 equals?¡±


    ¡°If she humiliates herself, well, that¡¯s really her own problem.¡±


    ¡°At that moment, Sister-in-law Li spoke up again, ¡®Teacher Zhu, although everyone¡¯s time might not be precious, you can¡¯t just waste it like this, surely you can¡¯t spend a whole lesson teaching us that 1+1=2. Not to mention everyone seated here, even my Xiao Hu knew how to do addition and subtraction within 10 a year ago.''¡±


    ¡°The crowd burst into laughter once again.¡±


    ¡°Actually, they weren¡¯t laughing at her, but they just found Sister-in-law Li¡¯s words funny. They meant no harm, but to Zhu Mingli¡¯s ears, they were incredibly grating.¡±


    ¡°However, a few family members who had good relations with Zhu Mingli¡¯s parents quickly tried to smooth things over, ¡®Teacher Zhu, don¡¯t you have a lesson plan? Just stick to what you prepared.''¡±


    ¡°Zhu Mingli had indeed prepared her lesson, but she had spent more time planning on how to make Qiao Qingyu look foolish in the first lesson.¡±


    ¡°According to her plan, it was supposed to go like this...¡±


    ¡°She would write the math question on the blackboard, then ask Qiao Qingyu.¡±


    ¡°There were only two possible outcomes for Qiao Qingyu; one was to answer ¡®2¡¯, then she would cheerfully say: ¡®Qiao Qingyu is really smart, she solved it so quickly. That¡¯s right, 1+1=2. Qiao Qingyu answered correctly, let¡¯s all give her a round of applause...¡¯


    If Qiao Qingyu were to get angry and refuse to answer, based on past experience, after a few more sarcastic remarks from Shen Fen, she would definitely curse profanely at Shen Fen...


    Sitting in the back were over a hundred family members; she wanted them all to see what kind of person Qiao Qingyu was.


    Then Qiao Qingyu would be thrown out of the classroom on the spot.


    She wanted her never to be able to hold her head up again.


    If she had any shame, she should leave He Xiuyu and get out of the family courtyard sooner; if she had no shame, she would make her a rat crossing the street, everyone pointing fingers at her.


    But she never expected Qiao Qingyu to defy the common practice and disrupt all her plans.


    Her hand rested on the lesson plan, the words in front of her jumping around, unable to form sentences, the numbers behaving likewise.


    Shen Fen finally stood up, walked quickly down the aisle towards the podium, and then stood next to Zhu Mingli, smiling at the varied expressions of the family members, ¡°Everyone, please quiet down. Comrade Zhu Mingli might not have been ready. I¡¯ll take over the lecture for this class.¡±


    Glancing faintly at Zhu Mingli, who was still standing stiff beside her, she then signaled Sun Aizhi, who was sitting on the other side, and Sun Aizhi immediately rushed forward to pull Zhu Mingli.


    A few moments later, Zhu Mingli finally reacted; she turned pale, pushed Sun Aizhi away forcefully, and with tear-filled eyes, rushed out of the makeshift classroom.


    Because of the excessive force, Sun Aizhi fell backwards and then thudded onto the floor, causing some straightforward women to uncontrollably start slamming their desks and roaring with laughter.


    Sun Aizhi scrambled to her feet, her face flushed red, and harbored resentment towards Zhu Mingli.


    Unskilled at dealing with Qiao Qingyu herself, she took her anger out on her¡ªwhat a piece of work. If she ever intervened again, she would be a fool!


    Thus, Sun Aizhi returned to her seat with an unpleasant look, and Shen Fen sighed, forced to overlook the scene before her, and with a complex expression glanced at Qiao Qingyu, who had a smile in her eyes, then began speaking, ¡°Qingyu was right. Before starting the class, we should assess everyone¡¯s level to teach accordingly. After all, some comrades have attended middle school and others just elementary, so there should be a method to how we teach. So, today¡¯s class will be a discussion instead of a lecture. I¡¯ll share our study class plan...¡±


    The plan Shen Fen discussed coincided with Qiao Qingyu¡¯s thoughts, so Qiao Qingyu was in a very good mood and became an obedient, diligent student, actively participating in that class and the next Chinese language class.


    The class ended before dinner, and all the family members were excited; after all, such group activities were new and interesting. Not only was it lively, but they could also learn something.


    According to Shen Fen¡¯s plan, it could help everyone achieve at least a middle school level of education.


    This was already quite remarkable, even though it seemed unlikely to be achieved, but it was very enticing to hear.


    Due to the specific nature of the era, the base had many scientists and engineers around thirty years old who had come from the countryside.


    Some had married local village girls, while others had matched with female educated youths according to their circumstances.


    However, once college entrance exams were restored, some of these people instantly got into universities.


    That¡¯s when the distances grew.


    There were plenty of college students who abandoned their spouses or children.


    To be honest, those who could bring their family members to Xichuan Base Family Courtyard were still decent in character.


    Oh right, in this fictional era of the novel, the timing of the college entrance exam was moved up by a year; after all, this is a purely fictional era, so whether it¡¯s future events or historical facts, they have become completely different here.


    There are really no common rules to follow.


    One could say, it feels quite disrupted.

 Chapter 36 - 36 36 Striving to Obtain the Primary School

    ?Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Striving to Obtain the Primary School Diploma as Soon as Possible (Added Chapter for Helmsman Jin Lingshan) Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Striving to Obtain the Primary School Diploma as Soon as Possible (Added Chapter for Helmsman Jin Lingshan) Naturally, Qiao Qingyu felt that Shen Fen¡¯s plan was just to her liking, as she prepared to complete her junior high school education in the shortest time possible and aim to directly advance to senior high school, and maybe even take the university entrance exam next year just for kicks.


    Shen Fen had already consulted with the leaders of the base, and the students in the study class would all have academic records on file once the documents were approved.


    Qiao Qingyu did not expect Shen Fen to handle things so gracefully, and in the evening, she brought Shen Fen a newly made shoulder bag as a gift, a patchwork one at that.


    Even if shoulder bags made of various colorful fabric scraps are of the same style, their colors are never identical¡ªfor instance, not all rainbow bags have fixed colors, and it¡¯s the same with patchwork ones. The patchwork shoulder bag¡¯s pattern and color scheme were elegant and perfectly suitable for Shen Fen.


    Unable to refuse and genuinely liking it at first glance, Shen Fen happily accepted it. Since they all lived together, it was easy to manage these exchanges of favors.


    As she saw Qiao Qingyu out, Shen Fen spoke with earnest gravity, ¡°Qingyu, Zhu Mingli is an immature and childish girl. I¡¯ve already stopped her work duties and made her reflect at home.¡±


    This was an expected outcome, and Qiao Qingyu sighed, her face filled with disappointment and confusion, ¡°Director Shen, I just don¡¯t understand why Zhu Mingli would treat me this way. I haven¡¯t offended her, and there¡¯s no deep hatred between us, yet why does she always enjoy insulting me with her words, making it hard for me to face others?¡±


    Of course, Shen Fen knew the reason, which was that Zhu Mingli also had feelings for He Xiuyu. Her parents had even asked Shen Fen to play matchmaker, although she had not agreed. However, this was something she wouldn¡¯t discuss with Qiao Qingyu.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I told her to reflect at home. After all, our base¡¯s family compound is not like an ordinary village; maintaining harmony and unity is very important.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu seemed quite resigned as she let out a long breath, ¡°Director Shen, I¡¯ll listen to anything you say, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t hold Zhu Mingli¡¯s behavior against her today. As long as she is willing to correct her mistakes, let¡¯s still give her a chance to start anew.¡±


    Shen Fen tugged at the corner of her mouth; the young girl was sharp-tongued and shrewd. If it hadn¡¯t been by chance that her husband had mentioned Qiao Qingyu¡¯s visit to the commune office, she wouldn¡¯t have caught on.


    Indeed, on April 2nd, Qiao Qingyu had come to complain, but the girl had used an entirely different approach.


    When she learned the truth, Shen Fen was both irritated and amused, but her husband, Director Lin, had said, ¡°The method is a bit cunning, but it is the most practical.¡±


    She felt the same way.


    Zhu Mingli¡¯s incompetence was the root of the issue; as a clerk, she represented the office, and even if she was envious of Qiao Qingyu, such words should not have been spoken.


    Truth be told, Shen Fen didn¡¯t want to give Zhu Mingli another chance, but the office was short-staffed.


    Suddenly, Shen Fen¡¯s eyes lit up.


    Qiao Qingyu was not only beautiful and skilled with her hands, but most importantly, she was intelligent and eager to progress.


    As long as she continued on this path, unlike her past demeanor, Shen Fen planned to offer her a position as a clerk in the office.


    Although it was a temporary position, once the base¡¯s rules and regulations were perfected, it would become an official post.


    The more she thought about it, the more feasible it seemed, and she encouraged Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qingyu, setting up the study class won¡¯t be easy, so you should cherish this opportunity, study hard, and strive to obtain your elementary school diploma as soon as possible.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    Director Shen, your expectations could actually be a bit higher!


    She also earnestly promised, ¡°Director Shen, it won¡¯t just be the elementary school diploma; I will obtain the junior high and even senior high school diplomas in the shortest time possible. I¡¯m even planning to take the college entrance exam.¡±


    Take the college entrance exam?


    Although the idea was impractical, Shen Fen was still happy. After offering some encouragement, Qiao Qingyu walked towards her home, feeling light-hearted under the moonlit night.


    The next morning, Vice Director Qian, accompanied by Fang Xiaomei, came to visit Qiao Qingyu.


    At this very moment, Vice Director Qian felt an extraordinary closeness to Qiao Qingyu.


    Though it was just a shoulder bag he had given to his daughter, he was still very grateful. Even as a vice director of the commune, he was just a country bumpkin in the eyes of some city folks.


    Even those who looked down on him hadn¡¯t cleaned the mud off their own feet.


    Not only had Qiao Qingyu greatly helped him, but she had also gifted his daughter such a beautiful shoulder bag.


    He had two daughters; one was married, and the other was spoken for.


    The wedding date had been set for this autumn.


    Therefore, he was grateful to anyone who took the matter of marrying off his daughter to heart, no matter who that person was.


    Moreover, Xiaxi Commune still owed Qiao Qingyu a big favor.


    His primary reason for the visit was regarding that matter. It was time to plant the thousand silk hemp.


    However, when he heard from Qiao Qingyu that the contract for the wasteland had fallen through, Vice Director Qian stood up in surprise from his chair, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it agreed upon? Why go back on it now?¡±


    Of course, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t tell the truth in front of Vice Director Qian¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t smear her own family, no matter what. After all, she was still related to the research base.


    But it was still very frustrating.


    ¡°Vice Director Qian, this issue has to do with me being He Xiuyu¡¯s wife...¡±


    She did not plan to waste more words on this topic, seamlessly changing the subject, ¡°Vice Director Qian, I wasn¡¯t able to contract the wasteland, but I have established a seed cultivation laboratory under the name of Tenghai Research Base.¡±


    Vice Director Qian¡¯s eyes shifted, and he slapped his hand down, ¡°Good, this is even better than you contracting the wasteland.¡±


    ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked, surprised.


    ¡°Qingyu, it¡¯s not easy for farmers. They essentially depend on the heavens for their livelihood. A good year brings a bountiful harvest, but natural disasters can cause a decrease in crop yields. Life with one¡¯s face towards the soil and one¡¯s back to the sky isn¡¯t easy,¡± Vice Director Qian spoke with a sigh.


    ¡°That makes sense. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll devote some of my energy to developing seeds.¡±


    Actually, Vice Director Qian was very curious about the exact details concerning seed cultivation, but when he thought about it being affiliated with Tenghai Research and that Qiao Qingyu¡¯s husband was a nationally renowned scientist, what was a mere crop seed to them?


    So Vice Director Qian stopped worrying, but his hesitant demeanor amused Qiao Qingyu because she had already guessed what he intended to do. However, she waited for Vice Director Qian to speak up himself.


    Straightforward Fang Xiaomei blurted out, ¡°Uncle, if you have something to say to Qingyu, just be direct. We sisters have such a good relationship, and we can speak openly about anything.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu agreed, ¡°Xiao Mei is right.¡±


    ¡°Well, then I won¡¯t stand on ceremony. Qingyu, since the wasteland contract fell through, are you planning to sell those thousand acres of thousand silk hemp seeds?¡±


    Fang Xiaomei looked at her uncle in surprise, ¡°Uncle, our commune is so poor right now, where would we find the money to buy Qingyu¡¯s seeds? Besides, this is a matter for the public collective. We shouldn¡¯t take advantage of Qingyu anymore...¡±

 Chapter 37 - 37 37 Cooperation

    ?Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Cooperation Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Cooperation Vice Director Qian¡¯s old face turned red, ¡°Xiao Mei, what kind of person do you think your uncle is?¡±


    Before coming here, he had not known that Qiao Qingyu¡¯s barren land had not been contracted.


    Since it had not been contracted, the two thousand yuan for the seeds had to be returned to Qiao Qingyu, but they had no money now.


    The over four thousand yuan raised by everyone had dwindled to just hundreds of yuan, and everyone was on edge after planting the thousand silk hemp.


    If this endeavor failed, he, Vice Director Qian, would be the culprit responsible in the commune, as there were already people privately complaining and calling him a fool behind his back.


    As the old saying goes, there¡¯s no turning back once the bow is drawn; having taken this step, he could only continue. Moreover, inexplicably, he felt a trust in Qiao Qingyu, believing that this girl would certainly not let him down.


    Plus, as soon as he entered the room and saw the greasy little bok choy, little bok choy, and scallions as long as chopsticks in the wooden box,


    with his decades of experience as an old farmer, he knew these seeds were of the finest quality, which boosted his confidence even more.


    Thus, Vice Director Qian had just been considering whether to write an IOU for Qiao Qingyu¡¯s two thousand yuan or, perhaps, to simply let Qiao Qingyu contract the barren land in their commune.


    Xiaxi Commune has dozens of teams; some barren lands had been uncultivated for years, and in the past, grass grew there, but due to grazing cattle and sheep, the sparse grass was grazed away, and combined with strong winds, the land became increasingly barren and unsuitable for cultivation.


    The same was true for the land around the family compound.


    Although Xichuan had not yet specifically implemented the joint production contracting system, it was scheduled for implementation next year at the latest.


    After all, the official documents had already been issued, and the decision was final.


    But thinking of how strenuous farming was, Mr. Qian worried that Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t handle it. After all, once the land was contracted, individuals were responsible for managing their own, and the commune would not divert manpower or materials to contracted lands.


    Otherwise, what would contracting mean?


    Mr. Qian hesitated only for a moment, then candidly shared his thoughts with Qiao Qingyu and even promised that the contract terms, including the minimum price and duration, were up to Qiao Qingyu.


    The commune still owed her money, which could be counterbalanced with this arrangement.


    However, it was still barren land, even if under the commune¡¯s jurisdiction, it was not land suitable for cultivation or allocation, totaling about three thousand acres...


    Qiao Qingyu had long had her own plan.


    She was currently working alone, and farming was different from business.


    For instance, when she and Sister-in-law Li made bags, she could go to sell them alone; this task could be completed by one or two individuals.


    But to cultivate three thousand acres without powerful machinery and labor was simply a fantasy!


    She already had a plan in mind when she decided to help Mr. Qian.


    ¡°Vice Director Qian, I am very interested in the three thousand acres of barren land, but I plan to change the contracting method,¡± Qiao Qingyu said with a smile in her voice.


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression, Mr. Qian¡¯s worried mood lightened immediately; it seemed that this girl knew what she was doing.


    He asked curiously, ¡°Qingyu, what do you mean by changing the contracting method?¡±


    ¡°We collaborate, I provide the seeds and some of the machinery, you provide the manpower and resources. If there arises an issue, I will take responsibility, ensuring you bear no loss. After subtracting all costs from the harvest, we¡¯ll split the profits fifty-fifty. The right to use the barren land remains yours, but I hold the priority right to contract it after one year...¡±


    Mr. Qian¡¯s eyes lit up immediately; this method was excellent, truly excellent.


    However, he had a new concern and also felt embarrassed. ¡°Qingyu, it¡¯s not right for you to bear such a huge loss alone if anything goes wrong. If we really go through with this, we need to modify this clause.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°Vice Director Qian, this is your first time encountering such a partnership model, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, this is the first time I¡¯ve heard of it.¡±


    ¡°So if the loss made you all bear it together, there would definitely be significant resistance.¡±


    Currently, the eight hundred mu of thousand silk hemp seeds haven¡¯t shown any results yet. If another three thousand mu were added, presumably no one would dare to follow through.


    Even if Mr. Qian is the Vice Director, he couldn¡¯t possibly take full responsibility.


    Her seeds cost nothing, the only expense was hiring the machinery.


    And in her view, labor was very precious at the moment.


    One shouldn¡¯t take other people¡¯s efforts for granted.


    So she wouldn¡¯t let the community members bear the loss together.


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu¡¯s confident demeanor, Mr. Qian recalled the eight hundred mu of planted thousand silk hemp and suddenly felt more confident, so he didn¡¯t insist that Xiaxi Commune share the losses with Qiao Qingyu.


    Besides, if that were the case, the people of the commune definitely wouldn¡¯t agree, and they might even report him to the county.


    He would just have to bear it alone if it came to that.


    So, he no longer insisted, and instead discussed the details with Qiao Qingyu, of course, including the two thousand yuan the commune owed her.


    Mr. Qian was anxious to return to attend a meeting about this matter.


    He agreed with Qiao Qingyu that if the talk was successful, the commune¡¯s tractor would come to pick her up tomorrow.


    If not, he would have Fang Xiaomei come and inform her.


    Qiao Qingyu had already eaten the cabbages in the wooden box twice, and had also given some to Sister-in-law Li and Shen Fen.


    There were still over thirty left.


    Qiao Qingyu generously pulled up ten cabbages to give to them, which also served as a form of publicity.


    The cabbages now had eight to nine leaves each.


    And these were the old type of cabbages, with very little water content. When Qiao Qingyu ate them herself, adding one cabbage to a soup made with eggs, the cabbage took up more than half of it.


    Mr. Qian and Fang Xiaomei left happily.


    Qiao Qingyu then replanted cabbages in the vacated soil.


    These grew quickly, were convenient to eat, and high in vitamins.


    Qiao Qingyu had long since put all the empty bottles back in their original places.


    These bottles were made of glass, with plastic caps, though the inside of the caps was embedded with a soft cork, carefully perforated with tiny, dense holes.


    Qiao Qingyu stood in front of a row of shelves, where some soybeans her uncle had brought over days ago which she had selected and placed directly into the bottles.


    It was just for experimentation, after all, she hadn¡¯t figured out if the sprouted seeds had sprouted inside the bottles by themselves or were sprouted elsewhere and then placed into the bottles.


    But now, the soybeans were still just soybeans, showing no signs of sprouting at all, suggesting that the bottles did not have the function to sprout seeds.


    Qiao Qingyu took a piece of paper and a pen nearby and recorded the recent usage of the seeds, including the types, dates, and times.


    If the three thousand mu of barren land was contracted, she planned to plant two thousand mu of thousand silk hemp and the rest with Barley Grass.


    The Barley Grass from the laboratory and that of this era differed in that it had fewer environmental requirements.


    Like the thousand silk hemp, the roots of Barley Grass were very deep, and the robust root system could store water. Its leaves could also be made into a type of tea that not only boosted immunity but also helped with weight loss.

 Chapter 38 - 38 38 Hes Back

    ?Chapter 38: Chapter 38 He¡¯s Back Chapter 38: Chapter 38 He¡¯s Back Of course, regarding weight loss, that¡¯s something you wouldn¡¯t even think about now, as everyone is generally thin and it¡¯s rare to see anyone chubby.


    As for improving the immune system, people of this era don¡¯t really have a concept of it, so we¡¯ll have to capitalize on its most common effect, which is to serve as pasture for cattle, sheep and horses, while also improving the soil and changing the environment.


    Now, whether it succeeds or not depends on how determined Mr. Qian is.


    So, she still had to come up with a backup plan.


    ...


    It must be said, Mr. Qian¡¯s determination was truly great; he was ready to follow Qiao Qingyu all the way. The next afternoon, he sent a tractor to pick her up.


    After that, everything went smoothly.


    The profits would be split evenly among everyone, and if there were losses, Qiao Qingyu would bear them alone. Only a fool would be unmoved by such terms.


    Qiao Qingyu certainly wasn¡¯t going to be an unsung hero; she passionately shared her thoughts about helping the community members become wealthy at the meeting. Declaring her intentions, she stated that, for this goal and for the fraternal bond with Xiaxi Commune, she was willing to take the risk of ruin to partner with Xiaxi Commune.


    Her hope was to recreate an oasis on these thousands of acres of barren land.


    Several elderly comrades were moved to tears.


    They repeatedly praised Qiao Qingyu as a good comrade, even wanting to send banners of honor and letters of thanks to the base, but Qiao Qingyu politely declined.


    After signing the agreement, Qiao Qingyu and Vice Director Qian pressed their fingerprints and then stamped the official seal, finally making it official.


    In recent weeks, the director of Xiaxi Commune had health issues and went to Beijing for treatment.


    Now, Vice Director Qian was fully in charge, so he took Qiao Qingyu to see the three thousand acres of barren land. After getting off the tractor, the scene was just as desolate as around the compound of the base, if not more so, not a single green weed in sight.


    Now that it was nearly mid-April, some wild greens should have sprouted, but there was nothing here.


    ¡°Vice Director Qian, this place is really desolate.¡±


    Vice Director Qian explained somewhat embarrassedly, ¡°Qingyu, decades ago this was all grassland. But with the increasing sandstorms, and perhaps because we had too many cattle and sheep, and our grazing methods weren¡¯t reasonable, this land turned into what it is now.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu glanced around, her brow slightly furrowed. There hadn¡¯t been a drop of rain this year, and the sky had been somewhat hazy lately.


    She asked Vice Director Qian, ¡°Does your commune have any statistical reports on sandstorms and dusty weather for the past decade?¡±


    ¡°Of course, we compile those statistics every year. Are you worried about recent dust weather, Qingyu?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am a bit concerned.¡±


    Vice Director Qian then fell silent, later sighing and saying, ¡°Even if there is dusty weather, we still have to do what we must. Otherwise, the countless people living on this land will starve to death. Sometimes, we are just fighting with nature for our food.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu turned to look at Mr. Qian, who always seemed easygoing and affable, but he truly had no personal agenda; all his thoughts and considerations were for the welfare of the dozens of brigades and thousands of members of Xiaxi Commune.


    But with three thousand acres of barren land, the investment would be significant, so she needed to formulate a detailed plan.


    ...


    After that, Qiao Qingyu was incredibly busy; she and Sister-in-law Li went to Yushu County and spent three days selling two hundred and sixty shoulder bags.


    Along with the shoulder bags, over two hundred small wallets were also sold.


    A bag for six yuan, non-negotiable. She had only intended to sell a small portion to Sister-in-law Li for household use, for two reasons: first, because Sister-in-law Li had been busy with her for such a long time, and second, because Sister-in-law Li seemed to be out of money and was anxiously waiting to get paid.


    However, she had underestimated the purchasing power of the female comrades in the county town.


    Some of the female comrades came to buy in the morning and returned in the afternoon with their friends to choose more. Although the styles were the same, there was a variety of colors available. For example, with the same rainbow crossbody bags, some girls would be dazzled by the choices and unsure which color combination to pick.


    Moreover, with more than two hundred bags hanging on two rows of wooden shelves, from a distance, the entire Xiji of Yushu County was adorned with such intense colors.


    Therefore, naturally, they sold quickly.


    Moreover, with over a dozen factories in the county town and thousands of female workers, she believed even another two hundred could be sold.


    Qingyu kept the remaining dozen or so bags, planning to give them away as gifts later.


    After deducting costs, she had earned a net profit of fifteen hundred yuan.


    After finishing their class at the study group, the two of them started to divide the money. Sister-in-law Li¡¯s hands trembled as she accepted a large stack of cash; to be honest, she had never seen so much money in her thirty years of life.


    When Mr. Li married her, he had given her a dowry of fifty yuan, which was already considered high in the area.


    ¡°Qingyu, it¡¯s too much, I can¡¯t take this. This is your fabric, your design, and you¡¯ve put so much effort into it. I¡¯d be laughing in my sleep if I could get one hundred yuan,¡± she said.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, we agreed from the start, this is after the deduction of one hundred yuan for costs. I provided the sewing machine and you brought the thread, but let¡¯s not account for that, and as we agreed before, a six-four split is just right, isn¡¯t it?¡± Qingyu replied.


    Indeed, it was as she said, and Sister-in-law Li knew she had received a lot of money, but she had no idea that the costs were only one hundred yuan.


    Moreover, she had never thought about doing a sixty-forty split with Qingyu.


    Sister-in-law Li stared at Qingyu, her eyes welling up. With a choked voice, she said, ¡°Qingyu, I know you could have done this work yourself. You just wanted me to earn some money. How can I ever thank you...¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law, you also put in hard work. This is what you deserve. Plus, as long as there¡¯s a way to get rich in the future, we¡¯ll keep working together,¡± Qingyu reassured her.


    Sister-in-law Li hurriedly nodded, clutching the crossbody bag containing six hundred yuan, joyously yet sneakily heading home as if she was a thief.


    Qingyu smiled. This was her way of repaying Sister-in-law Li for the favor of saving her life.


    ...


    Now Qingyu had over four thousand yuan in her hands, which was a considerable sum of money in those days.


    She rode her bicycle to the Commune but did not go to see Vice Director Qian.


    The Vice Director was very busy these days, having personally led hundreds of people to cultivate the barren land just a few days earlier.


    Qingyu stopped at the entrance of the Commune, spending one yuan to catch a horse-drawn carriage to Yushu County,


    As per the agreement, she needed to get some tractors and ploughing machines to start plowing the fields.


    Once in the county town, Qingyu headed directly to the First Machinery Factory of Yushu County with a letter of introduction and a family certificate in hand.


    Meanwhile, a jeep slowly approached from afar and pulled up in front of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house.


    A tall and graceful man stepped out of the vehicle, wearing a beige trench coat, and lifted a little girl, about four or five years old, from the car.


    He held the little girl¡¯s hand and stood in front of the gate, which was locked with an iron padlock.

 Chapter 39 - 39 39 Changed

    ?Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Changed Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Changed He was He Xiuyu, and the little girl was his elder brother¡¯s daughter, He Xuerong.


    He turned around to look at Sun Dazhi and said gently, ¡°You can go back first, come to pick me up the day after tomorrow morning.¡±


    Sun Dazhi placed a large travel bag at the door. Seeing the door tightly locked, he thought that Qingyu might have gone to the commune.


    He grinned and agreed, then drove away.


    He Xiuyu looked down at He Xuerong, a touch of softness fleeting through his indifferent eyes. He paused for a moment, then took out the keys and unlocked the iron lock.


    With a creak, the door of this mistakenly formed home swung open.


    He carried the travel bag in one hand and held He Xuerong¡¯s hand as they stood in the courtyard.


    Even the ever-composed He Xiuyu was taken aback for a moment.


    The courtyard was still the same courtyard.


    It was still run-down, still bearing the marks of decades.


    But, it was different now.


    The ground was swept clean; the previously scattered boxes and clutter had vanished, only a few neatly placed sacks were in the corner.


    It was still somewhat cold in early April, so he picked up He Xuerong and carried the canvas travel bag into the low adobe house.


    Their temporary dwelling was similar to all rural homes in the Northwest, with a kitchen upon entry and two rooms on either side for living. The layout had naturally not changed, yet it felt completely renewed.


    This feeling was quite extraordinary.


    The kitchen seemed to have just extinguished the fire not long ago, and the owner had not been gone for long, a faint rice fragrance wafting through the room.


    He put the child down, took out the keys again, and opened his room in the west wing. A burst of cold and damp air hit him.


    He had not returned to this home very often, his visits always brief, and naturally, he had no time to tidy up. Now, the room was covered in dust, a cold chill running from head to toe.


    He Xiuyu stepped back out, looked at his silent niece, then glanced at the room on the east. The door was naturally unlocked. He hesitated for a moment but still led the little girl into the east room.


    This was where Qiao Qingyu lived.


    He had entered on April first, and now, just a short few weeks later, even with some mental preparation, he was still momentarily stunned.


    The glass was spotlessly clean, and two small baskets sat on the windowsill with green plants about twenty centimeters tall. The reed mat spread on the kang was spotlessly clean, and by the kang¡¯s head was a small kang table, the old table also wiped to spotlessness.


    On the side against the wall, there was a stack of middle and high school textbooks.


    To the west of the main kang, aside from the kang cabinet, there was now a row of wooden boxes.


    They were planted with cabbage, spinach, garlic sprouts, and green onions...


    The fresh greenery struck his eyes, spreading like ripples on water, inexplicably uplifting his mood.


    If not for the red wedding characters and calendar on the wall, he would have thought he walked into the wrong place.


    Moreover, the room was filled with a faint, unfamiliar fragrance.


    Everything was reminding He Xiuyu that in his absence, this so-called home had undergone changes he was unaware of.


    He let out a barely audible breath, then placed his niece on the kang edge, removed her small leather shoes, and let her sit on the somewhat warm reed mat. He softly said, ¡°Rongrong, your little uncle is going to cook for you. Can you sit here quietly and be good?¡±


    He Xuerong watched her little uncle without blinking and finally nodded, yet she still remained silent.


    He Xiuyu sighed with relief. After traveling through the night, Rongrong was hungry, so he had to make her some rice porridge first.


    The kitchen was cleaned and organized by Qiao Qingyu, which made it easy to find what was needed.


    However, aside from an egg, there were only some dried goods.


    Of course, Qiao Qingyu was also wealthy; she had grown several boxes of vegetables.


    He Xiuyu opened his travel bag, took out sausages, smoked meat, dried shrimp, dried fish, and a cloth bag of eggs, and placed the items on the top shelf of the cupboard.


    Soon, the rice porridge was ready, and He Xiuyu carried a big bowl and two smaller bowls into the east room.


    There, he saw Rongrong, who had just been sitting on the edge of the bed, now kneeling in front of a wooden box, staring unblinkingly at the tender green bok choy.


    He Xiuyu gently advised her, ¡°Rongrong, this belongs to little aunt. Don¡¯t mess with it, come and have some porridge...¡±


    He Xuerong seemed to listen well to He Xiuyu; she obediently crawled over and sat down at the table on the bed, picked up her little spoon, and started to eat.


    Just then, from the courtyard came a childish shout, ¡°Everyone in the house, put your hands up...¡±


    He didn¡¯t finish his sentence before Sister-in-law Li shouted, ¡°Xiao Hu! Uncle He is back, don¡¯t be rude...¡±


    He Xuerong put down her spoon and turned her face towards the window.


    Reflected on the glass was the face of a little boy making faces, his features indiscernible.


    Shortly after, Sister-in-law Li¡¯s voice arrived before she did, ¡°Xiao He is back, you mustn¡¯t have had breakfast. I have steamed buns and egg custard here, have a bite first while you wait. Qingyu has gone to the town and won¡¯t be back until the afternoon...¡±


    He Xiuyu raised an eyebrow; Sister-in-law Li seemed to get along quite well with Qiao Qingyu these days, addressing her quite affectionately.


    While she was speaking, Sister-in-law Li had already come in with the food, followed by Xiao Hu, who was carrying a small wooden gun.


    Whenever Qiao Qingyu was not at home, the security of this shabby thatched house was Xiao Hu¡¯s responsibility. If he hadn¡¯t been playing around in the western part of the village just now, he would have instantly noticed He Xiuyu¡¯s return.


    He would also have noticed the addition of a beautifully featured little girl in Uncle He¡¯s home.


    Sister-in-law Li was slightly taken aback for a moment. He Xiuyu brought back a child¡ªwho¡¯s child was it?


    Behind her, Xiao Hu¡¯s eyes widened as he blurted out, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve seen this little sister before!¡±


    He Xiuyu, ¡°...¡±


    Damn kid, if he didn¡¯t know what kind of person Mr. Li was, he would have suspected someone had read him ¡°Dream of the Red Chamber.¡±


    Sister-in-law Li smacked him playfully, ¡°Nonsense, where would you have seen her before?¡± She then smiled and asked He Xiuyu, ¡°Xiao He, whose child is this?¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law Li, this is my older brother¡¯s daughter, her name is He Xuerong.¡±


    So it turned out to be Xiao He¡¯s niece.


    And really, she was very pretty, just like the people you see in New Year pictures.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Qingyu was still unaware that not only had He Xiuyu returned, he had also brought along his little niece.


    At that moment, Qiao Qingyu was following Yu Factory Director, standing in front of the open-air warehouse at the back of the machinery factory.


    Armed with an introduction letter, a family member certificate, and money, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s meeting with Yu Factory Director went very smoothly, but she was speechless upon seeing the rusty machines in front of her.


    Pointing at the machines, which were almost equivalent to scrap metal, she incredulously asked, ¡°Director Yu, are these what you call tillers?¡±


    Yu Factory Director smiled awkwardly, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, our factory no longer produces large machinery; what you see is equipment from over a decade ago. Although it¡¯s old, it still works.¡±

 Chapter 40 - 40 40 Repairing the Farming Machine

    ?Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Repairing the Farming Machine Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Repairing the Farming Machine Qiao Qingyu was relieved she had asked to see the goods first, otherwise, she would have been the one who broke her promise.


    ¡°Director Yu, even if it could be used, we can¡¯t afford to repair it. Don¡¯t you have any other agricultural machinery?¡±


    ¡°There are a few, but they have all been assigned,¡± Director Yu said in a good-natured tone.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s husband was the head of the Tenghai Research Base and held a rank even higher than the mayor of Xichuan City, and since he was so polite, Director Yu naturally couldn¡¯t put on airs.


    Qiao Qingyu sighed, it seemed she would return empty-handed today. Did she need to make a trip to Xichuan?


    She walked forward and examined carefully; when she saw the curves of the text, she squinted and smiled.


    These were tractors and plows produced by the elder brother¡¯s company.


    Though the models were outdated, the quality was top-notch.


    With some slight improvements and repairs, they could definitely be used. She made a new plan, and thus her mood improved quite a bit¡ªbut she needed to contact Director Xie first.


    She smiled, ¡°Director Yu, may I use the telephone?¡±


    Director Yu naturally agreed and took Qiao Qingyu to the office. This time Qiao Qingyu was calling Director Xie of the base.


    As soon as he heard it was Qiao Qingyu, Director Xie¡¯s voice was hearty and carried a smile, ¡°Qingyu, what do you need?¡±


    It had been over a week since the cabbage seedlings sprouted, and logistics had already prepared two meals of stewed cabbage with tofu for the comrades at the base.


    He had been praised in a meeting by the old leaders. The base¡¯s forty-five acres of cabbage fields were now lush green¡ªnot a single pit had only one cabbage seedling; basically, all had four or more.


    Pulling one or two out is what farmers call thinning the seedlings.


    The scientists at the base were pleased, and Old Xie¡¯s back straightened with pride, remembering those who dug the well as he eats the water. Naturally, Old Xie wanted to thank Qiao Qingyu for providing the cabbage seeds.


    And such high-quality ones at that. Frankly speaking, the base had a plot of land where they also planted cabbage, sourced from the city, but till now, no seedlings had sprouted.


    Wasting quite a bit of fertilizer and water.


    What is the most precious resource in the Northwest?


    Water, of course.


    Although Xichuan City had a river winding through its southeast and northeast sides, the northern side near the base, the land was truly arid with scant rainfall.


    Thankfully they didn¡¯t rely on the heavens for food, otherwise, they¡¯d really go hungry.


    Even now, in the planned economy era, staples like rice, flour, and vegetables were provided, but in this season, there wasn¡¯t much available.


    Apart from potatoes, cabbages, and pickles.


    And by April, even potatoes and cabbage were running low.


    Thus, the forty-five acres of cabbage fields had become the most beautiful scenery at the Tenghai Research Base.


    So, over the phone, Old Xie added, ¡°Qingyu, just say whatever it is, don¡¯t be polite with Uncle Xie.¡±


    This time, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t afford to be polite. Originally planning to spend money to take the direct route since she had no connections at the County Mechanical Factory, she was ready to spend more to rent some equipment.


    The land in the Northwest was vast and couldn¡¯t rely solely on human labor, so gradually moving towards mechanization was the correct direction for the future.


    Starting now to train them to use machinery and letting them experience the powerful capabilities of machinery.


    The County Mechanical Factory disappointed her, but luckily, there was still a pile of tractors and plows produced by the older generation decades ago.


    ¡°Uncle Xie, I actually have a favor to ask of you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t shy; she didn¡¯t address him as Director Xie but warmly called him Uncle Xie, which brought them even closer. She then told Old Xie about her plan to rent several plows from the County Mechanical Factory and discussed whether it would be possible to assign two engineers to help repair some old tractors and plows produced decades ago.


    She bluntly told Director Xie that if they were repaired, she intended to use them to reclaim three thousand acres of barren land at Xiaxi Commune.


    Director Xie was unaware of the situation with the barren land and was momentarily stunned. However, he didn¡¯t ask further questions, nor did he agree immediately. As he was in charge of logistics, the decision had to be made by the senior leaders and Shen Haoze.


    Yet, there was a precedent for supporting brother units; there shouldn¡¯t be any problem.


    However, because of the last incident of a contract breach, Old Xie was much more cautious, but to his surprise, the senior leadership readily agreed.


    It turned out that the headquarters had issued a support task.


    The senior leadership was still thinking about how to carry out this work when Qiao Qingyu presented them with an opportunity.


    The base¡¯s engineers helped the County Mechanical Factory repair tractors and plows and then plow for the farmers, which was also a form of support and aid.


    Shen Haoze was unaware of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s involvement; he was in a good mood because He Xiuyu had returned, which meant he was relieved of some duties.


    Thus, he readily agreed and dispatched two skilled technicians to the mechanical factory in Yushu County.


    A few minutes later, Director Xie called Qiao Qingyu to tell her that everything was arranged, and the support for the mechanical factory would start soon.


    Qiao Qingyu expressed her gratitude over the phone and before hanging up, she remembered something and asked cheerfully, ¡°Uncle Xie, does our base have a laboratory for testing?¡±


    ¡°Of course, we do. What do you need to test, Qingyu?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not for testing. I have a suggestion. Uncle Xie, send some cabbages to the laboratory to see if there is any difference compared to the local cabbages...¡±


    Director Xie¡¯s eyes brightened; he intended to save seeds from this batch of cabbages, so sending them for testing was a great idea.


    He hung up and hurriedly went to arrange it.


    Although they had eaten this batch of cabbages several times, Qiao Qingyu still wanted to systematically test them. Some data were essential, and she had to get hold of them.


    Afterwards, she turned and discussed the base¡¯s arrangements with Yu Factory Director, sharing her thoughts. Upon hearing them, Yu Factory Director¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    He agreed immediately without a second thought.


    It was a joke not to agree to such a great opportunity.


    Soon, Tenghai Research Base sent two technicians to help repair the plows. After the repair, Qiao Qingyu would first rent one for a week for one hundred yuan.


    Originally, Yu Factory Director didn¡¯t want a deposit, but Qiao Qingyu insisted.


    It was just 500 yuan at most. Qiao Qingyu wouldn¡¯t give anyone a reason to complain; everything was done by the book.


    Yu Factory Director enthusiastically took Qiao Qingyu on a tour of the mechanical factory.


    Unexpectedly, this visit was a stroke of luck, capable of fixing a pile of junk and turning waste into treasure, earning him credits as the factory director.


    And the reason it wasn¡¯t discarded was precisely because those items made by the older generation were of really good quality.


    Two hours later, the two technicians from the base arrived at the County Mechanical Factory. Yu Factory Director personally led a group of people to greet them at the gate, and after some pleasantries, they began repairing the machinery.


    Qiao Qingyu left the phone number for Xiaxi Commune¡¯s office with Yu Factory Director; if the repairs were completed, he would call Vice Director Qian.


    Afterward, Qiao Qingyu left the mechanical factory and leisurely strolled around the county town...

 Chapter 41 - 41 41 Youre back

    ?Chapter 41: Chapter 41 You¡¯re back Chapter 41: Chapter 41 You¡¯re back Qiao Qingyu was dressed in a beige Lenin outfit made of wool fabric, black trousers, and black leather shoes, looking just like a girl from a big city.


    The canvas bag Qiao Qingyu carried on her back was one she had made herself.


    The base was deep yellow canvas, topped with pale yellow fabric forming a sunflower design.


    The colors were similar and did not stand out too much, but the overall effect was refreshingly clear.


    Naturally, it attracted quite a bit of attention, and there were even people who pulled her aside to ask where she had bought the bag.


    Qiao Qingyu cheerfully told them that she had made it herself, and at that moment she also noticed that the vendors in the Xiji of Yushu County had already started copying her rainbow and patchwork bags.


    Some of them looked passable, while others were patchworked haphazardly and quite an eyesore.


    You should know, colors aren¡¯t just matched indiscriminately.


    Qiao Qingyu found a newly opened restaurant, ordered a bowl of rice, a dish of stir-fried pork slices with dried chili, and a bowl of egg soup.


    After a full meal, it was time for the bus to Xiaxi Commune to depart.


    There was only one trip a day: it left Yushu County at 12:30 pm and arrived at Xiaxi Commune at 1:30 pm.


    Then it rested a bit, and at 2 pm it departed punctually from the Commune back to Yushu County.


    Spring farming had already begun, so there were fewer people visiting the county town. The weather had warmed up a bit, allowing windows to be opened, and that reduced the pungent smells considerably. But even so, Qiao Qingyu felt like each bus ride was a trial.


    If it weren¡¯t for the long distance, she would have really liked to bike there.


    Of course, taking a horse-drawn carriage wouldn¡¯t be too bad either.


    If it hadn¡¯t been prohibited, she would have even considered buying a horse and building her own carriage.


    Qiao Qingyu went straight to Mr. Qian¡¯s office.


    Mr. Qian had lost weight these past couple of days, and being older, he couldn¡¯t work alongside others every day. But his presence alone significantly boosted the morale of the commune members.


    However, there were many matters at the commune recently, so he had sent a capable assistant to replace him.


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu, he was delighted, promptly offering her sugar cubes and pouring her tea.


    Then, hearing about the matters with the County Machinery Factory from Qiao Qingyu, Mr. Qian was even more delighted. He wasn¡¯t a stubborn man and certainly understood that machinery had greater power than human labor.


    He clapped his hands joyfully, ¡°If everything can be repaired, that would be wonderful. We could use the least amount of time to complete the land reclamation and then sow the thousand silk hemp and Barley Grass.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I checked the commune¡¯s statistical report yesterday. Not every year do we face sandstorm weather, but it¡¯s still important to be cautious. The earlier the seedlings emerge, the better, because the roots of thousand silk hemp and Barley Grass are fairly robust. Only very large sandstorms could pose a problem,¡± Qiao Qingyu noted.


    ¡°That¡¯s really great,¡± Mr. Qian¡¯s confidence doubled.


    Looking at Qiao Qingyu, he marveled at how capable the girl was, even managing to bring in plowing machines.


    You should know, the commune had never managed to secure the use of the few plowing machines in the county.


    Regardless of the environment, scale, and output, the Xiaxi Commune was among the poorest in the county¡ªif not the last, then second-to-last. They hoped this year they would be able to turn things around.


    ¡°Vice Director Qian, you don¡¯t have to go to the wasteland and be busy anymore. Once the machinery is fixed, Yu Factory Director will call you. Then we can go and drive the tractor back ourselves. By the way, doesn¡¯t our commune have quite a few tractor drivers? Arrange them all when the time comes.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Qingyu, I¡¯ll take care of it,¡± assured Mr. Qian as he straightened his back, feeling increasingly energetic.


    Then, he had the tractor drivers take Qiao Qingyu to inspect the wasteland area.


    It had only been five days since Qiao Qingyu¡¯s last visit, yet the place had changed dramatically.


    As far as the eye could see, the land had been turned over; some were plowing at the front while others were preparing the ridges behind them.


    This would certainly expedite things considerably.


    However, reclaiming the wasteland was indeed a formidable task.


    By this time, the sun had already descended halfway down the distant mountains.


    The sky wasn¡¯t clear, so it appeared much darker.


    It was also time for everyone to clock off from work.


    Qiao Qingyu followed everyone back to the commune, she had intended to ride her bike home alone, but Mr. Qian didn¡¯t trust her to do so, seeing that it was about to get dark, how could he allow Qingyu to go back by herself?


    Thus, he loaded the bicycle onto the tractor and took Qingyu back to the family courtyard. By the time they reached the entrance of the courtyard, it was completely dark.


    The study class had the day off, so Qingyu rode straight home on her bicycle.


    When she passed by Sister-in-law Li¡¯s house, she suddenly stopped her bicycle...


    Ahead was her home in the family courtyard.


    Normally the gate was bolted shut, but today it was left ajar.


    The old mud-brick house was enveloped in a dim yellow light.


    Qingyu felt a sudden tightness in her chest, unable to define the feeling that arose. She knew it meant He Xiuyu had returned; counting the days, he had actually come back more than a week early.


    She didn¡¯t walk forward, her hands gripping the handlebars tightly, her brows slightly furrowed.


    She was very unaccustomed to seeing lights on in the house when she returned home.


    Ever since she began living independently, darkness always awaited her at home in the evenings. She would have to press the switch herself to instantly brighten the gloomy room.


    This had become a habit.


    The light inside the mud-brick house wasn¡¯t bright. The bulb emitted a warm light and wasn¡¯t high wattage, but it made Qingyu feel somewhat uneasy.


    This was not right.


    She shouldn¡¯t have this kind of psychological barrier.


    She hesitated, preparing to adjust her mood before entering the courtyard, but just then, the ajar door was pushed open, and Sister-in-law Li, holding an empty bowl, caught sight of Qingyu standing nearby, lost in thought. She exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Qingyu, you¡¯re back?¡±


    Qingyu nodded imperceptibly, and somehow, her little face was a bit serious.


    The night was dim, and Sister-in-law Li did not notice Qingyu¡¯s odd expression. Although Qingyu had returned late, she wasn¡¯t worried, because every time Qingyu went to the commune, Mr. Qian would arrange for a tractor to take her back.


    ¡°...Your Xiao He is back. I just made a pot of hot noodle soup, and I¡¯ve left you a big bowl...¡± Sister-in-law Li chattered on.


    Finally, Qingyu snapped out of it. She wheeled her bicycle into the courtyard and leaned it against the wall.


    The door of the house was also open; it was obvious that He Xiuyu had heard some noise.


    He stood at the doorway, casting a shallow gaze at Qingyu, who had just returned home at this time.


    Qingyu felt somewhat awkward as if unsure of what expression to return with.


    Fortunately, Sister-in-law Li was there.


    Qingyu walked up to He Xiuyu, and her mood eventually returned to normal. She smiled, ¡°You¡¯re back.¡±


    That sentence was strange.


    It was like a pebble tossed into a tranquil lake.


    Creating ripples that silently spread out in every direction.


    He Xiuyu nodded slightly and hummed in acknowledgement.


    After entering the house, Qingyu realized that two children were sitting on the kang bed. One was Xiao Hu, and the other was a very pretty little girl with delicate features.


    Without a doubt, this was surely He Xiuyu¡¯s older brother¡¯s daughter, He Xuerong.

 Chapter 42 - 42 42 Three Major Villains Assembled Together

    ?Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Three Major Villains Assembled Together Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Three Major Villains Assembled Together Seeing Qiao Qingyu walk in, Xiao Hu danced with joy, while the little girl¡¯s face was taut and expressionless, her eyes calm and unruffled.


    Especially those dark, dull eyes seemed to look at you yet not see you at all.


    Sister-in-law Li was busy in the kitchen, dishing up hot noodle soup into a large bowl, topped with two poached eggs, and brought it to the table, saying to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qingyu, eat up before it gets cold. Oh, Xiao He and Rongrong have already finished eating. I¡¯ll go get you some sausage stir-fried with pickled vegetables, it¡¯s really tasty, Xiao He¡¯s cooking is not bad...¡±


    Sister-in-law Li¡¯s monologue lightened the slightly awkward atmosphere in the room, and Qiao Qingyu quickly went to wash her hands before sitting down to start her dinner.


    Sister-in-law Li¡¯s cooking was always excellent; even someone as picky as she couldn¡¯t find fault with it.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s stir-fried pickled vegetables were unexpectedly good, too.


    By now, Sister-in-law Li said she had to go home for a bit, while Xiao Hu continued to play with Rongrong on the kang bed.


    Meanwhile, He Xiuyu was still tidying up the kitchen.


    Wearing a simple shirt with sleeves rolled up to his arms, he washed the pots with bowed head and a modest demeanor.


    Qiao Qingyu paused for a moment when she went to grab the chili sauce.


    The man had a tall and straight figure, and from his occasional movements, you could tell he was well-built.


    Qiao Qingyu blinked and then quickly slipped into the room.


    With the hot noodle soup and chili sauce, plus the stir-fried sausage pickled vegetables by He Xiuyu, Qiao Qingyu ate deliciously.


    She didn¡¯t have time to bother with the two little ones on the kang bed; instead, as she ate, she pondered how to make reasonable and scientific arrangements for their temporary family life after He Xiuyu returned.


    After all, from now on, He Xuerong would be living with He Xiuyu.


    At this moment, Sister-in-law Li arrived, ready to take Xiao Hu home.


    Since everyone there was like family, Qiao Qingyu continued to eat her hot noodle soup.


    She heard Xiao Hu solemnly advising He Xuerong, ¡°Rongrong, I¡¯ll come to play with you again tomorrow. You have to remember my name, okay?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu cracked a smile; the little whippersnapper was already learning to flirt at such a young age.


    He Xuerong, silent and as still as ever, kept her gaze fixed on Xiao Hu.


    She didn¡¯t speak or nod, showing no emotion at all.


    Sister-in-law Li had long realized there was something off with this child, but she didn¡¯t feel it was her place to say anything. Qiao Qingyu, however, wasn¡¯t shocked because He Xuerong was currently suffering from moderate autism.


    Xiao Hu was naturally chatty and didn¡¯t wait for He Xuerong¡¯s response, continuing to remind her, ¡°Rongrong, my name is Li Mingguang. You must remember...¡±


    Just as Li Mingguang¡¯s name left Xiao Hu¡¯s lips, Qiao Qingyu, who was eating noodles, suddenly looked up, staring at Xiao Hu in astonishment.


    Li Mingguang?


    The future boss of the Northwest Miao Dao, known as the Northwest Tiger, Li Mingguang!


    Could it be Sister-in-law Li¡¯s Xiao Hu?


    The next second, Qiao Qingyu, who was holding her breath, suddenly felt an itch in her throat and couldn¡¯t help but cough loudly.


    Sister-in-law Li got a fright and quickly put down Xiao Hu to come over, while He Xiuyu, hearing the severe cough, hurried into the room.


    His hands were still dripping with water.


    Amidst the chaos, with her cheeks flushed, Qiao Qingyu wiped away the tears from coughing and rinsed her mouth, cleaning up the mess of her cough, and couldn¡¯t finish her meal.


    She sat on the chair, holding the enamel mug He Xiuyu gave her, looking at the two little ones staring at her ¡ª one sitting on the kang bed and the other on the edge.


    It was only then that Qiao Qingyu realized she had overlooked something significant.


    If Xiao Hu from Sister-in-law Li¡¯s family was indeed Li Mingguang, then Li Zhiqiang, the one lured by a female spy to steal blueprints and betray Tenghai Research Base and his own wife, was Sister-in-law Li¡¯s husband.


    Therefore, the woman who personally killed her husband and was sentenced to death was Sister-in-law Li herself, and her name was Zhou Xiaoqin.


    How had she managed to overlook such an important plot point?


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mind was in turmoil, and her complexion turned pale.


    Sister-in-law Li kept patting her back from behind, murmuring, ¡°You girl, acting like a child, choking on noodles, quickly drink some water to ease it. Otherwise, your throat and windpipe will be very uncomfortable...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded woodenly.


    Her gaze fell back on the two little ones.


    He Xuerong still had an expressionless face, but it was clear that Qiao Qingyu¡¯s recent choking episode had caught her attention; she kept watching her.


    This was the future superstar, the lark of the music scene.


    After her limbs were broken by human traffickers, He Xiuyu had sent her abroad for treatment, and it took two years to heal. Afterward, she grew up on the base, always by He Xiuyu¡¯s side.


    This period drama spanned several decades.


    So the five-year-old He Xuerong would be a household-name superstar thirteen years later.


    But at this moment, the future ruthless villain who would plague the Northwest for nearly ten years¡ªyet only love He Xuerong¡ªLi Mingguang, looked at her with innocent eyes as dark as black grapes.


    The Northwest Tiger, the Lark¡ªtwo seemingly unrelated individuals fell passionately in love.


    The orphaned Xiao Hu had been sent back to his hometown, but he only stayed for two years. After that, he begged and secretly made his way back to the base, where he¡¯d remain by He Xuerong¡¯s side ever since.


    Xiao Hu was raised on the charity of many.


    Ten years later, at eighteen, Li Mingguang became the infamous Northwest Tiger.


    He Xuerong wanted to be a star, and he poured money into her path. When anyone blocked her way, he didn¡¯t hesitate to take them out.


    He Xuerong was the apple of his eye, his life. She was the brightest light in his brief twenty-something years.


    He paved a glittering star-studded pathway for He Xuerong, yet he found himself with no way out.


    Due to the many crimes he had committed, he was secretly captured.


    But in the end, he escaped.


    He arrived at this abandoned residential complex, dousing the home he once lived in for over a year with gasoline. Then, a fierce fire quickly engulfed the dilapidated thatched hut.


    He too was devoured by the raging flames!


    The moment he fell, He Xuerong also rushed to the entrance of the residential complex village in a hurry.


    She was surrounded by a dozen bodyguards.


    Standing at the village entrance, she wore the dress Li Mingguang bought for her and began to sing ¡°Xintianyou¡± for her dearest Mingguang brother...


    A year later, she committed suicide in her villa in Beijing.


    It was not until after her death that the main female character Su Yunyao was able to breathe a sigh of relief.


    Due to her early life experiences, He Xuerong was a girl who harbored hatred towards everyone except her little uncle and Li Mingguang.


    Especially Su Yunyao, who always fancied herself becoming her little aunt.


    Naturally, in this period narrative, Qiao Qingyu, He Xuerong, and Li Mingguang were both the big villains and the cannon fodder.


    Now, these three major antagonists had unexpectedly gathered together, making Qiao Qingyu feel somewhat troubled.


    The situation was exceptionally bizarre!

 Chapter 43 - 43 43 Tragic Plot

    ?Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Tragic Plot Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Tragic Plot If it weren¡¯t for Xiao Hu¡¯s self-introduction, Qiao Qingyu wouldn¡¯t have remembered this part of the plot; after all, it was a side story, and the details about Sister-in-law Li¡¯s family were only briefly mentioned.


    She had been too busy since she transmigrated into the book to even ask what Sister-in-law Li¡¯s name was, her husband¡¯s name, or what Xiao Hu was called.


    Later, this storyline made her recall the series of tragedies that befell the Qiao Family after the book¡¯s Qiao Qingyu died.


    Upon learning of the original Qiao Qingyu¡¯s death, Han Xianglan fainted and never woke up. Overcome with grief, Qiao Zhicai buried his wife and then set out with a pig-slaughtering knife to seek vengeance on He Xiuyu.


    He did manage to find He Xiuyu.


    But who was He Xiuyu?


    He was a leading scientist, in charge of important research projects, the commander of an aviation base; there were always people around him to protect him. Even though He Xiuyu did not hide, Qiao Zhicai, who raised the pig-slaughtering knife, was killed on the spot.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s older brother came to collect his father and sister¡¯s ashes; it was a long journey, and the bodies had to be cremated, leaving him holding two urns on the train.


    Midway, some thieves, thinking he carried something valuable, stole the package with the urns.


    Upon discovering they were urns, the thieves, deeming them unlucky, discarded the ashes. By the time they were found, only two empty urns remained. Brother Qiao, in a moment of despair, jumped out of the speeding train¡¯s window and died on impact.


    Then, the youngest Qiao brother returned from the Southern regions. He had made explosives, planning to blow up the He Family in Beijing.


    Of course, he was reported before he could even board the train.


    He was not yet eighteen when he was put into a juvenile detention center. But the next day, while attempting to escape, he drowned in a river.


    After Brother Qiao died, Sister-in-law Qiao took her two children back to her parents¡¯ home. They crossed a cliff on a dark and slippery night, and all three fell into a ravine. By the time they were found, they had long since breathed their last.


    In less than two months, not one of the eight members of the Qiao Zhicai family remained.


    Both the elder Mr. and Mrs. Qiao died of grief, Uncle Qiao was imprisoned for embezzlement, and Qiao Tianbao was expelled...


    The once thriving and bustling Old Qiao Family had now declined.


    Upon learning of this whole series of tragedies, He Shan, stricken by guilt and grief, suffered a mental breakdown and went mad.


    Now, everyone related to Qiao Qingyu had met a terrible fate.


    This also confirmed Aunt Qiao¡¯s curses, calling her a disaster and the root of misfortune.


    So, the key to the problem lay with Qiao Qingyu.


    As long as she stayed alive and well, everything else would be fine!


    Even though she knew these things wouldn¡¯t happen to her, Qiao Qingyu still felt somewhat suffocated.


    Sister-in-law Li rubbed her back for a while and, after checking the time, instructed Qiao Qingyu before heading home with her future ¡°Northwest Tiger,¡± currently the little tiger cub, Comrade Li Mingguang.


    The house grew quiet all at once, and He Xiuyu had also tidied up the kitchen.


    He went to the western room, which he had cleaned out as well. Although a fire had been lit, the room still had a stale scent, as though it had been closed up and uninhabited for a long time.


    Besides, his bedding was somewhat damp, and with the day¡¯s gloomy weather, even airing it out hadn¡¯t helped much.


    He Xiuyu entered the eastern room, where his little niece sat silently next to a wooden chest.


    Qiao Qingyu hung her head, lost in thought.


    He Xiuyu paused for a moment before asking, ¡°Are you feeling any better?¡±


    A clear voice rose to her ears, and Qiao Qingyu, immersed in her thoughts, finally came to.


    She looked up at He Xiuyu.


    His gaze was lowered, and his long eyelashes cast crescent-shaped shadows in the dim yellow light.


    He was a favorite son of heaven, yet life had not always been smooth sailing, especially after Qiao Qingyu burst into his life.


    Qiao Qingyu coughed a few more times and then spoke in a hoarse voice, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I¡¯m much better now.¡± She stood up afterward.


    She wasn¡¯t short, but He Xiuyu was a head taller than her.


    Standing in front of her, he somehow gave off an oppressive feeling.


    Yet his presence was gentle at that moment, and his handsome eyes softened,


    Especially when those peach blossom eyes that held a smile looked seriously at you, to be honest, it was a bit overwhelming...


    Qiao Qingyu calmly shifted her gaze away, landing it on He Xuerong, who was quietly staring at them from beside the wooden box.


    Although this young lady was born into a wealthy family, she had never been liked by Meng Siqi due to having a mother who eloped. Meng Siqi kept her close but was very cold towards her, even going as far as to say she loathed her.


    He Xuerong¡¯s father, also He Xiuyu¡¯s older brother, He Xiuwen, was a squadron leader in the special forces, often traveling across the border towns of China.


    His wife, Liu Die, was a dance actress, very beautiful, with both parents in the cultural troupe, from a good family background.


    The two were a talented and good-looking couple and had He Xuerong a year after getting married.


    But, unexpectedly, last spring, Liu Die, who went abroad for a performance, eloped with a Chinese immigrant¡¯s son.


    Perhaps to prevent implicating her parents, she even wrote a letter of severance, as well as a divorce agreement for He Xiuwen.


    The young girl, who was neglected by her father and despised by her grandmother, developed autism after losing her mother.


    She wondered how He Xiuyu would speak to her.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s feelings were complicated, but faced with Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes, clear as water, he chose to be honest.


    ¡°Her name is He Xuerong, my older brother¡¯s only daughter. Her mother is abroad. I only found out she¡¯s autistic¡ªand quite severely so¡ªafter I came home this time...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu turned around to face He Xiuyu.


    He Xiuyu thought Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know what autism was and patiently explained, ¡°Autism, also known as autism spectrum disorder, is a common childhood condition. She¡¯s currently moderate, and I brought her back to Xichuan to give her a change of environment. The family courtyard is about to be finished, and the kindergarten will also be completed soon. I plan to put her in the daycare for extended care...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu had not expected He Xiuyu to have this plan. She asked in surprise, ¡°Long daycare in the kindergarten, she will stay there overnight, will someone take care of her?¡±


    ¡°The Tenghai Base is quite unique; after the kindergarten opens, there will be working parents who want their children to stay for extended care.¡±


    Oh, so she¡¯ll have little friends there.


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu speak so gently, without any extreme emotion or any sign of annoyance towards Rongrong, He Xiuyu kept a calm expression, but a sigh of relief escaped him internally.


    He tentatively asked, ¡°The air in the west room isn¡¯t good, and it¡¯s a bit damp. Is it okay for Rongrong to sleep here tonight?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°Of course, that¡¯s fine.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s respectful attitude impressed Qiao Qingyu. Moreover, sharing a room with the young girl posed no psychological burden for her, let alone a silent one.


    She was not noisy and very quiet.

 Chapter 44 - 44 44 How could it be replaced

    ?Chapter 44: Chapter 44 How could it be replaced? Chapter 44: Chapter 44 How could it be replaced? He XiuYu saw Qiao Qingyu agree and the heavy furrow between his brows slowly unfolded, as he took He Xuerong to brush her teeth and wash her feet.


    After the little girl was tidied up, she was placed back on the kang bed.


    Being her uncle, there were naturally some inconveniences involved.


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°You go rest. I¡¯ll take care of things here.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for your trouble.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem.¡±


    After exchanging polite looks for a few seconds, the superficial couple averted their gazes from each other.


    He XiuYu spoke softly with He Xuerong for a few moments before leaving the east room.


    Qiao Qingyu had already finished washing up, and He XiuYu had thoughtfully prepared the footbath water for her.


    It must be because of He Xuerong¡¯s arrival.


    This was a man whose mind was delicate yet somehow not irritating.


    Such a man could easily be fallen in love with.


    Like Su Yunyao, like the original Qiao Qingyu, even though it was love at first sight, she genuinely liked him.


    He was talented and accomplished, holding a high position at a young age, hailing from a good family, handsome, without bad habits, and faithful to love and marriage.


    To be loved by such a man was truly a blessing.


    But there are two sides to every person; the more seemingly gentle a man appears, the harder his heart is to reach.


    All his detachment was concealed beneath a warm exterior.


    He XiuYu was the kind of man who seemed close, yet in reality, was miles away from you.


    Just like a flower in the fog.


    Now this fog-enshrouded flower had gone to his western room, while Qiao Qingyu shut the door behind her. At that moment, He Xuerong was still stubbornly sitting beside a wooden box.


    Qiao Qingyu was a stranger, and a child with autism like this wouldn¡¯t react much to unfamiliar faces.


    However, Qiao Qingyu noted that the child seemed to like sitting next to the box where bok choy was planted.


    Qiao Qingyu was also tired from running around all day. She picked up the quilt from the kang cabinet, ready to rest.


    After making her bed, she turned to the silent He Xuerong, who was staring at her, and said softly, ¡°Rongrong, I¡¯ll make your little quilt here by the box. You can sleep next to the bok choy tonight, okay?¡±


    She didn¡¯t expect a response, as Qiao Qingyu picked up the clean covers ready to move her before making the bed.


    But she noticed that at some point, the little girl¡¯s hands were tightly clutching the edge of the wooden box.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s brows furrowed; the box wasn¡¯t smooth, and even though she had treated it, there were still splinters on the edges.


    She quickly made the bed, opened the kang cabinet, and tucked a White Rabbit creamy candy into a small drawstring purse, which she placed by the pillow in a gentle voice, ¡°Rongrong, this little purse is for you. You can put your pocket money and treats in it. Oh, I¡¯ll add a strap to it tomorrow so you can wear it on you. Now let go and see what¡¯s inside the little purse...¡±


    The child had autism, which hadn¡¯t been for long, leading to the moderate condition, also influenced by her environment.


    She was aware of the outside world and could understand what you were saying to her.


    But she just didn¡¯t cooperate much.


    Sitting beside her, Qiao Qingyu felt a headache coming on.


    She was actually very good at soothing children; after all, at the orphanage, it was mostly older kids taking care of the younger ones.


    But precisely because of such experiences, Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t exactly fond of children.


    Seeing He Xuerong still not moving, her headache intensified and her patience began to wear thin. However, it seemed the child was getting sleepy, her usually wide-open eyes now at half-mast.


    Out of impatience, Qiao Qingyu pinched a spot on each of the girl¡¯s arms.


    In the next second, the little girl¡¯s hands shot open, and her eyes went wide again.


    But Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t speaking softly anymore, she briskly stripped off the child¡¯s outer clothing and spread out the pajamas He Xiuyu had brought on the bamboo mat.


    She changed the girl with utmost speed, then quickly tucked He Xuerong into bed, stuffed the small purse into her arms, and lay down at the head of the bed. With a snap, she turned off the light.


    All her movements were fluid, without a single pause.


    She felt so tired, ¡°We can talk about it tomorrow.¡±


    With the lights abruptly off, the room plunged into darkness. He Xuerong didn¡¯t react much. She turned her head to glance at Qiao Qingyu lying on the other side, squeezed the purse stuffed in her hand, then turned back and gazed into the barely visible large leaf plants in the wood box. Somehow, her eyes slowly closed, and she quickly fell asleep.


    It wasn¡¯t a peaceful night, but Qiao Qingyu still slept soundly...


    The door to the west room was left open. Lying on the bed, He Xiuyu couldn¡¯t find sleep. He listened to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mumbling, saw the light in the eastern room go out, his face serene but his heart restless.


    When he had made plans to bring Rongrong back, he had arranged everything and had not intended for Qiao Qingyu to help with the child.


    Not to mention their relationship being in an awkward phase, even considering her character, he wouldn¡¯t feel reassured leaving Rongrong in her care.


    Currently, with no suitable guardian available, and Rongrong¡¯s special circumstances, he intended to keep her by his side until the kindergarten was built.


    The base had a hospital with excellent pediatricians, who could also provide specific treatment for Rongrong¡¯s condition.


    But at this moment, He Xiuyu had to admit that Qiao Qingyu had changed, as if she were a different person.


    Yet she was still Qiao Qingyu; how could she be replaced?


    But a person can change their character after experiencing life-or-death situations or severe traumas. Take Rongrong, for example. Before she turned four, she was quite the chatterbox, hurling herself into his arms whenever he returned, calling him ¡°Little Uncle.¡± She sang for him, danced for him, chattering incessantly about what she found interesting.


    She named the cabbages ¡°large leaf,¡± she called her aunt ¡°Dudu,¡± she liked puppies, often taking a bite of food, then feeding a bite to the puppy, whispering secrets nose to nose with the dog...


    But now, she hadn¡¯t spoken for a whole year.


    She had lost interest in everything.


    She withdrew into her own world and refused to communicate with anyone, including him whom she once dearly loved and clung to. What that world was like, no one knew.


    Every time he thought about it, He Xiuyu felt a deep pang of sorrow.


    He sighed inaudibly. No matter what, the current Qiao Qingyu spared him a lot of trouble. Although their marriage was farcical, he planned to earnestly carry on with it.


    He Xiuyu waited until the east room was totally quiet before turning off the light. The room instantly went dark, and he slowly closed his lids and fell asleep.


    At this divine moment, a few hundred meters from He Xiuyu¡¯s house, standing in front of a courtyard wall, Su Yunyao watched as the light in the He¡¯s west room went out. Then she slowly exhaled.

 Chapter 45 - 45 45 Qualifications for Flying Side by Side

    ?Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Qualifications for Flying Side by Side Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Qualifications for Flying Side by Side Su Yunyao knew early in the morning that He Xiuyu had returned, but she was too busy with work to get away. She missed him, desperately wanted to see him, so after work, she had Shen Haoze take her to the family compound.


    When she saw the lights filling the courtyard of He Xiuyu¡¯s house, it felt as though countless venomous snakes were tearing at her heart. The pain was excruciating, the lights stinging her eyes until tears streamed down her face. In such a moment, she finally came to the sober realization that, whether before or after her rebirth, her He Xiuyu was married, he had a wife.


    How could this be?


    Ever since her first awakening of love, she had fallen for him. She had waited for him so many years, tirelessly following in his footsteps. She had studied fiercely, getting into the same special program as him, merely hoping to someday be worthy of standing by his side.


    Her family had intended to send her abroad on a government-funded study program, but she declined, choosing instead to follow He Xiuyu to the Northwest, to this land of poverty, backwardness, and desolate wilderness.


    She detested the local food and disliked the omnipresent sandstorms.


    Since arriving here, she felt as if she had aged several years unseen, but she accepted it willingly because the man she loved the most was here.


    Yet, she never imagined that all her beautiful dreams would burst like soap bubbles.


    Even though she had been reborn, even though she had prior knowledge of all the future events, even though she could gain He Xiuyu¡¯s favor and significant responsibilities, none of it could withstand the sight of the lights across the courtyard now.


    This shabby thatched hut had a mistress, a shameless and lowly village woman named Qiao Qingyu.


    The only slight comfort she found was that the two lived separately; otherwise, the lights wouldn¡¯t go off one after the other. Clearly, He Xiuyu resided in the west room, while Qiao Qingyu stayed in the east room with He Xuerong.


    Shen Haoze, who had been silently leaning on his bicycle behind her the whole time, only spoke when all the lights in the He compound had gone out. ¡°Yunyao, let¡¯s go back to the base.¡±


    Su Yunyao turned to look at Shen Haoze, who had always loved her silently, and suddenly asked, ¡°Haoze, you know what¡¯s in my heart. Why do you still like me?¡±


    In the dim night, it was hard to discern Shen Haoze¡¯s expression, but his voice was firm, ¡°Yunyao, there¡¯s no reason for liking someone.¡±


    ¡°Even if we can¡¯t be together, will you still like me?¡± Su Yunyao pressed on.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t be with He Xiuyu, will you still like him?¡± Shen Haoze retorted indifferently.


    Hearing this, Su Yunyao¡¯s face changed dramatically and she hissed angrily, ¡°Shen Haoze, don¡¯t you dare curse me. I will be with him, I definitely will be with He Xiuyu!¡±


    After saying this, she quickly walked toward the entrance of the village. Shen Haoze, pushing the bicycle, didn¡¯t get angry but calmly followed a few steps behind her. When they reached the village entrance, Su Yunyao had calmed down quite a bit. She stopped, guiltily said, ¡°Brother Haoze, I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have taken my anger out on you.¡±


    ¡°Yunyao, we¡¯ve grown up together since we were kids. Don¡¯t I know your temperament? Come on, get on the bike. I¡¯ll take you back to the base,¡± Shen Haoze said with his usual gentle voice.


    Su Yunyao sat on the rear seat of Shen Haoze¡¯s bicycle. Perhaps it was the cold of the night or perhaps it was that, in that moment, Su Yunyao urgently sought some psychological comfort and support. Maybe even because the road was too bumpy, she reached out her arms around Shen Haoze¡¯s waist. Sensing his body stiffen in an instant, she couldn¡¯t help but let a slight smile curl her lips as she slowly rested her face against his back.


    In a low voice, she murmured, ¡°Brother Haoze, since I¡¯ve come back, I won¡¯t let anything happen to you in this life. I will repay you, and I will make sure you live a good life.¡±


    The wind carried a lot of sand in the night sky, and the howling breeze blew past her ears, scattering Su Yunyao¡¯s low murmurs in an instant. Shen Haoze couldn¡¯t hear clearly and had to raise his voice to ask, ¡°Yunyao, what were you just muttering?¡±


    Su Yunyao raised her voice too, ¡°Nothing, let¡¯s hurry on.¡±


    Shen Haoze hesitated no longer, and in the dim light of the night, he pedaled quickly in the direction of the base.


    Eventually, the moon gradually broke through the dark night and hung in the sky.


    The cold, indifferent light of ages past draped itself indifferently over the land.


    In this world, there are too many loves and hates, farewells and separations, as insignificant as cosmic dust within the light, as delicate as gossamer.


    ...


    The moon hid its cold brilliance, and once again, the sun broke through the heavy clouds.


    A new day had arrived.


    Qiao Qingyu thought that with an extra little girl by her side and a man in the west room, she¡¯d have a restless sleep, but surprisingly, she slept dreamlessly until dawn.


    Even though the door was closed, she could still smell the aroma of millet porridge.


    The millet from the Northwest, when cooked, turned a golden color, the soup was sweet and fragrant, and it was particularly nutritious.


    She herself liked it very much.


    But she had always made it herself, and this was the first time someone else had made breakfast for her upon waking up, and it was a man at that, which felt strange yet wonderful.


    She turned over a few times and then sat up.


    At first glance, she saw that He Xuerong had already woken up, and at that moment, she was staring unblinkingly at her.


    Lying in the quilt but not moving at all, Qiao Qingyu scratched her head and quickly dressed herself, then rubbing her hands warm, she dug the little girl out from under the quilt.


    He Xuerong didn¡¯t resist. She clung tightly to the little purse Qiao Qingyu had given her the previous night and turned her little face to gaze at the lush green bok choy.


    Qiao Qingyu finally confirmed that the child seemed to take an exceptional interest in the bok choy in the wooden box.


    She dressed her in a pink little sweater, coffee-colored corduroy trousers and put on her socks; it had to be said that the child was quite exquisite in material aspects.


    He Xiuyu, who was in the kitchen slicing potatoes, listened with his ear turned, knowing that Qiao Qingyu was awake and seemed to be dressing Rongrong. He thought for a moment, put down the kitchen knife, went to the door of the east room, and knocked gently, his voice somewhat hoarse, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, are you awake?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu raised her voice, ¡°Awake, you can come in now.¡±


    He Xiuyu hesitated for a moment, but in the end, didn¡¯t enter the room. He said, ¡°Breakfast will be ready soon, you and Rongrong come out to wash up...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    Did he already prepare the water for washing up?


    But just then, there was a knock on the front door, along with Xiao Hu¡¯s shouting and Sister-in-law Li¡¯s following scolding in a lowered voice...


    ¡°Aunt Qiao, please open the door, I am Li Mingguang...¡±


    ¡°Keep your voice down, get back to your room, you haven¡¯t even washed your face¡ªwhere are you running off to...¡±


    ¡°Mom... don¡¯t twist my ear, I¡¯ll go back, I¡¯ll go back...¡± Xiao Hu capitulated and begged for mercy.


    Afterward, it quieted down outside the front door.


    Qiao Qingyu tugged at the corner of her mouth, you little rascal, why didn¡¯t you introduce yourself earlier!

 Chapter 46 - 46 46 Timeline

    ?Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Timeline Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Timeline But when it came time to eat, Xiao Hu still held a large bowl, filled to the brim with steamed buns made from fine white flour, as he entered the eastern room.


    He had eaten here many times before and knew his way around. He took off his shoes, climbed onto the heated brick bed, and sat cross-legged at the table. He picked up a bun and placed it in an empty bowl in front of He Xuerong, boasting, ¡°Rongrong, the buns my mom, Li Mingguang¡¯s mom, makes are the best in the world. Take a bite, and you¡¯ll see how delicious they are...¡±


    He Xiuyu slowly ladled porridge for everyone, while Qiao Qingyu set out the pickled vegetables dish and placed He Xiuyu¡¯s stir-fried shredded potatoes in the center of the kang table.


    Qiao Qingyu observed the two future antagonists with interest. They were both textbook examples of anti-social personalities with twisted hearts.


    They had committed many infuriating and contemptible deeds.


    Yet at this moment, they were obediently and quietly eating their buns.


    The little freeloader, Xiao Hu, was devouring the shredded potatoes and, after finishing, didn¡¯t forget to sing praises, ¡°Aunt Qiao, the food you make is the best.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°This was made by your Uncle He.¡±


    Xiao Hu wasn¡¯t embarrassed in the least and continued to praise, ¡°Uncle He is amazing!¡±


    He Xiuyu sat alone at another table, watching Xiao Hu and felt an urge to kick him out.


    But he held back.


    He couldn¡¯t be with Rongrong every day, so having a talkative little chatterbox around wasn¡¯t so bad.


    Still, he glanced at Xiao Hu and said indifferently, ¡°Don¡¯t talk while eating.¡±


    Xiao Hu was quick to catch on and immediately fell silent but made a face at He Xuerong.


    He Xuerong continued to drink her porridge, unfazed.


    The meal went quickly, and after finishing, Qiao Qingyu wiped her mouth and promptly ran off to Sister-in-law Li¡¯s house like a boss who had tossed aside her responsibilities.


    Even though Li Mingguang was confirmed, she still had to verify whether Sister-in-law Li was really Zhou Xiaoqin.


    Sister-in-law Li was tidying up her house.


    She was addressed as Sister-in-law Li in relation to Qiao Qingyu, who was only eighteen years old.


    In contrast, Sister-in-law Li was twenty-six this year, at the prime of her youth, with thick eyebrows, big eyes, dimples that appeared when she smiled, and a straightforward personality that gave others a warm and approachable feeling.


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu, Sister-in-law Li hurriedly came over, a bit embarrassed as she said, ¡°Xiao Hu ran over to your place early this morning. I told him to deliver some buns, and I didn¡¯t know he hasn¡¯t returned until now...¡±


    Xiao Hu had not only delivered the buns, but he had essentially delivered himself as well.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled and said casually, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for last night, I wouldn¡¯t have even known that Xiao Hu¡¯s name was Li Mingguang.


    Then she asked with a smile, ¡°Sister-in-law Li, you wouldn¡¯t happen to have the last name Li, too, would you?¡±


    ¡°Who has the name Li? My surname is Zhou. I¡¯m called Zhou Xiaoqin, but after coming to the base, the younger ones call me Sister-in-law Li and the older ones call me Xiao Qin.¡±


    No need to ask further, Mr. Li must undoubtedly be Li Zhiqiang.


    Qiao Qingyu quickly organized the timeline in her mind; Mr. Li¡¯s incident occurred this autumn.


    The exact time wasn¡¯t mentioned, but it was probably around October.


    Moreover, the book only touched upon the storyline briefly, and the name of the female spy was unknown, but what was certain was that she was a recent university graduate, young and beautiful, which was the essential capital for being a spy.


    Thinking about it, Qiao Qingyu felt a surge of anger. Such a good person as Sister-in-law Li was not cherished by Mr. Li. It didn¡¯t matter that he died, but he should not have dragged Sister-in-law Li down, and Xiao Hu¡¯s whole life was also ruined by him.


    Qiao Qingyu asked quietly, ¡°Sister-in-law Li, do you have any money on hand now?¡±


    Sister-in-law Li was stunned for a moment, and although she didn¡¯t know why Qiao Qingyu asked, she still nodded, ¡°From the 600 yuan you gave me last time, I spent ten yuan, so now there¡¯s 590 left. If you need it, I can give it to you right away.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was about to decline with a wave of her hand, but suddenly changed her mind.


    She said, embarrassed, ¡°Sister-in-law Li, if you¡¯re not in a hurry to use it, could you lend me 300 yuan?¡±


    She continued, ¡°You know that Mr. Qian and I are cooperating on farming my three thousand mu of wasteland. Sister-in-law Li, you can rest assured, the moment you need the money, I¡¯ll pay you back right away.¡±


    Sister-in-law Li did not hesitate or doubt for a second. She turned and went inside the house, and quickly came back out, handing a cloth bundle to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qingyu, I¡¯m not good at saying polite words, but take this money and use it as you please. Don¡¯t worry about paying it back right now, focusing on doing the right thing is what¡¯s important.¡±


    When talking about this, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face turned a bit red, but her heart settled down a bit. After Xiao Hu¡¯s parents had both encountered trouble, he was sent back to his hometown. If the people back home were good to him, he wouldn¡¯t have begged all the way, looking like a little beggar, and run back to the Northwest family quarters.


    She was just worried Sister-in-law Li would foolishly send this money back to the hometown.


    Thankfully, the money was still in hand, so she would temporarily keep some of it safe for Sister-in-law Li.


    After the spy at the base was caught, she would return it to her. As for Mr. Li, that would have to be dealt with later.


    Holding the cloth bundle, Qiao Qingyu pretended to remember something and pulled at Sister-in-law Li¡¯s arm, ¡°Sister-in-law, I know Mr. Li¡¯s family is in a tough spot right now, with his parents and younger siblings all depending on you to support them. Will this affect you?¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t affect us. This year my sister-in-law also got married. From now on, sending some money home to the elderly every month can be considered a way to honor them...¡±


    Honoring one¡¯s parents is the natural way of things.


    But Qiao Qingyu felt something was off. According to common sense, after Xiao Hu returned to his hometown, Mr. Li¡¯s parents weren¡¯t too old and could totally raise Xiao Hu. After all, he was the only blood of their eldest son.


    Yet from the time Xiao Hu returned to the Northwest until he burned himself to death, not a single person from his hometown came to visit him.


    That just didn¡¯t make sense.


    Either his grandparents were heartless and cold, or perhaps there was some unspeakable hardship they were dealing with.


    Or maybe, they all held a grudge against Zhou Xiaoqin for killing Li Zhiqiang, so they hated Xiao Hu by association?


    ¡°How old are your in-laws this year? Are they able to work the land?¡±


    ¡°My father-in-law is just fifty years old this year, in good health, and he¡¯s always been working the land. My mother-in-law, too, is quite robust...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu could not continue asking; after saying a few words, she went back home.


    Although there was an additional man and a little girl at home now, He Xiuyu spent the whole morning working in his west room.


    He Xuerong still liked sitting next to the wooden box where the cabbage was growing.


    On her favorite wooden plank, Qiao Qingyu had already wrapped a strip of cloth.


    This way, there wouldn¡¯t be any risk of her little hands getting hurt.


    Xiao Hu wasn¡¯t strutting around with his wooden gun anymore. For the whole morning, he had been sitting next to He Xuerong, showing her his yo-yo, slingshot, little wooden gun, and some small stones he had picked up from who knows where...


    Qiao Qingyu started to make lunch; the base had its own tofu production, and they would deliver tofu to the family quarters every three days.


    Sister-in-law Li picked up two pieces of tofu and brought them over to Qiao Qingyu then tried to take Xiao Hu home for lunch. Although Xiao Hu was unhappy, he knew he couldn¡¯t always hang around at Aunt Qiao¡¯s house, so he obediently said goodbye to He Xuerong, ¡°Rongrong, I¡¯ll come back to play with you after I eat lunch.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu quickly pulled at Sister-in-law Li¡¯s arm, ¡°Sister-in-law Li, let Xiao Hu stay here; he can keep Rongrong company.¡±


    Sister-in-law Li thought it over for a moment and then agreed.

 Chapter 47 - 47 47 The Gentle Exterior Stripped Away

    ?Chapter 47: Chapter 47 The Gentle Exterior Stripped Away Chapter 47: Chapter 47 The Gentle Exterior Stripped Away Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t familiar with Xiao He¡¯s niece but having Xiao Hu help take care of He Xuerong turned out to be quite good.


    Sister-in-law Li, once she had thought it through, left again in a hurry.


    Xiao Hu was so happy he nearly somersaulted with joy.


    But he was still very polite as he said, ¡°Thank you, Aunt Qiao.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu patted his head, ¡°Go play with Rongrong, Auntie Qiao will make you something delicious for lunch.¡±


    In the morning, Qiao Qingyu had already soaked the dried mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, and daylilies.


    When she was alone, she never skimped, let alone now with three more people. In terms of food, Qiao Qingyu always was very generous.


    She planned to braise the soybeans soaked from two days ago with dried fish, stir-fry daylilies with eggs, slice up some sausage, and then make a cabbage soup with tofu.


    In this era, in this season, it was as sumptuous a lunch as one would have during the New Year.


    She went into the house to pick a few cabbages.


    Just as she reached out her hand, He Xuerong, who was sitting on the kang bed, watching Xiao Hu play with a spinning top, suddenly lifted her head and then crawled over to the wooden box on her hands and knees.


    Her forehead was sweating, and her little mouth was tightly pursed.


    While her little hands grasping the edge of the wooden box, her shining black eyes stared straight at Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu stopped her cabbage-picking motion.


    She tentatively asked, ¡°You don¡¯t want me to pick the cabbage?¡±


    Naturally, there was no response.


    Qiao Qingyu placed her hand on the spinach; stewing that with tofu was also delicious.


    She asked He Xuerong again, ¡°Rongrong, there¡¯s no problem if I pick this, right?¡±


    Although He Xuerong still kept her mouth shut tight and said nothing, her tense body visibly relaxed.


    Even though she didn¡¯t know why He Xuerong was so protective of that box of cabbages, Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t about to hold a grudge against a child. She picked a few spinach leaves and went to the kitchen.


    Meanwhile, He Xiuyu, who was multitasking, slowly put down his pen.


    The door to the west room was open, and with just a glance, he could see that charming figure; of course, he also heard what she had just said.


    The furrowed brows gradually smoothed out, and his handsome features softened a touch.


    He Xiuyu felt a bit guilty; he had just suspected with a baseless suspicion. The house was not large, and he could clearly hear the conversation in the east room.


    He even stood up.


    Rongrong was a sick child. Her thoughts and behaviors were different from those of other children.


    Even he didn¡¯t know why his little niece was so enamored with the large leaf grass in her mouth, but it was a good sign.


    It proved that there was still a crack in the tightly closed world she lived in.


    Just now, he was worried Qiao Qingyu would get angry, but it seemed he shouldn¡¯t have judged her with old preconceptions.


    He sat down again, picked up the pen, and continued summarizing the data.


    Very quickly, the kitchen was filled with a tempting aroma.


    He Xiuyu hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Qingyu to have such good cooking skills.


    Not to mention the two kids, even he ate an extra half bowl of rice.


    After finishing eating, he automatically got up to scrub the pots and wash the dishes.


    But Qiao Qingyu cooked cleanly, basically tidying up as she cooked.


    So the kitchen was not in disarray.


    At this moment, Qiao Qingyu stood on the north side of the room, instructing Xiao Hu in an even tone, ¡°Xiao Hu, the contents of these wooden boxes covered by the canvas are very important. You can play however you want inside the house, just don¡¯t mess with them, do you hear me?¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s hand paused for a moment.


    The next second, he raised his eyebrows and then continued washing the dishes.


    He was well aware that Qiao Qingyu¡¯s message was meant for him. Not knowing what was underneath yesterday, he had actually lifted the cover to peek. There was a row of large, tightly sealed wooden boxes, and it was impossible to tell what was inside.


    Considering the bags of dirt in the yard and the dried goods in the cupboard, he vaguely guessed that someone from Qiao Qingyu¡¯s family had come to visit.


    It seemed that in the days he had been unaware, quite a lot had happened.


    At this time, Xiao Hu¡¯s crisp voice rang out, ¡°Aunt Qiao, I won¡¯t touch anything, I promise I won¡¯t even peek.¡±


    Followed by Qiao Qingyu¡¯s chuckling laughter, He Xiuyu placed the clean dishes in the cupboard. Standing at the doorway, his voice was deep, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, come here for a moment.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stopped laughing. The words she had just said were intended for He Xiuyu to hear. As long as he didn¡¯t pry open the wooden boxes, her Heavenly Silk Hemp and Barley Grass Seeds would be secure once planted in a few days, temporarily stabilizing the source of the seeds.


    She had not expected that He Xiuyu would call for her right after she said those words. Pushing aside the curtain, Qiao Qingyu walked out.


    He Xiuyu had already gone to the west room and had laid out a stack of money and food coupons on the desk. Looking at Qiao Qingyu who followed him in, his voice was gentle, ¡°Here¡¯s ninety dollars, take this for now...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked straight at He Xiuyu.


    This habit of his¡ªhanding out money at the drop of a hat¡ªreally great!


    Sadly, she was not his wife, nor did she plan to spend a long future with him, so naturally, she couldn¡¯t accept the money.


    Not just this, but she also had to pay back the money He Xiuyu had given her before.


    Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°Wait a moment.¡±


    Immediately after, Qiao Qingyu whirled into the east room like a gust of wind. He Xiuyu, surprised, unconsciously furrowed his brows. The next moment, he saw Qiao Qingyu return.


    She took out a stack of bills from a wallet.


    Placing them before him, she even gave him a smile as she said, ¡°This is one thousand yuan. When we first got married, you gave me eight hundred yuan, and before you went out the other day, you gave me another eighty. I¡¯ve used some of the food coupons, and I don¡¯t have any left, so I¡¯ll compensate with cash... Take it... okay...¡±


    Toward the end, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s voice hardened a bit, and that ¡°okay¡± was much softer.


    The warmth of the west room that had seemed like a spring breeze seemed to shift instantly to an arctic glacier.


    The description of ice-cold to the bone was no exaggeration.


    Really?


    Qiao Qingyu raised her gaze to He Xiuyu, then suddenly found herself staring into a pair of eyes as cold as frost. His expression was sharp, and he seemed to have made a connection, his voice chilling as he pronounced each word, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, are you still considering divorce?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was stunned for a moment, not expecting He Xiuyu to react like this, nor did she anticipate that he would jump to the topic of divorce. After all, she was simply returning the money, but she went along with it and nodded immediately, making her voice sound as soft and obedient as possible, ¡°Yeah, I think divorce is the best thing for us...¡±


    He Xiuyu burst into a rage-filled laugh, his peach blossom eyes shining with a cold light, as if Qiao Qingyu¡¯s actions had severely crossed his bottom line.


    The veneer of gentleness was stripped away, revealing the fangs of a wild wolf.


    He leaned forward slightly, his penetrating gaze falling on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face, ¡°At the beginning of the month, I remember telling you that marriage is not child¡¯s play; I don¡¯t want to hear this a second time.¡±


    At that moment, the sense of authority and dominance that came with his high position made Qiao Qingyu feel somewhat suffocated, but it also stirred up her temper.


    There was nothing she, Qiao Qingyu, feared less than threats and warnings.


    She arched her eyebrows, watching He Xiuyu unflinchingly, her voice filled with defiance, ¡°He Xiuyu, I also want to tell you, I will definitely divorce you. Whether you want to hear it or not, I¡¯ll say it. If you don¡¯t agree, I¡¯ll sue you in court!¡±

 Chapter 48 - 48 48 He is Actually So Unscrupulous

    ?Chapter 48: Chapter 48: He is Actually So Unscrupulous Chapter 48: Chapter 48: He is Actually So Unscrupulous He Xiuyu¡¯s gaze was intently fixed on Qiao Qingyu as he observed her clear eyes and her unusual expression. He was certain that Qiao Qingyu was serious.


    He slowly began to speak, his voice deep, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, no one can disrupt my life and then just clap their hands and walk away!¡±


    Haha, is he bragging about being a talented literary figure?


    ¡°Listen to me now, He Xiuyu,¡± Qiao Qingyu tapped her finger on the table, emphasizing strongly, ¡°The divorce is definitely happening. Take this money; from now on, I don¡¯t owe you anything.¡±


    The room suddenly fell into dead silence.


    In such a quiet atmosphere, He Xiuyu¡¯s expression was inscrutable. He leaned over, with a smile that was not quite a smile, looking at Qiao Qingyu. Their eyes met and they breathed each other¡¯s air. In a voice that only the two of them could hear, he murmured softly, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, slipping into my bed isn¡¯t so easy!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the calm-faced He Xiuyu, her face turning bright red. She opened and closed her mouth, ¡°Scoundrel, filthy scoundrel!¡±


    He¡¯s the male protagonist, how can he be so shameless!


    Seeing his focused gaze and his beautiful thin lips parting as if he were about to speak, Qiao Qingyu pounced like a little leopard, trying to stop him from speaking, but He Xiuyu firmly grasped her wrist.


    ¡°Let go of your nonsense, He Xiuyu, shut your mouth!¡±


    But she was slightly shorter; instead of blocking his mouth, it looked more like she was throwing herself into his arms.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s gaze was fiercely fixed on He Xiuyu, her voice just as fierce, ¡°He Xiuyu, if you dare to bring this up again, I¡¯ll fight you with my life!¡±


    He Xiuyu chuckled softly. His gaze remained inspecting Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face. When he was sure that her eyes lacked the usual fascination and love, he knew she had indeed changed.


    She no longer liked him.


    How could this be!


    She didn¡¯t understand how difficult it was for them to get married, nor did she know the effort and price he had paid for it.


    Nor did she know the deep-seated hatred in his mother¡¯s eyes and his father¡¯s overnight whitened hair when he announced he would marry her.


    Their union had placed everyone in an awkward, unbeatable relationship.


    Therefore, he had brought her back to the Northwest Base.


    He was busy, but even when he was busy, he would drop everything and come back immediately whenever she made trouble.


    Explaining logic to her seemed beyond her comprehension.


    His patience was limited, but he was still bearing it.


    Their marriage was ridiculous, but he still clenched his teeth to maintain it.


    Actually, these past few days, Qiao Qingyu had made him breathe a sigh of relief, but now, he realized that the breath was actually stuck here.


    He drew closer to Qiao Qingyu, their proximity very close, their light and pleasant breaths instantly intermingling. He still lowered his voice, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, keeping me silent is actually quite simple...¡±


    The usually slick and scheming Qiao Qingyu became confused.


    Did he actually say that?


    ¡°Scoundrel!¡± Qiao Qingyu spat out three words, pushed him, and He Xiuyu released his hand, allowing her to retreat to the doorway.


    Then she glared fiercely at He Xiuyu once more before turning and leaving.


    That figure, it somewhat resembled a hurried escape.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s gaze was deep, and after a few moments, he packed the money he had prepared for Qiao Qingyu¡¯s household expenses along with the money that Qiao Qingyu had brought, and put them all together in a drawer.


    He thought to himself, where did Qiao Qingyu get all this money?


    Perhaps it was from her family.


    But it didn¡¯t quite seem likely...


    His expression calm, he sat down and continued working as if nothing had happened.


    Qiao Qingyu stood outside the door, her complexion very poor, not expecting to have her defeat right there.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s behavior shattered her perception of him as a gentleman as pure as jade¡ªwhat gentleman, he was just a shameless rogue!


    She walked on furiously, and only when she reached the entrance of the village did she finally calm down.


    Divorce was He Xiuyu¡¯s sensitive spot, not to be touched, but why?


    Isn¡¯t divorce a good thing?


    Was it just because she crawled into his bed, held him tightly, and because he was drunk, he also hugged her in a daze?


    But besides that, there was nothing else!


    Thinking of this, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face flushed again; actually, as an experienced internet user, she shouldn¡¯t be so shy.


    But she couldn¡¯t help it; the memories of the original body couldn¡¯t be erased; she remembered that night all too clearly.


    She didn¡¯t want to think about it, but when she did, it was so embarrassing she wished she could bury the original owner underground.


    The original owner and her cousin had arranged it all¡ªtwo minutes after she entered, her cousin would come and knock on the door, bringing a few people to watch, so that He Xiuyu would have no choice but to acknowledge it.


    In the end, things went according to her wishes.


    But it also caused a huge uproar.


    Now, it was she who started this ridiculous situation, and it was she who would end it; wouldn¡¯t it be a joy for both the Qiao Family and the He Family to have nothing to do with each other anymore?


    Was it worth it for him to be persistent over this?


    He didn¡¯t even like her!


    Where was the problem then?


    Qiao Qingyu began to analyze He Xiuyu¡¯s personality calmly; first of all, he was a scientist passionate about research and innovation, pure and self-disciplined.


    So, his reaction didn¡¯t seem strange.


    He definitely had a reasonable, scientific plan for his life.


    But she had barged in unexpectedly.


    For him, marriage was also like an experiment; when an uncertain element appeared, he would sort it out and clarify it, rather than let it take its course.


    Was that it?


    At that moment, Qiao Qingyu really wanted to go back and ask him.


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu was tired from walking and took an afternoon nap at Sister-in-law Li¡¯s house.


    When she woke up, it was almost dark.


    Qiao Qingyu immediately got up, and Sister-in-law Li, leading a sullen Xiao Hu, also returned.


    She resolutely refused to allow Xiao Hu to scrounge for food anymore.


    As she was putting on her shoes, Xiao Hu asked beside her earnestly and quietly, ¡°Aunt Qiao, I¡¯m thinking of being your son, what do you think?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at Xiao Hu in astonishment; the cheeky kid, influenced by Rongrong, was now thinking of changing allegiances?


    She lowered her voice as well, ¡°That¡¯s not up to me. Your mom has to agree first.¡±


    Adopting an older son wasn¡¯t bad, especially since this kid was smart, knew how to make money, and was protective; when He Xuerong first entered the entertainment industry, people didn¡¯t know about her family background.


    One of the big bosses took a fancy to her and set up a trap to get her, arranging two nephews to record it; he used this method to ruin many girls who aspired to be stars.


    After succeeding, he would leave with his nephews and cronies...


    With the video in his hands and controlling the resources, the humiliated girls didn¡¯t dare to complain, allowing him to remain untouchable, while he maintained the public image of a successful philanthropist.


    He Xuerong¡¯s agent was Li Mingguang¡¯s person, so He Xuerong managed to escape the big boss¡¯s villa smoothly, but the agent was beaten half to death.

 Chapter 49 - 49 49 Face Cream

    ?Chapter 49: Chapter 49 Face Cream Chapter 49: Chapter 49 Face Cream Three days later, all the male members within the big boss¡¯s five families had been rendered impotent and had their legs broken. The big boss was beaten within an inch of his life but didn¡¯t dare to call the police.


    Two more days passed, and the big boss¡¯s family carried him¡ªleft with nothing¡ªaway from Beijing.


    Halfway through their journey, the van in which he was riding exploded, leaving none of his sons or nephews alive.


    Since then, no one dared to mess with He Xuerong, let alone after they learned about her family background, and no one dared provoke her. In the entertainment circles of the nineties, she could be said to walk sideways.


    To tell the truth, the reason He Xuerong was so imposing had nothing to do with the He family. She hated her father and mother, and she loathed her grandmother and aunt.


    Besides visiting her grandfather, He Shan, who was recuperating in a nursing home, she never returned to the He family.


    Her pillars of support were He Xiuyu and Li Mingguang.


    These two had given her the capital to do whatever she pleased.


    Especially the youngster in front of her, who was so clever that he almost utterly ruined the Tenghai Research Base.


    At that time, the base also suffered significant losses.


    And for this, He Xiuyu bore unimaginable pressure and accusations.


    The future villain boss was indeed formidable...


    She stretched out her hand and pinched Xiao Hu¡¯s cheek, Qiao Qingyu thought, feeling an exceptional sense of achievement!


    Xiao Hu hung his head and pouted unhappily, muttering, ¡°I am the apple of my mother¡¯s eye, and she won¡¯t give her eyes to anyone else.¡±


    Sister-in-law Li came in just in time and, having heard the latter part without understanding, laughed and scolded, ¡°You little rascal, go wash your hands, and stop bothering Aunt Qiao.¡±


    Xiao Hu dashed away in a flash.


    ¡°Jade, Xiao He has prepared dinner at home, and he and Rongrong are waiting for you to come home and eat.¡± She then smacked her lips in admiration, ¡°Your Xiao He is really a good man, not only capable outside but also a good husband at home.¡±


    Hehe, you haven¡¯t seen his shameless face.


    Qiao Qingyu chuckled awkwardly and no longer dawdled; she got up and left Sister-in-law Li¡¯s house. At this time, the sky was a bit dim, and the lights in the family compound were also lit.


    She entered the courtyard and opened the house door; under the dim yellow light, He Xiuyu was just about to lift the lid off the pot.


    Seeing her come in, He Xiuyu actually smiled slightly, though his voice was faint, it was very gentle, ¡°You¡¯re back, wash your hands and eat.¡±


    It was as if...


    their argument in the afternoon had never happened.


    His voice was warm, and he then lifted the pot lid, releasing a familiar yet unfamiliar aroma.


    Qiao Qingyu uncharacteristically looked askance, and in the next second, was startled by the sight¡ªthe big iron pot was lined with golden-brown corn cakes, containing a stew of sauerkraut and glass noodles, topped with a layer of thinly sliced smoked ham...


    Where did these noodles come from?


    And, could He Xiuyu really cook such authentic Northeastern cuisine?


    The scene in front of her seemed a bit magical.


    Although she had transmigrated into a book, the original host¡¯s memories, including her tastes, had all been passed on to her.


    She really liked eating corn cakes, especially the golden crispy layer on the bottom, which in the Northeast is called ¡°gazha.¡± Qiao Qingyu looked away and hurried to wash her hands.


    The basin was filled with clean water that was warm to the touch...


    Qiao Qingyu felt a whirlwind of emotions.


    During the meal, the dining table was enveloped in silence. He Xiuyu was not talkative, and He Xuerong was completely silent. It was unexpected that she really liked eating sweet potato noodles, and she even ate half a corn pancake.


    Cooking corn pancakes in a large iron pot was not easy, and getting them perfect was even harder. But He Xiuyu not only had good knowledge; his cooking skills were also quite impressive. As long as nobody annoyed him, he truly could be described as a gentleman as pure as jade.


    But when bedtime arrived, the two who had been silent all along had to talk.


    The west room was tidy and smelled lightly fresh, so He Xiuyu prepared to take Rongrong to the west room. He had made a separate small bed for her, lit a small fire in the kang, and Rongrong sleeping at the head of the kang was just perfect.


    Unexpectedly, He Xuerong just stared at her little uncle with her big watery eyes and clenched onto the cabbage crate without moving.


    Qiao Qingyu had to break the silence, ¡°Two choices, either move the cabbage crate to your room or let her sleep here.¡±


    He Xuerong naturally wouldn¡¯t make a choice; she just grabbed onto the wooden crate without letting go.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s gaze fell on the berth of the crate wrapped with cloth strips, and inexplicably, his heart softened. He thought about how Qiao Qingyu, who did not fuss or bring up divorce, was actually very kind-hearted.


    His gaze became tender, ¡°Let¡¯s put the cabbage crate in the west room for now. Once Rongrong goes to preschool, I¡¯ll move it back for you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine; you move it.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was very generous.


    It was just a cabbage crate, after all.


    Thus, bit by bit, He Xiuyu pried Rongrong¡¯s little hands away and carried the cabbage crate to the west room.


    He then successfully carried He Xuerong to the west room. Qiao Qingyu breathed a sigh of relief and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, realizing that He Xiuyu did not expect her to help with child care.


    The next day, Sun Dazhi came to pick up He Xiuyu for work.


    He Xiuyu had also prepared breakfast early. After everyone finished eating, Qiao Qingyu went to the yard. Taking this moment, He Xiuyu took out a bottle of face cream and placed it on the kang table in the east room, but upon reaching the door, he felt it was too conspicuous. Feeling slightly uneasy, he glanced at the yard and placed the face cream in the cupboard above the kang.


    Looking at it, this position seemed most appropriate.


    Following him, He Xuerong, with pursed lips, watched a few crates on the kang that Qiao Qingyu had reorganized, as there had been a gap the night before.


    She stared blankly in that direction, then was carried out of the house by He Xiuyu. He had to take her to work and had packed a change of clothes, having also arranged for Shen Haoze to tidy up his dormitory.


    After all, he would be living there with Rongrong for a while.


    Before leaving, He Xiuyu told Qiao Qingyu that he might come back once a week and to call him if needed.


    He Xiuyu had Sun Dazhi move the cabbage crate from the west room into the car. Although Sun Dazhi didn¡¯t understand why, he still placed the cabbage crate in the car.


    Sun Dazhi originally wanted to mention that Tenghai Research Base had forty-five acres of cabbages; when He wasn¡¯t around, Qiao Qingyu generously provided the cabbage seeds, allowing the staff at the base to eat fresh green vegetables. Now, these cabbages were growing very well, with nutritional values twice that of local cabbages, and the comparison chart was even posted in the cafeteria.


    But he thought about it and chose not to say anything, as these matters would be reported to Chief Engineer He when he visits the base.


    As the jeep disappeared, Xiao Hu rushed out like a gust of wind from the Li family¡¯s house and, seeing Qiao Qingyu standing at the door with hopeful wide-eyed, asked, ¡°Aunt Qiao, is Rongrong home?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t lie to him and pointed toward the departing jeep, ¡°Xiao Hu, Rongrong and Uncle He have gone to work. They¡¯ll be back in a few days...¡±


    Before she could finish, Xiao Hu burst into tears and took off running toward the jeep, crying and calling out, ¡°Rongrong, wait for me, Rongrong, wait for me...¡±


    Catching her breath, Qiao Qingyu managed to stop Xiao Hu. Nothing she said could calm him down until Sister-in-law Li rushed over and slapped his little backside, immediately stopping his cries!

 Chapter 50 - 50 50 He Spent Almost the Entire Morning

    ?Chapter 50: Chapter 50: He Spent Almost the Entire Morning Dealing with Issues Related to Qiao Qingyu (First Update) Chapter 50: Chapter 50: He Spent Almost the Entire Morning Dealing with Issues Related to Qiao Qingyu (First Update) Qiao Qingyu was dumbstruck and speechless.


    Indeed, a tigress is a tiger cub¡¯s nemesis!


    A naughty child can¡¯t be coddled, a slap will guarantee their obedient behavior.


    Xiao Hu was dragged home by Sister-in-law Li, and Qiao Qingyu entered the laboratory.


    She inspected the seeds on the shelves and then sat down on a small stool, supporting her chin with both hands, pondering over her own breeding laboratory.


    The plan had gone smoothly up to this point.


    The reason she hadn¡¯t left Xichuan was multifaceted.


    But other reasons were not important, what mattered was the source of the seeds, and she truly wanted to transform Xichuan¡¯s barren sands into vast fertile fields.


    Moreover, to Uncle and the Qiao Family Team, no matter how many seeds she produced, they would automatically attribute them to He Xiuyu and the Tenghai Research Base behind him.


    And it was the same here at the base; many things she did would also be linked to He Xiuyu.


    In principle, He Xiuyu truly served as her shield.


    Between Uncle, the base, and Xiaxi Commune, she was playing a game of timing.


    Now that He Xiuyu had returned, whether she could make the source of the seeds official depended on whether her breeding laboratory would be approved.


    Qiao Qingyu had no confidence in her heart.


    She somewhat regretted having brought up divorce with He Xiuyu.


    But there was no helping it, it was just a conversation that got out of hand; in reality, all she wanted was to repay the money.


    Qiao Qingyu left the laboratory and caught a glimpse, out of the corner of her eye, of a jar of face cream next to the kang cabinet.


    It was the most popular cosmetic of the era, also the favorite among the local girls.


    She paused for a moment, walked over, and picked up the face cream; it was new, still sealed.


    Placed at the edge of her kang cabinet, it wasn¡¯t in a prominent position but was still easily noticeable by her, undeniably, this was a gift from He Xiuyu.


    Qiao Qingyu felt a complex and indescribable feeling in her heart.


    Her expression was complicated, but she had to admit, He Xiuyu was not only highly intelligent but also had high emotional intelligence. With such subtle and unobtrusive gestures, which girl could resist such temptation?


    But did she really want to be He Xiuyu¡¯s wife?


    Qiao Qingyu shook her head, resolutely nipping the thought in the bud; it wasn¡¯t that she feared Su Yunyao, nor that He Xiuyu was bad, but the relationship between the Qiao and He families was too awkward.


    Her birth mother had once been betrothed to He Shan as a child bride, later sold to Qiao Zhicai by He Xiuyu¡¯s grandmother; after fighting battles for a decade, Han Xianglan was He Shan¡¯s most beautiful dream.


    Therefore, He Shan had deep feelings for Han Xianglan, or else he wouldn¡¯t have nearly severed ties with his own mother.


    So, you tell me, how broad-minded would she need to be to become Meng Siqi¡¯s daughter-in-law?


    Better to forget it.


    But she had to acknowledge He Xiuyu¡¯s kindness and would later find a way to resolve their marriage without hurting feelings.


    Qiao Qingyu opened the face cream; her skin had been very well moisturized lately because of frequent visits to the laboratory, but she scooped a little to apply on the back of her hand, and it was fragrant...


    Qiao Qingyu was unaware of the smile that crept onto her brow; indeed, it was quite pleasant to be treated with such care.


    Currently, the Tenghai Research Base had over two thousand scientific researchers, more than eight thousand workers, along with other positions, making a total of over ten thousand staff in the system.


    As the person responsible for overseeing both scientific research and production, He Xiuyu left Rongrong in the office next door and started his work.


    There was a meeting at nine o¡¯clock.


    He had to finish reading the biweekly reports from each department before then, organize the content for the meeting, and devise the next steps for the research plans.


    And there were many, many other things.


    He was truly busy.


    Working against the clock busy.


    What he hadn¡¯t expected was that he would spend nearly the entire morning dealing with issues related to Qiao Qingyu.


    First, the base¡¯s logistics staffer, Chef Song, came to plead his case, hoping that Liu Qiao Wen could go home early in consideration of her child and elderly mother, asserting that she recognized her mistakes and promised to reform...


    Then the loved one of Zhu Linhai, the person in charge of the heavy work workshop production line, knocked on the door, her eyes teary, begging He Xiuyu to have a proper talk with his wife Qiao Qingyu and to stop singling out Zhu Mingli. Her daughter was now jobless and afraid even to step outside her door...


    Next, the chief accountant of the base knocked on the door. Her name was Yu Jing, who oversaw the base¡¯s finance and, while kind and friendly, was also upright. The people at the base respected her much, affectionately calling her Sister Yu.


    She reported to He Xiuyu about the compensation payment of two thousand yuan that Qiao Qingyu had taken from the base because of the contract. The base¡¯s funds were earmarked for specific uses, and this money was originally allocated for scientific research, but Old Wei had decided, and she had had no choice but to give the two thousand yuan to him.


    She and Old Wei were equals in rank, so there was no question of skipping the chain of command to report the issue.


    He Xiuyu put down his pen and concealed the astonishment within, asking only, ¡°According to regulations, should this money be compensated?¡±


    Yu Jing smiled gently and said, ¡°Chief Engineer He, according to the rules, the loss should indeed be compensated to Qiao Qingyu, but since the money is for scientific research, it required your approval. Old Wei said it was a loan, to be repaid once the administrative funds arrived, so I agreed. I share the responsibility in this matter too, I need to reflect on it...¡±


    Just as she spoke, another knock on the office door came. Without waiting for He Xiuyu to tell them to come in, the door was pushed open. Shen Haoze entered, looking quite distressed.


    Yu Jing placed a few documents on He Xiuyu¡¯s desk that needed his signature.


    As she walked past Shen Haoze, she whispered, ¡°Haoze, take your time, there¡¯s no need to rush.¡±


    Shen Haoze nodded and took a deep breath. Meanwhile, Yu Jing quickly left the office, closing the door firmly behind her.


    Turning the corner in the hallway, she saw Su Yunyao heading her way, a flash of understanding in her eyes. She beamed, ¡°Yunyao, are you heading to Chief Engineer He¡¯s office? Haoze is there.¡±


    Su Yunyao raised the files in her hand, ¡°These are for Chief Engineer He¡¯s signature. The president of the Wulong Group from M country is coming to visit Xichuan, and the headquarters assigned me to assist the Xichuan department in hosting these prospecting foreign investors and Chinese expatriates.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about it too, Yunyao. With your excellent language skills, you¡¯re the perfect person for the job. Do it well; if you can secure a few investments for our base, you¡¯ll be a true heroine,¡± she said encouragingly.


    Su Yunyao curled the corner of her mouth, modestly responding, ¡°Sister Yu, I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    At that moment, Shen Haoze was still unable to control his temper, and he blurted out to He Xiuyu about Qiao Qingyu enlisting the base¡¯s technicians to help repair machinery for the County Mechanical Factory.


    ¡°Xiu Yu, your wife is causing too much trouble; she actually managed to drag our base¡¯s engineers out there. You have to take control; if you don¡¯t, this will soon be out of hand.¡±


    It had never occurred to He Xiuyu that, in the span of twenty minutes, all he would hear about was Qiao Qingyu¡¯s affairs.


    He furrowed his brows and asked Shen Haoze, ¡°Did Qiao Qingyu directly ask you for manpower?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± Shen Haoze answered, ¡°She first approached Director Xie, who then went to Old Wei, and ultimately, Old Wei came to me. I didn¡¯t know at the time that your wife intended to use the County Mechanical Factory¡¯s equipment for plowing fields, so I dispatched two technicians to the county.¡±

 Chapter 51 - 51 51 During The Time He Was Away (Second

    ?Chapter 51: Chapter 51 During The Time He Was Away (Second Update) Chapter 51: Chapter 51 During The Time He Was Away (Second Update) He Xiuyu¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly as he asked indifferently, ¡°Is the procedure for dispatching engineers from the base in compliance with regulations?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s in compliance.¡±


    He Xiuyu stood up and rubbed his forehead, his voice cold and stern, ¡°First, tell me what the deal is with Liu Qiao Wen and Zhu Mingli?¡±


    Shen Haoze was also taken aback; he hadn¡¯t planned on letting He Xiuyu know about Liu Qiao Wen¡¯s issue, as it also involved his mother. He steeled himself and said, ¡°I dealt with Liu Qiao Wen¡¯s matter, but I have no idea about Zhu Mingli...¡±


    Ten minutes later, Shen Haoze left the office dejectedly.


    Annoyed, he scratched his head and turned to glare at the door to He Xiuyu¡¯s office.


    A man who puts romance before friendship.


    He had only been married for a few days, and he was already taking Qiao Qingyu¡¯s side¡ªdidn¡¯t he dislike her?


    But he had nothing to say in response because there was nothing to criticize Qiao Qingyu for regarding Liu Qiao Wen and the County Machinery Factory.


    Yet, he always felt as if there was cotton stuffed in his chest.


    He left in frustration.


    He Xiuyu went to the room next door and glanced at Rongrong, finding his little niece still obediently sitting beside the box, looking down at the cabbage inside. Then, he gently closed the door and stood in front of the window.


    He had not expected his mother would remotely pry into his every move here.


    If it weren¡¯t for Qiao Qingyu¡¯s report on Liu Qiao Wen, such things would have continued.


    No matter what Qiao Qingyu was up to, that was no excuse for her to be surveilled from afar.


    But before He Xiuyu could sort through his thoughts, Director Xie knocked on the door and came in, still talking about Qiao Qingyu.


    However, it was all praise for Qiao Qingyu.


    Before Old Xie left, Old Wei arrived.


    He got straight to the point about the two thousand yuan, then brought up the contract and certain people bypassing the chain of command in their reports. By the end, Old Wei waved his hand grandly, ¡°Xiao He, I¡¯ve already criticized them in a meeting, so let¡¯s let bygones be bygones. The administrative funds will be in place this afternoon, and I¡¯ll make sure you get that two thousand yuan.¡±


    He Xiuyu could no longer remain calm at heart.


    During his absence, what all had Qiao Qingyu stirred up?


    But it wasn¡¯t over yet; Old Wei continued, ¡°I came today to give you a heads-up; Comrade Qiao Qingyu is preparing to set up a Breeding Laboratory, and this is based on compensations from the contract cancellation. Both Mr. Qi from the headquarters and I have approved it, but we need your signature for the technical aspects.¡±


    A Breeding Laboratory?


    He Xiuyu, usually calm and composed, couldn¡¯t help but express his surprise. Old Wei and Old Xie exchanged glances, and Old Wei asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t your family member tell you?¡±


    He Xiuyu shook his head, ¡°She didn¡¯t say anything.¡±


    After thinking it over, Old Wei laughed, ¡°Qiao Qingyu is a good comrade; she¡¯s handling official business properly, so let¡¯s do the same. We¡¯ll discuss it at the meeting and if it¡¯s feasible, we¡¯ll pass it directly.¡±


    Director Xie also smiled amiably, ¡°Xiao He, the cabbage seeds that Comrade Qiao Qingyu brought from her hometown are of very high quality and have already been provided to our comrades at the base. We cannot let those who have contributed do so silently; I suggest we should commend Comrade Qiao Qingyu.¡± He then added, ¡°Otherwise, it could dampen the comrades¡¯ enthusiasm.¡±


    Seeds brought back by Qiao Qingyu from her hometown?


    He Xiuyu¡¯s eyes flashed with a hint of confusion before he lifted the corners of his mouth, ¡°It¡¯s not time for the meeting yet, Uncle Wei, Uncle Xie, why don¡¯t you two tell me about the cabbage seeds and the Breeding Laboratory?¡±


    ...


    Meanwhile, on the three thousand acres of wasteland of Xiaxi Commune, several hundred members were laboring. Most of them were working passively, as it didn¡¯t matter if the land was good or bad¡ªthey all did the same work and naturally, there were no objections.


    But Captain Liu of the fifth team furrowed his brows. He looked down at the land under his feet and suddenly tossed his hoe to the side.


    He spat and, filled with anger, said to the team leader working in front of him, ¡°Team leader, we can¡¯t go on working this way, blindly and on such barren land, at that. If we end up harvesting nothing, aren¡¯t we just toiling for nothing? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to do something else with our time?¡±


    One person speaking up naturally led to others echoing his sentiment, especially since the land was dry and hard, and several strikes with the hoe hardly loosened it.


    Although it was said that someone was providing money and seeds, after all, labor wasn¡¯t money, who said farmers¡¯ work was worthless? Working day after day with no hope in sight, wasn¡¯t easy to persist in.


    ¡°Lao Liu has a point. This land has failed to produce a decent yield for many years, and it won¡¯t change this year either. If we squander the seeds and labor here, isn¡¯t that just plain stupidity?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we really can¡¯t work this way.¡±


    ¡°Wishing to clear all this land, we might not even finish by winter.¡±


    ¡°You officials, you don¡¯t understand the strain because you don¡¯t do the work, stuffing your heads with straw. Making us farm on such barren land, wasting food like that could lead to divine punishment.¡±


    Murmurs spread like ripples in water, and although many didn¡¯t throw down their tools, they leaned on their wooden rakes and began to watch and wait.


    This wasn¡¯t a job that offered any hope, so naturally, there wasn¡¯t much motivation.


    And farmers, after all, have a natural sense of responsibility toward the land and seeds.


    These days, Vice Director Qian was so anxious that he developed blisters at the corners of his mouth. He wasn¡¯t young anymore, but he still got up early and returned late.


    Seeing everyone looking like they were about to drop their burdens and quit, how could he allow that? Although the cleared land wasn¡¯t extensive, the contracts had been signed. Could they go back on their word like the research base did?


    If that were the case, then he truly would be in the wrong.


    He couldn¡¯t take advantage of Qiao Qingyu just because she was young.


    But he, too, was anxious inside. Otherwise, why would so many blisters have sprouted at the corners of his mouth? He shouted with a hoarse voice, ¡°Get to work properly, you¡¯re not being shortchanged of your work points. What are you grumbling about with all this idle talk? Complaining will cost you work points!¡±


    Work points, after all, were the lifeblood of the members.


    Without them, what would they eat?


    Although they weren¡¯t starving these days, they were only just scraping by. The grain reserves of each household were low, and people conserved food day by day. Now, one could almost see through the rice porridge.


    So, everyone was anxious inside, wondering what crop the commune wanted to grow. But if the seeds were distributed among them, perhaps they could endure the summer and look forward to the fall harvest.


    However, Vice Director Qian¡¯s authority still carried weight. After his words, Captain Liu grabbed his hoe and started hoeing furiously.


    Mr. Qian¡¯s secretary was also worried. The commune was now divided into two factions, with many planning to report Mr. Qian to the county.


    Because the eight hundred acres of land were planted with borrowed money, and now that no sprouts were emerging, it seemed they had been swindled. So there was even less hope for the three thousand acres.


    ¡°Vice Director Qian, how about giving everyone a day off or distributing some grain today? Otherwise, they¡¯re going to file complaints against you in the county,¡± the secretary suggested anxiously.


    Mr. Qian pursed his cracked lips, looking out over the desolate land. Although there was a flicker of doubt in his heart, he then shook his head resolutely, ¡°No holidays. Keep working. Each household has some reserves still, and the teams have a surplus. After a month, when it¡¯s all consumed, then we¡¯ll distribute some more...¡±

 Chapter 52 - 52 52 Sprouts Emerge (Third Update)

    ?Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Sprouts Emerge (Third Update) Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Sprouts Emerge (Third Update) The commune clerk nodded his head, agreeing that it was the best arrangement.


    They thought everyone would now settle down and work earnestly, but somehow, the words of the fifth small team leader quickly spread to everyone¡¯s ears.


    This time, Vice Director Qian couldn¡¯t stop it; out of over five hundred people, apart from a hundred who resolutely followed him to work, the rest put down their hoes.


    They circled Mr. Qian tightly, arguing that there was safety in numbers, if it had been one-on-one, no one would have dared, but now it was one against four hundred, and they practically wanted to tear Mr. Qian apart.


    ¡°What are you all doing? Disperse and get back to work!¡±


    ¡°Vice Director Qian, we can¡¯t continue this work. With the time we have, we could earn some drinking money carrying heavy loads in the city. If we incur losses, what will the commune use to pay us our work points?¡±


    ...


    In the end, these individuals were just worried that if the fields produced no grain, they wouldn¡¯t get their work points.


    It was different from working in their own teams; here, accounting was done separately.


    Mr. Qian was so enraged his complexion turned ashen. All his hard work up to now, what was it for? It was for the commune members to have enough to eat, for the children to have money for schooling, for there to be a bowl of meat on the dinner table during New Year¡¯s, so that they wouldn¡¯t have to borrow from the east and the west just to buy some salt...


    Do the Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of other communes labor alongside their communities as he does?


    Suddenly, Mr. Qian felt discouraged.


    Once a person loses spirit, the vigorous energy that once filled them dissipates. Mr. Qian suddenly felt powerless, and darkness swam before his eyes in waves.


    The clerk shouted anxiously, ¡°Don¡¯t crowd around, disperse...¡±


    But with all the commotion, who took his words seriously?


    Mr. Qian, one hand on his waist, the other gripping the hoe tightly, looked at the commune members who were threatening to report him to the county, so angry he was speechless.


    Just at that moment, shouts erupted from the distance; ¡°The seedlings have emerged, the seedlings have emerged, eight hundred acres of wasteland have sprouted...¡±


    In the beginning, no one paid attention, but as the shouting grew louder, everyone turned their heads in unison to look toward the edge of the field.


    A few men stumbled and ran, their voices broken from shouting, ¡°Vice Director Qian, go look, it¡¯s true, the seedlings have emerged...¡±


    Everyone was stunned for a moment, and then they all ran towards those eight hundred acres of wasteland.


    Since it was wasteland, the plots were contiguous.


    It wasn¡¯t far. After running over two hills, they arrived.


    The specks of green stretching to the horizon abruptly filled hundreds of eyes.


    This land had lain fallow for decades.


    Suddenly, someone burst into song, ¡°Row upon row of those hills, row upon row of those ridges, at the thought of my dear sister, my heart flutters...¡±


    The song, high-pitched and hearty yet filled with joy, resonated across the eight hundred acres of wasteland. The verdant thousand silk hemp seeds, not knowing the hope they had brought to these people, still unfurled their tender green leaves in the spring of April.


    Mr. Qian knelt at the edge of the field and suddenly covered his face.


    Only Heaven knew how much pressure he had been under these days. Yet, he couldn¡¯t let others see; he had to greet everyone with a smile every day.


    But at night, he tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.


    He had been secure all his life; this was the first time he had wanted to do something significant. But if it failed, he would be the guilty one.


    Thankfully, Heaven was still watching.


    No, he should thank Qiao Qingyu!


    ...


    For the people of Xiaxi Commune, the good news hadn¡¯t ended that day; in the afternoon, Mr. Qian led a group to bring back five tractor plows.


    Qiao Qingyu naturally followed them to the wasteland.


    She noticed that the thousand silk hemp had taken root quite deeply in the eight hundred acres of wasteland, hence the sprouts emerged a few days later.


    But that was a good sign.


    It proved that the land was wholly suitable for planting thousand silk hemp.


    Of course, sprouting alone wasn¡¯t enough; a successful harvest would be the true mark of accomplishment.


    So the task ahead was naturally more challenging.


    The imposing Mr. Qian, standing tall and stern, had deducted a half day¡¯s work points from those who caused trouble, which would usually have led to complaints, but to everyone¡¯s surprise, there were none, and everyone went about their work happily.


    Not to mention the plows in the afternoon allowed the commune members, who had been digging in the soil for a lifetime, to realize the power of machinery for the first time.


    Attached to the rear of the tractor, the large metal hooks smashed down into the ground, sinking several inches, and as the tractor moved, the dry clumps of earth were turned over with ease, and within a blink, the tractor had cleared several hundred meters.


    So this was another way to reclaim land!


    Qiao Qingyu had left one thousand yuan with the County Mechanical Factory.


    Five hundred yuan was for the rental fee, and the other five hundred was for diesel.


    And truly, the engineers from Tenghai Research Base were excellent; they had the machinery fixed in just two days and made them especially easy to use.


    With this, along with manual labor, they could completely clear the three thousand acres of wasteland within a week.


    The eight hundred acres of wasteland already had sprouting thousand silk hemp, a promising start, so whatever they planted next, everyone would support it without any opposition or reluctance.


    Though it was just sprouting, this also symbolized hope; after all, in the past, nothing would grow on this wasteland, not even weeds.


    Mr. Qian was so busy he was practically smoking through his throat and didn¡¯t even have time to take a drink of water. Still, he was elated, his heart blooming with joy. However, although the eight hundred acres had sprouted, they couldn¡¯t be complacent. While malicious intent should not be harbored, precaution was necessary.


    He had heard some envious and resentful whispers; if anyone caused harm to the young hemp plants, he would have nowhere to cry.


    Therefore, he instructed the cadres to arrange for militia patrols.


    Then, he assigned experienced commune members to fertilize and water the seedlings.


    The responsibility was great, and the road long; Mr. Qian wouldn¡¯t slacken in these coming months.


    ...


    There was an exam at the night study class today, and Qiao Qingyu hurried back to her family home.


    With pen and paper in hand, she went straight to the study class.


    Qiao Qingyu requested not just the primary school graduation exam papers but also a set for the first year of junior high.


    Although Shen Fen was surprised, she still gave the papers to Qiao Qingyu. She had noticed that Qiao Qingyu had been underestimated; the girl was truly intelligent.


    She learned quickly and could apply knowledge in other contexts.


    To her, learning was as simple as eating or getting dressed.


    The construction of a smart brain might even be different, just like He Xiuyu. While other children his age were in the second grade, he was already attending a university program for young talents. This is why one shouldn¡¯t compare people.


    After completing both sets of papers, Qiao Qingyu shouldered her bag and walked home with the other families.


    As Sister-in-law Li turned the corner holding Xiao Hu, his eyes lit up, and he pointed towards the direction of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house, shouting loudly, ¡°Aunt Qiao, Rongrong is back.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was stunned for a moment. He Xiuyu had only left in the morning, wasn¡¯t he supposed to return only after a week?


    The courtyard was still brightly lit, and the door was ajar, obviously waiting for her return.

 Chapter 53 - 53 53 Watching Beauty Under the Lamp (Four

    ?Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Watching Beauty Under the Lamp (Four Shifts) Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Watching Beauty Under the Lamp (Four Shifts) Xiao Hu burst in like a little cannonball.


    Qiao Qingyu hesitated for a moment, then strode confidently into the room.


    Sure enough, He Xiuyu had returned with Rongrong.


    The crate of cabbage was placed in the west room, but He Xuerong was kneeling on the kang in the east room, staring blankly at the crate of little bocai.


    Qiao Qingyu thought to herself, could this little girl be interested in the little bocai again?


    She couldn¡¯t help but wonder what the world looked like through her eyes.


    Obviously, the two of them had already finished dinner by this time.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at the upside-down bowl on the table. She knew this was the meal He Xiuyu had saved for her.


    Honestly, she shouldn¡¯t eat it, right? But it was so late, and cooking another meal herself would be wasteful and pretentious. So Qiao Qingyu sat down generously and ate the meal.


    She didn¡¯t expect that after she finished eating, He Xiuyu called her into the west room.


    His voice was warm and gave nothing away, ¡°Sit down first. I have something to discuss with you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu raised her eyes to look at He Xiuyu, her gaze lighting up. Could this be about her breeding laboratory?


    Qiao Qingyu obeyed and sat down, while He Xiuyu leisurely sat in the chair behind the desk. He pulled out a manila envelope and took out a few sheets of paper after opening it.


    Then, he handed them to Qiao Qingyu, his voice low as he said, ¡°These are the basic requirements for establishing a breeding laboratory. Compare them and see if you currently meet the listed conditions.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu took the two sheets of paper, quickly scanning them at ten lines a glance, and then slapped them down on the desk with a smirk. ¡°He Xiuyu, isn¡¯t this just making things difficult for me? According to these requirements, I don¡¯t meet any of them.¡±


    He Xiuyu quietly looked at her and didn¡¯t say anything.


    Qiao Qingyu continued, ¡°Now, many breeding experts come from farming backgrounds. Some of them aren¡¯t highly educated. The equipment they use is as simple as it gets. In fact, they can accomplish breeding in mud brick houses. I¡¯m from a farming background. I simply want to cultivate seeds, lease some land, and earn some money.¡±


    He Xiuyu raised his eyebrows slightly and responded patiently, ¡°But to establish a breeding laboratory under the Tenghai Research Base, these are the standards.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu felt a bit frustrated. Those requirements¡ªstaff qualifications, academic backgrounds, experience in agricultural research, achievements, and so on¡ªshe couldn¡¯t meet any of them. Honestly, apart from being one person who fit the criteria, she fell short in everything else.


    Fed up, Qiao Qingyu decided to ask outright, ¡°Director Xie and the senior leaders told you today why I want to establish a breeding lab, didn¡¯t they?¡±


    He Xiuyu nodded. ¡°Yes, they told me.¡±


    ¡°So this isn¡¯t something I want to establish independently. This is a form of compensation from you all. The lab is just nominally affiliated with Tenghai Research Base, but everything about it has no connection to Tenghai Research Base.¡±


    He Xiuyu shook his head firmly. ¡°Qiao Qingyu, since it¡¯s affiliated with Tenghai Research Base, everything must be conducted according to proper protocol. Tenghai Research is the leading research base in the country and cannot afford any errors.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stared fixedly at He Xiuyu. Clearly, the reason he specifically came back today was to discuss the breeding lab. Otherwise, it might be weeks before she even saw his shadow.


    The reason she hadn¡¯t brought this up at home was to keep things professional and avoid leaving herself open to criticism. But now He Xiuyu had brought this matter back home. What did that mean?


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes darted back and forth multiple times.


    Meanwhile, He Xiuyu couldn¡¯t help but find her expression amusing.


    He sighed inwardly. Whether it was life, family, or marriage, there were times when Qiao Qingyu was as willful as a child.


    But he had to admit, Qiao Qingyu truly was a girl who dared to dream and take action.


    A person of exceptional energy and determination.


    This afternoon, he had gone to inspect the forty-five mu of cabbage fields. Although he hadn¡¯t devoted himself to studying this area, he still had basic knowledge. After all, there was a comparison between the local cabbage and the seeds provided by Qiao Qingyu. Moreover, he had made a crucial discovery: the cabbage seeds provided by Qiao Qingyu seemed to have been modified. However, the extent of the modification wasn¡¯t clear yet. Only when the seeds matured and underwent testing could it be analyzed.


    Nevertheless, there was no denying that this cabbage variety was not only drought-resistant and pest-resistant but also improved the soil thanks to its deep-rooted system.


    The inspection data posted in the cafeteria didn¡¯t dare claim it led the world, but it did prove that this cabbage strain was unique within China.


    So the question remained, were such excellent cabbage seeds really developed by the Qiao Family Team?


    In his heart, he already had a huge question mark.


    ¡°Chief Engineer He,¡± Qiao Qingyu suddenly spoke politely, breaking the silence.


    He Xiuyu paused, slightly taken aback. Many people called him Chief Engineer He, but it was the first time Qiao Qingyu had called him that. Most of the time, she simply called him by his full name, He Xiuyu.


    Truthfully, their time together had been pitifully sparse.


    He quietly waited for her to continue.


    ¡°...If the contract hadn¡¯t been torn up, everything would be going smoothly now. Do you know that? The thousand silk hemp planted on eight hundred mu at the Xiaxi Commune has already sprouted.¡±


    He Xiuyu furrowed his brow. Another issue arose¡ªthousand silk hemp. He had never heard of it. It should be a new crop, right? Could this also have been developed by the Qiao Family Team?


    Another question mark popped up in his mind.


    ¡°...Don¡¯t think that just because the land hasn¡¯t been planted yet, there¡¯s no loss. You¡¯re a PhD; you¡¯ve read more books and understand more than I do. I¡¯m sure you understand the clauses better than anyone. If we truly pursued the issue of losses, are you sure the research base could afford it?¡±


    She then added, ¡°Of course, the contract was personally torn up by me. If your Tenghai Research Base refuses to own up, then I, Qiao Qingyu, will have to swallow this bitter pill.¡±


    He Xiuyu gazed steadily at Qiao Qingyu. It was often said that under the dim light, one could truly appreciate beauty. He had to admit, Qiao Qingyu had striking looks. She was undeniably beautiful, and amid the warm, yellow glow of the lamp, her crafty expression held a certain undescribable charm.


    His heart thudded momentarily, but he quickly looked away without betraying any emotion, casually gathering the two sheets of paper.


    ¡°If you¡¯re determined to establish a breeding laboratory, it¡¯s not entirely impossible...¡±


    At this point, he paused. Qiao Qingyu fixed her bright eyes on him intently. ¡°So there are conditions, aren¡¯t there?¡±


    ¡°Not really conditions, just a few questions I need to ask you.¡±


    He Xiuyu spoke with an air of professionalism, which made Qiao Qingyu feel that there was still hope for the proposal.


    Although she had two backup plans, establishing a breeding laboratory was still the most secure option.


    ¡°Then go ahead and ask,¡± she said.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but she quickly regained her composure.


    She knew He Xiuyu had grown suspicious.

 Chapter 54 - 54 54 Guess (Fifth Update)

    ?Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Guess (Fifth Update) Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Guess (Fifth Update) He Xiuyu laughed softly at the sight of her guarded expression, the dim yellow light softening his features and making his peach blossom eyes seem rather flirtatious under the lamp.


    He reached out, opened the right-hand drawer, and took out a cloth bag, placing it on the table. Then, he pushed it towards Qiao Qingyu. ¡°Qiao Qingyu, keep the money for now. We¡¯re both young; we can afford to take some steps forward. Besides, we are husband and wife. By returning the money to me, you¡¯re questioning my ability to earn a living!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was stunned, gazing at He Xiuyu. She had prepared herself for the questions he might ask her, but she hadn¡¯t expected him to steer the conversation this way. Looking down at the cloth bag, she didn¡¯t need to guess; it surely contained the money she had previously returned to him.


    The situation was a bit bizarre.


    Qiao Qingyu felt she had reason to suspect that He Xiuyu was using the Breeding Laboratory issue to coerce her into taking the money, but why did it feel like the opposite was true?


    Perhaps for a man, having his dowry money returned to him could be seen as an insult.


    Since she couldn¡¯t get divorced right away, Qiao Qingyu was in no rush.


    But Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t take the money.


    She asked He Xiuyu, ¡°What questions did you want to ask?¡±


    He Xiuyu leaned back, the posture quite casual and relaxed. His eyes complex, he fixed his gaze on Qiao Qingyu, and after a few moments, he began indifferently, ¡°First question, do the cabbage and thousand silk hemp seeds have an assessment from the authoritative quality department?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes flickered slightly. He wasn¡¯t asking where the seeds came from, but if she had quality department certification.


    ¡°No,¡± she said straightforwardly, spreading her hands.


    ¡°So, without any certification or qualification, you provided forty-five acres worth of cabbage seeds to the base and eight hundred acres of thousand silk hemp seeds to Xiaxi Commune?¡±


    He Xiuyu found it unbelievable.


    One dared to give, the other dared to plant!


    Even in farming, there should be a rigorous scientific attitude; they were all too casual and childish.


    Then a thought struck him¡ªcould they believe these seeds had something to do with him?


    ¡°I¡¯ve already done trial plantings in advance, there¡¯s absolutely no problem. Besides, risk and opportunity always coexist, right?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu responded openly and honestly.


    This point made sense.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly, peering at Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Second question: if we established a Breeding Laboratory now, would you have a reliable source of seeds?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Qiao Qingyu replied without hesitation.


    No hesitation in her answer¡ªshe was confident.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t believe Qiao Zhiyuan could be the supplier.


    ¡°Actually, I have one big question, but you don¡¯t have to answer it.¡±


    ¡°...Ask.¡±


    ¡°Where did these seeds come from?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    As expected, he still asked.


    Before Qiao Qingyu could speak, He Xiuyu smiled faintly and said, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, forty-five acres of cabbage and three thousand eight hundred acres of thousand silk hemp would require nearly twenty thousand jin of seeds. The Qiao Family Team is a thousand li away from Xichuan, and considering the seeds are contained in glass bottles, the cost would be at least two hundred thousand yuan. As far as I know, there is no such high-spec breeding base in Northern Province at the moment. Moreover, even if your uncle borrowed from the entire county, it¡¯s unlikely he would secure two hundred thousand yuan. Therefore, the seeds didn¡¯t come from your uncle; that¡¯s just an excuse...¡±


    Although Qiao Qingyu knew that these things might not remain hidden from He Xiuyu, she had peace of mind because her Seed Laboratory was in another dimension, which had surpassed the range of scientific understanding of the current world.


    Yet even so, under those deep black pupils, Qiao Qingyu still felt a layer of cold sweat on her back.


    She was not afraid of He Xiuyu, but since He Xiuyu could raise the question, it proved that if someone truly seized upon this matter, her excuse would not hold up.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes sparkled, a sly hint flashing through them, ¡°He Xiuyu, you just said that I could choose not to answer this question, right?¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s expression remained unchanged, just quietly gazing at her.


    Straightening her posture, Qiao Qingyu smiled again, ¡°If I said these seeds appeared out of thin air, would you believe me?¡±


    He Xiuyu obviously paused, then a corner of his mouth twitched. He did not speak, and after a few moments, he suddenly leaned forward, focusing intently on Qiao Qingyu.


    Then He Xiuyu slowly spoke, ¡°Since that question remains unanswered, I have another query. Qiao Qingyu, could you tell me why, aside from the same appearance, there is not a single same thing about you before and after April 1st?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stared dead at He Xiuyu.


    Suddenly, the room fell into an indescribable silence. Qiao Qingyu also leaned forward, the dim yellow light making her eyes extraordinarily bright, seemingly touched with a faint shimmer.


    Unencumbered by any psychological burden, she made eye contact with He Xiuyu; close enough, it seemed they could hear each other¡¯s heartbeats.


    He Xiuyu remained as calm and poised as ever, but the slight clenching of his fingers and the thin layer of sweat on the tip of his nose betrayed his current emotions.


    Even situated in high rank, even admired as a favored son of heaven, at this moment, He Xiuyu was just a twenty-three-year-old young man.


    Being stared at with such eyes by Qiao Qingyu, he felt his breathing become somewhat constricted.


    Qiao Qingyu curved her mouth into a smile and slowly uttered two words, ¡°You guess.¡±


    He Xiuyu, ¡°...¡±


    This was not a matter of guessing. He knew when to stop pressing; the question thrown out also served to moderate the seemingly transformed Qiao Qingyu.


    Because in this world, there is no lack of intelligent people. He leant back in his seat, drew another paper from the kraft bag, and, with a flourish, signed his name with the pen next to him.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, the breeding laboratory has been approved. Since it will be associated with Tenghai Research Base, a special fund will be allocated to you to purchase relevant laboratory equipment.¡±


    Just like that?


    Qiao Qingyu blinked her eyes but still quietly breathed a sigh of relief within.


    In fact, if He Xiuyu continued to press on, her answers would not be watertight.


    But she did not want Tenghai Research Base to inject funds; that way, it would be hard to account for certain matters should she become independent later.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for the funds. I know the base is in financial trouble right now; money should be spent where it¡¯s most needed, and it¡¯s not urgent at the moment. Besides, the equipment provided by Director Xie can be used...¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, Tenghai Research Base will also be expanded. To the north, it will stretch out another three hundred li. If your breeding laboratory can really get up and running, it will be beneficial for the base as well.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu did not speak, pondering what He Xiuyu¡¯s words meant.


    Did Tenghai Research Base truly intend to turn the breeding laboratory into one of their departments?

 Chapter 55 - 55 55 He Doesnt Mind Being Her Shield

    ?Chapter 55: Chapter 55: He Doesn¡¯t Mind Being Her Shield! Chapter 55: Chapter 55: He Doesn¡¯t Mind Being Her Shield! But Qiao Qingyu did not want to get involved with them.


    ¡°Right, Old Wei mentioned that you have Barley Grass and Willow Wood capable of improving soil and environment. I wonder if you¡¯d be interested in trying to plant them around the base?¡± He Xiuyu spoke leisurely.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled with a hint of regret, ¡°He Xiuyu, I¡¯m really sorry, but I¡¯ve already planned to use the Barley Grass and Willow Wood on three thousand mu of wasteland in cooperation with Xiaxi Commune, so I don¡¯t have a single seed left now.¡±


    Even if they agreed to establish a breeding laboratory for her, this year¡¯s seeds of Barley Grass and Willow Wood would not be given to the base. No one cherishes things that come too easily.


    He Xiuyu did not try to persuade her¡ªit seemed he was just asking casually.


    ¡°Come to the base with me tomorrow, and see Old Xie for the relevant procedures.¡±


    Although there were some twists and turns, the outcome was favorable. Qiao Qingyu curved her eyes. She noticed He Xiuyu¡¯s gaze fleetingly fall upon the cloth bag. After a moment of thought, she picked up the bag. She didn¡¯t need the money now, and it was better kept with her for the time being. Then, she picked up the paper, speaking cheerfully, ¡°Then, thank you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what I should do,¡± said He Xiuyu, his voice seemingly pleased.


    Regarding the source of the seeds and the distinctly different character of Qiao Qingyu, he did not plan to continue inquiring. Qiao Qingyu was still young, not yet eighteen. If she could have a goal, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing for him or for this family. If she could truly persist, he wouldn¡¯t mind being her shield!


    ...


    With He Xiuyu¡¯s approval, Old Xie quickly processed all the related paperwork with Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu had never thought that establishing a breeding laboratory would be easy, but she also hadn¡¯t expected that the approval process would be so strict. So essentially, He Xiuyu from last night had served as her shield.


    Then, two rooms were allocated to Qiao Qingyu in a separate area.


    Qiao Qingyu then learned that in this isolated area, there were several laboratories affiliated with Tenghai Research Base.


    No wonder the approval went so smoothly.


    This area had no name¡ªit was called Zone 5, outside the base¡¯s security perimeter.


    This was better; Qiao Qingyu did not want to be too close to them.


    So, she hauled the old equipment to the laboratory, arranged the room, and as a lone commander, she locked the laboratory doors and rode her bicycle to the newly constructed family compound.


    It was nearly the end of April, and the houses in the base family compound were almost finished.


    Based on rank and contribution, the housing was divided into three residential areas.


    The house allocated to He Xiuyu was naturally in the best area; the enclosing wall was also finished, and there was a gatehouse at the entrance. Director Xie told Qiao Qingyu that her house was among the five brick houses closest to the poplar forest.


    But construction was still ongoing here. Qiao Qingyu glanced around; given the limited base funds, it was already good that they could afford brick houses.


    As for apartment buildings, they were not even worth considering.


    She felt that in the next few months, she could clear some land. After all, Chief Engineer He¡¯s yard was very large, and it would be a waste not to use it.


    Of course, she should not think about reclaiming wasteland, but by then, she could get a plowing machine to till the land.


    After pondering for a while, Qiao Qingyu rode her bicycle away.


    As she passed the main gate of the experimental base, she slowed down, looking distantly inside.


    The office building of the experimental base was on the outside, and here was the real core experimental department.


    The walls were very high, almost three meters, and from her angle, she couldn¡¯t see anything except for two guards ready at their posts and the tightly closed gates.


    It is said that there are thousands of scientists here, and further inside are many assembly lines and large workshops.


    The road leading to Xichuan had been repaired, and many large trucks came and went every day.


    This was not only a research center but also responsible for manufacturing.


    The matter with that female spy was actually quite serious, but Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know who she was, nor did she know how to bring it up to He Xiuyu.


    Even though she was He Xiuyu¡¯s family member, she had no right to step inside the research base.


    Qiao Qingyu shook her head and rode her bicycle away quickly.


    At that moment, in He Xiuyu¡¯s office, Su Yunyao frowned tightly, because there had been a slight issue at the research base that He Xiuyu and Shen Haoze had gone to handle.


    She had volunteered herself to take care of He Xuerong.


    But when it was just her and the little girl left, Su Yunyao suddenly couldn¡¯t remember anything about He Xuerong from her past life.


    This feeling was eerie, sending a cold sweat down her back.


    She knew this person existed, but why was there no memory of her at all?


    It was an unspeakable and somewhat horrifying sensation.


    Su Yunyao didn¡¯t know what was wrong, or perhaps she was experiencing selective amnesia with He Xuerong?


    But that didn¡¯t seem right.


    A mere five-year-old girl, how could she cause such a barrier in her?


    But as noon approached, He Xiuyu and Shen Haoze still hadn¡¯t returned.


    She needed to take care of the child¡¯s meal.


    Su Yunyao went to pick up He Xuerong, but the little girl¡¯s hand was tightly clutching the wooden box; fortunately, at that moment, Sister Yu entered pushing the door, allowing Su Yunyao to breathe a sigh of relief and let Sister Yu watch the child while she went to the dining hall to get food for Rongrong.


    However, as she reached the door, Sister Yu said with a smile, ¡°I just saw Qiao Qingyu in Zone 5.¡±


    Su Yunyao paused, looking at Yu Jing, puzzled, ¡°Sister Yu, what was Qiao Qingyu doing in Zone 5?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Su Yunyao¡¯s voice was a bit irritated.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu wants to establish a breeding laboratory, and the leadership of our base has approved it. Today, Old Xie completed the formalities with her and then had some breeding equipment moved to the laboratory. It¡¯s affiliated with our research base, and from now on, we and Qiao Qingyu will be somewhat colleagues. This way, she and Chief Engineer He can also have something common to talk about. It¡¯s a good thing.¡±


    Yu Jing smiled, seemingly very pleased for Qiao Qingyu.


    But Su Yunyao¡¯s face turned pale.


    She had sabotaged Qiao Qingyu¡¯s contract for the base¡¯s land, but how did Qiao Qingyu manage to establish a breeding laboratory at Tenghai Research Base without her knowing?


    And it had already been approved, with a location found and equipment moved in.


    ¡°Sister Yu, you¡¯re joking right? Could the base¡¯s leadership make such an important decision so easily?¡±


    And He Xiuyu, didn¡¯t he know what kind of person Qiao Qingyu was? How could he agree to it!


    ¡°Silly girl, how can it be a decision made easily? Mr. Qi from headquarters also agreed,¡± Yu Jing said softly, as if she didn¡¯t notice Su Yunyao¡¯s agitation. ¡°Alright, hurry and get food for Rongrong. It¡¯s supportive for Xiao He that Qiao Qingyu comes to work at the base.¡±

 Chapter 56 - 56 56 But why does she want to disguise her

    ?Chapter 56: Chapter 56 But why does she want to disguise her handwriting? (Second update) Chapter 56: Chapter 56 But why does she want to disguise her handwriting? (Second update) Su Yunyao grimaced and briskly walked towards the cafeteria, holding her lunchbox.


    As an associate engineer, she didn¡¯t yet qualify for senior positions and naturally was unaware of such matters, the last time being merely a coincidence.


    Though Old Wei still smiled at her, they both knew very well what was happening, and since Mr. Qi had already agreed, according to Yu Jing, her phone call would now be pointless.


    But why was it like this?


    Why had Qiao Qingyu¡¯s path become so drastically different from her previous life?


    Could it be because her rebirth had triggered the butterfly effect?


    Su Yunyao¡¯s face darkened. No matter the laboratory, if Qiao Qingyu actually started working on it, it would be detrimental to her.


    She needed to think about how she could cause Qiao Qingyu¡¯s breeding laboratory project to fail.


    Moreover, she needed to hurry and reconstruct the engine blueprint, which was of the utmost importance.


    You see, the blueprint would take ten years to perfect, and her introducing the new product early was also a tribute to He Xiuyu.


    After all, the research concept and blueprint of A-04 were the fruits of He Xiuyu¡¯s next ten years of labor, known only to her, including how much he had put into it.


    She would not let him go through such hardships again.


    Of course, she planned to meet He Xiuyu alone. Although she couldn¡¯t tell the truth, she could enable him to avoid many detours and design the next generation of engines ahead of everyone else by a decade.


    Naturally, she wouldn¡¯t steal He Xiuyu¡¯s credit, so she needed to think of a solution that would satisfy both sides.


    ...


    A week later, three thousand acres of barren land were completely cultivated thanks to the combined efforts of manpower and machinery.


    Qiao Qingyu transported the seeds to the commune and then drove a tractor to the base.


    Because she had arranged it beforehand, Qiao Qingyu entered the nearly completed new residential quarters. She had to return the machinery in the afternoon, so she needed to cultivate the estate¡¯s surrounding barren land today.


    At this time, since no small courtyard walls had been built yet, Qiao Qingyu started plowing the field directly with her tractor.


    Familiarity breeds confidence, and although Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t drive straight initially, she got the hang of it after just one round.


    Director Xie¡¯s home wasn¡¯t far from Qiao Qingyu¡¯s, and initially, he hadn¡¯t thought much of it, but seeing Qiao Qingyu turning over the land, he was motivated as well.


    To be honest, the residential quarters¡¯ land was very good.


    Though not fertile, it was considered top-grade within Xiaxi Commune.


    It would be nice to grow something there.


    Thus, after Qiao Qingyu finished plowing her own family¡¯s barren land, she drove the tractor to Director Xie¡¯s home, which had a slightly smaller yard, and finished in just over an hour.


    Director Xie invited Qiao Qingyu to have a meal at the cafeteria, but she politely declined and left the Tenghai Research Base on her tractor.


    The tractor¡¯s engine sound gradually faded away, and it was then that He Xiuyu turned away from the window in the office building.


    He had just found out that Qiao Qingyu was at the residential quarters of the base, driving a tractor. From his position, he couldn¡¯t see the residential quarters but could see the main road leading out of the base.


    Qiao Qingyu was going to till her new home¡¯s land.


    He Xiuyu curved the corners of his lips and sat down at his desk, picking up the two sets of test papers Shen Fen had given him concerning Qiao Qingyu. Teacher Shen¡¯s sigh echoed in his ears, ¡°What a pity, such a brilliant child not continuing her studies; she only studied the course for first-year middle school for half a month and scored full marks in mathematics. She¡¯s studying physics, chemistry, and yes, English now. Xiao He, you must fully support her, such a promising talent shouldn¡¯t go to waste...¡±


    The test papers were neat, with uniform handwriting.


    But upon closer inspection, one could discern that Qiao Qingyu¡¯s handwriting seemed somewhat contrived.


    What is she deliberately hiding?


    In just half a month, she had completed several courses of the first year, with full marks in all subjects except for Chinese, where she lost a point.


    Could she really be a neglected genius?


    He Xiuyu¡¯s expression grew increasingly solemn. With an excellent memory and no face blindness, he was sure that Qiao Qingyu was indeed the girl he had taken from the Qiao Family Team.


    She had an older brother and a younger brother; she was the only girl in her generation at home.


    Han Xianglan had no relatives, and his grandma had spent a silver coin to buy her from a group of refugees. Qiao Qingyu¡¯s so-called grandma was not her real grandmother but a godparent assigned by the He Family.


    Thus, currently, there was no girl closely related to her by blood who could impersonate her.


    But he couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility of someone looking exactly like her.


    His job was special; not only was he in charge of the research team, but he also led a group of college students and held the most important development project in his hands.


    Although this development project was currently in the middle of the research phase, it was also the most crucial phase.


    In this field, our country was already decades behind. If they didn¡¯t catch up, they would be left far behind.


    Science was like this, progressing and innovating every second of every day.


    Naturally, some core technologies remained secrets.


    Especially now, he had two research projects in his hands. If successful, it would be a groundbreaking achievement and would enable our country full independence in this field.


    Thus, personnel and other scrutinies were very strict.


    Especially since the current Qiao Qingyu was utterly different from the Qiao Qingyu of the past.


    He could turn a blind eye to the seed source, but these two sets of test papers made him take the matter seriously.


    Sometimes, thinking and learning have their own inertia.


    There are geniuses in this world, many geniuses. What others take a year to learn, a genius might understand in just a few minutes.


    The current Qiao Qingyu was indeed very smart.


    She could also be called a genius.


    But why was she hiding her handwriting?


    Others might not know or notice, but he had studied handwriting analysis.


    From a personal perspective, He Xiuyu believed that Qiao Qingyu was neither a spy nor an undercover agent, nor was she an impostor.


    Although she was as willful as before, her eyes were genuinely clear. Sometimes she played little tricks, but they were harmless, and hers was a character that one could easily see through.


    Moreover, when he was little and visited Hejia Village with his father, he had met Qiao Qingyu, who was only five years old at the time and much cuter than now, like a doll meticulously carved out of jade.


    By chance, he had noticed a small red mole on the pad of her right index finger.


    Then, a few days ago, when Qiao Qingyu had thrown herself at him, he had caught her wrist, and that red mole was still there, though the color had faded somewhat.


    Not as bright red as in her childhood.


    Thus, Qiao Qingyu was still Qiao Qingyu!


    But from an overall perspective, this matter must be investigated thoroughly.


    He Xiuyu picked up the phone and called the security bureau in North City.


    At this moment, Qiao Qingyu was unaware that she was being investigated; she only felt a warmth at the base of her ears as she drove the tractor bumpily to Xiaxi Commune to mail the letter she had written to her uncle.

 Chapter 57 - 57 57 Big White Building (Third Update)

    ?Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Big White Building (Third Update) Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Big White Building (Third Update) Actually, Qiao Qingyu had wanted to make a phone call, but the telephones these days were not secure at all, and the source of the seeds had yet to be settled. She did not want any unexpected complications to arise.


    If Uncle became excited on the other end of the phone and let slip about the seeds, that would be a disaster.


    Even in the letter, she didn¡¯t mention it, she just inquired about her parents and whether her little brother had returned home...


    The plowing machines had been fully used, and that afternoon she led four tractor operators, driving five tractors, to the County Machinery Factory.


    At the County Machinery Factory, several people from different communes were already waiting for the return of the five tractor plows, and Yu Factory Director was surrounded by these people, shining brightly like the moon amongst stars.


    So, seeing Qiao Qingyu¡¯s return made Yu Factory Director¡¯s eyes crinkle into two fine lines with his smile.


    Yu Factory Director had a strong addiction to smoking, always with a cigarette in hand. However, the cigarettes he smoked were coarse roll-your-owns, which had a very pungent taste.


    Standing a few steps away, Qiao Qingyu also beamed with laughter, her voice crisply ringing out, ¡°Yu Factory Director, now let¡¯s check them over, and if there¡¯s no problem, these plowing machines can be returned in full glory.¡±


    Yu Factory Director didn¡¯t hesitate, ¡°There will certainly be no issue, I trust this young comrade of ours.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just politeness; he really did trust this young comrade, but even more so, he trusted the Tenghai Research Base behind her. What¡¯s there to fear if something breaks? Those two engineers are extremely capable. The whole machinery plant put together couldn¡¯t match up to one of them, so why worry? If something breaks, just fix it again.


    Therefore, Yu Factory Director¡¯s attitude was especially agreeable, and with that, the subsequent negotiations went smoothly.


    ¡°Yu Factory Director, I wanted to ask if our machinery plant has any sowing machines?¡±


    ¡°We do, we actually have one that was just returned by Xiangyang Red Commune. Why, do you need to use it?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded eagerly, ¡°Yes, the sowing machine is much faster than manual labor. What¡¯s the procedure if I want to rent it?¡±


    Meanwhile, the heads of the other communes crowded around, all clamoring to have the plowing machines lent to them first and promising better and better conditions.


    Yu Factory Director glanced at Qiao Qingyu, who stood smiling outside the throng of people, and decided to be generous. After all, who knew if he might need Qiao Qingyu¡¯s help in the future?


    The Tenghai Research Base was growing larger and larger. If he could take this opportunity to establish a relationship with them, it would be a great thing.


    ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, the rental price for the tractor plows you¡¯re using is the highest, and as you¡¯re developing wasteland, this time I won¡¯t charge for the sowing machine. Of course, if it breaks down, you¡¯ll be responsible for the repairs.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s in working order now, right?¡±


    ¡°Definitely works well, it just came back.¡± He then had his assistant lead Qiao Qingyu to the warehouse to check the sowing machine.


    The tractor operators from Xiaxi Commune had never seen a sowing machine, but the head of Xiangyang Red Commune came over voluntarily and patiently explained that the sowing machine had just returned, was topped up with oil, and serviced, and the oil tank was full ¨C use it, it¡¯s really fast.


    This sowing machine was a new model, of course, relative to that era.


    But for the three thousand mu of wasteland, it was incredibly useful.


    Qiao Qingyu drove a sowing machine back from the County Machinery Factory, and Mr. Qian, upon hearing the news, joyfully ran from the commune to the wasteland. The wasteland was bustling now, with many people gathered around the sowing machine out of curiosity.


    Then they looked at Qiao Qingyu, who sat atop the sowing machine, with eyes full of envy. This young lady was Qiao Qingyu, who was developing the wasteland together with the commune.


    It was said that she was a family member of a high-ranking official from Tenghai Research Base, in possession of thousand silk hemp seeds, and was thinking of helping the farmers nearby the base improve their lives, grow wealthy, and even turn this land into fertile fields.


    They hadn¡¯t believed it at first, but now they did.


    Especially those who had personally planted Heavenly Silk Hemp and witnessed the seedlings sprout.


    The thousand silk hemp seeds weren¡¯t much different from castor seeds; when they planted them, the seeds had already sprouted small buds.


    In their view, this was not acceptable.


    Despite their cautious behavior, it was inevitable that they damaged quite a few of the sprouts.


    They had also raised seedlings before, such as with potatoes, which are planted in the ground only after sprouting.


    But to see sprouts emerging even before being planted was a first for them,, and they felt it was unreliable, yet who would have thought they would really sprout?


    It seemed that the quality of the seeds was indeed critical.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t use someone else this time; she waved at Mr. Qian and drove the seed drill along the furrows prepared by the members, heading forward.


    The members of Xiaxi Commune were seeing a seed drill for the first time, and their eyes widened in amazement, fixed on the machine.


    Especially some of the veteran farmers, who were particularly astounded.


    They followed behind, some admiring and others shaking their heads.


    The machine¡¯s speed was impressive, vanishing in no time, but it had its drawbacks, such as being unable to create its own furrows. If the furrows weren¡¯t straight, the seeds would end up outside the furrows.


    Fortunately, Mr. Qian paid well for good work, so there were few seeds scattered in the wrong places, and he had a number of people specifically assigned to this task.


    Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t familiar with machinery, but she had seen colleagues play farming games. Large, advanced seed drills seemed to be able to make rows without prior preparation, crushing the wheat straw in the soil and performing nearly all processes in one go.


    Yet for now, it was already quite impressive.


    But Qiao Qingyu had a new idea.


    She didn¡¯t wait for He Xiuyu at home and went directly to the base.


    If it had been in the past, Qiao Qingyu might not have been able to see He Xiuyu, but now she was well acquainted with the guards at the door. While walking, she also encountered several logistic employees who enthusiastically greeted her.


    She had just encountered Director Lin who personally escorted her to He Xiuyu¡¯s office.


    Qiao Qingyu thanked Director Lin before heading straight down to the end of the corridor.


    The Tenghai Research Base office building was three stories tall,, with a considerable footprint,, and was painted white on the outside. Instead of ¡®office building,¡¯ people preferred to call it the Big White Building.


    In the eyes of the locals, this Big White Building was steeped in mystery.


    Surely, it was also the power center of Tenghai Research Base.


    The door was a thick, solid wooden door, marked only with ¡®003¡¯. This had to be He Xiuyu¡¯s office.


    Qiao Qingyu organized her thoughts, intending to knock on the door, but to her surprise, it opened from the inside.


    A woman was stepping out.


    Well, well, an acquaintance¡ªit was Su Yunyao.


    Their eyes met, and a flicker of disbelief was clearly visible in Su Yunyao¡¯s eyes.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t seem to mind, but unexpectedly, Su Yunyao reacted quickly, swooshing the office door shut.


    In fact, at the moment the door opened, Su Yunyao¡¯s complexion was not good, but Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t noticed. Su Yunyao had disguised it very well, so now her reddened face appeared to be out of coyness.


    In reality, just a moment before, she had been discussing her ideas with He Xiuyu while holding some blueprints...

 Chapter 58 - 58 58 Do you still want to harm him in this

    ?Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Do you still want to harm him in this lifetime? (Four more) Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Do you still want to harm him in this lifetime? (Four more) Unfortunately, not only was she rejected by He Xiuyu, but she was also severely scolded.


    Su Yunyao naturally knew her face was hot, so she bit her lip, looked at Qiao Qingyu, and said vaguely, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, are you here looking for Brother Xiu Yu? You arrived just in time; the two of us just came back from the research base together, but he is very busy now. Do you need him for something?¡±


    This pretense of being the lady of the house was so ugly.


    Qiao Qingyu raised an eyebrow, looked around, and asked straightforwardly, ¡°Are you here for official business with Brother Xiu Yu or is it a personal matter?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s naturally official business,¡± replied Su Yunyao, with a hint of superiority in her tone.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s official business, then you should address him as Chief Engineer He. It¡¯s surprising that someone as educated as you can¡¯t differentiate between personal and professional matters.¡±


    Then Qiao Qingyu took a step forward, with a smile that was not quite a smile, ¡°Su Yunyao, I know you and He Xiuyu are childhood sweethearts, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can call him so affectionately in front of his wife.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu felt goosebumps all over her body.


    Su Yunyao was decades old when you added up her past lives, and still calling him ¡®Brother Xiu Yu¡¯ made her blush for Su Yunyao.


    Today, Su Yunyao was very composed, not enraged by Qiao Qingyu; she stared steadily at Qiao Qingyu, carefully recalling all her impressions of her.


    They say your greatest enemy understands you best, and conversely, as an enemy, she understood Qiao Qingyu the best.


    So there was definitely something off about Qiao Qingyu now.


    She shouldn¡¯t be speaking like this, not even if she barely graduated from that so-called class.


    So, was this person really Qiao Qingyu?


    She hadn¡¯t believed that Qiao Qingyu had been reborn, but now she wasn¡¯t so sure.


    Su Yunyao¡¯s mouth curved into a smile, it was both chilling and bizarre.


    Her voice carried malice, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I had a dream a few days ago ¡ª dreamed about your past life. Do you want to know how you died back then?¡±


    She added one more sentence, ¡°Your death was quite miserable.¡±


    At that moment, the corridor was very quiet, only Qiao Qingyu and Su Yunyao were there, standing three or four steps apart.


    After saying those words, Su Yunyao still wore a malicious smile, waiting for Qiao Qingyu to argue, to create a scene, to fight her.


    Qiao Qingyu shouldn¡¯t be at the family compound all day, coming to the base to create trouble, as if she was afraid others didn¡¯t know she was He Xiuyu¡¯s wife.


    How shameless to dare to come to the office to find He Xiuyu!


    Doesn¡¯t she have any idea how this marriage came about?


    Why can¡¯t she just keep quiet for a few days?


    Qiao Qingyu stared at the malicious smile on the face in front of her.


    She resisted the urge to slap, her hands tightly clenched at her sides, knowing that Su Yunyao was provoking her, wanting her to lash out so Su Yunyao could then play the victim and deny everything she had said.


    After all, there were no surveillance cameras in the corridor, and even if there were, they wouldn¡¯t be able to hear what the two of them were saying. The offices a few steps away were silent; obviously, He Xiuyu didn¡¯t know she was outside the door.


    And the words Su Yunyao had just spoken, only the two of them could hear; even with good hearing, He Xiuyu behind that door couldn¡¯t hear clearly.


    Fighting was not an option, nor was cursing, for she came here today on serious business. Moreover, it was her first time seeking He Xiuyu; it would be too disgraceful to tear up now.


    She felt incredibly frustrated, grinding her molars audibly.


    A few moments later, Qiao Qingyu slowly released her grip.


    ¡°Su Yunyao, you shameless old hag, you¡¯re really awful. You just want to see me fight and make a scene here so you can play innocent and pitiable. How could someone as smart as me fall for your tricks!¡±


    Su Yunyao¡¯s face changed, and her heart skipped a beat. Her memories of her last life ended on her forty-third birthday.


    She was five years older than Qiao Qingyu. When she was twenty-two, seventeen-year-old Qiao Qingyu married He Xiuyu, resulting in her hating Qiao Qingyu for twenty years.


    Yes, she was older, but what of it?


    Su Yunyao tightened her grip on the documents she held. Staring hard at that young, proud, beautiful face, a surge of jealousy swept over her, her expression turning fierce, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, don¡¯t you want to know what that dream was about at all?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes narrowed. In Su Yunyao¡¯s mouth, her so-called ¡°dream¡± was probably her previous life, but what was there in her previous life? It didn¡¯t seem like anything significant.


    Why did Su Yunyao¡¯s expression seem off?


    Qiao Qingyu was about to knock on the door, but she stopped in her tracks, staring calmly at Su Yunyao.


    Only Su Yunyao knew about the memories of their previous life.


    So, she was quite curious about what Su Yunyao wanted to say at this moment, yet she said angrily, ¡°I don¡¯t want to know. You said it¡¯s about the last life, what does it have to do with me?¡±


    Moreover, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s body trembled slightly, her eyes no longer meeting Su Yunyao¡¯s as she seemed about to knock on He Xiuyu¡¯s office door.


    Su Yunyao quickly stepped forward to block her way.


    She didn¡¯t want to listen, but Su Yunyao insisted on speaking!


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, in my dream, you betrayed He Xiuyu, so he shot you dead himself!¡±


    Su Yunyao took another step forward, pointed at Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart, and lowered her voice, ¡°His shooting was excellent, hit your heart right on target!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, showing an incredulous expression.


    Su Yunyao was satisfied with Qiao Qingyu¡¯s reaction at that moment, she stepped back and chuckled, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, it¡¯s just a dream after all, don¡¯t take it seriously.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was momentarily stunned, then slowly curled the corners of her mouth, ¡°Su Yunyao, I¡¯m rather superstitious, you know. Your dream might just be true. So, He Xiuyu owed me a life in the last life, this life he won¡¯t escape from the palm of my hand.¡±


    Su Yunyao was left dumbfounded on the spot.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled at her, even gave a wave, ¡°Su Yunyao, although I dislike you, sometimes you can be of help. In fact, I wanted to divorce He Xiuyu, but now that you¡¯ve said this, I will never let him go in this lifetime, thank you.¡±


    After saying this, Qiao Qingyu walked unhurriedly to the door of He Xiuyu¡¯s office, where she knocked politely.


    But then she suddenly turned around, a smile in her eyes, but her words were cutting, ¡°Su Yunyao, I guess you must have died of frustration in your last life, with your venomous mouth, you¡¯re definitely not going to end well in this life!¡±


    Behind her, Su Yunyao¡¯s face turned alternately pale and flushed.


    Her gaze fixed on that delicate retreating figure, and if this were not an office, she truly wished to rush forward and slap her twice.


    Why won¡¯t you let He Xiuyu go?


    You harmed him in the last life, do you still want to harm him in this life?

 Chapter 59 - 59 59 Life is Like a Play Its All About Acting

    ?Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Life is Like a Play, It¡¯s All About Acting Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Life is Like a Play, It¡¯s All About Acting Even though she had died frustrated in her past life, in this one, she had been reborn, she was the chosen daughter of destiny. So, Qiao Qingyu, the one who will not meet a good end is you!


    But just then, it seemed that Chief Engineer He had signaled someone to enter from the office, and Qiao Qingyu pushed open the door to enter He Xiuyu¡¯s office, then closed it behind her with the back of her hand.


    The corridor remained silent. Su Yunyao clenched the folder in her hand tightly, her complexion dark and shifting unpredictably. A few seconds later, a cold smile traced her lips, and she strode away.


    At the same time, she finally confirmed something in her heart¡ªthat Qiao Qingyu had not been reborn!


    At this moment, Qiao Qingyu stood at the doorway. He Xiuyu¡¯s office was very large, almost over a hundred square meters. He Xiuyu stood in front of the window, dressed in a neat and broad white shirt, with black trousers hugging his long, straight legs, his physique perfect¡ªembodying the male charisma that the male protagonist of a book possesses.


    If he turned around, that face would be even more pleasing to the eye.


    But at that moment, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s right hand involuntarily went to her chest.


    A pair of delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly. Was what Su Yunyao said true? Did the original owner of her last life really die from being shot in the heart by He Xiuyu?


    Regarding the past life, the book had glossed over it, naturally omitting any such plot.


    From the little said, it could be deduced that everyone supposedly lived peacefully until old age.


    But why had it turned out like this in Su Yunyao¡¯s words?


    The next second, He Xiuyu slowly turned around.


    His expression was not good.


    He Xiuyu was actually very good at concealing his true emotions, but at that moment, his entire demeanor radiated an indescribable sense of distance.


    It seemed he was irritated, a bit lost as well.


    But more than that, it was cold indifference.


    Of course, Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t feeling much better, even though her past life had nothing to do with her. Yet for some reason, there was still a bit of discomfort in her heart.


    So, it had to be admitted, Su Yunyao had indeed managed to get under her skin.


    Qiao Qingyu stood at the doorway, her lips pursed and her posture erect. When He Xiuyu saw that it was Qiao Qingyu, a hint of surprise flickered in his eyes.


    He truly hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Qingyu to be the one knocking and entering.


    That¡¯s why they say life is like a play.


    At this very moment, in this vast office, one stood in front of the window, the other at the doorway, perfectly interpreting the saying that life is all about acting.


    He Xiuyu suppressed all his emotions, a smile touching his brows, his voice warm and smooth. Although he was asking why she had come, it did not annoy Qiao Qingyu in the slightest.


    Qiao Qingyu likewise hid all her doubts in her heart, returning to her usual sweet and harmless demeanor. She smiled lightly, her voice cheerful, ¡°I waited at home for you for a few days and you didn¡¯t return, so I had to come to the office to find you. I¡¯m here on serious business.¡±


    He Xiuyu walked over, his eyes and brows cast downward. He picked up the kettle and poured Qiao Qingyu a cup of boiled water, ¡°Unfortunately, the last bit of tea I had was taken away by Uncle Wei, so have some water for now and we can talk slowly.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu sat in the chair, thinking of all the seeds in the laboratory and feeling the weight of the responsibility on her shoulders.


    Eight hundred acres of thousand silk hemp, which now had unfurled four leaves.


    Moreover, the color is a deep green, and the roots and stems are quite thick, appearing very robust.


    When they were planted, water was poured once, and some fertilizer was administered. Now, it has been more than a month since it last rained in the entire Xichuan region, and the air is very dry. She went to see other plots¡¯ seedlings, and some seeds were still dormant, while others that had sprouted looked wilted and droopy.


    Of course, there were also some that were doing very well, such as the sorghum and wheat planted by the members, which were growing exceptionally well.


    But this also proved that the seeds from the laboratory were indeed suitable for this land, and they were all improved varieties, but not purely genetically modified. Although the laboratory did not provide a clear introduction, Qiao Qingyu analyzed that these seeds must have been cultivated for many generations before being developed.


    Or perhaps, such seeds were cultivated in an unimaginable Space Device.


    Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t sure which world the laboratory belonged to, only that its number was 001, and the exterior was a Space Device.


    But Qiao Qingyu had already proven that the seeds from the laboratory were superior to all the seeds currently available in this world.


    Having a big leader like Chief Engineer He without tea leaves to drink actually seemed a bit shabby.


    In her space, there were superior tea seeds.


    Unfortunately, they were not suitable for planting in the Northwest.


    That¡¯s why Qiao Qingyu felt she had a long and challenging road ahead, as she was destined not to limit her steps to just the Xichuan region.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t have any psychological barriers, because she knew He Xiu Yu was a person with a mania for cleanliness; therefore, the cup he gave her was definitely clean. After taking a sip of boiled water, she looked around and casually asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Rongrong?¡±


    He Xiu Yu¡¯s breath became gentler, and he pointed to the closed door next to them, ¡°She ate her fill and is taking a nap now...¡±


    Afterward, He Xiu Yu sat down at his own desk. Qiao Qingyu lifted her eyes to look at him, and just as He Xiu Yu was also sizing her up, their gazes intersected.


    This was a very peculiar feeling.


    How to describe it? As if a beautiful girl was strolling on a hillside covered with blooming flowers.


    There was sunlight gently spilling over, a gentle breeze caressing the face, and the merry chirping of birds...


    In any case, it should be a very pleasant feeling.


    Especially since both were deliberately softening their demeanor, facing each other with smiles.


    However, the reason it¡¯s described as peculiar is because there was a slight awkwardness.


    This awkwardness is like He Xiu Yu covertly placing the face cream he bought for Qiao Qingyu on the kang cabinet in the eastern room.


    It¡¯s also like Qiao Qingyu walking outside, bearing the title of He Xiu Yu¡¯s family member.


    After all, the two young people in this office do have a marriage certificate, and in the eyes of others, they are newlyweds who just got married.


    Of course, it was Qiao Qingyu who broke the peculiar atmosphere, she got right to the point, ¡°I would like to ask if Tenghai Research Base has considered developing civilian machinery?¡±


    He Xiu Yu read between the lines.


    He recalled the plowing machine he saw a few days ago; according to Old Xie, Qiao Qingyu was excellent at driving a tractor, the best female tractor driver he had ever seen.


    He raised an eyebrow, leaned back in his chair, and did not answer directly. Instead, he asked, ¡°Do you need a batch of agricultural machinery?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes lit up, and she did not skimp on her smile or her praise, ¡°You are so smart. I really do need a batch of agricultural machinery, but you also know that the agricultural machinery currently available in Xichuan is both old and outdated. Just take the seeding machine from a few days ago as an example¡ªit has many shortcomings; in fact, as far as I know, many agriculturally developed countries have already achieved agricultural mechanization...¡±

 Chapter 60 - 60 60 Come Prepared Leave Satisfied

    ?Chapter 60: Chapter 60: Come Prepared, Leave Satisfied Chapter 60: Chapter 60: Come Prepared, Leave Satisfied Qiao Qingyu paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°Although I¡¯m not aware of the specific research conducted at Tenghai Research Base, I do think as time advances and technology progresses, we¡¯ll definitely want to develop civilian machinery to better the lives of farmers. Then, the labor that¡¯s liberated can go on to do many more and better things.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s casual demeanor began to fade bit by bit.


    The lazy posture of leaning back on the chair also gradually straightened.


    His gaze deepened incrementally ¨C Qiao Qingyu was right, the future was indeed developing in the direction she described. But how did Qiao Qingyu know this?


    ¡°You make sense, but currently, Tenghai Research Base does not have a branch for agricultural machinery, and there are specialized units and departments for agricultural machinery anyway.¡±


    ¡°I know that our country isn¡¯t short of people to do manual labor, and we don¡¯t lack skilled technicians either. Our people are especially industrious ¨C there¡¯s no hardship they cannot endure. However, what is lacking now is research and design personnel. To put it bluntly, for example, a seeding machine ¨C if a new model could be designed that doesn¡¯t require manual ridge preparation, the machine could directly solve these problems. This would definitely take agricultural development a big step forward, and besides, if such designs become available, the County Machinery Factory could absolutely produce them.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean we design the blueprints and then hand them over to the County Machinery Factory?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be as simple as that, you¡¯re more familiar with the process than I am. I¡¯m just suggesting the idea, whether it¡¯s feasible or not depends on your opinion,¡± she said.


    He Xiuyu looked at Qiao Qingyu with a somewhat amused expression ¨C how did he get the feeling that not only had Qiao Qingyu come prepared, but she also intended to leave fully satisfied?


    But it indeed was a good approach.


    And designing agricultural machinery wouldn¡¯t be too difficult for the research staff at the base.


    At that meeting in Beijing, agricultural machinery had already been included in the three-year plan.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t respond directly. Instead, he leisurely started to ask about another matter, ¡°How is the three-thousand acre barren land you¡¯re cooperating on with Xiaxi Commune doing now?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve finished sowing, but the commune members are working very hard, toiling from dawn to dusk. And now that the weather is dry, they even have to irrigate manually. So, I¡¯m planning to visit the Water Conservancy Department in Yushu County in a few days. It would be ideal if we could drill a well near the barren land.¡±


    ¡°That piece of land does have an underground water source, but it¡¯s very far from the surface, which makes the well-drilling cost quite high.¡±


    He Xiuyu unexpectedly engaged in conversation with Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know how much it would cost to drill a well; it was just one of her ideas, but she modestly asked, ¡°Chief Engineer He, how much would it cost to drill a well?¡±


    He Xiuyu chuckled lightly, finding the way she seriously called him Chief Engineer He a bit amusing.


    ¡°An initial estimate suggests a water well would cost at least fifty thousand yuan.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu blinked her eyes. This was actually close to her expectations. Drilling a well in such a dry area wouldn¡¯t be easy ¨C it wasn¡¯t simply a matter of digging a hole and laying a few bricks. The manpower, materials, and financial resources required were still unknown.


    So it was pointless to approach the Water Conservancy Department ¨C the cost was something she currently couldn¡¯t afford.


    Moreover, by persevering until autumn, if the Barley Grass and thousand silk hemp really managed to improve the soil, it would eventually change the environment here. Although the change would be subtle, the cost of drilling a well might then become significantly lower.


    Qiao Qingyu said regretfully, ¡°That¡¯s too expensive; I can¡¯t afford it.¡±


    Then she realized how the topic had digressed and looked back at He Xiuyu, noticing his gaze was so profound. And those eyes, like black vortexes, seemed capable of pulling her in if she wasn¡¯t careful.


    Qiao Qingyu concluded, this man must be pondering over her in his mind.


    She coughed twice, ¡°You haven¡¯t said yet whether Tenghai Research Base can take on the agricultural machinery project.¡±


    ¡°We can do it,¡± said He Xiuyu, his voice light but his expression serious.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s smile brightened, her voice playful and cheerful, ¡°That¡¯s truly wonderful, can I represent the billions of farmers to thank you?¡±


    A smile played at He Xiuyu¡¯s eyes, this girl sure had grand aspirations, wanting to represent billions of farmers.


    ¡°There¡¯s a saying that no one rises early without something to gain, don¡¯t you have any other demands?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I do. Once the machinery is manufactured, I want the right of first purchase, and at cost price, at that.¡±


    ¡°You mean if the blueprints are designed and if I hand them over to County Machinery Factory, there should be this condition included, right?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded hurriedly, it was easy to talk with smart people.


    ¡°That¡¯s the condition. I believe Yushu County¡¯s Machinery Factory will definitely agree to it,¡± she asserted.


    ¡°You seem to know Yu Factory Director quite well,¡± He Xiuyu remarked nonchalantly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had a few dealings with him, that man is slick.¡±


    He Xiuyu leaned back in his chair, appraising Qiao Qingyu without a word.


    At this moment, this beautiful girl, who was listed as his spouse on his marriage certificate and household registration book, seemed to have sunshine spilling into her eyes because he had agreed to her request to provide blueprints to the County Machinery Factory and to include her conditions in the agreement. Her smile was exceptionally radiant.


    He Xiuyu had never imagined he would be chatting with Qiao Qingyu so amiably and pleasantly.


    It was an indescribable feeling.


    It stirred a strange sensation in his heart, and after a few moments, he shifted his gaze subtly, slightly perplexed by how he found Qiao Qingyu particularly beautiful today.


    Unaware of the thoughts in He Xiuyu¡¯s mind, Qiao Qingyu was very pleased that the discussion had gone well. And as He Xiuyu was a man of action and practical work, the seeding machine would likely be designed very soon.


    Given Tenghai Base¡¯s scale, it was impossible that they would only design a seeding machine; other machines like tillers and harvesters were likely to be planned as well.


    She didn¡¯t need to elaborate further; everyone involved was far more capable than she was.


    Qiao Qingyu stood up, grabbing her handbag with a cheerful voice, ¡°Well, I won¡¯t disturb your work any longer.¡±


    He Xiuyu also stood, walking leisurely from the other end of the office desk, speaking softly, ¡°The houses in the staff residential area will be ready soon. Write down anything you need and hand me the list, and I¡¯ll get the logistics department to provide it.¡±


    He added, ¡°No need to list furniture ¨C the logistics department issues it uniformly based on standard specifications.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll think it over once I get back,¡± responded Qiao Qingyu promptly, He Xiuyu was somewhat concerned that she might say something disappointing.


    Fortunately, she did not.


    He saw her to the door. But just as they were about to reach it, Qiao Qingyu remembered the prior topic and suddenly stopped in her tracks.


    And He Xiuyu, two or three steps away, also halted, his gaze inquiring whether she had more to discuss...

 Chapter 61 - 61 61 The Misunderstanding of Color

    ?Chapter 61: Chapter 61: The Misunderstanding of Color Chapter 61: Chapter 61: The Misunderstanding of Color Qiao Qingyu bit her lips; she obviously couldn¡¯t relay Su Yunyao¡¯s words verbatim to He Xiuyu, but she still wanted to confirm something.


    He Xiuyu was just an engineer, not a soldier; how could he possibly have a gun?


    Yet at that moment, for some reason, she blurted out, ¡°He Xiuyu, may I see your gun?¡±


    He Xiuyu, ¡°...¡±


    His face turned red instantly. Little did Qiao Qingyu know that when the base had just been established and there was only a communal bath, Shen Haoze and He Xiuyu would often refer to He Xiuyu¡¯s private parts as a ¡°gun¡± when they bathed together.


    Though he came from a scholarly family, their risque? jokes were unbearable to watch.


    He was truly full of indecent thoughts.


    He was a scientific worker and treated marital relations with seriousness and care.


    From a physiological standpoint, intimacy between the sexes is only natural.


    The reason he hadn¡¯t yet shared a bed with Qiao Qingyu was, one, because she was still not eighteen, and two, because he believed that a loving marital relationship should be more beautiful.


    The former Qiao Qingyu had been tiresome and annoying, so such issues were naturally out of consideration.


    But he had forgotten that in some ways, Qiao Qingyu was actually quite bold.


    Her words were too explicit and too sudden, leaving him unprepared.


    So, Qiao Qingyu felt it odd; why did he blush and seem so nervous? Did he really have a gun, but one that was privately held?


    That would be terrible; she was so foolish. Why did she ask a question that was likely to touch a nerve?


    ¡°Forget it, forget I said anything,¡± Qiao Qingyu also felt a bit embarrassed, quickly trying to explain. Her cheeks, naturally thin-skinned, flushed with embarrassment, deepening He Xiuyu¡¯s misunderstanding.


    But strangely, while he had never considered these topics before, today, he found himself unexpectedly not averse to them.


    In a way, He Xiuyu was not one to put on airs and speak seriously; rather, he was a straightforward man who saw such matters as normal, not needing to be hidden or ashamed.


    Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been so blunt about the matter of her crawling into his bed.


    But the issue was, this was an office, not the place for such private conversations.


    His face tensed, his tone as gentle as possible yet clearly serious, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, this is the office. Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    She sheepishly nodded in agreement.


    However, seeing Qiao Qingyu¡¯s embarrassed demeanor made He Xiuyu feel a bit sympathetic; after all, she was his wife, and she had the right.


    So, although he felt his heart race and his cheeks redden, he still cleared his throat a few times, leaned forward slightly, his voice raspy, but very low and soft, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, wait until you¡¯ve turned eighteen, okay?¡±


    Ah?


    He was actually prepared to share this terrible secret with her? They say curiosity killed the cat.


    If she saw it, wouldn¡¯t she become an accomplice?


    Just as Qiao Qingyu was about to refuse, the office door was knocked on, silencing them both for a moment.


    Then Qiao Qingyu hurried to open the office door, and standing outside was none other than Uncle Xie, the logistics director.


    Old Xie hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Qingyu to visit He Xiuyu¡¯s office.


    And the two of them were standing at the door.


    As a veteran driver with a son and a daughter, Old Xie cast a suspicious glance over them.


    He secretly thought, ¡°Young people are indeed young ¨C daring to be affectionate in the office, look at those rosy cheeks. Ah, to be young is wonderful; as you age, you lack that passion.¡±


    Of course, as a sly old fox, this was just a fleeting guess. He grinned, ¡°Ah, Qingyu is here too. Are you getting ready to leave?¡±


    ¡°Mm, Uncle Xie, I needed to discuss something with He Xiuyu.¡±


    ¡°Have you finished talking then?¡±


    ¡°We have, you¡¯re busy, I¡¯ll be going...¡± said Qiao Qingyu as she quickly left without looking back.


    This further confirmed Old Xie¡¯s initial suspicion. Of course, when he turned back to look at He Xiuyu, he noticed that the young man had regained his usual composure, although his ears were still a bit red.


    Naturally, Old Xie wouldn¡¯t cross the line by checking whether Xiao He Xiuyu had any reaction; he entered the office without straying his gaze.


    Having left the Big White Building, Qiao Qingyu had already pushed aside what He Xiuyu had told her, as it concerned several months later.


    Even though Qiao Qingyu liked to plan things and preferred to be prepared, under the current circumstances, she could only take one step at a time.


    Riding her bicycle back to the temporary residential area, Qiao Qingyu hesitated at a fork in the road but ended up heading towards Xiaxi Commune.


    There were still more than a hundred acres of land left, and since the area wasn¡¯t straight nor regular-shaped, it was planned for Barley Grass, which meant it would all be manually sown.


    She also planned to buy a hoe and a three-toothed rake.


    She intended to work by herself around the new house, and it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to keep asking Mr. Qian to send help, so tools were essential.


    Thinking thus, she realized there truly was much to do.


    The weather remained dry, and the wind was strong ¨C Qiao Qingyu spat out sand twice but continued cycling towards Xiaxi Commune against the wind.


    Meanwhile, He Xiuyu had finished his conversation with Old Xie, checked on Rongrong who was still napping next door, secured the doors and windows, and then headed to a small room on the east side of the office.


    Pushing open a small door, he found stairs.


    They led to a basement, just one level down, secured with a heavy metal door.


    This was He Xiuyu¡¯s private laboratory, accessible only to him, and he had the only key. He opened the heavy door, turned on the wall-mounted lights, and the room brightened instantly.


    He Xiuyu stood at the doorway, his features losing their usual warmth.


    His gaze, cold and intense, was fixed on the experimentation table.


    His face still showed confusion and an unspeakable complexity.


    He moved to a spacious wooden desk covered with books, documents, and other materials.


    After a brief pause, He Xiuyu picked up a blueprint from the desk which had ¡°A-04 Engine Design Sketch¡± boldly written on it.


    The paper was filled with curves, numbers, and shapes.


    Moreover, the empty spaces contained plenty of small notes, some showing modifications, and many similar pieces of paper lay scattered across the adjacent desk.


    He Xiuyu slowly sat down, his eyes unwavering as he looked at the blueprint in his hand.


    Only he could enter here, as he alone had the key, and he had installed a double-password lock. Could Su Yunyao really have the guts and means to enter his underground laboratory?

 Chapter 62 - 62 62 Terrifying Upon Careful Thought

    ?Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Terrifying Upon Careful Thought Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Terrifying Upon Careful Thought He Xiuyu was always meticulous with his work. At this moment, he had not ruled out the possibility of Su Yunyao entering his laboratory.


    But intuitively, this possibility seemed extremely slim.


    Another confusing point was that the design blueprint solved several difficulties he had encountered in his design, the reasons for his stagnation he found on the blueprint Su Yunyao had just shown him.


    Had Su Yunyao grown to this extent?


    Could it be that he had overlooked her capabilities?


    But he always felt that something was off.


    How should he put it? It was as if Su Yunyao had suddenly run into his mind, sketched out all he planned for the future, not just designed it but also improved and perfected it. It was a terrifying feeling.


    Moreover, it was the kind of feeling that was deeply disturbing.


    At this moment, the surroundings were utterly silent, his brain working rapidly and swiftly.


    He eliminated all possible loopholes and uncertainties.


    His final conclusion was that these were indeed designed by Su Yunyao, but obviously, he also had such ideas in his mind; however, they weren¡¯t materialized.


    Su Yunyao had designed all that he hadn¡¯t materialized yet, and even more perfectly than he had envisioned.


    It could be said that, based on this blueprint, there was an eighty percent chance of success.


    This held extraordinary significance for Tenghai Research Base, only the arrival of this blueprint was too sudden.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s fingers tapped gently on the desk, producing a rhythmic sound in this deathly silent laboratory.


    He was still recalling the scenes when Su Yunyao handed him the blueprint; she was somewhat panicked then, her eyes avoiding his gaze.


    She said it wasn¡¯t entirely her own design, as she had learned from him for so long; all design concepts and principles derived from his teachings, and the blueprint was completed on that basis.


    So in principle, it was his blueprint.


    She was prepared to give this blueprint to him, claiming it was designed by He Xiuyu, that the blueprint was mature enough for production.


    He didn¡¯t know if Su Yunyao understood what the launch of A-04 meant, but he, He Xiuyu, would definitely not commit such disgraceful deception.


    Moreover, why was Su Yunyao doing this?


    Was she trying to please him?


    He had somewhat guessed Su Yunyao¡¯s thoughts.


    He had never given her any hope.


    Although he and Su Yunyao lived in the same courtyard, their relationship was merely ordinary. Did she think that by giving him the blueprint, he would divorce Qiao Qingyu and marry her...


    Crassly speaking, wouldn¡¯t that be redundant, like taking off one¡¯s pants to fart?


    If he didn¡¯t agree, no one would force him to marry Qiao Qingyu.


    But he had to be responsible for that impulsive and willful girl.


    If he didn¡¯t marry her, their relationship would definitely affect her future life.


    After all, they had been caught in bed by so many onlookers.


    Thinking of this, He Xiuyu recalled the recent interactions with Qiao Qingyu, and then thought about Qiao Qingyu wanting to see ¡°that,¡± which admittedly, sometimes distracted him and relieved his gloomy mood with wild thoughts.


    He coughed a few times, exhaling a long breath.


    A-04, the name was even identical to the sketch in his hand.


    What a coincidence!


    If Su Yunyao hadn¡¯t copied, then this was her design achievement, rendering the dozens of design sketches on his desk worthless.


    He Xiuyu neatly stacked these design sketches one by one, placed them in a folder next to him.


    He had already planned in his mind how to proceed with this scientific research achievement.


    Furthermore, according to the regulations of the base, once the scientific research results are discussed and approved for production, Su Yunyao would become one of the core engineers at the base.


    They also needed to schedule this on the agenda.


    Although He Xiuyu believed himself to be a very magnanimous person with the demeanor of a great general, every time he thought of Su Yunyao¡¯s blueprints, he inexplicably felt as though something of his had been stolen by her.


    He knew it wasn¡¯t right to think that way, but he just felt so suffocated!


    ...


    That night, Qiao Qingyu had a dream.


    It was like a special effect in a movie, a bullet headed straight for her heart along a predetermined path.


    With a bang.


    Something burst open in her chest.


    She woke up frightened, and the awakened Qiao Qingyu was covered in cold sweat.


    Daytime thoughts lead to nighttime dreams; she shouldn¡¯t have listened to Su Yunyao¡¯s nonsense. Considering that woman¡¯s personality and character, ninety-nine percent of it was probably deceit.


    ...


    After over a hundred acres of Barley Grass and another hundred acres of Willow Wood were planted, the sky suddenly darkened.


    The air also became somewhat moist.


    Experienced old farmers looked up at the sky joyfully with trembling voices, ¡°This weather seems like it¡¯s going to rain.¡±


    True enough, the sky grew darker, and the wind stronger, especially in the desolate wilderness where the wind howled fiercely.


    Qiao Qingyu was nearly blown away by the wind.


    Mr. Qian, braving the wind, came over to urge Qiao Qingyu to quickly get on the tractor and return to the commune.


    Although it seemed like it was going to rain, the wind was picking up, and there were dark clouds in the distance, but it seemed there was also Huang Sha at the horizon¡¯s end.


    The weather forecast only mentioned wind these days, and Xichuan¡¯s weather forecast wasn¡¯t very accurate.


    Usually, it¡¯s the old farmers who predicted based on their experience.


    According to their experience, it might rain, but the fierce wind was unusual.


    If the wind grew any stronger, it could potentially strip away the soil, not to mention the seeds planted in it. Mr. Qian, besides worrying about the entire commune¡¯s crops, was even more concerned about the eighty acres of thousand silk hemp.


    And the three thousand acres of barren land that had just been planted.


    It¡¯s said that when people want to accomplish something, sometimes it¡¯s really difficult; Mr. Qian¡¯s throat was hoarse from shouting.


    Qiao Qingyu quickly got on the tractor back to Xiaxi Commune; she couldn¡¯t be of any help now and didn¡¯t want to cause more trouble, as Mr. Qian would have to look after her if she stayed.


    This time, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t let the tractor driver take her back to the residential compound. She had come by bicycle, and now in the afternoon, although the sky was overcast, the wind was behind her, so she would reach roughly in twenty minutes.


    Moreover, the tractor was really needed elsewhere.


    The tractor driver and Qiao Qingyu were already very familiar; he was only a year older than Qiao Qingyu, but he admired her skills in driving the tractor, which surpassed his, so naturally, he was very obedient.


    Clearly, Mr. Qian¡¯s situation was more important now.


    He hurried off in the tractor to find Mr. Qian.


    Qiao Qingyu mounted her bicycle and quickly rode towards the base residential compound.


    If it rained, that would truly be a blessing from heavens.


    Because the ride back to the residential compound was downwind, although the road conditions weren¡¯t good, it wasn¡¯t too taxing.


    But perhaps because the wind grew stronger, or maybe because it seemed like it was going to rain, there wasn¡¯t a soul in sight across the vast wilderness.


    Just as she felt the desolation around her, a large horse-drawn cart rushed over on the road ahead.


    Although it was going against the wind, the horse ran quite fast, whizzing past Qiao Qingyu in the blink of an eye.


    But the next second, Qiao Qingyu was stunned.

 Chapter 63 - 63 63 Actions Faster Than the Brain

    ?Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Actions Faster Than the Brain Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Actions Faster Than the Brain Qiao Qingyu rode forward in a daze for a while, but then she suddenly jumped off her bike, turned around, and looked back at the horse-drawn cart that was getting further and further away.


    The cart was driven by a man in his forties; on the cart there was an elderly woman, and beside the old woman lay a blue quilt.


    Could it be that her eyes were playing tricks on her?


    She had only glanced at it briefly, but she thought she saw a pair of small red leather shoes under the blue quilt.


    Qiao Qingyu had a good memory. She had seen those small red leather shoes on He Xuerong¡¯s feet, as she had helped her put them on.


    And at that moment, the horse-drawn cart was reduced to almost a shadow, and even though it was against the wind, the man driving the cart seemed to be incessantly cracking his whip.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face turned pale, the color fluctuating uncertainly.


    She tried hard to clear her thoughts.


    There was a child under the quilt wearing red leather shoes. Could it be He Xuerong?


    But that shouldn¡¯t be the case; at this time, He Xuerong should be in He Xiuyu¡¯s office; He Xiuyu took great care of her, always keeping her by his side.


    Especially since that was a base, with strict security.


    Suddenly, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes narrowed; no, it wasn¡¯t just a pair of small red leather shoes, there seemed to be a pair of little sneakers as well.


    There were two children inside the quilt.


    Her first instinct was to think, could the child wearing sneakers be Xiao Hu?


    Qiao Qingyu glared fiercely at the cart that was nearly a dot in the distance, suddenly let out several loud yells, ¡°Xiao Hu, he should be in the family courtyard. He Xuerong should be in He Xiuyu¡¯s office.¡±


    How could they possibly be on the same cart?


    But the next second, action overtook thought, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t care less, picked up her bike, and pedaled hard to chase in the direction the cart had gone.


    Without a mobile phone, without a telephone, she didn¡¯t even have the time to verify her slight suspicion.


    Yellow Sand Road was not the only route; there were several side roads around, and if she didn¡¯t catch up to that cart quickly to see for herself, by the time it disappeared into the vast desert, she would not be able to find it.


    Qiao Qingyu faced the wind, gasping for air, ¡°What is with this horrible weather? The wind¡¯s getting stronger,¡± she felt as if she could be swept away by the wind at any moment.


    She gave it her all, her primal strength.


    Fortunately, the quality of the bicycle was excellent, so after a few minutes of riding, she saw the shadow of the cart.


    The cart did not head towards Xiaxi Commune. The Commune was straight ahead, but there was a fork halfway, and the cart had taken the right side path. She had no idea where the end of that path led.


    But the two pairs of children¡¯s shoes she occasionally glimpsed kept dancing before her eyes. If the two children really were Xiao Hu and Rongrong, that would prove that the two were kidnappers, detested traffickers.


    At this moment, Qiao Qingyu was completely devoid of prudence and weighing the pros and cons; she had only one thought: to chase them down and see if it really was those two children.


    If it wasn¡¯t them, then no big deal, she would just apologize or compensate with some money if necessary.


    Now that she suspected something, how could she possibly return to the family courtyard as if nothing had happened without seeing it with her own eyes?


    As for what she might encounter next, Qiao Qingyu simply had no time to consider it at the moment.


    Meanwhile, the old woman sitting in the cart straightened the quilt downwards, covering the two pairs of shoes and with slightly cloudy eyes, she swiveled around and reached out to tap her son who sat on the shaft, ¡°Son, take a quick look behind, is there someone chasing us?¡±


    Startled, the man driving the cart quickly turned to look back, then squinted his eyes; it seemed to be a woman.


    He had a sudden realization, ¡°Mother, it¡¯s that pretty girl who passed us riding a bike earlier...¡±


    The old lady wrinkled her brows and glanced again at the quilt on the carriage, tugging at the man driving it, ¡°Hurry up with your driving, but also don¡¯t be afraid, just take her along and tie her up, we¡¯ll sell her off and make a tidy sum of several hundred.¡±


    ¡°Mom, we better be careful, we don¡¯t want any slip-ups.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to fear? Old Mountain Eagle said, the deeper the waters of the base, the better to muddle them,¡± the old lady said ominously.


    The man driving the carriage¡¯s eyes flashed, and then he retracted the whip, deliberately slowing the speed of the carriage.


    Suddenly, the old lady yelped, ¡°Son, look again, how come that person suddenly disappeared? Could it be that my eyes are deceiving me?¡±


    The man driving the carriage turned his head to look again, behind them was Yellow Sand as far as the eye could see, the wind was so strong it left no room to breathe, but still not even a ghost¡¯s shadow was in sight.


    The mother and son exchanged glances. Perhaps they had really seen a mirage? Oh no, let¡¯s not dwell on it any longer, hurry up with the driving; this is like seeing a ghost.


    By this time, a small village had appeared up ahead, with only Yellow Sand Road and no other fork in the road. The man driving the carriage cracked his whip, and the carriage sped up.


    And the old lady sat on one corner of the quilt.


    At that moment, both kids were unconscious.


    They had waited several days already, having thought it would take a month or two to succeed, yet who¡¯d have expected it to happen so quickly.


    A smug smile spread across Elder Gai¡¯s face.


    The mission had been accomplished well; Old Mountain Eagle would surely reward her.


    Qiao Qingyu had just come out from the laboratory space. The reason she hadn¡¯t seen anyone was that she had noticed there was only one road ahead, and the carriage hadn¡¯t turned in any other direction. Far in the distance, she could see the outline of a village, so Qiao Qingyu had to make some preparations for herself.


    She knew nothing about the situation and couldn¡¯t contact anyone, so she could only run forward with sheer courage and intuition. But she had to ensure her own safety as a prerequisite.


    The laboratory space could hold a few things.


    There was only one kitchen knife at home, which Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t possibly place in the laboratory space. Beside the wooden box, there was an elm wood stick about a meter long and as thick as her wrist.


    When she took it in, it was to test what this space could and couldn¡¯t hold.


    Next to the wooden box were two packs of matches.


    These too could be taken in.


    Qiao Qingyu held the wooden stick in her hand; she casually put the matches into her shoulder bag and left the laboratory.


    She had placed her bicycle in the ditch on the side of the road just a moment ago, and now the carriage was nowhere to be seen.


    Qiao Qingyu crouched in the ditch, thinking hard for a minute.


    In the end, she resigned herself to placing the stick on the rear seat of the bicycle, and then she rode the bicycle towards the village where the carriage had gone, pedaling with all her might.


    She had already ridden for nearly half an hour.


    Her legs were both sore and aching.


    If she took another half-hour to ride to the place she¡¯d been before and then needed another ten minutes to get to He family¡¯s compound or Xiaxi Commune, it would be almost fifty minutes altogether.


    Fifty minutes! Who knows what could happen in that time?


    Now it was such a long distance, she wouldn¡¯t even know where to start looking once she entered the village.


    Meanwhile, He Xiuyu¡¯s face was ashen.


    Rongrong was napping, so he had gone to the laboratory because he was analyzing some data. He was going to be stationed permanently at the experimental base soon, so he needed to complete these calculations as quickly as possible.

 Chapter 64 - 64 64 Entering the Village (Part 5)

    ?Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Entering the Village (Part 5) Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Entering the Village (Part 5) Without realizing it, more than an hour had passed, and he suddenly felt a bit restless. Thus, he left the laboratory and headed back to his office, only to find the office door was ajar, and Rongrong was gone.


    With his long legs, He Xiuyu searched the entire Big White Building quickly, within a few minutes. Rongrong wasn¡¯t there, and nobody had seen a little girl leave.


    He Xiuyu went back to where Rongrong had been sleeping. The shoes were gone, the outer clothes were gone, the room was tidy and clean, but he saw a green glass ball on the bed.


    Could it be Xiao Hu?


    Without any hesitation, He Xiuyu dashed outside. The guard at the door confirmed his guess; indeed, Mr. Li¡¯s son, Li Mingguang, came to the base on his own.


    Since the guard was on duty, he had a colleague take Xiao Hu to the duty office.


    The duty office was empty.


    Xiao Hu wasn¡¯t there at all.


    A cup of water was still on the table, and the guard turned pale with fright, ¡°Chief Engineer He, I asked the child to wait here. I¡¯ve already called Director Shen and told his mother to come and pick him up. I even got him some cookies and candy.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s face was as grim as water, no need to ask; those two kids definitely hadn¡¯t left through the main gate.


    Surrounded by tall perimeter walls and covering a vast area, it was not easy finding where the two children might be hiding in some empty building.


    But he had a nagging feeling of unease.


    He had no choice but to call Director Lin, who then dispatched all the security staff for a comprehensive search.


    Meanwhile, He Xiuyu returned to his office and then walked down the corridor and the stairs following the possible routes the children could have taken. This time, he didn¡¯t directly leave the Big White Building but instead fixed his gaze on a small door on the north side of the first floor.


    That door was open, and if he remembered correctly, the Iron General had been there in the morning.


    Without further delay, He Xiuyu stooped, pushed open the small door, and stepped outside to the Big White Building¡¯s shaded back area.


    There were a few bungalows nearby, and not far off was the boiler room.


    He Xiuyu went over Xiao Hu¡¯s possible escape route in his mind several times, ruling out each path until he finally took one towards the boiler room.


    Behind the boiler room was the coal yard.


    At that moment, it was piled up like a mountain of coal.


    The workers in the boiler room all said they hadn¡¯t seen the two children.


    Was this a dead end?


    He Xiuyu¡¯s gaze fell on Coal Mountain.


    He climbed up it, and on one side of Coal Mountain was the tall courtyard wall. He easily stood atop the wall, with a large pile of coal slag beneath him.


    The coal slag should have formed a mound, but now there was a clear trace that had been stepped on.


    Without hesitation, He Xiuyu climbed over the wall head. The boiler room workers looked at each other. Old Zhao murmured softly, ¡°How come I haven¡¯t heard any children talking...¡± Another worker glared at him, ¡°With the noise in our boiler room being so loud, we have to shout to talk to each other, how could you hear the children talking from outside?¡±


    And at this moment, He Xiuyu was already on Yellow Sand Road.


    With the dry weather and the strong winds, even if there were car and footprints on the road, they would have been blown away without a trace by now.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s hands, hanging at his sides, clenched tightly together. He wasn¡¯t comfortable leaving the ill Rongrong with her mother, but if anything were to happen to her in his care, how would he explain it to his elder brother?


    Most importantly, Rongrong was now incapable of communication and interaction. If she was with Xiao Hu, it would be fine, but if not, it could be very dangerous.


    Even the composed and calm He Xiuyu felt his clenched hands tremble slightly, and a cold sweat broke out on his back.


    Director Lin, leading a group of guards, and Old Xie, with quite a few workers, nearly a hundred people, had also made their way to He Xiuyu¡¯s location.


    Every possible location in the newly built family quarter of Zone 5 behind the Big White Building had been searched, but there was no trace of the two children.


    He Xiuyu instructed Director Lin to continue searching while he drove the jeep along Yellow Sand Road toward the front.


    At this time, Qiao Qingyu was riding her bicycle and had arrived at the entrance of a small village.


    The village was really small; from a distance, it seemed to consist of just a few dozen households, sparsely surrounded by a few poplar trees.


    The wind was still blowing fiercely, and there was no one working the fields, although there were more waste grounds and hillslopes.


    It wasn¡¯t an endlessly flat area.


    Turning past this hill, you couldn¡¯t see what the next one looked like.


    Her mind began to race. Now this area fell under the jurisdiction of the Xiaxi Commune, which was generally organized into one large brigade with several small teams underneath.


    Whether it was tractors, agricultural tools, or horse-drawn carts, these all belonged to the collective property.


    Policies had not yet spread to the Xiaxi Commune, and the contract responsibility system had not started, making it almost impossible for individuals to buy a horse-drawn cart.


    So the middle-aged man driving the horse-drawn cart could very well be a small team leader or someone of the sort.


    Small team leader, huh? An official of the village, could he be the criminal?


    It seemed not that likely.


    Qiao Qingyu braced herself and rode her bicycle into the village.


    She refused to believe that the village was filled with large horse-drawn carts everywhere.


    Moreover, the residences here were the same as those in the family quarter, with tall threshold gates that the horse-drawn carts simply couldn¡¯t pass through.


    So all she needed to do was find the horse-drawn cart.


    The village indeed didn¡¯t have many households, and because of the bad weather, not a single person could be seen on the roads. There were no chimneys smoking either, and from afar, it looked a bit like a ghost village in a desert.


    After passing one house, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she stopped in her tracks. The horse-drawn cart she had seen was parked at the entrance of a house, and just as she had imagined, the gate was small and low, with a high threshold. The horse-drawn cart simply couldn¡¯t enter.


    And the blanket that had been on the horse-drawn cart was gone.


    Then she saw the old lady who had sat on the cart walked out of the courtyard, casually locking the gate behind her, and then headed west, starting to knock loudly on the door of that house.


    The door opened, revealing a middle-aged woman, roughly forty, with her hair wrapped in a headscarf. She stepped aside to let the old lady in and then quickly shut the door.


    Qiao Qingyu looked around. At this moment, she didn¡¯t know if anyone was watching her from behind the windows covered with paper.


    Nor did she know if a large group of people would suddenly emerge and surround her.


    Hopefully, she wouldn¡¯t fall into the wolf¡¯s den before figuring out what was really happening.


    Her hand, carrying a stick, gently touched the red mole on her fingertip.


    Her heart finally settled in her stomach.


    Ten seconds would be enough for her to hide in her space.


    As for the consequences of disappearing into thin air, that was not within Qiao Qingyu¡¯s current considerations.


    Qiao Qingyu leaned her bicycle against a mud wall, thought for a moment, and decided not to lock it. With a stick in her right hand, she walked directly toward the house with the parked horse-drawn cart.


    At this moment, the surroundings were not quiet; the sound of a dog barking could be heard not far away.


    But it was quickly drowned out by the howling wind, and the clouds in the distance grew thicker and heavier. The air had been somewhat humid just before, but it was now becoming dry.


    Looking up at the sky, Qiao Qingyu guessed that if a storm wasn¡¯t approaching, then it must be a sandstorm...

 Chapter 65 - 65 65 Xiao Hu and Rongrong

    ?Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Xiao Hu and Rongrong Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Xiao Hu and Rongrong The family¡¯s courtyard wall wasn¡¯t high¡ªQiao Qingyu could easily jump in. However, spinning her eyes around, she decided to use the wooden stick in her hand to smash the lock instead.


    An open door is always a bit safer than one that¡¯s locked tight.


    Moreover, making some noise is better than keeping silent.


    The wooden stick in her hand was no ordinary one; it was made from elm, a wood that¡¯s tough, with a fine grain, hardly inferior to an iron bar.


    That¡¯s why there¡¯s a saying about elmwood knots.


    Inside the humble, dilapidated mud brick house at this moment, Xiao Hu and He Xuerong were terrified.


    Xiao Hu¡¯s hands were tied with rope. He Xuerong stared wide-eyed, unblinking as if her soul had left her body at this time.


    She sat quietly on the dirty kang bed, her eyes unfocused yet in no way diminishing the delicacy of her features.


    The middle-aged man kept smacking his lips, fixated on He Xuerong. It was the first time he¡¯d seen a girl as pretty as her.


    A sinister gleam flashed across his eyes.


    He bared his teeth and started to approach He Xuerong.


    Xiao Hu, like a tiny cannonball, charged at him, knocking the middle-aged man back several steps. His hands might have been bound, but he positioned himself in front of He Xuerong, his face awash with tears. With a trembling voice, he shouted, ¡°Get away, you... you big bully! Let us go or my Uncle He will bring everyone to catch you and you¡¯ll end up in prison...¡±


    Xiao Hu, only five years old, finally understood what regret meant. He shouldn¡¯t have picked up that key, shouldn¡¯t have opened Uncle He¡¯s office out of curiosity, and he definitely shouldn¡¯t have taken Rongrong on an adventure to Coal Mountain.


    He was wrong. Uncle He, Mom, please come save us.


    Xiao Hu cried with a muffled whimper, but his small frame stood resolutely in front of He Xuerong.


    This man was a big bully.


    How he wished he could suddenly grow bigger at a time like this.


    The middle-aged man, caught off guard but facing only a child¡¯s strength, recovered after a few steps back.


    He smirked at the sight of the two kids and glanced outside. The wind was fierce, as if it would lift the thatched roof right off. He¡¯d had enough of this wretched place and this damned weather.


    He strode angrily toward Xiao Hu, grabbed his shirtfront, and slapped him several times before hurling Xiao Hu against the opposite wall.


    Xiao Hu¡¯s vision darkened, and he lost consciousness.


    He Xuerong seemed to finally realize the world around her was no longer safe.


    Tense, she leapt down from the kang bed and retreated back into a corner.


    The middle-aged man laughed, ¡°Little baby, don¡¯t hide. You¡¯re so cute. Let uncle take good care of you. You must be obedient or I¡¯ll break your hands and legs.¡±


    Then, glaring menacingly at He Xuerong, he threatened, ¡°Then, you¡¯ll crawl on the ground like a bug...¡±


    He Xuerong, her face expressionless, instinctively sensed the danger. She suddenly widened her eyes in fright, not knowing what to do as the man drew closer.


    At this point, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t care less if this was the robbers¡¯ den.


    Carrying her stick, she entered the courtyard, scanning the surroundings. It was just a simple farmhouse, much like the one she was living in now. She headed straight for the main door of the mud brick house.


    After a moment¡¯s thought, she kicked the door open.


    Standing in the doorway, she was puzzled¡ªwhy was it so quiet inside?


    Could it be that no one was there?


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know that this household had no glass windows, just papered ones, and at the moment the weather was gloomy, with a fierce wind howling so loudly it could mask all other sounds. Moreover, the middle-aged man inside was focused solely on He Xuerong.


    Naturally, he didn¡¯t hear Qiao Qingyu kicking the door.


    Inside the house, there was a choking stench. It was low and shabby, the first room being the kitchen, and then to the east was another room, and that was all there was.


    Qiao Qingyu held a stick in her left hand, her thumb resting on the edge of her forefinger.


    In case of any emergency, she could retreat into the safety of her lab space.


    She headed towards the eastern room.


    The door was open, and at first glance, she saw Xiao Hu lying straight on the ground, hands bound, and in a corner squatted a little girl with terror-filled eyes, her face streaked with tears, her tiny body trembling. And before her, the middle-aged man who had been driving the cart was already reaching out to grab He Xuerong.


    Despite the dim light, Qiao Qingyu immediately recognized the two children from her angle.


    Qiao Qingyu was fuming with rage as she stormed into the room. The middle-aged man only then seemed to notice someone had entered, and just as he turned around, he was struck in the back by a wooden stick. A sharp pain assaulted him, and he fell to his knees with a thump.


    But he was quick to react, rolling on the ground and standing up rapidly despite the pain.


    A beautiful girl with eyes full of fury was glaring at him menacingly, holding a large stick in her hand¡ªindeed, she was the same girl who had once passed them by on a bicycle and then had followed behind their cart before suddenly disappearing.


    The middle-aged man moved his back, grimacing with pain, when suddenly, He Xuerong swiftly stood up.


    She sprinted towards Qiao Qingyu like the wind.


    Qiao Qingyu scooped her up, and He Xuerong stood behind her, clutching at her pants tightly.


    ¡°You little bitch, Heaven offered you a path you did not take, Hell had no gate yet you barged in, is this not falling into the trap on your own?¡± he exclaimed.


    Although the man was wearing ragged clothes and his face was tanned, as soon as he spoke, Qiao Qingyu was sure he was not simply a farmer.


    His accent was strange, and his words held a deeper meaning.


    But none of this mattered now. Qiao Qingyu grabbed hold of He Xuerong, yanking her hands free and then placed He Xuerong in the corner.


    She softly instructed, ¡°Rongrong, don¡¯t be afraid. Watch Aunt Qiao beat up the bad guy.¡±


    The middle-aged man laughed heartily, ¡°You silly girl, don¡¯t overestimate yourself. Behave, and you might suffer less...¡±


    ¡°Scum, have you never heard the saying villains die from talking too much?¡±


    As she spoke, Qiao Qingyu, swinging her stick, charged at the man. The spot she had hit was deliberate; she targeted the area around his lumbar spine and coccyx.


    And she used all her strength.


    Even if he wasn¡¯t paralyzed, he would not be able to exert much force while moving.


    Realizing he might have injured his coccyx, the middle-aged man glared at Qiao Qingyu venomously and, despite the intense pain in his lower back, did not evade but rather reached out to grab the stick.


    Then he got hold of the stick.


    Qiao Qingyu sneered. Although she was not incredibly strong, the body she inhabited was far from weak.


    Especially now, in the throes of anger.


    She clung to the stick and pulled hard towards herself, and the man instinctively pulled back, feeling a crack at the spot of the coccyx. His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground with a thud, crying out in agony.


    His grip on the stick involuntarily loosened, and Qiao Qingyu, without hesitation, swung the stick at him repeatedly and mercilessly.


    Take advantage of his illness to take his life.


    Until the middle-aged man was beaten down, lying motionless on the ground.

 Chapter 66 - 66 66 The Power of the Plot God

    ?Chapter 66: Chapter 66: The Power of the Plot God Chapter 66: Chapter 66: The Power of the Plot God Qiao Qingyu turned her head to look at Xiao Hu, who lay on the ground. Xiao Hu had been hit, and his mouth was bleeding. She checked his pulse and his breathing. That was all Qiao Qingyu could do now.


    The next moment, Qiao Qingyu breathed a sigh of relief; Xiao Hu was still alive.


    She picked up Xiao Hu and, holding onto He Xuerong who had stayed right by her side, hurried outside. The door was wide open, the fierce wind was still howling, but she clearly heard an old lady speaking, her voice distant and unclear. She hid by the door and looked outside.


    There were about seven or eight people standing at the doorway.


    She saw the old lady from the carriage, her face full of confusion and disbelief, pointing at the broken lock on the big door and saying something.


    There was also the middle-aged woman who had opened the door for the old lady, and five middle-aged men in their thirties or forties, two of whom had hoes slung over their shoulders.


    It seemed there were still more people outside.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart raced, and she took deep breaths to calm herself down.


    She looked down at He Xuerong, who remained unresponsive to everything around her and just stared intently at her.


    He Xuerong¡¯s pale face also bore a slap mark.


    That inhuman beast.


    At that moment, the people at the doorway rushed toward the house.


    At that instant, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t think she could safely escape from there with two children.


    Clearly, they were all in this together.


    She had no extraordinary martial arts skills, no weapons, only a stick. At this critical moment, she couldn¡¯t help but lament the power of the plot deities.


    Even though she had transmigrated into this book and tried hard to change the plot, some events were bound to happen, albeit in a different manner and at a different place.


    Qiao Qingyu was extremely grateful for a small experiment she had conducted before. If she hadn¡¯t run that small experiment, she wouldn¡¯t dare to execute this plan now.


    Qiao Qingyu prepared to take the two children into a space.


    But the next second, He Xuerong suddenly broke free from her grasp. The kitchen wasn¡¯t big, and the young girl grabbed a kerosene bottle and fiercely threw it at the head of a middle-aged man who had crawled into the kitchen.


    Unexpectedly, it landed on the dry grass in the kitchen.


    Qiao Qingyu immediately rushed to pull He Xuerong, but unfortunately, the group outside rushed in too, quickly surrounding Qiao Qingyu.


    ¡°Mom, catch her, this damned woman, I must kill her, kill her brutally!¡± the middle-aged man screamed at the top of his lungs.


    Qiao Qingyu had a moment when her mind went blank.


    She didn¡¯t even make it out of the kitchen door before she was blocked.


    The strangers, men and women in the village, all looked at her with malevolence.


    Ten seconds, could she successfully take the two children into the space in front of everyone...


    The old lady closest to Qiao Qingyu, enraged and desperate, lunged at Qiao Qingyu. It must be said that under extreme pressure, human potential could be limitless, and Qiao Qingyu reacted quickly, grabbing He Xuerong and picking up Xiao Hu to dodge out of the way.


    But the kitchen was too small. She stood beside the stove, below her feet, a pile of dry straw and corn stalks.


    ¡°Catch her, have fun, you guys play with her as much as you want, then sell her off to the deep mountains...¡± The old lady who missed her target shouted deliriously.


    Qiao Qingyu clenched her teeth.


    No matter, she had to enter the space first but needed to buy herself some time.


    Qiao Qingyu used her left hand to pull out two boxes of matches from her bag, holding them up, and her right hand pressed on the red mole on her index finger, her voice becoming shrill due to the pressing situation, ¡°I am from the base laboratory, what I¡¯m holding is explosive. Don¡¯t come any closer, or I¡¯ll set this place on fire!¡±


    The crowd surrounding her was skeptical; they didn¡¯t know who Qiao Qingyu was but knew that the two children were from the base.


    No need for much, just that ten seconds of hesitation, and she would be safe.


    Qiao Qingyu viciously threw the matches in her hand in front of everyone, and indeed, they all simultaneously took a step back. Suddenly, with a loud bang, the matches exploded into a burst of sparks. Before Qiao Qingyu¡¯s incredulous eyes, the sparks ignited the dry grass, and large flames sprang up, while Qiao Qingyu and the two children vanished from everyone¡¯s sight.


    Everyone was momentarily stunned.


    Then, the kitchen was engulfed in flames.


    The weather was dry, and a fierce wind was blowing outside, causing the fire to quickly climb onto the roof.


    Nobody went to look for where Qiao Qingyu had gone. The old lady went to pull her son, who was lying on the ground, while several men frantically searched for water to extinguish the fire.


    Some people ran out.


    In an instant, the place was thrown into chaos.


    As the scene changed, Qiao Qingyu, holding both children, entered the laboratory.


    She was sweating coldly but also breathed a sigh of relief.


    Fortunately, both children had come in.


    If only one had come in, she would have had to go out immediately to bring the other one in.


    She quickly checked on Xiao Hu; the child¡¯s face was swollen like a steamed bun, but his breathing was still steady. He Xuerong stared at her with sharp eyes, her lips tightly pursed, but her emotions seemed alright.


    Qiao Qingyu clenched her hands, nervously attentive to the noises outside the space.


    When not busy or when no one was around, she often conducted small experiments to fully master the functions of the laboratory.


    For instance, if she could enter with her whole body, could others enter as well?


    So, one day, when Sister-in-law Li went out and left Xiao Hu at her house, and Xiao Hu was napping, Qiao Qingyu saw that the child was sound asleep and indeed brought Xiao Hu into the laboratory space.


    But she had never tried bringing two children in.


    Nor did she know if she could bring an adult in.


    Then she also tested whether one could move around in the laboratory space after entering, meaning whether one stays right there after exiting from where they entered.


    Also, whether one could hear noises from the outside world while in the laboratory space?


    She had conducted experiments on all these aspects.


    The items at hand weren¡¯t complete. The things that could and couldn¡¯t be brought in, Qiao Qingyu had already made two charts, placed inside the wooden box in the laboratory.


    As for the matter of location, she had conducted comprehensive experiments.


    However, the moving distance was limited; she mentally walked forward in her mind, but could only take about five steps.


    But that was enough. Qiao Qingyu knew her location; she had already left the kitchen and was in the yard of this farmhouse.


    She could also hear the sounds from the outside if she chose to.


    Then, she heard the old lady¡¯s frantic shouting.


    And other miscellaneous noises.


    The fierce wind outside was still howling, undiminished.


    She also heard the crackling sound of the fire burning.


    Qiao Qingyu was utterly baffled. She came to the wooden box, which contained two packs of matches that the base had just issued; she hadn¡¯t used them and had placed them in the space¡¯s wooden box.


    She had opened one pack on the road.


    She had taken out two boxes and placed them in her handbag; just now, to gain time and scare them, she had thrown them out.


    But how could the matches explode?


    Could this be the power of a plot god?

 Chapter 67 - 67 67 He Xiuyu Arrives

    ?Chapter 67: Chapter 67 He Xiuyu Arrives Chapter 67: Chapter 67 He Xiuyu Arrives In this historical novel, before the original character Qiao Qingyu moved to a new family compound, she set her old house on fire.


    That day, the wind was very strong.


    Fortunately, the fire was put out in time, and no major damage was caused, but one of the two guards in the village watchtower, a young lad, burned his hand.


    Before this, the original owner had already chopped open the lock to He Xiuyu¡¯s study with an axe.


    The room was filled with books and documents, no women or love letters.


    After searching for a long time, He Xiuyu just happened to return.


    Then, that very night, He Xiuyu took all his books and documents to his office.


    Because of this act, his important items were spared from the fire.


    But almost everything else was destroyed.


    A neighboring family¡¯s thatched roof was burned off halfway.


    Before this, Qiao Qingyu had complained to Liu Qiao Wen that she hated this broken house, hated it very much, and wished she could just burn it down.


    With Liu Qiao Wen¡¯s testimony, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t deny it, and so, she became almost synonymous with a dangerous element.


    Aside from Liu Qiao Wen, no one talked to her.


    Then came late autumn and early winter.


    It was said that a piece of soy sauce beef had sold out He Xuerong, and when she was rescued, the child¡¯s limbs were all broken.


    Only a few months had passed in the timeline, and the original character swiftly met her end.


    Thus, at this point in the book, two plotlines were unfolding.


    Just in a different way.


    Qiao Qingyu wiped the sweat from her forehead, if it weren¡¯t for this ¡°space device,¡± selfishly speaking, she might not have dared to pursue this path.


    Then none of what followed would have occurred.


    But at this moment, saying anything was pointless.


    Who knew, even without the space device, what she might have done?


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t like playing the good person, being good was exhausting, she preferred making money, taking advantage of people, and getting something for nothing; but when it really mattered, she was a good person.


    Before she found herself in the book, at the edge of a lake in a park crowded with people, two children wrestling with each other, you pull I pull, ended up falling into the lake.


    In the northern region in February, the ice had just started to melt, and the water was ice cold and piercing.


    Only she, the fool, jumped down.


    Qiao Qingyu stood in the laboratory space, listening attentively to the chaotic noise outside, the house was definitely ablaze.


    It seemed people were trying to extinguish the fire, although Qiao Qingyu could hear the noise, she didn¡¯t know how fierce the flames outside were.


    The old woman desperately dragged the middle-aged man out, but as they reached the doorway, the roof beam collapsed on them, and then others clumsily dragged them out, but by then, both of them had already passed out.


    The wind grew fiercer.


    Although the mud-brick house was some distance from other homes, when a great fire ignited, fireballs would leap.


    The neighboring house was ignited by a leaping fireball.


    This village was very poor; the roofs were made of wheat straw, without any clay tiles or bricks, so it caught fire all too easily.


    Someone shouted, ¡°Run, the fire¡¯s beyond saving.¡±


    People began to cry loudly, and others ran towards the entrance of the village, weeping and wailing, ¡°This is what you get for doing evil, retribution, now you¡¯re getting retribution...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was busy paying attention to the outside, but didn¡¯t notice that He Xuerong had already stood up, staring unblinkingly at the endless rows of glass bottles in front of her, slowly moving forward, and occasionally glancing back at Qiao Qingyu, her wooden eyes seeming to gain a bit of luster.


    She carefully inched forward; she didn¡¯t know where this was, but she really liked the atmosphere here.


    This looks like the home of large leaf.


    It also seems like Little Bobo¡¯s home.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s Space Device is still in the yard, she can¡¯t stay here forever; right now the village is in chaos, she could use the confusion to make her escape.


    Moreover, the fire has started, the local militia responsible for firefighting from Xiaxi Commune, as well as the firefighting teams from the county will all be rushing over here.


    As long as she times it right, she could safely wait for rescue.


    Qiao Qingyu turned around to look for He Xuerong but found that the little girl had already gone to the other side; she hurriedly picks up Xiao Hu and rushes over, then grabs He Xuerong¡¯s little hand, and with a thought, she is once again standing in the courtyard of this household.


    Qiao Qingyu gets a fright; the fire in front of her lights up half the sky.


    Just a moment ago, she felt like she was in a ghost village, but now people are crying and running out.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face turns pale, her heart sinking.


    If innocent people die in the fire, what would she do?


    She would be guilty of arson!


    But she didn¡¯t start the fire.


    And she had never heard of matches exploding upon hitting the ground.


    Matches, without being struck on their heads, simply do not ignite.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mind is in turmoil as she grits her teeth, picks up both children, and runs towards the entrance of the village.


    Meanwhile, at the same time, He Xiuyu suddenly stops the jeep; in front of him is a fork in the road that leads to thick smoke and blazing fire.


    He steps on the accelerator and heads down the fork.


    Qiao Qingyu, carrying the two children, runs behind a ruined wall and without even catching her breath, a flash of lightning cuts through the dark clouds followed by an explosive thunder.


    Immediately after, amidst the thundering roars, Qiao Qingyu hears the sound of a jeep.


    Is the car coming to put out the fire?


    Or could it be the accomplices of these people?


    In the next moment, a military green jeep speeds down the road to the end, stopping in a blink; a tall man gets out of the car.


    It¡¯s He Xiuyu!


    Qiao Qingyu has never been as elated as she is at this moment.


    But just then, a torrential rain pours down.


    Using all her strength, Qiao Qingyu shouts, ¡°He Xiuyu, we¡¯re here...¡±


    He Xiuyu turns around sharply.


    Xichuan has been dry for over a month now, and the large raindrops are kicking up dust on the ground, making visibility very low.


    But he clearly sees Qiao Qingyu standing in the pouring rain with Xiao Hu and Rongrong in her arms.


    In his entire life, He Xiuyu would never forget this scene.


    Qiao Qingyu, his young wife, not yet eighteen, carrying two children as if she¡¯s a heroic woman descended from the heavens!


    He runs towards her.


    Without asking anything, he takes the two children from her, grabs Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand with his right, and dashes towards the jeep, opening the door quickly, stuffing everyone in, and then he gets in as well.


    Qiao Qingyu doesn¡¯t know if it¡¯s rain or tears on her face; she wipes her face and urgently says, ¡°He Xiuyu, this is a den of thieves, they are the kidnappers who took Xiao Hu and Rongrong, they are human traffickers, we can¡¯t let them get away...¡±


    He Xiuyu nods and starts to back the car up. Qiao Qingyu suddenly raises her voice again, ¡°Ah, my bicycle is still in the village.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you all back first; I¡¯ll come back for the bicycle,¡± says He Xiuyu in a deep voice.


    He steps on the gas, and He Xiuyu speeds back in the direction they came from.

 Chapter 68 - 68 68 Stormy Weather

    ?Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Stormy Weather Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Stormy Weather The heavy rain continued pouring relentlessly, but He Xiuyu wasn¡¯t driving as fast as when he had arrived.


    Qiao Qingyu continued, ¡°The house that caught the big fire is where Xiao Hu and Rongrong were kidnapped. They are a mother and son. They rushed to the base in a big horse-drawn cart, hiding Rongrong and Xiao Hu under the blankets... When I entered the house, Xiao Hu was unconscious from being beaten, and Rongrong had also been slapped by that man, who even threatened to break her hands and legs...¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s face turned ashen, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.


    He was determined to take down this place.


    He definitely wouldn¡¯t let that villain get away!


    Then He Xiuyu opened a metal box in front of the driver¡¯s seat and yanked out a telephone receiver. He started to insert several red and green wires with one hand while driving with the other.


    Soon, a crackling sound emerged from inside, ¡°Chief Engineer He, where are you now?¡±


    It was Director Lin.


    Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t surprised, after all, it was a scientific research base; it would be embarrassing if they didn¡¯t have this kind of equipment.


    ¡°...There¡¯s trouble in Shangpo Village, you take some people to control them first. Also, Xiao Hu and Rongrong have been found. Xiao Hu is injured, send a doctor and nurse over...¡±


    Director Lin seemed to sigh in relief and quickly responded, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll bring people over right away.¡±


    He Xiuyu placed the black receiver aside and continued driving towards the family compound.


    Suddenly, Qiao Qingyu remembered the big fire in Shangpo Village. They still didn¡¯t know if there were any casualties from that fire.


    Sitting in the passenger seat, she couldn¡¯t help but tap He Xiuyu¡¯s back, feeling a bit nervous, ¡°He Xiuyu, I need to tell you something first...¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s heart softened; he didn¡¯t need to look to know how disheveled Qiao Qingyu was, she who was usually so concerned with her appearance.


    It was also the first time he heard Qiao Qingyu speak to him in such an apprehensive tone.


    ¡°Go ahead...¡± He Xiuyu¡¯s voice was very gentle.


    ¡°I was the one who started the fire in the village.¡±


    He Xiuyu was stunned, then responded gravely, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ve got this.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu felt a bit more at ease and then continued, ¡°It¡¯s complicated to explain. I started the fire, but also I didn¡¯t start it, and I don¡¯t know if anyone was injured.¡±


    He Xiuyu, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll talk it over when we get back.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded, realizing it wasn¡¯t the place to discuss this.


    However, she was just beginning to feel extremely uncomfortable all over.


    When she couldn¡¯t bear it anymore, the jeep finally arrived.


    Sister-in-law Li must have received a call and was waiting at the village entrance, and then she followed the jeep all the way to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house.


    Meanwhile, a jeep from the base hospital also arrived in front of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house, and a doctor along with a nurse holding a medical case and brandishing a large umbrella, also rushed into the house.


    Everything was busy but orderly.


    After all, He Xiuyu was here to direct things.


    Sister-in-law Li was boiling water while crying.


    The mist swirled inside houses, while the outside was engulfed in torrential rain mixed with howling wind.


    Xiao Hu had a slight concussion but nothing serious, though he needed to go to the base hospital for a check-up; Rongrong was fine, and ointment had been applied to her face.


    But there was one thing; she still clung to the corner of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s blouse, not letting go.


    A big pot of water was ready.


    The medical staff from the base, braving the rain, left.


    Xiao Hu also woke up, initially a bit dazed, but he suddenly remembered something, leaping off the bed and crying out loudly, ¡°Rongrong, Rongrong...¡±


    Then he saw He Xuerong standing not too far away.


    He Xiuyu was washing her face and hair.


    Xiao Hu saw stars before his eyes, then fell onto the kang with a thump.


    Qiao Qingyu handed another basin to Sister-in-law Li, ¡°Sister-in-law Li, don¡¯t be angry, please wash Xiao Hu first.¡±


    All three of them were soaked.


    The room had been crowded earlier, and they couldn¡¯t change out of their wet clothes, which felt extremely uncomfortable.


    But they still couldn¡¯t change at the moment.


    However, after a hectic while, Qiao Qingyu and Rongrong had changed into clean clothes and drank a bowl of brown sugar ginger tea that Sister-in-law Li had prepared. Only then did Qiao Qingyu feel revived.


    Xiao Hu was still ill and hadn¡¯t moved, while Sister-in-law Li, dressed in a raincoat, had brought clean clothes and shoes for him.


    By the time everything was settled, it had grown completely dark outside.


    Yet, the rain continued.


    For the West River Region, a heavy rain was rare.


    Especially a downpour like this, which hadn¡¯t been seen in over a decade.


    But such strong winds were equally unsettling.


    The stormy weather also meant that the crops in the fields would suffer.


    Qiao Qingyu sighed deeply in her heart.


    Mr. Qian was going to be extremely busy this time, as Shangpo Village was under his management. Now, with the President not at home, he was responsible for the main tasks, so any issues would definitely involve him first.


    Indeed, that was the case.


    Mr. Qian was very worried when the strong winds began, but as the wind grew stronger, he hurriedly sent all the villagers home.


    Reluctantly, he glanced at the eight hundred mu of Heavenly Silk Hemp fields, where even if he lay on top, he could only cover a few plants.


    He could only hope the rain would fall, only hope the wind would cease.


    But unexpectedly, the winds intensified, and soon the militia captain rushed in to report, saying a big fire had broken out in the direction of Shangpo Village. He quickly dispatched militia and villagers with firefighting duties onto tractors and horse-drawn carts to put out the fire in Shangpo Village.


    From his position, he could see dense smoke billowing there, so he hurriedly called the county fire department.


    In the midst of his frantic efforts, the Satellite Team leader stumbled in and reported that a tornado had hit their area, ripping off many rooftops, and the freshly sprouted millet plants had even been swept away by the tornado.


    As they spoke, outside, lightning flashed, thunder rolled, and the rain poured down heavily.


    Now there was no need to put out the fire in Shangpo Village as nature was taking care of it.


    Before Mr. Qian could take a breath, Director Lin from the base called, instructing him to immediately send people to Shangpo Village.


    Chief Engineer He¡¯s niece and Mr. Li¡¯s son had been kidnapped by a mother and son with a horse cart in Shangpo Village.


    Hearing this news, Mr. Qian nearly choked, Shangpo Village, that was his jurisdiction! There were eighteen households in total, with no big brigade stationed there but just a small team under the supervision of Erdaowa Valley Brigade.


    Upon hearing that both children had been successfully rescued, Mr. Qian wiped the sweat from his face, glanced at the weather outside, and personally went to Shangpo Village in a horse-drawn cart.


    The fire had destroyed two households.


    The brigade leader from Erdaowa Village also rushed over.


    The one who had kidnapped Xiao Hu and Rongrong was the small team leader of Shangpo Village.


    The brigade leader from Erdaowa Village frowned, his face filled with confusion.


    The small team leader¡¯s surname was Gai, who had previously married, but his wife had run away from him, and now he lived with his mother.


    That was Elder Gai.


    At this moment, both were awake but denied kidnapping the base¡¯s children.


    The rest of the villagers were now under control.


    Currently, they were staying in another warehouse.

 Chapter 69 - 69 69 Is He Having a Seizure or Has His Brain

    ?Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Is He Having a Seizure or Has His Brain Been Struck by Lightning? Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Is He Having a Seizure or Has His Brain Been Struck by Lightning? Although Mr. Qian wore a raincoat, his pant legs were all covered in mud.


    Captain Gu was someone he recognized.


    To tell the truth, Mr. Qian had worked in the commune for over thirty years and knew all the team leaders of each brigade and squad.


    Captain Gu was no exception.


    The workforce for reclaiming the wasteland was drawn from various brigades. Shangpo Village, due to its proximity to large expanses of wasteland, had the Erdaowa Village brigade chief directly assign them a mission to carve out some of the wasteland, in addition to the usual labor, by having him lead a few people to expedite the task.


    But who would have expected him to actually go off and kidnap the children of base scientists?


    Was he out of his mind or had his brain been struck by lightning?


    Not just Vice Director Qian, but also Erdaowa Village¡¯s brigade chief had a grim expression.


    Elder Gai hung her head low, looking completely disheveled with half of her hair burnt off, and her son lay motionless on a wooden bed next to her.


    Elder Gai remained silent.


    When Vice Director Qian asked questions, she only cried out, claiming she had been wronged.


    Director Lin sneered.


    In his jurisdiction, there was no mouth he couldn¡¯t pry open.


    His thoughts were much more complex than Mr. Qian had imagined.


    The base boiler room was situated in a secluded area, especially outside the perimeter wall where a pile of coal slag was discarded, a place beyond the safety zone. Previously, some villagers would come here to collect coal slag, but as the number of people increased, it became chaotic. Hence, before the year ended, the base had already banned these villagers from coming here.


    After all, it was a scientific research base.


    But undeniably, due to its remote location, it indeed was a blind spot for the security division.


    It had been a long time since any villagers went there.


    He had become somewhat lax about the security of that area. This was his negligence, and he planned to discuss it with Old Wei after this matter was resolved.


    However, since He Xiuyu hadn¡¯t arrived, the full details of the situation weren¡¯t clear yet.


    Director Lin observed Elder Gai without showing any emotion while he awaited He Xiuyu¡¯s arrival.


    Meanwhile, a security guard drove in to inform He Xiuyu that the villagers of Shangpo Village were already under custody and were being interrogated one by one.


    There were no casualties, but two families¡¯ homes had been burned down, one of them belonging to a Gu family member who was Shangpo Village¡¯s small team leader. Some villagers testified they saw him and Elder Gai bringing back two children on a horse-drawn cart that afternoon.


    He Xiuyu instructed the security guard to pass a message to Director Lin, emphasizing a thorough interrogation of the Gu mother and son.


    After the security guard left in the rain, Xiao Hu began to speak eloquently.


    Originally, Xiao Hu was waiting in the duty room, but he couldn¡¯t sit still. He had come to the base to play with Rongrong, as she hadn¡¯t returned to the family quarters for several days, and he had saved up several marbles to give her.


    He slipped out of the duty room, taking cookies and candies with him.


    He actually didn¡¯t know where Rongrong was.


    But as he reached the base of the Big White Building, he suddenly heard the sound of tapping on glass.


    Looking up, he saw He Xuerong standing in front of the second to last window on the top floor.


    So, he sneaked into the third floor.


    At the office door, he found a key on the floor.


    Xiao Hu didn¡¯t know who had dropped the key, but after standing for a little while, he picked it up and tentatively inserted it into the main door¡¯s lock.


    This lock wasn¡¯t an Iron General; everyone called it a hidden lock.


    He had accompanied his father to the base once and learned how to open such door locks.


    Then, he entered He Xiuyu¡¯s office and took Rongrong out to play.


    Not daring to exit through the main door for fear of getting caught, he sneaked out through a side door.


    He had also previously collected coal slag with a group of village children near the coal pile.


    So, he had taken Rongrong over the wall and jumped into the coal slag heap.


    Then a cart came from afar, and an old lady got off asking where the main gate of the base was.


    He showed them, but as soon as he turned around, his nose caught a pungent smell, and then he passed out.


    When he woke up, he was in that rundown room.


    Later, he was beaten by that man.


    Xiao Hu¡¯s memory stopped there.


    Choking up, he knelt before He Xiuyu, ¡°Uncle He, it¡¯s all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have taken Rongrong out to play without your permission, and I should have been wary of strangers. I¡¯m sorry. Also, the key¡ªmy father told me that found items should be turned in. I shouldn¡¯t have used it to open your office. Uncle He, please forgive me. I won¡¯t dare to do it again...¡±


    At this moment, everyone was sitting in the east room.


    All were listening to Xiao Hu narrate the incident.


    Then came the critical point.


    The key?


    He Xiuyu frowned deeply, his office key, how did it end up on the ground?


    ¡°Xiao Hu, where is that key now?¡±


    ¡°I put it back on the ground after I opened the door.¡±


    He Xiuyu pondered.


    There was an almost thorough search, both inside and outside his office, including the corners of the corridors, but that so-called key wasn¡¯t found anywhere.


    So how did this key appear?


    And how did it disappear?


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes rolled a few times.


    She felt it was time to bring up the matter of the base¡¯s spy; this was the best opportunity, or else the chance might be missed forever.


    But before that, she needed a perfect and reasonable explanation for all her actions.


    Suddenly, the room fell into dead silence.


    Sister-in-law Li looked uneasily at He Xiuyu.


    She had been negligent, leading to Xiao Hu causing such a big disaster.


    Thankfully, he was rescued; how could she live if they hadn¡¯t found him?


    Her gaze then fell on Qiao Qingyu, and a thought struck her. Ever since Qiao Qingyu had changed for the better, she realized Qiao Qingyu was like a lucky star. First, she had made her earn so much money, then she also saved Xiao Hu and Rongrong.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Qingyu had organized her thoughts, aware that He Xiuyu would still need to visit Shangpo Village soon.


    She started from her cycling from Xiaxi Commune, encountering the cart halfway, brushing past it and seeing a pair of small red leather shoes under the blanket, all the way until she had followed them to Shangpo Village and entered the house to find Xiao Hu bound and lying on the ground.


    While Rongrong, frightened, crouched in the corner, she had broken the spine of the man who attacked her.


    Afterward, while holding both children and trying to run out, seven or eight people rushed in and trapped her in the kitchen.


    Rongrong threw a kerosene bottle at Captain Gu, who had hit her.


    It missed, and the kerosene spilled over the hay.


    At that moment, she took out matches just to scare them, saying they were explosives, and threw them as she rushed out of the kitchen door with the children.


    She wanted to take the chaos as a chance to run to the yard for help.


    But little did she expect, throwing those two boxes of matches would cause an explosion, igniting the house, turning it into a sea of flames.


    At this point, Qiao Qingyu placed two packs of matches she had taken out of her space on the table.


    One opened pack still had eight boxes left, and the other was unopened.


    Qiao Qingyu pushed the matches towards He Xiuyu¡¯s side, her expression very serious, ¡°Although I don¡¯t know much about scientific theories, I know matches are not hand grenades. How could they explode just by being thrown on the ground?¡±


    Her voice paused, ¡°So, I think there must be something wrong with these matches. I¡¯m turning over all eighteen boxes to you, and I hope you treat this matter seriously!¡±

 Chapter 70 - 70 70 Meticulously Planned

    ?Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Meticulously Planned? Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Meticulously Planned? Such a serious and earnest Qiao Qingyu looked both innocent and adorable.


    If it were any other day, He Xiuyu would have smiled, but today he was even more solemn than Qiao Qingyu.


    He took the matches, examined them over and over, and then sniffed them in front of his nose.


    He then asked Qiao Qingyu, with a cold and grave voice, ¡°Do you have any more of these matches?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu hurriedly shook her head, ¡°No, I only received two packs from the base a while ago, and they are all here.¡±


    Sister-in-law Li also interjected, ¡°I¡¯m a bit puzzled, how could these matches explode unless you threw them into a fire...¡±


    But then Sister-in-law Li said with hatred, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s heaven helping those three. If that house hadn¡¯t caught fire, how could Qingyu have escaped with the two children? The more I think about it, the more frightened I become. If anything had happened, even sacrificing my own life wouldn¡¯t be enough to make up for it...¡±


    Having said this, Sister-in-law Li lowered her head and started to wipe her tears. Xiao Hu usually dashed up and down, but today he was kneeling quietly by the kang table, looking repentant.


    Xiao Hu didn¡¯t know about his venture into the space, and Rongrong still lacked the ability to talk and communicate.


    Nevertheless, He Xiuyu noticed that Rongrong seemed to be starting to grow fond of Qiao Qingyu.


    Having not seen her tiny hand stealthily stretching out, she sneakily clutched the corner of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s clothes.


    Although Qiao Qingyu noticed He Xuerong¡¯s little movement, she didn¡¯t take it to heart.


    First she comforted Sister-in-law Li, then pointing to the matches, she said with certainty, ¡°These matches are definitely problematic.¡±


    She then said thoughtfully, ¡°Fortunately, I didn¡¯t use them. If I had used these, do you think they could have set our house on fire too?¡±


    He Xiuyu felt a jolt in his chest, a palpitation caused by the words ¡°our house.¡±


    He then looked towards Qiao Qingyu with sharp, piercing eyes.


    Qiao Qingyu was also gazing back at him intently.


    Sister-in-law Li was a bit nervous, and also confused, ¡°I¡¯ve used these matches too, and they were just like the ones before.¡±


    He Xiuyu stood up, put the matches in his satchel, and said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m going to Shangpo Village, Sister-in-law Li, I won¡¯t come back tonight, so you and Xiao Hu just stay here. It will be good company for the two of them.¡±


    Sister-in-law Li quickly nodded her head, ¡°Go on Xiao He, be careful on the road.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu eyed his satchel, ¡°I think it¡¯s better not to carry them with you, in case they fall and explode, it could be dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will handle it properly,¡± He Xiuyu¡¯s voice was calm, yet it possessed a reassuring strength.


    ¡°By the way, He Xiuyu,¡± she continued, ¡°Xiao Hu¡¯s incident seems like a coincidence, but sometimes coincidences might be carefully planned. There¡¯s definitely a spy at the base. That mother and son¡¯s accents were odd, not purely from Xichuan; there must be someone at the base working with them inside and out.¡±


    At the same time, Qiao Qingyu turned to Sister-in-law Li, hinting, ¡°Sister-in-law Li, you also need to be careful when Brother Li comes back. I hear there are quite a few beautiful female college students who¡¯ve come to the base, and if any of them are spies trying to turn Brother Li, it could be dangerous. You have to constantly sound the alarm for him.¡±


    Sister-in-law Li was stunned for a moment, then seemed to remember something, and her face grew dark.


    But she said nothing.


    Of course, He Xiuyu knew there was a mole, and this mole was not lacking in ability, having even managed to get hold of his keys.


    Qiao Qingyu was right; what seemed like a coincidence could very well have been meticulously planned, or perhaps the opponent was always prepared, watching every move of both him and anyone related to him, ready to strike at any moment.


    His eyebrows furrowed, and he emitted a sharp, icy chill.


    He whispered a few instructions and then left quickly with the satchel.


    At this point, Qiao Qingyu let out a long sigh of relief.


    Her venture into the space, the issue of the base¡¯s spy, and the warning to Sister-in-law Li to watch out for Brother Li were pretty much resolved.


    All that remained was to see if they had the ability to root out the mole.


    ...


    The torrential rain had poured for three days and nights, and the fierce wind had howled with equal persistence.


    Initially, it was believed that the rainfall would nourish the crops and relieve the drought, but because the wind was so strong, most regions in Xichuan were still afflicted by disaster.


    Among them, Xiaxi Commune suffered the worst.


    In the Satellite Team, half of the families¡¯ houses had collapsed. Although there were no casualties, disaster relief was necessary, as was organizing the leaders of each team to inspect the damage to the crops.


    In just a few days, Mr. Qian had lost over a dozen pounds.


    He staggered as he walked.


    In the dead of night, Mr. Qian even began to entertain superstitious thoughts, questioning whether he should have aspired to do anything at all. Wouldn¡¯t it have been better to continue scraping by, living without credit, as he had done before?


    More work led to more mistakes!


    Right after the rain stopped, early in the morning, he took two officers with him to the Satellite Team to assess the situation. By then, the storm had passed and the skies of Xichuan appeared as clear as sapphires.


    Yet Mr. Qian¡¯s face was overcast, and his mood far from beautiful.


    The prospects of the 3,800 mu of Heavenly Silk Hemp and whether it had survived were uncertain, as the assessors had not yet returned. But he felt hopeless, knowing that the same area had been battered by a tornado.


    Some commune members said that the tornado seemed to tear through heaven and earth, scraping the land bare wherever it passed.


    This time, Qiao Qingyu was likely to lose money.


    Those were tens of thousands of dollars just in seed money, a thought that pained him deeply.


    And then there was Shangpo Village.


    The entire village was sealed off!


    A joint interrogation by the county public security and the Tenghai Research Base¡¯s police department had unearthed the shocking revelation that out of 120 people, twelve were Japanese traitors, concealing their true identities.


    Among them, Elder Gai was a pure Japanese.


    They had concealed themselves well, for over thirty years, and they confessed that before the Tenghai Research Base was built, they had committed numerous atrocities, deceiving many children and women from other villages before trading them away...


    Gu Jianchuan¡¯s father had also been Japanese, though he had died early.


    Remove the ¡°Jian,¡± and that was his surname.


    Beneath the warehouse of Shangpo Village lay a cellar filled with numerous human bones, among which were those of Gu Jianchuan¡¯s wife.


    She had discovered his and Elder Gai¡¯s secret and had intended to report them to the commune, but Gu Jianchuan had intercepted her en route and beaten her to death.


    Among the bones were those of several children.


    Gu Jianchuan was an inhuman brute.


    Thinking of this turned Mr. Qian¡¯s face an ashen hue. Shangpo Village had been subsisting on relief grain because it was poor, with some families so destitute that several people shared a single pair of trousers.


    They lived poorly, dressed poorly, ate even worse, and no one suspected they had money, and so everyone had been deceived.


    However, inside the cellar of Elder Gai¡¯s courtyard were hidden several hundred silver coins, over a hundred gold bars, and many cultural relics, with the currency alone amounting to over ten thousand yuan.


    Especially the cultural relics, all were extremely precious and of historical significance.


    The person they had been in contact with was known as Old Mountain Eagle.


    He had promised that once their mission was completed, he would personally send them off to enjoy a splendid life of wealth and comfort.


    So, enduring some hardship now was insignificant.

 Chapter 71 - 71 71 Good News

    ?Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Good News Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Good News He Xiuyu and Director Lin were so impressive, it took them only one day and one night to make them speak up.


    Then, braving the storm, they opened the cellar, and all from the secret location of the Xichuan Cultural Relics Bureau¡¯s bank gathered in Shangpo Village.


    And him, Mr. Qian, was the only one in the know.


    He was called for a talk by the county leaders last night; he knew he wasn¡¯t immediately removed from his post because President wasn¡¯t home, and Xiaxi Commune had suffered a disaster, but he also knew that a smooth retirement for himself was hardly possible.


    So, Mr. Qian accepted it.


    It was his luck that no lives were lost.


    Lost in thought along the way, he would soon arrive at the Satellite Team, where before long, the out-of-breath commander of the Satellite Team ran up to meet him.


    Mr. Qian came with two cadres on a horse-drawn carriage; even as commune cadres, they all could drive a horse carriage, including Mr. Qian himself. The carriage was also loaded with several sacks of grain to provide disaster relief for the afflicted Satellite Team.


    Mr. Qian watched expressionlessly as the Satellite Team commander, panting heavily, stopped his horse cart and clung to the shaft, ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? I told you I¡¯d give you the relief supplies. Could I possibly go back on my word, so much so that you had to run all the way here?¡±


    The commander of the Satellite Team finally caught his breath and, not noticing Mr. Qian¡¯s cold face, pointed in the direction of the wasteland and spoke with delight, ¡°Although the wasteland isn¡¯t part of the Satellite Team, I¡¯m also happy. A commune member just said that almost all of the thousand silk hemp seedlings over there have survived...¡±


    And then he added, ¡°But they just sprouted, so we don¡¯t know what they¡¯ll look like. However, those eight hundred mu of thousand silk hemp are basically saved.¡±


    Before Mr. Qian could speak, his eyes gleaming and voice loud, the commander went on, ¡°Vice Director Qian, could you ask Qiao Qingyu if she has any more thousand silk hemp seeds?¡±


    Upon hearing this good news, the gloomy mood in Mr. Qian¡¯s heart cleared up.


    He leaped down from the carriage energetically, almost falling to the ground in his excitement, but the Satellite Team commander caught him just in time. Then he said to his two cadres, ¡°You bring the grain to the team¡¯s headquarters; I¡¯m going to check on the thousand silk hemp.¡±


    Meanwhile, He Xiuyu, who hadn¡¯t returned home for three days and nights, was back in the family compound.


    Qiao Qingyu was cooking porridge in the kitchen.


    Seeing He Xiuyu come in, she smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re back.¡±


    He nodded, his voice somewhat hoarse, and asked about Xiao Hu before going to see Rongrong.


    The little girl sat on the kang bed in the east room, leaning against a wooden box, staring intently at a box of little bocai.


    Seeing him enter, her expression was as usual, her little face stern.


    But He Xiuyu intuitively felt that something was different.


    It has to be said that in these past few days, Qiao Qingyu took great care of her.


    Two little braids with butterfly bows.


    Little face and little hands all clean and neat.


    A complex feeling stirred in He Xiuyu¡¯s heart.


    He reached out and gently tousled Rongrong¡¯s hair, softly saying, ¡°Rongrong, after breakfast, you¡¯ll go to the base with little uncle.¡±


    He Xiuyu hadn¡¯t thought too much about it; this was all part of his plan and would not be altered by any other contingencies.


    They were about to move to a new house; the kindergarten was now completely organized, and the necessary learning materials, toys, and other things were all purchased.


    The kindergarten staff were experienced preschool teachers, and their character had also been scrutinized.


    So everything had been arranged, but at this moment, what He Xiuyu never expected was to see Rongrong shake her head.


    Although it was just a slight shake.


    But it was enough to make He Xiuyu¡¯s body stiff as he stood before the edge of the kang bed.


    He even blinked his eyes forcefully again.


    However, the next moment, he saw He Xuerong¡¯s expressionless face.


    A few seconds later, He Xiuyu leaned forward and stared at He Xuerong earnestly as he repeated the words he had just said, then he stared at her without blinking.


    It was hard to tell how much time had passed when He Xuerong¡¯s eyes remained blankly wooden.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Qingyu had already brought in the millet porridge into the east room.


    She had just glanced casually and was about to leave when He Xiuyu suddenly spoke up, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I just talked to Rongrong about taking her to the base, but she shook her head.¡±


    At this point, Qiao Qingyu had already stepped over the threshold, and she too was taken aback by his words.


    These past few days, it had always been her looking after He Xuerong, although that wasn¡¯t quite right to say.


    He Xuerong was capable of caring for herself.


    As long as you fed her well and kept her clothed, she would just sit quietly in one spot, still and silent, drink some water when thirsty, and lie down on the kang mat to sleep when tired.


    Because she didn¡¯t speak, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t feel like there was an extra person in the room.


    Moreover, she thought of what she had read about He Xuerong¡¯s ordeals in the book.


    Now she wasn¡¯t sure if the original protagonist really sold He Xuerong to human traffickers for a piece of soy sauce beef, or if there was more to the story, but it was undeniable that He Xuerong indeed ended up in the hands of traffickers, likely that man with the surname Gu.


    He was a pervert.


    That¡¯s why, in the book, He Xuerong ended up with broken arms and legs.


    But because she arrived, even though the storyline continued uncontrollably, she had changed it, and yet she couldn¡¯t help but feel an extra bit of tenderness for the young girl.


    She was glad to hear He Xiuyu¡¯s words and recalled carefully, ¡°These past few days Rongrong has been very well-behaved and slept well at night, without any signs of being frightened. I talked to her, but there was no response...¡±


    He Xiuyu looked at Qiao Qingyu, ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot these days.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing really; it¡¯s been raining all the time and I couldn¡¯t go anywhere, so Rongrong has been good company.¡±


    He Xiuyu smiled, his eyes on Qiao Qingyu, carrying a trace of a gentle sheen.


    He started to share some of the inside information with Qiao Qingyu, bit by bit.


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t expected Shangpo Village to be such a place, and her first thought was of Mr. Qian.


    ¡°This time, Mr. Qian will definitely be implicated.¡±


    He Xiuyu nodded, ¡°Yes, the county leaders have spoken to him. But I made calls to the county leaders; they said Mr. Qian is a good comrade, hardworking, and devoted to the people. Though this was an oversight on his part, the county will consider giving him another chance.¡±


    ¡°So, it¡¯s about making amends for his mistakes,¡± Qiao Qingyu also breathed a sigh of relief.


    She enjoyed working with Mr. Qian, and he was smart; he never pried. If they got a different leader and it didn¡¯t work out, it could affect her business.


    Therefore, she had to find a way to keep Mr. Qian in his position.


    ¡°Yeah, roughly speaking. After all, eighty percent of Xiaxi Commune¡¯s area has been affected by the disaster. The heavy rain didn¡¯t cause flooding, but the tornadoes brought by the sand and dust destroyed many crops and homes.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was worried, ¡°I wonder if the seeds on my three thousand acres of fallow land could have been blown away by the strong winds?¡±


    Speaking of which, a hint of worry crossed her brows, ¡°Right, and the eight hundred acres of thousand silk hemp that already have four leaves, if they are destroyed by the storm, it would truly be a pity.¡±

 Chapter 72 - 72 72 He was very fortunate

    ?Chapter 72: Chapter 72 He was very fortunate Chapter 72: Chapter 72 He was very fortunate Qiao Qingyu had already considered that even if there was a disaster, she could no longer take out any more seeds.


    He Xiuyu spoke lightly, ¡°On my way back, I passed by your barren land and got out of the car to check. The thousand silk hemp that sprouted was basically unaffected, and the losses for those that didn¡¯t sprout were also small. The plant on the edge of the wasteland is Barley Grass, and it has already started to emerge...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stared at him in surprise, watching He Xiuyu intently.


    He Xiuyu, on the other hand, was smiling at her.


    Since returning from Shangpo Village, this was the first time the two had met, but Qiao Qingyu always felt that their relationship was no longer merely superficial.


    There was a sense of reality.


    Especially now.


    She wasn¡¯t foolish, she naturally knew that He Xiuyu had specifically gone to inspect the three thousand eight hundred acres of wasteland.


    Because of such news, Qiao Qingyu was very happy all morning.


    Then Qiao Qingyu remembered some cliche?s from TV dramas and reminded He Xiuyu.


    ¡°Gu Jianchuan mentioned Old Mountain Eagle might be the spy ring leader or a lesser figure, but it¡¯s undeniable that this person is definitely within the base. There are three offices along your office corridor, and all the office workers are suspects, so during the interrogation, be careful not to let them commit suicide.¡±


    By this time, they had finished breakfast, and He Xiuyu was helping to clear the dishes. Hearing her words, he looked towards Qiao Qingyu intently, noticing her equally serious expression. She wasn¡¯t just speaking casually, and he had indeed considered it already.


    There were three offices on the third floor; he occupied the innermost one, another was Shen Haoze¡¯s office, and the last one was the archives room.


    On the day of the incident, Shen Haoze¡¯s office was locked, but at this time, due to the issue with the keys, it couldn¡¯t be ruled out that someone had opened the door and hidden inside. There were three people in the archives room, now under guard and being interrogated. Director Lin was personally conducting the interrogation to prevent someone from committing suicide out of fear or being silenced, which could interrupt the trail of clues.


    He nodded slowly, ¡°You make sense.¡±


    ¡°Did you clear up the matter with the matches?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been clarified. The two packs of matches look just like ordinary matches on the outside, but the match heads contain a chemical powder that ignites upon heavy impact, and the matchboxes are all coated with phosphorus...¡±


    ¡°Only those two packs?¡± Qiao Qingyu suddenly asked.


    ¡°Except for those used, all other distributed matches have been recalled, and those in storage have been collected; they¡¯re being checked by a designated person. Only the two packs sent to our household had issues.¡±


    ¡°Who is in charge of distributing the matches?¡±


    ¡°Old Xie has already investigated; it was Xiao Wu from logistics.¡±


    ¡°Does he have any issues?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s currently under interrogation.¡±


    ¡°He certainly wouldn¡¯t admit it,¡± He Xiuyu didn¡¯t respond, signaling his agreement.


    Qiao Qingyu recalled, ¡°When the base logistics truck came to distribute necessities, it was done in sequence.


    I personally collected the matches, along with a bar of soap and a pack of salt.


    At that time, the person who gave me the matches was probably the Xiao Wu you mentioned.¡±


    Pausing briefly, she continued, ¡°Either he¡¯s dead set against admitting it, or this is yet another coincidence.¡±


    After saying this, she looked up at He Xiuyu, who also was looking at her, and Qiao Qingyu grinned, ¡°There sure are many coincidences happening at the base, Comrade He Xiuyu, you need to stay alert. This just shows that your opponent is not so simple.¡±


    He Xiuyu couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    He stared at her intently.


    He felt relief, grateful that Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t used matches at home, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable.


    He must investigate this matter thoroughly and give Qiao Qingyu an explanation.


    At that moment, a strand of hair fell across Qiao Qingyu¡¯s forehead, blocking the corner of her eye. He Xiuyu felt an itch in his fingers, wanting to tuck the strand behind her ear, but after a light cough, he ultimately resisted the urge.


    Though they were husband and wife, and Qiao Qingyu was quite bold, the timing still wasn¡¯t right, and he couldn¡¯t be abrupt.


    Just then, the sound of a jeep¡¯s horn came from outside; it was Sun Dazhi coming to pick up He Xiuyu for work at the base.


    He Xiuyu said, ¡°I need to head to work. We can move into the new house in a week. Did you finish the list I asked you to make?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu then remembered this task, luckily having written down the needed items on a paper when she got back that day, otherwise she would have forgotten.


    Some items couldn¡¯t be bought in the county town.


    For instance, she wanted to buy linen floral fabric for curtains and some quality cotton fabric for bed sheets.


    She also needed a kitchen knife, a rice basin, a frying spoon, a steaming pot, a kettle for boiling water, and other household items, though not many.


    These were items that couldn¡¯t be found at the county co-op, or at least not of good quality, since base logistics would go to Xichuan City to purchase.


    He Xiuyu took the paper and glanced over it, noting the orderly handwriting.


    He remembered the phone call he had made to the Security Bureau.


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t finished elementary school, so naturally, she hadn¡¯t taken the elementary graduation exams, and the county education bureau didn¡¯t have her test papers. In past years, the education at Qiao Family Team¡¯s elementary school was chaotic; the substitute teachers, being educated youths, varied greatly in their educational levels, so he couldn¡¯t find any test papers from Qiao Qingyu¡¯s elementary days.


    But the documents mailed over by the Provincial Security Bureau showed no issues with Qiao Qingyu¡ªher social background was simple, her roots were red; her ancestors for eight generations were poor farmers.


    The investigation was just a formality, He Xiuyu knew Qiao Qingyu was still the same person he had taken from Qiao Family Team.


    As for why there had been such a big change, the current He Xiuyu wasn¡¯t ready to delve into that.


    The future was still long, and perhaps one day, Qiao Qingyu would tell him herself the real reason behind her transformation.


    So he wasn¡¯t in a hurry at all, placing the paper in his briefcase.


    He asked Qiao Qingyu, ¡°If you want to have a look at the barren lands, I can drop you off first.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes lit up, the weather had cleared today, and she hadn¡¯t planned on riding her bicycle, since the roads would surely be muddy, but hitching a ride seemed like a good idea. She nodded, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    Then neither of them noticed, but upon hearing this, He Xuerong¡¯s eyes shifted.


    As He Xiuyu moved to pick her up, her small hands holding the wooden box gradually loosened.


    He Xiuyu held Rongrong and went out first, letting Qiao Qingyu change her clothes in the house.


    Holding Rongrong, he pushed open the main door, only to find Xiao Hu, who had returned from the base hospital, standing by the jeep with a tense expression, his small wooden gun slung over his shoulder.


    Not far away were a few other children, always seen playing together.


    They were also shouting for Xiao Hu.


    As if he hadn¡¯t heard them, upon seeing He Xiuyu holding Rongrong, Xiao Hu¡¯s eyes brightened. He ran several steps forward, looked up pleadingly, and asked, ¡°Uncle He, can you give me a chance to make amends?¡±

 Chapter 73 - 73 73 Inspection Team (Four Updates)

    ?Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Inspection Team (Four Updates) Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Inspection Team (Four Updates) He Xiuyu lowered his head to look at Xiao Hu, feeling good, he had time to play with the child, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®redeeming one¡¯s mistakes with good deeds¡¯?¡±


    ¡°It means I did something wrong, so I need to do something meritorious, and then use it to make up for the mistake I made,¡± Xiao Hu paused, eagerly pleading, ¡°I learned this when I went to a study class with my mom. Uncle He, these four characters fit me the best, please give me this opportunity. I¡¯ll definitely protect Rongrong well.¡±


    He Xiuyu glanced in the direction of the Li family, guessing Sister-in-law Li probably didn¡¯t know her son had run over here. If she did, she certainly wouldn¡¯t let Xiao Hu come and cause trouble. He didn¡¯t have time to look after two children.


    Just then, Qiao Qingyu also came out, catching the tail end of the conversation. She knew that Xiao Hu still wanted to follow them to the base. He really never learned, but it seemed only Sister-in-law Li could handle this rascal. Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°Xiao Hu, your mom¡¯s here.¡±


    Though he was only a five-year-old, at that moment, Xiao Hu stood straight with his little waist rigid, his small hands tightly clutching a toy gun, and he said seriously, ¡°Aunt Qiao, please plead my case. You¡¯re Uncle He¡¯s wife; he will definitely listen to you.¡±


    He Xiuyu, ¡°...¡±


    It seemed Mr. Li also listened to his wife at home.


    Qiao Qingyu chuckled. The little rascal sure knew quite a bit.


    But she also noticed that, after this incident, Xiao Hu seemed to have genuinely grown up a bit.


    And then she saw Xiao Hu¡¯s tears streaming down his face.


    ¡°Uncle He, Aunt Qiao, I promise not to cause you any trouble...¡±


    ¡°Xiao Hu, don¡¯t bother Uncle He and your Aunt Qiao. Hurry up and come home with me.¡±


    Sister-in-law Li really did show up, and Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t lied to Xiao Hu. She pulled Xiao Hu over without resistance from him, and he obediently stood by her side, only there was a look of pitiful pleading in his eyes.


    Qiao Qingyu thought about it. Besides going to the wasteland to check things out, she was also planning to buy some things from the Xiaxi Commune supply store. On her way back, she could ask Fang Xiaomei to find her a horse-drawn cart.


    It might be better to take Xiao Hu out for a distraction, as he was now full of regret and guilt.


    ¡°Sister-in-law Li, let Xiao Hu come with me. I¡¯ll bring him back in the afternoon.¡±


    Xiao Hu¡¯s tears stopped immediately.


    Sister-in-law Li thought of how the child, whether at the base hospital or at home, had woken up from nightmares for three nights in a row, covered in sweat. Her heart softened, and she agreed.


    She then went home and got a small cloth bag for Xiao Hu with two buns made from mixed grain and a kettle of water.


    And she told Qiao Qingyu, ¡°I¡¯m making potato starch dumplings tonight, so you don¡¯t need to buy food from the supply store.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu had once tasted the potato starch dumplings made by Sister-in-law Li, and although they were dark in color, they were truly delicious.


    Meanwhile, at the same time, a plane landed at Xichuan Airport.


    Xichuan¡¯s main leaders and staff went to meet it, and among them, following a leader, was Su Yunyao.


    The inspection team that was originally supposed to arrive three days earlier had been delayed due to the storm.


    Fortunately, they didn¡¯t change their plans and arrived in Xichuan as scheduled, so this reception was very important.


    The leaders of Xichuan City had also been anxious these past few days.


    Three days and nights of storm had affected 60% of the region in Xichuan.


    This wasn¡¯t a small figure, especially with Xichuan¡¯s finances being tight in all respects, such a disaster had overnight given the leaders much more grey hair.


    There were crops to replant, a large amount of seeds needed, collapsed houses, injured commune members, and even the areas around the city were affected.


    The rainstorm stopped at three o¡¯clock in the morning, and Mr. Xu hardly slept all night.


    While waiting for the statistical numbers, he also had to personally receive a delegation from the M country.


    A group of about a dozen people descended from the plane; they had chartered the flight.


    Men and women, old and young, those with yellow skin and blue eyes, all stepped down the stairs with beaming smiles.


    Among them, two stretched out their hands and looked up at the blue sky, taking several deep breaths of the air as if they were utterly intoxicated.


    Mr. Xu led the group to welcome them.


    The head of this inspection group was the president of the Wulong Group from M country, Wu Tai.


    He was in his fifties this year, but because he took good care of himself, he looked quite young.


    Dressed in a sharp suit, he looked refined and scholarly.


    Accompanying them was Lu Ye from the Provincial Development and Reform Commission.


    A young man in his early twenties, tall and handsome, with a smiling face and pleasant demeanor.


    He introduced the delegation from the Wulong Group to Mr. Xu and the others with a gentle voice, exchanging greetings and handshakes.


    At this moment, Su Yunyao, who was by Mr. Xu¡¯s side, was nothing like the sharp and troublesome person she had been when facing Qiao Qingyu.


    With a smile that was just right, fluent in foreign languages, and a stunning appearance, she attended to details throughout the journey, quickly meshing well with the members of the delegation, while Lu Ye watched her deftly handle the situation with evident interest.


    It must be said that those who come out of the base are indeed quite exceptional.


    Lu Ye¡¯s gaze carried a touch of depth.


    The group arrived at a hotel in Xichuan City, and upon hearing that the area had suffered from a disaster, Wu Tai, as the leader of the delegation and president of the Wulong Group, didn¡¯t let his team rest but instead took the initiative to visit the planned sites.


    To see what the surrounding environment was like and whether there was value for investment. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t say that outright¡ªhe made it seem like he was definitely going to invest, so the leaders of Xichuan truly treated him like a VIP.


    Su Yunyao kept close to Mr. Xu¡¯s side, and such scenes and such a group of people were not an issue for her.


    That¡¯s why Mr. Xu was very satisfied with Su Yunyao¡¯s performance.


    He even consulted her for her opinion on which of the several potential sites they should visit first.


    Su Yunyao pointed seriously, ¡°Mr. Xu, we should start here to gauge their attitude.¡±


    This was where Wulong Group¡¯s future branch plant would be, and Wu Tai was very satisfied with the location.


    In her previous life, she had accompanied a similar inspection group, but they had failed to secure an investment. This time, she was sure to bring in a substantial amount.


    She also knew the young man named Lu Ye.


    A future tycoon in the business world.


    It was said that he had a very strong backing.


    After some discussion with the other leaders, Mr. Xu agreed that it would indeed be better to start with this area because, although the environment was average, the area was large, and the transportation was convenient. They also used this region to test the delegation¡¯s interest.


    To speak frankly, for the entire leadership of Xichuan, what they needed was timely help in a crisis.


    At this moment, Mr. Qian of Xiaxi Commune wasn¡¯t even aware that an inspection group had arrived in Xichuan. As a vice director of the commune, he was not privy to such news.


    He was in his office reviewing disaster data, preparing to meet with everyone to discuss how to proceed with the work.


    Then, he heard the secretary report, ¡°Vice Director Qian, there¡¯s a jeep parked at the entrance of our commune; it seems to belong to Mr. He, the Chief Engineer from the base.¡±

 Chapter 74 - 74 74 Touched (Five Updates)

    ?Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Touched (Five Updates) Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Touched (Five Updates) Mr. Qian was startled, and immediately thought of Shangpo Village and the two children. He hastily put down the paper and pen in his hands and ran stumblingly toward the entrance of the Xiaxi Commune.


    At that moment, Qiao Qingyu found herself in a bit of a dilemma.


    Indeed, she had promised Sister-in-law Li she would take Xiao Hu with her, but she hadn¡¯t planned to bring Rongrong along.


    She was heading to the wasteland, and the roads were still bad as the rain had only just stopped; she simply didn¡¯t have the energy to look after another child.


    Yet Rongrong was silent, clinging tightly to her clothes with her little hand and looked up at her with her face lifted.


    Though she was expressionless, Qiao Qingyu felt she could read a hint of stubbornness in her eyes.


    He Xiuyu reached out to peel off his niece¡¯s fingers one by one.


    Xiao Hu thought Rongrong wanted to come to the commune with Aunt Qiao because he was going, so he puffed out his chest and then, with a pained grimace, bit back tears and said, ¡°Rongrong, I won¡¯t go play at the commune with Aunt Qiao. I¡¯ll go home, and you can go to the base with Uncle He.¡±


    He Xiuyu looked at Xiao Hu with approval!


    But even after hearing this, He Xuerong still wouldn¡¯t let go of her grip.


    Qiao Qingyu watched as He Xiuyu carefully tried to pry He Xuerong¡¯s fingers loose.


    And then she also saw that every time one finger was peeled away, another was immediately put back on.


    In a nutshell, she just wouldn¡¯t let go.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s eyelids lifted slightly, and he gave Qiao Qingyu a stealthy glance.


    Although he didn¡¯t see the impatience on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face, the girl¡¯s frown became more pronounced.


    He Xiuyu began to coax Rongrong.


    Qiao Qingyu still had to go to the wasteland, and even without Xiao Hu, it wouldn¡¯t be feasible to take Rongrong along.


    But unexpectedly, at that moment, a small box next to the driving console started clattering away as if sending a Morse code message.


    Everyone¡¯s attention was drawn over.


    Sitting behind the driver¡¯s seat, He Xiuyu watched as Sun Dazhi hurriedly opened the metal box and handed the phone receiver to him. He then heard Director Lin¡¯s somewhat anxious voice, ¡°Chief Engineer He, where are you?¡±


    ¡°I am at the entrance of Xiaxi Commune.¡±


    ¡°Our main finance office¡¯s accountant, Lu Guilian, has committed suicide. We found a telegraph machine in her residence...¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s expression became stern, and he spoke softly, ¡°I¡¯ll be there right away.¡±


    After the call ended on the other side as well, He Xiuyu placed the receiver back in the box. Before he could speak, Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°If you feel comfortable with it, I¡¯ll take care of Rongrong today, and I¡¯ll bring her and Xiao Hu back to the staff housing in the afternoon.¡±


    He Xiuyu gazed deeply at Qiao Qingyu, touched.


    ¡°Of course, I trust you. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m troubled to burden you.¡±


    Sun Dazhi blinked and sneaked a glance at the two, wondering why were they being so polite to each other all of a sudden?


    Thus, with her impulsive decision, Qiao Qingyu stood at the entrance of the commune with Rongrong and Xiao Hu, just as Mr. Qian arrived, running towards them.


    He only caught a glimpse of the jeep¡¯s shadow. He recognized the jeep¡ªit was He Xiuyu¡¯s. Its color was slightly different from that of other military jeeps. It was said to be a large jeep donated by his oldest brother and modified. Indeed, its tires were a whole size larger than those of ordinary jeeps.


    Mr. Qian saw He Xiuyu leave and knew he had brought his wife to the commune. He wiped away the nonexistent sweat and still breathed a sigh of relief. That young man was too formidable; his gaze was like a knife, and his questions tricky. Mr. Qian had the fortune to observe an interrogation and witnessed how he had extracted the truth about Elder Gai¡¯s dealings with Japan with just a few sentences.


    What a remarkable feat!


    No wonder he had ascended to such a high position at such a young age.


    He watched Qiao Qingyu with a smile, ¡°Qingyu, the 3,800 acres of Qiansi Hemp Field haven¡¯t suffered much damage. I¡¯ve already checked. Especially the first 800 acres planted, even if the leaves have fallen, the roots are particularly deep. In a few days, new leaves will sprout again. As for the other 3,000 acres, the losses are minor, just a few dozen acres. In places with better soil, the seedlings are already emerging, and look, the Barley Grass is up too. It¡¯s a delightful sight. If you¡¯re not busy, I can take you to have a look...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at Mr. Qian, who had grown thinner and more haggard. His hair, once mostly black, was now mostly white.


    But his spirits were good, as if the county leaders¡¯ conversation with him hadn¡¯t affected his work enthusiasm at all.


    ¡°Not busy at all, I was just thinking of taking a look.¡±


    So Mr. Qian set aside his work, arranged for his deputy to attend a meeting, and had the company¡¯s tractor driver come over quickly, cleaning out the trailer and putting a few small stools and cotton pads inside.


    After all, Qiao Qingyu was with two children.


    Such attentive treatment was appropriate. Qiao Qingyu was, after all, someone who could bring them hope.


    More so, he was planning to ask Qingyu if she still had any seeds on hand and whether she could get more. Even if it cost a lot, he was prepared to apply to the county for funding.


    Now, the data on the emergence and disaster resistance of the 3,800 acres of Qiansi Hemp had been placed on the county leaders¡¯ desks, which had garnered their considerable attention and importance.


    Therefore, securing funds for seed purchase wouldn¡¯t be as difficult as before.


    Soon enough, the tractor arrived at the edge of the wastelands, chugging along.


    Qiao Qingyu lifted Rongrong down, while Mr. Qian carried Xiao Hu off the vehicle.


    The scenery here was entirely different from that of the commune and residential compound. Though it wasn¡¯t a perfectly clear sky, there were no nearby homes, just rolling hills and clusters of white poplar trees here and there in the distance.


    In some places, green grass sprouted; in others, yellow sand dominated the landscape.


    Then, right in front of them, lay a vibrant green expanse of the Qiansi Hemp Field.


    It instilled a boundless feeling in everyone.


    Qiao Qingyu had Xiao Hu stand with Rongrong on the edge of the field, while she followed Mr. Qian along the furrows.


    After about a half hour, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s black rubber boots were caked in mud and she could scarcely walk any further. They stopped, and Mr. Qian pointed ahead, ¡°No need to look further; the commune members have already inspected it. From here, you can¡¯t see it, but just ahead, there are over six hundred commune members clearing out the mud from the furrows. More than a hundred of them volunteered to work.¡±


    Mr. Qian¡¯s voice was filled with joy.


    He had made peace with his situation. He intended to ask the county leaders to let him work until the autumn harvest.


    After the Qiansi Hemp was harvested, he planned to resign voluntarily, so as not to be a burden on the leadership.


    With that in mind, Mr. Qian was truly free from psychological burdens; he was completely relaxed and joyfully took Qingyu to the other 3,000-acre wasteland.


    Here, the emergence of the seedlings was patchy. After all, some of the wastelands were barely manageable, while others were particularly poor. Additionally, part of the area had experienced a tornado, stripping away the top layer of soil.


    Preliminary estimates showed more than a hundred acres affected.


    But these weren¡¯t problems; once the seedlings sprouted, the excess could be transplanted to rebuild the damaged areas. This process was known as reseeding.


    Especially the Barley Grass, which not only remained unaffected but had broken through the soil, revealing its pointy leaves.


    Seen from a distance, a fuzzy layer of green spread hope infinitely in everyone¡¯s hearts...

 Chapter 75 - 75 75 A Startled Hare and a Frightened Bird

    ?Chapter 75: Chapter 75: A Startled Hare and a Frightened Bird Chapter 75: Chapter 75: A Startled Hare and a Frightened Bird Qiao Qingyu was shocked after looking through the materials.


    The thousand silk hemp and the experimental Barley Grass were even better than she had imagined.


    When Mr. Qian, smiling, asked her if she still had any seeds of thousand silk hemp and Barley Grass Seeds, she decisively shook her head, ¡°Vice Director Qian, I don¡¯t have any of those seeds at the moment.¡±


    Mr. Qian was very disappointed, ¡°Xiaxi Commune is one of the most disaster-stricken communes in Yushu County. Most of the crops need to be replanted, and the county is currently adjusting plans. But it¡¯s already a month late, and the risk is too great.¡±


    He looked at Qiao Qingyu with hopeful eyes, ¡°Qingyu, I remember you told me that your uncle and his family planted that high-yield corn. I don¡¯t know if they still have any corn seeds now. If they do, we would like to purchase them at a high price...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu pondered for a moment, but still shook her head, ¡°Vice Director Qian, my uncle¡¯s family was just in a trial phase, having seeds for only five hundred acres, and they¡¯ve been planted for over a month now.¡±


    Mr. Qian heaved a long sigh, his face filled with disappointment.


    Qiao Qingyu bit her lip, also feeling conflicted.


    But lately she had been a bit too arrogant, and if she wasn¡¯t careful, things could really go wrong, especially now that the base was clamping down on spies and special agents. Moreover, just now, the accountant in the main finance office had committed suicide.


    Why commit suicide on a good day?


    Either they had committed an unforgivable sin,


    Or they were nothing more than a scapegoat.


    In any case, the situation was tense, and at this critical point, she dared not court disaster.


    Especially since her Breeding Laboratory¡¯s funds had been approved, but the experimental equipment was still en route, so there was no condition for breeding.


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu¡¯s troubled expression, Mr. Qian comforted her, ¡°Qingyu, it¡¯s okay, you¡¯ve already done well enough. We all appreciate you. If the three thousand eight hundred acres of thousand silk hemp can grow successfully until harvest this autumn, that will be a substantial income. By then, we¡¯ll have the money to provide subsidies to the poverty-stricken members affected by the disaster.¡±


    He then pointed ahead, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go check out the Willow Wood area next.¡±


    Willow Wood is a species of tree; its seedlings come out rather late, and it¡¯s best to cultivate them before transplanting. However, without the conditions to do so, they were sown directly.


    Fortunately, that area was not damaged. Willow Wood would not show results within one or two years, but if it could survive and grow, it might block some of the sand coming from the north in about ten years.


    Qiao Qingyu had originally told Rongrong and Xiao Hu to stay at the edge of the field, but the two kids still quietly followed along, especially He Xuerong, who looked up at Qiao Qingyu and then secretly grabbed the hem of her clothes.


    For some reason, she felt particularly reassured holding onto her like that.


    Qiao Qingyu stopped walking, a bit stern, ¡°You two listen up, if you follow me, don¡¯t complain about being tired. I won¡¯t carry either of you.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Qiao, I¡¯m already a big kid. I won¡¯t trouble you. If Rongrong gets tired, I¡¯ll carry her.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smirked, ¡°With your tiny body, you think you can carry Rongrong?¡± Then she patted his little head, ¡°Since you¡¯re a big kid now, then help me take extra care of Rongrong.¡±


    Xiao Hu beamed with a smile, ¡°Aunt Qiao, Li Mingguang promises to complete the task!¡±


    Mr. Qian looked at Qiao Qingyu and the two kids with a smile, but then he thought of Shangpo Village and gritted his teeth secretly, Gu Jianchuan that bastard sure could put on an act. Thinking his family was poor, he even gave him a jacket that was eighty percent new.


    The bastard turned out to be a spy!


    He really was blind.


    ...


    Lanterns were just lighting up, and the streets and alleys of Xichuan were illuminated, converging into a sea of lights.


    Although it was not the provincial capital, Xichuan was the largest city in Northwest Province.


    The lights at the Xichuan Guest House were bright at this time as well.


    Mr. Xu and the president of Wulong Group were sitting in the living room chatting.


    Wu Tai signaled to the secretary beside him, who, understanding the hint, approached with the briefcase, opened it, and handed an envelope to Wu Tai, then stepped back to the side. Mr. Xu didn¡¯t know what Wu Tai was about to do, but with a smile on his face, today could be considered a delightful meeting of host and guest.


    Even though they had only visited one place, it had already been preliminarily decided that the inspection team, especially the president of Wulong Group, was ready to build a large factory here.


    To utilize the local resources and abundant labor force.


    If they could secure this investment, it would be an auspicious start for the development and construction of Xichuan.


    With the investment from the M country¡¯s Wulong Group, others who were still watching would probably be tempted.


    This was an opportunity he had fought hard to secure. Be aware that in terms of investment environment, Xichuan was really far behind other regions, especially the coastal areas in the South, which were simply incomparable. Hence, if this factory could be built, it would truly be a historic achievement.


    Furthermore, various tasks in Xichuan would become easier to carry out in the future.


    These thoughts were fleeting, and then Mr. Xu saw Wu Tai open the envelope and pull out a photograph, which made him look somewhat puzzled.


    Wu Tai placed the photo on the coffee table and said in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Xu, this is my cousin. She got lost more than forty years ago on her way from our Wu Family in Hua Country to M country. She¡¯s the only daughter of my younger uncle, and we¡¯ve been looking for her for decades...¡±


    Mr. Xu took the photograph, which showed a little girl about four or five years old.


    Dressed in a Chinese robe with a patterned lapel from the Republic era, although the photo was in black and white, the little girl¡¯s facial features were delicate, sitting in an ornately carved chair wearing an embroidered dress, with a vase on the table next to her¡ªan obvious heirloom.


    From the young girl and her background, it wasn¡¯t hard to see that she came from a well-to-do family in a good environment.


    Before the reception, Mr. Xu had also thoroughly researched the Wulong Group; indeed, they had moved their entire family from Huaxia to M country over forty years ago.


    Before leaving Huaxia, the Wu Family was one of the top distinguished families in Yun City.


    It wasn¡¯t the eldest but the youngest son of the Wu Family who became the patriarch, as he was the most talented, so the old man handed over the Wu Family to him.


    His name was Wu Xiucai, and now, he was in M country.


    Over the decades, he had founded Wulong Group himself and also served as its chairman.


    The present Wu Tai was the youngest son of the eldest of the Wu Family.


    Currently serving as the president of Wulong Group.


    Highly esteemed by Wu Xiucai, he was also the only person in the family who could get close to Wu Xiucai.


    However, Mr. Xu didn¡¯t have much information about Wu Xiucai, the chairman of Wulong Group.


    ¡°...My cousin was only four years old when she got lost. She was born in 1929, and she would be exactly fifty-one this year.¡±


    ¡°So there¡¯s been no news at all,¡± Mr. Xu said with understanding.


    ¡°Yes, at first, it was because of the chaos of war. After Huaxia was established, they searched for more than a decade. The search was interrupted for another decade, and my younger uncle never gave up hope. If not for his poor health, he would have come to Huaxia himself long ago...¡±

 Chapter 76 - 76 76 Searching for Relatives

    ?Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Searching for Relatives Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Searching for Relatives Chapter 76


    Speaking of this, Wu Tai sighed, ¡°It was at the port of Yun City that she lost during the refugee wave. We searched the entire Yun City... This time, my purpose is twofold: one, to invest and help build my motherland; two, to find my cousin...¡±


    At last, Wu Tai added, ¡°My cousin¡¯s name is Wu Qianyun.¡±


    Mr. Xu spoke gravely, ¡°It¡¯s been too long, but I¡¯ll have my secretary handle this matter. Don¡¯t worry, if she¡¯s in West River, we will definitely find her.¡±


    This was an unspoken quid pro quo, readily accepted by Mr. Xu, and even if there had been no conditions, he should help a person returning from thousands of miles away to find their long-lost relative.


    Back in his room, Wu Tai called his little uncle in M Country.


    He first reported his itinerary, then mentioned that he had visited five cities and entrusted the local governments to search for his long-lost cousin.¡±


    This was an overseas call, specially set up by Mr. Xu for Wu Tai.


    The communication line was poor, hissing and crackling, it took a while before a voice came through from the other side.


    The voice was somewhat weak.


    ¡°Tai, I don¡¯t know how much longer I will live, but I must know the whereabouts of my daughter before I die, whether alive or dead. Otherwise, when I¡¯m gone, I won¡¯t have the face to meet your little aunt.¡±


    ¡°Little uncle, don¡¯t be anxious or agitated. Huaxia is gradually opening up. I¡¯m sure your cousin is safe; I¡¯ll stay here longer, and you should take good care of your health.¡±


    As Wu Tai said this, he remembered the support his little uncle had given him and was moved.


    There were a few coughs from the other end, followed by a moment of silence.


    Wu Tai gripped the phone tightly.


    He felt anxious and tense, mixed with emotions hard to articulate.


    There were a few voices from the other end of the phone, then the call was disconnected. Wu Tai let out a long sigh and stood by the window, watching the myriad lights outside. These so-called myriad lights were still far inferior to the neon in M Country.


    He had left Huaxia at ten and lived there for a full ten years. It was impossible not to have any memories, but they weren¡¯t deep, especially in West River, a land he had never set foot in.


    The Wulong Group was founded by his little uncle.


    Initially, their family had moved to M Country smoothly, having already bought properties and lands. A year prior, the Wu Family¡¯s patriarch had planned to move to M Country.


    At that time, warlords were battling everywhere. He predicted that the next ten years would not be peaceful. Who knew what the future held?


    So, they sold all their assets and properties in Huaxia.


    It was a do-or-die move, but within a year, they were bankrupted by two local consortia, losing all properties and lands.


    Later, his little uncle reversed the struggles, started from scratch, and founded the Wulong Group within ten years.


    He even acquired the consortia that had driven the Wu Family into bankruptcy.


    According to the inheritance law, the sole heir of the Wulong Group was his little uncle¡¯s only daughter, Wu Qianyun.


    Over the years, his little uncle had never changed his will.


    That is, if his little uncle passed away, his team of lawyers would continue to search for Wu Qianyun until they got accurate information.


    Additionally, there was a clause stating that if Wu Qianyun had passed away, her properties would be sequentially inherited by her children.


    If there were still no heirs, then he would donate the entire Wulong Group.


    This was his little uncle¡¯s way of preventing them from not trying their best to find his cousin or harming her out of self-interest if they did find her.


    If the cousin was alive, if she had settled down and had children, inheriting all the properties, then his little uncle would distribute his three financial companies among his nephews and nieces.


    So, everyone was making their utmost efforts to find her.


    No one dared to harbor any bad intentions.


    But there had been no news at all.


    With this thought, Wu Tai let out a long sigh.


    We must search for her, but we don¡¯t know if Wu Qianyun is dead or alive.


    Wu Tai¡¯s gaze darkened, and he then walked away from the window with heavy steps.


    He sat on the sofa and slowly closed his eyes.


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t understand why, ever since she returned from Shangpo Village, He Xuerong started to cling to her.


    Or, rather, depend on her.


    Could it be because she took her into the space?


    So, Qiao Qingyu felt quite troubled.


    It¡¯s said to be concern, but there indeed was some, yet there had been no choice at the time; she certainly couldn¡¯t have knocked He Xuerong out, and with the situation so urgent then, the chaos outside with blazing fires and turmoil, she really didn¡¯t have time to consider He Xuerong¡¯s reactions.


    But they had only stayed in the space for a few minutes, could this autistic child remember what happened in the space?


    Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t sure anymore.


    But she really didn¡¯t have time.


    Today, she still had to visit her land.


    He Xiuyu felt helpless too, he truly didn¡¯t want to trouble Qiao Qingyu to take care of Rongrong.


    Although the two of them were husband and wife, He Xuerong wasn¡¯t Qiao Qingyu¡¯s responsibility.


    Moreover, the pediatric doctors at the base hospital had already devised a plan, and they were going to start treating Rongrong tomorrow.


    Moreover, Xiao Wu finally confessed that those two packets of matches were specially made, given to him by Mr. Wang, who was from the base¡¯s chemical laboratory, and this Mr. Wang was Lu Guilian¡¯s husband.


    They both weren¡¯t from West River People; they were recruited during the initial preparations of Tenghai Research Base.


    At that time due to a shortage of talent, they only filled in immediate family members during the political review, which meant parents and spouse.


    Mr. Wang had also been arrested, while Lu Guilian had committed suicide by poisoning.


    Yu Jing, the head of the general financial office, has also been suspended to undergo an investigation.


    But for Yu Jing, it was just procedural.


    Because big sister Yu Jing is a descendant of a martyr.


    Her parents had sacrificed their lives when she was only three years old.


    She was raised by her parents¡¯ comrades.


    She was genuinely of distinguished roots.


    But nevertheless, the necessary procedures had to be followed.


    So these days, the base was facing unprecedented tension and busyness; He Xiuyu really didn¡¯t have much time to dwell on He Xuerong, as he had already arranged everything concerning the kindergarten and the hospital, and they were moving to a new house in a few days, which would be more convenient.


    And these days, Qiao Qingyu also needed to pack things, indeed having no time to take care of the child.


    But what could be done?


    One early morning after finishing breakfast, He Xuerong did nothing but follow behind Qiao Qingyu.


    She stretched out her little hand and firmly grabbed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s coat.


    At such moments, He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu both realized that, for some unknown reason, He Xuerong had become especially attached to Qiao Qingyu.


    He Xiuyu looked at Qiao Qingyu with a helpless expression in his eyes.


    Qiao Qingyu, however, didn¡¯t look at He Xiuyu, she wanted to test something.


    She looked down at He Xuerong, who was looking up at her; her voice was not gentle, it even carried a bit of a threat, ¡°He Xuerong, if you let go, I will take you to the commune.¡±


    After these words, the room suddenly became quiet.

 Chapter 77 - 77 77 The Inspection Team Visits Xiaxi Commune

    ?Chapter 77: Chapter 77 The Inspection Team Visits Xiaxi Commune Chapter 77: Chapter 77 The Inspection Team Visits Xiaxi Commune He Xiuyu also hurriedly lowered his head to look at his niece, and both of their gazes landed on He Xuerong¡¯s small hand.


    They stared unwaveringly for quite some time.


    Just when both were feeling very disappointed, He Xuerong finally began to slowly loosen her grip.


    But she still stood beside Qiao Qingyu.


    The gazes of He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu intersected.


    He Xiuyu knew that although He Xuerong had her own world, she wasn¡¯t completely unresponsive to the outside world.


    But even when she did respond, she wouldn¡¯t make the corresponding actions.


    About three minutes had passed.


    It was impossible to confirm whether it was a coincidence.


    He Xiuyu hesitated no longer; as long as she let go, that would be good enough. He swiftly bent down to scoop He Xuerong into his arms, then picked up the packed bag next to him and whispered to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°I¡¯ll come back the day after tomorrow, and we¡¯ll move together. Thank you for all your hard work these past days.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu shook her head and watched He Xuerong, who was held in He Xiuyu¡¯s arms. She always felt the child¡¯s body was tense as if resisting something, but then gradually she seemed to relax, perhaps comforted by the familiarity of He Xiuyu¡¯s embrace.


    He Xiuyu left with He Xuerong.


    There weren¡¯t many belongings in the house, which made packing easier.


    During the last trip to transport the thousand silk hemp seeds to the wasteland, Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t used those large glass bottles; she had placed the seeds into cloth bags for direct transport to the wasteland for planting, and, as it turned out, this hadn¡¯t adversely affected them.


    So, inside the large box, she placed eighty big bottles for any future needs. Currently, the bottles were empty and just sitting in the box, so moving them wouldn¡¯t be too troublesome.


    Then there was the western room of He Xiuyu, filled with books and documents, a portion of which He Xiuyu had already taken away in two batches. Now, only a small part remained in that room.


    But He Xiuyu had basically sorted them out already, just waiting for a large truck to take them all away the day after tomorrow.


    The western room remained locked.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s explanation to her was that some books were out of print¡ªsome stored in his office, some at home.


    These books were very precious, so they had to be locked up.


    It was his habit, even in his Beijing home, to keep the study door locked.


    Although He Xiuyu considered this behavior quite normal and had never thought to explain it to Qiao Qingyu before, he now felt, for some reason, that it was necessary to clarify.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t care about these details at all. Besides, it was better that the doors were locked. If anything went missing, she wouldn¡¯t be able to explain it.


    Qiao Qingyu worked quickly; everything that could be packed was boxed up. Leftover scraps from last time were sewn into two large bags, perfect for packing things in. Once they moved into the new house, she needed to visit the Xichuan Textile Factory.


    Those scraps of cloth were quite useful because, during her last visit, she found that the textile factory¡¯s warehouse was filled to the brim with them.


    The kitchen didn¡¯t have many items either¡ªa large pot and then a bowl cabinet. The dried goods Uncle had brought were almost all eaten, and what He Xiuyu had brought back was just a little bit left. Having fewer items also made packing easier.


    There weren¡¯t too many provisions like rice or flour, just a few dozen kilos each month.


    So this home was indeed very easy to move.


    The bags of black soil in the yard, once they arrived at the new house, would be used to cultivate a special vegetable garden, and then she planned to plant a ring of sea buckthorn around the areas where vegetables couldn¡¯t be grown.


    The sea buckthorn from the laboratory, compared to the sea buckthorn of this world, doubled in nutritional, ecological, and economic value.


    Furthermore, the most important aspect was that the sea buckthorn fruit from the laboratory space did not have specific precipitation requirements.


    Thus, Qingyu discovered that the seeds in the laboratory seemed to be improved versions of certain real-world seeds, with their advantages amplified and their shortcomings compensated.


    Once planted, the sea buckthorn in the laboratory needed only two years to begin bearing fruit, entering its prolific fruiting period in the fourth year. This could be maintained for five to six years, and after several years, new shoots would sprout, rejuvenating the sea buckthorn, which would welcome another fruitful period.


    However, sea buckthorn currently had no market presence.


    To put it plainly, nobody was yet taking sea buckthorn seriously.


    It was now 1980, and for farmers, the most urgent matter was to grow enough food to avoid hunger.


    In some poverty-stricken areas, established perceptions still didn¡¯t know how to change.


    State-owned enterprises were still operating with great vigor, while individual private businesses were still looked down upon as occupations.


    So regarding sea buckthorn, which was even more suitable for Xiaxi Commune¡¯s vast wastelands than thousand silk hemp, barley grass, or willow wood, Qingyu did not consider it an option. After all, thousand silk hemp could see results and yield benefits within the shortest time to change people¡¯s lives, and the same was true for barley grass, while willow wood was merely for experimental planting.


    But the growth cycle of sea buckthorn was too long, yet it was definitely a good thing.


    Because in a few more years, some people would start paying attention to the sea buckthorn industry.


    As Qingyu thought about this, she continued to work. After spending more than an hour, she had everything neatly packed away.


    The four boxes placed at the end of the kang were lush with vegetables and would be directly moved to the base when the time came.


    Qingyu fetched water to wash her hands, and after washing them, she took out the face cream that He Xiuyu had bought for her and applied it to the back and palms of her hands.


    The cream was rich in fats and was truly effective whether applied to the face or hands.


    However, just then, she heard the sound of a tractor approaching from afar.


    Why did it sound so much like it was from Xiaxi Commune?


    Qingyu hurriedly opened the door and, to her surprise, saw Mr. Qian sitting atop the tractor.


    Mr. Qian did not get off, his expression was how to put it excited, joyous, and incredulous. Had something good happened?


    Seeing Qingyu standing at the doorway, Mr. Qian directly called out, ¡°Qingyu, hurry up and get ready, come with me to the Commune. An inspection team from M country has arrived, and they will be visiting Yushu County, then this afternoon, they will take a detour to Xiaxi Commune.¡±


    An inspection team from M country?


    Qingyu stood calmly at the entrance, puzzled, she asked, ¡°Vice Director Qian, I¡¯m not from the Commune, and even if an inspection team arrives, it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for me to go, right?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, not appropriate? The county leaders specifically mentioned that they want to come and visit our thousand silk hemp fields.¡±


    Qingyu did not feel pleased; on the contrary, her brows slightly furrowed.


    Actually, she didn¡¯t like receiving too much attention at this time.


    Too much attention meant that unexpected problems might arise.


    But that patch of land was just there, even if she didn¡¯t go, Mr. Qian couldn¡¯t stop the county leaders from coming to see for themselves.


    She had considered this when she first planted the fields.


    ¡°So, shouldn¡¯t I go then?¡± Qingyu tentatively gauged Mr. Qian¡¯s attitude.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, they don¡¯t know what you do. When your presence is needed, I will introduce you; if not needed, you can just stay with Xiao Mei.¡±


    The arrangement was not bad. Qingyu got ready, locked the door, and followed Mr. Qian to Xiaxi Commune.

 Chapter 78 - 78 78 Still Unable to Catch Up Even After a

    ?Chapter 78: Chapter 78: Still Unable to Catch Up Even After a Hundred Years Chapter 78: Chapter 78: Still Unable to Catch Up Even After a Hundred Years Qiao Qingyu first went to check on the growth of the thousand silk hemp on the barren land. At noon, she had her meal in the canteen. Qiao Qingyu had been here a few times before, and Mr. Qian, Fang Xiaomei, and the other three sat at the same table for dining.


    Everyone lived not far from each other and was excitedly discussing the inspection team¡¯s upcoming visit to Xiaxi Commune. It was a tremendous honor, after all. Everyone was so thrilled that their faces shone with excitement, especially Mr. Qian.


    A good mood meant a good appetite, and he drank an extra bowl of cornmeal gruel than usual.


    The commune¡¯s canteen fare was so-so; the gruel, the mixed grain steamed cornbread.


    Sprinkle some sesame oil over the fried radish strips, and these people would devour them as if they were a delicacy.


    Seeing others enjoying their food so much, Qingyu also ate half more steamed cornbread than usual.


    The cornbread was choking indeed, with its coarse sorghum flour inside.


    Now, Qingyu was reminded of the seeds in the laboratory no matter what she saw.


    Like the sorghum in the lab, which had been both high-yielding and had its taste improved.


    Then Qingyu surprisingly realized her laboratory seemed to encompass all aspects of people¡¯s lives.


    She thought, if people knew she had such a thing, would some try to open up her head to find this laboratory space?


    At this thought, Qingyu felt a cold sweat on her back and quickly bowed her head to slurp down the thin cornmeal gruel where human figures could be reflected.


    Meanwhile, to the north of Yushu County, in the sandy belts and barren lands, two Americans were chattering and gesticulating enthusiastically in their language.


    Mr. Xu was frowning as Su Yunyao translated for him.


    The Americans were saying: This kind of environment is the result of human activity.


    Why continue to exist here, to encroach upon and exploit the natural resources, after causing such a terrifying degradation to nature?


    It¡¯s so ignorant, so foolish. This is not only destroying the local ecosystem but also harming the entire planet.


    So everyone here should move away.


    Give nature a chance to breathe.


    Otherwise, it¡¯s an unforgivable crime against humanity.


    Mr. Xu was an enlightened leader, recently appointed, and more familiar with the West River Region than anyone. He agreed with some of the points made by the Americans.


    Yet, he still found their reckless, arrogant remarks uncomfortably disturbing to hear.


    It wasn¡¯t as simple as that; millions of people lived in this region.


    Where could these millions of people move to?


    He spoke calmly, ¡°The gentlemen¡¯s opinions are valid. We have become aware of their importance and have been mobilizing efforts to prevent and control desertification for several years now. Our people are the most diligent, and we firmly believe that with our effort, the millions of sons and daughters of Xichuan will once again turn this place into a land of green waters and majestic mountains!¡±


    Some leaders listened with tears welling up in their eyes; indeed, everyone was trying their hardest.


    Su Yunyao wasn¡¯t moved at all; as far as she was concerned, it was all empty boasting. Sure, efforts were being made, but it wasn¡¯t that easy to fix. Despite so much manpower, material resources, and financial input, there would be no significant change here even in twenty years.


    But the population had grown by several million.


    However, she knew that Lu Ye was fluent in foreign languages, so she earnestly and meticulously translated Mr. Xu¡¯s words, without missing a single one, for the two Americans to hear, especially since there were several Chinese Americans present as well.


    Of course, she showed no disdain whatsoever.


    The two Americans furrowed their brows, seemingly skeptical, but Wu Tai waved his hand to prevent them from spouting any further nonsense.


    These two were representatives from two other families, interested in the Huaxia market, hence sending these two young men to scout. He believed that they were onto something, that the Huaxia people were just like that, always keen on wreaking havoc.


    And they liked to fight amongst themselves.


    So deep down, he looked down upon these people.


    Yet he was also aware that the market potential here was simply too vast; if they didn¡¯t seize the opportunity now, it would be gone in a few years.


    At his age, he felt as though he couldn¡¯t wait for his younger uncle to change his will, so he had to establish a territory for his own children.


    Therefore, he couldn¡¯t afford to offend these authoritative figures before him.


    He wore a broad smile, ¡°Mr. Xu, these two individuals don¡¯t understand our national conditions. I trust what you¡¯ve just said, and it has further reinforced my determination to invest and build here!¡±


    Lu Ye stepped forward timely, ¡°Let¡¯s get on the bus, comrades from Yushu County have already prepared a sumptuous lunch for everyone...¡±


    Thus everyone laughed again, the two Americans looked at one another, both young men quite handsome, standing tall at six-foot-three, with blue eyes, fair skin, high-bridged noses, and pronounced facial features, still carrying a hint of arrogance on their lips.


    Because the land and the people here were just too impoverished and backward.


    The people here wanted a good life, even if only 1% of the current American standard of living, but they believed it would still be unattainable even a hundred years from now.


    So they simply shrugged their shoulders and remained silent.


    After all, they were just members; the leader was the president of Wulong Group.


    In the afternoon, an excited, even slightly flustered Vice Director Qian welcomed the American delegation.


    Due to the rush, there wasn¡¯t much preparation, and since the leaders had also urged, being enthusiastic and following the instructions from the county was enough.


    He wanted to arrange for ten young men to beat drums and gongs and even wanted some fireworks, but Qingyu stopped him.


    Now you don¡¯t even know what the reception standards in Xichuan City and Yushu County are, and you¡¯re making such a big fuss¡ªit¡¯s very easy to run into problems, Comrade Qian!


    Thus, Mr. Qian¡¯s feverish brain calmed down immediately, yes indeed, what was he, a commune leader, trying to show off for?


    Besides, things would proceed as they must, the delegation wouldn¡¯t think any more highly of this place because of the loud gongs and drums.


    Qingyu and Fang Xiaomei stood behind the crowd, craning their necks to watch the row of personnel from the investigation team, which included officials from the city and Yushu County, and seemingly leaders from the provincial capital as an accompaniment.


    Some people from the commune had their eyes glued to the foreigners; some had never seen alive foreigner before and were staring intently without blinking.


    Then Qingyu saw Su Yunyao.


    However, Su Yunyao seemed different from the one she had seen at the base.


    This woman appeared composed and confident with a smile on her face, talking fluently in both Chinese and foreign languages, introducing the local conditions and customs to the delegation, and even mentioning the Tenghai Research Base located hundreds of miles away.


    The commune¡¯s office buildings, being built with one half brick and one half mud, were not suitable for receiving these foreign guests, so the delegation headed directly to the eight hundred-mu Qiansi Hemp Field sitting on a luxurious coach.

 Chapter 79 - 79 79 The Dark History and Lu Xiaopang (Part 5)

    ?Chapter 79: Chapter 79: The Dark History and Lu Xiaopang (Part 5) Chapter 79: Chapter 79: The Dark History and Lu Xiaopang (Part 5) Mr. Qian excitedly introduced the land.


    Several members of the investigation team walked toward the barren hillside, and one person from the county seemed very interested. He was a middle-aged man in his forties, squatting at the edge of the field to closely examine the newly sprouted thousand silk hemp seedlings.


    Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t worried; an elder had mentioned that they had grown castor before, and it looked exactly the same as this plant.


    Qiao Qingyu thought she had nothing to do with this, but Mr. Qian whispered something to the county official, then waved to her from across the crowd.


    ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, come here, please.¡±


    As soon as the words were spoken, Lu Ye, who was talking to Wu Tai, suddenly looked up.


    His dark eyes turned toward the crowd.


    Is it the Qiao Qingyu he knew?


    Was it the Qiao Qingyu who married the Chief Engineer He of the Tenghai Research Base?


    Then a girl made her way to the front of the crowd from behind.


    Her eyebrows were curved, her eyes bright, her jet-black hair tied into a large braid, wearing a silver-grey Lenin suit with a white knitted shirt underneath.


    She smiled, shaking hands and talking to the county official following Mr. Qian¡¯s introduction, and then Lu Ye watched, wide-eyed, as the beautiful girl walked toward him.


    It was definitely Qiao Qingyu, the Qiao Qingyu from the Qiao Family Team of the Harvest Commune.


    She had grown up and was even prettier than as a child.


    But that boldness seemed to have never changed.


    Even when she was about to meet so many important figures she might never see in her lifetime, she remained neither arrogant nor cringing.


    Lu Ye stepped forward, his gaze growing increasingly intense.


    He stared intently at Qiao Qingyu.


    Before coming to Xichuan, he knew that Qiao Qingyu had married the Chief Engineer of the Tenghai Research Base, and he also knew she now lived near the Xiaxi Commune in the base¡¯s residential compound.


    He told himself that if he didn¡¯t see Qiao Qingyu, it was fate; it was heaven not letting them meet again.


    But who would have thought that he would really see her?


    After all, the last time he saw Qiao Qingyu was four years ago.


    Lu Ye¡¯s lips slowly curved into a smile, devilishly handsome for someone who was originally very good-looking.


    He took a step forward, standing in front of Qiao Qingyu, his eyes sparkling with surprise, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, are you really Qiao Qingyu?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu had originally thought that taking advantage of this opportunity to become familiar with the leaders in Xichuan would be beneficial for her in the future.


    If Mr. Xu could really support her, it would be a great boon.


    But unexpectedly, a young man suddenly stopped her.


    Qiao Qingyu sized up the handsome young man from head to toe, dressed in the fashionable attire of a cadre, with black leather shoes, and two fountain pens tucked into his jacket.


    His hair was neatly combed.


    Who is this guy? She didn¡¯t recognize him.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at Su Yunyao standing beside her, only to see a look of shock on her face as well, suggesting she hadn¡¯t expected this event either.


    This meant that the young man must hold some status if even Su Yunyao revealed such a reaction.


    ¡°May I ask who you are?¡± At this moment, Qiao Qingyu was still very polite.


    The members of the investigation team were not gathered together. Although the place was desolate, the different local customs and practices were still quite interesting. To avoid unnecessary trouble, only seven or eight people from the commune accompanied them.


    There were four leaders from Xichuan with their entourage.


    Now there were more than ten people here.


    Everyone¡¯s gaze landed on the two of them.


    Did Qiao Qingyu know Lu Ye?


    Lu Ye smiled, seemingly a bit disappointed, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, do you really not remember me?¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t remember.¡±


    ¡°So, you are Qiao Qingyu of the Qiao Family Team in Harvest Commune, your father is Qiao Zhicai, and your uncle is Qiao Zhiyuan, the captain of the team.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was stunned. This person rattled off her family relations so fluently, he must truly be someone she knew. Thus, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s brain began to churn, fervently searching every memory from childhood to adulthood, but she had no recollection of this person.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled apologetically, ¡°You see, you know my name and where my home is, but I don¡¯t even know your name.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve even forgotten my name.¡±


    Lu Ye¡¯s voice carried a hint of resentment and disappointment, but Qiao Qingyu watched him warily. This man was not simple; his gaze did not match the tone of his voice.


    Qiao Qingyu was actually getting a bit impatient.


    Then, the next moment, she heard Lu Ye speak with a joyful and delight tone, ¡°Let me mention a few things, and after I do, you¡¯ll definitely remember.¡±


    ¡°...Go ahead,¡± said Qiao Qingyu, setting aside the inexplicable unease in her heart and speaking calmly.


    ¡°When you were eight, my grandpa and I were sent down to join your Qiao Family Team.¡±


    ¡°I was two years older than you. You led a group of children calling me ¡®puppy¡¯...¡±


    ¡°They threw mud at me, and you pinned me down in a muddy ditch, stepping on my back with your foot. You called me a big bad counterrevolutionary and said I should be stepped on by ten thousand feet so I couldn¡¯t turn over...¡±


    Lu Ye¡¯s face was filled with a smile, but he didn¡¯t notice the iron-green tint on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face, while several of the senior officials beside them had already turned grim.


    These words were too familiar to them.


    And to think a little girl of eight could...


    Then, an image automatically formed in everyone¡¯s minds: a ten-year-old boy covered in mud, being pummeled and cursed at by a gang of children in a pond.


    The hands of several senior officials clenched tightly because they were reminded of their own experiences.


    Su Yunyao was first shocked, then a malicious smirk appeared on her lips. She had thought Lu Ye and Qiao Qingyu were old friends, but it turned out they were enemies. Heh, she was truly too delighted.


    This Lu Ye was someone who never let slights go, petty and vengeful. Qiao Qingyu, you¡¯re in for it now.


    If it weren¡¯t for the inappropriate setting, Su Yunyao would have certainly laughed out loud thrice.


    At that moment, Lu Ye¡¯s voice was still cheerful.


    ¡°Do you still not remember? You led those kids to chase after me every day. One day, you locked me in the brigade¡¯s pigsty...¡±


    ¡°You also stole my sugar cubes, saying I was a ¡®puppy¡¯ and didn¡¯t deserve to eat them...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hands, hanging by her sides, clenched tightly.


    She remembered who this person was.


    Lu Xiaopang!


    The little fatty who was sent down with Grandpa Lu.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s dark gaze fixed fiercely on Lu Ye.


    Lu Xiaopang, you¡¯re a centuries-old fox spirit, what kind of ghost stories are you playing with me?


    Four years ago, he returned to Beijing with Grandpa Lu, and she had long since forgotten him.


    He was two years her senior, so he should be twenty this year.


    She didn¡¯t expect that he could be accompanying the inspection team. It seemed he was doing quite well; he had gained power, turned things around, so now that he saw her, Qiao Qingyu, he wanted to settle accounts?


    So, should she repent?


    Weep and admit that she was too young, didn¡¯t understand anything, shouldn¡¯t have treated him that way, and then ask for his forgiveness...


    She couldn¡¯t do that!!!

 Chapter 80 - 80 80 Qiao Qingyu Hits Someone

    ?Chapter 80: Chapter 80 Qiao Qingyu Hits Someone Chapter 80: Chapter 80 Qiao Qingyu Hits Someone Silence, the group of people atop the wilderness suddenly fell quiet.


    Including Wu Tai, who all turned to look at the two of them.


    However, Wu Tai didn¡¯t look at Lu Ye; he was staring intently at Qiao Qingyu.


    For some reason, a sense of unease suddenly rose in his heart. He was clearly seeing this girl for the first time¡ªyes, her name was Qiao Qingyu¡ªbut why did her brows and eyes look so familiar?


    His head began to ache again; the young man had a missing memory, but clearly, Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t even born when he was young.


    What was going on?


    Why did that face give him a feeling of terror that took his breath away?


    Wu Tai couldn¡¯t help but step back several paces involuntarily.


    Mr. Qian was baffled, glancing back and forth between Lu Ye and Qiao Qingyu, his mouth agape. But why did he always feel that despite the young man¡¯s face being full of smiles, there was something eerily unsettling about him?


    He unconsciously wanted to step forward; in case the young man made a move, he¡¯d be ready to protect Qiao Qingyu. As for the rest, Mr. Qian had no time to care.


    At this moment, Lu Ye¡¯s handsome face was filled with smiles, truly radiant, as if to meet the best and best friend of his life.


    His voice remained cheerful and joyous, as if the things he described were happening to someone else. His eyes shone brightly, ¡°How about it, Qiao Qingyu, after all I¡¯ve said, have you not remembered yet?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu took a step forward with a calm expression, hooked the corner of her mouth, and squeezed out three words between her teeth, ¡°Lu Xiaopang!¡±


    Lu Ye had a pair of fox-like eyes, with the corners slightly upturned.


    At that moment, it seemed as if they were filled with sunlight.


    He stared at Qiao Qingyu with joy, his voice tender, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, you¡¯ve finally remembered...¡±


    The few words that followed were cut off before he could finish, as Qiao Qingyu suddenly extended her foot and kicked hard at Lu Ye.


    If he did not give her face, why should she give him any?


    Saying her shameful past in front of so many people was like cutting off all her retreats.


    Lu Ye had no defenses; honestly, he never imagined that, even though Qiao Qingyu¡¯s complexion wasn¡¯t great, there had been no sign of murderous intent on that pretty face¡ªbut that kick landed solidly right beneath his chest.


    His breath didn¡¯t come, and darkness swept before his eyes.


    This wretched girl, always so strong.


    This was the last thought in Lu Ye¡¯s mind as he lay on the ground.


    He then tilted his head and fainted.


    Everyone was shocked.


    The next moment came another exclamation; Wu Tai, swaying, closed his eyes tightly and fell backwards, stiff as a board.


    ...


    Meanwhile in the heavy industry workshop, He Xiuyu, who was inspecting, was called by the workshop clerk to quickly answer the phone.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t immediately go but pointed out the problems he found in the heavy industry workshop one by one, all noted by the workshop director in a small notebook.


    Only then did he walk at an unhurried pace to the office and pick up the phone...


    A few minutes later, He Xiuyu put down his work and hurriedly drove the jeep towards Yushu County Town.


    Qiao Qingyu had hit someone, sending them to the hospital, and now she was at the Yushu County Public Security Bureau.


    What was that about? How could such a delicate little girl hit someone?


    If she did hit someone, it must have been because they provoked her!


    Thus, without knowing the facts, He Xiuyu had already concluded that it must have been some unforgivable scoundrel.


    Otherwise, how could his clever and kind Qiao Qingyu foolishly beat someone?


    Even if she wanted to make a move, she would do so indirectly, not taking matters into her own hands.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s eyebrows were furrowed sternly, his lips pursed, and he was already considering how to deal with that scoundrel.


    The jeep was flying, truly kicking up dust all along the way.


    Therefore, an anxious He Xiuyu quickly arrived in front of the County Public Security Bureau¡¯s gates.


    However, he had not expected to see Su Yunyao standing at the entrance.


    Right, Su Yunyao was the temporary translator.


    He Xiuyu frowned slightly, passing by Su Yunyao and continuing forward. This was not a good place, and he intended to take the person back immediately.


    Yet unexpectedly, Su Yunyao hurriedly took a few steps and blocked He Xiuyu¡¯s path.


    This time, Su Yunyao did not refer to He Xiuyu as Brother Xiuyu, after all, she had been rebuked by Qiao Qingyu last time and was left with some psychological shadow.


    ¡°Chief Engineer He, are you here for Qiao Qingyu?¡± she asked.


    He Xiuyu had no choice but to stop.


    Su Yunyao spoke hastily with urgency, ¡°Chief Engineer He, whether for public or private reasons, you can¡¯t keep indulging her. Qiao Qingyu is going too far. The M country inspection group is so important, including people from Chinese descent and M country citizens. Every single action of ours is watched by them. Qiao Qingyu acts arrogantly in the family courtyard as if she¡¯s a shrew. But in front of so many leaders and foreign guests, she actually dared to act outrageously.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s expression gradually darkened.


    If it had been the old Qiao Qingyu, He Xiuyu wouldn¡¯t have had much to say, since if she really threw a tantrum, she would indeed be like a little madwoman. But now, He was very confident in the current Qiao Qingyu.


    ¡°Chief Engineer He, you should let her stay here for a few more days. Besides that, she kicked over Lu Ye who came from the provincial city¡¯s Development and Reform Commission.¡±


    ¡°You might not know who Lu Ye is, but you should know his grandfather Lu Tingfeng, right?¡±


    ¡°Moreover, how can she be so brazen in such a public place? This time, Qiao Qingyu definitely has to apologize to Lu Ye, and she also needs to be punished. Otherwise, how will those foreign guests see us? They will think that every woman in Huaxia is like a shrew, who resorts to kicking at the slightest disagreement, uncultured and lacking in manners. This is generalizing based on one incident; they will assume everyone is like that. After they return, they will spread the story widely, and by then even our country¡¯s reputation will be affected...¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s face turned completely cold.


    He had not expected Su Yunyao to stand by Qiao Qingyu¡¯s side, but now it was clear that Su Yunyao was trying to kick her when she was down.


    If Qiao Qingyu truly accepted punishment here, it would go on her record, and then she would have to apologize to that so-called Lu Ye. Without an investigation, the matter would be settled.


    He Xiuyu glanced at her indifferently. He was not going to argue or fight with her, he simply asked calmly, ¡°Su Yunyao, how many days are left before the inspection group¡¯s visit ends?¡±


    Su Yunyao was momentarily stunned. She had not expected He Xiuyu to ask her this question.


    After a few moments, she said uncertainly, ¡°If today¡¯s incident hadn¡¯t occurred, I would be able to return to the base in three days, but now I¡¯m also uncertain.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll return to the base tomorrow. There¡¯s a serious error in the A-04 blueprint; you need to make some corrections.¡±


    This time, Su Yunyao stood rigid. A-04 was originally He Xiuyu¡¯s project, and because she was involved and had always been responsible for this aspect of the work, she knew the blueprint by heart. So, having drawn it out without any mistakes in just a few days was an accomplishment.

 Chapter 81 - 81 81 The landscape is easy to change but

    ?Chapter 81: Chapter 81: The landscape is easy to change, but nature is hard to move! Chapter 81: Chapter 81: The landscape is easy to change, but nature is hard to move! Since she had successfully copied the blueprint, Su Yunyao was, on the one hand, amazed at her own photographic memory, and on the other, she felt that the premature introduction of A-04 was beneficial for both Tenghai Research Base and Huaxia, with no downsides at all.


    It could significantly advance our technological development.


    Thus, Su Yunyao was aware of the immense significance of this blueprint, perhaps more than anyone else.


    Originally, she had intended to use the blueprint to test the waters.


    However, she hadn¡¯t expected He Xiuyu to be so upright and rigid, unyielding in his belief that all the concepts and creativity were his own; she had merely summarized them, but even so, He Xiuyu refused to accept this.


    If it had been someone else¡¯s work, it wouldn¡¯t have mattered.


    But the blueprint was indeed He Xiuyu¡¯s, so as it was about to be approved and enter production, her anxiety only grew.


    Although she knew every detail of the blueprint by heart, even capable of drawing it with her eyes closed, she still felt a pang of panic.


    This must be the so-called guilt of a thief.


    Thus, at that moment, a few simple words from He Xiuyu caused a cold sweat to break out on Su Yunyao¡¯s back, her face pale and her lips trembling slightly. After a few breaths, she uncontrollably asked, ¡°Chief Engineer He, I haven¡¯t noticed any major errors.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s voice remained calm, yet his deep gaze was inscrutable, ¡°Comrade Su Yunyao, please focus all your attention on your work, especially the blueprint you designed. Even a small mistake could lead to the waste of all previous efforts and cause unimaginable losses in manpower, material resources, and financial resources.¡±


    Then He Xiuyu turned around and swiftly walked towards the police office.


    This time, Su Yunyao didn¡¯t follow him or mention Qiao Qingyu again, as her mind was completely occupied by He Xiuyu¡¯s words...


    An error, where could there be an error?


    This blueprint, refined over ten years, had truly been a labor of blood and sweat, especially for He Xiuyu, who had even gained much white hair from it. At that time, the situation was filled with internal troubles and external threats, the burden heavy, the pressure immense. This technology had always been absent in our country, so under the leadership of He Xiuyu, after ten years, this challenging problem was finally solved.


    They had indeed succeeded.


    And they had rapidly shed their backward status; in just ten years, He Xiuyu had become a world-renowned figure.


    Sadly, she only had memories from the next twenty years and did not know what the world would be like after the millennium.


    But the products manufactured according to this blueprint had no problems at all.


    In five years¡¯ time, mass production not only met domestic demands but also started to expand overseas.


    And she was later reassigned from Tenghai Research Base due to work negligence.


    Counting the time, that would have been seventeen years later.


    In this life, of course, she would not repeat the mistakes of her past life. That negligence would not occur again.


    Her life was bound to be completely different from the last one.


    Even though Qiao Qingyu was still He Xiuyu¡¯s wife, in Su Yunyao¡¯s eyes, this woman would still die by He Xiuyu¡¯s hand as she had in the previous life.


    Her words to Qiao Qingyu that day were half true and half false.


    But these were all matters of her past life, and this lifetime felt increasingly chaotic.


    Qiao Qingyu was a completely different person.


    And then she unexpectedly made a personal enemy of a future business tycoon.


    This was something she was pleased to see happen.


    So at that moment, standing at the gate, Su Yunyao was actually overjoyed.


    This arrogant Qiao Qingyu, you see, it¡¯s not that she was biased against her; she was just such a shrew, ready to kick at the slightest disagreement, truly a disgrace to Huaxia women.


    Before this, Su Yunyao felt that despite some chaos, things were generally moving in a positive direction.


    She had the blueprint; once successful production began, she would be promoted anomalously to an engineer in the core technical field.


    She would truly enter the Tenghai Research Base¡¯s scientific research team led by He Xiuyu.


    But why did He Xiuyu suddenly say there was a mistake in her blueprint?


    Su Yunyao¡¯s face was pale, and she no longer had time to watch the excitement. Turning around, she quickly walked towards the direction of the county hospital.


    At this time, Lu Ye came down another street, accompanied by Mr. Xu¡¯s secretary and a clerk.


    Then he saw Su Yunyao; why did this woman¡¯s silhouette seem so dejected?


    After a casual glance, Lu Ye withdrew his gaze, not far from the police station¡¯s main entrance.


    Qiao Qingyu was detained inside.


    The brat, true to the old saying¡ªeasy to change a dynasty, but hard to change one¡¯s nature!


    It really fit the characteristics of North City people¡ªif you can fight, why talk.


    But you see, although Qiao Qingyu had knocked him unconscious, and he felt quite humiliated, his heart was large, and he didn¡¯t hold it against her; so he intended to personally bail her out.


    He was very curious about how Qiao Qingyu would treat him.


    Honestly, he was quite looking forward to it.


    Meanwhile, He Xiuyu had already entered the police station.


    He had declared his identity at the entrance, and now two officers were quickly approaching to greet him; after all, this man was a scientist who had made significant contributions to the country.


    The police maintain social order, providing a safe and peaceful environment for the people, while these scientists were the great heroes pushing society forward. With them, our country was becoming better and stronger and no longer looked down upon by foreigners.


    So the officers were genuinely smiling.


    Walking along, they said, ¡°Chief Engineer He, Comrade Qiao Qingyu is in the reception room reading the newspaper. It¡¯s just a routine procedure. Once you sign, you can take her away¡ªno worries...¡±


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t stop, smiling as he spoke, ¡°Sorry for the inconvenience...¡±


    ¡°Not at all, this is our duty. The front room is the door to open; we¡¯ll wait for you in another office...¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s pace quickened.


    Then he stood at the doorway of the police reception room. Inside, there was only one person: Qiao Qingyu, sitting alone on a chair. Despite being unharmed, despite a cup of tea, a box of snacks, and an apple on the coffee table, and magazines and newspapers beside her, He Xiuyu still felt uncomfortable in his heart.


    He strode in, just about to speak when Qiao Qingyu suddenly stood up from her chair and rushed towards him.


    Her pretty little face was filled with anger, frustration, and aggrievement.


    She grabbed He Xiuyu¡¯s sleeve and immediately started pouring out her grievances.


    ¡°He Xiuyu, do you think Lu Xiaopang could show some shame? He¡¯s just as shameless as when he was a child...¡±

 Chapter 82 - 82 82 King Qiao Gets Married

    ?Chapter 82: Chapter 82 King Qiao Gets Married Chapter 82: Chapter 82 King Qiao Gets Married ¡°He looked down on people by lifting his chin when he first came to Qiao Family Team with Grandpa Lu. He called us little kids ¡®little loach bumpkins¡¯ and said our heads were full of lice. Tell me, doesn¡¯t a kid with such a smart mouth deserve a beating?¡±


    He Xiuyu slowly nodded, ¡°Beat him, definitely!¡±


    ¡°Right? And I¡¯ve forgotten all the things I said, but how can he remember them so clearly? His memory is as small as the tip of a needle.¡±


    Lu Ye¡¯s face suddenly darkened as he reached the doorway.


    The secretary of Mr. Xu and the clerk who came with Lu Ye from the provincial city stopped in their tracks too.


    They happened to catch the last part of the conversation.


    Their expressions weren¡¯t great either.


    This Comrade Qiao Qingyu really is brazen. Even if she¡¯s too embarrassed to apologize for her wrongdoing, at least she should say sorry.


    After all, they were just kids back then. No one would take it seriously with a child of that age. But what kind of attitude is this now?


    Does she think she¡¯s got a backer now that her husband is here?


    Qiao Qingyu, empowered by He Xiuyu¡¯s approval, continued, ¡°And he said we locked him in a pigsty. When he and Grandpa Lu came to Qiao Family Team, they really were there for re-education. But he was so arrogant! Us kids had to collect pig fodder every day and exchange it for work points at the collective pig farm. He would stand far off, pointing at us and laughing, saying we smelled like pig manure, that our homes were like pigsties. He called us piglets...¡±


    ¡°You tell me, with such a brat, wouldn¡¯t it be right to put him in the pigsty to get a real taste of it?¡±


    He Xiuyu had a smile playing at the corners of his eyes as he looked down at the girl standing very close to him.


    Angered, her fair complexion was touched with two spots of red, and her eyes sparkled brilliantly. She was so beautiful it was hard to look away.


    Yet, his hands at his sides clenched into fists.


    Qiao Qingyu and Lu Ye.


    How old was she then? Right, she¡¯d just said eight.


    How could an eight-year-old Qiao Qingyu remember all these things so clearly?


    Although He Xiuyu¡¯s eyes were gentle, and he listened patiently as Qiao Qingyu spilled her grievances, a touch of discomfort had emerged within him.


    This discomfort came on suddenly.


    He really wanted to ask Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Do you remember me?¡±


    ¡°When I was five, I took you tree climbing to raid bird nests, and I even gave you a bag of White Rabbit Creamy Candy.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you mention that now? How could you have forgotten it all so cleanly?¡±


    It¡¯s only a three-year difference.


    At this moment, Lu Ye, standing at the doorway, had an expression that was hard to read. It seemed like he was smiling, reminiscing, maybe even feeling embarrassed, but overall, very complex.


    However, Qiao Qingyu spoke with a clear rationale and distinct enunciation, so Mr. Xu¡¯s secretary and the young clerk both unanimously stepped to the side.


    They needed to distance themselves from this troublemaker. They had thought Qiao Qingyu had really wronged him back when they were kids.


    Turns out Lu Ye was such an annoying loudmouth. He really did deserve a beating.


    The two didn¡¯t glance sideways, showing a clear intention to distance themselves from Lu Ye.


    Mr. Xu¡¯s secretary was also thinking that they¡¯d need to give their leader a good report later on.


    They couldn¡¯t unjustly blame someone else.


    Qiao Qingyu was oblivious to He Xiuyu¡¯s mental shift and gritted her teeth, ¡°He even said I stole his candy. Do you know what really happened then?¡±


    He Xiuyu was very cooperative, and his voice was gentle as he said, ¡°He must have said something deserving a spanking.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded eagerly, ¡°Yes, yes, he was holding a White Rabbit Creamy Candy, coaxing the village¡¯s Gou Dan to bark like a puppy.


    Just when I saw it, Gou Dan is only four years old, he doesn¡¯t understand anything, and he was really about to bark for that piece of candy.


    I beat him up for it. He really is a little rascal, thinking that since we¡¯re country folk, we haven¡¯t seen anything nice.


    But you know, when I was little, a young boy from Hejia Village gave me White Rabbit Creamy Candy too, and not just one piece but a whole bag of it, and he never asked me to bark like a puppy...¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s peach blossom eyes suddenly lit up with tenderness.


    Little girl, so you remember, huh? You just don¡¯t know who that person was.


    The uncomfortable feeling he had just a moment ago vanished in an instant, and he nodded, ¡°This Lu Ye is really hateful. Well done, I support you!¡±


    The secretary and clerk instinctively took a step back, wanting to keep their distance from this wild child.


    So handsome and always smiling, how could he have been so annoying as a child?


    The voices continued inside the room.


    ¡°...just now, in the wasteland outside, Lu Xiaopang recounted word by word all the times I hit or scolded him, making it seem like he and Grandpa Lu truly endured such injustice and bullying in our village. He¡¯s so heartless. When Grandpa Lu fell ill in the middle of the night, my uncle braved the heavy rain to carry him over twenty miles to the county hospital...


    Such an ingrate, was I right to kick him?¡±


    ¡°Right, that kick was well-deserved!¡± He Xiuyu stated emphatically.


    Lu Ye, standing not far from the door, gazed distantly at the two people inside the room. They were close and seemed very intimate.


    One hung their head in gentleness; the other¡¯s small face was full of grievance, yet her mouth remained unforgiving.


    They shared a household registration book.


    They both had a marriage certificate.


    They looked so well matched.


    A complex look of sadness mixed with joy appeared on Lu Ye¡¯s face.


    Qiao Qingyu remained the same Qiao Qingyu, the dominating King Qiao of Qiao Family Team.


    After so many years, her nature hadn¡¯t changed.


    He believed, had there not been so many people there, she wouldn¡¯t have stopped at just giving him a kick.


    Lu Ye¡¯s hand slowly moved to his chest where it had hurt in the hospital, it had been fine earlier on the road, but now, for some reason, it began to hurt again, a dull, throbbing pain...


    Lu Ye turned and left.


    Qiao Qingyu, you blind fool, aren¡¯t you King Qiao? How could you marry so soon? Weren¡¯t you supposed to snatch up a pretty boy to be your captive husband as you used to say?


    You even said back then you would snatch me up.


    Yet all I did was go abroad to study for two years, and when I come back, you¡¯re already married.


    Lu Ye¡¯s pace quickened, eventually breaking into a jog. To Mr. Xu¡¯s secretary and the clerk watching, this seemed like guilt, a hasty escape; just moments ago, this kid had everyone believing he had suffered so much when he was young.


    At that moment, He Xiuyu glanced at the direction of the door, reached out his hand, and took Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand, smiling gently, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you home.¡±


    ¡°But this matter hasn¡¯t been settled yet,¡± Qiao Qingyu was a bit concerned.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, this is just how two childhood playmates greet each other after growing up, it¡¯s harmless.¡±


    ¡°Is it really like that?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked disbelievingly.

 Chapter 83 - 83 83 Uncomfortable

    ?Chapter 83: Chapter 83: Uncomfortable Chapter 83: Chapter 83: Uncomfortable He Xiuyu nodded, his expression solemn, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Don¡¯t you see you¡¯re being treated as a guest?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but smile and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.


    Lu Xiaopang, that little bastard with the pettiest mind, had been looking down on people since he first arrived at the Qiao Family Team. For over a year, she really did beat him up every time she saw him.


    He always swore under his breath, vowing to get back at her viciously when he grew up.


    But then, in the blink of an eye, he¡¯d be running wildly after her in the mountains.


    So Qiao Qingyu never expected this little bastard to hold a grudge and to quote her out of context in front of so many people at such an important event.


    So he was a very annoying person.


    At this moment, her small hand was enveloped by He Xiuyu¡¯s larger one. He didn¡¯t hold it tightly, just gently, but the palm of his hand was very dry and warm, exceptionally comforting.


    It felt so good to have someone come to take her home after an incident.


    Qiao Qingyu certainly didn¡¯t want to leave a criminal record here¡ªit was way too embarrassing, especially since it concerned Lu Ye.


    And it was strange; those childhood memories shouldn¡¯t have belonged to her, but when she spoke of them with He Xiuyu just now, Qiao Qingyu felt as if she were transported back to her youth. It was a very real and immersive feeling, and it also gave her a faint sense of homesickness.


    What is homesickness?


    Homesickness is the wisp of cooking smoke you see at dusk in a foreign land.


    And homesickness is the silhouette of a farmer with an old ox plowing the field at the end of the wilderness.


    Suddenly, she missed home!


    She wasn¡¯t an orphan in this world; she had a home, with a father, a mother, an older brother, a younger brother, grandparents, and a whole bunch of relatives.


    Although her grandma and grandpa weren¡¯t blood-related, they were very good to her.


    Following He Xiuyu down the corridor, Qiao Qingyu was also approached with smiles by the two people responsible for bringing him over.


    It was just a misunderstanding, after all. Lu Ye had made that clear upon arrival, and the two responsible parties also knew that even if it wasn¡¯t a misunderstanding, they had to present it as one¡ªthey couldn¡¯t let He Xiuyu be affected or implicated because of this incident.


    Leaving the corridor, there were three people a short distance ahead.


    It was Lu Ye, an official from the provincial capital, and the secretary from the leader¡¯s side.


    At this moment, Lu Ye was walking quickly, feeling a burning sensation in his eyes, followed by a little moisture. He tilted his head back and blinked vigorously, but he didn¡¯t stop walking, so he didn¡¯t notice the threshold in front of him. Mr. Xu¡¯s secretary, although he noticed it, was too late to stop him. Then, Lu Ye tripped over the threshold and fell at the entrance of the police station.


    He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu, who followed close behind, were also stunned.


    Qiao Qingyu could not help but snicker indecently.


    Lu Ye sat upright on the ground, looked up, and saw He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu hand in hand. That stinky girl was laughing happily; this time, he fell without her needing to kick him.


    Then the official hurriedly stepped forward to help him up. Lu Ye clutched his chest, leaned on the little official¡¯s shoulder, and said weakly, ¡°My chest still hurts a bit; take me to the hospital.¡±


    Then the secretary and official turned their heads to glance at the two people slowly approaching from not far away.


    With a frown of concern, the secretary asked, ¡°Although we¡¯re not pursuing it any further, shouldn¡¯t we still get some compensation for medical expenses?¡±


    Compensation for medical expenses?


    For Qiao Qingyu?


    He couldn¡¯t afford to lose face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯m already well. My chest doesn¡¯t hurt anymore. Let¡¯s go, we should head back to the guesthouse to check on the others. I have no idea how President Wu is doing now,¡± Lu Ye¡¯s voice became crisp and decisive.


    The three exchanged glances, then the secretary whispered, ¡°You two go ahead; I need to speak with Chief Engineer He for a moment.¡±


    Lu Ye had no intention of seeing He Xiuyu, much less speaking with him. So taking the clerk with him, he turned on his heel and strode away without a backward glance, walking briskly¡ªbut this time, he kept his gaze on the ground.


    Mr. Xu¡¯s secretary smiled as He Xiuyu approached, the two were acquainted. They shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. The secretary also conveyed Mr. Xu¡¯s concern and regards to Tenghai Research Base. If not for a last-minute emergency meeting, Mr. Xu had planned to visit the Tenghai Base himself.


    Mr. Xu had previously been in academia and taught history to He Xiuyu at the university.


    Every time they met, He Xiuyu would affectionately address him as Professor Xu.


    ¡°The base has been busy lately, and some issues have arisen, which Mr. Xu is probably aware of. I¡¯ll visit him in Xichuan when I have the time,¡± said He Xiuyu in a gentle voice.


    ¡°Chief Engineer He, you must make sure to visit, okay? Alright, I won¡¯t keep you any longer.¡±


    The secretary nodded amiably at Qiao Qingyu, who returned the gesture with a smile.


    However, Mr. Xu¡¯s secretary found Qiao Qingyu to be different from his first impression of her.


    Impressive, truly impressive. She truly was a hero among women.


    At this moment, in the guesthouse, two M-country citizens were extremely excited and agitated, babbling away in their native language about Qiao Qingyu and gesturing animatedly.


    Their meaning was clear¡ªwas Qiao Qingyu a female knight-errant? A martial arts master? Was that kick she performed a Huaxia martial arts technique? It was just too impressive, and they wondered if she would take disciples because they were eager to learn from her.


    If they could master that kick, it would enable them to act arrogantly and awe others.


    In the county hospital, Su Yunyao¡¯s expression alternated between cloudy and clear. She and the others were all seated, waiting for President Wu to regain consciousness.


    She couldn¡¯t fathom why President Wu would faint all of a sudden, as this event wasn¡¯t part of her memories from the previous life; everything had been normal.


    Su Yunyao¡¯s thoughts were in turmoil, and everything seemed muddled.


    The biggest dilemma before her was the blueprint. After all, it had already been discussed in a meeting and was part of the scientific achievements slated for reporting in the latter half of the year, and they had even begun drafting the manufacturing plans.


    But He Xiuyu suddenly claimed there was a mistake in the blueprint...


    Su Yunyao¡¯s gaze toward the emergency room door was heavy.


    The others were also concerned, speaking softly to each other, while local and city leaders were discussing something with the doctors on the side.


    Mr. Wu had mild hypertension but nothing serious, nor did he have heart disease, and yet he remained unconscious, which was deeply worrying. The supposed routine reception for the inspection work had led to such an accident, a true headache indeed.


    They hoped Mr. Wu would come to soon, so they could transfer him to Xichuan People¡¯s Hospital, where the facilities were much better than here.


    As for the rest, this person in charge had no more thoughts on the matter.


    He sighed. It was just a trip to Xiaxi Commune, and in the blink of an eye, two people had fainted, and then Chief Engineer He¡¯s wife had ended up in police custody.


    With that, he asked the doctor to take him to the office to make a phone call.


    He also needed to follow up on the developments with Qiao Qingyu...

 Chapter 84 - 84 84 The Past

    ?Chapter 84: Chapter 84: The Past Chapter 84: Chapter 84: The Past Mr. Qian was also at the entrance of the county police station, driving his tractor.


    Seeing that Qiao Qingyu came out with He Xiuyu, the heart that had been hanging in his throat finally settled back into place. Sitting atop the tractor, he wiped the profuse sweat from his forehead.


    Seeing Mr. Qian, Qiao Qingyu felt somewhat guilty. Mr. Qian had suddenly received the message to host them. The Xiaxi Commune had never encountered such a good thing in decades, and everyone from top to bottom was overjoyed and felt extremely honored.


    But who would have thought such an accident would occur, and she felt a bit sorry for him.


    ¡°Vice Director Qian, I¡¯m really sorry for causing you trouble.¡±


    ¡°Qingyu, what are you talking about? How are you causing me trouble? It¡¯s all my fault; I shouldn¡¯t have put you in the limelight.¡±


    Then, looking at He Xiuyu, knowing that he had come in a jeep, Mr. Qian said directly, ¡°Chief Engineer He, you take Qingyu straight home. I¡¯ll go to the county hospital to see how Mr. Wu is doing. He collapsed out of the blue; I have no idea how he is now.¡±


    He Xiuyu smiled at Mr. Qian, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not your fault. You¡¯ve done very well already.¡±


    Although He Xiuyu was not his direct superior, one had to acknowledge that He Xiuyu¡¯s level was on par with that of the big leaders in Xichuan.


    Being complimented by He Xiuyu, Mr. Qian was so excited that his face flushed red. He waved at He Xiuyu, then sat on his tractor and chugged off to the county hospital.


    Of course, he had to go and see.


    This man was the head of the inspection team after all. Even if it wasn¡¯t his responsibility, he¡¯d still feel remorse if something really happened.


    At this moment, Wu Tai had already woken up.


    He lay motionless in bed, his face etched with a deathly pallor.


    At eighteen, his little aunt had returned to Huaxia to look for her daughter, and his aunt was living in the Wu Family¡¯s villa, residing with his grandparents at the time.


    His aunt¡¯s home was a separate large villa. She was of a gentler disposition and had suffered a mental breakdown that led to depression after the disappearance of her cousin.


    But his uncle had been caring for her meticulously. This time, his uncle got news about his daughter, Wu Qianyun, so he entrusted all the family affairs to the old patriarch, boarded a ship, and visited several countries on his way to Huaxia.


    At that time, Huaxia was mired in war, resisting the invaders.


    They didn¡¯t let his aunt go with them for safety¡¯s sake.


    That day, he brought a basket of fruit to visit his aunt.


    Among everyone, his aunt had always treated him the best.


    As his father had taken three concubines, his mother was always caught up in petty fights and jealous bickering with those three women, paying little attention to him.


    His aunt taught him to read, to write, and sent him to school. In his heart, his aunt was even closer to him than his mother.


    With his uncle not at home, he visited his aunt whenever he had the time, even though she didn¡¯t recognize him any longer when her illness flared up.


    That day, rain poured heavily.


    Sheltered in his raincoat, guarding the basket of fruit in his arms, he entered his aunt¡¯s villa courtyard.


    He saw his mother gripping little aunt¡¯s shoulders, laughing uproariously.


    He hurried forward, at the time his mother¡¯s back was to him. Due to the heavy rain, she didn¡¯t know he was behind her. He was about to reach out to pull his mother away, when, amidst the torrential rain, he heard his mother¡¯s shrill voice, ¡°Lin Wanjun, you madwoman, how are you still alive? I¡¯ll tell you, it was I who discarded your daughter. I had the servant¡¯s daughter wear her clothes to misdirect you. Then I put her in rags and had my maid throw her into a crowd of refugees. In that crowd, do you think your beautiful daughter could survive? Hahaha... Lin Wanjun, everyone said you were the happiest woman in the world, but look at you now, are you happy? Even if your man loves only you or even if you have no sons but only a daughter, you¡¯re still a madwoman now...¡±


    At that moment, little aunt, for some unknown reason, suddenly had a lucid look in her eyes, and she furiously threw herself at his mother.


    And he, too, stood frozen, suddenly recalling the scenes before they had left for country M.


    At that time, they were preparing to take a ship out to sea. There was fighting between two local warlords.


    Everything was ready, but on the day of departure, a large number of refugees had run to the harbor. Some wanted to take ships to leave the chaos of Yun City; it was a sea of people. Many were pushed and fell into the sea in the mayhem.


    There were things he simply had no memory of. His cousin had maids and nannies watching her and should have been with little aunt. He only remembered being held by his second aunt¡¯s eldest son.


    Many people desperately surged towards their large ship, also trying to escape on it, while in the distance, there was gunfire and explosions. It was not easy to finally set sail. Suddenly, little uncle realized Wu Qianyun was missing. They searched the entire ship to no avail.


    He vividly remembered little uncle plunging into the sea, desperately swimming towards the direction of the harbor.


    The deck was in chaos.


    Then several more people leaped into the water. It was shortly after the New Year, and the sea was icy and cold. Even with little uncle¡¯s strong physique and swimming ability, he couldn¡¯t last more than three minutes.


    Bombs fell on the harbor at that time, and far in the distance, there was firelight.


    Little uncle was pulled out of the water unconscious, and by the time he came to, they had already arrived in country M. After the shock, little aunt suffered a mental breakdown.


    At that time, little uncle cared for nothing else and searched everywhere for a way to return to China. Unfortunately, all the coastal ports were sealed. He could have traveled around the globe and still not return to Yun City temporarily.


    Back then, aside from taking care of little aunt, little uncle spent all his time searching for a way to return home.


    The entire family¡¯s affairs were handed over to the Wu Family¡¯s eldest son, his father.


    That was what his father had always longed for.


    Unfortunately, his father was nothing but a wastrel in all matters except for women and revelry.


    Later, in less than a year without little uncle, the Wu Family was driven out of their estate and became a group of beggars hiding under a bridge.


    It was still the grandfather, who with tears and curses, and almost kneeling before little uncle, finally got him to stop floundering aimlessly around.


    The grandmother once cried to the grandfather, saying little uncle was unfilial, only caring for his wife and children, neglecting the Wu Family.


    If it weren¡¯t for their insistence that earning more money and meeting more people was the only way to have a chance of finding their daughter, the Wu Family might still be begging under a bridge in a foreign land.


    After arriving in country M, he had overheard his mother confidently telling others several times they would never find the child in their lifetime.


    And now he felt an icy chill all over, the fruits in his arms dropped to the ground, rolling everywhere...


    He didn¡¯t want to believe what his mother said, but at this moment he felt it was true.


    His cousin had been abandoned by his mother.

 Chapter 85 - 85 85 Fake Blueprint

    ?Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Fake Blueprint? Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Fake Blueprint? He remembered that his mother had told him countless times to perform well¡ªhe was to be the only heir to his uncle, and eventually, everything the Wu Family owned would be his. Then, he¡¯d see who would dare show off in front of her...


    At that time, little aunt had regained her clarity; she desperately grabbed his mother to demand the whereabouts of her cousin.


    The two of them began to fight fiercely, getting close to the pond. The heavy rain made the banks even more slippery, and ultimately, both of them fell into the water together. The downpour that day was extremely heavy, as if the heavens had sprung a leak, and the pond, normally half-full, was about to overflow.


    The pond¡¯s bottom was full of silt; after they fell in, it didn¡¯t take long for both to be submerged.


    By the time he managed to react, he started desperately shouting for help in the rain...


    But for some reason, that day, not a single soul was present in the courtyard of his uncle¡¯s villa.


    He jumped into the pond.


    He first managed to rescue little aunt, not because he had intentionally chosen to save her¡ªhe was disappointed in his mother, but he was her only son and loved her all the same.


    However, it was only because little aunt was closest to him.


    Clutching little aunt with one arm, he struggled toward the shore. Yet he hadn¡¯t expected that his mother would stand up from the water, the water already reaching her neck, her eyes wide as if she couldn¡¯t believe that her own son would save Lin Wanjun instead of her.


    At that time, from where his mother summoned the strength, he didn¡¯t know, but she managed to pull both of them back into the water.


    In the end¡ª


    His mother became a vegetable.


    Little aunt drowned.


    As for him, after suffocating that led to coma for half a month, he finally woke up, not remembering anything of the ordeal.


    At this moment, lying on the hospital bed, Wu Tai tightly shut his eyes, his body trembling slightly, tears slowly dripping from the corners of his eyes.


    Later, someone came and fished all three of them out; his hands still clung to little aunt¡¯s arms, while his mother was clutching tightly at his hair.


    Perhaps it was because of this scene that his uncle spared them.


    Over the years, he underwent hypnosis several times, but he still couldn¡¯t remember what exactly had happened in the courtyard of his uncle¡¯s villa.


    Now, after seeing Qiao Qingyu, who greatly resembled little aunt, all the fears that suffocated him and the truths he avoided returned to his memory.


    His mother¡ªhis own mother¡ªwas the real culprit who nearly devastated his uncle¡¯s family.


    Wu Tai clenched his eyes shut, emitting a gurgling sound from his throat.


    He was sorry to little aunt, sorry to his cousin, and even more sorry to his uncle who treated him like his own son. Over the years, he even harbored resentment towards his uncle, and selfishly coveted his uncle¡¯s riches.


    In recent years, this desire had grown even stronger; he wished they would never find his cousin. Given his uncle¡¯s affection and the riches of the Wu Family, it would all be his and his children¡¯s eventually.


    Meanwhile, the doctor and nurse standing next to him exchanged puzzled looks.


    Clearly, the patient had woken up, but it seemed he was having a terrible nightmare; he was crying incessantly, a man in his fifties crying like a child.


    The nurse moved forward but was stopped by the doctor.


    The patient was entering a special emotional state; he must have remembered something.


    They shouldn¡¯t interrupt him, but unexpectedly, the next moment Wu Tai abruptly sat up from the bed, not even noticing those around him, and began slapping himself on the face.


    This had to be stopped.


    The doctor and nurse quickly stepped forward. By then, Wu Tai seemed to have awakened from his nightmare, his eyes cloudy, his face covered with tears, seemingly aged decades all at once.


    Just before that, he had still been a refined and graceful middle-aged man.


    A few minutes later, Wu Tai finally came to his senses.


    He needed to return to America immediately.


    Although his mother had become vegetative, there were still two maids alive from those days.


    He wanted to confess to his little uncle.


    He was going to tell his little uncle everything exactly as it happened.


    Then, he wouldn¡¯t do anything else; he must find his cousin in his remaining years to atone for his sins, for his mother¡¯s sins!


    ...


    The spirited delegation from M country hurriedly left Xichuan and flew directly to Beijing.


    However, Wu Tai knew he had to come back, so he left his two most competent assistants in Xichuan to handle the affairs of the new factory.


    Those two people from M country stayed behind as well.


    They wished to find the female hero to learn from her, but Lu Ye stopped them and took them to the provincial capital instead.


    Su Yunyao also returned to the base. She hadn¡¯t slept all night and couldn¡¯t figure out what was wrong with the blueprint or where the critical error was.


    It was slightly bright outside now; He Xiuyu¡¯s dormitory was right across.


    He had been staying here these days.


    Not far away, within the surrounding walls, was the newly built family compound of the base.


    She even knew which room was He Xiuyu¡¯s house.


    Tomorrow, everyone in the temporary family compound would move into the new houses which had been painted, furnished with beds, sofas moved in, and the kitchen fully equipped.


    It was ready to move into immediately.


    A flash of jealousy passed through Su Yunyao¡¯s eyes¡ªan uncouth village girl. If she hadn¡¯t married He Xiuyu, how could she ever enjoy such treatment, such a life?


    She probably wouldn¡¯t even know what a building was, or what cars and trains were, maybe she hadn¡¯t even eaten a White Rabbit Creamy Candy.


    She would be working in the village covered in mud and lice.


    She wouldn¡¯t be living this elitist life.


    If it weren¡¯t for Chief Engineer He, how could the kick she gave Lu Ye have been downplayed?


    Lu Ye didn¡¯t even utter a word, for some reason.


    Su Yunyao¡¯s fingers clenched around her pen, shaking her head vigorously. Now wasn¡¯t the time to think about these messy thoughts. She must find the error in the blueprint; if she couldn¡¯t, she couldn¡¯t proceed with her work, and it would become a big joke.


    But where was the error?


    He Xiuyu would not lie or deceive; if he said there was an error in the blueprint, it meant there definitely was an issue.


    But in her memory, it was this blueprint.


    Suddenly, Su Yunyao stood up briskly, disbelief flashing in her eyes.


    Could it be...


    The blueprint their research team received initially was fake, and the real blueprint had always been with He Xiuyu?


    A cold sweat broke over Su Yunyao in an instant.


    She really wanted to rush to He Xiuyu¡¯s dormitory to ask him what was going on, but she dared not, not even daring to ask about the nature of the error.


    This was the consequence of a guilty conscience.


    In fact, Su Yunyao didn¡¯t know that He Xiuyu was half-truthful, the other half was probing.


    After carefully verifying and calculating the blueprint, he was shocked to find an error, one that was difficult to detect, only someone with his kind of thinking could calculate it.


    The error was clearly man-made, deliberate.


    What was most eerie was that the setup of this error was very much in his style.

 Chapter 86 - 86 86 Another Anna

    ?Chapter 86: Chapter 86 Another Anna? Chapter 86: Chapter 86 Another Anna? He Xiuyu had no time to deal with this matter right now.


    Early in the morning, He Xuerong sat up straight from her small bed and stared directly at him, and honestly, her gaze was enough to give him the creeps.


    The sky was just faintly lit.


    He had to take Rongrong to the base hospital for a check-up today, but there was no need to get up so early.


    But He Xuerong wouldn¡¯t sleep, and although she moved mechanically, she still changed out of her pajamas, put on her underclothes and pants, pulled on her little socks, slowly donned her outerwear and shoes, and then stood in front of He Xiuyu, quietly watching him.


    He Xiuyu sighed helplessly and resigned himself to getting up.


    He was used to getting up at the crack of dawn and, after freshening up, he carried Rongrong to the new house.


    The yard was already tidied up, with smooth stones laid out where one would walk.


    The side was untouched, which was the wasteland opened up by Qiao Qingyu.


    Holding He Xuerong, he entered the house, pointing out rooms and introducing them to her while also checking her expression.


    Then, he pointed to an empty room and said softly, ¡°Rongrong, your little aunt plans to plant large leaf plants here for you. She said she¡¯s going to plant very, very beautiful flowers...¡±


    Regardless of Rongrong¡¯s reaction, he moved on with her to the next room.


    Although the sun wasn¡¯t up yet, a trace of dawn filtered through the clouds, lightly shining on the window glass.


    One could imagine how splendid and warm the room would be when the sun came up.


    He Xiuyu pointed to the windowsill and spoke gently, ¡°Your little aunt wants to fill the windowsill with pots of flowers.


    ¡°She said there is a flower called the Rainbow Flower that comes in seven different colors, arrayed like a rainbow. She said that when the plant blooms, its leaves resemble lotus leaves and you can make a wish facing the flowers.


    Your little aunt also told me that she has seeds for another type of flower called the snowdrops.


    It sounds like your name.


    The ¡®xue¡¯ is from the word for ¡®white snow,¡¯ and ¡®rong¡¯ means as soft as down.


    Your ¡®Rong¡¯ is from ¡®furong,¡¯ the lotus.


    Your little aunt said the flower language of snowdrops represents bravery and the most important memories, and she said you are a very, very brave child.


    She said she wants to grow a pot of snowdrops on the windowsill of your bedroom.¡±


    ...


    He didn¡¯t care if Rongrong could understand or not, he just repeated everything Qiao Qingyu and he occasionally murmured without skipping a word to Rongrong.


    It was at that moment, with He Xuerong who had been motionless all this time, that her body suddenly leaned back, her gaze level with He Xiuyu¡¯s.


    Her dark eyes were fixed unwaveringly on He Xiuyu.


    He Xiuyu suddenly became nervous and stared back at his little niece without blinking. In the next moment, He Xuerong slowly extended her little hand and wrapped it around He Xiuyu¡¯s neck, resting her little head on his shoulder.


    He Xiuyu dared not move¡ªhis eyes felt moist, and he had to close them.


    He was terrified that all of this was just a dream.


    ...


    In the morning, Su Yunyao took leave and rode a bicycle to the base family compound.


    She knew for certain that Qiao Qingyu was at home. Not to mention the botched reception of the inspection team, just the fact that the entire family courtyard was relocating tomorrow meant she couldn¡¯t run off, which is why even some family members who worked in the base workshops had returned.


    The gate to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house was indeed unlocked; she pushed it open and walked straight into the yard.


    The yard was empty.


    There was a pile of stuff already sorted in one corner of the wall.


    It was already May, when many people had shed their spring clothes, so naturally, windows were open, as were the doors.


    Standing at the doorway, Su Yunyao placed her hand on the open door, symbolically knocking a few times.


    Hearing the sound, Qiao Qingyu walked out from the eastern room and immediately spotted Su Yunyao at the door.


    Her eyebrows furrowed involuntarily.


    This woman didn¡¯t work at the base, so what was she doing here?


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu, a hint of surprise flickered in the depths of Su Yunyao¡¯s eyes. With the dry and dusty weather of May, how could someone like Qiao Qingyu possibly have increasingly better skin?


    She was really envious.


    She didn¡¯t wait for Qiao Qingyu to speak and preempted her, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, don¡¯t be in such a hurry to send me away. I have a few words to say to you...¡±


    She stretched out her finger and pointed at the locked study door, ¡°The door to this room is locked, and inside are all of He Xiuyu¡¯s things, but you probably don¡¯t know that in our compound, there¡¯s a girl named Anna. She¡¯s mixed-race, exceptionally beautiful, and fluent in six languages. If her grandmother hadn¡¯t taken her to Country S to inherit the family fortune, Anna would be the spouse listed on He Xiuyu¡¯s household registration book, not you, Qiao Qingyu. There are letters between them locked up in his study. I even personally handed a few of them to He Xiuyu. But, you see, they¡¯re all written in foreign languages. You wouldn¡¯t understand them even if you saw them. Actually, there¡¯s really no need for He Xiuyu to lock the door at all...¡±


    After finishing, Su Yunyao turned and left. She knew Qiao Qingyu was sharp-tongued, and there would be a lot of unpleasant words hurled at her soon, which she didn¡¯t want to hear. She had achieved her goal for the day, so Su Yunyao¡¯s footsteps were extremely quick.


    Qiao Qingyu chased to the doorway, only to see Su Yunyao¡¯s back as she rounded the corner on her bicycle.


    What an idiot!


    Indeed, no matter the age, once women face issues concerning their loved ones or love, they can act foolishly.


    Standing at the doorway, Qiao Qingyu smiled indifferently. She truly hadn¡¯t taken the matter to heart but turned back inside the house, her gaze still falling on the lock of the west room.


    She closed her eyes slightly, recalling Su Yunyao¡¯s words. Anna? The Anna who went back to Country S to inherit the family fortune?


    A mixed-race, incredibly beautiful girl.


    Then there were the letters exchanged with He Xiuyu, locked up in this room.


    If this body were still its original owner, what would she have done?


    There was no doubt that the original owner really liked He Xiuyu. A woman in love with a man would naturally become jealous for him.


    She didn¡¯t have the key to the lock on the door to the west room. Even though her relationship with He Xiuyu seemed harmonious now, even if she had saved his little niece, He Xiuyu never thought to give her the key to this room.


    It wasn¡¯t a matter of whether she asked or not, He Xiuyu simply never had the intention.


    Because it was his private territory.


    So having been provoked by Su Yunyao like this, the original owner must have been absolutely furious. There was an ax in the house; she would have taken it and smashed the lock open.


    It was that simple.


    Qiao Qingyu raised her eyebrows; the power of a plot master was indeed not to be underestimated.


    Things like arson, matters involving human traffickers, and then smashing locks¡ªthese seemingly simple acts that indeed pushed the original owner toward a dead end, all had happened in these past few days.


    In the book, after these events, particularly because of a piece of soy-sauce beef, the original owner ended up selling He Xuerong. After the incident, He Xiuyu nearly killed her, so she fled in the middle of the night. It was late autumn, early winter, the time when wolves roamed the wild, and thus, the original owner, Qiao Qingyu, encountered a pack of wolves...

 Chapter 87 - 87 87 Gentle Chivalry

    ?Chapter 87: Chapter 87: Gentle Chivalry Chapter 87: Chapter 87: Gentle Chivalry These prior causes were never going to occur for her, thus, so-called disastrous consequences were naturally avoided.


    But Su Yunyao was annoyingly lively.


    She needed to think of a way to deal with her.


    Qiao Qingyu stood at the door, glancing at the busy front yard of the Li family.


    Brother Li had returned. This was the first time Qiao Qingyu had seen him in person. Li Zhiqiang was tall and burly, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, emanating an aura of erudition.


    He came to help Sister-in-law Li tidy up. Moreover, it had been a long time since he last came home after completing work tasks, and his bosses had given him three days off.


    Hence, all the sounds heard in the front yard were from Xiao Hu talking noisily.


    According to Sister-in-law Li, her husband used to frequently mention a newly graduated female college student, describing her as exceptionally intelligent and quick to learn, and a Southerner with a pleasant voice.


    At that time, the speaker might have been without intention, and the listener, too, without any purpose. However, ever since Qiao Qingyu reminded Sister-in-law Li with those words, that night, Sister-in-law Li shared this matter with Qiao Qingyu.


    Of course, Qiao Qingyu advised her to be on guard, not for others but for her and Xiao Hu.


    She only hoped that He Xiuyu would quickly root out all the spies at the base.


    ...


    That evening, He Xiuyu brought He Xuerong back home.


    Qiao Qingyu had already prepared the meal. Having returned from Yushu County the day before and bought three pounds of meat from the grocery store because the weather was getting warmer and there was no refrigerator, Qiao Qingyu minced the meat. She fried half of it with yellow bean paste to make meat sauce. Then she uprooted the small bok choy from the wooden crate, blanched, and chopped it, mixing it with the other half of the meat and fresh green onion to wrap wontons.


    He Xuerong loved eating them, and while eating, she occasionally looked up at Qiao Qingyu quietly.


    Qiao Qingyu naturally noticed such changes. Although the young girl was still silent, her eyes were no longer as vacant as before. For instance, when she looked at you, it wasn¡¯t like before¡ªas if looking through you at someone else¡ªgiving a rather eerie feeling.


    Now, her gaze was focused, adding more expression to her eyes.


    Qiao Qingyu then looked at He Xiuyu questioningly.


    He Xiuyu put down his chopsticks. Qiao Qingyu was a skilled cook, and he felt this was the most delicious wonton he had eaten over the years.


    People often described delicious food as ¡°so good you could swallow your tongue,¡± and at that moment, He Xiuyu felt it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration.


    He knew what Qiao Qingyu¡¯s look meant and began speaking slowly, ¡°This morning Rongrong woke up very early. I took her to our new house, and told her that you were planning to plant snowdrops and Rainbow Flowers for her. Rongrong can understand words from the outside world, even if she doesn¡¯t respond. But after I told her these words, she actually hugged my neck...¡±


    Although his voice was soft and unhurried, Qiao Qingyu caught a hint of a choke in it, causing her to look up seriously at He Xiuyu.


    In truth, he didn¡¯t need to bother with He Xuerong at all. He Xuerong was not his responsibility; she had grandparents and parents who could take care of her, so it shouldn¡¯t be his place to do so. Moreover, honestly, having a child with autism around was a real hassle.


    But he unhesitatingly brought the child to the Northwest.


    Despite his busy work schedule, he took care of her meticulously and never thought it was his duty just because she was his wife¡¯s child.


    Unless there was a special circumstance, he always kept He Xuerong by his side.


    Perhaps it stemmed from a kind of distrust, but more so, it proved that the man possessed a sense of responsibility and a very warm heart.


    If described using words from martial arts novels, this was a man with a chivalrous heart and tender feelings.


    Such a man was truly charming in every sense of the word.


    No wonder Su Yunyao behaved like a mad dog every day.


    So, Qiao Qingyu began to complain.


    ¡°This morning, Su Yunyao came to our house, and she told me that there are many letters in your locked study, written between you and a girl named Anna. Some of them were even delivered back and forth by her...¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s brows slightly furrowed as his gaze fell on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face, trying to discern her mental state as she spoke these words.


    She was calm, simply stating the facts.


    When He Xiuyu was sure that Qiao Qingyu wouldn¡¯t get angry, a tinge of disappointment lingered in his heart.


    It seemed Qiao Qingyu truly didn¡¯t like him anymore.


    After he disagreed to a divorce, she quickly adjusted their way of interacting, and indeed, Qiao Qingyu was smart. Their current relationship was that of harmonious friends.


    Actually, it was for the best, for now.


    Until she truly came of age.


    Yet, He Xiuyu still felt somewhat uneasy, attributing this feeling to a man¡¯s inexplicable pride.


    So, he calmed his emotions and smiled, ¡°Anna is the daughter of the An family in our compound; her grandmother is from Country S. Three years ago, she was taken away.¡±


    He Xiuyu stood up as he spoke, feeling that demonstrating his point with facts would be most convincing.


    Otherwise, any explanation here would be feeble.


    He stood up, saying to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Clean up later, come with me first.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu knew He Xiuyu wanted to show her something as proof that he wasn¡¯t involved in anything shameful with Anna¡ªafter all, He Xiuyu was still trustworthy.


    But currently, Qiao Qingyu truly didn¡¯t want to delve into his past.


    This was the truth; she had no interest in knowing about his past relationships.


    Qiao Qingyu quickly smiled, ¡°Actually, Su Yunyao¡¯s intent was to make me so angry and jealous that I¡¯d smash your door lock, but being the clever person I am, I wouldn¡¯t fall for her trick. I trust you, so there¡¯s no need to look, right?¡±


    He Xiuyu stood at the door, his gaze turning somewhat somber.


    He didn¡¯t want to stop here with Qiao Qingyu.


    This was his wife, with whom he would have children, who would be their children¡¯s mother¡ªhe even had their children¡¯s names picked out.


    So, he hoped Qiao Qingyu would get closer to him.


    He Xiuyu slightly curled the corner of his mouth, his voice gentle, ¡°Taking a look wouldn¡¯t hurt. When you see Su Yunyao, you can tell her that I¡¯ve shown you all the correspondence with Anna...¡±


    ¡°Su Yunyao said they¡¯re all written in a foreign language, and I don¡¯t understand it. Even if I read them, it¡¯d be pointless.¡±


    ¡°I can translate for you...¡±


    He Xiuyu stated as a matter of course.


    Qiao Qingyu fell silent, ¡°Then I¡¯ll look after I finish tidying up.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t take much time, just two letters.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Qiao Qingyu reluctantly agreed.

 Chapter 88 - 88 88 Your Heart and My Heart Linked Together

    ?Chapter 88: Chapter 88 Your Heart and My Heart Linked Together Chapter 88: Chapter 88 Your Heart and My Heart Linked Together Qiao Qingyu thought to herself, if Su Yunyao knew about this, that woman would surely be green with envy.


    Why bother, really!


    You say you¡¯ve been reborn, able to know so much about the next twenty years, you are practically a seer, it¡¯s an exaggeration to call you a god, but you¡¯re nearly half a god, why not take advantage of this and focus on your scientific research and career?


    Focusing on her is truly masochistic.


    So Qiao Qingyu followed He Xiuyu to the west room, where the lights were on. He Xiuyu opened a bookcase on the wall, revealing a drawer filled with many letters. He Xiuyu leisurely said to her, ¡°These letters are correspondence between my teachers, classmates, and some elders.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t care much one way or the other.


    But no matter how you looked at it, these letters were mixed together, proving that it wasn¡¯t as Su Yunyao had said.


    So Qiao Qingyu cheerfully said, ¡°Su Yunyao also mentioned that if she hadn¡¯t left Huaxia, the spouse on your household registration would be Anna by now.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, but he didn¡¯t have much of a reaction, only letting out an almost inaudible laugh.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at him, she could take that as a mock, right? Was he mocking Su Yunyao¡¯s words?


    ¡°Whether the spouse on my household registration is you, Qiao Qingyu, has nothing to do with whether Anna is in Huaxia or not.¡±


    While He Xiuyu was saying this, he had already taken out two letters, opened them, and showed the letter inside to Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t have a good command of the language of country S, but she understood a little.


    But she had to pretend she didn¡¯t understand; otherwise, she really couldn¡¯t explain herself to He Xiuyu.


    One letter was from ten years ago, in which He Xiuyu had asked for help with grammar.


    The other was from last year.


    It had been sent from overseas.


    He Xiuyu sometimes could be so meticulous it was almost adorable.


    He really did as he said, had just finished translating that letter and then, with all seriousness, began translating the letter Anna had sent him from overseas; it was clear from the letter that He Xiuyu had never replied to her.


    The whole letter was really nothing special, just routine greetings, but the letter paper itself seemed to tell a story.


    Pale pink letter paper.


    Who knew if it was what she thought it was.


    Of course, He Xiuyu¡¯s translation was flawless, without misinterpretation or confusion, exactly as it was, with not a single character out of place, and his pronunciation of the S country¡¯s language was so precise.


    Who knows if he learned it from that Anna?


    But since he allowed her to look and explained it to her, Qiao Qingyu really didn¡¯t want to turn a blind eye. So Qiao Qingyu reached for the letter, He Xiuyu was a bit surprised but handed it over to her anyway. The two of them were standing, right in front of the bookcase, and He Xiuyu had been translating it word by word, both standing very close together.


    So when Qiao Qingyu turned around, she accidentally bumped into He Xiuyu¡¯s arm.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s ears reddened instantly.


    His body became a bit stiff in that moment.


    He could be one hundred percent sure that Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t do it intentionally, but such a touch was indeed a first for him.


    The anatomy of men and women is truly different.


    He Xiuyu found himself momentarily distracted.


    Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t a careless person; sometimes she was very attentive, but this time she really didn¡¯t notice because she was holding a piece of paper up to the light.


    Sure enough, there it was, ¡°your heart and my heart linked together...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu waved the letter paper with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile and looked up at He Xiuyu who seemed to be in a daze, ¡°You didn¡¯t pay attention to the letter paper, did you? So, you didn¡¯t realize what Anna wanted to express to you?¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s attention was finally drawn, and he too was stunned for a moment.


    To be honest, he hadn¡¯t anticipated that a piece of letter paper could involve so much nuance. He wasn¡¯t a fool; of course, he could see the series of pink heart-shaped patterns, and he had a rough guess of their meaning, which caused the red at his ears to spread to his face.


    How should he put it? He had intended to explain things clearly to Qiao Qingyu to prove his integrity.


    Now that the letter came with so many little hearts, could he ever wash himself clean, even if he jumped into the Yellow River?


    ¡°Did you reply to her letter?¡±


    He Xiuyu hurriedly shook his head, ¡°No, sending letters to and from S Country is too troublesome, and I don¡¯t have the time, besides, it¡¯s really unnecessary.¡±


    ¡°So, have you roughly figured out Anna¡¯s feelings for you?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu asked with a tone full of teasing.


    He Xiuyu slowly straightened his back and leisurely took the letter paper from Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand, folded it neatly into the envelope, and casually placed it in the drawer.


    His focused gaze fell on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face; even though they were close enough to hear each other¡¯s breath, they seemed unreachably far apart.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, your seemingly nonchalant attitude doesn¡¯t show magnanimity; it just proves that you no longer take these things to heart.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was taken aback. That sounded a bit unusual, didn¡¯t it?


    ¡°Is it bad not to take it to heart? If I did take it to heart, after Su Yunyao left, I would smash this door open with an axe and rummage through your room, whether it¡¯s useful or not, I would definitely find evidence of your infidelity...¡±


    ¡°Stop, that¡¯s enough, Comrade Qiao Qingyu, your choice of words is extremely inaccurate!¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s expression suddenly became serious, with a hint of chill.


    ¡°You saw the signature on the envelope just now. That was before I met you. Not to say that I have nothing to do with Anna, even if there was a relationship, it couldn¡¯t be described as infidelity because the definition of infidelity is when a married man or woman breaks the loyalty obligation in their spouse relationship by having...¡±


    He Xiuyu stopped himself abruptly, although it was a very normal physiological term, but at that moment, under such dim lighting, facing Qiao Qingyu, he still held it back.


    ¡°The rest you surely understand broadly, so your word choice is not accurate.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at He Xiuyu with a mix of laughter and embarrassment, feeling slightly ashamed because she had indeed blurted those words out.


    ¡°I was just speaking off the cuff, I know you are a gentleman of impeccable character and noble integrity.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s serious expression receded like the tide, and his peach blossom eyes instantly filled with a layer of tender amusement.


    He liked hearing Qiao Qingyu¡¯s assessment.


    And every word sounded so pleasing.


    That¡¯s the kind of person he was.


    Others saying it didn¡¯t really move him, but Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words seemed to make his heart flutter slightly.


    He Xiuyu pressed down that little flutter, took a deep breath, ¡°So, Comrade Qiao Qingyu, sometimes you should think before you speak.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I get it, I was just making a metaphor. You said I wasn¡¯t taking it seriously, but if taking it seriously means crying, making a fuss, and throwing a tantrum, that would be quite unpleasant, right?¡±

 Chapter 89 - 89 89 Thank Her for Her Kindness and Gentleness

    ?Chapter 89: Chapter 89: Thank Her for Her Kindness and Gentleness Chapter 89: Chapter 89: Thank Her for Her Kindness and Gentleness He Xiuyu slowly nodded his head. Indeed, he preferred their current mode of interaction compared to the past.


    Then Qiao Qingyu spread her hands, ¡°You see, it¡¯s really not my fault, sometimes it¡¯s hard to satisfy all aspects.


    What if acting on rumors makes this well-known to everyone? It wouldn¡¯t look good for either of us. Isn¡¯t it better to stay calm? Besides, we have a child at home, wouldn¡¯t she be scared if we argued?¡±


    He Xiuyu couldn¡¯t help but reach out and gently rub the top of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s head as he laughed, ¡°How did I never notice that you always have all sorts of skewed logic?¡±


    Shortly afterward, He Xiuyu walked towards the door, leaving Qiao Qingyu slightly stunned. He Xiuyu dared to touch her hair?


    But when she turned around, she saw Rongrong standing at the door.


    Qiao Qingyu followed him out, suppressing a bit of discomfort. The two of them together started tidying up the kitchen. Qiao Qingyu said to He Xiuyu, ¡°Regardless of Su Yunyao¡¯s intentions, isn¡¯t your base quite busy? Does she really have nothing to do every day?¡±


    ¡°Busy, naturally it¡¯s very busy. There¡¯s a problem with the blueprint she designed, but she hasn¡¯t figured out what the problem is yet.¡±


    He naturally didn¡¯t hide this from Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu blinked her eyes, recalling the storyline.


    Su Yunyao, standing on the shoulders of giants after the original host logged out, certainly had it smooth.


    Not only did she bring forward the scientific achievements led by He Xiuyu ten years later, but she also utilized the knowledge of the next twenty years to advance several other scientific results.


    It was blatant plagiarism.


    So, was the problematic blueprint her own design or He Xiuyu¡¯s?


    But if it were He Xiuyu¡¯s, then it shouldn¡¯t have any problems.


    ¡°So, you see, you can¡¯t just coddle these researchers in your base. Talent is scarce, but character is very important. Oh, and let me ask you, how did Xiao Hu find that key? Did Lu Guilian commit suicide out of guilt or was she silenced? And the explosives and matches given to our family, although it was made by Mr. Wang, his stated motives are absolutely not credible!¡±


    The dishes were also tidied up by then, and both of them stood in the kitchen, He Xiuyu listening very seriously.


    Qiao Qingyu saw that he was listening attentively, so she continued, ¡°Let me say a few more words. If I¡¯m wrong, just ignore me. After all, this is at home, not at your workplace.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, it¡¯s okay,¡± He Xiuyu said gently.


    ¡°It¡¯s about your research team and laboratory staff, they need to be carefully screened.¡±


    ¡°Like whom?¡± He Xiuyu asked modestly.


    ¡°For example, the researchers in the most critical departments during your development and manufacturing process. You should hold a meeting specifically for them. There are definitely still spies in the base, probably more than one, hiding somewhere. So, make those people be vigilant, and not fall for traps leading to ruin and loss...¡±


    He Xiuyu looked thoughtfully at Qiao Qingyu and suddenly asked, ¡°Is this also a warning for me?¡±


    ¡°If you think it is, then you can take it that way,¡± Qiao Qingyu said seriously.


    Brother Li had recently talked about a smart and gentle female university student named Chen Dandan.


    Although Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t outright call her a spy, she was educated enough to know that Chen Dandan was one of the suspects.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s eyes were gentle, and he took her words seriously. ¡°Although your words may be a bit radical and pointed, overall, they make sense. I will take them into consideration.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled.


    She then entered the room and turned her gaze towards Rongrong, who was sitting on the edge of the kang, surprised to find the little girl¡¯s eyes once again fixed on her.


    She was watching her, and she was watching her again.


    What was so interesting about this little girl? She wasn¡¯t even looking at her uncle.


    However, Qiao Qingyu did remember something. In the afternoon, when she had nothing to do, she mixed wood ash with black soil and placed it in a basket woven from red willow branches.


    Then she planted golden lotus flowers and snowdrops.


    Actually, the Rainbow Flower is also called the golden lotus, which is bright and colorful. Its leaves are similar to those of a lotus, and with good care, it can bloom throughout the year.


    There were over a dozen colors, and she chose seven.


    She arranged them in order of color, but unfortunately, there were no flower pots.


    So, she was contemplating where to get some flower pots.


    Qiao Qingyu pointed to the black soil, which was still empty, and softly said to He Xuerong, who had come with her, ¡°Rongrong, in ten days, these seedlings will all sprout. By then, they will be placed on your windowsill, and they will bloom by summer.¡±


    He Xuerong looked expressionlessly at the basket, but the next moment, her little hand rested on the edge of the basket.


    Then she raised her head to look at Qiao Qingyu.


    The little girl actually smiled.


    Although the smile was very faint and fleeting, after seeing He Xuerong¡¯s expressionless face for over a month, Qiao Qingyu was surprised and widened her eyes. She then looked towards He Xiuyu, who was sitting at the table flipping through a book, and excitedly said, ¡°He Xiuyu, Rongrong just smiled at me.¡±


    Since He Xuerong was facing away from He Xiuyu, he naturally did not see it, but He Xiuyu quickly put down his book, took off his shoes, and climbed onto the platform bed.


    He and Qiao Qingyu sat cross-legged on the other side of He Xuerong.


    He turned his head to look at his little niece.


    He Xuerong also turned her head to look at her uncle.


    It seemed as if to confirm what Qiao Qingyu had just said, He Xuerong smiled at her uncle as well, although this smile, like the previous one, was very faint and fleeting. But He Xiuyu¡¯s eyes suddenly reddened.


    He knew Rongrong¡¯s illness was gradually improving.


    This was a good start.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s gaze fell back on Qiao Qingyu. At that moment, he genuinely wanted to thank her, to thank her for rescuing He Xuerong regardless of her own safety and for her gentle and kind treatment of his niece. But for some reason, he couldn¡¯t utter those words.


    Even though he had said many words of thanks and appreciation before, at this moment, with only two words to say, he couldn¡¯t open his mouth.


    At that moment, He Xiuyu felt that the words ¡°thank you,¡± sometimes could express gratitude, but sometimes they were trivial and lacked any real force, and moreover, they were quite insipid.


    He smiled at Qiao Qingyu, then asked her, ¡°Couldn¡¯t find any flower pots to buy?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know how the topic had shifted to this, but she shook her head, ¡°I went around the county and didn¡¯t see any flower pots for sale.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s gaze dimmed slightly, but he said no more.


    His voice was gentle as he began, ¡°This morning, we had already conducted a checkup for Rongrong at the base hospital and tested her reaction to the external environment. The doctor said the symptoms are severe, but now is the best time for treatment.¡±


    ¡°There are doctors for that at the base hospital?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu really didn¡¯t know about this.


    ¡°Doctor Zhou is a specialist in this field; I specifically invited him over.¡±

 Chapter 90 - 90 90 Paper Tiger

    ?Chapter 90: Chapter 90 Paper Tiger Chapter 90: Chapter 90 Paper Tiger Qiao Qingyu glanced at He Xuerong, who was standing on the black soil, and thought that this little girl¡¯s claim to misfortune was indeed true; she was truly unfortunate to have such parents, let alone such a grandmother and aunt.


    On the day He Xuerong arrived, when Qiao Qingyu was dressing her in the morning, she noticed bruises on the girl¡¯s arms.


    And there was a faint smell of medicine, which made it evident that He Xiuyu had already treated her wounds. He Xiuyu didn¡¯t mention it, and she naturally wouldn¡¯t either, trusting that He Xiuyu would handle it appropriately, but it was truly unfair to the child.


    But if one were to speak of luck, this child was indeed fortunate because she had an uncle who doted on her.


    After a brief silence, He Xiuyu prepared to take He Xuerong to brush her teeth, wash her feet, and go to bed.


    Unexpectedly, He Xuerong had somehow stealthily grabbed onto Qiao Qingyu¡¯s clothes.


    Qiao Qingyu looked down, and sometimes a child¡¯s inexplicable dependence on you can instill a strong sense of responsibility in a person, and even the coldest heart can gradually warm up, especially for a paper tiger like Qiao Qingyu.


    Thus, He Xuerong ended up sleeping next to Qiao Qingyu.


    The little girl lay with her eyes closed, quiet, and it was unclear whether she had fallen asleep, but Qiao Qingyu, after a busy day, was also tired and soon drifted into dreamland.


    Meanwhile, in the west room, once the electric light in the east room was turned off, He Xiuyu began packing up the items in his house. He bundled the books stack by stack, making it convenient for moving house the next morning.


    So in the midst of his busyness, He Xiuyu naturally did not hear in the night, illuminated only by a sliver of moonlight, in the east room, He Xuerong turned her head to look at the peacefully sleeping Qiao Qingyu.


    Her mouth, closed for over a year, gradually opened.


    And she uttered two barely audible words.


    ¡°Mom... Mom...¡±


    The moon rose to its zenith, and the vast lands of the Northwest were no longer cold, even the night breeze became warm.


    In the distance, animals could occasionally be seen running across the fields.


    Even from afar, one could hear the chirping of insects.


    The early summer of the Northwest arrived later than usual, but it had finally come.


    However, more than half of the lights were on in the base family housing area.


    Most of these families had children, and some had elderly relatives, which meant there were a lot of belongings to sort through.


    And they were moving to new homes. Although they were still bungalows, each household had their own toilet, unlike the communal ones they were currently using. Moreover, running water was being installed in every home.


    Even in Yushu County, only some of the residential buildings had running water.


    The rest were simply stacked up bungalows, where fetching water required going to a communal water room and using a communal restroom.


    The temporary family quarters had water pipes connected, but it was supplied from a well at the head of the village with limited availability, which was naturally inconvenient. However, the new family housing area had resolved all these issues, and everyone was happy about it, including the children who were very excited. It was said that the lighting in the new homes would be brighter than it was currently and that there would be no more frequent power outages.


    At this moment, Sister-in-law Li had already organized all of their belongings. She was brushing her teeth, while Mr. Li was washing his son¡¯s feet next to her.


    As he washed his son¡¯s feet, he spoke to his wife, who was brushing her teeth beside him, ¡°Xiao Qin, did you send the money to our home village this month?¡±


    Sister-in-law Li was brushing her teeth and it was inconvenient to talk, but she nodded her head.


    Zhou Xiaoqin felt relief at Li Zhiqiang handling matters because she was confident in him. He said with some guilt, ¡°When the year ends, we¡¯ll just give mom and dad eight yuan a month.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoqin heaved a long sigh of relief. She had been waiting for her husband to say those words.


    After finishing brushing her teeth, Zhou Xiaoqin walked over with a beaming smile.


    ¡°You can rest assured about this matter. I won¡¯t miss out on a single fen of the money that should be mailed. But we really do need to start saving up now. Xiao Hu is growing day by day; he¡¯ll need to go to school in a couple of years. Plus, living on the base, how can we not do the normal social interactions? I can¡¯t just keep accepting things from people without giving anything in return, right?¡±


    Li Zhiqiang nodded hastily, ¡°Xiao Qin, I know these past few years have been hard on you. I¡¯ll work hard to earn a raise, so that you and our daughter can have a better life.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoqin was moved, yet she was also aware that she no longer had much hope for the promises Li Zhiqiang made. If it had been before, she would have certainly been hopeful. Oh, if the salary increased by ten yuan a month, that would be 120 yuan a year¡ªso much money! She would definitely save it.


    Such thoughts would surely make her plan everything clearly for the future, but at this moment, Zhou Xiaoqin wasn¡¯t as touched because she had money in her possession. Although she hadn¡¯t saved it, she still had over 200 yuan.


    Additionally, there were 300 yuan at Qiao Qingyu¡¯s place. She wouldn¡¯t say she didn¡¯t want the money because that really would hurt both their feelings. Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t that kind of person. She either had an urgent need for the money, or she was worried that Zhou Xiaoqin wouldn¡¯t be able to keep it safe from her husband taking it to give to his folks back home. Hence, Qiao was holding onto it for her.


    Zhou Xiaoqin, a smart woman, was inclined to believe the latter.


    She was very grateful to Qiao Qingyu; she really saw her as a younger sister.


    Her own parents had passed away early, and she had grown up in her uncle¡¯s house.


    Her uncle and aunt weren¡¯t kind to her; they had given her parents¡¯ jobs to their own relatives.


    Even though she lived in the county, she had to leave school before finishing middle school to cook for them at home.


    Her male and female cousins had all gotten married, yet her uncle and aunt still wouldn¡¯t let her marry, treating her like a maid.


    Later, by chance, she met Li Zhiqiang.


    Even though he was from the countryside, he was hardworking and ambitious, and had even studied in high school.


    Li Zhiqiang was smitten with her at first sight. Although her uncle and aunt didn¡¯t object to her marrying him¡ªsince compared to her cousins, her match was the least favorable since Li was still a farmer, and the family was poor¡ªthey still demanded a dowry of 500 yuan, claiming it was hard to raise her. But they truly had no conscience. After her parents died, their house and savings all went to her uncle and aunt. Since her parents had died in the line of duty, she got two job vacancies, which they also took.


    And yet, as the only daughter of her parents, she received nothing.


    Furthermore, over all these years, she worked herself to the bone in her uncle and aunt¡¯s home¡ªthough not quite as a cow or horse, it was pretty much the same.


    She resented them in her heart and decided to put her dignity on the line to approach the factory leaders.


    After that, she had no way out. If Li Zhiqiang didn¡¯t marry her, then her uncle and aunt would throw her out.


    But she wasn¡¯t afraid; she had confidence in Li Zhiqiang.


    In the end, the factory leaders severely reprimanded her uncle and aunt. But even so, her aunt still insisted the Li family cough up fifty yuan.


    Fifty yuan in 1972 was the entire year¡¯s work points for a family of eight in the countryside.


    So, back when she was in the countryside, she treated her in-laws and siblings-in-law very well. Later when Li Zhiqiang got into university, she was brought to Beijing by her husband. There, she found a temporary job, looking after Xiao Hu while supporting her husband with his studies...

 Chapter 91 - 91 91 An Uneasy Night

    ?Chapter 91: Chapter 91: An Uneasy Night Chapter 91: Chapter 91: An Uneasy Night At that time, she was grateful and deeply in love with her husband.


    After all, among men who went to university, many abandoned their wives and children.


    So compared to them, she was fortunate.


    Naturally, she had no objections to Li Zhiqiang¡¯s decisions, and considering the impoverished era, the fact that the Li family managed to support Li Zhiqiang through high school was no small feat. If he hadn¡¯t finished high school, how could he possibly have become an important engineer at Tenghai Research Base¡¯s Light Industry Workshop?


    However, she now realized she could fully assume half the responsibility of supporting the family. But she was heeding Qiao Qingyu¡¯s advice and hadn¡¯t mentioned it to Li Zhiqiang or anyone else.


    In the family housing compound, only Shen Fen and Director Xie¡¯s wife knew about their purse-selling business; the others were clueless.


    Even though the Reform and Opening-up had just begun, there was still a risk that if caught, it could negatively impact Chief Engineer He and her husband.


    Sister-in-law Li just smiled, ¡°Brother Zhiqiang, after Xiao Hu starts school, I plan to find some work too.¡±


    She added another line, ¡°I¡¯ll soon graduate from middle school. Director Shen said our diploma is recognized nationwide.¡±


    Mr. Li, who was handsomely featured and at his most charming age, nodded with a smile. ¡°Good, the Light Industry Workshop will expand soon. You can apply and sit for the examination then.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoqin also smiled.


    She noticed her husband seemed even more handsome.


    The gazes of the couple met; even after years of marriage, a glance or a gesture was enough to know what the other desired.


    So, Zhou Xiaoqin put Xiao Hu to sleep and then joined her husband under the duvet.


    ...


    The moon had hidden behind the clouds, and the couple, having been intimate, were still not sleepy. Zhou Xiaoqin had seen their new house, which was allocated based on their ranking¡ªa three-room brick house with clear bright windows, with courtyards both in front and back, and the pathway in the middle laid with pebbles, truly, this was her and her husband¡¯s new home.


    Thus, naturally full of anticipation, had it been earlier, she would not have indulged in purchasing luxurious items like curtains or bedsheets. But Qiao Qingyu had given her confidence, and they had shopped together, with all items ready, just waiting to be set up in their new home.


    The couple casually discussed how they would decorate their new home, which eventually led to thoughts of their old home, which also appeared due for renovation. Li Zhiqiang frowned, wanting to say something, but he couldn¡¯t bear to dampen his wife¡¯s spirits, so he swallowed his words.


    However, Zhou Xiaoqin suddenly remembered something.


    She looked up at her husband with a puzzled voice, ¡°Brother Zhiqiang, have you noticed that in the past year and more, the letters mention our mother very seldom, especially in the last six months. I¡¯ve even specifically asked in letters to let our mother, like before, add a note in the envelope to say a few words or write a few characters, but the letter I got a few days ago from our old home, besides asking for money, had no other messages.¡±


    Li Zhiqiang suddenly opened his eyes, not knowing why, but at that moment, his heart began to ache.


    His hand covered his chest where it felt unexpectedly frantic.


    He hadn¡¯t visited his old home since arriving at Tenghai Research Base; it had been over three years since he had seen his mother.


    The past few years did have notes, but recently he had been too busy with work. After all, he was merely a student from a humble background, without connections or social standing; his only asset was his own hard work, hence he had to put in more effort than others.


    Naturally, he also exerted a great deal of effort.


    So, the matters of his old home hadn¡¯t even crossed his mind.


    Thinking carefully about what his wife mentioned, an uneasy feeling arose in him.


    Could something have happened to his mother?


    Li Zhiqiang couldn¡¯t sleep any longer; he sat up, turning his body. Zhou Xiaoqin had only casually reminded her husband, since the kindest person in that home was her mother-in-law, a gentle, hardworking and kind woman.


    As for the others, honestly, she did not have a good impression of them, especially Li¡¯s siblings who were selfish and parasitic, expecting the entire family¡¯s support for Li¡¯s education as if they would never be able to repay it in this lifetime.


    She quickly asked, ¡°Brother Zhiqiang, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Li Zhiqiang looked at the night outside, knowing that even if he ran to the Base now, he wouldn¡¯t be able to make a call to his old home.


    He laid back down slowly and let out a deep sigh.


    With so many relatives and friends back home, his mother wouldn¡¯t have encountered any trouble¡ªif so, someone would have informed him earlier.


    Although he thought this way, there remained a trace of unease in his heart.


    Because he alone knew, even his wife wasn¡¯t aware.


    He was concerned that if his wife knew, it would affect her thoughts.


    His current father wasn¡¯t his biological father; his real father had died in an accident the year he was born.


    Fortunately, his stepfather was also surnamed Li, so he hadn¡¯t had to change his surname.


    He had four younger siblings, of which only the youngest sister shared the same mother.


    The other three had no blood relation to him.


    At four years old, his mother had remarried into the Li family.


    He had heard from villagers that his mother was a capable and kind person. At that time, Li Dazhu¡¯s wife had died from massive bleeding, leaving behind a less than a month-old baby, plus two other toddlers...


    It was his mother who had struggled to raise them.


    Overall, the relationship in their family was quite harmonious.


    Li Dazhu treated him as his own son.


    Even though the younger ones didn¡¯t care for school, no matter what, Li Dazhu had tightened his belt to support him through high school, and thus he owed lifelong filial piety to him.


    That¡¯s why ever since he started earning a salary, he had sent half of it back home.


    But why, in the past six months, there were no more notes from his mother, and the greatest brother¡¯s letters only asked for money and lamented their poverty, without a single word about his mother.


    Thinking of this, Li Zhiqiang patted Zhou Xiaoqin¡¯s back and said in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s okay. After we move tomorrow, I¡¯ll make a call to our old home.¡±


    Zhou Xiaoqin nodded and then dozed off, whereas Li Zhiqiang didn¡¯t feel sleepy at all.


    Similarly awake was Lu Ye in the provincial city.


    He had his own dormitory, where the light was off, but he was tossing and turning, unable to sleep.


    He felt a tightness in his chest, and his breathing was a bit irregular, plus some recent events made him more upset the more he thought about them.


    He wasn¡¯t upset that Qiao Qingyu had kicked him or revealed his shortcomings¡ªafter all, he had been the one harassing her first. What upset him was that Chief Engineer He had actually allowed Qingyu to go farm.


    Could it really be just because Qiao Qingyu was from the countryside?

 Chapter 92 - 92 92 King Qiao Eating Bran and Vegetables

    ?Chapter 92: Chapter 92: King Qiao Eating Bran and Vegetables Chapter 92: Chapter 92: King Qiao Eating Bran and Vegetables He Xiuyu.


    Chief Engineer He!


    The person in charge of Tenghai Research Base, rumored to be some sort of commander as well, with a high salary and good benefits. Could it be that he can¡¯t even provide for his wife?


    Yes, it must be so. This guy is a bastard; he surely gives all the money he earns to his parents in Beijing.


    Then leaving his King Qiao to eat chaff and swallow vegetables.


    King Qiao is a strong-willed person, definitely the type to grit her teeth and swallow blood, so she has no choice but to go work the land with the other members to earn a living.


    Thinking of this, Lu Ye¡¯s eyes suddenly turned red, and with a swoosh, he sat up from the bed, pounding it fiercely, cursing through clenched teeth, ¡°He Xiuyu, you bastard, what kind of man are you if you can¡¯t support your wife?¡±


    After muttering a string of curses, Lu Ye¡¯s eyes gradually lit up with a glint of determination.


    He had to help King Qiao.


    The majestic King Qiao should be living a majestic and domineering life, not picking up a hoe to work the fields with farmers.


    So he must help her.


    How could he help without being rejected by Qiao Qingyu? He had to think it over.


    At this moment, Wu Tai was already sitting in the airport VIP lounge, with the flight to M country taking off in two hours.


    This flight had only just been established.


    Its schedule was still not very stable.


    Wu Tai, with his eyes closed, could not stop picturing Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face in his mind.


    The girl looked so much like his little aunt.


    Especially those eyes, they were exactly the same.


    His little aunt had passed away many years ago, and except for the photographs, her image in his mind had gradually become blurry.


    But because of Qiao Qingyu, her visage had come alive again.


    He was a sinner.


    His mother, for the sake of the family property, had harmed her cousin and then his little aunt, and although she became a vegetable and had received her karma, she was still alive after all.


    Suddenly, Wu Tai¡¯s heart jolted.


    He did not know how old Qiao Qingyu was, nor had he had the chance to ask, but by looking at her, she appeared to be only seventeen or eighteen years old.


    Wu Qianyun was fifty-one this year.


    Was there any connection between the two of them?


    Thinking this, he suddenly opened his eyes and instructed his assistant in a low voice, ¡°Go call Secretary Chang right now, tell him to put aside his work and find a reasonable excuse to subtly inquire about Qiao Qingyu¡¯s family relations.¡±


    The assistant had been with him for many years and obviously knew what Wu Tai was thinking, so he nodded, whispered a command to a follower nearby, and then quickly left.


    Although this night was not peaceful, the morning light still broke through the clouds, gradually spreading across the eastern sky.


    The gray sky suddenly cleared.


    A new day had arrived.


    At the family quarters in the base, it soon became lively, and today, the base¡¯s trucks also came to assist. However, due to the tight work schedule at the base, Old Wei only dispatched five trucks. To avoid causing discontent and imbalance in some people¡¯s hearts, he simply arranged the relocation process from the farthest to the nearest, from the inside out according to the layout of the family quarters. This way, the rest of the families had no complaints.


    Chief Engineer He¡¯s team naturally included several young men. Qiao Qingyu only recognized Shen Haoze and the driver, Sun Dazhi.


    Su Yunyao, of course, didn¡¯t come.


    However, standing at the doorway, Qiao Qingyu heard someone in Mr. Li¡¯s yard calling out for Dandan.


    Dandan must be that Chen Dandan, supposedly a recent university graduate. Her home is in Yun City, a true Southerner.


    She spoke in a gentle and soft voice.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at the yard and, taking He Xuerong¡¯s little hand, headed to Li Zhiqiang¡¯s home.


    They didn¡¯t live at the very back; it was estimated that it would be an hour later before it was their turn. As for some items that were not convenient for others to touch, Qiao Qingyu had already packed them up tightly, so these people could just move them directly.


    Just now, He Xiuyu had also told her not to worry about anything and to follow him back to the new house later.


    New society, new customs; so setting off firecrackers was omitted. However, the base leaders were supposed to give speeches, scheduled for eleven o¡¯clock in the morning. After the speeches, everyone would start cooking to fill the houses with the smell of homeliness, and then they would truly move in.


    It was also a way to celebrate Qiao Qingyu¡¯s housewarming.


    There was plenty of time, Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t in a rush. She stood outside the wall of Mr. Li¡¯s house, curiously observing everyone one by one, and then she noticed that there was indeed a girl next to Mr. Li. She wasn¡¯t too close to him, but the way they spoke seemed very familiar.


    Not far away, Sister-in-law Li¡¯s expression was very calm.


    But now she didn¡¯t know if this girl was the female spy who had ruined Mr. Li¡¯s family. If she wasn¡¯t, she would have wronged an innocent girl.


    Qiao Qingyu was preparing to conduct an experiment.


    Perhaps today was a good opportunity; how would she be able to interact with someone named Chen Dandan on a normal day?


    Ultimately, this matter still rested with Li Zhiqiang. If he had been upright and proper, he wouldn¡¯t have let anyone take advantage of him.


    Qiao Qingyu really couldn¡¯t wait until he made the mistake before stepping in; not to mention whether it would cause losses for the base by that time, nor whether it was of great concern to her, but just thinking of Sister-in-law Li and Li Mingguang¡ªthese two people would live in the shadow of this incident for a lifetime. If Xiao Hu had a traitorous father, that would essentially cut off many paths for Xiao Hu¡¯s future.


    This was entirely unfair to the future Xiao Hu; this wasn¡¯t his fault, yet all the outcomes of the mistakes would fall on his head alone.


    Xiao Hu was a sensible child; when she took the two kids to the commune or the wasteland, it was Xiao Hu who took care of Rongrong, freeing her from worry.


    Therefore, regarding the current situation, she had to stir things up no matter what. After all, the mighty power of the plot god always had to show off every once in a while.


    And indeed, Chen Dandan¡¯s appearance reminded her of someone.


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t even discussed it in advance with He Xiuyu before she simply waved her hand and called out, ¡°Brother Li, He Xiuyu is looking for you, he has something to discuss with you.¡±


    She believed that the clever He Xiuyu wouldn¡¯t ruin her ruse; he truly was someone who could understand unspoken hints.


    Isn¡¯t it evident that her thoughts of divorce had almost vanished now?


    So, sugar-coated shells, especially the handsome ones, genuinely possess an irresistible charm.


    Without such a complicated family background, Qiao Qingyu would have taken He Xiuyu without any psychological burden. She was no fool, nor was she pretentious. Letting such an exceptional man slip through her fingers to someone else would be a huge loss.


    But there was no helping it, their relationship was too awkward. How could she brazenly face the He Family with this face of hers?


    Because she looked a lot like her mother, Han Xianglan.


    When Mr. Li heard Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words, he quickly set aside his work, and at that moment, Chen Dandan, not far from him, also looked in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s direction.


    Perhaps it was indeed because Qiao Qingyu had preconceived notions in her heart, so she felt that this Chen Dandan¡¯s gaze looked innocent and her smile harmless, yet this person seemed less than simple.

 Chapter 93 - 93 93 Young Enough Pretty Enough

    ?Chapter 93: Chapter 93: Young Enough, Pretty Enough! Chapter 93: Chapter 93: Young Enough, Pretty Enough! Mr. Li didn¡¯t ask Qiao Qingyu what He Xiuyu wanted him for; he wiped his hands and hastily made for Qiao Qingyu¡¯s courtyard.


    Sister-in-law Li was still busy. Qiao Qingyu walked over to her with a grin and said, ¡°Sister-in-law Li, stop keeping yourself occupied. This is the time you should let Brother Li¡¯s students show their stuff. You know we don¡¯t move every day.¡±


    The few young men nearby nodded in agreement. Now Mr. Li was their teacher, well-liked and dedicated to teaching the students wholeheartedly. They referred to Sister-in-law Li as the teacher¡¯s wife. ¡°Teacher¡¯s wife, you just take a rest over there. Leave this to us. Everything is packed already; we just need to tidy it up and get it on the truck.¡±


    ¡°Look how willing these guys are. You don¡¯t need to add to the chaos here.¡±


    Sister-in-law Li looked at Qiao Qingyu amusingly, finding sense in her hands-off attitude. Brother Zhiqiang has been so hardworking; it¡¯s been nearly a month since he last went home. He oversees a small workshop and is also responsible for seven or eight students. Sometimes, he¡¯s so busy he can¡¯t even find time to eat.


    Besides, she and her husband had pretty much finished organizing everything yesterday.


    The most plentiful things at home were books and materials.


    She planned to take Qiao Qingyu to stand in a shady spot nearby.


    Then Xiao Hu ran out from the house, his little hands clean and his face just as much so, and he went to stand next to He Xuerong. His small fist slowly uncurling, revealed a bright-colored candy inside.


    ¡°Rongrong, this is the candy Aunt Chen just gave me; I saved it especially for you.¡±


    Sister-in-law Li¡¯s smile faded slightly as she discreetly glanced over at Chen Dandan, who was talking to the young men on the other side. A girl stood next to her, yet the two seemed not to engage in conversation.


    Seeing Sister-in-law Li looking her way, Dandan turned her head and smiled at them. Suddenly, Qiao Qingyu covered her mouth and uttered an ¡°Ah!¡±


    The sound wasn¡¯t too loud or too soft but was enough to allow Dandan on the opposite side to see the shocked expression on her face and her previous motion of covering her mouth.


    Dandan, of course, knew who this beautiful woman was. She was the person in charge of the base, Chief Engineer He¡¯s newly wedded wife.


    Indeed beautiful, and so young!


    But why such an expression? Chen Dandan watched Qiao Qingyu, puzzled and uncertain.


    Sister-in-law Li, too, looked on with a puzzled expression.


    Then she heard Qiao Qingyu ask her in a low voice, ¡°Sister-in-law Li, what¡¯s the name of the girl with the ponytail?¡±


    ¡°Her name is Chen Dandan.¡± Saying this, Sister-in-law Li lowered her voice even more, ¡°She¡¯s the female student your Brother Li always praises. Do you know her?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know her.¡± Then Qiao Qingyu motioned with her hand and said with a smile, ¡°Chen Dandan, come here a moment.¡±


    Even if the woman on the other side wasn¡¯t Chief Engineer He¡¯s wife, Dandan had no reason to refuse. She hesitated for a moment, then set down what she was holding and approached Qiao Qingyu and Sister-in-law Li by the mud wall.


    She smiled politely at them both and then looked at Qiao Qingyu, and since she recognized her, she didn¡¯t pretend not to. ¡°You must be Chief Engineer He¡¯s wife. Hello, may I know what you need me for?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu squinted her eyes and glanced at the girl standing opposite her, who looked to be two or three years older than she was, with quite fair skin, speaking in a soft and gentle tone marked by a distinctive accent, markedly different from how people from the north or the northwest spoke.


    It was indeed a refreshing change to the ears.


    She was also very pretty.


    A smile hung on her face, just right.


    Qiao Qingyu felt that Chen Dandan¡¯s demeanor could mean one of two things: either she possibly came from a good family with proper upbringing and was thus not lacking in experience, which would explain her composed and graceful manner, or there was another possibility, that it might be the result of special training.


    Qiao Qingyu still wore a smile on her face, but she began to look the girl up and down, and then her smile gradually faded. Suddenly, she leaned forward and lowered her voice, ¡°Chen Dandan, do you have a sister or cousin who looks a lot like you, or maybe other relatives like second cousins or nieces?¡±


    Chen Dandan was stunned, clearly not expecting Qiao Qingyu to ask such a question.


    She wasn¡¯t born out of stone; even if she was an only child at home, her parents would still have nieces and nephews.


    She nodded, ¡°I have an older sister at home, and yes, I have cousins as well.¡±


    ¡°The ones I¡¯m asking about are those who closely resemble you.¡±


    ¡°My older sister and I look very much alike, and... a cousin from my third aunt¡¯s family also looks quite similar to me.¡±


    In truth, Chen Dandan really didn¡¯t want to answer these questions, but the person in front of her was no ordinary figure, and she didn¡¯t want to offend her, so she patiently and softly responded.


    ¡°Is your sister in Xichuan?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was really asking more and more questions, which was almost like conducting a household investigation. Sister-in-law Li reached out and touched Qiao Qingyu, signaling her to stop asking as it seemed a bit inappropriate.


    Chen Dandan¡¯s face gradually grew cold, she bit her lip, turned her head away, and then seemed to take a deep breath. She then faced Qiao Qingyu again, still speaking softly, ¡°My sister is not in Xichuan, she¡¯s in Yun City.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s bright eyes blinked, and she let out a sigh, speaking slowly, ¡°Oh, then I¡¯m relieved. Actually, I wasn¡¯t conducting a household check. I saw a woman with a child in Shangpo Village, about two or three years older than you, who really looked a lot like you.


    If I hadn¡¯t seen you, I wouldn¡¯t have even thought of it. I was just asking out of curiosity. That Shangpo Village is a dumping ground for trafficked women; some of them were abducted from the Southern region.


    At the time, she was running while carrying a little boy, crying. Your accents sounded quite similar too...¡±


    As Qiao Qingyu described the scene, Sister-in-law Li was shocked to see that Chen Dandan suddenly widened her eyes, the color draining from her face, leaving her complexion terrifyingly pale. Her body trembled, and suddenly, she stepped forward and grasped Qiao Qingyu¡¯s arm. Her voice, too, trembled, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, are you telling the truth? Did you really see a woman who looks a lot like me?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu had not expected such an intense reaction.


    Her own heart thudded wildly for a few beats, but she quickly composed herself and nodded earnestly, for she did indeed see a woman who greatly resembled Chen Dandan. As she was running out of the village, that woman was also running out, holding a child. They had even made eye contact.


    She was running and crying, and her accent sounded very much like Chen Dandan¡¯s.


    In reality, she was simply using the sight of Chen Dandan¡¯s face to bluff her a bit. After all, that village was controlled by a single gang. Whether by choice or under duress, everyone had fallen into the same pit, and no one was clean.

 Chapter 94 - 94 94 Superior Acting or Just a False Alarm

    ?Chapter 94: Chapter 94: Superior Acting or Just a False Alarm? Chapter 94: Chapter 94: Superior Acting or Just a False Alarm? Qiao Qingyu did not understand the subsequent events in Shangpo Village, after all, they involved many serious issues, beyond the comprehension of someone at her level.


    She had rescued two children from Shangpo Village, and this was no secret at the base, so there was nothing she couldn¡¯t talk about. Seeing such a woman in the village also wasn¡¯t against the rules, as it didn¡¯t violate the family management regulations of the base.


    Thus, a calmer Qiao Qingyu nodded without hesitation, ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you, it¡¯s true.¡±


    Chen Dandan stared at Qiao Qingyu intently and then slowly released her hand.


    Bowing her head, seeming to ponder over something, Qiao Qingyu and Sister-in-law Li exchanged glances¡ªSister-in-law Li really didn¡¯t know anything, and Qiao Qingyu was also feeling quite confused at the moment.


    She had just mentioned that her sisters, who looked like her, were in the Southern region.


    But why did she look so despondent and lost?


    Chen Dandan¡¯s gaze was a bit scattered, but it soon focused as she spoke again, her voice now somewhat hoarse, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, did you look closely? Does her eyebrow have a red mole at the edge?¡±


    Although Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t boast of a photographic memory, her recollection was very good, especially after entering and exiting the laboratory frequently. The pure air inside, quite similar to the spiritual essence depicted in the ¡°Immortal World,¡± really benefitted her, not only making her skin delicate but also greatly enhancing her memory.


    Qiao Qingyu cleared her throat, recalling earnestly before confidently saying, ¡°Although it was just a brief encounter, the person had a rice grain-sized red mole at the head of her right eyebrow.¡±


    After saying this, Qiao Qingyu watched Chen Dandan intently, not missing even the slightest change in her expressions.


    She saw Chen Dandan step back, her expression fluctuating rapidly, but in the blink of an eye, all emotion had vanished completely.


    She sighed deeply, patted her chest, and then smiled at Qiao Qingyu, speaking as though relieved, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing my sisters are all safe in Yun City. Otherwise, your words would have really scared me; my heart was pounding just now.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    Was it really a false alarm or was it an act?


    At that moment, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t really be sure. She smiled, ¡°It¡¯s good that it¡¯s not true. Otherwise, it would have been tragic.¡±


    Then she saw Chen Dandan¡¯s hand tighten for a moment. Qiao Qingyu thought she would ask something, but Chen Dandan moved her lips a few times before finally saying softly, ¡°I will go help Brother and the others sort out some books.¡±


    Sister-in-law Li quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll go make some tea for you.¡±


    Then she nudged Qiao Qingyu, signaling her to drop the subject for now.


    Of course, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t mention it anymore, and at this point, Mr. Li also returned. His face seemed to carry a smile, suggesting that He Xiuyu must have tactfully handled the situation, probably even praising Mr. Li, or else he wouldn¡¯t be so cheerful.


    He Xiuyu was truly capable, otherwise, he couldn¡¯t have won over so many senior colleagues.


    Holding He Xuerong¡¯s hand, Qiao Qingyu left the Li family.


    When passing by a corner, she glanced at Chen Dandan, who was also looking at her.


    Chen Dandan seemed surprised by Qiao Qingyu¡¯s sudden gaze, hesitated for a moment, then almost instinctively smiled at Qiao Qingyu and nodded.


    Qiao Qingyu warmly waved her hand, pulling He Xuerong back home.


    At eleven in the morning, over three hundred families moved into the new quarters at the base.


    There were still many empty houses here, but they had all been assigned. Even so, many people were yet to receive one. The base had plenty of space to build houses; what was lacking was funds.


    So it all had to be done batch by batch.


    Old Wei, as the administrative head, was naturally the first to speak. He Xiuyu did not like to speak on such occasions, so he left it all to Old Wei and Old Xie.


    After thanking everyone thoroughly, Old Wei waved his big hand and announced that the Tenghai Research Base family quarters were officially in use.


    Everyone down below just laughed heartily.


    It really was fitting for people from a research base, putting up a whole string of data for something as simple as building a house and moving¡ªbut everyone was very happy and cheerfully moved into their new homes.


    For the first meal in the new home, Qiao Qingyu made two dishes and steamed some rice, thinking it would have been even better with two glasses of wine.


    Although there were no rivers near the base, the logistics staff still distributed a carp to each family.


    Regardless, it was an auspicious symbol.


    Qiao Qingyu made braised carp, but since the carp had many bones, He Xiuyu was patiently picking them out for He Xuerong.


    It was hard to say whether it was intentional or not, but occasionally, he would also pick some up for Qiao Qingyu.


    Of course, the conscientious He Xiuyu was using serving chopsticks.


    But Qiao Qingyu still felt somewhat unaccustomed to this honor. She quickly finished her meal and left him with the words, ¡°You wash the dishes, I¡¯ll hang the curtains...¡±


    He Xiuyu saw her head to the kitchen and raised his voice, ¡°I¡¯ll hang the curtains, just deal with the luggage.¡±


    Then he also got busy for the afternoon, and it quickly became dark. This time, there was a bathroom, and although there still wasn¡¯t a shower, bathing inside meant they no longer needed to haul the water out as it simply flowed down the drain.


    So it goes to show, the second batch of houses wasn¡¯t so easy to build, as money was involved in every step and every aspect.


    Moreover, since water was scarce here, the water supply was also time-regulated.


    But since today was moving day, there was water supply around the clock, and afterward, it would be available only in specified time slots.


    Qiao Qingyu washed He Xuerong off completely clean and then tucked her into bed, still sharing a room with her.


    However, as agreed, the basket planted with flower seeds was placed on the windowsill of He Xuerong¡¯s bedroom.


    He Xuerong¡¯s bedroom was decorated by Qiao Qingyu, with a small bed covered in floral checkerboard sheets, and curtains of the same pattern.


    Qiao Qingyu hung her patchwork small purse on the wall, it was at a height Rongrong could reach, so she had to carry it on her every time she went out.


    The wood here was also a scarce resource, so they had a cement floor, but even then, it was much better than the muddy floor in the temporary family quarters.


    The cement floor was finely and smoothly finished, one that could be cleaned neatly with a mop.


    The only thing missing in the house was a traditional heated bed.


    The room where Qiao Qingyu now lived had one such heated bed built.


    He Xiuyu lived in another room, with a study in between them. Of course, since it was a bungalow, all the bedrooms faced the sun, only the study and the storeroom faced away from it.


    Although He Xuerong didn¡¯t do anything the whole day, Xiao Hu had taken her around the entire family quarters, so when she was tucked into bed clean, the little girl quickly sank into deep slumber.


    Then Qiao Qingyu went to He Xiuyu¡¯s bedroom...

 Chapter 95 - 95 95 Caught the Eye of the Handsome Qiao

    ?Chapter 95: Chapter 95: Caught the Eye of the Handsome Qiao Qingyu Chapter 95: Chapter 95: Caught the Eye of the Handsome Qiao Qingyu He Xiuyu had already changed into his pajamas.


    He was leisurely leaning against the headboard, stretching out his long legs, with a book in hand, and when Qiao Qingyu knocked on the door, he even paused for a moment before whispering softly, ¡°Do you need something?¡±


    What a silly question, who would come to your door in the middle of the night for no reason?


    ¡°Yes, I have something to discuss with you. You¡¯ll be going to work tomorrow, and once you get busy, I¡¯m worried I might forget...¡±


    ¡°Then come in and talk.¡±


    Why is it so awkward inside and outside the door?


    To be honest, this was the first time Qiao Qingyu had seen He Xiuyu in pajamas, because, in the temporary family quarters, He Xiuyu always went to bed later than her and also woke up earlier.


    So naturally, Qiao Qingyu wouldn¡¯t see him.


    He was wearing a set of dark blue cotton pajamas, definitely bought from the same shop as the ones she was wearing.


    These were all purchased when they first got married, like the leather shoes on her feet, the Lenin-style coat¡ªin this respect, He Xiuyu had always been very generous.


    He had also just washed his hair, still half-wet yet dry, and looked more warm and gentle than usual.


    Coupled with the good-looking features of his brows and eyes, on a night like this, it was enough to make Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart flutter slightly.


    After all, he was her lawful husband, her very real spouse.


    It¡¯s just a pity.


    Qiao Qingyu discreetly shifted her gaze away.


    He Xiuyu naturally knew that Qiao Qingyu had been quietly sizing him up.


    In the past, he would have been annoyed when people looked at him like that, thinking them all shallow.


    But for the first time in his life, he was glad to have caught the eye of Qiao Qingyu because of his looks.


    The corners of He Xiuyu¡¯s mouth couldn¡¯t help but lift slightly, but he felt it was not quite proper to be wearing pajamas. Still, he obviously could not change outfits immediately. He sat down on a chair, cleared his throat softly, and gestured to the seat opposite, ¡°Sit down and let¡¯s talk.¡±


    After Qiao Qingyu sat down, she told He Xiuyu what she had seen of Chen Dandan today, then suddenly remembered the woman holding a child she encountered while running out of Shangpo Village who looked incredibly like Chen Dandan.


    It could have been a coincidence, but their accents were nearly identical.


    Then she described Chen Dandan¡¯s expressions in precise detail to He Xiuyu, whose expression grew increasingly solemn. His fingers tapped lightly on the table, indicating that he was contemplating.


    He did not know Chen Dandan.


    But since Qiao Qingyu said Chen Dandan resembled a woman from Shangpo Village, she surely couldn¡¯t have been mistaken.


    Now, the people of Shangpo Village had been secretly taken to the provincial city.


    There were special personnel dealing with their interrogation, and it had nothing to do with the base thereafter.


    His brows furrowed slightly. Qiao Qingyu had a strong ability to describe things, and he could even accurately imagine from her description of Chen Dandan¡¯s initial shocked disbelief to her sudden composure and denials.


    Such a psychological process was abnormal.


    A normal reaction wouldn¡¯t be so discomposed¡ªif her relatives were indeed all fine in Yun City, she would at most be surprised.


    She might even feel fortunate or regretful, but certainly not exhibit the demeanor and reaction described by Qiao Qingyu.


    There was a telephone in the study, and He Xiuyu got up to make a call.


    This matter can¡¯t be left unresolved, we need to clarify whether Chen Dandan actually has any relation with that woman from Shangpo Village, and then identify who that woman truly is.


    Moreover, the Light Industry Workshop that Mr. Li is currently in charge of, despite its recent establishment, is extremely important and can¡¯t afford any mistake.


    We would rather turn everything upside down to ensure it¡¯s thoroughly clean.


    Many foreign powers are barbaric and unreasonable. When you are weak, poor, and backward, they patronize you with a guise of charity, they also pillage and suppress you crazily. Once you attempt to rise, they continue their mad suppression. In short, they wish that our great nation remains forever trampled under their feet.


    Therefore, the existence of Tenghai Research Base is of utmost importance, which is why such a large security department is set up.


    Even though there has been no loss to the base so far, spy and espionage cases are sufficient to ring alarm bells.


    These are not peaceful times, and those malefactors who fear our rise, yet also fear peace in the world, will not rest.


    This is also why more forces were added to the security department from the provincial city.


    He was about to call Director Lin, but then he felt uneasy about making a call that would need to be redirected via several operators.


    He Xiuyu went back to the bedroom to change his clothes, while by this time, Qiao Qingyu had already returned to her own bedroom. He stood by her door, and spoke softly, ¡°You go to sleep first, I¡¯ll lock the door properly.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t ask where he was going, and only hummed in response, then listened as He Xiuyu¡¯s footsteps faded away outside the front door.


    After locking the front door tightly, He Xiuyu quickly made his way to Director Lin¡¯s home, which was fully lit. The school had a break today, and his two children could be heard chattering and squabbling about something inside the house, audible even from the entrance.


    Director Lin¡¯s home was not locked, and he quickly summoned Director Lin over. Standing in a corner, He Xiuyu spoke in a low voice, ¡°Director Lin, dispatch reliable personnel to investigate all of Chen Dandan¡¯s family relations in Yun City as well as her movement patterns.¡±


    Director Lin, realizing there was a new development, nodded in agreement and then asked, ¡°She is now under Li Zhiqiang¡¯s tutelage. Should we also arrange for surveillance of her activities?¡±


    He Xiuyu thought for a moment, then shook his head, ¡°For now, let¡¯s not alarm the snake in the grass.¡±


    Subsequently, He Xiuyu recounted the conversation between Qiao Qingyu and her, as well as Chen Dandan¡¯s behavior today, to Director Lin.


    Director Lin felt sweat on his back as he listened.


    His instinct told him that there was definitely something wrong with Chen Dandan.


    Currently, he was also swamped with issues. Initially, Mr. Wang admitted that he was responsible for the match incident, wanting to blow up Chief Engineer He¡¯s house because Chief Engineer He had criticized him, hence he harbored resentment and bribed Xiao Hu to make special matches.


    This morning, after the interrogation, Mr. Wang finally confessed that he was under orders from a leader with the codename ¡°Fei Ying¡±, and they communicated via notes.


    Including Shangpo Village.


    He was turned by Lu Guilian after the wedding night...


    The other party had evidence that could completely ruin his reputation.


    He obeyed every command from Lu Guilian.


    However, his wife was not ¡°Fei Ying¡±.


    Lu Guilian¡¯s codename was ¡°Parrot¡±.


    He didn¡¯t know who his wife¡¯s contact person was.


    Then there was the matter of that key.


    At that time, when He Xuerong and Xiao Hu were walking back and forth, indeed, there was no one in the hallway, and Xiao Hu could confirm this himself.


    Nobody saw Lu Guilian go to the Big White Building.


    And then there was the rear door on the first floor that someone had opened ¨C with no clear fingerprints to be found.


    For Director Lin, these were all urgent issues that needed to be resolved. With the emergence of Chen Dandan, it could mean that there might be two groups of spies lurking within Tenghai Research Base...

 Chapter 96 - 96 96 Targeting

    ?Chapter 96: Chapter 96 Targeting Chapter 96: Chapter 96 Targeting First, there was Old Mountain Eagle, and now, another Fei Ying had joined.


    They acted covertly, never meeting face-to-face, always communicating via notes.


    Once received, the notes were immediately burned...


    Thus, investigating had become truly difficult.


    Xiao Wu was a subordinate developed by Lu Guilian.


    Moreover, besides custom-made matches, Mr. Wang had not received any other tasks.


    Even so, he had to resolve this matter in the shortest possible time.


    Because both incidents targeted Chief Engineer He!


    ¡°Chief Engineer He, rest assured, we will do our utmost to capture all the spies and secret agents hiding within the Tenghai Research Base.¡±


    He Xiuyu spoke in a low voice, ¡°Director Lin, this matter is of great importance, we need to clarify it quickly. I will apply for whatever is required from the higher-ups.¡±


    ¡°No need, I have enough personnel right now.¡±


    He Xiuyu nodded, and after whispering a few more words, he left Director Lin¡¯s house.


    In a sense, He Xiuyu truly wished he were just a person dedicated to academia, not worrying or caring about anything else, content with quietly conducting research, realizing his dreams one by one, and witnessing the country slowly shed its label of poverty and backwardness to leap into becoming a world-leading scientific power.


    The development trends had long proved that the future belonged to a science-led world.


    Science and technology were the primary productive forces.


    Thus, he and his team of engineers were extremely vital; of course, there were many other places like Tenghai Research Base in our country, all tirelessly contributing their efforts and sweat to the nation¡¯s development.


    But there were always those who insanely sought to disrupt.


    Thwarting progress, sabotaging their scientific achievements.


    Forcing him, before every scientific outcome, to have two plans in place.


    Even the blueprints were one real and one fake.


    Lost in these thoughts, He Xiuyu had arrived at his front door; under the moonlight, the over hundred square meters house seemed enveloped in a gentle veil.


    His gaze landed on the windows of Qiao Qingyu and He Xuerong¡¯s room, and he smiled.


    At that moment, perhaps due to the moonlight, his heart also seemed to soften.


    The feeling of having a home and a wife was indeed pleasant.


    ...


    The next morning, Sister-in-law Li came to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house just as He Xiuyu had already left for work.


    Because He Xuerong, though silent, had firmly shaken her head indicating she wouldn¡¯t join him at the base or go to the kindergarten, so only Qiao Qingyu and He Xuerong were at home.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house was already tidy, though this wasn¡¯t solely her doing¡ªhanging curtains, wiping floors, arranging items, all were done by He Xiuyu.


    But no one was yet tending to the vegetable garden.


    Qiao Qingyu used the three-toothed rake to till the soil, having to take on the task herself.


    He Xuerong sat on a small stool, with a wooden box in front of her containing spinach and cabbage.


    This was their usual spot, after all, there was no need to keep it inside the house anymore.


    When Qiao Qingyu saw Sister-in-law Li approaching, she was genuinely stunned for a moment because Sister-in-law Li¡¯s face was stained with tear marks and she looked extremely sorrowful. Qiao Qingyu immediately thought of Li Zhiqiang. Could it be that Li Zhiqiang had been abusing Sister-in-law Li?


    If that was the case, she would never forgive Li Zhiqiang. Qiao Qingyu put down the three-toothed rake and went up to her, not waiting for her to speak, Sister-in-law Li, hoarsely, said, ¡°Qingyu, Brother Li and I, along with Xiao Hu, are going back to our hometown.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was taken aback for a moment. Suddenly going back to their hometown must mean something had happened.


    So, it wasn¡¯t that Brother Li was abusing Sister-in-law Li.


    ¡°Last night, your Brother Li called the hometown, and only then did we find out that Xiao Hu¡¯s grandmother had passed away more than a year ago...¡±


    As she said this, tears fell from Sister-in-law Li¡¯s eyes again; she hurriedly wiped them away, and Qiao Qingyu was truly shocked. Passed away more than a year ago? How come they only found out now?


    The base wouldn¡¯t be so heartless. If a family member had indeed passed away, they would definitely have let him go back home.


    ¡°Do you know how hateful those people are? They are really despicable. My mother-in-law devoted herself to the Li family, tirelessly caring for those children. She had a hard life, but even in death, she couldn¡¯t find peace, being exploited by those people.


    For the sake of my husband¡¯s thirty yuan per month, they colluded to keep this news hidden. Had I not reminded your Brother Li the day before yesterday, he wouldn¡¯t have thought to call.


    By the way, Qingyu, do you know? I just found out my father-in-law isn¡¯t actually Brother Zhiqiang¡¯s biological father; only his little sister is from the same mother.


    Brother Zhiqiang has always been very filial to my father-in-law, but who would have thought that for this thirty yuan, they would commit such a ruthless act, then smeared my husband, causing Tenghai Research Base to get criticized as well.


    But heaven and earth bear witness, Brother Zhiqiang and I had no idea at all, we were completely kept in the dark, and this time Brother Zhiqiang will definitely settle accounts with them.


    What¡¯s more chilling is that my mother-in-law was such a good person, yet less than a month after her death, that old man brought a widow into the house.


    Can you imagine how wronged our family has been? Every month, thirty yuan, money we begrudgingly saved from our living expenses, I would send there, including food coupons, never imagining it was supporting such a family.¡±


    By this point, tears uncontrollably streamed down Sister-in-law Li¡¯s face.


    If it weren¡¯t for the benevolence of her mother-in-law, she would never have agreed to her husband sending half of his salary home each month.


    These past few years, she had indeed scrimped and saved, yet the outcome was so unbearable.


    Qiao Qingyu was truly shocked, and then she thought of Xiao Hu¡¯s plight after the incident in the Li family. So, that explained everything.


    That family wouldn¡¯t treat Xiao Hu kindly.


    That¡¯s why the child, from thousands of miles away in Qing City, had begged for food and caught trains just on his memory to make his way back to Tenghai Research Base.


    If he weren¡¯t a clever child, who knows what might have happened to him on the way?


    Qiao Qingyu took a deep breath, and indignantly said, ¡°Sister-in-law, this family is really shameless, completely devoid of any scruples.¡±


    ¡°Yes, this time when we go back, we will definitely not spare them.¡±


    Then she handed the basket she was carrying to Qiao Qingyu, filled with cabbage, radishes, and a small pot of freshly pickled vegetables.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be gone for at least half a month, and the stuff can¡¯t be left behind since the weather is also getting hot. The pickles are freshly made, and they are your favorite flavor.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu took the basket, and after exchanging a few more words, Sister-in-law Li was about to leave. Qiao Qingyu quickly stopped her and asked, ¡°Sister-in-law, how much money do you have on hand?¡±


    ¡°I still have over one hundred yuan, and then the financial office at the base gave us an advance of one month¡¯s salary, so don¡¯t worry, we have enough money.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu thought about it a bit, and didn¡¯t give Sister-in-law Li the 300 yuan, fearing complications might arise back home and Li Zhiqiang wouldn¡¯t be able to resist using the money to deal with people.


    Therefore, it was best not to give it to her for now.

 Chapter 97 - 97 97 Unclear Origins

    ?Chapter 97: Chapter 97: Unclear Origins Chapter 97: Chapter 97: Unclear Origins Sister-in-law Li hurried away, and Qiao Qingyu looked up at the blue sky, feeling that the weather today was incredibly clear. At that moment, she was sure that the fate of Sister-in-law Li¡¯s family of three had changed.


    Even so, the work that needed to be done still had to be done. Qiao Qingyu looked at her palms, reddened from grinding, and pursed her lips, resignedly returning to continue clearing the yard with the three-toothed rake.


    With so many seeds and such a large front and back courtyard, she was determined to plant it full.


    Then, when she had time, she wanted He Xiuyu to set up a grape arbor in the spot where He Xuerong used to sit.


    She planned to plant grapes. Whether or not they would bear fruit, once the leaves spread over the arbor, it would be a cool and elegant place to rest.


    She would then use elm wood to make long benches on both sides, where they could dine during the summer.


    Of course, the grape arbor could not block the sunlight from the house. Setting up the arbor on both sides of the stone path would be perfect.


    She believed that by the summertime, her front and back yards would definitely be the most beautiful scenery in the base complex.


    Thinking about this, Qiao Qingyu felt energized.


    Even if she could only live here for one summer, she was never the type to compromise on her comfort. If she lived here for a day, she would plan it beautifully.


    But her door was knocked on again, this time by Old Xie. He told her that the breeding equipment she had ordered had arrived and asked her to sign for it.


    So, Qiao Qingyu took He Xuerong with her to Zone 5, which was a brief five-minute walk away.


    As expected, there were about a dozen wooden crates outside the Breeding Laboratory.


    Qiao Qingyu had hastily brushed up on her knowledge about breeding, so she felt fairly confident at the moment.


    Therefore, she checked each item and finally signed off on them.


    After finishing up, Director Xie¡¯s hopeful gaze turned towards Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qingyu, do you need a few extra hands?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu quickly waved her hands, ¡°No need, no need. I don¡¯t have anything right now, what would they do here?¡±


    Old Xie nodded, thinking to himself, that¡¯s true. Even if the base were to pay salaries, it wouldn¡¯t be a sustainable solution in the long run, and Chief Engineer He would be criticized by others.


    ¡°So, what do you plan to do next?¡±


    ¡°Obviously, to cultivate seeds.¡±


    Old Xie was waiting for this exact response from Qiao Qingyu. The sly old fox smiled, ¡°Qingyu, do you plan to cultivate the thousand silk hemp? I think your thousand silk hemp seeds are really superb. If you could cultivate a bit more, how about our base buys it from you at a high price?¡±


    Naturally, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t agree. She wasn¡¯t necessarily opposing him just for the sake of it. After having known each other for so long, she knew that both Old Wei and Old Xie were really decent people without much selfish intent. Qiao Qingyu had always admired such people. Nevertheless, the thousand silk hemp seeds just weren¡¯t suitable to be brought out just yet.


    She couldn¡¯t clearly explain their origin.


    If she went back to the Qiao Family Team and even bought a thousand kilograms of corn seed, she could switch this unimproved seed with the laboratory seeds, then she could just eat those corn seeds as food.


    Of course, this was just preliminary thinking. The specifics would depend on the situation after she returned to the Qiao Family Team, especially Uncle Qiao. She needed to meet him and understand his work because, according to the storyline, he would end up in prison for embezzlement this winter.


    Qiao Qingyu did not believe her uncle would commit embezzlement, so she wanted to give him an early warning.


    And her younger brother was still missing, and, although the books said there were no safety issues, she was still very worried. After all, her brother had dropped out of school because of her.


    Hence, she needed to find the time to return to the Qiao Family Team soon.


    Holding money in her hand while her family continued to struggle made her feel uneasy.


    ...


    At this moment, Uncle Qiao, having received a letter from Qiao Qingyu, read it aloud to his parents and was preparing to pass it to his brother, Qiao Zhicai.


    Currently, both of them were staying in the neighboring village.


    Han Xianglan¡¯s illness was recurring, and his brother had probably run out of money, but he was out of money too and planning to borrow some from Accountant Zhang.


    But Aunt Qiao stopped him, glaring fiercely at her husband and gritting her teeth before pulling out a few notes from her pocket.


    Uncle Qiao didn¡¯t understand what she meant. He looked at the money, a fifty cents note, three ten cents notes, and a two cents note.


    That was only eighty-two cents in total, which was of no use to his brother.


    He pushed his wife aside, ¡°I need to go out, this money isn¡¯t enough for me.¡±


    However, Wang Guihua stopped him, her eyes red as she clutched Qiao Zhicai¡¯s arm tightly, ¡°Where are you going? Are you going to Qiao Zhicai¡¯s place again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to his house, of course. Qingyu wrote them a letter, and I have to deliver it.¡±


    ¡°Are you also planning to lend money to your brother?¡±


    Qiao Zhicai¡¯s eyes flickered. He didn¡¯t deny it, knowing his wife would eventually find out when the money was to be repaid.


    ¡°Guihua, their family is in such a hard situation right now, and Xianglan is sick. I can¡¯t just ignore them. Don¡¯t worry, Qiao Zhicai will repay us.¡±


    ¡°How can he repay? He¡¯s so poor it¡¯s a joke. All these years, hasn¡¯t it always been you who repaid their debts?¡± Wang Guihua raised the money in her hand, ¡°All we have left is this eighty-two cents. What do we do? How can we live like this? We can¡¯t even afford salt!¡±


    Uncle Qiao¡¯s face also darkened. ¡°Tianbao will get his salary in a few days, just hold on a little longer. He¡¯s my brother after all, shouldn¡¯t I do this?¡±


    Wang Guihua¡¯s voice sharpened, ¡°You know he¡¯s your brother, but he¡¯s not your son. Qiao Zhicai, you still have parents above you, it¡¯s not your turn to care for him. You might think you¡¯re being noble, but Tianbao isn¡¯t even in a permanent job yet, earning only 15 yuan a month and he has his own wife and children to support. How dare you rely on Tianbao¡¯s salary? And you, Qiao Zhicai, you make these constant trips to the neighboring village, what for? Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Qiao Zhicai¡¯s face grew grim, he clenched his teeth as he stared at the frenzied woman in front of him, ¡°Wang Guihua, let¡¯s make it clear, what¡¯s wrong with me doing all this as an older brother?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re invariably wrong, having a wife and children, already a grandfather, yet whenever you have some money, you send it to your brother. Do you even care about this family? Have you ever bought a piece of candy for your grandchildren? All your money fills your brother¡¯s family¡¯s needs. Who are you doing this for? Are you doing this for your brother or for Han Xianglan?¡±

 Chapter 98 - 98 98 He Regretted It

    ?Chapter 98: Chapter 98 He Regretted It Chapter 98: Chapter 98 He Regretted It At this time, Old Man Qiao and the old lady from the eastern room also walked out, supporting each other.


    The state of their health was far from good; years of physical labor had left them with numerous illnesses, especially the old man who now trembled as he walked. In his youth, while working for a landlord, he once ate a bite of steamed corn bread out of sheer hunger and was punished to kneel in the freezing cold for an entire night. It was a miracle his legs hadn¡¯t been amputated, but still, they were left with lingering problems.


    Every spring, he would fall ill, and now, enduring the pain, he shouted loudly, ¡°All of you shut up, you¡¯re all grown up; what¡¯s the meaning of this endless bickering?¡±


    At this moment, Qiao Zhiyuan, with a face flushed red in disbelief, was staring at his wife. He could have never imagined Wang Guihua saying such things.


    He reached out his hand to strike Wang Guihua, and she retreated several steps in fear, yet her gaze was fixed fiercely upon Qiao Zhiyuan.


    In the end, Qiao Zhiyuan still lowered his hand. Pointing at Wang Guihua, he said sternly, ¡°Wang Guihua, I hope this is the last time I hear such words from you, otherwise you can just roll back to the Wang Family.¡±


    Wang Guihua didn¡¯t dare continue the stalemate; after all, Uncle Qiao¡¯s expression was terrifying, and his gaze daunting.


    She bit her lip and kept silent.


    Uncle Qiao was truly heartbroken; he hadn¡¯t expected his wife to be such a person. Glancing back at the quiet western room, which housed Qiao Family¡¯s second son, his brother¡¯s wife was no easy opponent either, as she often whispered and murmured with his wife. When these old women were together, there was certainly no good in the making.


    ¡°Wang Guihua, one must have a conscience. Not to mention anything else, let¡¯s talk about when you gave birth to our second son and almost died from hemorrhaging. It was Qiao Zhicai who went to the county hospital and brought back a doctor.


    Your life was saved, and who looked after you for that month, who took care of your meals, your drinks, who washed our second son¡¯s diapers, who wiped your shit and piss? It was Han Xianglan!


    Did she have an obligation to you? Did she have a responsibility? No, but she took good care of you. What did you say at the time? You said Han Xianglan was like your own sister, even closer than your own sister.


    Now that their family is facing difficulties, not only are you not thinking of how to help them, but you¡¯re also kicking them while they¡¯re down. Is this what a big sister-in-law should say?


    People say an elder sister-in-law is like a mother; do you deserve that title?


    I really didn¡¯t expect you, Wang Guihua, to be such a person. Don¡¯t think I¡¯m unaware of the idle gossip in the village, which you participate in.


    Qiao Qingyu may have done something wrong, but think about what she brought our family this time; the 500 mu of experimental fields are now the apple of our county¡¯s eye. I¡¯m riding high too; even the county leaders sought me out for a personal chat. Do you understand what that means?


    The cloth she brought back, have you used it? The millet cake, have you eaten it?


    You only see the bit of money we gave, but have you ever thought about how much effort Qingyu put into getting those 500 mu of corn seeds for me.


    Do you know how much money she has saved for our team?


    That¡¯s worth thousands of yuan. Besides, Qingyu got married, and as her maternal family, shouldn¡¯t we have given her a gift?


    But look at you and the second son¡¯s wife; both of you treat Qiao Qingyu as an enemy. Has she eaten your food or drunk your drink? That money all comes from what I and the second son earned.


    Yes, you¡¯ve worked hard too; I acknowledge that. You¡¯ve taken good care of my parents at home. I will appreciate you for a lifetime, but let¡¯s separate issues. Wang Guihua, you just slandered Han Xianglan, and that¡¯s conscienceless. Look at the clothes you are wearing; didn¡¯t Han Xianglan make them for you? Have you no shame?


    Aunt Qiao suddenly burst into tears, covering her face, and then ran back to her own room.


    The quiet western room remained quiet. Old Man Qiao and the old lady exchanged a glance and sighed. Uncle has already said so much; they couldn¡¯t say anything more. After all, wasn¡¯t this just the trouble poverty brings?


    No money, both of them were out of money now.


    To prevent Qingyubao from suffering in Xichuan, they pulled out even their funeral savings.


    Aunt Qiao didn¡¯t know whether she was angry or not, but she locked herself in her room and cried with sobs, while Uncle Qiao, with his face ashen, couldn¡¯t be bothered to care, cursing under his breath about the worthless thing.


    He grabbed the letter and rode his bicycle straight to the neighboring village.


    Unexpectedly, on the way there, he ran into his younger brother who was carrying Han Xianglan on his back and hurrying toward the county city.


    It turned out Han Xianglan had fainted, and after waking up, she was so weak she couldn¡¯t even move. Qiao Zhicai was sweating profusely in his anxiety. Without a bicycle and knowing few people in the village, he couldn¡¯t find a horse cart and had no choice but to carry his wife on his back and rush to the county hospital.


    Fortunately, he encountered his older brother, Qiao Zhiyuan, halfway there.


    Qiao Zhiyuan made a snap decision, told him to wait there, and then pedaled back to the brigade at top speed, borrowed a horse cart, and also borrowed twenty yuan from Accountant Zhang before hastily taking Han Xianglan to the hospital.


    After a series of tests, the doctor called Qiao Zhicai out and said earnestly, ¡°The patient is extremely weak, suffering from malnutrition-induced anemia, irregular heartbeat, and high blood pressure...¡±


    Qiao Zhicai, his face completely drained of color, asked with a trembling voice, ¡°Doctor, just tell me what we should do.¡±


    ¡°First, let her be hospitalized and observed for a few days, and make sure not to agitate the patient. Keep her mood stable...¡±


    Then the doctor added, ¡°Go pay the hospitalization fee first.¡±


    After saying this, the doctor turned and left.


    Qiao Zhicai turned to go downstairs but was stopped by Qiao Zhiyuan, who said in a low voice, ¡°You stay with her in the ward; I¡¯ll go pay the hospital deposit.¡±


    ¡°Big brother, I know you¡¯re out of money. I have an acquaintance in the county; I¡¯ll go borrow some from him.¡±


    Without waiting for Qiao Zhiyuan to say anything, Qiao Zhicai rushed down the stairs, nearly running. In the county, he didn¡¯t have any acquaintances to speak of, and even if he did, he wouldn¡¯t be able to bring himself to ask¡ªfor everyone knew Qiao Zhicai was completely broke.


    But he could find an acquaintance and figure something out. He had heard that selling blood could also bring in some money.


    An hour later, Qiao Zhicai returned. With the thirty yuan Qiao Zhiyuan had given him, he now had a total of sixty yuan, and he managed to pay both the hospitalization fee and the deposit, finally allowing himself to breathe a sigh of relief.


    But he also felt slightly dizzy; he leaned against the corridor wall with a bitter smile, trying to calm himself down.


    He was just an incapable farmer, who knew nothing but toiling in the soil for a livelihood. He was uneducated, and Xianglan had suffered a lifetime of hardship with him.


    If his mother hadn¡¯t bought Han Xianglan with a bag of rough rice back in the day, Xianglan would now be He Shan¡¯s wife, she might have gone to Beijing, living in a big courtyard, in a two-story western-style building.


    Instead of enduring hardship and fatigue with him.


    The man in his fifties, Qiao Zhicai, cried.


    He even felt a bit of regret. The money that Qingyu had sent, he should have swallowed his pride and kept it.

 Chapter 99 - 99 99 The Uncles Lifetime of Sorrow

    ?Chapter 99: Chapter 99: The Uncle¡¯s Lifetime of Sorrow Chapter 99: Chapter 99: The Uncle¡¯s Lifetime of Sorrow Even if Xianglan disagreed, he should have secretly stayed.


    But then he slapped himself in the face.


    How could he think like that?


    If he had accepted the money, his Qingyubao would have even less confidence in front of her in-laws.


    Qiao Zhicai wiped his face, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled, calming his emotions before he walked towards the hospital room. By the time he reached Qiao Zhiyuan, he had completely calmed down.


    The old saying goes, ¡°When the car reaches the mountain, a path will be found; God does not starve helpless birds,¡± he didn¡¯t believe that heaven would leave him with no way out.


    ...


    Wu Tai had just disembarked from the plane and went straight to the Wu Family estate without any delay.


    Most of the elderly members of the Wu Family lived there, except for some young people who had set up their own households in other cities.


    Therefore, the estate of the Wu Family was still lively.


    Standing at the grand entrance of the estate, not far away on the lawn, his father, almost eighty, sat under a sun umbrella with his new mistress, drinking wine.


    Did his father know about his mother abandoning his cousin back then?


    But whether he knew or not, his father was a man who just enjoyed pursuing pleasure, cold and heartless.


    Although his mother was to blame for her own faults, as a husband, he never visited her in the hospital even once.


    He had a bunch of illegitimate sons and daughters, he had three concubines, and now he had several more mistresses by his side.


    If polygamy were allowed in this country, he probably would have married a few more by now.


    His uncle had lived a life of hardship. He had to revive the Wu Family and support these parasites; he also had to find his own daughter, while those directly or indirectly responsible for his uncle¡¯s miserable life, were dancing and drinking wine, truly enjoying a carefree life.


    Wu Tai stepped briskly towards the lawn.


    His face flushed red, he kicked over the tea table in front of his father, and the wine glass filled with wine shattered everywhere, the mistresses¡¯ faces paled as they screamed and hopped away from the chaotic scene.


    Wu Tai glared fiercely at his own biological father, whom he hadn¡¯t spoken properly to in over a decade.


    Wu Xiujie¡¯s face turned pale, supported by his two mistresses, he angrily scolded with a livid face, ¡°You beast, you unfilial son, how long has it been since you came home, and you come back only to create this madness?¡±


    Wu Tai glanced at him darkly, clenched his hand by his side, then said nothing and turned to leave.


    He had no affection for this father; if he had been involved, he definitely would have left him destitute on the streets.


    And those numerous illegitimate children, he intended to reduce them back to their true status.


    Wu Tai turned and went straight to the hospital, which was the best hospital in the country. His uncle was receiving treatment here, and after years of exhausting effort, he looked even older and more frail than his father.


    When Wu Tai arrived at the hospital, Wu Xiucai had just taken his medication and fallen asleep; his uncle¡¯s fourth cousin briefly and succinctly explained the medical situation to Wu Tai.


    The people beside his uncle were all loyal to him.


    Especially this fourth cousin.


    He had once envied him and even thought of several ways to drive him away from his uncle¡¯s side, it would be better if only he remained close to his uncle, but now he was incredibly relieved that he had not done so.


    The fourth cousin¡¯s voice was heavy, ¡°Brother Six, uncle¡¯s health is getting worse, and he must not be stressed. If there is any bad news from the company, let¡¯s not tell him for now; we can talk about it once his condition stabilizes...¡±


    Wu Tai opened his mouth slightly and sat on the chair beside him with a somber expression, unable to speak under the circumstances.


    Moments later, he stood up and said in a low voice, ¡°Little uncle, thank you for your hard work here. I have some matters to attend to, I¡¯ll come back tomorrow.¡±


    Subsequently, Wu Tai began to search for the maids who had served his mother back in the day.


    Then, this news quickly came to the attention of his older half-brother Wu Peng.


    Soon after, Wu Peng hurried to the Wu Family estate.


    His gaze swept the scene in the hall with a hint of irony.


    What a father they had¡ªstill vigorous and flirtatious despite his old age!


    Over seventy years old, yet his hair was still slick and black, and his body robust. All the women around hadn¡¯t drained his vitality¡ªit was nothing short of a miracle.


    In contrast, their little uncle Wu Xiucai, who was several years younger than their father, had gray hair and appeared gaunt.


    Despite controlling a wealth rivaling that of nations, what of it? He was now nothing more than a lonely man, making the possession of top-tier global wealth also quite pitiable for their little uncle.


    Yet, the little uncle was ruthless enough.


    These people had served him diligently for many years, from a teenager to now a grandfather.


    He still couldn¡¯t penetrate the upper echelons of Wulong Group.


    He was merely struggling to get by in a small company.


    It was the same with the other members of the Wu Family; these were the small companies left by the old patriarch, which the little uncle managed for a few years before leaving them to fend for themselves.


    Today, Wulong Group, ranked third globally, had only Wu Tai and a few relatives from the little aunt¡¯s family in its top management.


    None from the Wu Family were included.


    Therefore, although Wulong Group carries the Wu surname, it genuinely had little to do with their family¡ªit was truly owned by the little uncle alone.


    At the initial implementation of the shareholding system, he had owned 90% of the shares since he was a child.


    Although this wasn¡¯t advantageous for a corporation¡¯s development, the little uncle seemed like a child prodigy in attracting wealth: wherever he stood, whatever he touched turned into gold and silver mountains. Thus even 10% of the shares were fiercely contested, and Wulong Group never lacked investors or funds.


    Naturally, it was never constrained by anyone.


    So, the little uncle¡¯s wealth could go to whoever he wished, managed however he liked, beyond anyone else¡¯s control.


    He waved his hand to summon the butler standing next to his father and spoke softly to him to drive all those women away; he needed to have a word alone with his father.


    From a distance, the old master Wu Xiujie frowned, displeased by his unseasonable eldest son disturbing his pleasure, yet by the looks of it, he seemed to have genuine business.


    He put down his wine glass and pushed away the woman in his arms, lazily saying, ¡°Let him come over.¡±


    Wu Peng stood in front of his father.


    Their little uncle was indeed a man of profound emotions and integrity.


    According to the old master¡¯s will, he really did take good care of the eldest son of the Wu Family.


    According to him, the most amorous, carefree, and happy life within the Wu Family was that of the eldest son from the main house, Wu Xiujie.


    Wu Peng thought to himself, wondering if in the past year his vigorous father may have added a brother or sister to their family.

 Chapter 100 - 100 100 Whose Retribution

    ?Chapter 100: Chapter 100 Whose Retribution? Chapter 100: Chapter 100 Whose Retribution? Wu Peng tugged at the corners of his mouth, but seeing the old man now revelling in his own charming and spirited state, he wondered what his reaction would be if he were to tell him the news he had just learned.


    He was born to the concubine, and was also the first son of the old man before him.


    As a child, he had longed for paternal love, but when he lay on the ground, barely alive from the beating by Madam, his father simply glanced at him indifferently and then, cuddling the newly acquired Third Concubine, entered his room.


    From that moment, he knew that he might be worth less than a dog in his father¡¯s eyes.


    Sometimes the world is so unfair.


    Is it that being a good person brings no reward, while being bad allows one to live a carefree and unrestrained life?


    Wu Xiujie spoke up impatiently, ¡°What is it that you want, hesitating and making a scene unworthy of public appearance?¡±


    Wu Peng didn¡¯t care about his father¡¯s reproach; he was used to it. Besides, as long as he stayed away, he wouldn¡¯t hear it. Leaning forward, he lowered his voice, ¡°Father, I have just returned from Huaxia, saw my younger uncle, and then went to find Xiao Cui and Mrs. Wang, who are close to Madam.¡±


    Wu Xiujie¡¯s nonchalant expression gradually became more focused.


    His eagle-like eyes stared intently at Wu Peng, who returned the gaze without blinking. After a moment, Wu Xiujie let out a dark chuckle.


    ¡°Wu Peng, you¡¯re a grandfather too now. You should know how to handle this matter...¡±


    Wu Peng fell silent.


    Wu Xiujie recalled the scene of Wu Tai going berserk a moment ago.


    So, had he remembered something? Or perhaps, did he find some clue in Huaxia?


    He had found Wu Qianyun, but Wu Qianyun was dead?


    Though uncertain in his heart, he spoke indifferently, ¡°Before your grandfather died, he forced your younger uncle to swear to respect me as the eldest brother for his entire life; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be able to find his daughter even in the next lifetime.¡±


    Wu Peng silently looked at his father, ¡°So no matter what you did in the past, you have an ¡®amulet¡¯ that spares you from death?¡±


    Wu Xiujie scoffed, ¡°You insolent child, what do you think I¡¯ve done?¡±


    ¡°You know very well what you did.¡±


    Wu Peng took a few steps back, ¡°If my younger uncle finds out the truth, all your oathtaking will mean nothing. He might just tear you to pieces.


    By the way, that goes for your lovers, your illegitimate sons, and daughters too. He won¡¯t spare a single one of them.¡±


    Wu Xiujie suddenly stood up and lashed out with his foot at Wu Peng, who, caught off guard, was kicked to the ground. Yet, as he sat on the ground, Wu Peng began to chuckle.


    ¡°You¡¯ve really lived a life without regrets, enjoying yourself to the fullest until now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because it is my destiny,¡± Wu Xiujie said coldly, word by word.


    ¡°Fine, it¡¯s your destiny, so keep enjoying it.¡±


    ¡°So, Wu Peng, don¡¯t try to play tricks with me. You¡¯d better handle this matter neatly, or your excellent children and your genius twin grandsons will end up very miserably.¡±


    ¡°You, old monster, I¡¯ve never seen anyone as ruthless and heartless as you. They¡¯re your great-grandchildren too,¡± Wu Peng couldn¡¯t control himself and suddenly roared in a low voice.


    Wu Xiujie smirked and left the luxurious living room with a slow, unconcerned pace, not even looking at Wu Peng.


    As he walked, he chuckled to himself and murmured lightly, ¡°Wu Xiucai, Wu Xiucai, you¡¯ve enjoyed the limelight all your life, but what has it come to? I am the legitimate eldest son of the Wu Family. Why should you, a son borne by a lesser woman, climb above me and lord over me? Why should you get the position of the family head? So, this is all your retribution...¡±


    In that moment, the smirking face became as ferocious as a demon¡¯s.


    Wu Peng slowly rose from the ground and straightened his clothes, a cold glint flickering in his eyes.


    The old master had spent his entire life using others to do his dirty work.


    Would it still be the same now?


    His younger uncle was indifferent to his life or death, yet all of the wealth left by his grandfather was still clenched in the hands of that old man.


    The mother of his younger uncle was a stepmother, and the old man always believed that woman was to blame for the death of his own mother.


    What truly happened back then, no one knew.


    But one had to admit, watching the old man indulging in a life of pleasure, he actually held his younger uncle firmly in his palm.


    His health was so robust; another twenty years of life wouldn¡¯t be a problem, but for his younger uncle, surviving this year alone seemed quite good.


    He could even guess that the old man was just waiting for his younger uncle¡¯s death.


    Maybe he would find someone to impersonate Wu Qianyun?


    No, the most likely scenario was to find someone to impersonate Wu Qianyun¡¯s descendant.


    That was something he was capable of doing.


    Furthermore, Wu Tai was born to the Madam, and according to the old ways, that made him the legitimate son.


    Therefore, the family wealth in the old man¡¯s hands was mostly his.


    Moreover, Wu Tai was currently the president of the corporation.


    He was the only one in the Wu Family living so imposingly.


    The others, though they worked at the corporation, could barely scrape a living due to their lack of capability. Could they compare with the powerful Wu Tai?


    So, since the old man didn¡¯t care about the life or death of his legitimate son, why should he bother?


    After all, even if he made a move, those people were still the old man¡¯s subordinates.


    Without Wu Tai, he would be the one to gain more.


    How many more years could the old man live, anyway? Could he really die before him?


    Wu Peng calmed his emotions and strode away from the luxurious hall that seemed to be suffused with shadows of darkness and decay.


    ...


    Early in the morning, He Xiuyu took He Xuerong to kindergarten.


    Qiao Qingyu had already tended to the front courtyard, planting sea buckthorn in circles and scattering two rows of them on both sides of the stone path. In the north, it was called ¡°sweeper¡¯s plum,¡± but it also had another name, ¡°Gesang flower,¡± meaning a symbol of happiness and good fortune.


    The flowers came in over a dozen colors, which Qiao Qingyu mixed together and planted alongside the walkway.


    In a few months, they would blossom into beautiful flowers.


    On both sides lay her family¡¯s small vegetable patches.


    She transplanted the sprouted ginger and onions from the wooden boxes into the ground.


    Qiao Qingyu had planned it all very sensibly, planting about a dozen varieties of vegetables.


    A layer of dark soil covered both vegetable patches, mixed with wood ash. She had used almost all the black soil her uncle from her hometown had brought, leaving only one bag in reserve for emergencies.


    At any time, the black soil always seemed to convey a sense of depth and substance, as if radiating vibrant life.


    Moreover, this type of soil was truly excellent, especially when mixed with wood ash, making her two vegetable patches far from ordinary.


    The only thing missing in the courtyard was a grape trellis.


    She had already planted grape seeds on both sides, adopting a laissez-faire attitude about them. Grapes were not like vegetables; they could be left to grow on their own for harvesting, and even if they didn¡¯t turn out well, one could still enjoy a bit of fruit...

 Chapter 101 - 101 101 Lu Xiaopang Comes to the Commune to

    ?Chapter 101: Chapter 101: Lu Xiaopang Comes to the Commune to Pick Peaches Chapter 101: Chapter 101: Lu Xiaopang Comes to the Commune to Pick Peaches Planting grapes wasn¡¯t so simple; she had no experience in this area, and what she knew about grape planting came only from the introductions made next to grape seeds in the laboratory space.


    But that was okay; none of this dented Qiao Qingyu¡¯s resolve to set up the trellises for grapevines.


    What she lacked now were vines, like willow branches, and in the Northwest here, using willow was best. She intended to ask Mr. Qian for help; she hadn¡¯t expected that while she was thinking about it, the little security guard at the door would come over leading Mr. Qian towards her.


    Qiao Qingyu was taken aback because Mr. Qian¡¯s expression was off.


    After the security guard left, Qiao Qingyu wanted to invite Mr. Qian into the house for a cup of tea; it was almost noon, and she could also keep him for a meal.


    After all, they were already quite acquainted. Yet, before she could speak, Mr. Qian stepped forward, his voice anxious and somewhat hoarse, ¡°Qingyu, I need to tell you something. Don¡¯t get angry first.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s smile gradually faded, knowing that if Mr. Qian looked like this, then something serious must have happened.


    ¡°Vice Director Qian, just tell me. I won¡¯t get angry no matter what it is.¡±


    Mr. Qian wiped the sweat from his forehead and took a deep sigh, ¡°Qingyu, Lu Ye came this morning with a document from the provincial city, designating 3,800 mu of Qiansi Hemp Field as an experimental field directly under the provincial city. His office has been set up in Yushu County, and he has brought several agricultural experts with him...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing from Mr. Qian. Lu Ye had turned 3,800 mu of wasteland into an experimental field belonging to the provincial city¡ªwhat was Lu Xiaopang up to? What kind of move was this?


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression changed in an instant.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Qingyu. They are right now surveying the 800 mu Qiansi Hemp Field. I didn¡¯t let them go to your 3,000 mu. After all, we have a contract, and as a contracting partner, you have the right to object to their involvement...¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Lu Ye?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked, barely containing her anger.


    ¡°He¡¯s at the cooperative. He asked me to bring you to the cooperative to discuss how to transition the 3,000 mu of wasteland into an experimental field directly under the provincial city...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face turned completely dark, and her hands clenched tightly into fists. If it were Lu Ye standing in front of her instead of Mr. Qian, she would definitely have thrown a fierce punch.


    Although the Qiansi Hemp was growing well and was the top among all the crop seeds, that didn¡¯t mean Lu Ye had the right to pluck peaches before the fruit trees even bloomed. Wasn¡¯t this a bit too despicable and shameless?


    Even if she had once offended Lu Xiaopang, this was, after all, official business, involving 3,000 mu of wasteland, planted with Qiansi Hemp, Barley Grass, and Poplar¡ªthis was no joke.


    Since when had a contract signed by Qiao Qingyu been something that could be reneged on and altered on a whim? What was going on? Did they think they could bully Qiao Qingyu because she was outnumbered?


    Some things you really fear to contemplate, the more you think about them, the more they get to your head and the angrier you become.


    Qiao Qingyu quickly washed her hands, changed into light soft shoes, and strode out of the house. Mr. Qian called after her from behind, ¡°Qingyu, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to the cooperative.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be hasty, wait for me; I haven¡¯t finished what I have to say.¡±


    ¡°Vice Director Qian, there¡¯s nothing left to say now. Anyone should have the spirit of cooperation and contract. Changes can be made, contracts can be torn up, but one must be prepared to accept all losses!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words were charged, but she wasn¡¯t targeting Mr. Qian. She knew how much he valued the 3,800 mu of wasteland and that he had considered this the last stop of his career as vice director of the cooperative, investing so much effort in it¡ªQiao Qingyu was well aware.


    But after all, Mr. Qian wasn¡¯t acting alone; he had a whole cooperative behind him, and now there were also Lu Ye and this so-called experimental field directly under the provincial city, an imposing title.


    However, this wasn¡¯t part of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s plan.


    She hoped for support from the relevant departments, but that needed to be based on results.


    For instance, once the Qiansi Hemp matured and was harvested, whether it was the stalk or the oil-producing Thousand Silk Hemp Seeds, they could create the anticipated value.


    Then there was the question of whether the soil had really been improved or not, which couldn¡¯t be determined yet and would only be clear after the autumn harvest and testing.


    Barley Grass was in the same situation, and currently, it was only as long as a finger.


    If it really did become an experimental field under the direct control of the provincial city at this time, whatever happened in the future would have nothing to do with her, Qiao Qingyu. Even if by autumn, results turned out as described in the seed manuals ¡ª not only improving soil but also creating enormous economic value ¡ª those results would no longer be hers.


    When she reached the door, Qiao Qingyu paused, apologizing somewhat guiltily, ¡°Vice Director Qian, please don¡¯t be anxious. It¡¯s not about you.¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s not about me. Lu Ye said he would agree to all the demands you make.¡±


    Not having seen Lu Xiaopang in years, his words sure carried weight. It seemed that, even after growing up, he was still that arrogant little fat kid.


    Mr. Qian quickly stepped beside Qiao Qingyu and spoke in a low voice, ¡°Qingyu, be prepared in your heart because barring me, everyone else has agreed to transition these 3,800 mu of wasteland into an experimental field directly under the provincial city.¡±


    Currently, those people were overjoyed¡ªit was akin to a fortune god falling from the sky right onto their heads.


    Such an honor was unmatched throughout the provincial city, especially for land like this.


    If it truly became an experimental field, the benefits and welfare from it, and all the subsequent advantages, were things that no one, not a fool, would refuse. That¡¯s why each of them was as excited as if they¡¯d been injected with chicken blood.


    Qiao Qingyu also calmed down, locked her house properly, and followed Mr. Qian towards the entrance of the complex.


    It was no surprise to see the others in the cooperative react this way. After all, the Qiansi Hemp had not yet grown, and nobody could predict the benefits or changes it would bring; only she knew clearly in her heart.


    But Mr. Qian had an unshakeable position because he believed in her. As for the others, their stance wasn¡¯t so firm¡ªthey were more interested in the benefits and reputation their actions could bring, which was more important in their eyes.


    Having a piece of land crowned as an experimental field directly under the provincial city meant a lot, which was clear to those people. Not to mention the officials of the cooperative, even the farmers knew how to choose.


    So even if Lu Ye didn¡¯t offer them anything, it was highly likely they would still unwaveringly agree.


    So, this time, only Mr. Qian stood by her side.


    Upon arriving at the cooperative, a group of people stood at the entrance.


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu step down from the tractor, they all looked at her with beaming smiles...

 Chapter 102 - 102 102 Remembering When We Were Young (1)

    ?Chapter 102: Chapter 102 Remembering When We Were Young (1) Chapter 102: Chapter 102 Remembering When We Were Young (1) Everyone considered her a lucky star that drew fortune; without the seeds she provided, could their Xiaxi Commune have become famous?


    Without the thousand silk hemp sprouting, how could the wasteland of their Xiaxi Commune have had the honor of becoming directly managed experimental fields by the provincial city?


    They knew this was a great honor.


    Crowded around Qiao Qingyu, their dark faces bore sincere smiles. In their hearts, they saw no possibility that Qiao Qingyu would disagree.


    They didn¡¯t even entertain the notion.


    They felt certain that Qiao Qingyu must feel as honored, proud, and glorious as they did.


    What could Qiao Qingyu say to these people? She managed a forced smile at them before quickly heading toward the meeting room.


    She wanted to kick the door open, but the door of the meeting room was too flimsy and probably wouldn¡¯t survive a single kick.


    Qiao Qingyu pushed the door open, and Mr. Qian, who was following her, felt somewhat uneasy. He hurriedly entered the room, where they found the handsome young man Lu Ye seated in front of the office desk.


    It was said that he had returned from studying abroad and that he came from a powerful family. His assignment in the provincial city was merely a golden opportunity for him.


    Beside him was another person, and they were both looking down at something. Mr. Qian glanced over and saw the contract they were discussing with Qiao Qingyu to cooperate on farming 3,000 mu of wasteland.


    At that moment, hearing the sound, Lu Ye looked up and saw Qiao Qingyu entering. His expression flickered before he stood up straighter, certain Qiao Qingyu would be pleased that he¡¯d accomplished such a feat.


    Moreover, by turning the 3,000 mu of wasteland into experimental fields for the provincial city, Qiao Qingyu wouldn¡¯t have to worry about it anymore. She wouldn¡¯t need to manage anything. Whether she wanted compensation or a share of the profits, he would agree to all her demands.


    Feeling like he had done a marvelous thing, although slightly awkward, Lu Ye nodded his head politely at Qiao Qingyu due to the presence of others, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, you¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu walked toward him unhurriedly.


    For some reason, Lu Ye felt a little nervous, his throat dry. Standing still, he unconsciously swallowed, his eyes fixed on Qiao Qingyu, but regardless, his heart still trembled slightly.


    King Qiao, no matter when or where she appeared, everything around her seemed to fade away like the tide.


    He and his grandfather had stayed in Qiao Family Team for a whole six years. That place was practically his second home¡ªhe had grown up there.


    A few days ago, his grandfather called to say that he was going to visit the people of Qiao Family Team for the Spring Festival this year, bringing gifts from Beijing with him.


    He and his grandfather were lucky.


    They had been assigned to Qiao Family Team, where most people were kind and honest.


    His grandfather had left thinner and darker, but healthier and stronger.


    That was not the case for several other elderly companions who had shared their plight.


    Therefore, for Qiao Qingyu who came out of Qiao Family Team, they naturally had to take extra care of her.


    Although he was somewhat of a jerk the first time they met, that day he just couldn¡¯t control his mouth because he was really angry.


    He had been back from abroad for just half a month when his grandfather sent him off to the Northwest.


    Then, naturally, he learned that there was a Tenghai Research Base in the Northwest and coincidentally discovered that He Xiuyu¡¯s wife at Tenghai Research Base was called Qiao Qingyu.


    Such a familiar name.


    That King Qiao was also called Qiao Qingyu, and then he easily found out that this Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hometown was in Qiao Family Team.


    There was no doubt about it; she was definitely the Qiao Qingyu he knew.


    At that time, he was stunned.


    In his mind, King Qiao should always remain the awe-inspiring figure she was.


    He couldn¡¯t imagine her being married.


    I just felt it was especially unreal, and at the same time, I was especially, especially angry.


    At that moment, I wished I could fly straight to Tenghai Research Base and ask Qiao Qingyu, ¡°You got married, did you ask me? Did I agree?¡±


    But in the end, it was too late.


    He Xiuyu¡ªof course, I knew him; we¡¯d clashed a few times. That boy¡¯s hometown was in the village next to the Qiao Family Team, Hejia Village.


    A river lay between Hejia Village and the Qiao Family Team.


    There was no bridge over the river. In summer, the water was very deep, and the kids from both villages would often throw stones at each other across the river. When winter came, and the river froze over, covered with a thick layer of snow, they¡¯d clean off the snow to play sledding and ice gliding.


    They¡¯d also spin tops made of wood by the village¡¯s old carpenter, whipping them with strips of cloth.


    Winter was cold, but these kids would sweat profusely playing on it.


    Don¡¯t think King Qiao was just a little girl; with her strength, being the most doted on in the Qiao Family, and her great-uncle being a small village official, Qiao Qingyu was a domineering little girl.


    When she ice-glided, everyone had to step aside.


    The entire ice surface was hers alone to skate on.


    Otherwise, her cousins would push her with a sled.


    But the village girls all liked to be with her because no one dared to bully them when they were with her.


    Of course, King Qiao, wearing a red cotton-padded jacket and a fluffy rabbit fur scarf, was beautifully proud, like a little princess.


    A pretty person is popular everywhere, whether with adults or kids, so even the older kids made way for her.


    Of course, that also had something to do with the fact that her family had many brothers no one dared to provoke.


    King Qiao, at just eight years old, was the tyrant of the Qiao Family Team.


    So, this queen bee should have always remained the queen bee; she wasn¡¯t supposed to get married.


    I went to Xichuan, to Yushu County, to Xiaxi Commune, and I¡¯ve always been quite ¡°Zen¡± about it.


    When encountering Qiao Qingyu, I¡¯d have to ask her seriously if she remembered what she¡¯d said back in the day.


    If I couldn¡¯t find Qiao Qingyu, then it must have been fate, right? I¡¯d give up this thought, stop looking, stop caring, stop asking.


    But who would¡¯ve thought I¡¯d just so happen to run into Qiao Qingyu¡ªand the damn thing was she¡¯d forgotten about me.


    So those words just came tumbling out, and even though Qiao Qingyu kicked me, I felt this greeting was much better than the lukewarm ¡°Hello oh it¡¯s you,¡± for sure.


    Just look at Qiao Qingyu walking towards me now, her eyes carrying some of that old tyranny.


    No, wrong¡ªshe had murderous intent.


    At this moment, Qiao Qingyu had already made her way unhurriedly in front of Lu Ye.


    In my memory, Lu Ye had always been a little fatty, who didn¡¯t lose much weight despite the tough life in the Qiao Family Team.


    I didn¡¯t expect that after four years apart, he¡¯d become as lean as a strip of bamboo.


    He had a pair of sly fox eyes, cunning, full of schemes.


    But of course, isn¡¯t there a saying that¡¯s quite fitting?


    In the face of absolute combat power, all conspiracy and trickery are paper tigers.


    And she, Qiao Qingyu, and Lu Ye had perfectly illustrated that saying.


    No matter how much cunning the little fatty had, a beating would solve all problems.

 Chapter 103 - 103 103 Remembering When We Were Young (2)

    ?Chapter 103: Chapter 103 Remembering When We Were Young (2) Chapter 103: Chapter 103 Remembering When We Were Young (2) Qiao Qingyu clenched her hands.


    She gave Lu Ye a slight smile.


    Lu Ye smiled foolishly in response, knowing that by doing so, Qiao Qingyu must understand his intentions¨Cshe was thanking him.


    Ah, what was their relationship, after all? There was no need to mention thanks.


    Of course, if she wanted to thank someone, she could let He Xiuyu say it to him instead.


    Qiao Qingyu asked calmly, ¡°Lu Ye, transforming 3000 mu of wasteland into experimental fields directly managed by the provincial city, was it a direct order from the higher-ups, or was it your suggestion?¡±


    Lu Ye replied without hesitation, ¡°The leaders didn¡¯t have this idea; it was my suggestion. Qiao Qingyu, you don¡¯t need to thank me, after all, we are old friends.¡±


    This time, Qiao Qingyu was certain it was Lu Ye¡¯s doing.


    It had nothing to do with anyone else, so she looked at the other few people in the meeting room and said cheerfully, ¡°I want to speak with Lu Ye alone for a moment.¡±


    Vice Director Qian quickly ushered the other two people out, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll talk in the next office.¡±


    The two felt the atmosphere in the meeting room was a bit strange, then, taking their pens and notebooks, they left the meeting room, while Mr. Qian stood at the door and raised his voice saying, ¡°Jade, I¡¯ll be in the next office, just call out if you need anything.¡±


    Then he deliberately left both doors of this meeting room open.


    No matter what, some appearances still had to be maintained.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t care about this at all, she silently ground her teeth, still holding back her anger as she asked Lu Ye, ¡°Lu Ye, why did you do this?¡±


    Lu Ye really wanted to say, he couldn¡¯t bear to see her suffer, to toil, to work under the scorching sun in the fields.


    But such cheesy words could never be uttered by him, not even in his next life.


    He grinned, revealing a set of shiny white teeth, his narrow, fox-like eyes flashing a glint of light.


    His words were also infuriating.


    ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, the 3000 mu of thousand silk hemp is no small matter, you, a young lady, can¡¯t bear such a big responsibility. It¡¯s better to hand over the 3000 mu of thousand silk hemp to the provincial city as an experimental field¨Cthat would be the best choice for you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu really wanted to roll her eyes.


    ¡°Lu Ye, do you know what your current behavior is called?¡±


    Lu Ye was stunned for a moment then involuntarily asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my behavior? Is there a problem?¡±


    Looks like Lu Ye still thought he was doing the right thing.


    Then he continued, ¡°I know you want to thank me, but there¡¯s no need. When it¡¯s time to harvest, you can come here and see. After all, you were the one who managed the planting here, and everyone has seen your efforts and hardships.¡±


    Then he added, ¡°Changing to a provincial experimental field isn¡¯t so easy, so you don¡¯t need to thank me too much, Qiao Qingyu.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stepped forward, glaring menacingly at Lu Ye, ¡°Lu Ye, I¡¯ll ask you one last time, has this decision been finalized, or is it still under discussion?¡±


    ¡°There hasn¡¯t been a final decision; after all, you¡¯re one of the contractors, your signature and agreement are needed.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu finally breathed a sigh of relief. That was good as otherwise, she would have been furious. Here she was, carrying out successful projects that were just starting to expand, and this cunning Lu Ye wanted to reap the benefits. Dream on if he thinks he can take food out of King Qiao¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Lu Ye, I thank you for your kindness, but do you know what your current actions are categorized as?¡±


    ¡°What are they?¡± Lu Ye chuckled, ¡°Definitely helping others for joy.¡±


    ¡°Joy my foot!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, furious, scowling, picked up a notebook from beside her and threw it at Lu Ye.


    ¡°You sneaky fatty, do you know how hard it was for me to contract these 3000 mu of wasteland? Do you know how happy I was when the thousand silk hemp seeds began to sprout? Do you know what my future plans are?¡±


    Lu Ye, after all, had grown up. When the notebook was thrown, he accurately caught it, still somewhat apprehensively looking at Qiao Qingyu, wondering how they had ended up arguing, he involuntarily asked, ¡°Plans, what plans do you have?¡±


    ¡°Do my plans have anything to do with you? Are you my leader or my boss? Am I under your management?¡±


    Lu Ye, ¡°...¡±


    ¡°But I was also thinking of your well-being. You grew up in the countryside, you know how hard farming is. 3000 mu of wasteland, even if you were collaborating with Xiaxi Commune, do you know how much hardship you would face in the future?¡±


    ¡°This has nothing to do with you, I just want to know if you have any other motives?¡±


    ¡°What motives could I have? I just didn¡¯t want you to struggle so much.¡±


    At this point, Lu Ye became somewhat agitated, the annoyance he had been suppressing in his heart suddenly erupted, his eyes even reddening a bit.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, we¡¯ve been apart for four years, not fourteen or forty. I recognized you immediately. How could you forget who I am?¡±


    ¡°Is it my fault? When you left the Qiao Family Team, you were a chubby kid over a hundred pounds; suddenly you grow tall, and I¡¯m supposed to recognize you?¡±


    Lu Ye pointed to his face, ¡°Haven¡¯t you been looking at this face for six years?¡±


    ¡°Could your face back then be the same as it is now?¡±


    The narrow, fox-like eyes on a slim face looked handsome, but on a chubby face full of meat, it left a mere slit.


    It wasn¡¯t her fault.


    No one would recognize him even if he returned to the Qiao Family Team now.


    Lu Ye took a deep breath, somewhat disillusioned.


    He didn¡¯t want to talk about this anymore.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about whether you recognize me. I just want to ask you, why do you want to make life so hard for yourself? Tenghai Research Base has so many derivative positions, He Xiuyu could easily find you one, which would be better than farming.¡±


    ¡°Lu Ye, what kind of thinking is that? What¡¯s wrong with farming? Have you become so snobbish after studying abroad for two years?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about that. I¡¯m talking about you. Even if you don¡¯t want to work, you could continue your education. The college entrance exam has been restored for several years now. With your intelligence, if you just settled down, you could entirely get into university...


    I¡¯m not saying that farming is bad, nor am I looking down on people; I just think it¡¯s really too hard for you...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu leaned on the desk, thoughtfully sizing up Lu Ye. At that moment, she believed that what Lu Ye said was true, not a joke or a trick.


    But these truly had nothing to do with him.


    She didn¡¯t want to take this path either. Everyone knew how hard farming was, but she had a laboratory space in her hands, so many excellent seeds. If she didn¡¯t spread these seeds across Huaxia Land, wouldn¡¯t she be letting down heaven¡¯s arrangement?


    Being reborn and traveling through books, all the impossibilities now became possible before her.


    So, how could she possibly do nothing and just drift along?

 Chapter 104 - 104 104 He Really Did It for Her

    ?Chapter 104: Chapter 104 He Really Did It for Her Chapter 104: Chapter 104 He Really Did It for Her ¡°Lu Ye, then I thank you for your kindness,¡± Qiao Qingyu said fiercely. ¡°I love farming, and the 3000 acres of wasteland are my plan. I don¡¯t want you to use your power to interfere. Do you hear me? Also, you¡¯ve been quite hateful with your out-of-context remarks, but I did kick you, so let¡¯s call it even and not bring it up again. If you dare to speak like that in the future, Lu Xiaopang, it won¡¯t be as simple as just a kick.¡±


    Lu Ye¡¯s face gradually darkened.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, does He Xiuyu know about your contracting of the wasteland?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Of course he knows,¡± she replied, ¡°and he¡¯s very supportive. By the way, I¡¯ve also set up a Breeding Laboratory at the Tenghai Research Base. Now that you¡¯ve been transferred to Yushu County, your diversified business company may have dealings with us in the future...¡±


    Lu Ye¡¯s expression fluctuated.


    She had actually set up a Breeding Laboratory; she was really going to go all the way with farming.


    But she mentioned they might have future business dealings.


    He was somewhat pleased at the thought, but then the idea that He Xiuyu actually agreed to her contracting of the wasteland dampened his spirits again. A sneer appeared at the corner of his mouth, and he said with scorn, ¡°He Xiuyu really is selfish. He doesn¡¯t seem to care about his new wife at all. Is it because he doesn¡¯t give you money to spend? No matter what, I¡¯m your relative on your mother¡¯s side. If he bullies you, I¡¯ll never let him off.¡±


    ¡°Lu Xiaopang, what is this nonsense you¡¯re spouting? Did you not understand what I just said? This is something I want to do myself, I like it very much, and it has nothing to do with anyone else. Okay, let¡¯s now discuss the matter of your experimental field directly managed by the provincial city.¡±


    ¡°...I was the one who reported it. The leader has already approved it. As for your side, we can negotiate a compensation...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s anger flared up. She had talked to him for so long, and this bastard didn¡¯t understand a thing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care how you do it, but I absolutely disagree. As for how you report to the leaders above, that¡¯s your business.¡±


    ¡°But everyone in the Commune agrees,¡± Lu Ye said slyly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to offend them like this?¡±


    ¡°They are the ones who broke the spirit of the contract first, how am I the one offending them? Isn¡¯t there any reason left in this world?¡± Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face hardened and her tone was sharp.


    At that moment, several people at the door exchanged awkward looks, slightly embarrassed. Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words did make sense. They were going back on their word, but the opportunity was so great, hanging a connection with the provincial city was something beyond their wildest dreams.


    They didn¡¯t understand why Qiao Qingyu was so stubborn. Why wouldn¡¯t she agree?


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu¡¯s serious face, Lu Ye was stunned for a moment. It was the first time he had seen her so earnest, and he felt unaccustomed.


    After a few moments, he averted his gaze and said, looking down, ¡°Since you don¡¯t agree, I will explain to the higher-ups.¡±


    He had gone to great lengths to secure this project, all for Qiao Qingyu. Yet not only had she shown no appreciation, but she also became so angry, and her expression was very serious, looking like she was ready to take him to court.


    That was not his intention; everything he did was for her.


    With that thought, he added, ¡°I have my own plans for Xiaxi Commune, and I won¡¯t make things difficult for you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was amused by his nerve, ¡°Lu Xiaopang, the trouble was caused by you in the first place. How can you make it sound like you¡¯re solving the problem for me? Can¡¯t you be any less shameless?¡±


    Lu Ye paused for a moment and then he laughed.


    He couldn¡¯t help it; although he was very angry, he still couldn¡¯t get mad at Qiao Qingyu.


    He also felt a sense of relief, ¡°I didn¡¯t think things through. I hope you¡¯re not angry.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu waved her hand dismissively, ¡°For the sake of Grandpa Lu, I won¡¯t hold it against you.¡±


    Then she asked with concern, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Grandpa Lu for a long time, how is he doing now?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s in good health,¡± said Lu Ye. ¡°He¡¯s even planning to take time off to visit the Qiao Family Team by the end of the year.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa Lu is a good person,¡± Qiao Qingyu said with a meaningful tone.


    Lu Ye¡¯s gaze returned to Qiao Qingyu, his hands clenched tightly at his sides. He thought that four years was neither too long nor too short. He felt he had changed a lot, but this King Qiao seemed to remain the same.


    No, there had been some changes; her temperament was different, her manner of speaking had changed as well.


    Could it be because she had married a cultured man?


    Lu Ye gathered the pile of stuff on the desk and said to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°We are going to have a meeting. You should attend.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I should. The content of your meeting is surely unrelated to me,¡± she replied.


    ¡°You might want to listen in. After all, you are now the first person in Yushu County to cooperate with the Commune in contracting land, and it¡¯s wasteland at that. And these lands are now sprouting and growing vibrantly, so the county is sure to grant you some benefits.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu curled the corners of her mouth, ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡±


    In the end, even if she gained strength from it, the ultimate beneficiaries would be everyone living on this land.


    She naturally didn¡¯t want to struggle alone like a fool.


    Although Lu Ye was young, he did things methodically. After speaking with the provincial city¡¯s leaders, he had arranged to convert 800 acres of thousand silk hemp in Xiaxi Commune into an experimental field directly managed by the provincial city.


    Next, they would arrange to drill wells between these two wastelands.


    The county¡¯s Agricultural Machinery Bureau would also provide some agricultural machinery.


    Regardless, Lu Ye¡¯s operation left both parties very satisfied.


    Mr. Qian was extremely happy, practically floating as he walked.


    Because from what he heard from a leader who had come with Lu Ye, he had no problems to worry about. He could comfortably work here and still had a chance to climb up despite his age.


    Mr. Qian understood this very clearly.


    Moreover, he could see that even though Qiao Qingyu had kicked Lu Ye unconscious, the young man didn¡¯t hold a grudge. Instead, he had helped them a lot, so he wasn¡¯t worried.


    In high spirits, he had a tractor take Qiao Qingyu back to the Base¡¯s residential compound.


    Meanwhile, Lu Ye stood at the Commune¡¯s gate, watching the direction Qiao Qingyu had left for a long while before getting in a car back to Yushu County.


    The Xiaxi Commune was slightly farther from the new residential compound of the Base; however, it took only about half an hour by tractor.


    At the gate, the security guard informed Qiao Qingyu that Director Xie had come looking for her and told him to relay that Chief Engineer He¡¯s home phone line had long-distance service activated.


    He handed Qiao Qingyu a piece of paper with instructions for making long-distance calls.


    She thanked the security guard and hurried home in high spirits¡ªalmost running...


    She wanted to call her family immediately.


    Then she would give her uncle their new phone number.

 Chapter 105 - 105 105 Not Her Qingyu

    ?Chapter 105: Chapter 105: Not Her Qingyu Chapter 105: Chapter 105: Not Her Qingyu With the long-distance phone, especially in her own house,


    connecting with her hometown had become much more convenient.


    Following the instructions on the paper, she quickly got through to the phone at the Qiao Family Team headquarters.


    It was Sun Dazhang who answered the call.


    The moment he heard it was Qiao Qingyu, he was extremely enthusiastic.


    He didn¡¯t even let Qiao Qingyu speak.


    ¡°... Qingyu, I¡¯m really grateful to you. The 500-acre corn experimental field is thriving, no, I can¡¯t just say thriving¡ªit¡¯s the best in the entire county. Every day, there are militiamen guarding it. It¡¯s our county¡¯s key experiment field. I heard the county leaders have even reported the experiment field to the province... Qingyu, I really need to thank you properly. You¡¯re such a good child; marrying so far away, you haven¡¯t forgotten your hometown. On behalf of the entire membership of the Qiao Family Team, I thank you again...¡±


    Then she heard Uncle Qiao¡¯s loud voice thundering, ¡°What¡¯s next, should we also thank the eight generations of our Qiao ancestors? Alright, alright, hurry up and give me the phone; that¡¯s my grandniece...¡±


    Sun Dazhang laughed heartily, though his laughter quieted down, obviously because the phone had been snatched away. Then, Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s booming voice came from the other end.


    ¡°Qingyu, it¡¯s your Uncle.¡±


    ¡°I heard you talking just now, Uncle. Did you receive the letter I sent you?¡±


    ¡°We received it, we did. I¡¯ve already delivered the letter to your parents.¡±


    ¡°Uncle, is Mom still angry with me?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu asked somewhat anxiously.


    There was a moment of silence from Uncle Qiao¡¯s end, then he chuckled, ¡°Qingyu, you¡¯re the apple of your parent¡¯s eye. They¡¯re not angry with you, don¡¯t worry...¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back to the Qiao Family Team to see my parents!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t come back yet!¡± Qiao Zhiyuan blurted out from the other end.


    Qiao Qingyu felt a heaviness in her chest.


    Her parents hadn¡¯t forgiven her yet¡ªor perhaps they hadn¡¯t forgiven the original owner of her identity.


    She felt a bit down, ¡°When can I go back then?¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan said dryly, ¡°Qingyu, you see, it¡¯s currently the busiest time of spring plowing. If there¡¯s nothing urgent on your end, let¡¯s not waste the phone line; such a long distance costs a lot in phone fees. Tell me your home phone number, and I¡¯ll call you if there¡¯s anything...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s brows furrowed slightly.


    So much time had passed, why was it still like this? Did these two really have no intention of recognizing their daughter?


    The silent Qiao Qingyu made Qiao Zhiyuan sweat profusely; he wiped his brow with his sleeve, saying with reluctance, ¡°Qingyu, don¡¯t be anxious. I¡¯ll try talking to your parents again...¡±


    After a pause, he continued, ¡°Everything¡¯s good over here, you¡¯ve got me, your Uncle, too. Don¡¯t worry about anything; just stay well in Xichuan, live a good life with He Xiuyu. If you¡¯re doing well, it not only makes us happy but also gives us peace of mind...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu felt a chill at her fingertips.


    Even though they were addressing the original owner, she did not feel comfortable in the slightest.


    This discomfort was more about feeling unjustly treated.


    An inexplicable urge to cry crept upon her.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s voice choked up as she gave her Uncle her phone number and then hung up.


    On the other end, Qiao Zhiyuan had already noted down Qiao Qingyu¡¯s home number, and by that time the line was just a busy signal, so he set down the receiver.


    At that moment, he was the only one in the Team headquarters; Sun Dazhang had taken everyone out to work.


    What was he thinking, the spring plowing had long since ended¡ªit was just an excuse.


    But it wasn¡¯t a complete lie, even though the spring plowing was over, for all the members of the Qiao Family Team, a busy season was about to start.


    Especially for the 500 acres of the experimental field.


    He and the team leader had to go on several inspection tours every day.


    It was indeed more meticulous than taking care of a child.


    He had also caught the attention of the commune, and it was very likely that team leader Sun would be transferred to the commune, and he might take over team leader Sun¡¯s position.


    No matter what, team leader Sun was younger than him.


    But even so, he was already content with such a possibility.


    Remove the word ¡°small¡± and replace it with ¡°big,¡± for him, that would be a major event in his life.


    He had to thank his only niece, Qiao Qingyu, for all these special considerations.


    Qiao Zhiyuan clenched his fists, his eyebrows tightly furrowed.


    He couldn¡¯t help but recall the scene from the hospital a few days ago when he handed the letter to Han Xianglan.


    Han Xianglan was educated, having attended school with He Shan since she was six.


    She was smarter than He Shan and even performed better in her studies.


    Naturally, she was the one to be given the letter.


    He thought his sister-in-law would be happy to receive a letter from her daughter who had married far away, but to his surprise, after reading the letter, Han Xianglan, whose face was already pale, showed no hint of color, and her hands were trembling.


    The letter contained nothing but good news; why did it seem that his sister-in-law was so grief-stricken?


    It was as if she had lost the will to live.


    Before he and his brother could understand, her tears began pouring down like rain.


    Then he heard Han Xianglan¡¯s trembling voice, and he remembered those words very clearly.


    ¡°These past three years, when Qingyu was disobedient, the village teacher told me that the child had reached puberty.¡±


    ¡°Girls who reach puberty all act rebellious, and she told me to talk to her more and pamper her, as their psychology is very fragile at this time.¡±


    ¡°I indulged her in everything and coddled her like a child; though we live in the countryside, I too wanted to raise my daughter to be a proud and confident young woman...¡±


    ¡°If she truly liked He Xiuyu, she should have stood in front of me and boldly told me, ¡®Mom, I like He Xiuyu, I want to marry him¡¯...¡±


    ¡°She could even have exploited the He¡¯s family¡¯s guilt towards me and bluntly approached He Shan with her demands...¡±


    At this point, Han Xianglan¡¯s voice was heart-wrenchingly painful.


    ¡°She¡¯s not like that; my little Qingyu isn¡¯t like that; she wouldn¡¯t resort to such methods...¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand, and I didn¡¯t either, but today I do...¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu is not my daughter, and from now on, no one is to mention her in front of me. I don¡¯t want ever to see her again in my lifetime...¡±


    At that moment, both he and his brother were stunned and scared, so much that they couldn¡¯t utter a single word.


    Because Han Xianglan at that moment was different from usual.


    He didn¡¯t know how to describe it, but he still came up with four words: heartbroken.


    It was the agony that parents feel after losing their children.


    Qiao Zhiyuan wiped his face; up to now, he still didn¡¯t understand why Han Xianglan said those inexplicable words.


    But speaking of Han Xianglan¡¯s stubbornness, she actually forbade Qiao Zhicai from replying to the letter.


    Qiao Zhiyuan sighed; what should be done about this?


    It seemed like Qiao Qingyu really wanted to come back home.


    But now, Han Xianglan had just been discharged from the hospital to recuperate at home, and her health was just getting better. If Qiao Qingyu came back and disturbed her, causing any trouble, his foolish brother would go mad...

 Chapter 106 - 106 106 Can He Ask

    ?Chapter 106: Chapter 106 Can He Ask? Chapter 106: Chapter 106 Can He Ask? After all, Han Xianglan had declared that she really didn¡¯t have this daughter anymore.


    Or you could say, a woman¡¯s heart becomes more ruthless than a man¡¯s when she is hardened, now his brother finds himself in a difficult position.


    It was even harder for him. Now that Han Xianglan did not acknowledge her own daughter, what was he, her uncle, supposed to do?


    If he continued to keep in touch, it would seem a bit like he was taking advantage of Qiao Qingyu, yet Qiao Qingyu surely recognized them as her family.


    If contact was to be unilaterally severed, what was Qiao Qingyu to do?


    Married off so far away, how could Qiao Qingyu possibly not even have a family to call her own?


    But Han Xianglan¡¯s stubbornness was seen by everyone in the Qiao Family.


    She really did not have any dealings with He Family and He Shan.


    She did not accept gifts or meet face to face.


    She didn¡¯t even exchange words.


    When it came to cutting ties, it was truly a complete severance.


    The two villages were not far from one another, and he had personally witnessed He Shan kneeling by the riverbank, a young man in his twenties, crying like a child.


    Qiao Zhiyuan wiped his face and slowly released the breath that he had been holding in his heart. It¡¯s okay, probably just not enough time had passed.


    But then his heart sank immediately, perhaps it wasn¡¯t a matter of the length of time.


    ...


    When He Xiuyu came home from work, Qiao Qingyu had already finished cooking.


    He could smell the fragrance of the food as soon as he stood in the yard.


    He called out to the lovely figure in the kitchen, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, come out for a moment.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu turned to look.


    Her eyes immediately fell upon the flower pots that were placed on the steps.


    Nearly dozens of them, all the same size and dark red, with various patterns on them.


    Qiao Qingyu shook her hands and stepped out of the kitchen to stand on the steps, then crouched down to examine the flower pots one by one.


    She had never seen them at the market or in the county town.


    They were beautifully shaped and not at all clumsy.


    Qiao Qingyu, crouching on the ground, looked up at He Xiuyu, whose gaze was softly resting on her.


    She smiled, ¡°Where did you buy all these beautiful flower pots from...¡±


    ¡°I fired them in my spare time...¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s voice was soft and faint.


    He felt there was no need for Qiao Qingyu to have to guess about someone doing a good deed anonymously or to play a guessing game.


    It was better to be direct.


    ¡°The red willow baskets were not bad, but after all, they¡¯re not as durable as the flower pots fired in Red Mud Slope, three hundred miles away from the base.¡±


    At this point, He Xuerong had already picked up a flower pot, but she was standing in front of Qiao Qingyu, her shiny black eyes fixed on Qiao Qingyu.


    The little girl had a very acute sense of perception.


    She felt that today¡¯s little aunt was different from the usual little aunt.


    Yet she didn¡¯t know why it was different, nor could she express her feelings, she just stood in front of Qiao Qingyu with the flower pot, motionless.


    He Xiuyu was a man with an extremely keen sense of observation, and he was adept at reading micro-expressions, perhaps due to his work, so he too perceived the emotions Qiao Qingyu was concealing.


    Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t very happy today.


    Her mood seemed somewhat low, but she had hidden it very well.


    What happened, could he ask?


    After a moment of silence, Qiao Qingyu sincerely said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so skilled, even able to make pottery flower pots. They are all very beautiful and exactly what I need, thank you.¡±


    ¡°No need to be polite,¡± He Xiuyu hooked the corner of his mouth into a smile and gently asked Qiao Qingyu, ¡°What are you going to do with these flower pots? Are you moving them all inside or leaving them out in the yard for now?¡±


    ¡°Of course they¡¯ll stay in the yard. I¡¯ll deal with them tomorrow when I have time.¡±


    Hearing Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words, He Xiuyu didn¡¯t hesitate to move the flower pots to a corner against the wall, arranging them neatly. During this time, He Xuerong also moved two of them. Although she remained expressionless, this was already a pleasant surprise for He Xiuyu.


    Dinner was mantou made of a mix of grains, a soup of cabbage and tofu, and pickles.


    In such a season, in such a place, even if you have money, you can¡¯t buy anything delicious.


    The same is true even for the base.


    It¡¯s good if they could eat meat once every half month.


    Having the chance to eat such green cabbages, everyone had to thank Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s cooking skills were excellent. Even the simple cabbage and tofu soup was made flavorful. They had one basin, and the three of them drank it all up.


    Under the light, Qiao Qingyu began to flip through high school textbooks idly.


    She had already graduated from junior high and was now starting to learn the first-year high school curriculum.


    However, apart from Shen Fen, no one else at the learning class could teach high school content.


    But Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t in a hurry; anyway, she wasn¡¯t able to attend university this year. If she could complete the third-year high school curriculum by autumn, that wouldn¡¯t be bad.


    If it really came down to it, she could join a third-year class as a new student since she wasn¡¯t burdened with anything else and could just leave on a whim.


    But today, her attention wasn¡¯t on the books.


    Compared to the original owner of the body, except for the face she was wearing, there was nothing similar between them.


    To be honest, even this face was different from the original owner¡¯s.


    In this world, every person is unique.


    There are no two people with exactly the same aura.


    If she really hardened her heart, she, the imposter, could completely ignore anything to do with the Qiao Family Team.


    After all, from what her uncle said, her parents still hadn¡¯t forgiven her.


    Yet, she still felt distracted, as if she had lost something.


    He Xuerong sat quietly in front of the window sill. In front of her were two willow baskets planted with snowdrops and Rainbow Flowers, covered in darkness with not a hint of green.


    But she looked fascinated, although after a while, she turned her face to look towards Qiao Qingyu.


    If it were any other day, Qiao Qingyu would have noticed, but today she didn¡¯t pay any attention to He Xuerong¡¯s expression.


    Suddenly, Qiao Qingyu stood up and placed the book in her hand on the desk.


    She hurried to He Xiuyu¡¯s study.


    The door to the study was open, and at that moment, He Xiuyu was standing in front of a bookshelf flipping through materials.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s study was naturally arranged by himself, the room large, over 30 square meters, surrounded by tall custom-made bookshelves that reached the ceiling and were filled with books.


    She didn¡¯t know where he had gotten it all from, remembering that during a certain period in the past, books and materials hadn¡¯t been easy to come by.


    So, it seems there are always exceptions, regardless of the era.


    Qiao Qingyu stood at the doorway and knocked a few times. He Xiuyu, who was browsing through books, turned around leisurely. He had already heard her rushed footsteps, put the book down, and turned to look at Qiao Qingyu.


    Then, He Xiuyu¡¯s gaze dimmed slightly; indeed, Qiao Qingyu had something on her mind today.


    He smiled at her, feigning ignorance, ¡°Director Shen told me you have started studying first-year high school material. Have you encountered any difficulties?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu shook her head, but she hadn¡¯t expected Shen Fen to even report her study progress to him.


    Why did He Xiuyu feel like a parent right now?

 Chapter 107 - 107 107 I Thought You Wouldnt Mind

    ?Chapter 107: Chapter 107 I Thought You Wouldn¡¯t Mind Chapter 107: Chapter 107 I Thought You Wouldn¡¯t Mind Qiao Qingyu stood at the door, her hand clenched at her side. This He Xiuyu made it difficult for her to say what she had intended.


    He Xiuyu saw Qiao Qingyu shake her head and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Is there something you wanted to say?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu took a deep breath, just about to speak, when she sensed something amiss behind her. Turning around, she discovered that, unbeknownst to her, He Xuerong had followed her.


    Standing not far from her, near the living room entrance.


    The layout of He Xiuyu¡¯s house was actually quite simple, comprising two sets of crossing partitions.


    A total of eight rooms.


    It sounded like a lot, but it really wasn¡¯t much once divided up.


    Entering, there was the foyer, then turning right led to the living room, and further in was the kitchen.


    Next to the kitchen was the bathroom.


    On the other side of the living room were two rooms, a study and He Xiuyu¡¯s bedroom.


    Directly to the left upon entering were Qiao Qingyu¡¯s room and He Xuerong¡¯s bedroom.


    Naturally, the petite He Xuerong had slipped unnoticed from her bed.


    Before Qiao Qingyu could act, He Xiuyu stepped forward, reached He Xuerong, bent down to pick her up, and softly said, ¡°Rongrong, I need to talk with your little aunt. Little uncle will get you a magazine. Will you sit nicely on the chair and read?¡±


    He Xuerong didn¡¯t show any reaction, but as her tense body gradually relaxed, He Xiuyu knew she had agreed.


    He carried Rongrong into the study, placed her on a chair, then pulled out a magazine from the bottom shelf of the bookcase and set it in front of her.


    He Xuerong didn¡¯t really know how to flip through magazines or newspapers.


    But that didn¡¯t stop He Xiuyu from opening the magazine for her.


    It was a children¡¯s magazine.


    The latest issue, which was quite different from the previous ones ¡ª very colorful ¡ª Qiao Qingyu caught a glimpse, and it was an animated version of ¡°Havoc in Heaven.¡±


    With all this distraction, Qiao Qingyu no longer felt like saying what she¡¯d intended.


    However, He Xiuyu thought differently, knowing he would be much busier in a few days.


    He Xiuyu spoke gently, ¡°What were you about to tell me just now? You can speak now.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was silent for a moment, then looked up seriously at He Xiuyu who stood a few steps away, ¡°He Xiuyu, have you ever met my mother?¡±


    He Xiuyu was momentarily taken aback. He had not expected Qiao Qingyu to ask this. He slowly shook his head, ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡±


    He then explained, ¡°After deciding to marry you, I once took gifts to the Qiao Family Team but was chased away at the entrance of the village, so indeed, I never met your parents.¡±


    Given the special circumstances at the time, he couldn¡¯t insist on meeting them, so he left the gifts at the village entrance and departed.


    Unexpectedly, a young man, panting heavily, chased after him, threw the gifts at his feet, huffed angrily, and ran off. Before he left, he glared fiercely at him and even declared that he should think about marrying his sister in his next life.


    As far as he knew, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s older brother was a soft-natured man, so the one who had made this harsh statement must be one of her cousins.


    Qiao Qingyu let out a faint sigh, ¡°I thought as much; if you had met my mother, you wouldn¡¯t be so casual now, would you?¡±


    ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°Because I look a lot like my mother.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, his scrutinizing gaze fixed on Qiao Qingyu. In this moment, he was unclear about what Qiao Qingyu was trying to express.


    The resemblance between Qiao Qingyu and her mother was not a secret.


    What was the meaning behind Qiao Qingyu bringing it up again?


    After pondering for a moment, He Xiuyu said, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, what exactly are you trying to say?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡°What I mean to say is, with this appearance of mine, I cannot face your family!¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s pupils contracted slightly. At this moment, he understood what Qiao Qingyu had been trying to express.


    He spoke slowly, ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t mind.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes darkened.


    What she didn¡¯t mind was the original owner of the body, not her.


    But it had to be said, the original owner had a broad mindset; she did not concern herself with these matters.


    Qiao Qingyu tried to keep her voice gentle, ¡°You personally made me a flowerpot, remembered to bring me face cream when you went out, and you never skimped on money for me...¡±


    As Qiao Qingyu narrated, she realized that He Xiuyu indeed treated her well.


    She paused, her bright eyes looking at He Xiuyu.


    ¡°Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s expression turned cold. Understand? He understood very well. How could he not understand when it was stated so clearly?


    This was telling him not to waste time and thought on her anymore.


    She did not need his unappreciated gestures; she didn¡¯t envision a future with him.


    If only he had known this would happen, why bother in the first place?


    He Xiuyu¡¯s gaze was dark and inscrutable, fixed intently on Qiao Qingyu.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, just previously, you didn¡¯t hesitate to use your life as leverage to make me take you to Beijing, saying you were prepared to live with my parents, claiming you would be a good daughter-in-law and would make them all like you...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu lowered her head.


    Of course, she remembered those words. How could she not with her memory fully intact?


    That must have been when He Xiuyu had just brought her back, and she found the place dilapidated and impoverished. She regretted it; she felt she should not have followed He Xiuyu to the Northwest; she should have insisted on going directly to Beijing.


    After all, they were already married. Why couldn¡¯t she live in He Family¡¯s quaint little foreign-style house?


    It was said to be close to several scenic spots, surrounded by the rich and the noble.


    So, she boldly made such demands, not just once; every time it came up, she had spoken these words when He Xiuyu rushed back from the base.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, at the time I didn¡¯t agree with you because I also felt it was inappropriate. I remember telling you that my mother did not approve of our being together and that you needed to give her time...


    From beginning to end, you never cared about your appearance, and I always thought you didn¡¯t take it to heart. So today, this sudden change of mind puzzles me greatly. May I ask if something has happened?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu fell silent.


    In fact, nothing significant had occurred. The Qiao Family Team and her parents forbidding her to return home didn¡¯t bother her; she could leave whenever she wanted.


    She had things organized here, and she would buy a ticket to go home the day after tomorrow.


    She took over the original owner¡¯s body, and then that home got disrupted; she still needed to remind her uncle to be mindful of many things.


    Now that the wasteland was nearly ready here, the Breeding Laboratory would soon be operational.


    That was it; she also needed to visit the Qiao Family Team.


    Moreover, those glass bottles though safe at her uncle¡¯s, needed to be brought into the laboratory for her peace of mind.

 Chapter 108 - 108 108 Put in More Effort

    ?Chapter 108: Chapter 108: Put in More Effort Chapter 108: Chapter 108: Put in More Effort She still wanted to see for herself what the laboratory¡¯s corn dandelions and the flowers for her eldest brother looked like now.


    With so many things to deal with, indeed, there were many matters to handle.


    ¡°Nothing happened, it¡¯s just that I feel, if we continue to pretend to be deaf and dumb like this, it¡¯s too unkind.¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, what exactly are you trying to say?¡± He Xiuyu¡¯s voice was a bit cold.


    Qiao Qingyu looked up at He Xiuyu.


    She selfishly thought, what¡¯s wrong with pretending to be deaf and dumb anyway, it¡¯s not like she forced him to do it.


    But she always felt guilty.


    But could she still stay here after speaking out?


    Well, it didn¡¯t matter; she could always just pack up and go home.


    Even if her parents didn¡¯t want her, she still had her uncle.


    Just by mentioning a profit-motivated comment, her uncle wouldn¡¯t ignore her.


    Besides, she didn¡¯t mind living alone.


    But what about this place?


    Qiao Qingyu felt rather troubled. Wasn¡¯t the way things were before good enough?


    He Xiuyu paid her no attention, cold and detached, not coming home even once in half a month.


    Not interfering with each other.


    What was with this day-to-day normal work routine?


    Buying her face cream, giving her money, cooking and washing dishes and mopping the floor for her, supporting her to become part of the Breeding Laboratory, and even pulling strings at the police for her when she got into trouble.


    He didn¡¯t find her bothersome at all.


    Clearly, when she had just jumped into this world from the book, she could clearly see from his frown how disgusted he was with this body.


    This version of He Xiuyu made one feel quite burdened, didn¡¯t it?


    ¡°I used to not care about your family, but now I don¡¯t have the courage to face your parents, especially your mother. She must hate me to the bone by now, or else she wouldn¡¯t have had Liu Qiao Wen purposely tempt me to do foolish things. I can¡¯t blame them all; it¡¯s my own stupidity. But it¡¯s precisely because of this that I feel our relationship is really ridiculous. If I had known that the price of marrying you would be so high, I think none of this would have happened...¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s expression remained cold, his thin lips pressed tightly together.


    But he wasn¡¯t surprised at all by Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words.


    From the day she proposed divorce, she had never given up the thought; her recent obedience was just because she was looking for a temporary way to get along harmoniously.


    If nothing had happened today, if he hadn¡¯t made her a flowerpot with his own hands, he thought, this kind of relationship would probably continue until her thousand silk hemp harvest.


    He Xiuyu tried to calm himself down.


    He could no longer see Qiao Qingyu with the eyes of the past, nor could he treat her in the same way as before.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, we¡¯ve both paid a price for this marriage, and to say we¡¯ve been abandoned by all isn¡¯t too much, my mother hasn¡¯t spoken a word to me to this day, and I think your parents don¡¯t want you anymore...¡±


    This was supposed to be a probing statement, but he didn¡¯t expect it to infuriate Qiao Qingyu.


    ¡°He Xiuyu, what are you talking about? Why wouldn¡¯t my parents want me? I¡¯m their only daughter, they would want me even if they didn¡¯t want anyone else!¡±


    Come to think of it, since Qiao Qingyu had come to her senses, this was the first time He Xiuyu had seen her exhibit such a forceful and tough demeanor.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t argue further, just nodded in agreement, ¡°I know your parents love you very much, I was just making a comparison.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu turned her head away, refusing to look at He Xiuyu.


    She knew, in fact, that what He Xiuyu said was not wrong.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, don¡¯t underestimate yourself, and don¡¯t underestimate my patience.¡±


    He Xiuyu was never a mild-tempered man.


    But he was willing to go the extra mile for Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu raised her eyes to look at He Xiuyu.


    Though her expression was calm, her heart still skipped a beat.


    This man, he was serious, serious enough to plan on spending a lifetime with her.


    Though she had a stomach full of words, saying any more would really make her seem like an ungrateful, pretentious, and selfish woman.


    Being self-contradictory was not in her character.


    Qiao Qingyu shifted her gaze away.


    He scooped up He Xuerong and left the study in a flurry.


    The motion was as smooth as drifting clouds and flowing water.


    Leaving He Xiuyu standing there, stunned.


    A moment later, he raised an eyebrow and looked toward the distant light that filtered in from the other side of the living room.


    He was thoughtful, what on earth had happened to Qiao Qingyu today?


    She didn¡¯t want to tell him, but he really should be concerned.


    ...


    By the time He Xiuyu had learned about Lu Ye, he had already come home early.


    But that was two days later.


    The previous day¡¯s conversation seemed as if it had never happened, with meals and housework being done as usual.


    By then, the moon had already risen over the willow tops.


    The base¡¯s kindergarten had been up and running; He Xuerong had stayed there the previous night.


    And over these two days, Qiao Qingyu had decided she must visit the Qiao Family Team.


    She always felt something must have happened, or else her uncle wouldn¡¯t have spoken to her in that way.


    So, after packing up, she straightforwardly told He Xiuyu about her plans to return to her hometown the next morning.


    Qiao Qingyu had already packed lightly, ready to go, carrying just a shoulder bag and a handbag.


    The handbag was the army-green canvas type that travelers loved, sturdy with a drawstring closure.


    She packed only her daily necessities, leaving everything else behind.


    He Xiuyu hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Qingyu to move so fast; he even felt momentarily stunned.


    Although he didn¡¯t think Qiao Qingyu would leave and never return, he was still uneasy, especially since he had learned about Lu Ye.


    With his male intuition, he was certain that Lu Ye had feelings for Qiao Qingyu.


    Hejia Village, he had been taken there by his father a total of four times.


    The two large family teams were very close, only separated by a river.


    And the two family teams were intertwined with marriages and relationships among all manner of relatives.


    He naturally knew Lu Ye, Lu Xiaopang.


    It seemed like they both knew of each other¡¯s existence, but had never played together.


    He had a good memory.


    There was no such thing as memories fading over time for him.


    He thought Lu Ye was all height and no brain.


    He condescendingly arranged everything for Qiao Qingyu, only to almost step on a landmine.


    He wondered if Qiao Qingyu understood his painstaking efforts.


    Of course, it would be better if she didn¡¯t.


    But he was really annoyed by Lu Ye meddling in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s affairs.


    Hiding all the emotions in his eyes, He Xiuyu said softly, ¡°You¡¯ll have to change buses twice to get to the Qiao Family Team, I¡¯ll write you an introduction letter. When you get to the bus station, take the letter to the station master, and he will arrange a sleeper berth for you...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was stunned for a moment.


    She didn¡¯t delude herself into thinking that He Xiuyu couldn¡¯t bear to let her go.


    Still, she was leaving in a rush.


    However, such a gesture from He Xiuyu did give Qiao Qingyu some relief.


    There were some things she wasn¡¯t sure about herself; she really couldn¡¯t talk about them.


    She smiled, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be troublesome for you?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°Then thank you.¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment, I¡¯ll make a phone call, and they will send the introduction letter over soon.¡±


    He Xiuyu went to his study, and half an hour later, a security guard at the door knocked and delivered the introduction letter.

 Chapter 109 - 109 109 No Matter What He Will Be Her Shield

    ?Chapter 109: Chapter 109 No Matter What, He Will Be Her Shield Chapter 109: Chapter 109 No Matter What, He Will Be Her Shield Qiao Qingyu slipped the introduction letter into her shoulder bag.


    She smiled at He Xiuyu.


    Her smile was very sincere.


    He Xiuyu quietly breathed a sigh of relief.


    But he still had something to say to Qiao Qingyu.


    After coaxing He Xuerong to sleep, the two of them went to the living room.


    He Xiuyu was brief because he hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Qingyu to leave the next day.


    He handed her two pieces of paper, ¡°Take a look, this is the greening plan for the base over the next three years.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was somewhat puzzled but still took the papers, having a faint guess in her mind, then heard He Xiuyu speak softly beside her.


    ¡°Tenghai has a research base that has environmental requirements, which are very important, and it¡¯s newly established, so it needs the surrounding greening to meet standards.


    I hadn¡¯t expected you to go back to the Qiao Family Team so soon, but it turns out to be just right. You can contact the Qiao Family Team to see if there are suitable trees and plants, or you might cultivate them under your Breeding Laboratory¡¯s name. After you cultivate them, provide them to this research base for greening, like your Willow Wood and Barley Grass are pretty good...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked unblinkingly at He Xiuyu, a smile playing on her lips, ¡°Willow Wood and Barley Grass are indeed nice, but if I really cultivate them and you go back on your word not wanting them, then what?¡±


    He Xiuyu smiled somewhat helplessly, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, the contract breach issue was the base¡¯s fault initially, Old Wei and Old Xie have always held it against us, you might not know, but the 3000 acres of barren land you contracted, Old Wei and Old Xie have quietly visited quite a few times.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu pursed her lips, not saying a word.


    She wasn¡¯t thinking about Old Wei and Old Xie¡¯s actions but instead wondered why He Xiuyu mentioned this?


    ¡°Although I mainly handle technical production, I am responsible for this research base, and due to its geographical location, I have no choice but to have it here, but the greening construction must go on simultaneously, no matter how difficult, this task must be completed within three years, at the very least to reach more than 60% greening coverage area.¡±


    ¡°But now the greening area is less than 5%, reaching 55% in three years doesn¡¯t seem easy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why your Breeding Laboratory is also very important. The base will provide everything you need for free, and if you can get the seeds coordinated with Uncle Qiao, call us and we¡¯ll immediately send you the money.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes moved, then she gave He Xiuyu a scrutinizing look.


    He Xiuyu also looked back at Qiao Qingyu openly, smiling at her with a gentle voice, ¡°Don¡¯t feel any pressure. As long as you can really achieve a 60% greening area for this research base, I support your Breeding Laboratory unconditionally.¡±


    His words carried a lot of weight, meaning no matter where these seeds came from, what variety they were, he, He Xiuyu, would fully back her.


    ¡°But if it¡¯s like this, won¡¯t it impact you? After all, we¡¯re currently married.¡±


    ¡°Everything will be done according to procedure. Besides, if you really can achieve more than 60% greening area for the research base, people would be too thankful to you to complain.¡±


    ¡°Three years, it really isn¡¯t easy, trees don¡¯t mature in just three years.¡±


    ¡°The complete plan is for ten years, after all, this research base is also just established this year, everything is still under construction and testing. It won¡¯t really be up and running until after three years, but there¡¯s a water source near that barren land. Planting Barley Grass and the sea buckthorn from our home yard there should yield results somewhat better than the barren land you¡¯re currently contracted with.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked down at the papers in her hand, calculated by acreage, it was 2000 acres.


    By square meters, that would be over a million.


    If this were a developed area on the inland plains, how many people could over 2000 acres of land feed? Not to mention, given the value of every inch of land, it wouldn¡¯t be possible to allocate it for a research base. That¡¯s why this extremely important research facility chose a location near the barren sand belt.


    This time, Qiao Qingyu did not hesitate. Since He Xiuyu had already offered her so many favorable conditions, and even hinted at backing her, she readily agreed.


    He Xiuyu seemed to not anticipate that Qiao Qingyu would agree so readily; he had been prepared to offer additional incentives.


    Moreover, his interest in sea buckthorn was significant¡ªit was a valuable resource. However, at the moment, there wasn¡¯t a breeding facility that could provide such a vast number of saplings for cultivation.


    Now that Qiao Qingyu had established the Breeding Laboratory, she was eager to achieve great things within her capacity, and he naturally wanted to support her in this win-win situation.


    As for how Qiao Qingyu would manage it, he was truly keen to see.


    Regardless, he would always be her shield.


    ...


    The next morning, after breakfast and packing up, Qiao Qingyu never expected that He Xiuyu would accompany her, along with He Xuerong, all the way to the West River Station.


    He then managed to acquire a sleeper train ticket for her through the station master. In those days, getting a sleeper ticket wasn¡¯t easy¡ªit required an introduction letter and connections.


    The weather had turned hot. He Xiuyu didn¡¯t buy any pastries, but he gave Qiao Qingyu the thirty-some dollars in his pocket.


    Then, he went out and came back with three packs of milk candies.


    He said, ¡°You¡¯ll need to change trains twice, so don¡¯t carry too much. Just buy some candy. You can share them once you¡¯re back.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know what to say and could only smile at He Xiuyu.


    He Xiuyu advised her on things to be careful about during her journey, then gave her the phone number of his office.


    He specifically instructed her to call Old Xie if his phone was unanswered, indicating he might be in the workshop, as Old Xie¡¯s office was always staffed during the day except at night.


    Sun Dazhi, standing beside them, smiled slightly. This couple had a rather extraordinary relationship.


    Recalling the words she had spoken to He Xiuyu the night before, Qiao Qingyu felt embarrassed.


    It was entirely like suspecting a virtuous person of harboring vile motives.


    Regardless of what the future held, He Xiuyu truly intended to treat her well.


    Yet at that moment, Qiao Qingyu found herself at a loss for words with He Xiuyu.


    She squatted down and held He Xuerong¡¯s small hands tenderly, ¡°Rongrong, little aunt is going back to her hometown for a while. I¡¯ll be back in about half a month, and I¡¯ll bring you some treats, okay?¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s gaze softened further.


    It was the first time he had heard Qiao Qingyu call herself ¡°little aunt.¡±


    The feeling was somewhat sweet.


    Then he saw that He Xuerong¡¯s eyes were brimming with tears.


    Her tiny mouth was tightly pursed, not saying a word.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t understand what the child felt towards her, but in that moment, she almost impulsively wanted to take He Xuerong back to her hometown. Fortunately, reason prevailed, and she held back her words. Considering the long journey involving two train changes, it simply wasn¡¯t feasible or safe to bring a child along.

 Chapter 110 - 110 110 Softened Heart

    ?Chapter 110: Chapter 110 Softened Heart Chapter 110: Chapter 110 Softened Heart Qiao Qingyu took out a handkerchief to wipe away He Xuerong¡¯s tears and whispered a few words before she stood up, smiled at He Xiuyu with pursed lips, and then picked up her bag and walked to the upstairs waiting hall.


    When she looked back upstairs, Qiao Qingyu saw He Xiuyu holding He Xuerong¡¯s hand, also looking up at her. It was hard to describe the feeling, but her heart felt a little sour.


    Qiao Qingyu had to admit that, at this moment, her heart was soft.


    Half an hour later, Qiao Qingyu boarded the train to North City.


    He Xiuyu, however, was holding the teary-eyed He Xuerong. Although he felt a bit inexplicably lost, for some reason, joy outweighed his sense of loss.


    On one hand, he was delighted that Rongrong was expressing her emotions more and more richly, and on the other hand, he was pleased that Qingyu seemed to be finally letting down her guard, bit by bit.


    This was a good sign.


    In his life, he rarely encountered the word ¡°failure,¡± so he expected his marriage to be no different.


    Back at the base, He Xiuyu dropped off He Xuerong at the kindergarten and immediately convened a meeting to discuss Su Yunyao¡¯s A-04 drawing.


    The physical and mental pressures piled on Su Yunyao until she fell ill.


    Because she still hadn¡¯t found the error, but they couldn¡¯t wait indefinitely.


    Once the error was corrected, they could start production.


    Yu Jing was senior enough to attend this meeting. She felt pity for Su Yunyao and shared her opinion, ¡°Su Yunyao is a good comrade. For this drawing, she has lost several pounds, and she barely rests at night. Since we can¡¯t find the error, let¡¯s all work together to figure it out.¡±


    Engineer Deng frowned and said, ¡°This is Su Yunyao¡¯s own design. Even if we find the error together, would Comrade Su Yunyao agree?¡±


    With clear regulations now in place regarding scientific research results, including various rewards and benefits implemented on an individual basis, how should we ultimately define this?


    It would be disgusting if, in the end, Su Yunyao claimed everyone was competing for her scientific achievements.


    He Xiuyu spoke indifferently, ¡°Su Yunyao has already discussed it with me. She can¡¯t find the error and hopes everyone can work together to solve it.¡±


    ¡°Even though I have reviewed the drawing, I acknowledge the error exists, but I can¡¯t figure out where the mistake is, neither straightforwardly nor inversely,¡± Old Deng raised his hand regretfully, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m anxious too, but I truly don¡¯t know how to correct these errors.¡±


    Shen Haoze¡¯s hopeful gaze turned to He Xiuyu, because among them all, only He Xiuyu might be able to correct the error. It had already been delayed by a month, and if it continued, it would be a joke.


    He Xiuyu always felt something strange about this matter, but he also knew that the issue with the drawing needed to be resolved quickly. Why? Because working in technology meant racing against time and the era. There was no room for slow, step-by-step research; it really was a fight against the clock.


    Otherwise, other people might come up with the same results first.


    But there was definitely something wrong with Su Yunyao.


    Though she nearly knew the drawing by heart, her understanding and cognition were too superficial.


    Although the error was cunning and tricky, if it were truly her design, she could not have failed to discover it.


    But if the drawing wasn¡¯t Su Yunyao¡¯s, then whose was it? His own?


    He knew that he, as he was now, certainly couldn¡¯t design it.


    Maybe in a few years, it would be possible.


    So for now, the problem seemed unsolvable.


    He Xiuyu decisively established a team to specifically address the errors in the drawing.


    Yu Jing breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to the hospital to inform Su Yunyao that there was no need to search for the error anymore. He Xiuyu had taken over and had even established a special team for it.


    Hearing this, Su Yunyao sighed deeply in relief. Her spirits improved significantly and she felt much better, as if half of her illness had vanished. It was, in fact, anxiety, and in that moment, she knew well that He Xiuyu would easily solve the problem.


    She thought it likely that the error was set by He Xiuyu himself.


    Upon this realization, Su Yunyao felt a chill, and she managed to give Yu Jing a weak smile, ¡°Sister Yu, thank you for taking the time to tell me. My pressure has decreased a lot. Could you go and handle the discharge procedures for me? I want to get out now.¡±


    Yu Jing quickly said, ¡°I asked the doctor when I arrived, and you need to rest in the hospital for two more days. I¡¯ll come to pick you up after that.¡±


    ¡°Then thank you, Sister Yu.¡±


    Yu Jing left the hospital, her expression turning somber as she walked, her eyes clouded with confusion.


    What was the deal with Su Yunyao?


    How could she not find the error in her own design?


    At that moment, though, she saw Liu Qiao Wen and Zhu Mingli walking toward the gate of the base family compound.


    Both held items in their hands, likely bought from the newly established base supply store.


    When did these two become so close?


    Was it because they shared a common enemy¡ªQiao Qingyu?


    It had to be said that He Xiuyu¡¯s wife was very impressive.


    Now at the base, whether among senior staff or logistics, nearly everyone knew her, and they all had a very positive impression.


    For a girl to achieve this was truly no easy feat.


    Partly, it was due to her connection with He Xiuyu, but mostly, it was because of her own characteristics.


    How did she manage this?


    She had excellent ¡°seeds¡± in her hand!


    Yu Jing¡¯s gaze deepened¡ªit seemed Qiao Qingyu was no simple person.


    At that moment, Old Xie cycled over to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house again.


    With the gate locked, he couldn¡¯t enter, so the logistics chief actually lay on top of a one-meter-high mud wall, peering eagerly into Qiao Qingyu¡¯s vegetable garden.


    This girl, always smiling and seemingly easy-going, was in fact the hardest to persuade.


    He didn¡¯t manage to get a single seed from her hands.


    But worn down by his persistence, Qiao Qingyu finally agreed to let him have some surplus once the garden¡¯s produce was ready.


    So Old Xie came three times a day to check if Qiao Qingyu¡¯s vegetable garden had sprouted.


    He was even more concerned about it than Qiao Qingyu herself.


    Having promised to transplant the seedlings for him, Old Xie swiftly brought two people to help open up the garden for Qiao Qing.


    Behind He Xiuyu¡¯s house, they only planted Chinese cabbage.


    But Old Xie didn¡¯t have cabbage seeds and regretted not saving some from the base¡¯s logistics department¡¯s forty-plus acres of cabbage fields; even a handful of seeds would suffice for his own consumption.


    So, he went back to check on the cabbage seedlings.


    More than one seed wouldn¡¯t be planted in a hole, so he pre-ordered those cabbage seedlings too. Transplanting cabbage seedlings wasn¡¯t easy, and many farmers who grow cabbage typically opt for direct sowing.

 Chapter 111 - 111 111 Qiao Family Team

    ?Chapter 111: Chapter 111 Qiao Family Team Chapter 111: Chapter 111 Qiao Family Team But for Qiao Qingyu, that cabbage seed was simply the cream of the crop.


    It was delicious and resistant to pests.


    None of these problems existed.


    At this moment, the vegetable garden behind her was still pitch-dark without a hint of green, after all, it wasn¡¯t even a week since Qiao Qingyu planted the seeds.


    But she estimated it would only be a matter of days, so she had to be vigilant.


    Liu Qiao Wen and Zhu Mingli stood on the roadside of the family residence, both of them, as if by some tacit understanding, looking towards Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house.


    Liu Qiao Wen had been out for some time now, darker and thinner than before, scolded and warned by her husband after her return, her status at home had plummeted.


    Thus, she despised Qiao Qingyu to the extreme.


    But now Qiao Qingyu seemed to have reached a height she could no longer touch, not just her living arrangements but even the woman herself had become unreachable.


    Zhu Mingli was revising, preparing for university entrance exams. She glanced at the bitter expression on Liu Qiao Wen next to her and curled the corner of her mouth slightly, ¡°Qiao Qingyu is really riding high these days. After dealing with the two of us, she¡¯s off scot-free, and my mom says getting married is like being reborn a second time. Qiao Qingyu¡¯s first rebirth wasn¡¯t so great, but she sure hit the jackpot on her second try.¡±


    Liu Qiao Wen withdrew her gaze to look at Zhu Mingli, and this past month had made her deeply realize something¡ªthat one should never underestimate anyone around them.


    Nor should they think they are the smart ones.


    And definitely not become a tool in someone else¡¯s hands.


    She was such a good example huh, Aunt Meng in Beijing was without a scratch, Qiao Qingyu was triumphant, while she, Liu Qiao Wen, had been subjected to reform through labor for a month, becoming a lifelong stain, also becoming the talk of her family.


    She exhaled slowly, her expression calm and gentle, ¡°Qiao Qingyu is young and beautiful, and with Chief Engineer He they are a match made in heaven, just like a pair of golden boy and jade girl, I¡¯m truly happy for them.¡±


    Zhu Mingli¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at Liu Qiao Wen.


    The ability to tell such a blatant lie was too strong; the look she had just given was as if she wanted to burn down Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house, yet now she could say such sanctimonious words. It seemed the month she spent on the inside wasn¡¯t in vain.


    She scoffed and, carrying her belongings, turned and walked away, while Liu Qiao Wen didn¡¯t care at all and headed towards the innermost part of the family residence.


    The weather was rather gloomy today, and as she raised her head to glance at the sky, she thought to herself, they say every dog has its day, so she wasn¡¯t in a hurry, she would eventually find an opportunity to take her revenge.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Lu Ye arrived at Xiaxi Commune and learned from Mr. Qian that Qiao Qingyu had returned to her hometown, leaving him stunned. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Why so suddenly? She never mentioned it. Is she going back alone?¡±


    Mr. Qian chuckled, ¡°Yes, Qingyu went back by herself. There must be some issues at home, but it¡¯s good she¡¯s going back. I told Qingyu, see if she can bring more of those cabbage seeds. It¡¯s already too late to plant grains for the season, but if we can grow that base¡¯s cabbage, it¡¯d solve more than half of the commune members¡¯ food issue for the winter...¡±


    Lu Ye listened somewhat distractedly; Qiao Qingyu¡¯s departure was very abrupt, must be something urgent at home. That bastard He Xiuyu, all he knows is work, letting Qiao Qingyu travel thousands of miles back home alone.


    Lu Ye¡¯s brows furrowed.


    He looked at Mr. Qian, his tone slightly displeased, ¡°Mr. Qian, you are now fully responsible for the agricultural planting of Xiaxi Commune. You can¡¯t pin all your hopes on Qiao Qingyu, you also need to figure things out and put in the effort. I¡¯ve already made arrangements with the seed station in the county¡ªyou can go there to see if they have any good vegetable seeds...¡±


    Mr. Qian looked at Lu Ye with surprise, unable to fully grasp the young man¡¯s thoughts.


    However, Mr. Qian didn¡¯t do everything for himself, and since the disaster struck, he hadn¡¯t been eating or sleeping well. Now, so thin that a gust of wind could blow him over, was it easy for him?


    He still patiently said, ¡°Mr. Lu, what you¡¯re saying makes sense. We have already been to the county¡¯s seed station and secured a batch of seeds, which are currently on the way. But what I value even more are the cabbage seeds in Comrade Qiao Qingyu¡¯s possession. If we could really get our hands on them and plant them now, it would be just in time. By autumn, I can guarantee that all members of Xiaxi Commune will have cabbage to eat in winter.¡±


    Lu Ye paused and couldn¡¯t say much else. After a few simple words, he turned and left.


    Mr. Qian wanted to see him out, but the young man walked quickly with long strides. By the time Mr. Qian reached the commune¡¯s entrance, Lu Ye was already speeding away in a jeep.


    Mr. Qian stood with his hands behind his back. The weather was overcast today, and though the forecast had said it would be cloudy, he didn¡¯t know if it would rain.


    Wells were being dug on the barren land in the county, and he needed to go and check on them again.


    If it didn¡¯t rain soon, even the drought-resistant thousand silk hemp wouldn¡¯t survive without a drop of water.


    ...


    Two days later, Qiao Qingyu stood at the entrance of Qiao Family Team¡¯s village.


    They say the closer you get to home, the more you falter. Even if she sometimes remembered her childhood with a touch of nostalgia, at this moment, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t feel anything special.


    But there was still a sense of warmth, as this was the place where her body had grown up. People always have a unique affection for their hometown.


    There was a large rock at the entrance of the village, and not far away was a broad river, tens of meters wide. Across the river was a poplar forest, and beyond those trees lay Hejia Village.


    Looking around, Qiao Qingyu still felt a warmth inside.


    This feeling must have come from within her, different from what she felt in the West River Family Residence. With a smile at the corner of her mouth, Qiao Qingyu prepared to enter the village.


    Just then, she suddenly heard an astonished cry from behind, ¡°My goodness, isn¡¯t that Qiao Qingyu?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu quickly turned her head and saw it was Aunt Qiao from the east end of the village.


    This woman had a harsh appearance and was known for being the biggest gossip in the village.


    She scrutinized Qiao Qingyu from head to toe with unabashed curiosity, as if she wished she could strip her clothes and look everything over. That gaze was rather uncomfortable. Qiao Qingyu frowned, but still greeted politely, ¡°Aunt Qiao...¡±


    Qiao Family Team, as the name implies, is a place where 80% of the families bear the Qiao surname.


    Many of them are distant relatives, and they can marry each other.


    At this time, three more people came walking by; it was almost time for lunch. Some carried baskets with wild garlic and dandelions¡ªright, this season in the Northern Land, many wild greens were sprouting.


    The dandelions, once washed, could be dipped in sauce or blanched, chopped, and used to fill dumplings.


    The small wild garlics could be pickled.


    Add some vinegar to them, and they¡¯d be sour and crisp, a particularly good accompaniment to a meal.


    The gazes the other women gave Qiao Qingyu were similar to Aunt Qiao¡¯s, inspecting her with a discretion that seemed suppressed, as if they were like toads trapped under a child¡¯s foot, bulging their eyes and croaking furiously.

 Chapter 112 - 112 112 The Disgusting Toad That Doesnt Bite

    ?Chapter 112: Chapter 112: The Disgusting Toad That Doesn¡¯t Bite People Chapter 112: Chapter 112: The Disgusting Toad That Doesn¡¯t Bite People Then, these women exchanged glances, prodding each other silently with that shamelessly sleazy smile.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression had completely cooled. She had long been prepared for the women of the Qiao Family Team to ridicule her, as her situation had truly been disgraceful from the start, certainly enough to fuel their mockery for a whole year.


    But she had also done a big thing for the Qiao Family Team.


    Five hundred acres of experimental fields.


    It was she, Qiao Qingyu, who had fought for them.


    Moreover, though her uncle was just a small team leader, he had always been diligent and uncomplaining, her father, Qiao Zhicai, although not highly educated, had always been generous and kind, and even at his old age, he was still good at his work. As for her eldest brother, he was particularly honest and upright.


    Her own mother, Han Xianglan, was truly a gentle and kind woman.


    She never quarreled with anyone, never gossiped about others, and whenever someone needed help, she never turned them away.


    But there were always those people in the world, like toads falling at your feet, annoying without biting.


    Their greatest pleasure each day was to gossip about the affairs of others.


    Even the smallest issue could fuel their gossip for days and nights.


    And by the end of it, the stories would become wildly exaggerated, let alone a big issue like the Qiao family¡¯s.


    And here it was, more than six months had passed, they were still as enthusiastic.


    Qiao Qingyu, carrying a canvas bag, no longer looked at them but strode towards her home.


    But unexpectedly, Aunt Qiao intercepted her quicker than she had moved.


    Qiao Qingyu had to stop, her questioning gaze turned towards Aunt Qiao, without even the energy to ask her a question.


    Unexpectedly, Aunt Qiao didn¡¯t mind and cracked a sleazy grin.


    ¡°People always say having a daughter is great, like a mum¡¯s little cotton-padded jacket. Qingyu, you really are your mum¡¯s little cotton-padded jacket. Look, you¡¯ve finally resolved your mum¡¯s longing for He Shan...¡±


    Although the former Qiao Qingyu was arrogant and overbearing, she was only fierce at home, and couldn¡¯t handle confrontation outside; her only tactics were making a scene or cursing.


    So these old ladies really didn¡¯t take Qiao Qingyu seriously.


    The others crowded around as well.


    ¡°Qingyu, no matter what, you¡¯ve become He Shan¡¯s daughter-in-law, which proves there¡¯s a destiny between your mum and He Shan...¡±


    ¡°Right, why don¡¯t you go back to Hejia Village? Isn¡¯t that your marital home? How can you come back to your parents¡¯ home first?¡±


    ¡°How is He Shan treating you? You really looked like your mum when she was young. To me, He Shan¡¯s wife is quite tolerant.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing she can do about it now, you¡¯ve entered her He Family¡¯s home...¡±


    ¡°Qingyu, does your mother-in-law treat you well? Has she asked how your mother is, or said she would come to visit?¡±


    ¡°Ha ha ha...¡±


    Fifty-something Aunt Zhu was so excited, spitting as she spoke, wishing she could fly to Beijing to see He Shan¡¯s home.


    Qiao Qingyu exuded an icy aura, but these people were completely oblivious. After all, Qiao Qingyu was just a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl, newly married, and these old women were battle-hardened, tough as old boots, and seldom did anyone in the village dare provoke them. Even the former Qiao Qingyu would avoid them by taking a different path.


    So they really didn¡¯t take Qiao Qingyu seriously.


    They laughed unrestrainedly, as three women put on a lively show and four old ladies were nearly turning the world upside down.


    Qiao Qingyu took a deep breath, and without hurrying into the village, sat leisurely on the big stone at the entrance, watching the gossiping women of the Qiao Family Team with a smile that was not quite a smile.


    She just quietly watched, not saying a word.


    She didn¡¯t even offer a word of rebuttal; at first, these people were pleased with themselves, but their laughter soon lost its appeal.


    Among them, Aunt Qiao scoffed disdainfully, ¡°Putting on airs and acting all high and mighty, really thinks she¡¯s one of the Beijing people just because she married into Beijing? Dream on, does she not know what she really is?¡±


    Then her gaze met Qiao Qingyu¡¯s grim stare.


    Somehow, a sense of unease surged from the bottom of her heart, and Aunt Qiao spat on the ground again, swinging her hips with her basket in tow, and strutted towards the village. The other old women, finding no amusement, pushed and shoved each other, laughing and mocking, then left as well.


    There were four of them in total.


    Aunt Qiao, Aunt Zhu, Second Aunt Li, and Accountant Zhang¡¯s wife.


    Qiao Qingyu sat on the stone, her indifferent gaze directed towards the village, no wonder Han Xianglan and Qiao Zhicai had to leave the Qiao Family Team. With such an environment, Han Xianglan¡¯s gentle temperament, how could she endure these old ladies¡¯ occasional cutting remarks?


    So much time had passed; these things should have been forgotten, but in their mouths, the discussions were as heated as ever.


    Who gave them the courage, really?


    Did the uncle truly not know that these women were still keenly discussing her and her mother behind their backs?


    Such women, malicious at heart, take pleasure in building their joy upon others¡¯ pains; they are venomous and selfish, never considering other people¡¯s feelings, indulging in their own gratification.


    Because gossiping about others costs nothing.


    It doesn¡¯t involve killing or arson, at most, they might be harshly criticized.


    That¡¯s why they are increasingly unrestrained.


    Qiao Qingyu wore a cold smile.


    Her expression calm as she watched the women who had walked into the village.


    The Qiao Family Team was not small in number; then many people, carrying hoes, were gradually returning from the fields.


    Then, leading the way, Accountant Zhang immediately saw Qiao Qingyu.


    Excitement appeared on Accountant Zhang¡¯s face, and he rushed forward in three strides, his voice filled with excitement, ¡°Qingyu, Qingyu, is that you? When did you come back? Why didn¡¯t you call ahead? So your uncle could have picked you up...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked calmly at Accountant Zhang.


    Accountant Zhang felt something was off, scratching his face, ¡°Qingyu, who are you waiting for here? How long have you been back?¡±


    ¡°Accountant Zhang, I¡¯ve been sitting here for an hour already.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go home?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m waiting for Sun Dazhang to return.¡±


    ¡°Sun Dazhang is behind, I¡¯ll go call him for you...¡± Accountant Zhang really didn¡¯t know what had happened; he felt uneasy.


    He turned around and yelled towards the back, ¡°Old Sun, hurry, hurry, Qingyu is back.¡± Then he called to someone not far away, ¡°Old Qiao, hurry up, your grandniece is back.¡±


    Accountant Zhang¡¯s voice was loud, several people in the distance heard him, so Sun Dazhang jogged up to where Qiao Qingyu was, and upon seeing, indeed, it was her.


    He exclaimed happily, ¡°Qingyu, when did you come back? Why didn¡¯t you call?¡±

 Chapter 113 - 113 113 This Is Going to Create Enmity

    ?Chapter 113: Chapter 113 This Is Going to Create Enmity Chapter 113: Chapter 113 This Is Going to Create Enmity At this moment, Qiao Zhiyuan also hurried over, truly living up to his role as Qiao Qingyu¡¯s uncle, spotting his niece¡¯s displeased expression from a distance.


    She was angry, genuinely angry, and mightily so.


    Uncle Qiao stepped forward, intending to pick up Qiao Qingyu¡¯s bag, but to his surprise, Qiao Qingyu reached out to stop him, ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m not going home.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re not going home, where will you go? You have to go home first, and then I will take you to see your parents.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu frowned, and she slowly stood up to look at Sun Dazhang, sighing with a sense of loss and regret.


    ¡°Sun Dazhang, I set up a Breeding Laboratory affiliated with Tenghai Research Base, and now the lab is up and running. We¡¯ve developed a batch of high-quality medicinal herb seeds that are perfect for the Qiao Family Team¡¯s hilly plantations. If we plant them now, we can harvest them before the first snowfall. I estimate that each acre could net a profit of 500 yuan.¡±


    Sun Dazhang truly gasped in astonishment.


    One acre could actually net a profit of 500 yuan?


    The Qiao Family Team surrounded by mountain and water, had plenty of hilly land suitable for planting. The county had planned to plant some medicinal herbs, but regrettably, they lacked the proper seeds, and the initiative had stalled. He had considered asking Qiao Zhiyuan and Qiao Qingyu to contact Tenghai Research Base to breed some medicinal herbs suitable for local cultivation.


    The Qiao Family Team¡¯s hilly land was not a small amount.


    To be frank, even twenty acres would yield ten thousand yuan.


    Ten thousand yuan, the entire commune probably didn¡¯t have that much cash on hand.


    That was the total income of fifty team members from the beginning to the end of the year.


    Sun Dazhang felt like he was running out of breath.


    He said somewhat incoherently, ¡°Qingyu, this is really too good. Just a few days ago, I was discussing the planting of these medicinal herbs at the commune meeting. This really is like a pillow for a sleepy head, let¡¯s hurry to the team headquarters and discuss this medicinal herb business properly. Qingyu, rest assured, this time we can¡¯t let you suffer any loss.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu bit her lip and shook her head, picking up her canvas bag. She didn¡¯t head towards the village but instead stepped back a few steps, and tears began to fall like raindrops.


    The people around were stunned, especially Qiao Zhiyuan, whose face changed color.


    Qiao Qingyu looked at Sun Dazhang, wiped away her tears, and sighed. Then her expression gradually became colder, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sun Dazhang, but I have something very important to do now.¡±


    Sun Dazhang had an uneasy feeling arising from the bottom of his heart and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Qingyu, what important thing do you have to do?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at Qiao Zhiyuan, her voice choked, ¡°Uncle, I arrived here an hour ago and was planning to enter the village joyfully, but to my surprise, I was blocked by Aunt Qiao, Second Aunt Li, Aunt Zhu, and the wife of Accountant Zhang.¡±


    Sun Dazhang felt an ominous sensation rising from within. These four were known for being the Qiao Family Team¡¯s most troublesome and sharp-tongued troublemakers.


    He involuntarily looked at Accountant Zhang, whose face had turned the color of an eggplant.


    ¡°It would have been alright if they just insulted me¡ªI am, after all, the younger generation, and they are my elders. It wouldn¡¯t matter how they embarrassed or slandered me with rumors, but they should not have insulted my mother.¡±


    ¡°They fabricated lies, their mouths full of foul language. Uncle, I¡¯m going to the county public security bureau to file a complaint against them. If you¡¯re afraid to go alone, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    The surrounding people were immediately enveloped in dead silence.


    Qiao Qingyu continued, ¡°Uncle, I am definitely going to sue them. I won¡¯t let any of these four people off the hook. If anyone gives you trouble or makes things difficult for you, don¡¯t worry. You can come with me to Xichuan; there¡¯s plenty of land there and many big factories...¡±


    Sun Dazhang¡¯s expression grew increasingly worse.


    He knew that the words that followed, Qiao Qingyu was saying them for him to hear.


    To speak honestly, he was very, very grateful to Qiao Qingyu. She was a good girl, and he often praised her in the presence of others and behind their backs.


    He had been thinking about how to thank her when she returned. Moreover, the 500 acres of experimental fields weren¡¯t a one-time deal. His potential advancement to the commune hierarchy was all thanks to Qiao Qingyu.


    She was his lucky star.


    But now it seemed like they were becoming enemies.


    These damn old women, with nothing better to do after filling their stomachs, really ought to have their slanderous mouths sewn shut with all the gossiping from one household to the next.


    With extreme embarrassment, he said, ¡°Qingyu, those old women are just running their mouths, they all speak nonsense; don¡¯t stoop to their level.¡±


    ¡°Sun Dazhang, you¡¯re wrong. Even nonsense comes with a cost and consequences. There¡¯s a saying that spittle can drown a person, and there¡¯s reason in that. If it weren¡¯t for the thought of my grandparents, my parents, Uncle Qiao, and so many other relatives, I might have been overwhelmed and jumped into that river already.


    Sun Dazhang, do you really think that talking nonsense has no repercussions? No cost? No consequences? Therefore, I definitely must sue these four members from your team. I will sue them until they are in jail!¡±


    At those words, a chilling aura emanated from Qiao Qingyu, and her voice was extremely sharp.


    Everyone around fell silent.


    This version of Qiao Qingyu made them feel intimidated, and at the same time, so unfamiliar.


    Uncle Qiao wiped his face and, through clenched teeth, said, ¡°You must sue, Qingyu. Uncle will take you to the county public security bureau.¡±


    He added another sentence, ¡°I won¡¯t be serving as the small team leader anymore, either. We have to put these women behind bars.¡±


    Accountant Zhang felt like crying, his legs had gone weak.


    He didn¡¯t doubt Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words in the slightest.


    At the same time, he felt resentful towards his wife. At home, he had admonished her time and again not to get involved with Aunt Qiao, not to gossip about other households, especially not to discuss Qiao Zhicai¡¯s affairs. He had told his wife all about how Qiao Qingyu had treated him in Xichuan, but why couldn¡¯t she remember anything?


    And Qiao Zhiyuan, saying these words, told Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qingyu, wait here for Uncle to get the bicycle.¡±


    The team leader hurriedly grabbed Qiao Zhiyuan, stomping his feet anxiously. How could he escalate the situation?


    Regardless of whether they ended up in jail or not, the Qiao Family Team would certainly be disgraced, and even if the offense wasn¡¯t enough to result in imprisonment, being taken to the county public security bureau was not a good thing for these four women.


    Other villager¡¯s families had begun to gather.


    Among them were the relatives of these old women.


    If it had been the old Qiao Qingyu, they wouldn¡¯t have believed she was capable of making such a move. But now, they didn¡¯t doubt the current Qiao Qingyu for a second, especially with Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s all-out attitude, which made them afraid.


    If these ruinous women were taken to the public security bureau, how could their families face the village in the future?


    Accountant Zhang, sweating profusely, said, ¡°Qingyu, calm down, I¡¯ll have my wife apologize to you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression was dark as she spoke word by word, ¡°I don¡¯t need an apology. In this moment, they still gossip freely, which proves that in your Qiao Family Team, my marriage to He Xiuyu has become the center of all your family¡¯s conversations. Therefore, I have my reservations about your character as well.¡±

 Chapter 114 - 114 114 The Tree Desires Calm but the Wind

    ?Chapter 114: Chapter 114: The Tree Desires Calm, but the Wind Will Not Cease Chapter 114: Chapter 114: The Tree Desires Calm, but the Wind Will Not Cease At this moment, Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s third son, Qiao Shengbao, raced over on a bicycle.


    The young man, only a year older than Qiao Qingyu, was drenched in sweat and also fuming with rage.


    ¡°Qingyu, let¡¯s go and sue them!¡±


    It had gotten real this time.


    Sun Dazhang and the others, of course, could not let Qiao Qingyu and the Qiao Family father and son go to the county public security bureau; if they really went, there would be no turning back.


    As the head of the Qiao Family Team, Sun Dazhang certainly had the foresight to know that once the bow was drawn, there was no recalling the arrow. If they really went through with it, the issue would blow up.


    His face was ashen as he yelled at Fourth Uncle Qiao and Accountant Zhang, ¡°What are you standing around for? Hurry up, go and call all your disgraceful wives to the village entrance!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s lips curled into a cold smile as she looked indifferently and distantly at the people before her.


    If she didn¡¯t teach them an unforgettable lesson today, she wouldn¡¯t call herself Qiao Qingyu.


    The trees wish for peace, but the wind will not subside.


    She wanted to smooth things over, but those women disagreed.


    Considering their attitude, who knows how they might smear her name once back in the village.


    She and He Xiuyu were not married, it was none of their business how they were together. Why did it concern them?


    She knew she couldn¡¯t silence their wagging tongues; it was inevitable that the gossip would spread behind her back, but why should she tolerate the insults to her face?


    The family members of Fourth Uncle Qiao, Accountant Zhang, and several other women ran towards the village with grim faces.


    Sun Dazhang was truly angry now.


    Ever since the beginning of the spring plowing, they had been busy in the fields every day. After all, when did the men have the time and energy to mind what those women were gossiping about behind their backs?


    He never thought that idle gossip could lead to anything serious, but now Sun Dazhang realized that careless words could indeed land one in jail.


    If this issue wasn¡¯t resolved, Qiao Qingyu and the people of the Qiao Family Team would completely fall out.


    It would not only be a matter of being ungrateful, but from now on, it would mean cutting off all paths.


    Accountant Zhang shared Sun Dazhang¡¯s thoughts. Even though he had been warned, he didn¡¯t really take the matter seriously.


    Everyone has gossiped about others at some point, and it seemed like a normal part of human nature, but once it was brought into the open, it became a serious matter.


    If Qiao Qingyu truly went ahead with the lawsuit, she might actually win.


    But whether she won or lost the case, Accountant Zhang, Qiao Qingyu, and behind her, the Qiao Family and He Xiuyu would become sworn enemies.


    Having one more friend means one more path to take. People in any profession deeply understand this truth.


    And Accountant Zhang was no exception.


    His home was closer to the village entrance. He was the first to get home, and as soon as he pushed open the door, he heard his wife gossiping with a neighbor¡¯s aunty over the fence, lively and animated.


    ¡°...Auntie, you have no idea, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s got some nerve, still having the audacity to return to our Qiao Family Team. She¡¯s not even embarrassed...¡±


    Auntie snorted with laughter, ¡°If she knew about embarrassment, would she have done such a thing?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. When we were ganging up on her, she didn¡¯t dare to make a peep, didn¡¯t even dare to lift her head. Now she knows what shame is, flustered as can be. Where was that earlier?¡±


    Accountant Zhang was so furious he was practically steaming, striding toward the hedge in three steps and grabbing his wife.


    He glared at her as if he wanted to devour her, teeth gritted, as he roared at Li Cuifen, ¡°Your damn mouth has caused big trouble, do you realize that?¡±


    From beyond the hedge, Auntie shouted loudly, ¡°Accountant Zhang, what are you doing? I¡¯m still here, and you dare lay a hand on Cuifen. Let her go.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, I¡¯d advise you to keep that mouth shut too, unless you want my uncle to give you what for.¡±


    ¡°Accountant Zhang, what kind of madness has gotten into you? What did I do?¡± Auntie jumped up angrily.


    Accountant Zhang clenched his teeth hard, glowering at Auntie beyond the hedge with the same ferocity. This damned woman liked to gossip too. Luckily, she hadn¡¯t been there today and had narrowly escaped.


    Meanwhile, Li Cuifen was frantically struggling, yelling at him while trying to wrest away, ¡°You old thing, let go of me right now or I¡¯ll scratch you to death.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll scratch me to death? Before you get the chance, I¡¯ll be visiting you in prison!¡± Accountant Zhang shouted at the top of his lungs.


    This gave Li Cuifen a fright, and then she cursed back, ¡°You old immortality hexer, cursing me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not cursing you. Did you and a few others insult and slander Qiao Qingyu today?¡±


    Li Cuifen¡¯s eyes flickered; she remembered how her husband had strictly warned her not to talk about the Qiao family after returning from Xichuan.


    But why shouldn¡¯t she talk? That shameless girl dared to do it, so why couldn¡¯t she talk about it? Village life was dull, and who wouldn¡¯t want to gossip about some excitement for a few days?


    And all the more when it was about Han Xianglan¡¯s family¡¯s scandal¡ªeveryone loved to talk about it, and it wasn¡¯t just her.


    ¡°So what if I cursed her? She did those things, should nobody mention it? We are the elders; what¡¯s wrong with scolding her a few times?¡±


    Accountant Zhang was furious, ¡°What kind of elder are you supposed to be? What are you to her? Have you no shame? Whatever Qiao Qingyu did, she is now legally married to He Xiuyu. They have a marriage certificate and share a household registration. But you insulted and slandered her at the village entrance today. Qiao Qingyu won¡¯t let you off for that!¡±


    By this time, Accountant Zhang had let go of his wife and heaved a deep sigh of relief. Suppressing his rage, he pointed quiveringly at Li Cuifen, ¡°Right now, you come with me to the village entrance. Whatever it takes, you make Qiao Qingyu forgive you, or you¡¯ll be preparing to go to jail.¡±


    Li Cuifen collapsed to the ground, slapping her thighs and bawling, ¡°Is there no law left? I¡¯m an elder scolding a junior, and for that, I have to go to jail...¡±


    ¡°Talking to me is useless. You are an elder if Qiao Qingyu acknowledges you as one; if not, you¡¯re nothing. Get up right now, or the police will come and take you away...¡±


    At this moment, Accountant Zhang¡¯s parents came out. Zhang Family¡¯s patriarch looked at his son with uncertain eyes, ¡°Is what you¡¯re saying true?¡±


    ¡°Why would I lie to you?¡± Accountant Zhang¡¯s face turned an ashen hue as he stepped forward, pulled Li Cuifen up without another word, and dragged her away.


    Li Cuifen didn¡¯t want to go, still yelling and making a scene. One can yell and fuss, but you can¡¯t go cursing Qiao Qingyu at a critical moment like this, and loudly at that. How foolish can you be? It wasn¡¯t just you involved; there were four of you. So Accountant Zhang, consumed with anger, slapped her, successfully silencing Li Cuifen, but the two of them began fighting.


    Qiao Lao Si¡¯s house was even more chaotic than Accountant Zhang¡¯s.


    Qiao Laosisi¡¯s wife was notoriously tough, infamous for miles around. Normally, no one dared provoke her, and even Qiao Family¡¯s fourth son would yield to her. But today, fearing prison and the potential for making enemies, he was certainly scared.


    But Aunt Qiao didn¡¯t care, so even when Qiao Family¡¯s fourth son tried to make her apologize, she wouldn¡¯t even step out of the courtyard...

 Chapter 115 - 115 115 Qiao Qingyus Persistence

    ?Chapter 115: Chapter 115 Qiao Qingyu¡¯s Persistence Chapter 115: Chapter 115 Qiao Qingyu¡¯s Persistence Several minutes had passed, and faint cries and curses could be heard from the village.


    Sun Dazhang¡¯s face was beyond livid.


    With a cold sneer, Qiao Qingyu pushed through the crowd and said to Uncle Qiao, ¡°Uncle, let¡¯s go to the county town.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s face also looked terrible, as he had no idea people were still speaking ill of her, considering these matters resolved long ago.


    Little did he know, it had been over half a year and the first time Qingyu returned home, she was blocked at the village entrance. This was a direct affront to him, Qiao Zhiyuan.


    Born in the Qiao Family Team, he had been here for more than fifty years, and to end up in such a situation, he might as well have jumped into the river.


    As a man, he didn¡¯t hold much hatred for a woman; it was mostly some gossipy old women, but today, he truly felt hatred towards these few women.


    Sun Dazhang hurried over in just a few steps. Although he was a few years younger than Qiao Zhiyuan, he was also fifty-two this year. He grabbed the bicycle handlebar, his voice cracking, ¡°Brother, Brother Qiao, please, for my sake, let¡¯s wait. If these women show no repentance, I personally will take them to the county public security bureau.¡±


    At the same time, he angrily shouted to the militia captain behind him, ¡°Take them all to the village entrance, these useless things, can¡¯t even bring people along.¡±


    The militia captain, accompanied by two other militiamen, dashed towards the village.


    As he ran, he felt pleased, usually noticing nothing. He always thought his own wife was aloof and a bit timid, but now he saw the benefit of that.


    Getting involved with these kinds of people could bring no good.


    Then, he witnessed the chaos at each household.


    These old women had strong fighting spirits, just from this, he 100% believed that these people at the village entrance must have bullied Qiao Qingyu earlier.


    It was truly outrageous.


    It was none of their business. Initially, it was just watching the excitement and talking, but it had been over half a year and it was still not over.


    Not to mention Brother Qiao, even he was incredibly angry. It was fortunate that Qiao Zhicai wasn¡¯t in the village; if Old Qiao saw his daughter being bullied like this, he would have grabbed a kitchen knife and started slashing people.


    Thus, these old women needed a lesson.


    Sun Dazhang¡¯s eyes were red with urgency, but Qiao Qingyu was not just trying to scare them.


    Through this, it was apparent that the affair between her, He Xiuyu, and He Shan, as well as involving her mother, was no secret in these neighboring villages.


    It had already become a topic of conversation.


    So, even if they apologized to her, what use would it be?


    Without accepting punishment, this matter would never end.


    Qiao Qingyu stood in front of Sun Dazhang and softened her voice, ¡°Uncle Sun, I know you have always looked after our family, and I¡¯ve always respected you, but today¡¯s incident absolutely cannot be overlooked. If they don¡¯t pay the price for their words and actions, such an incident will happen again the next time I return to the Qiao Family Team. Even if they don¡¯t speak directly, the rumors and slanders can still kill. If you think I¡¯m reasonable, please don¡¯t stop me.¡±


    Sun Dazhang felt a bit uncomfortable and also felt sorry for Qiao Qingyu. What would it have been like if, upon her return, the village had greeted her warmly?


    But now it had turned into this mess.


    The hands that held the handlebar slowly loosened.


    At this moment, Sun Dazhang finally realized, Qiao Qingyu was not making empty threats. Having these people come to apologize to her, that wasn¡¯t what she wanted at all!


    Qiao Qingyu nodded to Sun Dazhang, then pulled Qiao Shengbao closer, ¡°Take the bag back home. If Granny and Grandpa know about it, tell them the truth; if not, we¡¯ll discuss it when we come back.¡±


    Qiao Shengbao nodded his head, then Uncle Qiao rode his bicycle and Qiao Qingyu sat on the back seat, quickly vanishing from everyone¡¯s sight.


    At that moment, Old Qiao and Granny Qiao were supporting each other, also rushing toward the entrance of the village.


    The village wasn¡¯t big but it wasn¡¯t small either.


    Such a matter, it had just been over half an hour, and it¡¯d already spread everywhere.


    At that time, the militia captain and his two subordinates were dragging the four women to the village entrance.


    They were cursing all the way as they walked.


    At that moment, Aunt Qiao suddenly rushed over from behind and grabbed Qiao Laos¡¯ wife, who kept cursing obscenely, and slapped her hard twice, then she also burst into profanities.


    ¡°You foul-mouthed, rotten tongue, you¡¯ll end up in the tongue-ripping hell when you die. What do you count for? Which elder¡¯s seat are you taking? He Xiuyu is our family¡¯s legitimate son-in-law, and our Qingyu¡¯s marriage certificate is legitimate too. What about you? What were you doing when you followed Qiao Laos back then ¨C don¡¯t you know yourself, you rotten sock, and yet you have the face to talk about others?¡±


    Qiao Laos¡¯ face turned purplish, just like the eggplants in the field.


    His first wife was sick and paralyzed; she hadn¡¯t died yet when Qiao¡¯s wife moved into his house, and as soon as his first wife passed, a banquet was immediately arranged.


    That happened decades ago. Not many people knew about it. Both were grandparents now, with a bunch of grandchildren, and no one brought up the matter anymore.


    But now, Aunt Qiao ruthlessly peeled off her face, naturally, Qiao¡¯s wife, enraged by shame and being brought by militia, with Qiao Laos having slapped her, frantically sought Qiao Qingyu.


    Cursing that she would definitely kill this little wretch, the village entrance was in chaos, sounding like a frying pan.


    At that time, Sun Dazhang, instead, calmed down.


    He stopped others, his cold gaze fixed on the three women.


    Aunt Qiao, Second Aunt Li, Aunt Zhu.


    Accountant Zhang¡¯s wife also had a slap mark on her face, but she stayed quiet now.


    Because Accountant Zhang had warned her, if she continued acting up, his position as accountant would be immediately stripped. Though Accountant Zhang¡¯s wife didn¡¯t usually throw her weight around in the village, she was respected everywhere she went. If the accountant position was taken away, she¡¯d be nothing.


    Although she was full of hatred and anger, she dared not make a sound.


    Afterward, Old Qiao and Granny Qiao pulled Aunt Qiao over.


    Old Qiao said, ¡°Daughter-in-law of the eldest son, let¡¯s not speak. The eldest son and Qingyu have gone to the police, right? Don¡¯t worry, this is a new society; there must be a place that will hear us out. Let them curse, we won¡¯t retort!¡±


    Aunt Qiao glared fiercely at Qiao Laos¡¯ wife.


    What a dog thing.


    People say even when hitting a dog, one should look at its master. Regardless, Qiao Qingyu was her niece, and usually, she got along well with Laos¡¯ wife, but what was this today? They were clearly not putting her and Qiao Zhiyuan in their eyes.


    Do they not realize what I am?


    Qiao Laos¡¯ wife, Zhao Daju, glowered resentfully at the group of Qiao Family members standing opposite.


    The Old Qiao Family was prosperous, not a soul in the village dared to provoke them.


    But Zhao Daju didn¡¯t care at all.

 Chapter 116 - 116 116 Arrogant and Domineering

    ?Chapter 116: Chapter 116: Arrogant and Domineering Chapter 116: Chapter 116: Arrogant and Domineering Zhao Daju shouted in a shrill voice, ¡°Is there no justice anymore? As an elder, I just spoke a few words, what is this for, resorting to beating, cursing, and suing? Qiao Zhiyuan is just a small team leader, not the head of the Harvest Commune. What right does he have to show off his power to me? You sue me, I will sue you back!¡±


    At this time, there were also a dozen or so people standing beside Old Man Qiao and Granny Qiao.


    Old Man Qiao had three sons and two daughters. Both daughters were married off, and all three sons were around.


    The eldest, Qiao Zhiyuan, had four sons.


    The second, Qiao Zhimin, had three sons.


    The third, Qiao Zhicai, had two sons.


    Aside from those working or studying in the county town and those who hadn¡¯t returned from the Southern region, nearly everyone was here.


    But the Qiao Lao Si family also had quite a number of people.


    Qiao Laos added to the number before, plus the children Zhao Daju had later, totaled nine kids.


    Seven sons and two daughters.


    Their family was indeed flourishing.


    Zhao Daju¡¯s sons surrounded her.


    Together with Second Aunt Li and Aunt Zhu, once the two sides squared off against each other, they were evenly matched.


    Second Aunt Li, with her hands on her hips and a look of disdain on her face, said, ¡°Look what the Qiao Family has become, a married-off shameless woman who should be laughing sneakily if she got away without a slap, yet she dares to sue us? Good, we¡¯ll just wait and see what she can do to us.¡±


    Even though Granny Qiao tried to restrain herself, she was so angry that her complexion turned iron blue as she pointed at Second Aunt Li, ¡°Li, if you dare to lay a hand on our Qingyu, I¡¯ll fight you with my life!¡±


    ¡°Tch,¡± scoffed Zhao Daju, ¡°When Qingyu gets here, you¡¯ll see if I don¡¯t give her a couple of slaps.¡±


    ¡°Just so, the world¡¯s gone upside down, saying a few words about her and she goes to sue us, really thinking she¡¯s one of the city folk just because she married someone from the city?¡± Aunt Zhu was equally furious, spitting on the ground with contempt, ¡°Pah, wishful thinking.¡±


    Aunt Qiao, humiliated and enraged, retorted, ¡°Li, you are shameless, your whole family is shameless!¡±


    Sun Dazhang was trembling with anger, ¡°All of you shut up!¡±


    Aunt Qiao wanted to continue the verbal brawl with Qiao Laosi¡¯s wife and the others but was pulled back by Granny Qiao standing beside her.


    The old lady, holding back her anger and with a trembling voice, said, ¡°Eldest daughter-in-law, the police have already been called, let¡¯s not stoop to their level of arguing.¡±


    Mrs. Shen then raised her voice, ¡°Captain Sun, you¡¯d better take a good look. Our family is all here, and they¡¯re still not calming down. You can imagine how Qingyu was bullied by them just now. What right do they have to insult my Qingyu? So, as the leader, you¡¯ve got to give an explanation for this. Qingyu didn¡¯t provoke anyone; she shouldn¡¯t be bullied like this.¡±


    Captain Sun was drenched in sweat, and for the first time, he realized that idle gossip could lead to serious trouble. If he didn¡¯t handle this well, the consequences would be unimaginable.


    But how could he handle it?


    If he went to scold Qiao Laosi¡¯s wife now, that shrew would dare to lunge at him and scratch him.


    He took a deep breath, but before he could speak, Zhao Daju glared at Captain Sun with round eyes and said with disdain, ¡°Captain, I haven¡¯t killed anyone nor set any fires. There¡¯s no rule in this world that says I can be sued for just talking to a junior. Let me tell you, I¡¯m not afraid, do whatever you want, I¡¯m done playing with you.¡± Then she shouted to her third daughter-in-law, berating her, ¡°What are you standing around here for? Get back home and make dinner!¡±


    Her third daughter-in-law had the weakest personality and naturally became the easiest target for bullying. The woman¡¯s face turned red, but she still turned and hurried back to the village.


    Qiao Laosi¡¯s wife really didn¡¯t care; she hadn¡¯t hit Qiao Qing, she had just said a few words. Even if it were in Beijing, they couldn¡¯t just arrest her for no reason.


    She left with an air of impunity, swaggering off.


    Captain Sun, with an iron-blue face, watched Qiao Lao Si without saying a word. Qiao Laos¡¯s face wasn¡¯t any better as he mumbled, ¡°Captain, my wife is just like that. Who doesn¡¯t know her after all these years? It¡¯s purely asking for trouble to be like her. I can¡¯t control her; I really have no solution.¡±


    Captain Sun did not respond to him but instead looked at the more than a hundred onlookers.


    Most of the people were there just to watch the excitement.


    A small portion didn¡¯t care at all.


    Indeed, what¡¯s the big deal in the hearts of these people? It¡¯s just a few words spoken, isn¡¯t it? It doesn¡¯t hurt, it doesn¡¯t itch, nor does it take a chunk of flesh away. What could possibly happen?


    Sun Dazhang waved his hand, he had also calmed down, ¡°Everyone, go home and eat.¡±


    After all, there was still fieldwork to be done in the afternoon.


    In 1980, North City had not yet fully implemented the household responsibility system.


    It was only being piloted in some of the larger communes.


    Harvest Commune, where Qiao Family Team was located, fell in the middle to lower ranks within the county and naturally did not make the cut. Therefore, work still had to be done collectively.


    And there were set times for it, of course.


    So, besides Sun Dazhang, Accountant Zhang, and Old Man Qiao and his family, everyone else had left the village entrance.


    Old Man Qiao looked at Sun Dazhang and sighed, ¡°I¡¯ve put you in a difficult position.¡±


    Then, he led his family home.


    Now, only Sun Dazhang, Accountant Zhang, and the scorekeeper who had gone to Xichuan with Accountant Zhang remained.


    They still didn¡¯t know what those women had cursed Qiao Qingyu with.


    And speaking of which, they didn¡¯t dare to provoke Qiao Laosisi¡¯s wife alone.


    At this point, even Sun Dazhang didn¡¯t know how this matter would end, as it was the first time he¡¯d encountered such an incident in so many years.


    Seeing the several bloody scratches on Accountant Zhang¡¯s face, he still gave some advice, ¡°You¡¯d better go home quickly and explain the stakes to your wife clearly. If the public security really comes, you should know what to do...¡±


    Accountant Zhang¡¯s face turned deathly pale, and he ran towards his house.


    Yes, what if the public security really did come?


    In the noisy Qiao Lao Si¡¯s house, Zhao Daju, feeling triumphant as if she had won another battle, stood with hands on hips in the courtyard, spitting and laughing with Second Aunt Li from next door about Qiao Qingyu, about Han Xianglan, about Qiao Family...


    Qiao Laos squatted on the ground smoking, his face darkened with gloom. After all, he had lost face today and had his shortcomings exposed, so it would be strange if he was in a good mood.


    But Zhao Daju seemed indifferent.


    However, all of a sudden, the noisy courtyard fell silent.


    They heard the sound of a police car.


    They were familiar with that sound¡ªit was used to catch bad elements, to catch murderers. It was enough to send chills down anyone¡¯s spine.


    At that moment, everyone¡¯s gaze couldn¡¯t help but drift towards the outside of the courtyard.


    And at that moment, Qiao Zhiyuan, sitting in the police car, took a glance at his niece beside him and had to admit that she was really something else.


    Before entering the gates of the public security office, he himself felt uncertain.


    As far as he knew, apart from not being allowed to speak reactionary statements, gossiping about neighbors and bad-mouthing people behind their backs wasn¡¯t illegal.


    Who hadn¡¯t talked or cursed about others behind their backs?


    They¡¯d even quarreled face to face.


    You curse me, I curse you, you expose my faults, I expose yours. As long as it didn¡¯t come to blows, the security team didn¡¯t intervene.


    Let alone the public security bureau of the county town...

 Chapter 117 - 117 117 I am the Old Mountain Eagle

    ?Chapter 117: Chapter 117 I am the Old Mountain Eagle Chapter 117: Chapter 117 I am the Old Mountain Eagle However, when he saw Qiao Qingyu sitting steadily by his side, he didn¡¯t know why, but his heart also settled down.


    People always say, ¡°Follow the phoenix, and you¡¯ll turn into a handsome bird.¡±


    Getting married to He Xiuyu, his niece could surely learn a thing or two.


    Once they entered the Public Security Bureau, his niece produced an introduction letter, a family ID, and then a blue booklet.


    This blue booklet was issued to Qiao Qingyu by He Xiuyu.


    Even he did not know what was written on it, but as soon as the receptionist saw it, she immediately stood up, her expression turning serious.


    It startled him, but as his niece continued to sit steadily in her chair, he had no choice but to remain still as well, while the receptionist asked them to wait a moment and then scurried out of the office.


    It wasn¡¯t long before she led the two of them into another office, much larger than the first, and even furnished with a sofa.


    Although Qiao Zhiyuan was just a small team leader, he had actually met the person in front of him once before at a big meeting in the county; this person was the deputy director.


    The receptionist from earlier was sitting next to him with the booklet.


    After introductions were made, the deputy director nodded at him, then turned to Qiao Qingyu with a very serious expression, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, please describe in detail what happened.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan promptly closed his mouth.


    He only knew those old women had insulted his niece but didn¡¯t really know what they had said.


    But he listened intently as Qiao Qingyu solemnly said, ¡°I am a daughter married out from the Qiao Family Team. Personally, they are all my elders; no matter how they insult or slander me, as a junior, I shouldn¡¯t come here to file a complaint. However, I can¡¯t be so selfish, as justice outweighs sentiment, especially when facing major right and wrong issues. I must adhere to the principles, even if it means cutting off familial ties.¡±


    The deputy director nodded, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, you¡¯re right. In the face of major right and wrong, we must adhere to the principles!¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s exactly what I believe. Also, I am doing this to save them, to prevent them from committing unforgivable mistakes in the future.


    Due to confidentiality reasons, I will not say more here. You saw the documents earlier; I hope these people can recognize their mistakes, correct them timely, and turn over a new leaf.¡±


    Afterwards, Qiao Qingyu took out a notebook and a fountain pen from her bag and wrote several lines without a word. After she finished writing, she directly handed it to the deputy director.


    After reading it, the deputy director stood up, his voice sharp as he ordered the receptionist, ¡°Arrange for the police to be dispatched!¡±


    Uncle Qiao was stunned; he was still in a daze, not even understanding what had happened. From start to finish, Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t mentioned what those old women had said to insult her, so why had he agreed to dispatch the police?


    Qiao Zhiyuan felt dizzy, his body almost floating, but he resolutely stood behind Qiao Qingyu.


    Though he was close by, he also hadn¡¯t seen what was written on that piece of paper, which the deputy director had already folded and tucked into a drawer.


    Then they left the office and arranged for the police to be dispatched as swiftly as possible. But unexpectedly, when they reached the main entrance, a military jeep blocked their way.


    Qiao Zhiyuan had not only failed to anticipate that the deputy director would personally join them in dispatching the police, but he was also surprised when a uniformed man stepped out of the military jeep and stopped their police car.


    After the deputy director recognized who it was, he quickly opened the car door and got out, with Qiao Zhiyuan and Qiao Qingyu following. Qiao Zhiyuan suddenly remembered that while he had been riding with Qiao Qingyu toward the county town, over a dozen jeeps and military trucks had passed them on the road.


    It seemed they were all together.


    What he hadn¡¯t anticipated even more was that this stern yet handsome young man was none other than He Xiuyu¡¯s older brother and He Shan¡¯s eldest son, now the commander of the Huaxia Special Forces Team, He Xiuwen.


    After a brief explanation of the situation by the deputy director, they set off again, this time with He Xiuwen and two team members following behind.


    The county town wasn¡¯t far from the Qiao Family Team; by car, it was just over ten minutes.


    So, the people of the Qiao Family Team were still having lunch when these individuals arrived in the village.


    Following them in a brisk jog were Captain Sun Dazhang and Accountant Zhang.


    The police car hadn¡¯t even entered the village yet when Captain Sun heard it, nearly dropping his bowl in fright.


    Only one thought crossed his mind, ¡°Qiao Qingyu has won!¡±


    At that moment, the police officers pushed open the gate of Qiao Lao Si¡¯s house.


    The Qiao Lao Si family hadn¡¯t split their household, living together in five mud brick rooms with two side rooms, accommodating over twenty family members.


    It was May, and they were dining outside.


    Proud and smug, Zhao Daju leaned against the fence, still chatting with Second Aunt Li on the other side about today¡¯s achievements.


    Cursing Qiao Qingyu and mocking Han Xianglan while also slandering Qiao Zhicai as an old bastard.


    As these people entered, the bowl in Qiao Lao Si¡¯s hands clattered to the ground, and his legs went weak.


    Zhao Daju, on the other hand, frowned, looking at the newcomers with bewildered suspicion.


    Then she saw that wretched girl, Qiao Qingyu, standing next to Qiao Zhiyuan, watching her with a cold, mocking gaze.


    She wasn¡¯t stupid; naturally, she wouldn¡¯t dare to curse Qiao Qingyu at this moment.


    But she also didn¡¯t dare to tell these people to leave.


    Among those who had come was Captain Tang from the public security squad.


    He was tall and imposing, standing in the courtyard and asking with a frown, ¡°Who is Zhao Daju?¡±


    All eyes turned toward Qiao Lao Si¡¯s wife.


    Her hands trembled slightly, yet she replied defiantly, ¡°I am Zhao Daju, so what?¡±


    ¡°Zhao Daju, I ask you, at exactly ten fifty-five this morning near the entrance of the Qiao Family Team¡¯s village, did you or did you not say, ¡®I am the Old Mountain Eagle?''¡±


    Aside from Qiao Qingyu, He Xiuwen, and the deputy director, no one knew what the three words ¡°Old Mountain Eagle¡± stood for...


    The deputy director knew because he had received a confidential memo some time ago asking him to conduct an investigation in Hejia Village.


    It was regarding a lead on the Old Mountain Eagle.


    In Hejia Village there were also He Xiuyu¡¯s grandparents.


    For some reason, everyone suddenly felt the air turn colder.


    Second Aunt Li looked uncertainly at Qiao Lao Si¡¯s wife; Zhao Daju had said it, but what was wrong with that statement?


    And the following part she said was¡ªspecifically to catch shameless creatures like you.


    Normally, Zhao Daju would have admitted it without caring, defiantly saying, ¡°Yes, I said it, what can you do to me!¡±


    But she hesitated.


    In that moment of hesitation, Captain Tang asked Captain Sun, who had followed him, ¡°Captain, who here is called Li Er Ya?¡±


    Captain Sun pointed at Second Aunt Li, ¡°She is Li Er Ya.¡±


    Captain Tang asked sternly, ¡°Li Er Ya, was it you or Zhao Daju who said the sentence ¡®I am the Old Mountain Eagle?''¡±


    Then his voice suddenly became harsh, ¡°Do not lie!¡±


    Li Er Ya nearly collapsed in fright, her hands flailing, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who said it, it was Zhao Daju.¡±


    The deputy director waved his hand, his voice carrying a chill, ¡°Take her away!¡±

 Chapter 118 - 118 118 When Heaven Brings Disasters Man

    ?Chapter 118: Chapter 118: When Heaven Brings Disasters, Man Brings Calamity! Chapter 118: Chapter 118: When Heaven Brings Disasters, Man Brings Calamity! From start to finish, Qiao Qingyu watched the scene before her calmly, while He Xiuwen stood in the yard with his hands clasped behind his back, his posture erect. He remained silent throughout, but the murderous aura emanating from the two team members behind him was not to be underestimated.


    He Xiuwen frowned slightly, but with a hint of curiosity, he glanced at Qiao Qingyu. This was the sister-in-law his younger brother had brought to the Northwest from the Qiao Family Team.


    Rongrong was very fond of her.


    Whatever Qiao Qingyu had done for Rongrong, his brother had told him.


    He was very grateful to Qiao Qingyu.


    Especially since, based on a mere suspicion, she had risked her life to rescue his daughter from the human traffickers.


    Had it been just a few hours later, the consequences would have been unthinkable.


    Because those people were a group of inhuman beasts.


    As the special task force, they too would carry out such missions, so pursuing Old Mountain Eagle was also one of his duties.


    Moreover, it was this year¡¯s main mission.


    As the remote controller for Shangpo Village and Lu Guilian¡¯s group, Old Mountain Eagle might have already escaped or could still be lurking at their base or elsewhere.


    This was a mysterious and powerful espionage leader.


    Nobody knew whether they were male or female.


    So even now, Old Mountain Eagle had not been caught, and they naturally wouldn¡¯t overlook any clues.


    Although Zhao Daju had said those words, she might not be Old Mountain Eagle, but he didn¡¯t mind helping Qiao Qingyu clean up the people here.


    He turned to the deputy director and said, ¡°Old Ning, we won¡¯t wrong a good person, but will certainly not spare a bad one, especially a spy. I will send some team members to work with your team at the Qiao Family Team. Take the people back and proceed with the interrogation immediately.¡±


    His voice was neither loud nor soft, loud enough for everyone in the yard to hear, as the yard had quieted down considerably since the arrival of the public security officers.


    At that moment, people were very sensitive, especially to the words ¡°spy¡± and ¡°espionage.¡±


    Everyone looked toward Qiao Laos¡¯s wife, and by then, a public security officer had already scaled the hedge wall, ready to also take Second Aunt Li away.


    The people sent to the Zhu family and Accountant Zhang¡¯s home had also returned.


    This was different from before dinner, as those few hadn¡¯t paid any attention before dinner.


    To be honest, even though Sun Dazhang had prestige in the village, in a village where everyone was either related or long-standing acquaintances, some had known Sun Dazhang since he was a child and naturally were very familiar with him, so these old ladies had dismissed it as unimportant.


    But when the public security from the county town arrived, they dared not make a scene and obediently followed.


    Accountant Zhang was on the verge of tears, his head dripping with sweat.


    Filled with both anger and hatred.


    And a sense of panic was rising within him; it seemed this matter was no simple affair, it wasn¡¯t just a bunch of old ladies gossiping anymore.


    The issue had escalated to spies and espionage.


    No one had even told him what was really going on.


    Zhao Daju moved backward and shouted sharply, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me, I¡¯ve broken no law, what right do you have to arrest me?¡±


    Then she even managed to scratch the public security officer closest to her. Luckily the young officer reacted quickly, or he would¡¯ve ended up with a face full of scratches.


    Indeed, she was the famously troublesome individual far and wide.


    Captain Tang stepped forward, his voice cold as he asked, ¡°Zhao Daju, I¡¯ll ask you just one thing, did you or did you not say, ¡®I am Old Mountain Eagle¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I said it, so what if I did? I am Old Mountain Eagle, what can you do about it?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu laughed.


    They say that nature has its disasters, people have their misfortunes, and indeed, this saying made sense.


    The deputy director¡¯s voice was stern, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, take them away. If they resist, shoot them on the spot!¡±


    With a swoosh, several gun barrels were pointed at Zhao Daju.


    Zhao Daju collapsed to the ground all at once.


    Qiao Laos fainted right away with a flip of his eyes.


    ...


    The police sirens wailed as they took the four people away.


    He Xiuwen stayed at the Qiao Family Team, and Sun Dazhang quickly had someone make food in the cafeteria, but He Xiuwen refused, driving to the outside of the village. Not long after, a truck arrived, and a dozen soldiers in military attire got off.


    For a moment, the entire Qiao Family Team was silent.


    However, the Qiao Zhiyuan household was bustling with noise.


    Old Qiao and Granny Qiao surrounded Qiao Qingyu, examining her from every angle with eyes full of affection.


    Perhaps people are drawn to what they lack; the Old Qiao Family had many sons but few daughters, especially ones as beautiful as Qiao Qingyu.


    A few granddaughters-in-law did bear some little girls, yet none brought the same delight as when Qiao Qingyu had first been born.


    At this time, the eldest of the Qiao family also hurried back, out of breath.


    He had gone to the neighboring village to deliver grain to Qiao Zhicai and Han Xianglan.


    The two villages were close, and on his return, he saw police cars and jeeps heading towards the Qiao Family Team from a distance. It gave him quite a shock. Although he knew there wouldn¡¯t be any trouble at home, since he was a member of the Qiao Family Team, he ran all the way back.


    Then he saw his sister, whom he hadn¡¯t seen for over half a year, sitting in the yard.


    There was a long table in the grandparents¡¯ courtyard, topped with a bag of candy.


    His two children sat beside Qiao Qingyu.


    The kitchen was bustling, and the aroma of food wafted out. Qiao Zhiyuan saw him arrive and called out excitedly, ¡°Genbao, come quickly, Qingyu is back. Oh, and there¡¯s a lot to tell you.¡±


    Before he even settled down, Qiao Zhiyuan told Qiao Genbao about the recent events. Qiao Genbao was so angry that his face turned red, and he clenched his fists tightly.


    Honest people might not say much but feel a pent-up frustration inside.


    They, the Qiao family, hadn¡¯t offended anyone in the Qiao Family Team. So why, when his sister returned, did she become the object of their mockery?


    There was no need for a warm welcome, but what right did they have to laugh and hurl insults? Who did they think they were? His little sister hadn¡¯t done anything wrong; why did they feel entitled to gossip and point fingers?


    Even a cornered rabbit will bite; although he was usually a quiet man, he was also stubborn.


    Qiao Genbao grabbed an axe and headed for the door. It had been so long, and though he knew people gossiped about his family, no one had dared to say it to their face. This was just too much bullying.


    Qiao Zhiyuan hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Genbao to rush out with an axe, so he hurriedly intercepted him in a few big strides.


    Qiao Qingyu also stood up, and Feifei and Doudou, who were sitting beside her, also stood up in fright.


    Feifei was her niece, and Doudou was her nephew, both children of her eldest brother.


    After the eldest brother started his own family, the Qiao family split up.


    But the second brother didn¡¯t want to leave and continued to live with Old Qiao and the rest.


    Qiao Zhicai and Han Xianglan scrimped and saved to build a house.


    But they truly didn¡¯t have the means to build a separate house for Qiao Genbao, so they also lived together, not far away, about a three-minute walk.

 Chapter 119 - 119 119 Something Big Happening to Zhao Daju

    ?Chapter 119: Chapter 119 Something Big Happening to Zhao Daju Chapter 119: Chapter 119 Something Big Happening to Zhao Daju Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house, like this old mansion, had a facade of red bricks, but the side walls were built with yellow mud loaves, a common structure in most rural houses.


    So, there were quite a few people around the old mansion.


    Normally, when guests visited, they would dine here.


    Just now, the two aunts and two daughters-in-law, including Qiao Qingyu¡¯s sister-in-law, were busy inside the house.


    There really were a lot of people.


    The candy brought by He Xiuyu was not available in North City, supposedly supplied only in special stores.


    Flavors of milk, orange, and peach.


    The packaging was quite attractive, and the children carefully unfolded the candy wrappers and cautiously stored them in their pockets after eating the candy.


    At that time, collecting cigarette packs and candy wrappers was like children in the future collecting Ultraman cards.


    At this moment, all the children¡¯s gazes were fixed on the entrance where Qiao Zhiyuan and Qiao Genbao were standing.


    Qiao Qingyu quickly went over, snatched the axe from his hand, and whispered, ¡°Big brother, there¡¯s no need for us to take matters into our own hands. We now have the police to ensure justice for us. Rest assured, this will be a lesson they won¡¯t forget for the rest of their lives.¡±


    Qiao Genbao was looking at his younger sister; she was born when he was fifteen, so he had literally watched her grow up.


    Their affection was naturally extraordinary.


    Thinking of their mother, thin as a stick, tears came to his eyes as he pointed at Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qingyu, why are you so foolish? Why did you marry so far away?¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan quickly pulled Qiao Genbao aside, ¡°Alright, alright, it¡¯s all in the past now, let it be,¡± then he gave him a meaningful look.


    Qiao Genbao took a deep breath and indeed, he didn¡¯t mention it again. Yes, she was already married and there was no point in discussing it.


    Lunch was quickly prepared; a family of more than twenty people dined at a long table, though the children did not join them at the table.


    The aunt, although her expression was cold, served Qiao Qingyu the most rice.


    Qiao Zhiyuan breathed a sigh of relief; this old woman was still quite sensible.


    After lunch, Qiao Qingyu followed her brother and sister-in-law back home with Feifei and Doudou.


    Qiao Zhicai and Han Xianglan had not returned, and Qiao Qingyu¡¯s room was still preserved, impeccably clean.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s sister-in-law was named Niu Guili.


    She opened all the windows in the house and then quietly observed Qiao Qingyu. She noticed that her sister-in-law seemed different.


    She had been in the Qiao Family for ten years and had essentially watched Qiao Qingyu grow up. Although Qingyu was a bit spoiled as a child, she was reasonable and sensible. However, the things she did as she grew older were often frustrating.


    Especially the incident at Hejia Village; it was so embarrassing that she couldn¡¯t hold her head up when returning to her parental home. In the village, everyone lived close together with little entertainment, and any small incident would immediately become the talk of the town.


    So, she really disliked her, but this time, she felt that Qiao Qingyu, after getting married, seemed to have suddenly grown up and become sensible.


    Especially her cheerful demeanor, it inexplicably gave a comforting feeling.


    It even made her feel sweet inside.


    She was also annoyed by the incident at the village entrance; Zhao Daju was too arrogant, but being verbally clumsy, she really didn¡¯t dare argue with Aunt Qiao.


    In this respect, the Qiao Family was fairly united, all standing together.


    But she never expected that her sister-in-law could be so formidable, actually managing to get those four old women locked up.


    No matter what, even if they were released soon, it would be enough to keep them quiet for a while.


    ¡°Qingyu, take a good rest since you¡¯ve been tired all morning. Let¡¯s just eat at home tonight instead of going to grandma and grandpa¡¯s place.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, big sister-in-law,¡± Qiao Qingyu said crisply.


    Niu Guili somewhat surprisingly waved her hands, ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no trouble at all. I¡¯m your sister-in-law; this is what I should do.¡±


    Then she shut the door and went to the kitchen.


    Times were tough at home; they had given most of their grain to the grandparents.


    She had been frugal with expenditures as well.


    The two yuan in her pocket were even secretly given to her by her mother.


    At home, they had only a little over a pound of flour, yet she still wanted to make some noodles for her sister-in-law. It¡¯s said that one should have dumplings when getting on a vehicle and noodles when getting off. Her sister-in-law had traveled a long way home, and it was just right to eat noodles as she just got off the journey.


    However, they had run out of soybean paste at home, so she needed to get some from the old house. There was also a handful of mushrooms at home, which she planned to soak for Qingyu to make mushroom sauce.


    After preparing the dough, Niu Guili hurried to the old house.


    Along the way, she thought the villagers might have thoughts about her, but to her surprise, they greeted her warmly from afar.


    They all said they weren¡¯t like Qiao Laos¡¯s wife; if they saw Qiao Qingyu at the village entrance, they would definitely welcome her joyfully into the village.


    A married daughter is precious, and one shouldn¡¯t treat others so maliciously. Now, being taken into custody by the police, that was their retribution.


    These people held a grudge against Qiao Laos¡¯s wife.


    It was like with Zhao Daju. Many in the village disliked her, but no one bothered to stoop to her level.


    Niu Guili¡¯s face was stiff with forced smiles, but inside she was pleased. Just moments ago she had been worried. Living in the same village, Qiao Qingyu seemed to have offended all four families; once Qiao Qingyu left, it wouldn¡¯t be easy for her to get along with them.


    But this was totally beyond her expectations.


    And to everyone¡¯s surprise, in the evening, county police came again and took Qiao Laos away.


    A rumor quietly spread.


    Qiao Laos¡¯s wife was suspected not only of being a spy but also a murderer!


    This truly caused a huge uproar, although nobody dared to talk openly about it, everyone was secretly terrified.


    Zhao Daju, though harsh and tough, who would have thought she could smother Qiao Laos¡¯s actual wife with a pillow?


    This also implicated Qiao Laos.


    Even Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t expected this.


    However, it wasn¡¯t surprising either. Once a wicked person¡¯s misdeed is discovered, one can deduce there must be more. And investigations prove accurate.


    Qiao Qingyu had insisted on reporting to the police because of this phrase by Zhao Daju, and of course, there was another statement, but that was no longer important.


    After she declared, ¡°I am the Old Mountain Eagle,¡± nothing else mattered.


    Though He Xiuyu didn¡¯t mention it, Qiao Qingyu deduced that the Old Mountain Eagle surely hadn¡¯t been caught. Not only had he not been caught, but he had also gone into hiding.


    This complicated the investigation.


    Then, naturally, it was time to cast a wide net. Since the spy was targeting He Xiuyu, Hejia Village, Xiuyu¡¯s hometown, would obviously be within the scope of the investigation.


    Such issues couldn¡¯t bypass the county police.


    Thus, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t need to mention how these women had slandered and abused her and her mother; she just needed to relay Zhao Daju¡¯s phrase to the deputy chief.

 Chapter 120 - 120 120 Good and Evil will Eventually be

    ?Chapter 120: Chapter 120: Good and Evil will Eventually be Rewarded Chapter 120: Chapter 120: Good and Evil will Eventually be Rewarded In such a sensitive time frame, they wouldn¡¯t let any clue pass by.


    After all, the impact of this statement was quite strong.


    However, had Zhao Daju not said this, Qiao Qingyu still would have found a way to detain them for a few days.


    In those days, people didn¡¯t really care about the consequences of spreading rumors or slanders.


    But everyone feared the charges of espionage and being a spy, as well as the crimes of betraying secrets.


    At that time, these women were utterly unrestrained; they really dared to say anything.


    She just needed to seize a few key points.


    Even if they were locked up for just one day, it would keep them from daring to mention the He Family and her again.


    Like Liu Qiao Wen, she guessed this woman would not dare to report her family¡¯s situation for the rest of her life.


    Thus sometimes, He Xiuyu¡¯s identity proved very useful, and of course, the special pass he got for her from Tenghai Research Base was also quite handy.


    Right, the appearance of He Xiuwen was purely accidental, but one couldn¡¯t deny its impressive deterrent effect.


    Therefore, Qiao Qingyu was very satisfied with the outcome.


    ¡°Every deed good or bad has its consequences,¡± these words were indeed apt for Zhao Daju!


    ...


    Two days later, He Xiuwen left with his team, but before leaving, he made a special trip to see Qiao Qingyu.


    He also brought some pastries, fruits, and canned goods for Old Qiao and the others.


    However, his presence was overpowering; standing there emanated an aura of sternness and coldness, making the scene awkward at times, but he merely greeted them and quickly departed with his team.


    At that moment, Qiao Qingyu remembered that she hadn¡¯t yet called He Xiuyu.


    She dialed He Xiuyu¡¯s office number and was surprised when someone picked up after just a few rings.


    This was the first time she heard He Xiuyu¡¯s voice over the phone.


    His deep, magnetic, pleasant male voice came through the receiver, sending an indescribable shiver through her.


    Curling her lips into a smile, Qiao Qingyu even softened her tone.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been somewhat busy these past days and forgot to call you. I¡¯m fine, how is Rongrong?¡±


    ¡°Rongrong¡¯s at kindergarten, a bit down, but she¡¯s okay. What have you been busy with?¡± He Xiuyu asked slowly.


    ¡°I just came back and ran into a little issue, but it¡¯s resolved now.¡±


    He Xiuyu paused for a moment on the other end of the line, but didn¡¯t continue to inquire; someone was talking to him, and he was obviously busy, so Qiao Qingyu quickly hung up.


    In the Qiao Family Team headquarters, Qiao Qingyu was alone; Sun Dazhang and Uncle Qiao were outside, squatting and smoking dry tobacco.


    The captain had lost weight over those two days; he had never imagined that pulling out one radish would bring up so much dirt and even lead to catching a murderer.


    But it was indeed hateful.


    Although Qiao Laos didn¡¯t physically intervene, he watched with his own eyes as Zhao Daju smothered his paralyzed wife.


    Such a cruel heart¡ªjust the thought of it sent a chill down one¡¯s spine.


    And it was truly terrifying.


    Although many knew about this, none dared to discuss it openly.


    The other three women were still detained, and they could only be released after all issues were thoroughly investigated.


    Thus, Sun Dazhang deeply realized the truth of the saying that trouble comes from careless talk.


    Not only Sun Dazhang realized this, those who were detained¡ªSecond Aunt Li, Aunt Zhu, and Accountant Zhang¡¯s wife¡ªalso grasped the grave lesson.


    This experience was bitterly painful.


    Not just embarrassing, it was absolutely terrifying.


    These four women often ganged up to gossip about others, never imagining that Zhao Daju, who always mocked and degraded others to elevate her own image as a noble and pure person, turned out to be a murderer.


    Isn¡¯t it terrifying?


    Of course, it¡¯s terrifying!


    Scared to death!!!


    ...


    On the fifth day, all three of them were released.


    Without uttering a single unnecessary word, their mouths, for the first time in their lives, were tightly shut.


    Not just now, but in the future as well.


    In the dead of the night, Accountant Zhang secretly asked Li Cuifen what the Old Mountain Eagle was all about, but he hadn¡¯t expected Li Cuifen to be so frightened that she almost passed out and quickly covered his mouth.


    Accountant Zhang finally realized something and dared not ask again.


    Of course, these were just small side stories.


    Having been at the Qiao Family Team for almost a week now, Qiao Qingyu was recording the growth conditions of the experimental corn in her laboratory space.


    The dandelions planted by Uncle and his elder brother were growing very well, it seemed they would be ready to be harvested and dried in a while.


    By preliminary calculation, it could be about several hundred pounds.


    She needed to contact the traditional medicine factory in the provincial city about this, it had to be put on her schedule.


    Her elder brother¡¯s flower seeds had already grown over 30 centimeters tall, the leaves were glossy green, and the plants were thick overall; these were ornamental roses.


    Since there were no flower pots, wooden troughs were used, and they had planted over a hundred of them.


    It was still the 1980s, and the cities hadn¡¯t started their greenification projects yet, and the top priority in Huaxia Country was the household-responsibility system followed by the reform and opening-up policies.


    Only when people were well-fed and had money in their pockets would the flower industry start to thrive.


    For now, the focus was still on farming.


    If possible, they could completely set up a large vegetable greenhouse in autumn.


    Her lab space had greenhouse vegetables suitable for the climate of North City.


    After recording all these, Qiao Qingyu leaned back in her chair; her elder brother and his wife had gone to the fields, and both her nephew and niece had gone to school, yet she still hadn¡¯t seen Han Xianglan.


    Han Xianglan was in bad health and couldn¡¯t handle shocks, if she didn¡¯t want to see her, Qingyu really couldn¡¯t force a meeting.


    But she still felt somewhat uncomfortable.


    There was a desk in the room, made by Qiao Zhicai from very beautiful and clear-grained rubber wood.


    After all, there was rubber wood in the nearby mountains, but in recent years, it had become scarce and logging was not allowed.


    However, there were only a few books in the house; the original owner did not love studying and thus didn¡¯t enjoy reading.


    Moreover, the environment back then was a bit chaotic, so studying stopped by the fourth grade.


    Qiao Qingyu searched the entire house but really didn¡¯t find any notebooks or slips of paper.


    She had been worried about her penmanship, but she couldn¡¯t just not write, and there were many more slip-ups on her part; she decided not to care too much about it.


    Seeing that there wasn¡¯t a single word here, she couldn¡¯t quite describe her feelings.


    Qiao Qingyu prepared to go to the old house.


    Now, Aunt Zhu was the head of the old house.


    Although Aunt Zhu looked down on her and was cold towards her now, seeing her fight with Zhao Daju at the entrance of the village made Qiao Qingyu greet her with a smile.


    She also heard from her brother that these two families, including her second uncle¡¯s family, didn¡¯t have a penny in savings.


    Furthermore, due to Han Xianglan¡¯s illness, they had incurred a considerable amount of external debt.


    This money was all borrowed by Qiao Zhiyuan.


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t let Uncle continue to struggle.


    She carried a bag with 300 yuan in it.


    Actually, she could have given more, but money, even when given, shouldn¡¯t be given like that.


    It needs to be done gradually.

 Chapter 121 - 121 121 Unforgettable Lesson for Life

    ?Chapter 121: Chapter 121 Unforgettable Lesson for Life! Chapter 121: Chapter 121 Unforgettable Lesson for Life! 300 yuan could have allowed Aunt Qiao to pay off all her external debts and still have over one hundred yuan left.


    This would alleviate a great deal of pressure.


    At the very least, Uncle Qiao, with his excessive brotherly supportiveness, wouldn¡¯t need to worry about their branch of the family anymore.


    That would make things much easier for them.


    Moreover, her relatives couldn¡¯t possibly live in the Qiao Family Team forever.


    The future was always something to look forward to.


    Qiao Qingyu, with a smile on her lips, stood in the courtyard, greeting her smiling neighbors.


    From now on, even for decades to come, no one would dare gossip about Qiao Qingyu or the affairs of the Qiao family.


    Some wouldn¡¯t even dare to speak behind her back.


    This was the unforgettable lesson Qiao Qingyu had taught them!


    Qiao Qingyu also greeted these aunties with a smile before she pushed the door open, only to find someone standing outside.


    He was in his thirties, dark-skinned; Qiao Qingyu recognized him as Qiao Lao Si¡¯s eldest son.


    After getting married, he had moved out.


    He lived at the other end of the village and didn¡¯t interact much with Qiao Lao Si¡¯s family, but during festivals, he still had to buy gifts or give money as a sign of filial piety.


    Otherwise, Zhao Daju would rant for days and nights.


    His clothes were patched over with layers, and though he was only in his thirties, he seemed like he could have been sixty.


    But his eyes were bright.


    When he saw Qiao Qingyu come out, he bowed deeply to her.


    Qiao Qingyu quickly dodged, and before she could say anything, Qiao Lao Si¡¯s eldest son hurriedly left.


    Sister-in-law Li quietly said from behind, ¡°Qingyu, he was thanking you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded, it was indeed something to be thankful for; if it hadn¡¯t been for all that had happened, that woman would have truly died in vain.


    Qiao Lao Si¡¯s eldest son headed to his father¡¯s house, Qiao Lao Si¡¯s place.


    Qiao Lao Si and Zhao Daju wouldn¡¯t be released, and a severe punishment awaited them.


    Now, Qiao Lao Si¡¯s house was in chaos, but the children of Qiao Lao Si¡¯s eldest son, Qiao Liang, all stood at the gateway; on seeing their father, they went together into Qiao Lao Si¡¯s courtyard.


    Even though they were all from poor families, when Qiao Lao Si¡¯s first wife married into the family, she brought quite a few things with her.


    Later, all these things ended up with Zhao Daju.


    When Zhao Daju had first come into the house, Qiao Liang was only seven years old, too young to understand these matters, so naturally, no one thought about getting these things back.


    Actually, only one cabinet made of yellow pear wood was valuable; the others were just ordinary wooden cabinets, but Qiao Liang would rather chop them up and burn them than leave them for others.


    So there was a fuss again at Qiao Lao Si¡¯s house, although it was much quieter this time, and strangely, the neighbors watching the commotion had decreased.


    Even those who were watching the commotion no longer dared to point fingers and chatter like before, especially their neighbor Second Aunt Li, that woman who feared the world wouldn¡¯t be chaotic, now hardly ever left her house unless necessary.


    For Qiao Qingyu, all these were just a little episode of her coming home.


    She went to the old house, and they had just finished dinner there. Aunt Qiao and Auntie were cleaning up the kitchen, but Qiao Qingyu did not give the money directly to Aunt Qiao. Instead, she went to her grandparents¡¯ room and took out 300 yuan, quietly saying, ¡°Granny, this money is earned by myself. I know Uncle had spent all the family savings because of my parents, and then because of my marriage, he incurred a lot of debts. But I¡¯m not sure how much. This money is in your hands, Granny, you can decide how to handle it.¡±


    Granny Qiao immediately understood her granddaughter¡¯s intention. Her rough hands, like tree bark, held her granddaughter¡¯s, hardly daring to use force because those little hands were so tender and smooth, like tofu. She was slightly teary-eyed, ¡°Qingyu, Granny has always cherished you.¡±


    Then she quickly asked, ¡°Is it truly earned by yourself? How did you earn so much? Qingyu, given our situation, we really shouldn¡¯t feel right to spend the He Family¡¯s money...¡±


    ¡°Granny, don¡¯t worry, I really earned it myself. I made purses with Sister-in-law Li from the family compound and sold them to the female workers at the factory, and earned quite a bit of money.¡±


    Granny Qiao¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°That¡¯s really good.¡±


    Then she whispered a caution, ¡°Don¡¯t tell others about this yet.¡±


    In the 1980s, North City was relatively undeveloped, so those who did business, even if there were any, always did so stealthily.


    ¡°Granny, I¡¯ve only told you, so just feel free to use this money.¡±


    Kinship is different; even before meeting, Qiao Qingyu had made various assumptions, but once she saw them, a sense of closeness naturally arose.


    She loved this big family. Being an orphan, she was not very used to having many relatives around, but the feeling of being cared for was indeed very warm.


    Before they could talk much, Qiao Qingyu was called away by Sun Dazhang and Uncle Qiao.


    Qiao Qingyu had Sun Dazhang and her uncle arrange for a batch of seeds, after all, she had come here for that purpose, and those glass bottles had already been secured by Qiao Qingyu into her laboratory space, of course very covertly, under the pretext that someone from the base office had come to handle affairs and took the opportunity to move the items.


    Phones were inconvenient at the time, and there were no surveillance systems, so Qiao Qingyu took advantage of this loophole.


    Thus, the issue of the glass bottles was completely resolved, leaving only the seeds to be dealt with.


    Sun Dazhang excitedly told Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qingyu, your uncle and I have arranged two thousand pounds of vegetable seeds for you. When you return, the county transport team will send them to you, and just in time to transport the medicinal plant seeds back.¡±


    He continued, ¡°Old Wang in our county and the Provincial Traditional Medicine Factory have been contacted. If we can really grow them, they¡¯ll take as much as we can produce.¡±


    At this point, Sun Dazhang was truly animated.


    He thought that after the incident with Qiao Laosi¡¯s wife, there would be no further interactions with Qiao Qingyu, but little did he expect that the girl would bear no grudges and agreed to provide them with gastrodia and red flower seeds.


    He knew about gastrodia and red flower; they were precious medicinal materials and could be harvested the same year they were planted, unlike some medicinal plants that required several years to see benefits. He knew they were poor and really couldn¡¯t wait, truly needing immediate solutions.


    ¡°Uncle Sun, I also want to thank you and uncle for arranging so many seeds for me. The Xiaxi Commune near the base suffered a disaster recently, and Vice Director Qian of the commune entrusted me before I left to help him with this.¡±


    ¡°We definitely need to help with that, Qingyu, rest assured, the Qiao Family Team will always support you. Now contact via phone is also convenient, whatever you need, just give us a call.¡±


    Sun Dazhang spoke very heartily.


    Qiao Zhiyuan watched his niece with contentment, feeling somewhat regretful. If Qiao Zhicai and Han Xianglan could see their daughter matured like this, they would be so happy.


    But why was Han Xianglan so stubborn, insisting on not meeting...


    ...

 Chapter 122 - 122 122 Mobei Prairie

    ?Chapter 122: Chapter 122 Mobei Prairie Chapter 122: Chapter 122 Mobei Prairie The vegetable seeds Qiao Qingyu requested were not taken back to the Qiao Family Team but were temporarily stored at the county seed station.


    Qiao Qingyu took a look and found these seeds to be of excellent quality. Although she wasn¡¯t actually very knowledgeable about them, the color and plumpness of the seeds suggested they were of the highest quality. Yet, they still fell short compared to those in the laboratory.


    Qiao Qingyu hesitated. Did she really need to replace all these seeds?


    Was it a bit too wasteful?


    Where should she put the replaced seeds?


    Particularly the cabbage and radish seeds, which were not edible either.


    Qiao Qingyu pondered for a long time but couldn¡¯t come up with a reliable solution, so she decided to set the matter aside for now.


    Because apart from the thousands of kilograms of vegetable seeds she handled for Mr. Qian of Xiaxi Commune, she would next focus on figuring out the Barley Grass Seeds for the base.


    North City was close to the prairie, and she had also made contact for Barley Grass Seeds.


    However, there were no Poplar trees here.


    Nor were there any sea buckthorn.


    Some people hadn¡¯t even heard of it.


    After Qiao Qingyu returned home, she sat at her desk, picked up some paper and a pen, and began to calculate.


    Xiaxi Commune, cabbage and radish seeds weighed one thousand kilograms each.


    These two were also the main types of vegetables stored for winter.


    As for potato shoots, they were rare in North City.


    It was well past the potato planting season, and potatoes were tubers, different from seeds.


    The potatoes from Qiao Qingyu¡¯s laboratory would only cover four mu of land.


    Qiao Qingyu frowned.


    Actually, it would be quite appropriate to plant potatoes on a plot of land at the base.


    Thus, she put three question marks after the word ¡°potato¡±.


    Even if she could get potato seeds, a minimum of three hundred kilograms per mu was needed. The one thousand kilograms of potato seeds in the laboratory occupied an entire wall.


    If she were to get potato seeds from the Qiao Family Team, planting now would still be feasible, as the laboratory¡¯s potato seeds were not only suitable for sandy soil, but also had high yields, short growth periods, and high nutritional value.


    Their capacity for disease and drought resistance was also several times higher than ordinary potatoes.


    Getting more was unlikely; six to seven hundred kilograms were more feasible.


    With a bit of effort, they could suffice for planting on four mu of land.


    The laboratory¡¯s potato seeds had a yield of six to nine thousand kilograms per mu.


    At the lowest estimate, they could harvest tens of thousands of kilograms of potatoes, saving the rest after personal consumption for replanting.


    Otherwise, they would have to wait another two years.


    That being said, if they wanted to expand cultivation, preliminary estimates indicated that it wouldn¡¯t be until three years later.


    Qiao Qingyu put a check mark after ¡°potato.¡±


    Sorted!


    These could be packed in sacks and transported well in trucks.


    As for the vegetation needed for the greening of the base, they would choose Barley Grass and sea buckthorn.


    Poplar could be planted on the periphery.


    Qiao Qingyu thought carefully again, realizing she hadn¡¯t missed anything.


    She rushed to the team headquarters again.


    The team leader and her own uncle were not there, so Qiao Qingyu headed to the experimental fields, where indeed both were present.


    The Qiao Family Team had many experienced personnel, with corn grown on the five hundred acres of experimental fields looking even more robust and healthy than she had imagined.


    These elderly farmers were experienced, some even able to analyze how many ears of corn could grow on a single plant.


    Qiao Qingyu waved her hands and called out to Qiao Zhiyuan, ¡°Uncle, come here, I need to speak with you.¡±


    At that moment, Qiao Zhiyuan and Sun Dazhang were squatting in the furrow. These past few days, during this growth stage aphids could appear, but they found almost none in the experimental fields.


    Even so, they couldn¡¯t be careless, as regular corn was planted nearby.


    It would be a disaster if it got infected.


    Hearing his name called, Qiao Zhiyuan turned and saw it was his niece, hurriedly put down what he was doing, and ran toward the edge of the field.


    ¡°Qingyu, why aren¡¯t you at home? What brings you to the field?¡±


    He then added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about your mom yet, I plan to sneak you in to see them tomorrow.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu waved her hands, ¡°Uncle, let¡¯s not talk about my parents right now, I want to go to the Northern Desert Prairie, and have my third brother accompany me.¡±


    ¡°You want the Barley Grass Seeds, eh? Well, funny you should mention it, I¡¯ve actually contacted someone. We don¡¯t have those seeds here, who plants grass these days? The grass in these fields is meant to be removed.¡±


    ¡°We might not have them here, but the Northern Desert does, I¡¯ve already called and checked.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu contacted them through the seed station¡¯s director in the county town.


    Qiao Zhiyuan thought for a moment, there was a public bus service from the county town, and it would take about six hours to reach the Northern Desert.


    He then nodded, ¡°Since this is an official matter, Uncle can¡¯t object. Wait for me to go discuss with your Uncle Sun, to see if he can have the county transport team dispatch a truck. It¡¯d be best if your eldest brother could drive you two there, then I¡¯d feel completely at ease.¡±


    Without waiting for Qiao Qingyu to respond, he hurriedly turned around and went to find Sun Dazhang in the field.


    Sun Dazhang had no objections, though he still had to contact the transport team.


    With a letter of introduction, and considering that Qiao Qingyu was still the head of the Tenghai Research Base Breeding Laboratory, arranging this matter went smoothly.


    Thus, the next morning, Qiao Tianbao drove her and Qiao Shengbao toward the Northern Desert Prairie.


    The north in May also featured blue skies and warm waters, everywhere lush with greenery.


    This place was indeed different from Xichuan, without a single uneven mountain slope; it was a plain, and further north extended into the vast prairie, offering a broad view that seemed to widen one¡¯s heart infinitely, as if all troubles were gone.


    Not to mention the fields full of green, which was refreshingly pleasing to view.


    Initially, in the early days of Huaxia, North City was desolate, but after thirty years of development, it had become one of the most important granaries in the country.


    The environment in North City hadn¡¯t changed much even decades later, mainly because it still had a low population density, yet many areas had returned farmland to forests.


    Thus, even such places emphasized environmental development decades later.


    But this problem was nonexistent now.


    Xichuan was the complete opposite of this area.


    This contrast became even more apparent upon entering the prairie.


    This time, they were headed to the Northern Desert seed station, which had Barley Grass Seeds for sale¡ªup to one thousand catties to Qiao Qingyu.


    The only downside here was the poor road conditions, but the scenery was breathtakingly beautiful.


    When they took a break from driving, a young herdsman rode past on a horse, herding a group of cattle and sheep right in front of them.


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu, the young man¡¯s eyes lit up, and he even whistled at her.


    Angered, Qiao Tianbao and Qiao Shengbao both stood in front of Qiao Qingyu, eyes bulging.


    The young man threw back his head in hearty laughter, speaking rapidly in his ethnic tongue, then rode off fast on his reddish-brown horse, soon disappearing into the depths of the prairie.


    Qiao Qingyu stretched her back, pushing away the two ¡°bodyguards.¡±


    It had been nearly two months since she had ¡°entered the book,¡± and it was the first time she felt so delighted.

 Chapter 123 - 123 123 The Imposing Qiao Qingyu

    ?Chapter 123: Chapter 123: The Imposing Qiao Qingyu Chapter 123: Chapter 123: The Imposing Qiao Qingyu Qiao Qingyu looked around, the endless prairie seemed as if heaven had laid a lush green carpet over the land.


    By late May, many wildflowers had already begun to bloom fiercely.


    They also spotted a patch of wild daylilies.


    Qiao Qingyu unapologetically picked all the daylilies, which, after being dried and mixed with shredded meat, chili peppers, and served with rice, would certainly be a delightful dish.


    Qiao Shengbao loaded a bag of the daylilies onto the truck.


    Curiously, he asked Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qingyu, is Xichuan similar to here?¡±


    Before Qiao Qingyu could reply, Qiao Genbao waved his hand and shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s a far cry from here; it¡¯s really desolate over there, the ground looks like it¡¯s infected with sores, nothing grows.


    Moreover, the wind there is too strong, and there¡¯s too much sand, just like us talking here, you¡¯d get sand filling up half your mouth.¡±


    Qiao Shengbao widened his eyes, ¡°Qingyu, it¡¯s that tough? Our hometown is so much better, you should come back soon.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to our elder brother rambling, it¡¯s not that exaggerated, it¡¯s still very beautiful when the wind isn¡¯t blowing.¡±


    Then, pointing at the vast prairie, Qiao Qingyu said with immense pride, ¡°Watch, in another two years, no, just one year, I will turn hundreds of miles of barren land near our Tenghai Research Base into an endless prairie!¡±


    These words made everyone¡¯s blood boil.


    Qiao Tianbao and Qiao Shengbao were deeply impressed.


    The two looked at their sister with some admiration.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Qingyu squinted her eyes, thinking that she would get a maroon horse and buy a flock of sheep, and live the nomadic life of freely roaming the vast land, just as the young man earlier.


    As for cars, the rapid means of transport, Qiao Qingyu really had no interest in them now.


    In the coming decades, some cities might fare better, but in regions where infrastructure was underdeveloped, the increase in car ownership would not only pollute the air but also severely encroach on public spaces.


    Sidewalks that were once spacious were now parked with rows of cars.


    Sometimes, people had to wait an hour just for a parking spot.


    If you stood on a twentieth-floor building and looked around, the view wasn¡¯t lush, green scenery, but car after car.


    With more and more cars, they were truly devouring people¡¯s public space, as there was no space to expand the roads in human living areas without displacing the people.


    It was unimaginable, if cars in the future couldn¡¯t fold or fly, where would they all be parked when living conditions improve and everyone owned a car, after a few more decades?


    You can¡¯t hollow out the entire underground of the city.


    Of course, for Qiao Qingyu, these were just thoughts for now; it was just the 1980s, thirty years away from those times.


    Moreover, the pace of human societal development wasn¡¯t something a mere Qiao Qingyu could stop.


    This was just a rather sentimental thought of hers. Now, wasn¡¯t she having her cousin drive a truck to Northern Desert? Relying on walking alone, who knows how long it would take to get here, so it was just a thought after all.


    And she was almost certain that she might be the first at the base to buy a car.


    ...


    The head of Mobei Prairie Seed Station warmly received Qiao Qingyu.


    The station chief was a man in his forties, hearty in nature, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, I¡¯ll be frank, these grass seeds were intended for Ge¡¯erleng Banner. They have hundreds of acres of wasteland there, and one year, for some unknown reason, a large swath of hook grass grew, poisoning the cattle and sheep that grazed on it. Then the Banner purchased herbicide, and because they didn¡¯t get the dosage right the first time, nothing has grown there since. Last year, when these grass seeds were sown, they didn¡¯t sprout at all, so it¡¯s a good opportunity to support your research base.¡±


    Then his expression became serious, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about money; I don¡¯t want a penny.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t too surprised; people nowadays genuinely revered those involved in scientific research.


    A thousand kilograms of grass seeds, normally costing eight cents per kilogram, would amount to 800 yuan.


    She knew from He Xiuyu that the financial situation at Tenghai Research Base was always tight.


    You should know that some of their research projects required recurring experiments, each one consuming significant amounts of manpower, material resources, and financial resources.


    Frankly speaking, it¡¯s like a bottomless pit that devours gold.


    The young He Xiuyu indeed spent every penny where it mattered most.


    Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have thought of approaching her, right?


    ¡°Station Chief Meng Ke, a thousand kilograms of Barley Grass Seeds would at least cost hundreds of yuan, and we shouldn¡¯t take advantage of you in this manner, as it would make us uneasy.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be uneasy about? Once the rainy season comes, these seeds would have to be discarded anyway.¡±


    After all, pastures for a hundred miles around are lush with green, lacking nothing.


    So, if the Barley Grass Seeds become damp and mold during the rainy season, they would just have to be thrown away.


    Moreover, aside from the Tenghai Research Base, no one else, no, from the day he took over the seed station, no one besides those from the prairie has purchased the grass seeds.


    At this time, people can¡¯t even get enough to eat, who would think of planting grass?


    Just like in Ning¡¯an County nearby; if any grass grows in the fields, it has to be removed immediately.


    Then, he spoke to the staff nearby, ¡°Arrange for two people to move those grass seeds into their vehicle.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu thought for a moment, ¡°Station Chief Meng Ke, wait a moment, I have five kilograms of golden lotus seeds in my handbag. This variety of golden lotus is perfect for planting this season and will bloom in September, and might just suit the barren land you mentioned.¡±


    ¡°Really? That would be great!¡± Station Chief Meng Ke was delighted and hadn¡¯t thought about anything else.


    For Qiao Qingyu, carrying her canvas handbag when going out was a must.


    Neither her eldest cousin nor her third cousin knew what was inside it.


    Qiao Qingyu did not let Qiao Tianbao and Qiao Shengbao accompany her; she sent them to the seed station warehouse to move the grass seeds, a hundred kilograms per sack, totaling ten sacks.


    Meanwhile, she briskly headed for the truck.


    Her movements were extremely quick as she entered the laboratory space and poured all the golden lotus seeds from the bottle into a small cloth bag.


    Exactly five kilograms.


    Qiao Qingyu exited the laboratory space; the warehouse wasn¡¯t far, and just then, each of her cousins was approaching, carrying a sack.


    Qiao Qingyu stepped down from the truck.


    Station Chief Meng Ke also came out from his office, took the cloth bag, opened it, and indeed, it was filled with golden lotus seeds.


    There are several famous wildflowers on the prairie.


    Golden lotus is one of them, and it has many uses.


    Sometimes human thinking really can become fixed. Back then, they all thought about how to grow grass because, after all, cattle, sheep, and horses eat grass ¨C what else would they grow on the prairie?

 Chapter 124 - 124 124 Who Would Believe Her

    ?Chapter 124: Chapter 124 Who Would Believe Her? Chapter 124: Chapter 124 Who Would Believe Her? Looking at it from a different angle now, golden lotus cultivation doesn¡¯t seem too bad.


    ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, I really can¡¯t thank you enough.¡±


    ¡°Station Chief Meng, let¡¯s not thank each other anymore. We should be supporting each other.¡±


    ¡°Right, right, right, we¡¯re all about mutual support.¡±


    Then, Meng, with his loud voice, said, ¡°You have our phone number, don¡¯t you? Feel free to call anytime you need something. If you can¡¯t come, I¡¯ll have someone mail it to you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu beamed with gratitude at Station Chief Meng, then wrote down the key points for golden lotus cultivation on a piece of paper and handed it to him.


    She believed that by autumn, that field of golden lotus might just be the most beautiful scenery on the grasslands.


    After finishing up, Qiao Qingyu drove back with Qiao Tianbao and Qiao Shengbao.


    By the time they got home, it was nearly midnight.


    Niu Guili hurried to make food for Qiao Qingyu.


    ¡°Big sister-in-law, don¡¯t bother, we had dinner in the evening. Please, go rest and don¡¯t wake up Feifei and Doudou.¡±


    Qiao Genbao frowned, ¡°Qingyu, how come you seem even more tired now that you¡¯re married than when you were at home? Isn¡¯t He Xiuyu taking care of you?¡±


    ¡°Big brother, don¡¯t worry about me. This is my own business. Besides, you all didn¡¯t want me to spend the He family¡¯s money, right?¡±


    Qiao Genbao, ¡°...¡±


    ¡°You always had a way with words that left people speechless, just like before. Alright, alright, go get some rest. You¡¯ve always been so headstrong; since you were little, who could ever tell you what to do?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu winked at Niu Guili and then cheerfully went to wash up.


    To be honest, the conditions of the Qiao Family Team were really not that great.


    Whether it was going to the toilet or taking a shower, it wasn¡¯t convenient.


    But since she had grown up here, her body naturally adjusted after returning.


    So she quickly washed up and lay down to sleep.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the neighboring village, a light still shone from a thatched hut at the entrance of the village.


    Qiao Zhicai had skillful hands; a large bundle of willow branches lay on the kang, and he was weaving willow baskets.


    Although the willow baskets couldn¡¯t be sold on his own anymore, the supply and marketing co-op had recently started to purchase them for three dimes each.


    He could make three a day, which meant ninety cents.


    His hands never stopped moving, nor did his mouth, while Han Xianglan, draped in clothing, leaned against the wall, still holding the letter that Qiao Qingyu had written to them. She was daydreaming, her eyes vacant, and no one knew what she was thinking about.


    ¡°Xianglan, stop being stubborn. She¡¯s our daughter after all. She¡¯s been wanting to come see us ever since she got back, afraid of upsetting you, so she hasn¡¯t dared. I heard from Genbao that she¡¯s been secretly crying several times. You should be happy that our Qingyubao has grown up. Look at what our daughter has been doing. Not to mention the Qiao Family Team, but throughout Ning¡¯an County, which girl can achieve what our Qingyubao has?


    ¡°Zhao Daju, Li Er Ya, including Accountant Zhang¡¯s wife, and those from the Zhu family, your girl has all these people wrapped around her finger.


    ¡°Now in the village, your old sisters are all going to your big sister-in-law to inquire about you.


    ¡°They thought that this would offend those four families from now on, but who would have thought that everyone is now overwhelmingly warm towards them.


    ¡°Qingyubao also established a Breeding Laboratory. She¡¯s now a public servant too. Those gastrodia seeds and the red flower in her lab, they say that with good care, one mu of hillside land can net 500 yuan.


    ¡°This is adding an income source for our community members.


    ¡°The person that Big Brother admires the most now is our Qingyubao. When he praises her, you have no idea how proud I am.¡±


    ¡°Your body has gradually gotten better, and it¡¯s time we headed back home,¡± Qiao Zhicai said as he put down the willow branch and wiped away a tear, his voice somewhat choked with emotion. ¡°I thought our Qingyubao would forever remain muddled and confused, but who would have thought that there are benefits to getting married too. Let¡¯s accept it, perhaps it¡¯s all arranged by fate. Besides, I can¡¯t always be taking leave. With the work in the fields piling up and not a single public grain in sight, what are we going to eat at the end of the year?¡±


    Han Xianglan slowly closed her eyes.


    She knew everything that had happened at the Qiao Family Team, even while being here.


    She was a person with an exceedingly delicate and sensitive mind.


    It was said that at the age of four, her parents sold her to Granny He for a large silver coin.


    Before being sold to Granny He, she was always sick.


    Thus, she had no impressions of her so-called parents, especially since a four-year-old child, even without a fever-addled brain, would not necessarily remember anything before that age.


    Moreover, because of the fever, she did indeed have poor memory for about two years, and her speech was also stammering.


    Granny He initially thought she had bought a fool, and if it weren¡¯t for her beautiful appearance, she might have been discarded long ago.


    But after she recovered from her illness, Granny He abandoned that thought.


    Luckily, Mr. He and Brother Xiao Shan were good people.


    Mr. He treated her like his own daughter, and Brother Xiao Shan treated her like a younger sister.


    Even so, she lived very cautiously.


    She was intelligent, adept at observing and pandering to people¡¯s preferences and dislikes.


    She had once read a book which stated that her type of personality was categorized as a ¡°people-pleaser.¡±


    This was probably inseparable from her childhood experiences.


    After all, during the time she lived with the He family, Granny He had initially wanted to cast her into the forest, but eventually, she sold her for a bag of coarse rice instead.


    Having such a personality did not seem strange to her.


    And it wasn¡¯t a big deal; being kind to others was always better than being malicious.


    Because she had such a sensitive nature and due to the mother-daughter bond, she was the first to notice something was off with her daughter.


    Her daughter fell into the river by accident at the age of fourteen, and after being rescued, she noticed a drastic change in her demeanor.


    Even if her demeanor had changed, it was said to be just puberty, plus possibly the shock that might have caused it.


    But her daughter, despite her spoiled and merciless tongue, ruling over the village with a high hand, was someone who made sense.


    Her speech was coherent.


    She didn¡¯t speak nonsense or act foolishly, nor did her eyes change after one incident of drowning.


    Her daughter¡¯s eyes were so clear you could see right to the bottom.


    But they had become as murky as muddy water.


    Before receiving that letter, her heart was in turmoil, hesitant, but after receiving it, she became sure that this daughter was no longer her own.


    After getting that letter, she spent many nights sleepless.


    Every time she closed her eyes, she could see a finely carved little girl, stretching out her small hands and calling out for her mother...


    She was furious, not knowing from where a wandering spirit had possessed her daughter¡¯s body, but who could she tell such things to, fearing even to speak to the closest one, Qiao Zhicai.


    And even if she told anyone, who would believe her? They would likely think she had gone mad.

 Chapter 125 - 125 125 A Beautiful Counterattack

    ?Chapter 125: Chapter 125: A Beautiful Counterattack Chapter 125: Chapter 125: A Beautiful Counterattack Perhaps her mother-in-law would still blame her for getting obsessed over worthless books and storybooks for no reason.


    There are, indeed, many unknown and inexplicable phenomena in this world.


    But she never imagined she would encounter them. She had hoped it was just her own hallucination, randomly guessing as a result of reading too many books, just like her mother-in-law had said¡ªbecoming obsessed because of excessive reading.


    But it wasn¡¯t so. This letter was concrete evidence.


    She and Brother Xiao Shan had attended school for a few years, taught by an old scholar. The old scholar had lived a life of unfulfilled ambitions, but he had beautiful handwriting.


    She also had a talent for writing, and the old scholar liked her a lot and always shared tips about practicing calligraphy.


    So she recognized at a glance that Qiao Qingyu¡¯s handwriting was off.


    Qingyu had stopped schooling in the fourth grade when the school was disbanded.


    When schools finally resumed normal operations, she simply refused to study, but her mother knew what her daughter¡¯s handwriting looked like.


    The Qiao Qingyu who wrote this letter had, in fact, very good handwriting.


    It could not have been developed in less than eight or ten years.


    It was noticeable even if someone tried to imitate.


    But now there was no way to compare, because when Qiao Qingyu was fifteen, she burned all her school exercise books and diaries that contained her writing.


    To be honest, this was her daughter, whom she¡¯d carried for ten months and given birth to¡ªa daughter who was pink and white at birth, the likes of which had not been seen in miles around.


    They said she was a little fairy who had descended from heaven, and she felt it was true.


    Even though she had become more and more foolish as time went on, she had doubts, but she never thought in that direction.


    Until Qiao Qingyu took the opportunity when He Xiuyu was drunk...


    All her doubts turned into aversion and hatred.


    Even though she was still her daughter, she couldn¡¯t help but feel resentment.


    She had loved her, indulged her, adored her, but what was the result? She was figuratively stabbed in the back by her own daughter.


    Fully aware of her and the He Family¡¯s relationship, yet she went ahead and did such a thing¡ªnot only did she do it, but she also drew a crowd to spectate, hoping to create a fait accompli, oblivious to the consequences it might brew.


    Could she be happy?


    How could He Shan¡¯s wife ever accept a marriage obtained in such a way?


    Could He Xiuyu respect her?


    Moreover, she knew all too well about her mother¡¯s relationship with the He Family. To put it bluntly, even if her love for He Xiuyu was passionate and overwhelming, that relationship had to be severed.


    Thus, it could be said that Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t consider her a mother at all, and so she would not acknowledge her. But in the end, her heart softened, and she sent over the wedding dress she had embroidered, along with all the savings from their home.


    The borrowed money could not be used, not a single cent; it all got sent back to the He Family.


    After that, there was no further contact as if the mountains and rivers had parted them.


    She would act as if she had no daughter, and perhaps Qiao Qingyu would act as though she had no mother either.


    Yet she hadn¡¯t expected her to return.


    She didn¡¯t want to see her.


    Of course, she also firmly opposed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s wish to see her.


    But she had not anticipated that Qiao Qingyu¡¯s return this time would completely overturn her understanding.


    For some reason, these past few days, the image of her daughter, arrogant and unrivaled, known as King Qiao by the children, kept surfacing in her mind.


    Her daughter was proud, and she was smart; she knew when to do what, not necessarily keeping herself invincible, but she never suffered losses.


    So, after being insulted by Zhao Daju and those few women, she fought back, and she fought back beautifully.


    Qiao Zhicai was still rambling on and on, but the joy and pride in his eyes were unmistakable, unable to be concealed. She stretched out her hand, impatient, interrupting him, ¡°Alright, stop talking, let Qingyu come over tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t be so stubborn; that¡¯s your own daughter, not someone else¡¯s child. She knows she¡¯s wrong...¡± Suddenly, Qiao Zhicai¡¯s eyes widened, looking incredulously at Han Xianglan. ¡°What... what did you just say?¡±


    Han Xianglan said impatiently, ¡°Was I not clear? Let your daughter come over tomorrow.¡±


    Qiao Zhicai was so delighted he almost jumped off the kang; after a moment¡¯s thought, he quickly put on his clothes and shoes and headed out the door.


    Han Xianglan frowned, ¡°It¡¯s almost eleven o¡¯clock; where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to tell Qingyu.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s already sleeping; it¡¯s so late, why disturb her? Just bring her over tomorrow morning, and that¡¯ll be the end of it.¡±


    Qiao Zhicai stood at the door, laughing with a ¡°hehe,¡± looking up as he pushed back the tears in his eyes. It was wonderful; it seemed like the knot in his wife¡¯s heart had been untied. He had felt like he was on the fire these past few days, it had been so uncomfortable.


    Actually, he had secretly returned to the Qiao Family Team three times but only saw her once, and even then, Qiao Qingyu was far away.


    Because he was worried that if his daughter saw him and then clung to him wanting to see Han Xianglan, he wouldn¡¯t be able to stop her, and then if something went wrong, wouldn¡¯t all the recent days of taking medicine and receiving injections have been in vain?


    So, he didn¡¯t dare show his face, but he was proud and elated.


    His daughter stood beside Sun Dazhang, and she wasn¡¯t even eighteen yet, standing straight as an arrow, her eyes and brows exuding confidence, sometimes mistaken for a high-ranking official from the provincial city.


    The smile on his face simply couldn¡¯t be contained.


    Now everything was good; his wife had finally agreed to see their daughter, and he no longer had to endure this awkward predicament.


    ...


    The next morning dawned with the brilliant sun piercing through the clouds, shrouding North City¡¯s land. The sky over North City was blue like a gem, without a single cloud. The rain from the previous night made the sky even more clear and washed, and the willow leaves were tender and green, swaying lightly with the morning breeze.


    The ground of North City was draped in greenery, signaling the lively and hopeful start of a new day.


    In the kitchen, cooking, Niu Guili felt a deep sense of contentment. They say that without rice, even the cleverest housewife can¡¯t cook. Without anything, the best culinary skills are useless.


    Yesterday morning, her sister-in-law and the others went to Mobei Prairie. She used the last scoop of cornmeal at home to make pancakes and fried a bowl of pickles, using the wild greens picked the day before yesterday to make a soup.


    By noon, there was nothing left to eat.


    But she didn¡¯t dare make a fuss, worried that if her sister-in-law heard, she wouldn¡¯t feel comfortable staying at home. After all, the sister-in-law was married off and only a guest; she couldn¡¯t stay in the Qiao Family Team for much longer. If her mother-in-law still didn¡¯t forgive her, she guessed Qiao Qingyu would have to return to Xichuan.


    But to her surprise, upon waking up in the morning, she found a bag of white flour, a bag of corn, and half a bag of millet in the kitchen.


    Then, on top of the cupboard, there was also a bundle of bean noodles and dry noodles.


    On the dining table in the main room, there was also a bowl of big, white, and plump steamed buns.


    It felt almost as if something miraculous had happened in the house.


    Only after her sister-in-law got up did she find out that all of this was bought in the county town¡¯s grain store.


    Logically, the food coupons in her hand could not be used to buy grain from the North City grain store, but her food coupons were special military grain coupons, valid nationwide.


    That¡¯s why she was able to buy so much grain.


    Now, steamed buns were being warmed in the pot, and millet porridge simmered.


    Their delicious aroma could be smelled throughout the yard.

 Chapter 126 - 126 126 If Life Could Start Over

    ?Chapter 126: Chapter 126: If Life Could Start Over Chapter 126: Chapter 126: If Life Could Start Over After breakfast, Feifei and Doudou went to school, and Niu Guili was also preparing to go to work in the fields with Qiao Genbao. Just at that moment, the door was pushed open, and Qiao Zhiyuan stood at the doorway, followed by Qiao Zhicai, while Qingyu was planning to go to the old house.


    Then, she just stood there, dumbfounded at the doorway.


    In her life, she had never really had a concept of a father and mother.


    But when she saw Qiao Zhicai with red-rimmed eyes standing at the door, tears instantly burst from Qingyu¡¯s eyes.


    This was her dad.


    This was Qingyu¡¯s father!


    She, Qingyu, had a father too!


    Qiao Zhicai said with a choked voice, ¡°Qingyubao, why are you standing there like a fool? Come on, let¡¯s go see your mother, she¡¯s agreed to meet you.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan was also smiling, Qiao Genbao heaved a long sigh of relief, and so did Niu Guili, even more so.


    Life was getting better now, so it was high time the mother-in-law hurried back; other daughters-in-law hate living with their mother-in-law the most, but Niu Guili was different.


    She had never missed her own mother this much.


    And she also liked spending time with Han Xianglan.


    In the countryside, it was rare to see such a gentle woman with such grace, who could also teach her children to recite ancient poetry.


    In the ten miles and eight villages around, that was truly nonexistent.


    She also excitedly said, ¡°Qingyu, hurry up, today we¡¯ll bring your mom back home. I¡¯ll come back early from work and make you oil pancakes and sour cabbage soup for lunch.¡±


    Qiao Genbao looked at Qiao Zhicai with hopeful eyes, ¡°Dad, can you guys come back later? If not, I¡¯ll take the morning off and drive to pick up mom.¡±


    Qiao Zhicai waved his hand impatiently, ¡°The two of you hurry up and go work in the fields, don¡¯t delay the work. Even if your mother comes back, she doesn¡¯t need you to pick her up.¡±


    He then beckoned Qingyu, who was not far away, ¡°Why are you still standing there? Get a move on.¡±


    Qingyu smiled and quickly ran to Qiao Zhicai¡¯s side.


    ¡°Dad, did mom really agree to see me?¡±


    ¡°Why would I lie to you? Besides, when would your dad ever dare to trick you?¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan laughed heartily.


    He handed his bicycle to his brother, and Qiao Zhicai, with Qingyu riding on the back, took the long way around the big river to the next village.


    At the eastern end of the village was a thatched cottage, old and worn, that seemed like it would collapse under a heavy snowfall in winter; Qiao Zhicai and Han Xianglan were temporarily living there.


    Qingyu straightened her back; she had already dealt with the gossiping old ladies of the Qiao Family Team. Not to mention now, for decades to come, no one would dare to talk behind their backs.


    So the only thing Han Xianglan would face upon her return were pleasing and warm smiles.


    But Qingyu was still somewhat nervous.


    In her memory, although Han Xianglan was a gentle and beautiful woman, she was also extremely sensitive and perspicacious.


    Qingyu didn¡¯t know if she would be seen through for no longer being the original owner of this body.


    But what of it?


    If heaven gave her the choice to return to her own world right now, she would turn around and leave without hesitation, but until now, she had never had the chance to leave this place, so she could only take one step at a time.


    Qingyu braced herself and moved forward step by step.


    Seeing this, Qiao Zhicai felt a pang of heartache; the child was still afraid.


    He reassured her from the side, ¡°Your mom¡¯s not angry anymore, don¡¯t worry...¡± Then he raised his voice in the courtyard, ¡°Xianglan, our Qingyubao is back.¡±


    The next second, the old window was pushed open, and a face, very similar to hers, appeared behind it.


    She sported an ear-length bob, her skin was pale, and fine wrinkles clustered at the corners of her eyes.


    Thin and frail, she possessed a unique and unforgettable aura; one could only imagine how beautiful she must have been in her youth.


    Han Xianglan stared intently at Qiao Qingyu before softly speaking, ¡°Zhicai, wait in the yard for a while. I want to have a few words with my daughter.¡±


    Qiao Zhicai was slightly taken aback but then he nodded, ¡°Okay, you two talk. I¡¯ll go behind our place and cut some more willow branches.¡±


    After speaking, Qiao Zhicai sauntered off with his sickle.


    He didn¡¯t want to meddle in the mother-daughter conversation.


    Yet, he walked with ease and his spine was ramrod straight.


    Qiao Qingyu walked past the window and pushed open the old, worn door. The thatched cottage was both dilapidated and old, with patches of yellow clay peeling off the walls one after another, but it was clean and tidy inside.


    Qiao Qingyu entered the house, and there sat Han Xianglan on the kang, wrapped in a coat, her lips trembling slightly.


    She kept her eyes fixed on Qiao Qingyu.


    And Qiao Qingyu also looked up at Han Xianglan.


    In that moment, Qiao Qingyu suddenly felt that she could deceive everyone in the world, but she could never fool these eyes in front of her.


    And Han Xianglan felt a tightness in her chest.


    When she left the Qiao Family Team, her daughter had been overjoyed and hadn¡¯t even looked back to see if her mother could bear it.


    Moreover, those eyes had still been hazy, as if unsure of how to face the next day¡¯s life.


    Now, face to face with eyes like clear springs, her own hands trembled.


    For a moment her mind went blank.


    Qiao Qingyu broke the silence, her voice hoarse, ¡°Mom, I came to see you...¡±


    Han Xianglan continued to gaze steadily at Qiao Qingyu.


    After a short pause, she suddenly asked, ¡°Qingyu, if life could start over, would you still marry He Xiuyu in the same way?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu decisively shook her head, ¡°Mom, if life could start over, I wouldn¡¯t meet Uncle He, nor would I marry He Xiuyu in that way, I definitely wouldn¡¯t have any entanglements with the He Family, and I wouldn¡¯t let you be troubled. Mom, I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s all my fault...¡±


    Han Xianglan felt as if a huge stone that had been pressing on her heart was suddenly lifted.


    Her expression softened gradually, and her eyes became gentle. She looked at Qiao Qingyu, but Qiao Qingyu felt a bit uneasy; it seemed like Han Xianglan was looking through her at someone else.


    Could Han Xianglan have perceived something?


    That should be impossible.


    No matter how clever and astute Han Xianglan was, she couldn¡¯t guess that her daughter had entered a book.


    But why was she looking at her like that?


    ¡°Mom, was I wrong to say that?¡±


    Finally snapping out of it, Han Xianglan¡¯s voice was a bit husky, ¡°What you said is correct. That¡¯s my daughter, Han Xianglan.¡±


    Then she continued slowly, ¡°He Xiuyu is a good kid, very outstanding. Now that you¡¯ve married him, live well.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu bit her lip and said nothing.


    Han Xianglan leaned against the wall, tears streaming down uncontrollably. She felt like she was going mad, perhaps obsessed, or maybe something was wrong with her heart.


    The Qiao Qingyu before her still felt strange.


    Although she had a pair of clear eyes, she radiated a powerful aura.


    Such a strong presence came from being confident and proud.


    And there was also the air of someone well-read in literature.


    Could her daughter have transformed this much in just half a year?

 Chapter 127 - 127 127 Nervous

    ?Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Nervous Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Nervous Han Xianglan wished she could slap herself twice.


    Sometimes she truly hated her own nature, yet she couldn¡¯t control it.


    She couldn¡¯t even control herself from saying what she wanted to say.


    She said, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, do you think you are my daughter?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was shaken, her eyes widening suddenly, her hands clenched tightly at her sides, her heart uncontrollably pounding.


    Had the person standing opposite her not been Han Xianglan, she wouldn¡¯t have cared, not even if it were Qiao Zhicai.


    But this person was Han Xianglan, the biological mother of this body, the one who had given birth to Qiao Qingyu and raised her.


    They say a mother knows her daughter best!


    And they speak of a mother-daughter connection.


    Admit it?


    Definitely, it was not to be admitted!


    At worst, she would never return to the Qiao Family Team again.


    But was that really okay?


    ¡°... Mom, I know this has hurt your heart, it¡¯s like stabbing a knife into you, and I know it was wrong, but it¡¯s too late now, we can¡¯t undo it. Can we just look forward?¡±


    Han Xianglan let out a long breath, saying slowly, ¡°It¡¯s been half a year, and you have really grown.¡±


    Then continued, ¡°I heard you¡¯ve finished your middle school courses and are now about to get your high school diploma, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mom, didn¡¯t you always urge me to do so?¡±


    ¡°Qingyu, I am your mother, we have been mother and daughter for over a decade, why are you using honorifics with me?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu lowered her head, her hands clasped together.


    At that moment, she truly wished Han Xianglan was an illiterate rural woman who had never left the Qiao Family Team.


    Just then, Han Xianglan, who had been staring intently at her, suddenly trembled. She abruptly widened her eyes. They weren¡¯t far from each other when Qingyu unconsciously fiddled with her fingers, reminding Han Xianglan of her daughter when she used to make mistakes.


    But what shocked her was not just that.


    She was sitting on the kang, but she moved with the most incredible speed to get down.


    Almost in the blink of an eye, she was standing in front of Qiao Qingyu, who was genuinely startled.


    What was Han Xianglan doing now?


    Soon, without explanation, Han Xianglan grabbed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s right hand.


    Her gaze was fixed on the little red mole on the index finger.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart pounded.


    On the first day she was transported into the novel, she wasn¡¯t even this nervous in front of He Xiuyu.


    Han Xianglan was still staring at the little red mole; perhaps every mother was like this, not forgetting the birthmarks on their child, the way they laughed.


    She distinctly remembered that her daughter had a red mole on her finger, which disappeared the year she started having doubts, and it never reappeared even when she left the Qiao Family Team with He Xiuyu.


    They say the divine is always overhead.


    At this very moment, Han Xianglan silently chanted Amitabha.


    Her tears immediately streamed down.


    Then, Qiao Qingyu was tightly embraced by Han Xianglan.


    Qiao Qingyu dared not move, unsure of what was wrong with Han Xianglan again...


    From the moment she had entered the room, Han Xianglan had seemed somewhat neurotic.


    It is said that people who are sensitive to a certain degree can be neurotic.


    At that moment, the sound of footsteps from Qiao Zhicai could be heard in the courtyard, and Han Xianglan still held Qiao Qingyu tightly.


    She stopped thinking, stopped caring, stopped analyzing.


    She patted Qiao Qingyu¡¯s somewhat stiff back, not minding the resistance from Qiao Qingyu¡¯s body, and then let go of Qiao Qingyu, turned her head, and shouted louder than she ever had in her life, ¡°Zhicai, come in quickly and pack our things, we¡¯re going home now.¡±


    These words were as melodious as the sounds from heaven, filling Qiao Zhicai with joy.


    This house was borrowed from his elder brother and had no owner; they could have lived there indefinitely, but it still wasn¡¯t as good as their own home. Moreover, with things as they were, there was a lot to arrange back home, such as the vegetable garden and other tasks. Staying here any longer would drive them crazy.


    Taking advantage of Han Xianglan¡¯s distraction, Qiao Qingyu glanced at her right index finger.


    She felt her memories weren¡¯t connecting properly.


    The red mole wasn¡¯t merely a mole; it was her pass to enter and leave the laboratory space.


    However, it was clear that Han Xianglan had been staring right at the red mole on her hand.


    Did it exist before?


    But why did she feel like the red mole had appeared suddenly?


    Oh well, she didn¡¯t want to think about it anymore. Her transmigration was mystical after all; trying to understand it was just asking for trouble.


    She didn¡¯t know when she had started to tear up, but she managed to give Han Xianglan a smile.


    Finally, Han Xianglan¡¯s cold gaze softened.


    She said only one thing, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to help Mom pack up...¡±


    In the afternoon, Qiao Zhicai happily drove the cart borrowed from the head of the village, bringing his daughter and wife back to Qiao Family Team.


    Qiao Zhicai sneaked glances at his wife and noticed the sorrow had vanished from her face, her lips constantly curved upward. She and her daughter, sitting close beside her, looked remarkably alike and both were beautiful. Qiao Zhicai, feeling proud, cracked the whip, and the sorrel horse galloped even faster.


    Once in the village, Han Xianglan kept a constant smile on her face.


    Everyone from the Qiao Family Team who met them responded with broad smiles, and those who were close to Han Xianglan held her hand and chatted warmly.


    All the conversations were cheerful.


    From start to finish, not a single discordant note was sounded.


    Reaching the front of their house, Qiao Zhicai felt the anxiety in his throat finally settle down.


    He felt even prouder.


    Not just him, his elder brother also hoped that village gossip would fade with time, but their Qingyubao had resolved the situation so cleanly and neatly.


    Good things come in pairs, they say. That afternoon, the postman delivered a letter.


    It was from Qiao Mubao.


    Interestingly, his cousin, notorious for getting lost, might have been favored by the heavens because, remarkably, he bumped into Qiao Mubao on the street.


    The two planned to return home by the end of the month.


    Naturally, everyone from the Qiao Family felt entirely relieved.


    That evening, Qiao Qingyu called Han Xianglan into her bedroom and handed her a wallet, whispering, ¡°Mom, last month, Sister-in-law Li and I partnered to make crossbody bags and sold them to female workers at a factory in town. I made 900 yuan, and Sister-in-law Li made 600 yuan. I gave Grandma 300 yuan for Aunt to repay the debts borrowed from Uncle, and I let Grandma handle the rest.¡±


    Han Xianglan asked curiously, ¡°What kind of crossbody bags sell for so much money?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember the fabric scraps Uncle brought back last time? They were made from those, and they sold out really fast. Here is six hundred yuan, please don¡¯t worry about using it; I earned it myself.¡±


    Han Xianglan smiled, ¡°Now that you¡¯re married to He Xiuyu, who from your description sounds like a good boy, treasure that. We¡¯re already a family now; there¡¯s no need to separate out the money anymore; it¡¯s too hard to split anyway. Mom doesn¡¯t mind, it was just some angry words before...¡±

 Chapter 128 - 128 128 Your Daughter Has This Skill

    ?Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Your Daughter Has This Skill Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Your Daughter Has This Skill At this point, Han Xianglan paused, then softly asked, ¡°But you¡¯ve given me so much, do you have enough to spend yourself?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do. My laboratory only has to pay some management fees annually; otherwise, it¡¯s all about self-sufficiency. Transporting these seeds to Xichuan, I make at least hundreds of yuan.¡±


    Han Xianglan replied, ¡°Look at you, so capable. In the past, I would never have dared to let you do this.¡±


    Now it¡¯s the eighties, and the reform and opening in the Southern parts are in full swing. Soon, the spring breeze of reform will sweep across all of Huaxia Land, and by then, doing business will be completely justified.


    Something came to Han Xianglan¡¯s mind, and she seriously reminded, ¡°Qingyu, the reason everything you do goes so smoothly is because you have the support of Tenghai Research Base behind you. Therefore, no matter what, don¡¯t do anything to dishonor Tenghai Research Base.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu laughed. For some reason, at that moment, a sense of intimacy spontaneously emerged. She affectionately grabbed Han Xianglan¡¯s arm and said coyly, ¡°Mom, I thought you hated He Xiuyu to the bone.¡±


    ¡°Why would I hate him? He hasn¡¯t done anything wrong to me. Speaking of which, try to avoid contact with your mother-in-law in Beijing if it¡¯s not necessary.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I understand. Besides, I¡¯m quite busy now. Even if I go to Beijing, I won¡¯t visit his family.¡±


    Han Xianglan opened her wallet, 600 yuan, all in ten yuan notes, packed full.


    She took out 300 yuan and handed the rest to Qiao Qingyu.


    In the countryside, 300 yuan was enough for an average household to spend for three years.


    ¡°Keep the rest safe. Being in a foreign land, there are always many inconveniences. Mom is far away and can¡¯t always help you timely. So, having some extra money on hand is never a bad thing.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t act pretentiously and accepted the money smilingly. ¡°Mom, this time I go back to Xichuan, you don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡±


    Han Xianglan gave her a glare, ¡°Who¡¯s going to worry about you? Why should I? We haven¡¯t contacted each other at all in half a year and life went on as usual.¡±


    Her words may have sounded carefree, but her mood dipped nonetheless.


    Qiao Qingyu patted Han Xianglan¡¯s shoulder with a smile, her eyes curved, ¡°I haven¡¯t finished my words yet. I¡¯ll come back during the harvest season. Firstly, the seeds from the trial fields need to be brought back to Xichuan for cultivation, and secondly, I want to try letting my elder brother build a vegetable greenhouse on our family¡¯s land.¡¯


    ¡°A vegetable greenhouse, for growing vegetables?¡±


    ¡°Yes, growing vegetables in winter and harvesting before the Spring Festival. If operations go smoothly, our family could have a prosperous year.¡±


    For Qiao Zhicai and Qiao Genbao, building a greenhouse and planting technology were no problem; a systematic guide would suffice. As long as there were sufficient funds and enough building materials, and they could find sales channels, covering three acres with greenhouses could transform the Qiao Family into ten-thousand-yuan household this year.


    She would also provide vegetable seeds free of charge, and they were all of good quality.


    The soil in the Qiao Family Team was fertile, and the water supply was plentiful. Hence, choosing cold-resistant, high-yield, and short-growing period vegetable seeds, there was no way they wouldn¡¯t be profitable.


    However, fuel was also an issue.


    So, she needed to hasten her efforts to accumulate funds; covering three acres with greenhouses was not a small figure.


    Han Xianglan pondered for a moment. Although she wanted to object, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to, because her daughter gave her an inexplicable confidence¡ª the vegetable greenhouses would surely be profitable.


    She nodded and smiled, ¡°Whatever your ideas now, it seems everyone in the family supports you unconditionally, especially your uncle, who really takes your word as the law.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right; your daughter has the capability,¡± Qiao Qingyu said, delighted.


    Han Xianglan tapped Qiao Qingyu¡¯s forehead with her finger and teased, ¡°Keep bragging.¡±


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu had been busy these past few days, and so had her uncle, but he finally bought eight hundred pounds of potato seed for Qiao Qingyu.


    It cost over 200 yuan.


    Qiao Qingyu planned to register them under her name, so she didn¡¯t bother obtaining invoices or anything of that sort.


    She called Lu Ye, who had previously mentioned that Xichuan Seed Station had medicinal seeds, including gastrodia and red flower, which were also newly cultivated. It was only after jotting this down that she brought up the topic of growing medicinal herbs with Uncle Sun at the village entrance.


    Lu Ye readily agreed.


    ...


    Three days later, Qiao Qingyu boarded the county transport team¡¯s truck and left the Qiao Family Team.


    This time, Accountant Zhang accompanied her, and her cousin was driving.


    If it weren¡¯t for Accountant Zhang¡¯s many years of meticulous and honest accounting work within the team without ever taking a single penny for personal gain, his position as an accountant might have been stripped away.


    Qiao Qingyu was just towards people, and overall,Accountant Zhang was a good person.


    As for his wife, Li Cuifen, she had a common problem many gossipy women shared¡ª feeling uneasy unless she spoke about others.


    But this issue had been fixed by Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu pretended as if nothing had happened, gradually alleviating the awkwardness and unease in Zhang¡¯s heart.


    Thus, the atmosphere on the road was quite harmonious.


    Just before leaving, urged by Qiao Zhicai and Han Xianglan, Qiao Qingyu still called He Xiuyu to inform him of her approximate arrival time. After all, it wasn¡¯t a train she was riding; she was on a Jiefang truck, and she couldn¡¯t control the travel time, though she still had some rough estimate.


    The voice of He Xiuyu who answered the call was gentle, yet there was a marked silence.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t carry much weight in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart, and she naturally failed to realise what that silence of several seconds signified after briefing her itinerary and decisively hung up.


    Little did she know, far away at the Tenghai Research Base, the atmosphere was extremely tense.


    A few hours before, He Xiuyu had received a call from Qiao Qingyu stating she would be home in about four days.


    He had almost secured the seeds he needed; the Monks Station Chief at Mobei Prairie Seed Station didn¡¯t ask for a penny, so there was no need for the base to remit money to her.


    Still, she had taken out a small bag of flower seeds.


    These were not important.


    At that moment, there were two other people in his office, who clearly hadn¡¯t slept for several days and nights.


    Old Wei, Director Lin, and He Xiuyu.


    They all had bloodshot eyes and solemn expressions.


    Just three days ago, Li Zhiqiang, who had dealt with family affairs, came back to the base with his half-sister from the same mother.


    Due to his busy work, he immediately threw himself into his job.


    But he never expected that one of his students, Chen Dandan, would visit his office. Before they exchanged many words, she suddenly threw herself into his arms and clung to him tightly. Between sobs, she confessed how much she had missed and loved him these past days, declaring she wanted to be with him even without a name or status, even if it meant facing societal condemnation. She wanted to wait for him for life, to love him forever...

 Chapter 129 - 129 129 Chen Dandan Ran Away

    ?Chapter 129: Chapter 129 Chen Dandan Ran Away Chapter 129: Chapter 129 Chen Dandan Ran Away Li Zhiqiang¡¯s office was small, with room for only himself.


    So in that instant, Li Zhiqiang was completely stunned.


    He had never imagined that such a thing could happen, and he was utterly unprepared.


    When he came to his senses, he pushed Chen Dandan away briskly, then his face turned red as he scolded her.


    Chen Dandan, with tears streaming down her face, was deeply hurt as she left behind the words¡ª¡±I won¡¯t give up, I will wait for you all my life, if this life isn¡¯t enough, I¡¯ll wait for you in the next...¡±


    Then, she ran out of the office.


    It was the first time Li Zhiqiang had encountered such a situation, and his mind was in chaos.


    This is a natural reaction; how could any man in such a situation be expected to analyze things rationally at such a stage?


    Li Zhiqiang wasn¡¯t in a state of disarray; he wasn¡¯t moved by Chen Dandan¡¯s words, but instead felt repulsed.


    He would explain later that he was repulsed because Chen Dandan had actually put her mind to such a thing, because she harbored such filthy thoughts about him, because she was so shameless that she had erased all the good impressions he had of her in his mind.


    When he calmed down, he left the office.


    At that moment, he still hadn¡¯t realized what had happened.


    Two hours later, Director Lin, with a stern face, came with two security officers and took him away.


    By then, he still didn¡¯t know what was going on.


    Director Lin was livid, his face ashen. He had specifically warned the engineers and supervisors in important positions during a meeting: the base was possibly infiltrated by not just one group of spies, but possibly two or three.


    In such times, one must not be complacent, as they were likely lying in wait, not making any moves. Therefore, they needed to be even more vigilant not to fall into the enemy¡¯s trap.


    But how could Li Zhiqiang have been so careless?


    He asked Li Zhiqiang to check what he had lost.


    The next second, Li Zhiqiang felt a chill run through his body.


    As the supervisor of the Light Industry Workshop, he had a specially-made access card.


    This card allowed him to enter and exit Warehouse No.1 of the base.


    His card was lost, stolen by Chen Dandan¡ªin the moment she threw herself into his arms, she had picked the card used to access Warehouse No.1 from his pocket.


    Then, Chen Dandan killed the custodian of Warehouse No.1 and stole a pistol and three grenades.


    They were the latest prototypes.


    These four weapons were on display, not yet secured in the safe.


    Because the custodian pressed the alarm in his last moments, Chen Dandan didn¡¯t have time to smash open the safe.


    She escaped, managing to get away without anyone reacting quickly enough¡ªwithin twenty minutes, she had swiftly left the Tenghai Research Base.


    She drove off in a jeep.


    She abandoned the jeep in Yushu County and then vanished without a trace.


    The response from the base was swift, but it still took two hours for the information to come through.


    With the communication network not yet well-developed, it took another two hours for orders to be passed down the chain.


    Four hours was more than enough for Chen Dandan to go into hiding.


    A massive dragnet was spread out across Xichuan, but even after three days, there hadn¡¯t been a single piece of news.


    Moreover, Chen Dandan was armed and extremely dangerous. Even now stepping outside required an introduction letter, but due to some regions¡¯ lack of communication development, not everyone was informed of the situation. Even with a national warrant issued, it couldn¡¯t possibly reach everyone¡¯s awareness. There would always be those uninformed and unaware who, upon encountering Chen Dandan, would have no idea how dangerous she was.


    This matter was particularly thorny and the consequences could be severe should something happen.


    If Chen Dandan sought revenge against society, her three grenades and a pistol could claim countless innocent lives.


    But what did she really want to do? Was she truly seeking revenge against society?


    He Xiuyu¡¯s voice was somewhat hoarse when, after assembling all the clues, he finally spoke in a low voice, ¡°Chen Dandan wants to save her sister.¡±


    Director Lin thought for a moment and then nodded in agreement, ¡°Indeed, Chen Dandan is doing this to rescue her sister.¡±


    Old Wei disagreed strongly, furrowing his brow as he said, ¡°Chen Dandan¡¯s intelligence is high. Even if she had a cannon, it wouldn¡¯t be possible to rescue her sister single-handedly. This isn¡¯t the feudal society of hundreds of years ago. This is a new society where prison breaks like that are simply impossible. Even if she succeeded, where could they possibly flee to afterward?¡±


    No one had anticipated Chen Dandan¡¯s swift reaction. They had only just collected the information on her hometown. Her sister wasn¡¯t like she had claimed, in Yun City; she had been missing for three years. Their parents were not their biological parents, as revealed in this investigation¡ªthey were spies embedded deep undercover.


    They all followed the orders of Old Mountain Eagle, but no one knew who Old Mountain Eagle was.


    However, they all had been in contact with only one individual and did not know whether Chen Dandan was a spy.


    But even so, Chen Dandan was no longer suitable to continue in her work position.


    However, Chen Dandan was too cunning, or perhaps it was simply coincidental.


    Li Zhiqiang had returned from his home, and she had stolen the card from him with which she then took her weapons and successfully escaped. Therefore, there was no need to investigate further; Chen Dandan was unequivocally a spy.


    A group from Shangpo Village was still detained in Xichuan, and upon receiving the call, had tightened security and enforced martial law.


    So far, the feedback reported everything was quiet, but the woman suspected to be Chen Dandan¡¯s sister had lost her memory.


    She didn¡¯t know who she was.


    Elder Gai only mentioned that she had picked her up by the roadside and knew neither where she was from nor her name.


    They hadn¡¯t released her not only because she didn¡¯t know where her family was but also because she knew some things about Shangpo Village.


    Now, everyone was puzzled as to why Chen Dandan was doing this.


    There was no need for her to take such a huge risk.


    After all, there was no evidence in her hands.


    ¡°Upon learning that there was a woman in Shangpo Village who looked very much like her sister and might have been trafficked there, Chen Dandan acted as if it was nothing. Logically, even if she was sure her sister was in Yun City, sure that the woman couldn¡¯t possibly be her sister, she should have at least called home to confirm...¡± He Xiuyu slowly analyzed, and both Director Lin and Old Wei nodded their agreement. It made sense.


    Director Lin was the most frustrated, as there had been someone keeping an eye on Chen Dandan, especially after He Xiuyu had warned him. However, not wanting to startle the snake, they hadn¡¯t kept close surveillance.


    Moreover, by coincidence, the guard tasked with watching her had suddenly fallen ill with poisoning and been rushed to the hospital.


    That was how Chen Dandan had taken the opportunity to escape.


    He Xiuyu continued, ¡°As time passed day by day, her inner anxiety grew more and more intense. Additionally, she had no reason or excuse to go to Xichuan to see the person who might be her sister. So she decided to take the risk.¡±

 Chapter 130 - 130 130 Who Have You Offended

    ?Chapter 130: Chapter 130: Who Have You Offended? Chapter 130: Chapter 130: Who Have You Offended? ¡°Xichuan has already intensified its security measures,¡± Director Lin said. ¡°The moment Chen Dandan shows her face, she will be arrested, and the whole of Xichuan is under martial law. But to avoid causing panic, everything is being done quietly.¡±


    He Xiuyu furrowed his brows as he placed himself in Chen Dandan¡¯s position. What would she do at this time? Make a last stand before dying?


    No, she wouldn¡¯t do that, her goal was to go to Xichuan Detention Center to see with her own eyes that trafficked woman, the one who looked so much like her. Was she really her sister?


    Because she must have already known that her sister wasn¡¯t in Yun City, but missing.


    She probably never imagined that her missing sister might be right near where she worked, in Shangpo Village, having become a trafficker¡¯s wife and even had children.


    But there must also have been doubts in her heart. Her sister had finished high school and was a university student at Worker, Peasant and Soldier University three years ago.


    She was educated and knowledgeable. If she had really been trafficked to Shangpo Village, and it wasn¡¯t deep in the mountains, she would have had the chance to escape.


    But it was all this uncertainty that had thrown her into turmoil.


    But she couldn¡¯t see her.


    So she thought of using other methods, like threatening, intimidating, or even kidnapping.


    But she wouldn¡¯t target the base.


    Because there were many guards here, and it would be easy to capture her.


    Then there was the base residential compound.


    Her escape route was remote and far from the residential compound, so she had no chance.


    She had killed people and stolen weapons. She knew that she was certain to die.


    She wouldn¡¯t run too far. She was definitely looking for an opportunity, a chance to see her sister.


    He Xiuyu clenched his hand and said in a deep voice, ¡°Director Lin, reinforce security at Xiaxi Commune, but do it quietly.¡±


    Director Lin nodded, and after discussing a few key points, they left He Xiuyu¡¯s office.


    He Xiuyu stood in front of his desk, his dark eyes gazing into the distance. Nobody knew what he was thinking. He remained silent for a long while, then closed the door of his office and went to the base¡¯s workshop.


    ***


    Meanwhile, in the United States.


    Wu Tai finally opened his eyes.


    All he saw at first was the white ceiling, and there was a moment of void in his brain. Then, a familiar voice rang out, ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re awake?¡±


    He struggled to turn his head and saw his daughter.


    His son stood by his side, while his wife, thin and unrecognizable, was looking at him with tearful eyes filled with surprise.


    He slowly turned his head back to the ceiling, and his memories started to flood back. His fingers twitched slightly. He felt extremely weak, but he knew he was still alive.


    He had been in a car accident on his way back to Gelf Town.


    In the moment before he lost consciousness, he saw a sky full of flames.


    He hadn¡¯t expected to survive.


    He struggled to move. There was an IV needle in the back of his hand, with a drip bag suspended above it.


    His son, Wu Mosheng, hurriedly stepped forward to hold his father¡¯s arm, whispering, ¡°Daddy, please don¡¯t move.¡±


    ¡°Mosheng, which hospital is this?¡±


    ¡°Dad, this is my friend¡¯s hospital. Your car accident was very likely an attempted murder. Someone posing as a doctor of Chinese descent tried to remove your oxygen tank at the city hospital. He was caught but then he committed suicide. So we moved you here quietly, and no one knows you¡¯re here.¡±


    Wu Mosheng¡¯s voice was trembling as he spoke.


    Mrs. Wu was even more so.


    ¡°Tai, what on earth happened? Who did you offend? Why would someone want to kill you? We¡¯ve been living in fear these past few days...¡±


    The words trailed off, unable to be continued. Wu Linlin, his daughter, felt the same, with a trace of panic on her face.


    Wu Tai slowly closed his eyes; he carefully went through the clues one by one. He remembered meeting Wu Peng before he had gone to see Mrs. Wang and Xiao Cui.


    Wu Peng was the son of his second aunt and also the first son of Wu Xiujie. He was much beloved in the family and had always been by Wu Xiujie¡¯s side.


    What had he said at that time? Wu Tai¡¯s head hurt, but he remembered. Wu Peng had asked where he was going, and he had casually replied Gelf Town.


    Mrs. Wang and Little Cui¡¯er lived there.


    Little Cui¡¯er was already over fifty this year and had become a grandmother. Mrs. Wang was her godmother, so they all lived together as a family.


    So Wu Peng wanted to kill him.


    But why? Even if he killed him, he couldn¡¯t become the president of Wulong Group.


    At this moment, three words flashed through Wu Tai¡¯s mind: Wu Xiujie, his biological father, who now was the prime suspect.


    He wouldn¡¯t let him seek the truth, nor would he allow him to find his cousin, Wu Qianyun.


    So he wanted to kill him.


    Although he was a man in his fifties who had long lost any yearning for paternal love ¨C indeed, he had given up on it in his teens ¨C Wu Tai still felt a deep pain. His heart seemed to be squeezed so tightly that he could hardly breathe.


    They say even tigers don¡¯t eat their cubs, but Wu Xiujie was a man more ruthless than any wild beast.


    He ordered Wu Mosheng, who was beside him, ¡°Help me sit up.¡±


    Wu Mosheng exchanged a glance with his mother. Mrs. Wu shook her head, but Wu Tai had seen their interaction. His brows furrowed tightly, and his voice grew impatient. ¡°Help me up. How long have I been lying down?¡±


    ¡°Dad, you¡¯ve been lying down for nearly a month now.¡±


    ¡°Help me up!¡±


    Wu Mosheng¡¯s face was pale, and his eyes reddened. Wu Tai felt a hint of unease rising within him. Then, Mosheng slowly walked to the foot of the bed and began to crank it upwards, bit by bit.


    Consequently, Wu Tai struggled to sit up at the head of the bed.


    Instinctively, his gaze turned to the blanket covering him, feeling that something was wrong. Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed the blanket, lifting it with all his strength.


    At that moment, it seemed as though all his blood rushed to his head. He felt as if he¡¯d explode, his eyes wide with disbelief as he stared at the scene before him.


    His right leg was gone.


    It was empty; the pants lay flat against the bed¡¯s edge.


    His other foot was also wrapped in bandages.


    Mrs. Wu could no longer hold back, and she began to wail uncontrollably, Wu Linlin couldn¡¯t hold back her tears either.


    And Wu Mosheng felt the same!


    The Wu family had always lived harmoniously, with loving parents, affectionate couples, and filial children.


    Therefore, both Wu Mosheng and Wu Linlin were deeply cut at heart. Their dad was only in his fifties, in his prime, their protector, the pillar of Wulong Group, the backbone that enabled them to live on this land.


    But now their dad had turned into this, a mighty blow for the proud and assertive man.


    Apart from crying, no other sound filled the hospital room.

 Chapter 131 - 131 131 Live Well and Return Home with Me

    ?Chapter 131: Chapter 131: Live Well and Return Home with Me Chapter 131: Chapter 131: Live Well and Return Home with Me Wu Tai¡¯s face turned ashen as he yanked out the needle from the back of his hand, causing blood to drip steadily from the pinhole.


    He couldn¡¯t care about anything else and in a piteous voice he shouted, ¡°Mosheng, take Daddy to see your little uncle right now!¡±


    In this world, only little uncle could handle Wu Xiujie!


    ...


    After changing cars twice, they took a plane from the city to M country¡¯s most bustling metropolis.


    It was their home, and the headquarters of the Wulong Group.


    Wu Mosheng hired more than a dozen bodyguards from the finest security company.


    They successfully escorted Wu Tai and his family to the airport.


    Wu Tai, sitting in a wheelchair, had Wu Mosheng push him to a secret office, then spent an hour making a call to Xichuan.


    Secretary Chang had been waiting for Wu Tai¡¯s call because their big boss had disappeared and no one could reach him, and he wasn¡¯t qualified to make contact with Wu Xiucai.


    All he could do was anxiously wait.


    Finally, the call from Wu Tai came, and he breathed a long sigh of relief. Wu Tai didn¡¯t tell him what he had encountered; he only urgently asked Secretary Chang, ¡°What have you found out?¡±


    ¡°President, I¡¯ve investigated it already. Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mother is named Han Xianglan. She was a child bride to the He family in Hejia Village, bought by Granny He for a silver coin when she was four years old, and at sixteen sold to Qiao Zhicai of Qiao Family Team...¡±


    ¡°Secretary Chang, did you go to Hejia Village to investigate? Who initially sold Han Xianglan?¡±


    ¡°President, I haven¡¯t dared to investigate yet. I stumbled upon this news by chance, and now with spies appearing, if we go to Hejia Village to question Granny He we¡¯ll be suspected...¡±


    ¡°However, I have Han Xianglan¡¯s birth date here, and the dates don¡¯t match. The situation is tense at the moment, and we also dare not go look for Han Xianglan, so we¡¯ve been waiting for your call...¡±


    Wu Tai paused for a moment, then slowly said, ¡°You did the right thing by not investigating rashly without solid evidence. After all, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s husband is in charge of a scientific research base, and his identity is very sensitive. Now focus all your efforts on building the new factory, I¡¯ll come to Xichuan once I¡¯ve recovered from my illness.¡±


    ¡°President, you¡¯re sick; how are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Wu Tai said, ¡°Don¡¯t mention this matter to anyone. Just wait for my call.¡±


    ¡°Yes, President.¡±


    Afterwards, Wu Tai hung up the call.


    Though long-distance phone calls were challenging, the sensitive nature of their conversation was reliable upon scrutiny.


    Everyone knew he was looking for his cousin Wu Qianyun.


    It was normal for dates of birth not to match. Thrown into a crowd of refugees, a frightened four-year-old child couldn¡¯t remember much.


    Regarding other matters, once he and his little uncle returned to Xichuan, all would be revealed, as M country now had advanced DNA testing technology.


    Wulong Group even had its own research institute in this field.


    Wu Tai took a deep breath, habitually thinking his wheelchair was an ordinary chair. In the moment he tried to stand up, he was supported by his son, realizing then, both bitterly and despairingly, that he had lost a leg, that he was disabled, with the rest of his life relegated to sitting in a wheelchair or using crutches, never again to stride freely, play golf, or go running and mountain climbing.


    His face twisted with hatred.


    Then a trace of panic slowly rose from deep within. For many years, he and his little uncle had thought Wu Xiujie was nothing but a playboy; since he was the person their grandfather had instructed them to take good care of on his deathbed, they didn¡¯t mind keeping him well.


    Little did they expect that he also had such powerful influence, with many people under his command. On their way here, they had encountered three assassination attempts.


    Now he was in the same city as this man, although the Wu family¡¯s manor was hundreds of kilometers away in a rural town.


    Wu Tai clenched his hands tightly, with large beads of sweat rolling down his forehead.


    He had to admit, at this moment, he didn¡¯t have the courage to confront directly.


    So he must see his little uncle!


    At 1:00 a.m., Wu Tai met Wu Xiucai, who was lying in a hospital bed.


    Wu Xiucai sat propped up against the headboard, unaware of the great lengths his nephew had taken to see him and shocked to see that his nephew had lost a leg.


    Having watched him grow up all his life, even with his own children, in his eyes he was still a child. With a trembling voice, he asked, ¡°Tai, what happened to you? What happened to your leg?¡±


    At the sight of Wu Xiucai, tears long suppressed burst forth, and Wu Tai wheeled himself to the bedside. Only the two of them were in the room while the door and outside the hospital were heavily guarded.


    Wu Tai¡¯s face was tear-stained as he pointed to his right leg, ¡°Little uncle, I should be kneeling to apologize to you, but now I¡¯ve lost my leg, and I can¡¯t kneel!¡±


    ¡°What are you apologizing for? What exactly happened to your leg? Was there a car accident?¡±


    ¡°Little uncle, first let me tell you some good news: I¡¯ve found the whereabouts of our cousin.¡±


    Wu Xiucai suddenly froze, his eyes widening in disbelief as he looked at Wu Tai, his hands trembling, ¡°What, Tai, tell me again!¡±


    ¡°Little uncle, from now on, you must keep calm. Only if you live a good, long life can you join me in going to a place in North City called Qiao Family Team in Huaxia.¡±


    ¡°North City, Qiao Family Team?¡± Wu Xiucai murmured to himself.


    ¡°Yes, by chance I met a girl who looks almost exactly like my little aunt. Her name is Qiao Qingyu, her mother might be the person we¡¯re looking for. She is now called Han Xianglan, a child bride bought from refugees by a family in Hejia Village.


    Little uncle, you must keep your emotions stable, neither too sad nor too happy, because your body is too frail now and cannot handle any shock. I¡¯ve come to you with my injured body because we have a common enemy. Only by staying strong can we defeat him and live to meet my cousin...¡±


    Having been through many challenges in his life, Wu Xiucai¡¯s experiences were legendary, so he quickly calmed himself.


    He looked at Wu Tai and in a hoarse voice asked, ¡°Tai, how did you lose your leg?¡±


    ¡°Little uncle, let me tell you how our cousin disappeared, how my little aunt died, and about my leg...¡±


    ***


    Qiao Qingyu, as one of the parties involved, naturally couldn¡¯t know about all that happened across the ocean.


    It was the second day of their departure; they had left the boundaries of North City. Although the old truck was well-maintained, it still encountered a minor problem.

 Chapter 132 - 132 132 Opening the Seed Cultivation Room

    ?Chapter 132: Chapter 132: Opening the Seed Cultivation Room Chapter 132: Chapter 132: Opening the Seed Cultivation Room The truck stopped in front of a guesthouse, right next to a repair shop, but they didn¡¯t have the spare parts, so the eldest cousin rode a bicycle to the nearby county to buy them.


    They would definitely have to stay here tonight.


    The truck was parked at the front door of the repair department next to the guesthouse.


    The conditions of the guesthouse weren¡¯t very good, it was dirty everywhere, and Qiao Qingyu felt she might as well sleep in the driving cab for a night.


    Although the cab smelt strongly of oil, the seat cushion, the floor, and the surroundings were all wiped clean.


    Moreover, the mat was woven out of reeds by Qiao Zhicai, carrying a slight natural fragrance of grass and wood.


    However, the eldest cousin and Accountant Zhang certainly would not agree to let her rest there¡ªa girl alone, it would be too dangerous.


    Qiao Qingyu had no choice but to promise to stay for a while and then return to her room to sleep before she could send the two men away.


    Qiao Qingyu lay alone in the driver¡¯s seat.


    How could she exchange the cabbage and radish seeds for Xiaxi Commune with those in the laboratory?


    She felt her efforts were painstaking, her heart so full of concerns.


    A moment later, Qiao Qingyu opened the cab again, climbed into the back of the truck, looked around and saw no one. At this time, naturally, she didn¡¯t need to worry about cameras watching her, so Qiao Qingyu sat in a corner of the truck, pressed her right hand against a red birthmark, and carried a sack of cabbage seeds in her left hand. Ten seconds later, she stood inside the laboratory space.


    Before she could react, the sound of clinking and clattering erupted in the laboratory space, startling Qiao Qingyu.


    Then an electronic voice sounded¡ªit was the same voice she had heard when she had opened the laboratory.


    ¡°Space detection: fifty kilograms of cabbage seeds, meeting breeding standards, opening the seed cultivation room...¡±


    Then, to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s amazement, a frosted glass wall across from her slowly rose upward, and she saw a space similar to her own breeding laboratory equipment.


    Qiao Qingyu quickly ran over and stepped in without hesitation.


    Standing in the space, the air was the same as in the seed space; they were two interconnected spaces, so the Space Device wasn¡¯t as large as it seemed. Now the space had expanded; the cultivation room was rectangular with rows of lab tables equipped with microscopes, breeding boxes, seed sorting machines, and several other machines whose names she didn¡¯t know.


    At that moment, Qiao Qingyu was ecstatic¡ªit turned out the laboratory space could indeed be recycled.


    Her initial attempt with the soybeans had not been successful, probably because they didn¡¯t meet the weight standard.


    But even though Qiao Qingyu was both excited and elated at the moment, she remained calm enough. After ensuring everything was in order, she quickly left the laboratory space; after all, the space she was in wasn¡¯t safe, and at any moment her eldest brother or Accountant Zhang could come by.


    Qiao Qingyu obediently returned to the guesthouse.


    Then she turned off the lights and went to bed early.


    Qiao Tianbao, who had finally managed to buy the car parts from the county, was exhausted and fell into a deep sleep as soon as he lay down, and Accountant Zhang, being older, did the same after the long journey.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s room was next door to theirs. The houses were not soundproof, and she could hear the loud snoring from next door, but she patiently waited another two hours. At midnight, Qiao Qingyu quietly left the guesthouse.


    She climbed into the back of the truck.


    Logically, one of the three of them should have stayed outside to watch the truck¡ªin case someone stole the seeds, it would be disastrous.


    But the small town they were passing through wasn¡¯t very large, and the guesthouse was across from the town government, with the security team next door.


    So, it was really safe.


    It also provided Qiao Qingyu with an operable opportunity.


    Qiao Qingyu spent three hours to exchange all two thousand kilograms of cabbage and radish seeds.


    Though there was no time for cultivation at present, Qiao Qingyu placed all two thousand kilograms of seeds in the seeding room.


    She would operate when conditions allowed.


    Of course, she also simply exchanged one thousand kilograms of barley grass seeds and eight hundred kilograms of potato seeds.


    By the end, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hands and feet were no longer obeying her, but the seeds had all been exchanged.


    At this point, Qiao Qingyu also took a long sigh of relief.


    ...


    Three days later, Qiao Qingyu and her group arrived safely at Xiaxi Commune.


    This was their first stop, and although the journey was bumpy, Qiao Qingyu insisted on returning to Xichuan.


    As soon as the truck stopped, she couldn¡¯t wait to jump off, stretch, and breathe in the fresh air.


    Standing at the entrance of Xiaxi Commune, she glanced around and furrowed her brows¡ªwhy did it feel like something was off here?


    Why were there so few people?


    Xiaxi Commune didn¡¯t have a full day of work on Sundays and would rest appropriately during the idle winter, and then there was the Spring Festival holiday.


    So normally there would be many people here during the daytime, but clearly, today there were very few. Qiao Qingyu thought, perhaps everyone had gone to work in the fields. After all, even though Lu Ye had supplied some machinery, those machines weren¡¯t very useful. Weeding, fertilizing, watering still required manpower to complete.


    At that moment, Mr. Qian came running out.


    Back in Xichuan, he had received a phone call. Mr. Qian hadn¡¯t gone home that evening, worried that Qiao Qingyu and the others would arrive in the middle of the night.


    It was now the fifth morning since Qiao Qingyu and her group had left Qiao Family Team.


    Qiao Qingyu pointed to the truck¡¯s cargo bed and said crisply, ¡°Vice Director Qian, the one thousand kilograms of cabbage seeds and radish seeds you requested have been delivered. Ning¡¯an County seed station provided them at cost. I thought about calling you, but then I decided it would be better to check the seeds first. If you¡¯re satisfied, you can keep them; if not, I¡¯ll take them back to the base.¡±


    Vice Director Qian¡¯s voice was thunderous, ¡°Satisfied, very satisfied. Qingyu, you shouldn¡¯t say that; it¡¯d be seeing me as an outsider. Whatever you bring is always top-notch.¡±


    Then he turned to Fang Xiaomei, who was following him, and said, ¡°Go call the accountant and cashier quickly.¡±


    Fang Xiaomei ran happily into the commune¡¯s courtyard.


    Public affairs, of course, must be conducted officially, and all proper procedures had to be followed. Qiao Qingyu handed over various certificates issued by the county seed station to Vice Director Qian.


    Then the director scrutinized them carefully and earnestly. They were all stamped with the official seal. Qiao Qingyu really handled things in this regard cleanly and promptly.


    Qiao Tianbao drove the truck to the commune¡¯s warehouse.


    People had already been arranged there, ready to unload the goods.


    It was late May, and although it was a bit late, some of the disaster-affected land was already unfit for growing grains. Using what could be dubbed a ¡®dead horse as a living horse doctor¡¯ approach, and Mr. Qian trusted Qiao Qingyu. If she said the growth period was short and that harvest would be normal, then he believed her.


    His voice went hoarse from shouting during the transfer, telling everyone to be very careful. Then, financial procedures began. Qiao Qingyu first phoned the county seed station, informing them that the goods had been received and would be remitting the funds immediately...

 Chapter 133 - 133 133 Qiao Qingyu Dont Play Dumb with Me

    ?Chapter 133: Chapter 133 Qiao Qingyu, Don¡¯t Play Dumb with Me Here Chapter 133: Chapter 133 Qiao Qingyu, Don¡¯t Play Dumb with Me Here After a flurry of activity, the task was completed.


    Qiao Qingyu dusted off her hands, having successfully finished the Xiaxi Commune¡¯s assignment; next, she had to take her eldest cousin and Accountant Zhang to the family members¡¯ quarters at the base.


    After delivering a thousand pounds of Barley Grass Seeds and potatoes to the family members¡¯ quarters, she had to return to Yushu County.


    Lu Ye had already made arrangements for the red flower and gastrodia seeds.


    She would then take these seeds back to the family members¡¯ base and into her Breeding Laboratory.


    To swap out the seeds in the lab¡¯s space under the guise of screening and processing.


    Though there were loopholes, this was the safest way; besides, she had He Xiuyu.


    Furthermore, only she had access to the Breeding Laboratory in Zone 5; now that the equipment was in place, it was time to start breeding in earnest.


    Upon reflection, she realized she was quite busy.


    ¡°Vice Director Qian, please hurry up with the arrangements for planting cabbage and radishes. Although it¡¯s late May, there¡¯s still time. Oh, how is the thousand silk hemp doing?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, planting arrangements will be made tomorrow.¡± Mr. Qian paused for a moment, his eyes smiling, ¡°The thousand silk hemp is growing well. A rain a while back solved most of our current problems. We¡¯ve stopped drilling the well since we hit rock, and continuing would be too costly. Fortunately, we only dug about a dozen meters; otherwise, even more money would have been wasted...¡±


    Qiao Quingyu couldn¡¯t do anything about this issue¡ªit was beyond her help¡ªbecause this area was naturally short of water, and groundwater was scarce. Digging a well in this era was indeed a massive undertaking.


    Not just Xiaxi Commune but other communes also lacked wells in their fields.


    Mr. Qian¡¯s eyes sparkled with hope, ¡°The members are very enthusiastic right now. Whenever there¡¯s a water shortage, they don¡¯t even need me to speak up. Our members will voluntarily carry water there, pail by pail. The entire commune mobilizing is a formidable force.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°The members of our Xiaxi Commune are exemplary.¡±


    At this moment, Qiao Qingyu was standing at the entrance of the commune.


    Qiao Tianbao and Accountant Zhang were in front of the warehouse; they had finished unloading the cargo, and the only items left in the truck belonged to the base.


    There seemed to be more people coming and going from the commune entrance than usual.


    Qiao Qingyu waited by the door for her eldest cousin¡¯s truck to arrive.


    Mr. Qian and Fang Xiaomei stood with her, waiting for Qiao Tianbao.


    And it was at this time that an old lady with a yellow, wizened face and bent back, wrapped in a scarf and carrying a basket, walked towards them.


    The old lady was quite advanced in age, walking slowly, seemingly fearful of falling.


    Dressed typically for people from the Northwest, she wore a scarf on her head, a black button-up shirt, trousers with leggings, and black cloth shoes with a V-shaped opening.


    She seemed to have come from the direction of the supply and marketing cooperative¡ªit was evident she had been shopping.


    The basket wasn¡¯t large, covered with a cloth, and it was unclear what was inside, but it didn¡¯t seem too heavy. Qiao Qingyu glanced at it before turning her gaze back towards the warehouse area. The commune wasn¡¯t too far from the warehouse, but you had to drive around the back of the commune to get there.


    The old lady approached, basket in tow, and Qiao Qingyu instinctively stepped back.


    It was a reflexive action.


    But what Qiao Qingyu could never have anticipated was that, in the next moment, the old lady tossed her basket at the nearby Mr. Qian and Fang Xiaomei and, amidst a cloud of white ash, she pounced toward Qiao Qingyu with the ferocity of a leopard.


    Everything happened too quickly.


    In the blink of an eye, there were five or six other people at the commune¡¯s entrance, and Qiao Qingyu and the others had not expected this at all.


    For a split second, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mind went blank.


    Then something icy pressed against her lower back, her arms were gripped tightly, and a shrill voice screamed in her ear, ¡°Nobody move, don¡¯t come any closer, or I¡¯ll kill her!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s ears rang. This voice sounded somewhat familiar.


    Suddenly, Qiao Qingyu turned her head.


    Chen Dandan, disguised as an old woman, was actually Chen Dandan!


    Instinctively, Qiao Qingyu struggled, but the next second an explosion erupted from no too far away.


    Those who tried to rush forward or step back were all knocked to the ground by the blast wave.


    Chen Dandan yelled, ¡°Back off, everyone back off, get He Xiuyu here, I want to see him!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, of course, didn¡¯t dare to move.


    Because that was a gun, and her life could end at any moment.


    In fact, Qiao Qingyu herself was trembling with fear, but she forced herself to stay calm, for if she didn¡¯t, she would have broken down by now. She didn¡¯t dare to move, not wanting to provoke Chen Dandan.


    She took a deep breath, trying to soften her voice as much as possible, pretending not to recognize her, ¡°He Xiuyu will be here soon, what do you want?¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, don¡¯t play dumb with me here, I am Chen Dandan!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu clenched her teeth, and at this very moment, Chen Dandan had already dragged her to the back wall of a building.


    Chen Dandan was about the same height as Qiao Qingyu, but she was unnaturally strong and even with one hand on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s arm, it felt as tight as iron pincers.


    Her basket was filled with lime, and the moment she threw it, Mr. Qian and Fang Xiaomei were caught off guard, the lime covering their bodies and faces.


    Moreover, with the added impact of the explosion, Fang Xiaomei closed her eyes and passed out.


    It was uncertain if lime had gotten into Fang Xiaomei¡¯s eyes, but Mr. Qian started coughing nonstop as he lay on the ground.


    He clenched his fists tightly, full of regret. Why hadn¡¯t he been more alert? Director Lin had already notified him in advance that an agent named Chen Dandan had escaped from the base. However, to avoid panic, he had been told to be vigilant for potential dangers.


    He had no experience in such matters, and not many people knew about it. He had only privately discussed the general analysis with someone from the Armed Forces Department of the Xiaxi Commune. This woman had long vanished without a trace; how could she still be hiding somewhere so close to the base?


    He didn¡¯t expect that she had been hiding out in Xiaxi Commune all this time.


    Where had she hidden, and with whom?


    But none of this mattered now; what mattered was that Qiao Qingyu had been taken hostage by her.


    He got up with a hoarse voice and eyes stinging terribly, treading carefully, ¡°You are Chen Dandan, don¡¯t get agitated, let¡¯s talk slowly, everything can be discussed, we will agree to any condition you put forth...¡±


    And at that time, a gentle breeze blew by, carrying the scents of lime and sulfur in the air, and these strange smells completely calmed Qiao Qingyu down.


    She knew she was safe for the moment.


    If Chen Dandan wanted her dead, a single shot would have sufficed. There was no need to go through all this trouble.


    Qiao Qingyu looked around, but her heart suddenly sank.


    She didn¡¯t know when, but more than a dozen people had gathered around.


    Among them was Director Lin.

 Chapter 134 - 134 134 Chen Dandans Conditions

    ?Chapter 134: Chapter 134 Chen Dandan¡¯s Conditions Chapter 134: Chapter 134 Chen Dandan¡¯s Conditions Director Lin¡¯s expression was stern as he kept signaling Qiao Qingyu with his eyes, urging her not to move, not to struggle, and especially not to attempt any resistance.


    He said in a deep voice, ¡°Chen Dandan, we will notify He Xiuyu immediately. Don¡¯t do anything rash. Whatever you want, we¡¯ll agree to it.¡±


    Besides him, no one dared to speak.


    They were all worried about upsetting Chen Dandan, who had already lost her reason.


    Though she knew that if she killed Qingyu, she would die as well, but having already taken a life, she knew her own death was certain. If her goal wasn¡¯t met, she would definitely drag Qingyu down with her.


    Qiao Qingyu swallowed hard, her right hand clenching slightly. If it were just her and Chen Dandan, she could have entered her lab space in ten seconds.


    But now, under the watchful eyes of everyone, even with her life under threat, Qingyu dared not take the risk of vanishing into thin air before the very last moment.


    And if by chance she also brought Chen Dandan, who was gripping her arm tightly, into her lab space, that would be even worse.


    But to her surprise, the next moment, a sharp pain shot through her arm, and her hand went limp. Her heart sank as she realized Chen Dandan was indeed a genuine spy.


    She tried to keep her voice soft, ¡°Chen Dandan, did you take me hostage because you want to meet that woman who looks a lot like you that I told you about that day?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Chen Dandan¡¯s response was followed by a somewhat hysterical edge, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, since you knew we looked alike, why didn¡¯t you save her at the time?¡±


    ¡°Chen Dandan, that¡¯s unreasonable of you. I only realized the similarity after I saw you. That day we moved was the first time we met.¡±


    Chen Dandan stiffened, and slowly exhaled, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, don¡¯t resist. I¡¯m strapped with gunpowder.


    I have a gun with bullets in my hand, and I have two grenades in my pocket.


    I¡¯m sure to die anyway, but if you don¡¯t cooperate, I¡¯ll have no choice but to take you down with me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll cooperate with you, Chen Dandan, rest assured, I¡¯ll definitely cooperate. What do you want me to do?¡±


    And just at that moment, the piercing sound of a jeep¡¯s brakes sounded on the other side of the courtyard¡¯s wall.


    Seconds later, a tall and slender figure moved swiftly and stood next to Director Lin.


    From this angle, they formed a semi-circular encirclement around Qingyu and Chen Dandan.


    Chen Dandan, who was highly experienced, chose a spot where nobody could sneak up on her from behind because the warehouse¡¯s rear wall was six meters tall.


    Therefore, He Xiuyu could only stand next to Director Lin, not daring to take a step further, because that was the boundary Chen Dandan had set.


    When He Xiuyu stood not far away, his gaze intertwined with Qiao Qingyu¡¯s.


    At this moment, He Xiuyu was no longer gentle or soft, instead exuding an aura of cold and deadly seriousness.


    His peach blossom eyes emitted a cold light, his thin lips tightly pursed.


    After a few seconds of eye contact with Qiao Qingyu, he was expressionless, as if he hadn¡¯t seen her at all, and said in a cold voice, ¡°Chen Dandan, I¡¯m here. What do you want?¡±


    ¡°He Xiuyu, immediately send someone to bring that woman who looks a lot like me that you captured in Shangpo Village.¡±


    Then she raised her voice, ¡°It takes two hours for a police car to get to Xiaxi Commune.


    I want to see her within two hours, otherwise, your little wife Qiao Qingyu will be blown to bits.¡±


    With a resolve like burning one¡¯s boats, she continued, ¡°He Xiuyu, I don¡¯t intend to leave this land alive. I just want to see that woman. As long as you let me see her, I¡¯ll release Qingyu. Oh, and a reminder¡ªI¡¯m also carrying explosives.¡±


    He Xiuyu did not doubt the sincerity of Chen Dandan¡¯s words at this moment.


    She had probably been preparing for over half a month.


    It was just that no one knew because she was not under control.


    But now was not the time to assign blame or to have regrets.


    He nodded briskly, ¡°Chen Dandan, when I received your call taking Qiao Qingyu hostage, I had already notified Xichuan to send someone to Xiaxi Commune, and they should have already left the city by now.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu did not move at all, simply watching He Xiuyu intently.


    He Xiuyu still did not look at her; his gaze was fixed on Chen Dandan.


    ¡°I can tie myself up; you can take me as the hostage and release Qiao Qingyu. If she dies of fright in a while, you¡¯ll have no bargaining chip.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    Inside, she was quite moved, but she wanted to use her eyes to signal to He Xiuyu that there was no need for this. However, He Xiuyu just wouldn¡¯t look at her.


    His focused gaze was entirely on Chen Dandan¡¯s face.


    To those unaware, it might seem as if he was looking at the woman he loved most deeply in his lifetime.


    Chen Dandan let out a cold laugh, ¡°He Xiuyu, since arriving at the base up to now, although I don¡¯t know you very well, I¡¯m aware you¡¯re quite capable. I¡¯m just a woman; other than binding women and children, how would I dare take a big man like you as a hostage? Besides, this matter is not complicated. You just need to bring that woman to me so I can see if she is really my sister, then I will release Qiao Qingyu.


    Oh, and don¡¯t try to attack me from other directions. If it doesn¡¯t cause me to die instantly, I will pull the trigger and shoot through Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart from behind.


    Believe me, I¡¯ve studied medicine.¡±


    At this moment, Chen Dandan didn¡¯t have the slightest hint of tenderness she usually displayed. Her wrist was strong, her voice cruel. Apart from a slight loss of composure at the beginning, she was sufficiently calm now.


    ¡°But do you plan to just stand here holding hostages for two hours?¡± He Xiuyu asked in a deep voice.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, during training, I¡¯ve stood in the snow for a full forty-eight hours.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°Chen Dandan, you¡¯re very formidable.¡±


    At this moment, a trace of unperceivable appreciation and approval flashed in He Xiuyu¡¯s eyes.


    Staying calm was good; the last thing we needed was for her to break down.


    Indeed, King Qiao was just King Qiao!


    ¡°Seal off this area, He Xiuyu,¡± Chen Dandan instructed coldly, ¡°and send away anyone unrelated. Otherwise, don¡¯t wait for me to see the person¡ªI might unintentionally kill Qiao Qingyu.¡±


    Hearing the chaotic footsteps, Qiao Qingyu also heard what seemed to be her older cousin¡¯s muffled sounds as if someone had gagged him.


    It appeared they all knew, perhaps not understanding the situation, but they had likely been surrounded by the guards or the police on the perimeter.


    Suddenly, Qiao Qingyu was startled.


    She remembered the sense of something wrong upon her arrival, then being taken hostage, and after the explosion, Director Lin had appeared with the guards, and He Xiuyu had arrived quickly.


    Could it be that they had known Chen Dandan was in Xiaxi Commune all along?


    He Xiuyu turned his head and whispered a few words to Director Lin. Director Lin glanced at Qiao Qingyu with a complex look, then turned and ordered the small team leader next to him to secure and clear the area.

 Chapter 135 - 135 135 The Time Has Come for You to Fulfill

    ?Chapter 135: Chapter 135: The Time Has Come for You to Fulfill the Third Obligation of the Group Members Chapter 135: Chapter 135: The Time Has Come for You to Fulfill the Third Obligation of the Group Members As long as Chen Dandan made a request, it was agreed to.


    The scene, aside from the undispersed dust and a large pit opened by the blast, was now clear of the injured, including Fang Xiaomei.


    Mr. Qian had also been taken away from here, despite his reluctance, he still had to cooperate.


    Members of the commune, who had heard the commotion from afar, were also strictly ordered to quickly return to their homes.


    For a moment, the entrance of the Xiaxi Commune was engulfed in an atmosphere of panic and alarm.


    At this time, Qiao Tianbao looked terrified, his face filled with disbelief and incomprehension. How could this happen? How could such a thing occur so suddenly?


    He had not expected it at all, nor was he mentally prepared. Even now, his mind was still in complete disarray. His sister had been taken hostage, and her life was likely in danger. If that were truly the case, there was no need for him to even think of returning alive to the Qiao Family Team.


    But two public security officers nearby did not allow him to speak or move, pinning him next to a tree by the warehouse.


    They warned him in a low voice that if he yelled and screamed here, he might bring danger to Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Tianbao felt ice-cold all over, yet he was sweating profusely. He struggled to support himself against the tree.


    He was filled with regret. If only he had acted faster earlier and taken his sister away sooner, none of this mess would have happened.


    What kind of a godforsaken place was this?


    It was truly terrifying!


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your sister won¡¯t be in danger,¡± said a public security officer beside him, trying to calm him down in a low voice.


    Qiao Tianbao clenched his fists tightly. The doors of the commune¡¯s warehouse had already been closed, everyone inside, including Accountant Zhang, who still had no idea what had taken place. But he had heard the faint sound of an explosion earlier. Could it have been an earthquake?


    Yet if it were an earthquake, why were they being kept in the warehouse? Everyone should have been let out.


    Some members of the commune were discussing, but a public security guard at the door sternly scolded them, forbidding any whispering or chattering. At this moment, people¡¯s sense of alertness and caution was very high; they knew for sure that something had happened, so they all kept their mouths shut. Accountant Zhang, being an outsider, was even more at a loss on where to begin asking.


    But with public security officers both inside and outside the door, they all felt much safer.


    Meanwhile, behind the warehouse, at the base of the mountain wall, because He Xiuyu had taken a step forward, Chen Dandan¡¯s voice sharply warned, ¡°He Xiuyu, don¡¯t test my patience. One more step from you, and we¡¯ll all perish together.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu softly reminded her, ¡°Chen Dandan, you went through so much trouble just to see that woman, didn¡¯t you? Are you willing to die without having seen her?¡±


    ¡°Shut up, no talking!¡± Chen Dandan harshly scolded Qiao Qingyu.


    He Xiuyu indeed stopped moving forward and remained standing in his spot, finally setting his gaze on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face.


    And Qiao Qingyu once again caught his eye.


    Qiao Qingyu looked steadily at He Xiuyu. She wanted to tell He Xiuyu to take everyone and leave quickly. She didn¡¯t plan to continue this standoff with Chen Dandan.


    Qiao Qingyu had learned self-defense and knew the human body¡¯s numbing acupoints. So, she knew that what Chen Dandan had said was no lie¡ªshe had received special training. Chen Dandan had also learned medicine, as the hand currently restraining her was gripping tightly onto the numbing acupoint on her arm.


    Qiao Qingyu now felt like the blood flow was being impeded in half of her body.


    Her entire right hand went limp, hanging down powerlessly. If she risked everything, she could enter her space.


    But the prerequisite was that these people must leave her line of sight.


    In truth, Qiao Qingyu felt that Chen Dandan was making a poor move. She didn¡¯t need to do this at all.


    There must have been other ways for her to successfully meet her sister.


    What puzzled her even more was, after meeting her sister, then what?


    Even if she learned that the woman was her sister, what would Chen Dandan do next?


    Suddenly, Qiao Qingyu felt a chill run through her body. Chen Dandan wouldn¡¯t let her go; before she was of no use anymore, she would keep Qiao Qingyu hostage until she escaped to a safe place.


    And Chen Dandan might not be alone; at this moment, her accomplices were no doubt somewhere out there.


    So when He Xiuyu planned to exchange himself for her just moments ago, he must have also considered this possibility.


    But before Qiao Qingyu could speak, she heard He Xiuyu¡¯s calm voice, cold and indifferent.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, you¡¯re a Youth League member, aren¡¯t you? Did you take the oath when you joined?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked puzzledly at He Xiuyu and instinctively nodded, ¡°I took the oath.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s voice was rational yet merciless as he stated a fact.


    ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, Chen Dandan will not let you go. She will hold you hostage until her goals are met. So now, it¡¯s time for you to fulfill the third obligation of a Youth League member!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stared blankly at He Xiuyu, unclear about what he meant by his words.


    Chen Dandan, too, looked at He Xiuyu with surprise and uncertainty. She was also a Youth League member and knew the constitution and rules like the back of her hand to make her identity more credible.


    The third clause?


    What was it again?


    Suddenly, Chen Dandan¡¯s pupils shrank as she hesitated for a few seconds.


    And within those seconds, He Xiuyu raised his hand and shot with an incredible speed.


    If time could slow down at this moment, the trajectory of the bullet would be clearly visible.


    It was very precise, very perfect.


    Passing under Qiao Qingyu¡¯s armpit, it accurately hit Chen Dandan¡¯s elbow joint.


    With a muffled bang, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s ears started ringing.


    He Xiuyu shouted, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, get down!¡±


    And he rushed towards Qiao Qingyu and Chen Dandan like a fierce wind.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t catch what He Xiuyu yelled, but she instinctively crouched down.


    In the blink of an eye, Qiao Qingyu, now crouching on the ground, felt several dark figures rush past her. Then she was pulled up by a pair of strong hands and enveloped in a tight embrace.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry... I scared you...¡± a firm voice sounded overhead.


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t been in contact with He Xiuyu for a long time, but after living under the same roof for more than a month, she was familiar with the faint scent of herbs that lingered on him.


    The man who spoke, He Xiuyu, had a slightly hoarse voice with an almost imperceptible tremble.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s blank mind finally started to regain clarity bit by bit.


    She gently pushed He Xiuyu away. By then, Chen Dandan was pinned to the ground in an armlock position by three policemen and a guard, her weapons confiscated.


    Director Lin personally dismantled the explosives strapped to her body.


    Chen Dandan¡¯s elbow joint had been shattered, the handgun had dropped to the ground, and naturally, she couldn¡¯t reach for the detonator of the explosives anymore.


    Police cars were approaching.


    Qiao Qingyu looked on with a somewhat dazed and hollow gaze at everything unfolding before her.


    Then, she turned to He Xiuyu, who stood beside her with a look of anxious concern.


    Suddenly, Qiao Qingyu lifted a foot and, with all the strength in her body, kicked toward He Xiuyu...

 Chapter 136 - 136 136 Divorce Divorce Immediately

    ?Chapter 136: Chapter 136: Divorce, Divorce Immediately! Chapter 136: Chapter 136: Divorce, Divorce Immediately! He Xiuyu could have dodged, but he didn¡¯t, and took the full brunt of the kick.


    He staggered back a few steps, then his back crashed against the mountain wall.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s kick was not weak¡ªHe Xiuyu let out a muffled grunt, clearly in quite some pain.


    Director Lin and the others exchanged glances, their mouths twitching at the sight of an angry Qiao Qingyu, truly a fearsome sight.


    Yet they couldn¡¯t help but admire Qingyu¡¯s composure even in anger.


    It was understandable, after all.


    No matter what, He Xiuyu had pulled the trigger aimed at Qiao Qingyu, which was frightening enough.


    Had there been a mishap, Qiao Qingyu would have been dead without a doubt.


    Of course, Director Lin did not think He Xiuyu would miss. That man¡¯s coordination of hand and brain was unmatched, and at such a close range, it was a piece of cake for him.


    But, his wife probably didn¡¯t know that.


    So, he deserved it.


    At that moment, He Xiuyu¡¯s brow was furrowed, his gaze fixed intensely on Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu stared back at He Xiuyu¡¯s face, her own ashy with fury as she growled, ¡°He Xiuyu, you bastard, you actually dared to shoot at me!¡±


    ¡°Let me explain.¡±


    ¡°Explain what? There¡¯s nothing to explain. He Xiuyu, let¡¯s get a divorce, now. If this keeps up, I¡¯m bound to end up dead by your hand!¡± Qiao Qingyu was bordering on hysterical.


    Even though she knew that what Su Yunyao told her that day was nonsense, at that moment, Qiao Qingyu still felt a cold sweat on her back.


    What had really happened in the last lifetime that no one knew about?


    Did it really end peacefully?


    Qiao Qingyu realized that her inertia in thinking had led to some misconceptions.


    Director Lin was also anxious¡ªthese two couldn¡¯t start fighting.


    Actually, he was quite irritated as well. The Chen Dandan incident was largely his responsibility. Although it was his subordinate¡¯s fault, as a leader, he was accountable for his team¡¯s mistakes.


    But now, Qiao Qingyu was talking about divorce?


    He hurriedly stepped forward, ¡°Qingyu, you need to let Chief Engineer He explain this to you. Don¡¯t just bring up divorce so easily; it¡¯s too damaging to the relationship...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu sneered.


    She and He Xiuyu had no damn relationship.


    ¡°Qingyu, you¡¯re a good comrade, capable of remaining calm in the face of spies; we all respect you for that. So, you should really listen to Chief Engineer He¡¯s explanation.¡± Director Lin continued to play the mediator.


    Qiao Qingyu took a deep breath, knowing this was not the place for a quarrel, and turned her steely gaze away.


    Director Lin gave He Xiuyu a look, signaling him to properly coax Qiao Qingyu.


    Otherwise, if it really came to a divorce, that would be bad.


    He Xiuyu clenched his fists¡ªthe word ¡°divorce¡± was too grating, unsettling his heart.


    ¡°My marksmanship is excellent, and I had calculated my position carefully; I wouldn¡¯t harm you in the slightest, Qiao Qingyu. If I hadn¡¯t acted, you would have been in greater danger!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu said nothing, her expression gradually growing colder. With that icy look, she felt calmer.


    She glanced indifferently at He Xiuyu, ashamed and resentful of herself for ever having felt a flicker of affection for him.


    This man is a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing.


    Since he could say such shameless things to her, she shouldn¡¯t have been fooled by his pretense that followed.


    He is cruel, much crueler than Qiao Qingyu.


    If their roles were reversed, she would never have taken that shot.


    ¡°He Xiuyu, in this world, there is never a sure thing,¡± Qiao Qingyu said coldly, word by word.


    ¡°There is, here with me,¡± He Xiuyu replied softly, but with utmost certainty.


    And at this time, Qiao Tianbao, who had been held back, finally came running, tumbling and crawling. When he saw Qiao Qingyu standing safe and sound next to He Xiuyu, he actually plopped down on the ground, a man in his thirties crying with snot and tears.


    Then he interrupted the conversation between Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu and dispersed the strange, cold atmosphere between them.


    He Xiuyu walked up silently, helped Qiao Tianbao up, and said softly, ¡°Sorry for making you worry.¡±


    At this moment, Chen Dandan, who had no capacity to resist, was disarmed of her ability to speak because her jaw was removed, as spies sometimes conceal poisons in their mouths. She was led into the police car, and several officers escorted a man in his forties over this way.


    Some officers and guards stood by the garden wall, seemingly preoccupied with something.


    Director Lin took He Xiuyu aside and spoke softly.


    Qiao Qingyu looked at Qiao Tianbao, ¡°Big brother, go call Accountant Zhang, we¡¯re heading back to the base.¡±


    If she wasn¡¯t dead, she might as well continue on.


    Qiao Tianbao wiped sweat from his forehead and muttered, ¡°Qingyu, do you want to rest or go to the hospital? What exactly happened just now? Were you hurt anywhere?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu thought coldly to herself that perhaps this was the biggest difference between family and her husband in name. At least until now, He Xiuyu hadn¡¯t even inquired about her well-being...


    However, unexpectedly, Qiao Qingyu was about to be proven wrong. The ambulance from the county hospital arrived, and He Xiuyu looked at Qiao Tianbao, knowing he was Qiao Qingyu¡¯s older brother. His voice was deep, ¡°Big brother, I¡¯ll take Qiao Qingyu to the hospital for a check-up. You go back to the base with Captain Wu; I¡¯ve arranged everything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I don¡¯t need to go to the hospital,¡± Qiao Qingyu rebuked, her face flushing red.


    He Xiuyu glanced at her right arm, his gaze darkened. The next second, he surprisingly bent down, scooped up Qiao Qingyu in his arms, and strode towards the already open door of the ambulance.


    The ambulance door was open, and an embarrassed and angry Qiao Qingyu found it even more unsightly to struggle now. Clenching her teeth, Qiao Tianbao, on the other hand, breathed a sigh of relief.


    But he still had no idea what had actually happened, and the police beside him didn¡¯t allow him to inquire.


    Captain Wu came over and they went together to find Accountant Zhang, who was locked in the warehouse. Captain Wu didn¡¯t let Qiao Tianbao drive but arranged a separate driver to take the two of them in the jeep to the base.


    ...


    At the county hospital, Qiao Qingyu underwent a check-up. The examination report wouldn¡¯t be available immediately, but the preliminary diagnosis was nothing serious.


    Her sore and numb arm was quickly relieved after being attended to by the head doctor of the hospital¡¯s Traditional Chinese Medicine department.


    Afterward, He Xiuyu took Qiao Qingyu back to the family compound at the base.


    He didn¡¯t go to work today. After what happened, obviously, Qiao Qingyu was angry and seemed to hate him.


    This wasn¡¯t what He Xiuyu wanted.


    So, he had to explain.


    He must explain clearly!


    Otherwise, the girl would certainly take the opportunity to divorce him.


    So, he hoped to seek Qiao Qingyu¡¯s forgiveness.


    He washed his hands, poured water, and started to light the stove, preparing to make noodles for Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu changed clothes and moved around a bit. Her right hand was still fine without any issue. She could hear noises coming from the kitchen, knowing that He Xiuyu was cooking, but at this moment Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t want to see him.

 Chapter 137 - 137 137 Did You Use Me as Bait

    ?Chapter 137: Chapter 137: Did You Use Me as Bait? Chapter 137: Chapter 137: Did You Use Me as Bait? ¡°It¡¯s not about being disappointed or not, it¡¯s just absurd and ridiculous,¡± she realized. Clearly, Qiao Qingyu had become bait, a lure to draw out Chen Dandan.


    And just moments ago, right when He Xiuyu pulled the trigger, her heart had stopped beating. Up until now, she couldn¡¯t understand how that pistol appeared in He Xiuyu¡¯s hands.


    Could it be that he too possessed a space?


    But if it had deviated just a centimeter, her life would have been forfeited right there.


    What about the duties of a league member and Chapter Three? She was of an age to automatically withdraw from the league in the real world. How could she remember those?


    But He Xiuyu had probably exploited the few seconds Chen Dandan hesitated, recalling the duties of a league member in Chapter Three.


    It must be said, this man was quite terrifying.


    And worthy of being a scientific researcher, everything calculated precisely.


    So, should she take this opportunity to propose a divorce?


    This opportunity was good. They say opportunities, once lost, cannot be regained.


    At that moment, He Xiuyu entered Qiao Qingyu¡¯s room carrying a bowl of hot noodle soup.


    He placed the bowl on the table, then turned back to get her chopsticks and pickles, and poured a glass of water.


    The noodles looked appealing. He Xiuyu¡¯s hands were not only capable of designing blueprints and manufacturing heavy machinery, but he could also cook a decent meal.


    There was a layer of chopped green onions on the noodles and a poached egg nestled on top.


    Qiao Qingyu merely glanced briefly at it before shifting her gaze away.


    He Xiuyu stood beside her. It would be false to say he didn¡¯t feel guilty. His heart was filled with remorse, but he didn¡¯t know what to say.


    That was the only method he had under those circumstances.


    He softly began to speak, his voice regaining the gentle and mild manner of his usual self, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, don¡¯t be upset. Eating will help you regulate your body better and calm your emotions.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at the noodles, then raised her head to look at He Xiuyu, who stood by her side, and suddenly asked, ¡°He Xiuyu, what would you have done if you had really killed me by mistake?¡±


    ¡°I would owe you my life.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu scoffed, ¡°What, would you kill yourself immediately?¡±


    He Xiuyu slowly shook his head, his voice firm, ¡°No, I have three important tasks to complete. Once I¡¯ve completed them, I¡¯ll join you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu glared, feeling that He Xiuyu must be a person with high emotional intelligence. At this time, he should have agreed with her.


    ¡°He Xiuyu, are you joking? Three important tasks, how many years would that take? Forty years, fifty years, eighty years? Are you joking?¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I am not joking with you. Give me twenty years, I will finish what I want to do, and then I will give my life to you,¡± he paused, his voice clear, resolute, and confident, ¡°But, Comrade Qiao Qingyu, this scenario will absolutely not happen, I swear on my life!¡±


    ¡°He Xiuyu, can you not be so confident? When you shoot, if my body moves even a bit, I¡¯ll become your target!¡± Qiao Qingyu¡¯s voice was getting shrill.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, Chen Dandan planted explosives at the base of the mountain wall behind you. She has two accomplices who have diesel on them. They will create chaos. Chen Dandan is extremely skilled and will not surrender easily after meeting the person she wants to see, nor will she coerce you.


    She will pull the pins out of the two grenades she holds, stuff them into your embrace, and then push you in my direction. Meanwhile, the wall of the warehouse behind you will explode. In such chaos, she will make her escape.


    Moreover, at the time, Chen Dandan pressed your numbing acupoint to keep you calm and indeed immobile. That is why I took the opportunity to act during her moment of hesitation.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was stunned.


    She couldn¡¯t help standing up, looking at He Xiuyu with a suspicious gaze, ¡°How do you know? Did Chen Dandan confess?¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t confess. This is my analysis. But there are indeed explosives under that mountain wall. Chen Dandan had three grenades in total, one of which she threw out to create chaos. She still has two left, so she will definitely use both on you!¡±


    In that instant, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mind was somewhat chaotic.


    She initially thought she was safe, believing that, as a hostage, Chen Dandan would use her until the last moment, and she would find an opportunity to enter her own space.


    But now it seems that her death was imminent as soon as Chen Dandan met that woman.


    Is that so?


    Could He Xiuyu be lying to exonerate himself?


    He Xiuyu naturally noticed the thoughts in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart. His voice was low and pleasant, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I always take responsibility for my actions. I¡¯m not trying to exonerate myself, but in that situation, the longer it dragged on, the worse it was for you. Chen Dandan, although she works in the Light Industry Workshop, seems to be extremely familiar with weapons and explosives. The place where you were standing is only a few centimeters away from the fuse of the explosives buried under the mountain wall.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu involuntarily widened her eyes.


    ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, do not doubt, Chen Dandan will definitely turn you into a human bomb and throw you in my direction,¡± He Xiuyu¡¯s voice also became serious, ¡°By that time, no matter how quick my hands are, it will be too late.¡±


    The room suddenly fell into silence.


    Annoyed, Qiao Qingyu grabbed a handful of her hair and paced around the room; then, she stood not far from He Xiuyu, frowning and asking in a not-so-friendly tone, ¡°Then let me ask you another question.¡±


    ¡°Um, go ahead.¡± At that moment, He Xiuyu¡¯s expression softened a bit, and the hand that was clenched began to relax.


    For him, there is a reason behind everything he does. He doesn¡¯t like to explain much, feeling that some things are simple and obvious, not worth wasting words on.


    But facing Qiao Qingyu, he had to explain everything. He didn¡¯t want to see indifference and alienation on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face. If it were not for Qiao Qingyu standing not far from him, he would have definitely let out a long sigh.


    After pondering for a moment, Qiao Qingyu seriously asked He Xiuyu, ¡°Did you use me as bait?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± He Xiuyu denied without hesitation, his brows tinged with coldness, ¡°Even if I¡¯m cold and unfeeling, I would not use you, Qiao Qingyu, as bait, and there¡¯s no need to!¡±


    ¡°But you can¡¯t deny that I actually became bait. Would Chen Dandan have come if I wasn¡¯t here?¡± Qiao Qingyu retorted sarcastically.


    ¡°You have a point,¡± He Xiuyu nodded, ¡°I must admit, you indeed served as bait today.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu turned her head away, feeling a tightness in her chest.


    He Xiuyu continued, ¡°However, from the analysis of the scene, even if you weren¡¯t here, it was still the day she intended to act.¡±

 Chapter 138 - 138 138 Are you sure you want me to conduct a

    ?Chapter 138: Chapter 138: Are you sure you want me to conduct a comprehensive computational analysis on you? Chapter 138: Chapter 138: Are you sure you want me to conduct a comprehensive computational analysis on you? ¡°Whom would she take hostage? A company member or Mr. Qian?¡± Qiao Qingyu did not believe.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, no matter whose hostage she is holding, she can propose her demands and achieve her goals,¡± He Xiuyu frowned slightly, patience thinning, ¡°just because the person is an ordinary member, should we not care?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu angrily retorted, ¡°He Xiuyu, is that what I meant?¡±


    He Xiuyu took a deep breath, softening his tone, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I wasn¡¯t accusing you. I was just discussing the matter.¡± He then continued, ¡°It¡¯s just that since you showed up, she has shifted her target to you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked toward He Xiuyu, who had not changed his clothes, dressed in a blue work uniform as if he had rushed over from the workshop. Even in such simple attire, he still looked striking.


    Underneath his clothes, there was a clear footprint where the dust had been wiped away, but she could see traces of mud stains, as she had mud on her soles.


    Qiao Qingyu diverted her gaze, sat down at the table, and began silently eating her noodles.


    She ate deliciously, slurping noisily while her eyes stayed downcast, leaving He Xiuyu unable to discern her thoughts, feeling a trace of unease.


    This was unprecedented; throughout his life, no matter what he did, it usually went unchallenged, executed with finality.


    He never needed to explain his actions to anyone, no matter the consequences.


    He often felt that his life was almost precisely calculated.


    However, ever since he met Qiao Qingyu, some things had started to change.


    But the precise moment of change, he figured, was last month, on the first.


    Yes, that was April Fool¡¯s Day in the West.


    He couldn¡¯t precisely describe how he felt. He was proficient in various formulas, but at this moment, he couldn¡¯t calculate why he felt a slight worry and anxiety.


    So, He Xiuyu attributed this to perhaps having frightened Qiao Qingyu earlier.


    He also served himself a bowl of noodles and then sat across from Qiao Qingyu, lowering his head to eat, glancing briefly at her before she averted her gaze.


    While they were cleaning up after dinner, the phone in the study rang.


    Wiping his hands, He Xiuyu quickly walked to the study to answer the phone.


    A few minutes later, He Xiuyu walked out of the study just as Qiao Qingyu had finished cleaning the kitchen and was ready to go see her cousin.


    Her cousin seemed to have been more alarmed than she was.


    Moreover, she had to remind her cousin not to say anything imprudent.


    He Xiuyu called after her, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, wait a second.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu paused, ¡°Is there something else? I need to find my cousin. He¡¯s here and not familiar with these two; they¡¯ll get anxious.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have already arranged everything. They will come to our house for dinner tonight. Oh, and what I wanted to tell you is, I just got a call from Director Lin. Chen Dandan did not resist and has confessed her plans to create chaos in Xiaxi Commune. It turns out, my earlier analysis and speculation were completely correct.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stood with her hands on her hips, staring at He Xiuyu intently, ¡°Discussing these matters with me doesn¡¯t violate any rules?¡±


    ¡°Within controllable limits, after all, you are the person involved and have the right to know,¡± He Xiuyu¡¯s features softened, the first time he felt his precise analysis exposed in front of Qiao Qingyu.


    Inside, he felt proud.


    But he didn¡¯t show it.


    ¡°Even so, He Xiuyu, whatever you say won¡¯t erase the fact that today I acted as your bait,¡± Qiao Qingyu still felt indignant.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you are an outstanding team member, I will recommend that the organization honors you.¡±


    ¡°Forget it, I really don¡¯t want any honors,¡± Qiao Qingyu turned away, mumbling.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s voice was sincere, soft; he felt proud of Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, you were calm enough, and cooperative, you deserve the honors; of course, if you don¡¯t want to make it public, I can bring the certificate to your house.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu glanced sideways at He Xiuyu and pursed her lips without speaking.


    However, clearly, she was no longer so intense and had shed her indifference and aloofness.


    Therefore, He Xiuyu thought that Qiao Qingyu was truly a sensible and good girl.


    He Xiuyu took a few more steps forward, slightly lowering his eyes to look at Qiao Qingyu standing at the doorway. It was already afternoon, and the sunlight streaming through the glass window fell on Qiao Qingyu, draping her in a faint golden glow.


    It seemed surreal but tangible.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s eyes glistened, his voice tender, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, are you still angry?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked up at He Xiuyu and let out a cold laugh, ¡°Even if your reasoning is correct, there are too many unknowns in this world that cannot be controlled by you, like me, Qiao Qingyu. I have a huge secret; can you calculate and analyze that?¡±


    He Xiuyu slowly straightened up, his hands in his pockets, a posture that made him appear even more upright. His lips unexpectedly curved into a smile.


    The next moment, he leaned slightly forward, narrowing the distance between him and Qiao Qingyu, and whispered almost like a murmur, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, are you sure you want me to perform a comprehensive analysis on you?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu involuntarily stepped back, feeling a cold sweat on her back.


    Under such penetrating eyes, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s retort¡ªanalyze or guess all you want, I don¡¯t care... was forcefully stifled.


    She couldn¡¯t utter those words; what if, after all, he was the male lead, endowed with the aura of a male lead. What if he, like a blind cat killing a rat, actually managed to guess right?


    It was unthinkable.


    However, He Xiuyu moved even closer, his tall figure almost enveloping Qiao Qingyu into his arms if seen from another angle.


    There was a windowsill behind her; Qiao Qingyu had no more room to retreat. She couldn¡¯t help but push him, but even using force, He Xiuyu didn¡¯t budge, his muscles firm under her hands. Observing his physique and recalling his agility, how could she describe it? It seemed almost fast enough to leave an afterimage.


    Qiao Qingyu felt somewhat overwhelmed.


    He Xiuyu continued, ¡°Today I¡¯m off work, and I have plenty of time. Rongrong isn¡¯t at home, I can really conduct a comprehensive calculation, speculate, and analyze on you.¡±


    His voice was slightly hoarse as he spoke these words. Qiao Qingyu involuntarily looked up, finding him always wearing a smile with profound meaning, focus in his gaze. His eyes, naturally charming, met hers, and being stared at in such a manner evoked a certain desire...

 Chapter 139 - 139 139 She is a complete novice in front of

    ?Chapter 139: Chapter 139: She is a complete novice in front of He Xiuyu Chapter 139: Chapter 139: She is a complete novice in front of He Xiuyu He Xiuyu gave off a serious demeanor, but Qiao Qingyu had reason to suspect that he wasn¡¯t just there to drive the car or ride a bicycle.


    She¡¯s still a child. She doesn¡¯t understand anything.


    No, no, that wasn¡¯t what they were talking about just now. How did the topic drift so far so quickly?


    But what should she say?


    Undeniably, Chen Dandan was indeed skilled.


    Qiao Qingyu felt she was quite strong and knew self-defense, fancying herself as formidable enough to dare invade a human trafficker¡¯s den alone and even confront a Japanese alone, but had she encountered Chen Dandan initially, she might not have survived She might not have made it out of Shangpo Village alive.


    Back then, behind the commune warehouse¡¯s mountainside wall, she couldn¡¯t move her right arm and had been standing for almost half an hour already, her legs growing weak and sore. Yet, Chen Dandan, pressing a handgun against her waist, didn¡¯t move at all even as she screamed excitedly; her posture and hands remained incredibly steady.


    No wonder she claimed she stood for 48 hours in blistering cold. What kind of inhuman, devilish training was that, and how had she achieved it?


    She was just in her twenties this year, born in the fifties. She couldn¡¯t possibly have been trained from birth.


    Thus, it proved true that beyond the heavens, there are more heavens; beyond people, there are more people.


    Qiao Qingyu had indeed learned a lesson.


    While Qiao Qingyu was lost in thought, He Xiuyu slowly reached out, gently pinching her chin with his thumb and index finger, much like the first time they met in the temporary family quarters¡¯ dilapidated house.


    At that time, he had examined the marks on her neck.


    However, now, He Xiuyu frowned slightly, seemingly displeased with Qiao Qingyu¡¯s distraction, and then Qiao Qingyu suddenly slapped his hand away.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t mind. He relaxed his eyebrows and smiled, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, even though my reasoning was correct, I still frightened you. What compensation would you like?¡±


    ¡°What compensation can you give me?¡±


    ¡°What would you like?¡± He Xiuyu asked slowly, but now his voice sounded somewhat huskily unusual.


    He felt that teasing this young lady was indeed pleasant, and maybe this was the only way to gradually relax her tightly wound nerves.


    Qiao Qingyu blinked. What did she want?


    Asking for money seemed a bit crass, especially since any money He Xiuyu had would end up with her anyway.


    She had already established the Breeding Laboratory, and in this matter, He Xiuyu had taken very good care of her. Even though He Xiuyu had his own motives, wasn¡¯t she also leveraging the Tenghai brand?


    Now that she had nearly accomplished what she needed to do.


    So, what did she need?


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu genuinely thinking it over, He Xiuyu slowly straightened his body, but he was still very close to Qiao Qingyu, his voice leisurely, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, the weather is nice today, and the atmosphere is amicable. How about I compensate you with a bridal night?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mouth dropped open in disbelief as she looked at He Xiuyu.


    Have you no shame?


    Do you have no shame?


    To say such a thing in broad daylight!


    Actually, she was quite experienced herself, but in front of He Xiuyu, she felt completely like a novice.


    Qiao Qingyu glared fiercely at He Xiuyu, pointing outside, ¡°It¡¯s broad daylight now, what are you thinking?¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± He Xiuyu seemed to have a sudden realization, then asked in a seriously whimsical tone, ¡°If it were nighttime, could I think about it then?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    He Xiuyu, you must have a split personality.


    How many faces do you really have?


    Sharp, cruel, gentle, charming...


    She bitterly said, ¡°I¡¯m still young, and I¡¯m not allowed to think about it at night!¡±


    As she spoke, Qiao Qingyu pushed open the door and quickly ran out.


    He Xiuyu was left alone in the kitchen, and after a few moments, he slowly curved his lips and began to chuckle softly.


    ...


    Well, after He Xiuyu¡¯s meddling, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mood finally fully recovered. Since He Xiuyu had already arranged for Tianbao, she needed to prepare dinner.


    She took out some Chinese cabbage and little bocai from the box outside. He Xiuyu, still in his work clothes, told her to pick up Rongrong from the base kindergarten and bring Tianbao and Accountant Zhang over for dinner.


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t be bothered with him and slammed the door shut.


    Soon after, Old Xie from the base brought over a few kilograms of meat and a fish, along with two large Chinese cabbages.


    Then he dragged Qiao Qingyu outside to the courtyard, pointing at the vegetable and flower seedlings that had begun to sprout, speaking almost incoherently, ¡°Jade, you promised me, once these sprout, you have to transplant some for me.¡±


    ¡°I promised you and I won¡¯t go back on my word, but I won¡¯t help you. You have to do the work yourself, and you better not damage any of my other seedlings.¡±


    The front yard and back yard weren¡¯t small either, she had so many things to do, how could she spare the time to pluck seedlings for Old Xie?


    ¡°No need for you, no need,¡± Old Xie said, and after that, he happily left.


    Qiao Qingyu was washing the Chinese cabbage when Lu Ye arrived in a car at the family quarter.


    The truck was loaded with gastrodia seeds and red flower seeds.


    Planting gastrodia seeds wasn¡¯t that simple, although similar to the cultivation methods of potato tubers, it also required a mycelial environment.


    So, there weren¡¯t many, just a few hundred kilograms, the rest were red flower seeds.


    He and Qiao Qingyu had already made arrangements, but Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t show up.


    Calling Mr. Qian at the commune, he found out Mr. Qian had been hospitalized.


    A sense of unease crept into his heart, so he inquired about what happened at the entrance of Xiaxi Commune. He didn¡¯t know the specifics, but from just a headline, he understood everything.


    Lu Ye panicked instantly.


    It was impossible to wait until tomorrow, but visiting Qiao Qingyu now felt problematic.


    So, he went to the seed station, loaded the gastrodia and red flower seeds Qiao Qingyu wanted onto the truck, and personally delivered them to her.


    Mainly, he wanted to see how Qiao Qingyu was doing.


    He had a work pass and a letter of introduction, and Old Wei also knew him. With one phone call, Lu Ye drove into the family quarter.


    The door of He Xiuyu¡¯s house was slightly ajar.


    Seeing King Qiao in that moment, his heart finally settled.


    Guests should be welcomed, and Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t expected Lu Ye to come.


    She ushered him into the yard.


    Lu Ye stood at the gate, inviting her to come out and look at the medicinal seed materials on the truck.


    Qiao Qingyu stepped outside, glanced at the truck loaded with bags, but couldn¡¯t really make out what was inside.


    She smiled, ¡°Come inside for a drink first.¡±


    Lu Ye didn¡¯t move or respond to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s offer. He stood a few steps away from Qiao Qingyu and said, ¡°Truly King Qiao, facing such a big incident, you didn¡¯t stay a few days in the hospital or lie down to rest?¡±


    Hearing Lu Ye¡¯s sarcastic words, Qiao Qingyu was somewhat speechless.


    She glared at him, ¡°Lu Xiaopang, can¡¯t you speak nicely? You obviously care about me, yet you insist on mocking me. Tell me, with an attitude like yours, can you ever find a wife in this lifetime?¡±

 Chapter 140 - 140 140

    ?Chapter 140: Chapter 140 Chapter 140: Chapter 140 Lu Ye¡¯s face suddenly turned red, and he pointed at Qiao Qingyu, stammering, ¡°Qiao... Qiao Qingyu, how dare you say that as a young lady?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there not to dare say? Isn¡¯t this normal? Don¡¯t you plan on finding a wife?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Ah, why does this person look so familiar...¡± Just then, a loud voice came from behind them.


    Lu Ye and Qiao Qingyu both turned around and saw He Xiuyu, holding Rongrong and accompanied by Qiao Tianbao and Accountant Zhang, walking toward the entrance of their house.


    It was Qiao Tianbao who had spoken, seemingly unfazed and acting quite normally.


    He Xiuyu, who was slowly approaching, had a somewhat gloomy look in his eyes and involuntarily furrowed his brows; he had heard their conversation, and Qiao Qingyu had never spoken to him in such a light-hearted, joking tone before.


    He was feeling a bit muffled and irritated.


    He Xuerong seemed to notice her little uncle¡¯s displeasure, reached out her small hand, and smoothed out his furrowed brows. He Xiuyu sighed inwardly and smiled at He Xuerong.


    He walked up to his own doorway, where a truck was parked, laden with goods; no need to guess, these must be the medicinal herb seeds that Qiao Qingyu had bought for the Qiao Family Team.


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t mentioned this to him; it was Qiao Tianbao who had told him.


    Lu Ye coughed awkwardly a few times, then straightened his back and adjusted his outfit.


    Of course, he recognized the two people in front of him; he had already been sixteen when he left the Qiao Family Team.


    One was King Qiao¡¯s elder cousin, Qiao Tianbao, who used to always beat him up as a kid, and the other was the team¡¯s Accountant Zhang.


    Having been several years since he last saw anyone from the Qiao Family Team other than Qiao Qingyu, he needed to maintain a good image. He was no longer ¡°little fatty¡±; he was the dashing Comrade Lu Ye.


    When Qiao Tianbao approached, he sized up Lu Ye and then said loudly to Accountant Zhang beside him, ¡°Accountant Zhang, doesn¡¯t he look familiar? Doesn¡¯t he look just like Lu Xiaopang?¡±


    ¡°Yep, this young man does look like Lu Xiaopang, may I ask your last name?¡± Accountant Zhang asked enthusiastically.


    Qiao Qingyu laughed with a snort, ¡°Last name? His name is Lu Ye, the very Lu Xiaopang you recognize.¡±


    Lu Ye, ¡°...¡±


    Accountant Zhang was still the same as always.


    Always had to add a little accentuation to ¡®little fatty¡¯.


    Being from the North, his pronunciation was straightforward; it sounded just like Lu Xiaopangzi...


    Lu Ye looked at Qiao Qingyu with a wronged expression, pointed at Qiao Qingyu, then pointed at Qiao Tianbao and Accountant Zhang, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, Brother Tianbao and Accountant Zhang recognized me right away, but you just keep saying you don¡¯t know me...¡±


    ¡°Are you ever going to let it go, Lu Ye? I honestly didn¡¯t recognize you...¡± Qiao Qingyu was at a loss for words.


    You just can¡¯t let this go, can you?


    He Xiuyu, with dark eyes, did not want to let their conversation continue. He had once passed by their past but had never been a part of it. Therefore, he really didn¡¯t like this kind of scene where they reunite and talk about old times.


    He Xiuyu smiled and said in a loud voice, ¡°Don¡¯t all stand at the doorstep, let¡¯s go inside.¡± Then he turned to Lu Ye, polite and courteous, ¡°Lu Ye, stay for dinner before going back.¡±


    Lu Ye glared at Qiao Qingyu, feeling like grabbing Brother Tianbao and Accountant Zhang to vent about his grievances, but when he remembered what he had said earlier, he didn¡¯t dare to make a sound.


    If Qiao Qingyu were to turn it around on him, wouldn¡¯t Brother Tianbao pin him to the ground and give him a beating?


    Being scolded like that at his age was embarrassing, especially in front of He Xiuyu.


    He had interacted with He Xiuyu on official matters a few times; they were acquaintances, not strangers. However, he really did not want to eat at his house, yet his actions preceded his thoughts, and he followed Qiao Tianbao into He Xiuyu¡¯s courtyard.


    The small courtyard at He Xiuyu¡¯s house was beautifully organized by Qiao Qingyu. Although the grape trellises were not yet set up, green shoots of flowers and vegetable sprouts had already emerged beside the stone path, contrasting starkly with the soil color of the Northwest.


    Qiao Tianbao and Accountant Zhang knew the story behind this black soil, but Lu Ye didn¡¯t, so he stared wide-eyed and asked incredulously, ¡°Could this soil have been brought from North City?¡±


    Qiao Tianbao nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s from the foothills of the Qiao Family Team in North City. That soil is the best; flowers will bloom beautifully in it.¡±


    Lu Ye blinked his eyes; this was really extravagant, transporting several bags of soil for such a long distance. This was something only King Qiao could manage.


    He Xiuyu was skilled both in dealing with people and in handling tasks. He had cooked dinner himself; Qiao Qingyu had merely assisted.


    Director Xie supplied a fish that was used to make sweet and sour fish, and dishes of cabbage and potatoes and dried radishes were stir-fried with meat; there was a cold spinach dish and a soup made with cabbage and eggs.


    Qiao Tianbao and Accountant Zhang looked at the feast and felt like it was New Year¡¯s.


    In the Qiao Family Team area, they only ate like this during the New Year.


    There was also a bottle of white liquor on the table.


    Although one was an older cousin and the other an elder by age, if one considered their positions, He Xiuyu was a prominent scientist whose hands were meant for experiments and research, so how could he be cooking for them?


    Both felt slightly embarrassed.


    At the same time, Qiao Tianbao was genuinely reassured, as he hadn¡¯t seen anyone live like his sister in the surrounding ten or eight villages.


    Honestly, this woman, no matter how pampered she was at her parents¡¯ home, once married, had to take on household responsibilities. If there were in-laws, she would need to serve them, in addition to washing clothes, cooking, feeding pigs, chickens, and raising children.


    Every woman came through these experiences.


    Nobody thought it was wrong, nor did anyone feel it was tough. Many people for decades, including in future years, believed that this was naturally their duty.


    His mother was the same, as was his second aunt, and Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mother, Han Xianglan, was especially diligent.


    But Qiao Qingyu in this household still lived just like she did in her maiden home, which made others envious.


    Not to mention, the housing conditions were excellent, the windows were bright, and even the ground was cemented.


    He secretly noted it in his heart to speak well about it when he returned, so that his uncle and others would stop worrying.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s life was really comfortable.


    He Xiuyu removed his apron and called everyone to dinner.


    He was a good conversationalist. In just a few words, he alleviated Qiao Tianbao and Accountant Zhang¡¯s hesitations and embarrassment; of course, this did not include Lu Ye.


    Lu Ye wasn¡¯t bothered by these things; he felt it was quite nice for He Xiuyu to cook a meal for him, although he was more interested in tasting Qiao Qingyu¡¯s cooking.


    He was curious and couldn¡¯t imagine whether Qiao Qingyu still cooked.


    Thinking about it, there was a sour feeling in his heart. Once girls get married, do they all have to change like this?


    That¡¯s why people¡¯s thoughts can never be the same.

 Chapter 141 - 141 141 Dont Be Mad at Me Anymore

    ?Chapter 141: Chapter 141 Don¡¯t Be Mad at Me Anymore Chapter 141: Chapter 141 Don¡¯t Be Mad at Me Anymore Qiao Tianbao, although very fond of Qiao Qingyu, deep down believed that a married woman¡¯s duty was to wash clothes, cook, and serve her husband. His own wife was just like that.


    But at this moment, Lu Ye felt that Qiao Qingyu shouldn¡¯t be like this, yet he couldn¡¯t voice his thoughts, only bowing his head to eat slowly.


    He Xiuyu had shared a few drinks with Accountant Zhang and Qiao Tianbao, and now the moon hung over the willow tips. He escorted the two men to the base guesthouse, while Lu Ye left in his big truck.


    Afterward, He Xiuyu walked briskly towards home.


    The dizzy yellow of the streetlights diffused into the night, quickening his steps. When he shut the courtyard gate, he could hear Qiao Qingyu and He Xuerong talking.


    He slowed down, a faint smile on his lips.


    Perhaps hearing He Xiuyu¡¯s footsteps in the courtyard, the light in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s room snapped off suddenly; in an instant, save for the light in his study, everything else plunged into darkness.


    He Xiuyu stood on the courtyard¡¯s pebble path; he didn¡¯t immediately enter the house but sat on his own doorstep, inspecting the courtyard in the cold moonlight.


    Since it was night, he couldn¡¯t see the shapes of the flowers and vegetable seedlings, nor their colors. But He Xiuyu knew they were all vibrantly green and thriving.


    He could imagine what the courtyard would look like in July, including the backyard, and the sea buckthorn that Qiao Qingyu had planted along the bottom of the courtyard wall...


    By then, his home would surely be the most beautiful spot in the residential compound.


    He exhaled a breath, involuntarily gripping his right hand tighter.


    At this moment, He Xiuyu felt somewhat apprehensive. In reality, he had immense confidence in the coordination between his hand and brain, for it had always been so from his youth. His father¡¯s old friend had repeatedly urged him to join the military, but his ambitions lay elsewhere; he still opted for his passion in scientific research.


    Because he knew, whether it¡¯s military, agriculture, or any civilian domain, they couldn¡¯t evolve without technology.


    Only with the advancement of technology would the nation progress and grow stronger.


    Take the wars of the future, for example; they might even end without seeing the enemy¡¯s face. What matters is high technology. Thus, he felt that his work was meaningful, and he was supremely confident in himself, in work, life, and marriage alike.


    But right now, his hand was trembling slightly. If, as Qiao Qingyu had said, he had made a slip, what would have happened now?


    He Xiuyu couldn¡¯t bear to imagine, nor did he wish to contemplate that possibility.


    He felt influenced by Qiao Qingyu¡¯s theory, which, although logical, did not apply to him.


    He was the exception who would make no mistakes.


    His confidence in himself was absolute.


    But Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know what kind of person he was.


    So it went that there was still a lack of understanding and trust between them. He Xiuyu sighed inwardly; the task was daunting, and winning over this young woman was not going to be easy.


    But he now had a goal.


    And following his principles in life, he admired the calm Qiao Qingyu. He knew she had secrets, big secrets, likely ones that extended beyond the scientific theories he was familiar with, perhaps even involving another level of the world and space.


    But he wasn¡¯t in a hurry. They say that at the end of science lies theology. His thinking was broad enough, his mind open enough.


    Whatever it was, he would accept it calmly.


    Even if she never spoke of it in her lifetime, he wouldn¡¯t ask.


    Perhaps He Xiuyu was too engrossed in thought, or it might have been due to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s light, barefoot approach.


    Just as He Xiuyu slowly stood up, stretched his back, and then opened the door, his eyes suddenly widened.


    Qiao Qingyu was wearing a white cotton dress. His house door opened outward, and there she stood on the threshold edge, delivering such an impact that even a man like He Xiuyu was startled in an instant.


    But after all, he was a man, particularly He Xiuyu, someone who dared to point a gun at his own wife.


    Thus, he quickly collected himself, looking helplessly at Qiao Qingyu, his voice unintentionally tender, ¡°What are you doing now?¡±


    ¡°Are you scared? Are you scared of me suddenly appearing in front of you?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked with a somewhat childish provocation.


    Backlit by the outside moonlight, he couldn¡¯t clearly see his expression, but his voice was exceptionally gentle, ¡°Scared, you gave me a fright.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu pouted.


    Yet, in his heart, He Xiuyu said: Not scared, you look so beautiful, wearing such a pretty dress, like a little fairy, how could I be frightened?


    Nevertheless, he knew what Qiao Qingyu wanted to hear, so he clutched his chest, playing along, ¡°My heart is pounding here...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu let out a cold laugh and turned to leave.


    She moved swiftly, her white dress forming a flower-like shadow in the room, her bare, jade-white feet dazzling, leaving He Xiuyu feeling parched.


    But before He Xiuyu could do anything, Qiao Qingyu had already entered her room and closed the door behind her.


    He Xiuyu stepped into the house, pausing for a few seconds. He knew Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t asleep. He walked to her door, took a deep breath, and said softly, ¡°Qingyu, you¡¯re still upset.¡±


    After a brief silence inside the room, Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°Don¡¯t call me Qingyu, we¡¯re not that familiar with each other yet.¡±


    ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, I brought a box of sedatives from the base hospital. Would it be okay for you to take some and then rest?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any problems, why should I take any medication?¡±


    ¡°These were personally compounded by Doctor Zheng from the base hospital; they¡¯re very effective and help with sleep and calming the nerves,¡± He Xiuyu explained leisurely.


    Qiao Qingyu remained naturally silent.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry with me,¡± He Xiuyu¡¯s tone was soft and carried an indistinct meaning, such a low and pleasing voice could melt even the most stony-hearted listener, yet Qiao Qingyu was unmoved.


    Humans are indeed strange creatures; even the quickest reactors can have very long reflex arcs in certain aspects.


    The day was heart-stopping, and though the evening¡¯s excitement seemed to dilute it, in the quiet of the night, a chill still rose from the depths of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart.


    She had a space but dared not claim she could escape into it with absolute certainty.


    What made He Xiuyu so sure?


    He was gambling with her life, and this infuriated her.


    Yet, frustratingly, the facts proved that He Xiuyu was right to do so.


    Because he had the capability.


    Director Lin had called her in the afternoon to specifically explain the matter.


    He informed her about He Xiuyu¡¯s transcendent marksmanship.

 Chapter 142 - 142 142 Unsettled Feelings

    ?Chapter 142: Chapter 142 Unsettled Feelings Chapter 142: Chapter 142 Unsettled Feelings Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t doubt that Director Lin did this to polish He Xiuyu¡¯s reputation, after all, he was the male lead with an absolutely formidable ability to coordinate his hands and brain.


    Yet, she still felt uneasy.


    It wasn¡¯t that she was aggrieved, just that being by He Xiuyu¡¯s side seemed somewhat dangerous.


    Su Yunyao, who had been thinking about him, was behaving now, but who knew what mischief she might cause in the future, especially since that woman knew what was going to happen in the next twenty years.


    Qiao Qingyu, merely a reader, had just skimmed through for amusement. When transformed into the real world, there were many details she did not know, any carelessness could plunge her into an irreparable disaster.


    Thinking this way, the Qiao Family Team seemed to truly be her safe haven.


    But to be honest, laying out her career in Xichuan felt much more fulfilling and meaningful than staying with the Qiao Family Team.


    Qiao Qingyu remained silent.


    He Xiuyu, riding the waves of slight intoxication, unexpectedly pushed open the room door. The curtains were drawn; the room was dim, but he knew where the table in this room was. He accurately walked up to the table, then placed the medicine box from his pocket on it, and whispered softly, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, even if you¡¯re upset with me, don¡¯t gamble with your own health. Take one pill, you will sleep well tonight.¡±


    Then, He Xiuyu turned around and left, gently closing the room door behind him.


    Qiao Qingyu lay on the kang, tossing and turning, while He Xuerong quietly closed her eyes next to her, unsure if she was asleep or not.


    Qiao Qingyu thought about it and decided to turn on the light. The room had a stove, she took out a black pill, smelled a faint scent of herbal medicine, and did not doubt the effectiveness of the sleeping pills since they were brought by He Xiuyu. After taking the medicine, Qiao Qingyu then turned off the light and lay down on the clean, fresh bedding, slowly closing her eyes.


    Perhaps it was a psychological effect, or perhaps the pill was effective, but Qiao Qingyu soon drifted off to sleep.


    ...


    That night, she indeed slept well, without dreaming at all.


    When she woke up in the morning, she felt refreshed, and that seemingly perfect man had already made breakfast.


    The leftover dishes from the previous night were warmed up, and rice porridge was cooked. Food was tight now, after all, the base had too many mouths to feed, and every aspect needed funding, so white flour wasn¡¯t provided unlimitedly, the steamed buns were also mixed with cornflour.


    It was half white flour mixed with half cornflour.


    But it was actually quite delicious.


    He Xiuyu always got up early, and after preparing the breakfast, he also conveniently wrote a plan.


    It was specifically about the greening project Qiao Qingyu was to handle for the base.


    He hadn¡¯t agreed to her proposal to take over the contract.


    It wasn¡¯t that it was against the rules, but because Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t have enough manpower right now, taking it on would mean she had to handle everything herself.


    It wasn¡¯t suitable for the current Qiao Qingyu.


    Thus, the plan he wrote was officially under the name of the base.


    Currently, the base¡¯s funds were extremely tight. If it wasn¡¯t so, even if it were for free seeds, he was prepared to give Qiao Qingyu funding for the seeds. Unfortunately, financial shortages plagued the base, a promised fund hadn¡¯t been received yet, and a project was delayed due to a lack of raw materials because of the fiscal strain.


    But the greening construction of the base had to proceed, he planned to propose at the meeting to establish the Tenghai Research Base Greening Committee.


    This would be a functional department, playing a very important role in the next twenty years.


    Hundreds of miles of sand belts and wastelands required lots of manpower, material, and financial resources.


    So, he needed to consult with everyone on how to solve the manpower issue.


    Fortunately, Qiao Qingyu, the girl, had a great vision. The design blueprints for the efficient and high-capacity sowing and tilling machines had already been completed, and she would transfer them to the Yu Yushu County Mechanical Factory.


    Ultimately, the usage rights of the blueprints would belong to Tenghai Research Base, but currently, the base didn¡¯t have the financial ability, so they still needed to draw up an agreement with the mechanical factory.


    He also planned to personally check whether the factory was capable of producing such high-standard tilling machines, seeders, and harvesters after the autumn harvest.


    And possibly other agricultural machinery.


    The quality of the tractors from Yushu County was good, and he planned to get one for Qiao Qingyu and modify it for her.


    This little girl looked both cool and beautiful driving a tractor.


    After all, at her current level, she wasn¡¯t yet qualified to have a jeep assigned to her alone. But a tractor was completely feasible, and moreover, it was supported by a brother unit, so it had nothing to do with the research base.


    After completing the lengthy proposal, he also heard the voices of Qiao Qingyu and Rongrong speaking from the bedroom in the living room.


    He Xiuyu stood up, stretched lazily, moved his neck, put the proposal into his briefcase, and quickly walked out of the kitchen.


    Everything was peaceful in the morning: washing up and eating breakfast. However, when He Xiuyu was about to take Rongrong to kindergarten, Rongrong clung tightly to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s clothes and wouldn¡¯t let go.


    She still couldn¡¯t speak, but her firm gaze an tightly pursed lips conveyed her thoughts at that moment.


    Qiao Qingyu was very busy today, but her busy schedule was confined within the base. She pinched He Xuerong¡¯s little hand and looked up at He Xiuyu, ¡°Is she going to the kindergarten today, or to the base hospital for rehabilitation training?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s going to kindergarten,¡± He Xiuyu said softly.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take her with me today.¡±


    ¡°But aren¡¯t you supposed to go to your lab to screen seeds?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, as long as you¡¯re comfortable with it, let her stay by my side today.¡±


    He Xiuyu smiled, his gaze tender and warm, his voice soft, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, thank you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu forced a smile and then lowered her head to look at He Xuerong, who was also looking up at her. Her expressionless little face slowly began to smile, the little girl really was beautiful, smiling like a flower.


    This child had indeed changed a lot in the past month.


    Since she was so attached to her, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t mind taking her along when she had the time.


    After all, this kind of dependency was quite fulfilling.


    He Xiuyu hurried off; he had too much to do today.


    So did Qiao Qingyu, but she had to first stop by Sister-in-law Li¡¯s house.


    Li Zhiqiang was still under quarantine review. Even if he had done nothing wrong, he had made a serious dereliction of duty this time, and it had also led to the sacrifice of a warehouse keeper.


    Therefore, when Qiao Qingyu, holding Rongrong¡¯s hand, knocked on the Li family¡¯s door, Sister-in-law Li had not slept all night and looked haggard with swollen eyes. Xiao Hu followed behind her listlessly. Although he didn¡¯t know what had happened, his mother hadn¡¯t let him go to kindergarten today.


    He was still thinking he wouldn¡¯t see Rongrong since he couldn¡¯t go to kindergarten, but unexpectedly, Rongrong didn¡¯t go either.

 Chapter 143 - 143 143 Do you think the two of them are

    ?Chapter 143: Chapter 143: Do you think the two of them are really innocent? Chapter 143: Chapter 143: Do you think the two of them are really innocent? Xiao Hu would usually be thrilled, but today his mood was downcast. Children are actually quite sensitive and can often detect the atmosphere of their household almost instantaneously.


    His mother had cried all night. While crying, she muttered to herself, bitterly mentioning Dad¡¯s name, so he vaguely guessed that it seemed Dad had done something wrong.


    Still, Xiao Hu managed to smile sneakily at He Xuerong.


    Qiao Qingyu released her hand and whispered to He Xuerong beside her, ¡°Rongrong, go play with Xiao Hu for a bit. Little aunt and your Aunt Li need to talk.¡±


    Rongrong¡¯s ability to understand language was getting stronger by the day. As long as she stayed by Qiao Qingyu¡¯s side, she felt especially safe. So, the little girl obediently and cleverly walked up to Xiao Hu. Xiao Hu scratched the back of his head, then took He Xuerong¡¯s hand and ran off to play in the sand in the corner of the courtyard.


    Li Zhiqiang had made a sandpit in that corner, filled with fine sand. Though sand was not unusual due to the proximity to the sandy areas, having it set up as a separate little sandpit was something children really enjoyed playing in.


    Sister-in-law Li¡¯s voice was hoarse, ¡°Qingyu, come inside with me.¡±


    Once inside, Qiao Qingyu said directly, ¡°I just came to check on things. I have to go to the lab in a bit.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either, but yesterday afternoon, someone from the security department came to tell me this. Then, they searched the house for books and materials.¡±


    ¡°Nothing was found, right?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu believed that Li Zhiqiang had not reached the point of making such a mistake.


    Sister-in-law Li nodded, ¡°Nothing. Everything¡¯s fine.¡±


    After saying this, her eyes carried a hint of hatred¡ªa chilling sentiment. Qiao Qingyu had never before seen Sister-in-law Li with such a look in her eyes. She heard Sister-in-law Li say, ¡°Qingyu, Li Zhiqiang is a bastard. If he didn¡¯t fancy Chen Dandan, why would she throw herself at him and not someone else? Do you think they¡¯re really innocent?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu dared not comment; after all, the investigation was not yet complete.


    Now, Li Zhiqiang had been suspended and isolated for review, but his life was spared. Regardless, the fate of this family had changed.


    It depended on whether Li Zhiqiang had done anything wrong. If he had, what awaited him was prison. But even so, Sister-in-law Li and Xiao Hu should be spared any trouble.


    Qiao Qingyu whispered, ¡°Sister-in-law Li, I¡¯m not clear on the specifics, but I think, if there were really something between them, Chen Dandan wouldn¡¯t resort to stealing the card this way.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Qingyu?¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law, what I mean is, their relationship is probably completely innocent, so Chen Dandan caught Brother Li off-guard and managed to take the card from him smoothly. If Brother Li truly had improper thoughts about her, normally speaking, no man could restrain himself with a woman throwing herself at him, especially when both have feelings for each other.¡±


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t push her away. Instead, he¡¯d hold her tight, and who knows what they might do in the office. If that were the case, it would take more time. Given Chen Dandan is a person of interest, if she stayed in Li Zhiqiang¡¯s office for too long, it would raise suspicions. Therefore, Chen Dandan likely wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to enter the base¡¯s storage.¡±


    At first, Sister-in-law Li frowned, looking extremely unpleasant, with a hatred that seemed almost ferocious, as if she would kill Li Zhiqiang herself should he appear before her.


    She could live without him, but as her only relative, Li Zhiqiang held a different place in her heart compared to other wives¡¯ feelings toward their husbands.


    But after hearing Qiao Qingyu¡¯s analysis, Sister-in-law Li¡¯s expression gradually softened. She clenched her hands tightly without saying a word.


    Qiao Qingyu continued softly, ¡°Sister-in-law Li, even if they really had something going on, you need to stay calm and restrained. Don¡¯t do anything foolish. If he¡¯s done something bad, the law will punish him, and you have Xiao Hu to think about. For instance, if you saw Brother Li and killed him in a rage, then you¡¯d end up in jail or worse.¡±


    ¡°Even if he is a criminal, you¡¯re not the law. Killing a criminal would still land you in prison or on death row. I don¡¯t know what happened in your hometown, but I¡¯ve heard that even your little aunt has been brought here, so you must have cut ties with your hometown. Your maternal family can¡¯t be relied upon. What would happen to Xiao Hu then? A child of his age without any relatives¡ªimagine how hard it would be for him to survive?¡±


    Sister-in-law Li suddenly looked up at Qiao Qingyu, eyes wide.


    It was then that Qiao Qingyu realized that Zhou Xiaoqin was a rather extreme person.


    But in general, as long as she was properly guided, she was still within control.


    She continued, ¡°Sister-in-law Li, all this is hypothetical. You wouldn¡¯t actually do this. And you should trust Brother Li¡¯s character. He wouldn¡¯t betray you. At most, he¡¯s been exploited. But be prepared mentally.¡±


    Sister-in-law Li was silent for a while, then spoke in a raspy voice, ¡°Qingyu, I¡¯ve taken your words to heart. You speak sensibly. I can¡¯t have extreme thoughts. Even if he really did betray me, I will raise Xiao Hu well.¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯m planning for the worst. Maybe the situation will improve.¡±


    Sister-in-law Li gave a bitter smile, ¡°A life is at stake. My heart aches too.¡±


    By now, Sister-in-law Li had no idea what had happened yesterday at the commune entrance and was unaware that Chen Dandan had also taken Qiao Qingyu hostage.


    She said bitterly, ¡°How can Chen Dandan be so vicious? Why not just work honestly? Why betray her country, her conscience, and involve innocent lives?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu patted Sister-in-law Li¡¯s shoulder. ¡°For spies and agents, this is their job.¡± She then emphasized, ¡°Sister-in-law, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. Pretend you don¡¯t know anything; after all, you¡¯re just a family member.¡±


    Sister-in-law Li nodded seriously, ¡°I know. I won¡¯t talk recklessly.¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law, I need to get to the lab. I¡¯ve got things to take care of. Take care of yourself at home. By the way, where¡¯s your young aunt?¡±


    Sister-in-law Li sighed and pointed to a room inside, ¡°She¡¯s resting in there. Her life has been hard too. Ever since my mother-in-law passed away, that widow moved in, and they wouldn¡¯t let her study or eat well. They didn¡¯t make her do farm work, but kept her locked up at home doing the laundry, cooking, feeding pigs, feeding chicken¡ªshe did all the work. And on top of that, she was beaten every day...¡±

 Chapter 144 - 144 144 Old Trick

    ?Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Old Trick Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Old Trick Qiao Qingyu just couldn¡¯t stand hearing about such things, huffing angrily, ¡°Brother Li¡¯s stepfather is also your sister-in-law¡¯s biological father, isn¡¯t he? How can he just watch his child get beaten?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why the ancients always said, it¡¯s better to follow a begging mother than a governing father¡ªit¡¯s exactly this logic.¡±


    Afterward, Zhou Xiaoqin sighed sorrowfully, ¡°But I don¡¯t know what will happen in the future.¡±


    If Li Zhiqiang really had made a mistake, he would definitely be caught and sent to prison, and she couldn¡¯t possibly continue living here.


    Where could she go?


    She and her own family had long since fallen out and no longer communicated, and it was the same with Li Zhiqiang¡¯s ancestral home. It seemed there was no place in the wide world where she could find refuge.


    Seeing Sister-in-law Li start to cry again, Qiao Qingyu thought about it and knew what Sister-in-law Li was worried about¡ªif she agreed, she would arrange everything for her.


    ¡°Sister-in-law Li, don¡¯t be upset. It¡¯s not yet time to draw conclusions, but even if that day comes, and you can no longer stay at the base, as long as you trust me, I will definitely arrange a place for you to stay.¡±


    Sister-in-law Li quickly wiped away her tears, her eyes suddenly brightening. She had spent the whole night sleepless with a mixture of hatred, anger, and worry. Her voice was choked as she said, ¡°Qingyu, you are the only person I can trust now.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu opened her purse and took out 300 yuan to hand to Sister-in-law Li, ¡°Sister-in-law, this is your money. I¡¯m giving it back to you now.¡±


    Sister-in-law Li didn¡¯t stand on ceremony. In order to sever ties with the Li family, back in her hometown, Brother Zhiqiang had spent a sum of money to completely break the father-son relationship.


    Although they were not biological father and son, they were legally father and son, so they had drawn up a contract, which both the Brigade Leader and the Secretary had stamped with their fingerprints.


    The issue had been resolved, but there wasn¡¯t much money left in hand.


    At such a moment, Sister-in-law Li was extremely grateful to Qiao Qingyu.


    Her heart also didn¡¯t feel as narrow anymore. She felt that she should choose to trust her husband, no matter how difficult it was, and persevere.


    Qiao Qingyu saw that Zhou Xiaoqin¡¯s mood had stabilized. She also felt relieved, and since it was getting late, it was time for her to leave.


    However, she had originally only intended to take Rongrong to Zone 5.


    But Xiao Hu was following behind them, looking pitiful.


    Sister-in-law Li knew that Qiao Qingyu was going to work, but like He Xuerong, Xiao Hu clutched the hem of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s clothes without letting go. Sister-in-law Li said helplessly, ¡°Qingyu, I don¡¯t have anything to do right now. What can I do to help you?¡±


    After thinking it over, it would be good for Sister-in-law Li to get busy. Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°My older cousin and our hometown¡¯s Accountant Zhang are now at the base guesthouse. Can you help me prepare lunch?¡±


    Sister-in-law Li¡¯s eyes sparkled as she hurriedly agreed.


    Her mood finally improved a bit, ¡°Qingyu, I¡¯ll steam buns for lunch. I brought back quite a few mountain goods and dried vegetables, as well as some preserved meat. I was originally planning to wait for you to come back and bring them over to you, but who would have thought there would be issues. How about I stir-fry two dishes with the dried vegetables?¡±


    ¡°Okay, after I¡¯m done, I¡¯ll make some egg soup, and that will sort out lunch.¡±


    After agreeing with Sister-in-law Li, Qiao Qingyu took the two children and headed towards Zone 5.


    Along the way, many people greeted Qiao Qingyu warmly. In fact, most of them recognized Qiao Qingyu, even though she did not recognize them.


    It took just a few minutes to reach Zone 5.


    Yesterday, she had already placed the gastrodia and red flower seeds from Lu Ye¡¯s car into the nearby warehouse. The warehouse was very large, and Director Xie had even ordered a long row of wooden shelves.


    The remaining cement from the house construction was used to create a concrete floor, and the rodent holes around the perimeter were blocked up tightly.


    The walls were coated with white lime, and upon opening the door, there was a clean and fresh scent.


    The warehouse was connected to Qingyu¡¯s makeshift laboratory which, despite its simplicity, was designed very efficiently.


    Of course, it couldn¡¯t compare to the seed cultivation room in Qingyu¡¯s space, but even so, with enough capability, she could really cultivate some excellent seeds.


    Her courtyard was separate, surrounded by yellow clay walls made of adobe bricks, standing over a meter high.


    The soil in the yard couldn¡¯t really be called soil anymore; even the hardiest lab seeds would be wasted here.


    This was different from the wasteland at Xiaxi Commune, and unlike the green belts hundreds of kilometers outside the base.


    Before the fences were put up, this place was simply part of the road, frequented by passersby.


    So Qingyu didn¡¯t put in much effort here, but she thought if she had the capacity, she would bring in soil, lay down a thick layer, and even if not for vegetables, she could plant Barley Grass.


    Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t currently have any transportation or machinery at hand, so she had to set that plan aside.


    Qingyu sent the two kids out to play.


    And she went back to her usual tricks, closing up the warehouse doors, and in the span of two hours, switched out all the gastrodia and red flower seeds.


    The gastrodia and red flower seeds brought by Lu Ye, she decided to keep in the lab within her space, where there were also several thousand jin of cabbage, radish, and Barley Grass seeds.


    She could choose to cultivate them when He Xiuyu and Rongrong weren¡¯t home.


    After organizing the lab space, Qingyu came out.


    The children were still playing with sand in the corner of the wall.


    Xiao Hu was babbling away, while Rongrong was silent, but it was clear that Rongrong still enjoyed playing with Xiao Hu.


    There were also over a hundred children between the ages of five and six in the base¡¯s family homes.


    Most of them were sent to the base¡¯s kindergarten, while some were looked after by grandparents at home.


    Not being very familiar with them, Qingyu didn¡¯t feel comfortable letting Rongrong play with those kids, because although Xiao Hu, being bright, indulgently just accepted that Rongrong was naturally quiet, other children might not be as understanding and could end up hurtfully calling her ¡°mute.¡±


    Qingyu had Xiao Hu and Rongrong gather up the stones in the yard and place them in the corner, while she reviewed the experimental equipment in the office at Zone 5.


    She felt she still needed to learn how to operate these machines.


    Qingyu was quick to understand, and as some machines were new, she managed to learn how to work them just by following the instructions. Before she knew it, it was noon, and Sister-in-law Li came over to call them for lunch. Qingyu firmly locked the main door and then followed Sister-in-law Li back to the family homes with the two children.


    Sister-in-law Li packed a large basin of buns into a basket, placed two big bowls of vegetables beside it, and took it to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house.


    Qingyu had already phoned the others at the guest house, which wasn¡¯t far from here, and there was a temporary canteen available, but Qingyu wouldn¡¯t possibly let them dine there.


    Qingyu made a pot of egg soup with cabbage sprinkled with green onions, and some leftover meat from last night. Lacking a refrigerator, she preserved it with salt, thinly sliced it, and stir-fried a large plate with shredded potatoes.

 Chapter 145 - 145 145 Settle Down to Devote Herself to Her

    ?Chapter 145: Chapter 145 Settle Down to Devote Herself to Her Seed Business Chapter 145: Chapter 145 Settle Down to Devote Herself to Her Seed Business Sister-in-law Li¡¯s buns were filled with dried green beans and sauce meat. Even though the dough was a bit overcooked and mixed with cornmeal, her culinary skills were superb, and one bite released a fragrant aroma.


    Qiao Qingyu thought that once everything was fully opened up, Sister-in-law Li could totally start a restaurant in the family compound of the base. Of course, she couldn¡¯t say that out loud, as the matter with Li Zhiqiang had not been settled yet.


    After lunch, upon hearing that the seed selection was complete, the two of them became anxious. They still didn¡¯t understand the concept that time is money, but they were aware that being late by one season meant being late by a whole year.


    The sooner the medicinal herbs were planted, the better.


    Although Lu Ye¡¯s words were not always reliable, when it came to getting things done, he was very dependable. He had written down the planting methods and necessary precautions for gastrodia and red flowers on a few pieces of paper and handed them to Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu also needed to keep this information, as there were no relevant books available yet.


    She copied all the information and then handed it to Accountant Zhang.


    The people from Qiao Family Team did not have experience in planting medicinal herbs, but the principles were similar to those for crops. As long as they thoroughly understood the information, these medicinal herbs would surely bring them an unexpected harvest.


    The truck was parked right at the entrance of Zone 5.


    Old Xie had assigned a few people to help move the selected medicinal herb seeds into the large truck.


    Accountant Zhang and Qiao Tianbao carefully covered everything with canvas. They had to account for the possibility of encountering a downpour, as they would be exposed to the elements. On top of the canvas, there was an additional layer of wax paper, firmly secured.


    Once everything was ready, it was time for them to go.


    Old Xie was no longer in a hurry now, as the decision to establish the Green Committee at the Tenghai Research Base had been unanimously passed at the meeting that morning.


    He was appointed the director of the Green Committee.


    There were four clerks under him, all serving the Green Committee and working part-time. Old Xie had suggested that Qiao Qingyu become the vice director, as she was the one who provided all the seeds, but He Xiuyu had rejected the idea.


    He Xiuyu thought that Qiao Qingyu should just focus on her seed business for now, and if there was an opportunity, she might contract wasteland to realize her dream of turning the place into lush green hills and clear waters.


    But current Qiao Qingyu was not suitable for the position of vice director.


    To be honest, at this stage, He Xiuyu did not want Qiao Qingyu to take on such a great responsibility.


    Even though he had made the decision without consulting Qiao Qingyu, he believed that given her intelligence, she would definitely understand his intentions.


    Old Xie was now very busy; the greening task of the base had been entrusted to him. He was originally in charge of this, with Old Wei leading the effort. With these two at the helm, the team was quickly formed and things went unexpectedly smoothly.


    After Old Xie had finished his busy work, he said to Qiao Qingyu with a smile, ¡°Qingyu, Old Wei and I went for a stroll on the wasteland you contracted the other day...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu replied with humor, ¡°Director Xie, how did you two manage to stroll all the way to such a distant place?¡±


    ¡°Just on the way,¡± Old Xie laughed, brushing it off, then seriously added, ¡°The barley grass there is growing really well, with the tallest ones now reaching twenty centimeters.¡±


    He paused and then said, ¡°Qingyu, guess what Old Wei and I saw?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, playing along, asked, ¡°Director Xie, what did you and Director Wei see?¡±


    Old Xie slapped his thigh, ¡°We saw a rabbit running through the grass...¡±


    ¡°Oh, so it was a rabbit,¡± Qiao Qingyu responded indifferently, which made Old Xie anxious, ¡°Qingyu, do you know what a rabbit signifies? It means that the ecological environment in our area has greatly improved. Haven¡¯t you noticed that it¡¯s rare to see rabbits within many miles of here?¡±


    Old Xie joyfully glanced at the sign for the Zone 5 Breeding Laboratory, ¡°The seeds you sowed represent the hope for a future with lush greenery and clear waters.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled and nodded, ¡°Director Xie, rest assured, as soon as the land for the greening belt is leveled, you can come here to get the seeds.¡±


    At this moment, Qiao Tianbao came over, and knowing that the siblings needed to talk, Old Xie greeted Tianbao, left his office phone number with him, and then cheerfully walked away.


    Even though he had taken on an extra role without any increase in salary, he was happy.


    Starting tomorrow, while the machinery was not yet in place, the personnel had to be ready.


    The green belt to the north of the base covered several thousand acres, and if they had to rely on human labor, it would take an unbearably long time.


    Therefore, he had Old Wei make contact with Yushu County.


    They needed ten tractors for plowing, and they would bring in a few dozen more from Xichuan. Together with the temporary workers recruited from the families of the staff, they must level the land of the sandy belt within a week.


    Thinking about it, Old Xie felt that He Xiuyu was indeed very cunning, loving his wife right down to the bones. No wonder he didn¡¯t agree to Qiao Qingyu becoming the vice director; he couldn¡¯t bear to see his wife working too hard.


    As he turned the corner, he looked back at the direction of Zone 5, and for some reason, he felt that the area surrounding the base, including Xiaxi Commune and even the whole Xichuan, would change dramatically because of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s Breeding Laboratory.


    At this moment, Qiao Qingyu was instructing Qiao Tianbao, ¡°Big brother, remember what I told you earlier. Don¡¯t say a word about what happened at the commune entrance. First, we must adhere to the principle of confidentiality, and secondly, we can¡¯t have mom and dad worrying.¡±


    Qiao Tianbao nodded hurriedly. These past few days, he had seen that although he initially thought He Xiuyu was cool and hard to approach, he turned out to be a person who was refreshingly caring and cautious.


    Honestly speaking, his sister marrying him was really good. Like He Xiuyu, one couldn¡¯t find a second person like him in the whole Harvest Commune, let alone all of North City.


    Little cousin sister was living better here than everyone expected, and some of the officers¡¯ family members got along quite well with sister.


    And it wasn¡¯t just out of regard for He Xiuyu but genuinely because of sister herself. So Qiao Tianbao really admired his little sister.


    Nevertheless, as the big brother, he still had to give his advice, ¡°Qingyu, live your life here with He Xiuyu, but if you¡¯re ever unhappy, just come back to Qiao Family Team or give me a call, and I¡¯ll come to pick you up myself, alright?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, big brother. You won¡¯t need to pick me up. It¡¯s very likely that I¡¯ll visit back in the fall.¡±


    ¡°Well, that would be wonderful.¡± Then, not wanting to delay any further, ¡°Qingyu, it¡¯s time for your big brother to go. If all goes well, I should arrive in Xichuan by tonight.¡±


    Qiao Tianbao saw that Accountant Zhang was anxiously pacing next to the truck, seemingly wishing he could just fly the medicinal herb seeds straight to Qiao Family Team to plant them overnight.

 Chapter 146 - 146 146

    ?Chapter 146: Chapter 146 Chapter 146: Chapter 146 Accountant Zhang had that eager-to-return-home feeling, which Qiao Qingyu understood, so naturally, she didn¡¯t delay him any further and, after giving him a few more words of instruction, carried the data related to the batch of herbal seeds and drove off from the Tenghai Research Base in a truck.


    When Accountant Zhang arrived, he had brought with him three thousand yuan in his shoulder bag, which the commune had allocated to him.


    These seeds could plant two hundred acres, and Lu Ye only charged two thousand yuan, which was practically the cost price.


    All the paperwork was complete, so despite her busyness, Qiao Qingyu had effectively been working for free, though she still had some gastrodia and red flower seeds left over.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know how many qualified seeds these gastrodia and red flowers could yield.


    ...


    Three days later, because Rongrong had to go to the base hospital for treatment, neither He Xiuyu nor Rongrong returned home, offering Qiao Qingyu the chance to enter the laboratory space.


    The seed cultivation room sounded somewhat rustic, but the machinery and the surrounding setup seemed like something out of a sci-fi movie.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s body was not exceptionally strong, but she was hardly weak. Carrying a hundred-pound sack was somewhat strenuous, but she didn¡¯t need anyone else¡¯s help.


    Qiao Qingyu poured a hundred pounds of seeds into the seed selection machine in the seed cultivation room.


    There was a button next to the machine, first she pressed the red one, then the adjacent green button to start it. Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know where the power for this space came from, but it was always brightly lit whenever she entered.


    When she pressed the start button, the screen beside it lit up, displaying three options: cultivation batches of one hundred pounds, five hundred pounds, or three thousand pounds.


    Qiao Qingyu thought about it and chose the five hundred pounds option. She then hauled over four more sacks and dumped them all into the seed selector before pressing the start button. The seed selection machine began to operate.


    Next to it was a large container about eight meters long, made from some unknown material, with lighting from above, making it possible to vaguely see the qualified seeds falling into the container.


    The five hundred pounds of seeds were sorted within minutes, with the rejected seeds falling into an empty container below, while the qualified ones landed in the long container above.


    After an unknown period of time, suddenly a light came on, and an electronic voice began to alert, ¡°Entering the seed cultivation phase, please prepare seed vessels for the cultivator.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, having no prior experience and literally feeling her way across the river by groping for stones, hurried to the end of the room and found that a door had opened, revealing five shelves.


    Realizing what was needed, she rushed back to the seed space, filled the emptied bottles in wooden boxes, and after numerous trips, filled up all five shelves. Then, the shelves, filled with bottles, retracted, and the door closed.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t ponder what kind of structure or principle was at work. This space was already an unfathomable existence. What she cared about now was when the seeds could be cultivated.


    The room fell still for about ten or so seconds, and then a previously dimmed glass screen on the machine suddenly lit up. The electronic voice sounded again, ¡°Countdown starting...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu checked the time: ninety-six hours.


    Meaning, four days and four nights.


    Qiao Qingyu tidied up the seed cultivation room and placed the emptied sacks in large wooden boxes set aside in a corner.


    She had placed five wooden boxes here.


    They were used to store anything that could be stored.


    The two hundred and fifty pounds of subpar cabbage seeds were temporarily placed in a corner.


    ...


    Four days later, Qiao Qingyu entered the space to find that the two hundred and fifty pounds of cabbage seeds were all cultivated. She took them out to inspect and then compared them with the cabbage seeds in the laboratory space on the shelves.


    Qiao Qingyu was surprised to find that they looked exactly the same.


    So this was a cycle?


    Qiao Qingyu continued to cultivate other seeds, achieving a fifty percent success rate.


    She planted the successfully-cultivated cabbage and radish seeds on a plot of land outside her house¡¯s wall to see what they would yield.


    She also gave some to Sister-in-law Li. Although it was a bit late in the season, cabbage and spinach are quick to sprout, and they could be eaten after half a month.


    Meanwhile, the decision on Li Zhiqiang¡¯s punishment had come down. His previous good performance had scored him some points, and since he indeed had no relationship with Chen Dandan, he still had to bear responsibility for the severe consequences of his oversight.


    The base leadership removed him from his position in charge of the Light Industry Workshop, but there was a very important project under his responsibility. They mostly produced precision parts, which were indispensable to the base¡¯s operation.


    It wasn¡¯t that Li Zhiqiang was irreplaceable, but at this stage, it was difficult for anyone taking over to continue his work.


    Nevertheless, punishment was necessary. Li Zhiqiang was relieved from all his duties and received a major demerit. He was sent to the base¡¯s labor reform team to undergo reform through labor, but his reform location was changed to the workshop, and he had to return to the base labor reform team in the evening for education.


    For Li, this was already the best possible outcome.


    Director Lin was named and criticized by the headquarters, and both his position and salary were downgraded by one level.


    Many others also received varied degrees of punishment.


    The warehouse keeper who sacrificed himself while on duty was given the greatest benefits for his bereaved family.


    Although this could not heal their emotional wounds, the situation was such that nobody could do anything¡ªjust like the soldiers who protect their country. When parents send their children to the military, they need to be mentally prepared for this possibility.


    Sometimes, sacrifice is inevitable.


    However, the sacrificing warehouse keeper also violated the warehouse management regulations; after all, the cardholder wasn¡¯t Chen Dandan, and he shouldn¡¯t have opened the door for her, no matter how convincing her arguments or desperate her situation was. As a keeper, he had to stick to principles.


    But these issues were no longer discussed since he pressed the alarm button in the last moments of his life.


    Chen Dandan was transferred to the provincial public security bureau for prosecution after she confessed everything upon seeing that woman, who turned out to be her long-lost sister.


    However, that was yet another twisting, bizarre, and sad story.


    Even though Chen had confessed everything, she had no idea who the person codenamed Old Mountain Eagle was, but from her parents, she knew the highest command above them was this person.


    He could be a farmer, a worker, or someone else influential.


    They had never had contact with him.


    Chen¡¯s target was Li Zhiqiang, aiming for the precision instruments that were to be manufactured in two months.


    After obtaining the blueprints, she would have given them directly to her foster parents.


    However, Old Mountain Eagle, who could give her orders, had not sent any instructions since she came to the base, so the lead ended with Chen again.


    The cunning Old Mountain Eagle¡¯s whereabouts remained unknown...

 Chapter 147 - 147 147 An Unexpected Gift

    ?Chapter 147: Chapter 147: An Unexpected Gift! Chapter 147: Chapter 147: An Unexpected Gift! However, the heads of various workshops and laboratories at the base had finally realized, because of the bloody lesson taught by Li Zhiqiang, that although it was peacetime, due to the importance of their professions, danger still existed; one careless mistake could lead to a deep abyss.


    Some men and women who liked to flirt were scared off.


    Then everyone threw all their energy into work, and after a series of events, the enthusiasm of the people at the base had reached a new height.


    ...


    And on this day, Chief Engineer He, who had been busy for over a week, drove his modified tractor to the wasteland of Xiaxi Commune to pick up Qiao Qingyu.


    The Poplar saplings that had been planted with Barley Grass were now ten centimeters tall.


    Qiao Qingyu and Mr. Qian, leading over a hundred experienced commune members, were laboring here.


    Rongrong and Xiao Hu were both by her side.


    Each holding a small shovel, Qiao Qingyu did not allow them to touch the saplings but permitted them to dig up grass.


    On this wasteland, the Barley Grass grew the best.


    The wind today was somewhat gentle, and the sun also thoughtfully hid behind the clouds.


    The saplings and Barley Grass were thriving well; thousand silk hemp had now passed the best time for transplanting. However, the head of the county¡¯s agricultural station had applied for funding, prepared to buy the extra Barley Grass and Poplar saplings on the wasteland with the support of Lu Ye.


    Combining the local soil conditions, almost no one believed it initially, but after an on-site inspection, all doubts were cleared.


    Nothing was more persuasive than the sight of this verdant grassland and the endless stretches of thousand silk hemp.


    Thus, the funding was smoothly approved, unlike usual when reports had to be written and various departments visited, sometimes taking months to finally receive the money.


    This time, the head of the agricultural station brought the money directly.


    The truck also arrived; for caution, a layer of moist soil was spread in the truck¡¯s bed.


    The head of the station and two technicians, who carefully transplanted the saplings with the commune members, came this time.


    The station head then went to call the commune.


    For the members of Xiaxi Commune, these three thousand acres of wasteland were initially disregarded, and only after the thousand silk hemp sprouted did they see hope and gain motivation.


    To prevent the sabotage by malicious elements, apart from the militia, many commune members voluntarily patrolled, which ensured to some extent that the saplings could grow healthily.


    The growing period of Barley Grass, now already twenty centimeters tall.


    Due to the uneven terrain, the grassland also appeared irregular, yet being covered in lush greenery, this place imbued an unlimited, distant, and hopeful feeling.


    As the root system of Barley Grass was very firm, removing it was much harder than normal weeding; moreover, this was not about removing but relocating the grass. The grass had to be uprooted entirely and then transplanted to other lands.


    According to the data, in another half a month, the Barley Grass would be ready to harvest.


    Everything from an inch above the roots had to be left; in a little over a month, this place would be lush again.


    But as Xichuan did not have many people raising cattle or sheep, harvesting the Barley Grass was not very valuable. After discussing with Mr. Qian, it was decided to let this swath of Barley Grass continue to grow, merely serving as a green belt.


    Nature was indeed miraculous. Initially, when it was barren land, the air was dry and dusty everywhere, but once the Barley Grass grew, whether it was a psychological effect or not, the air seemed to become moister.


    Especially when standing in the middle of the grassland, it indeed felt exhilarating.


    Qiao Qingyu really enjoyed the fresh scent of grass and trees.


    At that moment, a rumbling sound of a tractor came from the distance.


    In the countryside, this was the most commonly seen and heard thing, but Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t pay much attention and still squatted next to He Xuerong, teaching her how to dig out a plant without harming its roots. Children, especially ones like He Xuerong who didn¡¯t talk much, needed to work with their hands. It was good for her condition.


    Suddenly, Mr. Qian exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, can you see if that is your Chief Engineer He?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu and He Xuerong turned their heads simultaneously.


    Not far away, on an open piece of land, a somewhat familiar yet completely strange tractor came to a stop, and a man in blue overalls jumped down from it; he was tall and handsome, and he gave Qiao Qingyu a slight smile.


    Qiao Qingyu stood up, holding a hoe in her hand.


    It was the first time Chief Engineer He had come here.


    He hadn¡¯t driven his jeep but had come in a tractor, and Qiao Qingyu¡¯s gaze fell on the tractor.


    So beautiful!


    That was the admiration from the bottom of her heart after taking a second look.


    Chief Engineer He waved at Qiao Qingyu, who put down her hoe and hurried over.


    Surprisingly, He Xuerong didn¡¯t follow her but continued to dig up grass.


    For her, it was all just a game, and so it was for Xiao Hu beside her.


    At this moment, Qiao Qingyu had already walked quickly up to He Xiuyu. After only one glance at him, her eyes fixed on the tractor.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes sparkled as if all the sunlight in the somewhat dim weather had gathered in her eyes. She walked around the tractor several times, patted the large sturdy tires, and observed the solid and thick driver¡¯s cabin and tractor¡¯s splash board, gleaming with a dark red metallic luster.


    Qiao Qingy cheered up and opened the door to look inside, feeling a sense of familiarity.


    She couldn¡¯t help but turn her head to look down from her elevated position at He Xiuyu, who had his hands in his pockets and a smiling face, ¡°Why does this tractor look so familiar?¡±


    ¡°Just familiar?¡±


    ¡°Not just familiar, it seems to be renovated and modified?¡± Qiao Qingyu ventured.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s eyes were smiling as he actually gave Qiao Qingyu a thumbs-up, praising, ¡°Smart girl, open the door and see if you like the inside?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu faintly sensed something, but she couldn¡¯t wait to open the door and then sat down in the driver¡¯s seat.


    The seat was comfortable, the driver¡¯s cabin was large and spacious, and the windows were exceptionally clear.


    At that time, the door on the other side was also opened, and He Xiuyu sat down in the passenger seat.


    He gave Qiao Qingyu a slight smile, ¡°Your reward¡ªor compensation, you could say.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes shone brightly as she looked at He Xiuyu.


    Biting her lip without saying a word.


    He Xiuyu turned towards her, gazing at Qiao Qingyu intently.


    His features were gentle, his voice soft yet serious, ¡°Are you still angry?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    She was done for¡ªthis man!


    Even her hardened heart might well melt into softness now.

 Chapter 148 - 148 148 Go Wild to the Ends of Heaven

    ?Chapter 148: Chapter 148: Go Wild to the Ends of Heaven Chapter 148: Chapter 148: Go Wild to the Ends of Heaven But Qiao Qingyu was just Qiao Qingyu.


    She glared at He Xiuyu, ¡°Little favors can¡¯t buy me!¡± Then she patted the steering wheel, somewhat impatient, ¡°Hurry up, tell me how to start it. Do I need to get out and crank it up?¡±


    He Xiuyu stared at Qiao Qingyu quietly for a few seconds, his lips curving up, his voice still soft, ¡°No need, I¡¯ll tell you how to start it, very simple...¡±


    Under He Xiuyu¡¯s guidance, Qiao Qingyu, who had once sped in cars, drove the tractor rumbling down Yellow Sand Road.


    Although this man could sometimes be annoying, there were moments when he really knew how to capture a person¡¯s heart.


    In the early 1980s, a time when productivity was backward in many respects, Chief Engineer He gave her a tractor, a reconditioned Old Brother brand tractor.


    Do you like it?


    She liked it incredibly much, even more than receiving a diamond ring or even fancy clothes and designer bags.


    However, these two were really quite heartless.


    He Xuerong and Xiao Hu had been diligently and quietly digging at the grass because Qiao Qingyu had promised them five cents for each complete clump of grass they dug up.


    So the two little ones were earnest in their efforts, paying no mind to He Xiuyu arriving in a tractor.


    But when He Xuerong looked up again, she saw her little uncle and little aunt climb onto the tractor, and with a puff of black smoke chugging out from its back, it sped away.


    The little one stood up swiftly, staring in disbelief at the scene unfolding before her.


    The next moment, she burst into tears with a loud wail.


    Xiao Hu, flustered and panic-stricken, tried to console Rongrong, ¡°Rongrong, don¡¯t cry. Uncle He and Aunt Qiao must have gone to work. I know the way, I can take you home. And hey, if they don¡¯t want you anymore, you can come to my house, be my sister, and my mom will make steamed buns for you every day...¡±


    He should have stayed quiet; his words only made He Xuerong cry even harder.


    Then, throwing down her little hoe, she ran in the direction the tractor had gone.


    The child was simply too small, and the landscape here was not a vast open field but had ups and downs, so of course the tractor could not be seen from the other side of the slope.


    Mr. Qian, sweating profusely, also started running after her.


    He was completely at a loss; he had thought Chief Engineer He had come to check on his wife, but why did he leave without saying a word and drive off in the tractor?


    And why did the tractor look so familiar?


    Was it new?


    But it truly looked splendid, especially the shiny driver¡¯s cabin, just like a big sedan the leaders ride in.


    At this moment, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face brimmed with a smile.


    She admitted that she seemed to have been bought by this man.


    If someone told her decades later that a man had given her a tractor and she was so moved she almost wanted to commit herself to him immediately, she would have scoffed. But now, she felt that taking this man was not a bad thing at all.


    What¡¯s the big deal with idle gossip, with Qiao Qingyu around, she could defeat anyone who tried to challenge her.


    So, with her mood exceptionally high and wanting to show off her driving skills to He Xiuyu, she drove through inclines and declines, across wasteland and down Yellow Sand Road. Thankfully, the tank was full; otherwise, Qingyu would really have a hard time getting back.


    About fifteen minutes later, Qiao Qingyu suddenly hit the brakes.


    Looking at the desolate sand ahead, she exchanged glances with He Xiuyu.


    ¡°Comrade He Xiuyu, have we forgotten something?¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s expression changed the next second.


    Damn, they had forgotten Rongrong.


    Though there were Xiao Hu and Mr. Qian, Rongrong was not like other children.


    Without saying a second word, Qiao Qingyu found a spacious spot to turn around and headed straight for Barley Grassland.


    The road conditions were rough, and even He Xiuyu, a grown man, was being jostled around.


    He spoke in a deep voice, ¡°No rush, no rush, safety first.¡±


    ¡°I know, hold tight, I¡¯m going to speed up now...¡±


    He Xiuyu, ¡°...¡±


    This time, it was fast, taking less than ten minutes to arrive.


    Sure enough, Mr. Qian was squatting on the ground, comforting He Xuerong, while Xiao Hu, not wanting Rongrong to cry, kept making funny faces until he was sweating profusely.


    Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu quickly got out of the car and hurried toward He Xiuyu.


    Xiao Hu was the first to see the two of them, his voice changing with excitement, ¡°Rongrong, look, your little uncle and little aunt are back, they didn¡¯t abandon you...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    Such an unreliable brat.


    He must have told Rongrong that they might not want her anymore, maybe even suggested she go live at his house.


    But He Xuerong was actually quite well-behaved; through her tear-stained eyes, she saw the tractor return, and her little heart was reassured. Her little uncle and little aunt had not left her behind; they had come back for her. However, because she had been crying so fiercely just before, her face was still streaked with tears...


    She looked pitifully adorable.


    He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu were both standing in front of her.


    But then they exchanged a glance.


    It was a glance filled with surprise.


    This was the first time He Xuerong had fully expressed her emotions on her own.


    She wasn¡¯t just silently shedding tears, she was wailing, and they had both heard it.


    So, Rongrong¡¯s illness would soon be healed.


    He Xiuyu took out a handkerchief to wipe Rongrong¡¯s tears while Qiao Qingyu asked from the side, ¡°He Xuerong, did you manage to dig up your plants?¡±


    He Xiuyu took a look at Qiao Qingyu.


    And while He Xuerong, her eyes still misty with tears, shook her head, Xiao Hu hurriedly said, ¡°Aunt Qiao, I¡¯m about to get it out.¡±


    Digging up one Barley Grass would earn five cents, which could buy five fruit-flavored candies at the supply and marketing co-op.


    He was about to earn his five cents.


    ¡°Go on, take Rongrong with you, and once you¡¯ve dug it up, I¡¯ll take you both back home on the tractor.¡±


    He Xuerong felt that as long as her little aunt didn¡¯t leave, digging for plants seemed fun, so she ran to the Barley Grassland with Xiao Hu.


    The child who had just been crying her eyes out seemed like a completely different person.


    He Xiuyu agreed with Qiao Qingyu¡¯s approach and felt that encountering a Qiao Qingyu like this was not only Rongrong¡¯s fortune but his own as well.


    Mr. Qian went to inspect the tractor, circling it before asking enviously, ¡°This tractor is really nice, is it new from the base?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°It¡¯s not new, this was renovated by Chief Engineer He and given to me.¡± Then she added, ¡°To be precise, it was given to my Breeding Laboratory.¡±


    Mr. Qian thought to himself, what¡¯s the difference? The Breeding Laboratory is just you alone; isn¡¯t that the same as giving it to you?


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s great, Qingyu, now you have a tractor. It¡¯s the most suitable thing for our area.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at the tractor with delight, while He Xiuyu watched her with a smile.


    Mr. Qian walked away, knowing to give them space.


    He Xiuyu then went over some safety precautions with Qiao Qingyu before telling her that while diesel was rationed monthly, he had managed to secure oil tickets for her. Although it allowed for some flexibility, it was still important to conserve fuel.


    After all, diesel was in very tight supply back then.

 Chapter 149 - 149 149 But He Is Indeed Noble

    ?Chapter 149: Chapter 149: But He Is Indeed Noble Chapter 149: Chapter 149: But He Is Indeed Noble Qiao Qingyu nodded in agreement, she wasn¡¯t foolish, the family quarters at the base housed all sorts of people; she couldn¡¯t possibly drive her tractor through town daily and show off.


    However, it was indeed convenient.


    Lunchtime was approaching, and both Rongrong and Xiao Hu had completed their tasks. Although there was slight damage, it was not a big issue, Qiao Qingyu gave each of them five cents.


    Xiao Hu excitedly put the five cents into his bag and eagerly asked Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Aunt Qiao, can I come dig grass this afternoon too?¡±


    ¡°No, not this afternoon; Aunt Qiao has things to do, I¡¯ll bring you along tomorrow...¡±


    After giving a few instructions to Mr. Qian, Qiao Qingyu drove the tractor, rumbling along with He Xiuyu and the two kids back to the family quarters.


    She had already become very skilled at operating the tractor, had figured out where to park it too, right at the Breeding Laboratory in Zone 5.


    He Xiuyu jumped off the tractor and opened the double doors.


    Qiao Qingyu drove the tractor in, and as she got off, she looked around and said, ¡°I need to build a shed here, if it rains the tractor will get wet.¡±


    He Xiuyu responded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Old Xie will build it for you.¡±


    With a bright smile, Qiao Qingyu cheerfully asked, ¡°Have you been busy with this these days?¡±


    ¡°Not really, just during my spare time.¡±


    No wonder he hadn¡¯t come back for nearly a week.


    He must have been tinkering with the tractor.


    ¡°Is this a tractor from the Yushu County Mechanical Factory? How did you get it here? I hope you didn¡¯t have to pay for it?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked, curious.


    ¡°No, I delivered the blueprints personally to the factory and signed an agreement. To thank the Tenghai Research Base for its support, Yu Factory Director decided, after consulting his superiors, to donate this tractor to your Breeding Laboratory,¡± He Xiuyu explained calmly, without any hint of seeking praise.


    ¡°So, do I need to register it? Can I drive it to the county or to Xichuan?¡±


    He Xiuyu glanced at Qiao Qingyu with amusement and playfully countered, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Tractors weren¡¯t allowed on the main roads of the county or on some main roads in Xichuan.


    Qiao Qingyu laughed, ¡°How can I thank you?¡±


    She regretted asking that instant.


    Sometimes He Xiuyu was unpredictable, and some of his responses could be overwhelming.


    But this time Qiao Qingyu guessed wrong.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s brow unfurled, seeing Qiao Qingyu so happy with the modified tractor was expected, but still very satisfying and gratifying to witness.


    He said, ¡°Make me something delicious for lunch.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to eat? There¡¯s only one egg at home, and we¡¯ve been out of meat for a while.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a pepper growing in your wooden box? Fry some potato slices with it for me,¡± He Xiuyu¡¯s voice was leisurely.


    ¡°It only has one, and it hasn¡¯t grown big yet.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s eyes darkened slightly; he loved eating peppers, a meal wasn¡¯t complete without some spice. He had even stealthily smelled it one day; the potent aroma was overwhelming, and although it was still small, he had wanted to bite into it right there, allowing the spicy sensation to fill his entire mouth and invigorate him.


    Seeing the look on He Xiuyu¡¯s face, Qiao Qingyu felt a bit sorry for him.


    Calling He Xiuyu great might seem exaggerated, but he truly was noble.


    Just like the vast majority at the base, determinedly coming to the impoverished Northwest for the dream of a strong country.


    They weren¡¯t afraid of hardship or fatigue, willingly giving everything they had.


    Even if each day it was just cornbread with pickles, they relished it.


    Such was the situation at the base at the moment.


    Winter stored vegetables had run out.


    The only green vegetable was the cabbage provided from Qiao Qingyu¡¯s laboratory.


    But it could only be eaten once every half month.


    After all, there were thousands of mouths to feed.


    The forty-five acres of cabbage field really weren¡¯t enough to fill the gaps between the teeth.


    And some had to be reserved for seeds, the rest was left as winter cabbage.


    The base had also established a supply and marketing cooperative, but currently, there were no greenhouses in Xichuan, and the ground vegetables had not yet ripened. Even if there were vegetables to eat, there was no meat, and oil was scarce.


    For some reason, the pork supply had suddenly become extremely tight.


    Each person only got half a jin of meat per month, which meant, even at Mr. He¡¯s home, they could only have one jin of meat per month. Qiao Qingyu previously did not like to eat meat, she wouldn¡¯t even touch fried chicken legs because she wanted a balanced diet and to maintain her figure, and besides, decades later, chicken legs and duck legs would be as common as pickles today.


    No, even some of the pickles were more expensive than chicken legs.


    But since Qiao Qingyu had come here, she hadn¡¯t even had chicken meat.


    When she returned to Qiao Family Team, besides having a few meals of sour cabbage and oil dumplings, she really hadn¡¯t eaten any meat.


    It wasn¡¯t for lack of money, there was simply nowhere to buy it.


    In the spring, Harvest Commune had been hit by avian flu, and later although various teams started to raise chickens again, they were only half-grown chicks.


    Even if they were slaughtered, there was hardly any meat to eat.


    So, life only felt difficult when spoken about.


    Qiao Qingyu felt that perhaps she should build a pig farm or a chicken farm.


    Then the question arose, what would she feed them?


    Pigs and chickens needed grain to grow meat and lay eggs.


    So, ultimately, only when grain production increased could there be surplus feed for raising pigs and chickens...


    Thinking this, Qiao Qingyu decisively waved her hand and agreed, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll pick some later and make you stir-fried potatoes with chili peppers for lunch.¡±


    He Xiuyu instantly beamed with joy, and Qiao Qingyu thought to herself, look how simple this person is, a dish of stir-fried potatoes with chili peppers could make him so happy.


    If the He Family knew, they would probably feel very distressed.


    She didn¡¯t know He Xiuyu liked eating chili peppers when she was planting vegetables, but growing more chili peppers wasn¡¯t a problem because she also loved them.


    Qiao Qingyu turned and took another look at her tractor.


    From now on, she was going to be the most outstanding one in the base¡¯s family compound.


    ...


    Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was early July.


    The greening project at Tenghai Research Base was in full swing.


    Now in the desert area north of the base, five hundred li from the wind sandy belt, the barley grass had already grown ten centimeters tall.


    From a distance, it stretched to the horizon; if one didn¡¯t consider the desolate scenery on the other side, one might think it was a prairie.


    Old Wei and Old Xie had sought out Qiao Qingyu several times. With no choice, she had gone to the thousand acres of wasteland she once wanted to contract for a field inspection, and even obtained quite a bit of data. She and Director Xie discussed again, and thought it was a pity to plant barley grass on this plot, but it was too late for thousand silk hemp.


    Then she decided to plant autumn turnips there.


    These were a type of green turnip that could grow to forty centimeters, each weighing over five jin on average.


    They had specific soil requirements, but the thousand acres of land had previously been cultivated with millet. Even if part of the soil was disqualified due to desertification, the autumn and winter variety of green turnip seeds had a yield of eighteen thousand jin per acre. Even if halved, it could yield nine thousand jin per acre. It required three jin of seeds per acre. She had the seed station in Ning¡¯an County send her a thousand jin of green turnip seeds, and through Lu Ye and the Agricultural Station in Yushu County, she managed to get five thousand jin...

 Chapter 150 - 150 150 Initial Results

    ?Chapter 150: Chapter 150 Initial Results Chapter 150: Chapter 150 Initial Results Qiao Qingyu had cultivated a total of three thousand catties of seeds, and this time she did not exchange any since there were not many radish seeds left in her space.


    She directly gave these seeds to Old Xie.


    Since the newly cultivated cabbages outside her wall had sprouted and showed no difference compared to those in her space,


    Old Xie took people a whole month to till and prepare the land, borrowed a seeding machine from the provincial city, and along with manual labor, spent another month planting the autumn and winter type radishes.


    Radishes are a good thing.


    It¡¯s said that eating radishes in winter and ginger in summer will keep the doctor away without prescriptions.


    There are also many ways to eat radishes, which are one of the most important vegetables during winter.


    The radishes planted this time could not be sold; they were all reserved for the staff at the base.


    Ancient people always said, ¡°When the troops have not moved, the grain and grass go first.¡± Scientists are great, but they also need to eat food and vegetables.


    And Qiao Qingyu just collected three thousand catties worth of seed money.


    After all, she had bought six thousand catties, which was evident to everyone; she wasn¡¯t making money, but she couldn¡¯t afford a losing trade either.


    Thus, Mr. Qi from the headquarters authorized a special fund payment to Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu earned one thousand yuan.


    But in the eyes of outsiders, she only made over one hundred yuan.


    After all, although she was affiliated with the base, the base did not pay her a salary.


    Now everyone knew that when the radishes were harvested in autumn, based on the lowest yield, that would save tens of thousands of yuan.


    However, farming also carried risks, yet no one worried about the seeds not sprouting because in the lands of Xiaxi Commune affected by disaster, the cabbages and radishes grew vibrantly.


    But the effort expended was also immense.


    Farming is exhausting.


    Qiao Qingyu understood He Xiuyu¡¯s thorough intentions.


    She just needed to manage the seeds well.


    In early June, Qiao Qingyu planted five acres of potatoes on a wasteland outside the base¡¯s wall; this area had previously been planted with wheat but the yield was not high. Later, when the villages under Xiaxi Commune were requisitioned by the family courtyard of the base, this nearby area turned into part of the base, and so the land lay fallow, with only sparse weeds and wild grass sprouting.


    Nowadays, the idle lands were impoverished to a certain degree, and apart from planting barley grass and sea buckthorn, there were no better alternatives.


    Thinking about grains was out of the question.


    Even if the seeds from her Space Device were extraordinary, they still required suitable soil and environment.


    Thus, the most consumed now were barley grass.


    For example, high-yielding corn would only reach its maximum value when planted in the fertile lands of North City.


    Here in Xichuan, the urgent matter was to improve the soil, to stop the sandstorms from advancing towards human settlements.


    Thus, a large proportion of barley grass was transplanted to the seed station in Yushu County; the county immediately planted it near the sandy areas, and now they all survived and grew lush and green.


    These grasses brought in one thousand eight hundred yuan, of which Qiao Qingyu took nine hundred, and the rest belonged to Xiaxi Commune.


    Then, she also transplanted one thousand willow wood trees to the green belts of the base.


    The saplings of the willow wood were fifteen centimeters tall, and honestly, no one had much experience with this big guy; currently, the entire Xichuan had no tree saplings for sale. In this era, the focus was on crops. Flower and tree saplings might be found in the Southern regions, and saplings like these were just a few cents each.


    Even at two cents each, that would only be two hundred yuan.


    Qiao Qingyu decided that the saplings would be used to support the construction planning of the base.


    And given the surrounding land was even more barren than here, she also wanted to see if these one thousand saplings could survive.


    Then, Lu Ye built connections, and Qiao Qingyu sold a batch of barley grass seeds and willow wood to the Xichuan Agricultural Station.


    This time, Qiao Qingyu received twenty-eight thousand yuan.


    This was her cost price.


    It was essentially a fifty percent discount.


    By now, her savings had grown to more than 30,000 yuan.


    However, Qiao Qingyu dared not continue any further.


    Because the seed stations and agricultural stations from the provincial city and Xichuan had all expressed their desire to visit her Zone 5 Breeding Laboratory.


    This matter had not been directly linked to Qiao Qingyu, as they approached He Xiuyu, but He Xiuyu had rejected them outright.


    The reason was fully justified; currently, the Tenghai Research Base was classified as a Top Secret Unit, and unless necessary, visiting groups were not allowed entrance.


    Even an ordinary breeding laboratory was subjected to the same restrictions.


    But Qiao Qingyu felt that she should stop, even if she wanted to sell seeds, she could no longer sell them in such large quantities.


    For this reason, Qiao Qingyu tossed and turned for almost the entire night.


    It seemed that during the winter she needed to go back to school, and then in July next year, she would take the university entrance exam; she wanted to apply to the Agricultural University.


    There was no other way; she had to follow this path in life.


    Because as her business grew larger, and she came into contact with more and more people, the chances of being exposed also increased. If it hadn¡¯t been for He Xiuyu¡¯s direct intervention this time, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s laboratory would definitely have been found to have discrepancies.


    Consequently, this place had become a warehouse and a garage.


    Moreover, it was already early July, and the planting season was over.


    But that was still enough to keep Qiao Qingyu extremely busy.


    She had once joined Lu Ye on a drive to check on the growth of the barley grass.


    Xichuan was a city surrounded by wind-blown sand belts, forming a semi-circle; they spent an entire day driving through a 200-li-long sand belt along with the county and Xichuan Agricultural Station.


    At the end, the old station master cried.


    He was born here, where long ago it was all just yellow sand; during spring when the heavy winds blew, opening the windows in the morning would reveal a thick layer of sand and dust both inside and outside.


    The northwest also had fertile lands and green mountains and waters, but not their Xichuan.


    The work of sand control had been ongoing since the founding of the nation.


    After all, if the thousands of miles of sand belts could be controlled, not only would the climate change, but it would also support more people.


    He had worked in this post for many years.


    The poplar trees he planted by hand had survived, though the survival rate was not high, and the sparsely planted poplar trees were likewise.


    They couldn¡¯t form a green belt to resist the sand.


    If the barley grass seeds had been available sooner, what would Xichuan look like by now, the old station master wondered tearily as he looked at the greenery spreading to the horizon.


    The barley grass seeds were excellent, worthy of being cultivated by Tenghai Research Base. This barley grass, unlike the familiar rye grass and regular grass, had extremely developed root systems. It could be said that each root seemed like a tiny water storage channel; when heavy rain came, the roots of the barley grass automatically stored water, playing a crucial role during prolonged droughts, and because they rooted deeply, they also improved the soil.


    The barley grass, planted over a month ago, was now over ten centimeters tall.


    Over two hundred li of land, with its ups and downs, hillslopes, plains, and hilly areas, was now all planted with barley grass.


    It was just a month, but what about in one or two years, or even ten years later...


    The old station master cried and then laughed.


    In his lifetime, he was sure to see this place transform into a landscape of lush greenery and clear waters.


    ...

 Chapter 151 - 151 151 He Xiuyu Who Cant Find Direction

    ?Chapter 151: Chapter 151: He Xiuyu Who Can¡¯t Find Direction Chapter 151: Chapter 151: He Xiuyu Who Can¡¯t Find Direction The weather at the beginning of July was a bit hot, but summer in the Northwest had finally arrived.


    Qiao Qingyu drove her beloved tractor, taking Rongrong and Xiao Hu to the Barley Grassland.


    She parked the tractor at the edge of the field and led the two children into the grassland to pick mushrooms.


    Being a versatile Seed Laboratory, it naturally had mycelium as well.


    The mycelium was contained in glass jars.


    The mycelium medium was a kind of fine sawdust, filled with white mycelium. Following the instructions, she placed the suitable straw mushroom spawn on the grassland.


    Then, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t pay much attention to them anymore, she hadn¡¯t spread many, just over a hundred.


    The rest was left up to nature.


    Luckily, after a rainstorm, several small mushrooms sprouted. This type of grass mushroom couldn¡¯t wait to grow bigger; they had to be picked just as they poked their heads out. Cleanly picked and blanched in water, if you had meat, you could slice some streaky pork, add a chili pepper, cut a few white cabbage leaves, and fry it all up into a colorful dish to be served on a white plate. Paired with rice, it was so delicious you¡¯d almost swallow your own tongue.


    Although the grassland didn¡¯t stretch as far as the eye could see, it still extended over seven hundred meters.


    Qiao Qingyu had placed the mushroom spawn in a concentrated area and followed the instructions to put them on a shaded slope.


    Qiao Qingyu, carrying a wicker basket, led the two children into the grassland.


    The three headed straight for their destination.


    There wasn¡¯t a path through the grassland; Mr. Qian wouldn¡¯t allow people to trample the grass into a trail unless it was necessary, so no one came here now.


    Although the area of the Xichuan grassland had greatly increased, this particular part drew much attention because it would be the first to mature. Once the mature grass seeds were cultivated by Qiao Qingyu, many places would be watching.


    Even if the barren land couldn¡¯t grow crops, planting grass would do, and then next year they could raise sheep, cattle, or even rabbits.


    Tender Barley Grass is also a favorite of pigs.


    Moreover, the yield of Barley Grass is very high.


    In terms of nutritional value, taste, and other aspects, it is twice as good as rye grass.


    This patch of Barley Grass received the same care as crops by the collective members and Qiao Qingyu alike. Once the useless weeds were removed, it became a base for seed cultivation.


    At that moment, not far away, Rongrong suddenly pointed at a bush and made an ¡°Ah, ah, ah¡± sound.


    She still couldn¡¯t talk but was able to make simple syllables like ¡°Um, ah...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu quickly walked towards the direction she pointed, with Xiao Hu waving his hands beside her and shouting, ¡°Aunt Qiao, come quickly, there¡¯s a whole bunch of mushrooms here.¡±


    Indeed, the mushrooms she had thrown here all sprouted. The mycelium was covered by grass leaves. Pulling back the leaves, you could see clumps of small mushrooms growing densely.


    Qiao Qingyu taught the two children how to pick mushrooms. During this period, Xiao Hu had become tanned but also tougher.


    He just wasn¡¯t growing much taller.


    Rongrong was doing fine, Qiao Qingyu and Rongrong always wore straw hats when they went out.


    Xiao Hu had one too, but he found it bothersome and didn¡¯t like to wear it.


    That¡¯s why he was so darkly tanned.


    Picking mushrooms was a happy affair for Qiao Qingyu, who could afford it, but for Xiao Hu and Rongrong, it was like finding treasure.


    Qiao Qingyu had no qualms about letting the two children pick most of the mushrooms.


    And the children were overjoyed.


    Soon enough, they had picked all the mushrooms in that area clean.


    Qiao Qingyu also noticed that quite a few blades of grass were trampled down, seemingly in a flurry, and then about two or three dozens of the mushroom blocks here were picked clean, so it seemed that someone had come to steal them yesterday.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t want to make a fuss, after all, she was just growing these for fun.


    In the future, when the conditions allow, she would dedicate a special place to grow mushrooms.


    After letting the children run around in the grass for a big loop and having their fill of play, Qiao Qingyu took them back to the base on the tractor.


    She parked the tractor in the shed and returned home with the two children, Sister-in-law Li had gone to work in the workshop, and her sister-in-law had been sent off to school.


    Xiao Hu was originally going to go to kindergarten, but if Rongrong didn¡¯t go, Xiao Hu wouldn¡¯t either.


    Recently, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s only activities outside the base were in the two plots of wasteland.


    Moreover, she had her modified tractor, which, in her opinion, was almost the same as an off-road vehicle¡ªbroad and comfortable seats, and somehow He Xiuyu had gotten hold of a piece of leather to cover the seats, a luxury, truly excessive luxury.


    But she also liked it a lot.


    So, as long as she was taking Rongrong, she might as well take Xiao Hu along for the ride; herding one sheep was the same as herding two, and besides, both children were exceptionally well-behaved, lacking the typical traits of rowdy kids. Sometimes they even helped her with work.


    By early July, the He Family¡¯s small courtyard was very beautiful.


    Two rows of Gesang flowers stood tall and proud, laden with budding florets.


    Vegetables like eggplants, chili peppers, string beans, cucumbers, and tomatoes, the most common and popular ones, were now being picked and eaten in succession.


    The sea buckthorn had been planted along the edges and had reached sixty centimeters in height.


    The courtyard wall was lined with creeper plants; the wall wasn¡¯t high and the vines grew quickly. The leaves of the creeper plant had already reached beyond the wall.


    So now, the He Family¡¯s small courtyard had become like a little garden.


    When she arrived at the front gate, Qiao Qingyu frowned slightly, He Xuerong blinked her eyes, and then scampered forward, pushing open the half-closed gate.


    She let out a customary ¡®ah ah ah¡¯ shout.


    Through the open door, it turned out that He Xiuyu had returned, standing on a long bench, where he was building her a grape trellis.


    The grapes weren¡¯t tall yet, so they were temporarily propped up by wooden sticks.


    Seeing these people return, He Xiuyu smiled at Qiao Qingyu and continued with his work, while Qiao Qingyu stood under the half-finished grape trellis, looking up.


    She always felt that something was off.


    He Xiuyu at this moment was filled with a bewildering, indifferent air, seemingly lost.


    And he seemed a bit downcast.


    Such a gloomy feeling should not have surfaced on He Xiuyu.


    He should be confident, focused, and calm.


    But his hands didn¡¯t stop moving. Those hands were extremely skillful. It was said that people like him have very strong manual capabilities and a high degree of coordination between hand and brain.


    The He Xiuyu before her was exactly like that.


    He hadn¡¯t been home in over half a month.


    Early July in Xichuan had already entered summer. Wearing a short-sleeved blue work shirt, he appeared more refined and handsome as ever.


    He often wore this since he usually came straight home from the workshop.


    The blueprints from Su Yunyao had been corrected by him of the mistakes and had long since been put into production.


    Qiao Qingyu knew that Su Yunyao had plagiarized the research results of He Xiuyu from her past life, probably even the mistakes were stolen too. But what could she say? Even if He Xiuyu believed her, they had no evidence.


    And she didn¡¯t know where to begin...

 Chapter 152 - 152 152 What are you asking about

    ?Chapter 152: Chapter 152 What are you asking about? Chapter 152: Chapter 152 What are you asking about? Qiao Qingyu lifted her eyes and asked with a smile, ¡°Have you had lunch?¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s hands continued their motions, his voice somewhat bland, ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten yet.¡±


    And his hands kept on weaving the willow branches, bringing the right side¡¯s branches towards the left, and because no real weight needed to be supported, he placed a rattan in the middle as the keel. Then he continued weaving from right to left, forming a grapevine arbor.


    Wait another month, and the arbor above would be covered with grape leaves, and by autumn, it might even bear a few bunches of grapes.


    After all, it was a product of the laboratory; its quality was certainly assured.


    Qiao Qingyu turned to look at Xiao Hu and Rongrong standing beside her, ¡°You two help Uncle out, I¡¯ll go make lunch for you.¡±


    The two children nodded happily.


    As Qiao Qingyu walked to the door, she heard He Xiuyu¡¯s clear voice rise from behind, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, I¡¯d like to eat stir-fried hot peppers with potato slices.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu pointed to the mushrooms in the willow basket, ¡°You¡¯ve come back at a good time today, we just went mushroom picking, I¡¯ll stir-fry some mushrooms with hot peppers for you.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s lips curled up slightly, then he resumed his weaving of the willow branches. His task was to weave the branches into a web to cover the entire grapevine arbor.


    The weaving technique was intricate; from the steps, the arch of the grape arbor looked standard.


    Who had he learned this from?


    Qiao Qingyu began to cook, glancing occasionally at He Xiuyu who was standing on a stool while she prepared the food.


    Was this guy dealing with something?


    Actually, since he had given her a tractor, this was their third encounter.


    To say that marrying a man like He Xiuyu was not easy was an understatement, but Qiao Qingyu was not one to just stay at home either, so the two of them were quite evenly matched now.


    Qiao Qingyu had come back with the two kids late today, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have asked He Xiuyu if he had eaten since they reached home at one in the afternoon.


    It looked like He Xiuyu had been back for over an hour already.


    With efficient movements, Qiao Qingyu cleaned the mushrooms, washed them several times, blanched them in a pot, squeezed out the water after fishing them out, and set them aside. She had passed by the supply and marketing cooperative and had a look; there was still no meat. It was said that this wasn¡¯t the season for slaughtering pigs.


    Naturally, pork was scarce.


    She still had some meat oil left, used half a spoonful, heated it up, and then stir-fried it with green onions and ginger until fragrant before tossing in a plate of hot peppers. Soon after, she added cabbage leaves and mushrooms to the pot.


    Sizzling sounds...


    The appetizing fragrance wafted out from the open kitchen door.


    Xiao Hu swallowed his saliva and handed willow branches to He Xiuyu with even more diligence.


    Rongrong ran to the kitchen entrance, smiling at Qiao Qingyu with crescent eyes.


    Inhaling the aroma of the stir-fried hot peppers and mushrooms, He Xiuyu¡¯s restlessness gradually soothed.


    After the meal, the two kids continued to help He Xiuyu with the grape arbor until it was time to call it a day when the sun set.


    From a distance, it looked almost like a piece of art.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s craftsmanship was really good.


    He swept the yard and mopped the cement floor inside the house; Qiao Qingyu sneaked glances, thinking it wouldn¡¯t be bad if it continued like this.


    In the evening, Qiao Qingyu wrapped wontons.


    The wonton filling made of egg, diced mushrooms, and finely chopped spring onions and green peppers was not only good-looking but also delicious. A bit of seaweed was placed at the bottom of the soup, topped with minced cilantro.


    The moon had climbed atop the Poplar tree, and the silvery moonlight gently showered down, casting a light veil over the land.


    Qiao Qingyu stepped out of the house, and at this moment, He Xiuyu was not in the study; he sat on the cement steps at the door.


    The weather in July was already very hot.


    Qiao Qingyu had also changed into a nightgown, made for her by Han Xianglan when she was at Qiao Family Team, from a design she had drawn. Han Xianglan finished it in one day with her sewing machine.


    It must be said that Han Xianglan¡¯s hands were truly skillful; she spent another day embroidering little flowers with yellow thread around the neckline, the cuffs, and the hem of the dress.


    Qiao Qingyu liked it very much, especially since the cotton fabric was genuinely breathable, although a bit thick.


    As she stood on the steps, He Xiuyu, with his back to her, detected the sound of footsteps behind him. But he didn¡¯t turn around; instead, he sat on the steps, his legs bent, with his hands resting on his knees.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced over and was surprised to see a cigarette in his hand, which was unlit, and he just kept rolling it between his fingers.


    He really seemed to have something on his mind.


    It wasn¡¯t that Qiao Qingyu was particularly sensitive, but rather that He Xiuyu¡¯s mood was intensely palpable.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping?¡± He Xiuyu spoke softly, ¡°You¡¯ve had a hard day.¡±


    Indeed, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s days were not easy; she had to help take care of Rongrong every now and then, cook three meals a day, and checked on the growth of thousand silk hemp and Barley Grass daily.


    She wasn¡¯t even eighteen yet, but often everyone seemed to unanimously overlook her age, including Old Wei and Old Xie.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°Today was okay, I just took the kids to pick mushrooms, then we came back...¡±


    He Xiuyu, with his head drooping and pinching the cigarette, exuded an indescribable air of decay. After a moment of thought, Qiao Qingyu decided to show some concern. She asked, ¡°He Xiuyu, do you have something on your mind?¡±


    He Xiuyu looked up at Qiao Qingyu, who was standing below the steps.


    Qiao Qingyu was beautiful, and to put it bluntly, at that moment, she resembled a bud ready to bloom under the moonlight.


    Her eyes were clear and deep, filled with concern that couldn¡¯t be faked. It was this genuine concern that softened He Xiuyu¡¯s voice, ¡°I¡¯m fine, you should go back and rest.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu could not say she was disappointed or not. She didn¡¯t press for answers and wasn¡¯t intent on uncovering his secrets.


    Since He Xiuyu was unwilling to talk, she let it be.


    She stepped up, intending to go inside.


    However, Qiao Qingyu suddenly remembered something she had always wanted to ask but never found the right moment. She withdrew her hand from the doorknob, and because she was wearing a dress and couldn¡¯t comfortably crouch down, she bent slightly to look at He Xiuyu, ¡°He Xiuyu, I have a question that I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you for a while.¡±


    With gentle brows and a trace of a smile in his eyes, He Xiuyu said, ¡°What¡¯s your question? It seems like you¡¯ve been holding it in for quite some time...¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Qiao Qingyu nodded eagerly.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s voice, smooth as a gentle stream, flowed through the night, ¡°Go ahead and ask.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu inspected He Xiuyu up and down, her expression serious, ¡°He Xiuyu, I¡¯ve always been curious¡ªwhere do you hide your gun?¡±


    Suddenly, the surroundings fell into silence.


    It was as if the air itself had stopped moving.


    The next second, He Xiuyu was startled, then seemed to catch his breath as he began to cough.


    His cough wasn¡¯t violent, but it left Qiao Qingyu staring with her watery eyes, puzzled.

 Chapter 153 - 153 153 Catch One to Pluck the Wool

    ?Chapter 153: Chapter 153: Catch One to Pluck the Wool? Chapter 153: Chapter 153: Catch One to Pluck the Wool? He Xiuyu was still sitting on the steps, he hadn¡¯t moved, but at this moment, although he clearly knew that Qiao Qingyu was asking about something else, he still felt a dryness in his mouth, as if a restless feeling was stirring deep in his heart.


    He tried hard to suppress it, and his face reddened slightly.


    Qiao Qingyu said with some embarrassment, ¡°I¡¯ve always been curious, that day your speed was so fast, and the gun seemed to appear out of thin air.¡±


    She even reached out to pat his back, ¡°Why did you suddenly start coughing?¡± Then she sniffed a few times, ¡°You don¡¯t smoke either, what made you choke all of a sudden?¡±


    If it were the usual He Xiuyu, he might have teased this girl who appeared composed and dignified, yet was somewhat naive in certain aspects.


    But today his mood wasn¡¯t good, however, the oppression in his heart was much relieved by Qiao Qingyu at that moment.


    He simply stood up; he hadn¡¯t changed into pajamas and was still wearing the half-sleeve overalls. He pointed to his sleeve, ¡°It was hidden here, but that day I was wearing long sleeves...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked inside and actually, aside from the implausible theory about the space, she also thought it should be in the sleeve.


    ¡°Did you put another pocket inside?¡±


    ¡°No, I just put it inside simply, my hand was slightly clenched to hold it up, and besides, my gun is custom-made, smaller in size.¡±


    ¡°Do you still carry it on you now?¡±


    He Xiuyu smiled, ¡°How could I, silly girl, I¡¯m not a soldier, why would I carry a gun on me all the time, unless necessary!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu got the answer she wanted and felt there was nothing amiss, but she still casually asked, ¡°By the way, the Old Mountain Eagle hasn¡¯t been caught yet, right?¡±


    He Xiuyu paused for a moment and then shook his head.


    Qiao Qingyu straightened up; she also planned to go back to her room to rest. Since He Xiuyu didn¡¯t want to talk, naturally she wouldn¡¯t do anything unwelcome, but she still said, ¡°No matter what¡¯s on your mind, you need to rest. If it can¡¯t be resolved today, there¡¯s still tomorrow, I¡¯m going to sleep now.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was just about to open her room door, but unexpectedly, He Xiuyu called out from behind, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, wait a moment.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stopped and turned around to look at He Xiuyu.


    At that moment, He Xiuyu stood beneath the step, his tall figure enveloped in the moonlight¡¯s clear radiance. Even against the light, his eyes and brows were very clear.


    His brows were slightly furrowed at this moment, obviously, he seemed to have some unresolved troubles.


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Is something the matter?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, I have a question that has been lingering in my mind for a long time, but I truly can¡¯t find anyone to talk to. Of course, if it bothers you after I tell you, please don¡¯t blame me...¡±


    For some reason, Qiao Qingyu felt a vague guess forming in her heart. She nodded, ¡°I won¡¯t blame you, but what is it that seems to trouble you so much?¡±


    He Xiuyu fell silent.


    After a moment, he slowly said, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, have you ever had such an experience? Where one day, at a certain moment, someone brings you an item and tells you that they made it themselves.¡±


    He paused for a moment, seemingly organizing his words, and then continued, ¡°But when you see the item, you are shocked to realize that you are very familiar with it, because it is exactly like something you are about to make, but how can that be possible?¡±


    He Xiuyu seemed to be talking to himself but also seemed to be asking Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu leaned against the door, nearly having guessed a lot, but she still followed the normal train of thought and said, ¡°Maybe two people just happened to come up with the same idea.¡±


    He Xiuyu shook his head, ¡°No, even if ideas converge, at most they would be generally the same, the details wouldn¡¯t be the same.¡±


    ¡°Are you also facing this kind of problem?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked from the side.


    He Xiuyu replied, ¡°Yes, I am completely stumped.¡± He then coughed lightly, ¡°I was just asking, no need to worry yourself over it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not really something to worry about, if you can¡¯t figure it out, just forget about it, why bother troubling yourself...¡±


    He Xiuyu laughed, ¡°That¡¯s true, but it¡¯s still unsettling.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at He Xiuyu.


    Of course, she knew what was really going on; it must be Su Yunyao up to some despicable deeds again.


    Her initial guess was that Su Yunyao had brought out another one of He Xiuyu¡¯s past scientific research achievements. She knew so well because firstly, she was in his research team, and secondly, He Xiuyu was the mainstay of the Tenghai Research Base.


    Although the power of a team is strong, sometimes one cannot overlook an individual¡¯s energy.


    He Xiuyu had such a capability.


    Why was Su Yunyao so annoying?


    Stealing one blueprint was bad enough, but why did she want to steal a second time?


    Was she addicted to using ready-made stuff?


    Trying to fleece at every turn?


    Qiao Qingyu also wondered how Su Yunyao had been trusted so much in the last life?


    And that she was familiar with so many blueprints.


    Maybe she really was capable?


    Regarding this matter, it was indeed too complicated, and Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t want to say too much. The more she said, the messier it got, and it was unnecessary.


    She tilted her head up and looked at He Xiuyu with a grin, ¡°Actually, these are just trifles. If you trust me, I can help you solve them.¡±


    He Xiuyu paused, looking at Qiao Qingyu with some confusion, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, are you joking with me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not joking with you, I¡¯m serious. If you trust me, if this matter can be discussed from start to finish, maybe I can help you solve it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so sure you can help me solve it?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes widened instantly, her face darkened as she asked brusquely, ¡°Mr. He Xiuyu, is it so hard to be reasonable? When you shot at me, weren¡¯t you also very certain and confident? Why can¡¯t I be!¡±


    At that moment, Qiao Qingyu looked like a cat with its fur standing on end.


    He Xiuyu quickly waved his hands, ¡°No, no, don¡¯t get me wrong, I didn¡¯t mean to doubt you.¡±


    What a joke, if he doubted her, wouldn¡¯t that be a slap in his own face?


    Besides, that incident was in the past, and he didn¡¯t want to endlessly bring it up, especially since it had made Qiao Qingyu angry for a long time.


    Although he managed to appease her with a modified tractor later, he was still quite apprehensive.


    He gazed at Qiao Qingyu, realizing that this girl wasn¡¯t joking. Sometimes she seemed naive, but in some aspects, she was extremely shrewd, even cunning in a way that was uniquely hers.

 Chapter 154 - 154 154 This man is very charming and exudes

    ?Chapter 154: Chapter 154 This man is very charming and exudes an irresistible allure. Chapter 154: Chapter 154 This man is very charming and exudes an irresistible allure. Qiao Qingyu was extremely intelligent, able to pinpoint every opportunity with precision, counterattacking swiftly when faced with danger. Moreover, she could maintain the moral high ground, leaving not a single flaw for others to pick. Such ability wasn¡¯t something every girl possessed.


    For instance, Liu Qiao Wen, Zhu Mingli, and the Qiao Family Team...


    Her counterattacks were extraordinarily beautiful.


    Searching his heart, He Xiuyu had to admit that he might not have done as well as Qiao Qingyu.


    He couldn¡¯t discuss everything else, but the current issues could be shared with her.


    He Xiuyu took a deep breath and leaned against the other door panel, just like Qiao Qingyu, looking up at the distant night sky, observing the moonlight hanging over the poplar forest¡¯s treetops, his voice low and unhurried.


    ¡°Do you know? The world in the next few decades should be one that vigorously develops urban underground spaces...¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Qiao Qingyu was genuinely confused.


    He Xiuyu did not immediately answer her but continued, ¡°Although the era of reform and openness has just begun, in the next few decades, our country¡¯s urban underground transport, as well as highways, railroads, and even steep mountains, desperately need a type of machinery, which is called a large tunnel boring machine, and I have established a team especially for this...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu listened quietly.


    But her heart was shocked.


    Shocked to the point of almost disbelief.


    She didn¡¯t understand what a large tunnel boring machine was, yet she knew the man beside her was truly farsighted.


    He had predicted the developments of the next few decades; now was the 20th century, and by the 21st century, it would indeed be the era of underground spaces.


    Like spider webs, subways would spread throughout the underground city as well as underground parking, shopping malls, and all other exploitable underground resources.


    All these would be closely interconnected and inseparable from people¡¯s lives.


    But as far as she knew, in the next thirty years, such large tunnel boring machines seemed to be monopolized by foreign countries. Of course, her knowledge was from the real world; who knew what the situation would be in the story.


    Moreover, in the real world, she didn¡¯t pay much attention to this information.


    But it was undeniable that when talking about the future, the man beside her, his eyes were mesmerizing indeed, mysterious and profound, his whole being exuded an irresistible charm.


    Qiao Qingyu tilted her head to look at him, unable to shift her gaze away.


    He Xiuyu also turned his body and looked down at this girl who was a head shorter than him. He was tall, and Qiao Qingyu was already not short, but she appeared so delicate in front of him.


    However, he liked the expression in her eyes.


    Such a look brought a warm, even ambiguous, atmosphere between them.


    Their gazes intertwined, their breaths mingled, a handsome man and a beautiful woman, standing side by side in front of their home¡¯s door.


    Even the moon seemed jealous, hiding behind the clouds.


    He slowly, and with some difficulty, moved his gaze from Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face, his voice somewhat hoarse, as he continued, ¡°My thoughts on this are not yet perfected. About the design of the large tunnel boring machine, I am currently working on it, but this morning Su Yunyao came to see me. She brought a design schematic for a large tunnel boring machine, claiming it was her design, and she wants to set up a project team for it.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu continued to listen in silence, without having to think, Su Yunyao must have drawn out the tunnel boring machine that He Xiuyu had researched in the previous life.


    Qiao Qingyu was also pretty much reborn, but upon careful thought, it seemed she didn¡¯t remember much.


    Even if she were to take the college entrance exam next year, she wasn¡¯t confident about ranking first in the country.


    It was so frustrating.


    Was Su Yunyao¡¯s reborn cheat ability her memory?


    ¡°I looked at it, and that blueprint was exactly the same as the concept in my mind,¡± He Xiuyu said, with a tilt of her head. ¡°The blueprint wasn¡¯t perfect, but it was much more complete than what I had...¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying Su Yunyao got there first and turned what was in your head into hers?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked He Xiuyu.


    He Xiuyu gazed intently at Qiao Qingyu.


    Their eyes met.


    An unusual atmosphere seemed to slowly envelop them.


    At this moment, he really wanted to know Qiao Qingyu¡¯s true thoughts. ¡°Little Qiao, aren¡¯t you even a little bit suspicious that I might be making this up out of jealousy?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu chuckled. ¡°He Xiuyu, you¡¯re really funny. How could someone like you possibly be jealous of Su Yunyao?¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s expression froze for an instant, and he couldn¡¯t help but laugh as well.


    Qiao Qingyu suddenly caught on, ¡°Did you call me Little Qiao?¡±


    It was a strange feeling; it was the first time someone had addressed her that way.


    ¡°Yeah, didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t want me to call you Qingyu?¡± He Xiuyu didn¡¯t understand why Qiao Qingyu had suddenly changed the subject, but speaking of which, he felt she was being unreasonable.


    Now Old Wei, Old Xie, and the commune¡¯s Mr. Qian all addressed her as Qingyu.


    Only he couldn¡¯t!


    Qiao Qingyu squinted her eyes, ¡°What if I call you Mr. Xiao He?¡±


    He Xiuyu, ¡°...¡±


    He tugged at the corner of his mouth and retorted, ¡°I¡¯m five years older than you. You¡¯re calling me Xiao He?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes brimmed with amusement. She grasped He Xiuyu¡¯s arm and pulled him backward, then abruptly switched the topic back, ¡°Let¡¯s not think about what we can¡¯t figure out. If you trust me, leave it to me to handle.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t have much strength, but He Xiuyu followed her lead away from the door. Qiao Qingyu opened the door and entered the room, with He Xiuyu following behind.


    Although he was curious, he managed to refrain from asking.


    A few moments later, he finally spoke, ¡°Shen Haoze, Su Yunyao, and I are from the same compound, and this Sunday I¡¯m inviting them over for a meal.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded, her eyes smiling, ¡°Okay.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s eyes also held a smile. Although he didn¡¯t know how Qiao Qingyu was going to handle it since she hadn¡¯t explained, he felt much better nonetheless.


    And, just as he hoped Qiao Qingyu would trust him, He Xiuyu, at this moment, felt he should trust Qiao Qingyu.


    So, he was really looking forward to seeing how Qiao Qingyu would solve this mystery for him.


    ...


    The next morning¡¯s brilliant sunshine once again enveloped the land, with Beijing and Xichuan both basking in the early morning sunlight.


    Old Sir He Shan had just returned from a business trip and had gone out early in the morning again.


    After breakfast, Meng Siqi sat beside the coffee table, blankly staring at the telephone. She wanted to call He Xiuyu, but felt somewhat guilty. She knew her son¡¯s character; whatever he did, he would take responsibility for all of it. He didn¡¯t want her to interfere in his life, and yet she had done exactly that and had been caught.


    It was said that as a result, Liu Qiao Wen was sent to a re-education through labor team for a month.


    Although it didn¡¯t really affect her, her son¡¯s sharp and searing words felt like a slap on her face.


    Because of this incident, she had no choice but to look after Liu Qiao Wen¡¯s younger brother.

 Chapter 155 - 155 155 Sudden Change

    ?Chapter 155: Chapter 155: Sudden Change Chapter 155: Chapter 155: Sudden Change And Meng Siqi, she had gained nothing and had undeservedly given away a spot, only to be scolded by her son.


    Her heart felt stifled, which is why she had been holding back from calling He Xiuyu; it was always He Xiuyu who took the initiative to call her.


    But it was just a few times.


    She knew that He Xiuyu was busy.


    Both her younger and older sons were excellent, the most outstanding boys in the compound.


    She was proud and honored.


    Her children, Meng Siqi¡¯s children, shone like stars in the sky¡ªbrilliant and dazzling¡ªin her heart, no one could compare to them.


    Yet neither of them was by her side.


    He Shan was busy all day, and her only daughter was out every day, playing with a group of friends, carrying a recorder whose purpose Meng Siqi did not understand.


    Sighing, she felt she should give He Xiuyu a call.


    But she thought, what if that despicable woman¡¯s daughter, Qiao Qingyu, answered the phone? That would utterly disgust her.


    Thinking this, Meng Siqi bit her lip and put the phone back down.


    Just then, someone knocked on her door; the maid was busy in the kitchen, so Meng Siqi composed herself and leisurely went to open the door.


    Standing at the door was a young man in his twenties, wearing a white short-sleeve shirt and gold-rimmed glasses. He first presented his work badge and stated he was from the Foreign Affairs Department, then politeness inquired, ¡°Dean Meng, is Mr. He home?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s out, and I don¡¯t know when he¡¯ll be back.¡±


    ¡°Dean Meng, you might not recognize me. My name is Zhao Tian. I currently work in the Foreign Affairs Department. Yesterday, we received a letter from the M country. It was from Wu Xiucai, the Chairman of Wulong Group, a patriotic overseas Chinese who has made many contributions to our country. He wrote a letter to Mr. He, which traveled through many places before finally reaching our Foreign Affairs Department...¡±


    Meng Siqi was somewhat puzzled, ¡°To my knowledge, our family¡¯s Old He doesn¡¯t seem to know anyone from M country¡¯s Wulong Group...¡±


    ¡°Dean Meng, don¡¯t worry, the letter is legitimate. Mr. Wu is also a patriot. It¡¯s said that he¡¯s currently preparing to move all his industries back to Huaxia.¡±


    Zhao Tian then added, ¡°It¡¯s very likely they knew each other decades ago.¡±


    At that moment, someone outside the gate called for Zhao Tian.


    Zhao Tian quickly handed over the letter to Meng Siqi, ¡°Dean Meng, when Mr. He returns, I hope you can pass this letter to him.¡±


    Meng Siqi took the letter, nodded and said, ¡°Mr. Zhao, rest assured, I will definitely deliver this letter to our family¡¯s Mr. He.¡±


    Zhao Tian hurriedly left, and Meng Siqi took the letter into the living room, placing it on the coffee table while she pondered whether to call her son.


    However, her gaze kept falling on the letter. After a moment, Meng Siqi picked up the letter, which hadn¡¯t been opened, even though it was mailed from abroad, it was intact.


    It seemed there shouldn¡¯t be any problem with it, especially since the era sensitive to overseas relations had passed, and nowadays, many people in Beijing wished their families had overseas connections to facilitate going abroad.


    Meng Siqi bit her lips tightly; the letter was giving her an uneasy feeling.


    But it was He Shan¡¯s letter.


    Whether it was business or personal, she had no right to open it privately, for opening it would be a mistake.


    Even if she was He Shan¡¯s family member, it was not allowable.


    Besides, she didn¡¯t have the guts either.


    So, Meng Siqi placed the letter on the coffee table, and then she picked up her own handbag and left the house.


    At the door, Meng Siqi saw the guard Xiao Wu and said to him, ¡°I won¡¯t be home this morning. If Old He comes back, just tell him there¡¯s a letter on the living room coffee table from an elderly Mr. Wu from abroad.¡±


    Xiao Wu quickly nodded, ¡°Dean Meng, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll inform Mr. He when he returns.¡±


    Meng Siqi frowned slightly, paused, but still descended the steps and hurriedly left.


    Xiao Wu was called away by two colleagues, and just at that moment, Meng Siqi¡¯s cat came downstairs. Seeing no one in the living room, it swooped onto the coffee table. Just then, the housekeeper came out of the kitchen. Seeing the cat jump onto the coffee table, she was about to shout when the cat flicked its tail, jumped onto the sofa, but knocked over a full cup of water that was on the coffee table.


    The water spilled all over the letter.


    It could be said that the letter was soaked by the water.


    The housekeeper was startled and quickly walked over.


    Halfway there, she hastily returned to the kitchen to grab a towel. By the time she had wiped up all the water, the letter was completely soaked, leaving the housekeeper unsure of what to say.


    The cat belonged to Meng Siqi, but being a mute animal, they could only wait until the two of them returned to discuss it.


    The letter was sealed, and even though it was soaked, she dared not look at its contents.


    The housekeeper placed the letter on the windowsill, intending to let the wind dry it.


    When He Shan returned in the afternoon, the housekeeper told him about the incident. He Shan¡¯s face immediately changed. He knew Mr. Wu, a highly respected overseas Chinese who had donated during the war years and assisted his homeland during peacetime in construction.


    Though he had never met him and had had no contact, that didn¡¯t prevent He Shan from respecting him. But he had never imagined that Mr. Wu would write him a letter.


    It must have been something very important.


    By then, even though the letter had been dried by the wind, when he carefully opened it, the two pages inside were just a smudge of ink¡ªexaggeration aside, not a single word was discernible.


    He Shan stood by the window, wanting to scold Meng Siqi, but she hadn¡¯t returned, and scolding the cat would have been pointless since it wouldn¡¯t understand him. He decided to call the Foreign Affairs Department to inquire if they knew anything about the contents of the letter, since it was mailed from abroad and, in strict sense, they should have opened it for inspection.


    But before He Shan could make the call, a flurry of footsteps came from outside.


    He lived in a large compound, inhabiting a two-story Western-style house with features of the Republican era and made of old red bricks.


    In front was a garden, and at the back, a vegetable patch he had cultivated himself.


    The garden belonged to Meng Siqi, and the vegetable patch to him.


    Front and back of the house, clearly divided between the two.


    At that moment, the old man frowned and looked forward, only to see Xiao Wu escorting two people hurriedly across the garden¡¯s red brick path towards the main gate.


    He didn¡¯t recognize those two men, but it seemed he had seen them at the Foreign Affairs Department before¡ªjust as well, since he had wanted to ask them something.


    Xiao Wu brought the two men into the house and then stood within the living room.


    Mr. He, with his hands clasped behind his back, watched them.


    Zhao Tian looked somewhat anxious. Little did he expect that such earth-shattering changes would occur in just three hours.

 Chapter 156 - 156 156 Asking for Help

    ?Chapter 156: Chapter 156: Asking for Help Chapter 156: Chapter 156: Asking for Help Zhao Tian naturally did not anticipate this.


    If he had known, he would not have delivered this letter to Mr. He. He said anxiously, ¡°Mr. He, you do not recognize me, I¡¯m Zhao Tian from the Foreign Affairs Department.¡±


    ¡°I have seen you, but I do not know your name. Mr. Zhao, please sit down first; I have something I need to speak with you about,¡± He Shan said leisurely.


    ¡°Mr. He, I actually have something I need to discuss with you,¡± Zhao Tian said, unable to sit down, his voice tinged with urgency.


    ¡°Oh, you have something to discuss with me, is it about this letter?¡±


    Then Mr. He picked up the envelope and sheet of paper from the windowsill and said helplessly, ¡°This morning, a cat knocked over a cup of water, and the letter that was on the coffee table got wet. I¡¯ve just come back home. Although the envelope has dried, there are no words left on it now, just blotches of ink. I wanted to ask if you had opened and checked the letter before handing it to me, and what it said? I do know of Mr. Wu¡¯s reputation, but I have never had any dealings with him...¡±


    Not expecting this, Zhao Tian let out a long sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his forehead before saying, ¡°Mr. He, it turns out to be a blessing in disguise. We just received an urgent call; Mr. Wu is suspected of stealing our national secrets, and much of the evidence is now on the leader¡¯s desk...¡±


    The rest couldn¡¯t be said for now.


    Zhao Tian took the envelope and paper, looked them over, and chose to believe Mr. He because evidently, the letter had been wet and then dried.


    Mr. He had just come home; this was already confirmed by the security detail at the door.


    So, Mr. He really had no idea what was written in the letter.


    He Shan frowned deeply and pointed at the letter, ¡°You didn¡¯t check this letter?¡±


    ¡°Mr. He, we did not check it, for Mr. Wu has long been dedicated to helping our nation as a patriotic overseas Chinese. He recently even filed a report to reapply for our citizenship. We did not open the letter. How about this¡ªI will go back and report on this, and we¡¯ll notify you if there¡¯s any update, alright?¡±


    He Shan¡¯s expression was also very grave, ¡°You must investigate thoroughly to ensure the evidence is solid. Do not let a single criminal slip by, but also don¡¯t wrong an innocent person, otherwise, a patriotic overseas Chinese willing to return to their homeland would be disheartened!¡±


    ¡°You are right, Mr. He. I will take this letter with me, and let¡¯s leave this matter here for now.¡±


    He Shan, of course, understood what Zhao Tian meant, and he waved his hand, ¡°Go on, hurry.¡±


    Zhao Tian and his colleague then hurriedly left.


    Mr. He glanced at Xiao Wu, who scratched the back of his neck, not knowing what to say anymore. Today¡¯s events felt incredibly surreal.


    ...


    Three days later, the construction of the Wulong Daily Necessities Factory in Xichuan was halted.


    Secretary Chang was invited to assist with the investigation.


    Of course, they were very courteous, and the higher-ups ordered that everyone was merely under suspicion until irrefutable evidence was found, thus it was only a simple inquiry. However, Secretary Chang was quite frightened, as he had learned about the fervent times in the country from abroad.


    The leader was very kind, which lessened some of Secretary Chang¡¯s psychological burden, but he speculated that the problem wasn¡¯t with Huaxia but with the chairman and president of the company.


    After the routine inquiries, Secretary Chang was sent back to the hotel to rest, but for safety reasons, his freedom was temporarily restricted.


    Secretary Chang¡¯s room had international long-distance calling.


    But the signal was frequently poor.


    Half a month ago, Wu Tai had spoken to him on the phone, but now Secretary Chang couldn¡¯t get through to Wu Tai.


    Indeed, Wu Tai could not answer.


    That¡¯s because Wu Xiucai and Wu Tai were currently restricted in their freedom by the M country¡¯s government.


    The Wulong Group had also been sealed off.


    The charge was espionage.


    Wu Xiucai and Wu Tai were pale with anger; over the past month, they had done much work and communicated with China several times, receiving enthusiastic responses.


    Wu Xiucai had decided, whether Han Xianglan was his daughter or not, at the very least she would not be in M country.


    Whether alive or dead, Wu Qianyun should be in China.


    He was of such an age now; he should return to his homeland with his wife¡¯s ashes.


    The disappearance of his daughter, as it turned out, was solely his sister-in-law¡¯s doing; but why Wu Xiujie was trying to kill Wu Tai, was there any other hidden story there?


    Mrs. Wang and Xiao Cui had died on the day of Wu Tai¡¯s car accident.


    They were said to have committed suicide.


    So, could their deaths also be related to Wu Xiujie?


    Although still under investigation, for Wu Xiucai, no further evidence was needed.


    Yet at this moment, Wu Xiucai, trapped in a villa, looked grim and predatory.


    All his life, he had considered himself smart, always looking down on his so-called elder brother¡¯s dissipation and misconduct, but where would he have thought that he was the one blinded, or perhaps he had underestimated Wu Xiujie.


    He was out to kill him.


    Yet, he had made preparations long ago.


    The day Wu Tai arrived, he sent people to the Wu Family Mansion, but Wu Xiujie had vanished.


    He had taken the ancestral tablet of his biological mother and left with his mistress and the Third Concubine, leaving only a few clueless elders in the mansion.


    He had cut off all his financial resources.


    But just now, this half-brother suddenly appeared, arrogantly said a few words, and left.


    They were trapped here. If they couldn¡¯t find conclusive evidence to clear their names, they would not be able to return to China, and in M country, they would be imprisoned for espionage.


    All their assets would be confiscated.


    Wu Xiucai clenched his fists tightly, while Wu Tai, his cousin Chen Liang, and Wu Tai¡¯s children and wife comforted him in hushed tones.


    Wu Tai deeply knew that only if his uncle was in good condition could they break through this current predicament. They believed in his uncle¡¯s abilities.


    Under the comfort of his family, Wu Xiucai finally regained his composure.


    He decided to activate his secret channel and seek help from China.


    At this moment, Wu Xiucai did not yet know that Wu Xiujie had forged countless pieces of evidence and sent them to the relevant departments in China, accusing Wu Xiucai of using his status as a patriotic overseas Chinese to commit numerous treasonous acts.


    At the same time, Wu Tai was unaware that the factory in Xichuan had been halted, or that Secretary Chang¡¯s freedom was restricted. Still, the treatment was exceptionally good because our country has a policy for this: not to wrong a good person and not let a bad person escape.


    Even if there were informants, all the evidence required investigation and verification, which would take time.


    ...

 Chapter 157 - 157 157 Your maternal grandparents are not

    ?Chapter 157: Chapter 157: Your maternal grandparents are not blood-related to you? Chapter 157: Chapter 157: Your maternal grandparents are not blood-related to you? Xichuan Tenghai Research Base Family Residence¡ªDirector Lin was accompanied by two people as they knocked on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s front door.


    Qiao Qingyu had stayed in today.


    She was washing tomatoes and chili peppers.


    Her small vegetable garden had a short growing period, so the vegetables ripened quickly; hence, apart from the lack of meat, there was a continuous supply of vegetables every day.


    Qiao Qingyu regretted not planting peanuts and soybeans.


    At the very least, sunflowers would have been good too.


    All three could be used to produce oil for eating.


    Fortunately, the cucumbers and tomatoes were delicious¡ªwith the cucumbers being crisp and sweet, and the tomatoes a balance of sour and sweet, bursting with juicy freshness unlike the tough, thick-skinned ones she¡¯d buy from the supermarket, not even comparable to the organic ones.


    Her tomatoes could even be eaten as fruit.


    Shen Fen, Director Shen, who grew up in the city and mainly focused on teaching workshops, had no time to tend to a garden, so Qiao Qingyu would occasionally bring over some vegetables for them.


    Director Xie¡¯s family garden, on the other hand, was doing very well. His daughter-in-law, unemployed and looking after both elderly family members at home, managed a garden almost as good as Qiao Qingyu¡¯s both at the front and back of their home.


    Then gradually, many families came to ask Qiao Qingyu if she could share some vegetable seeds with them for the next year, and she agreed without hesitation.


    Now, her vegetable garden was thriving. With just the three members in her family, and given that He Xiuyu and Rongrong were frequently away from home, there was an abundance.


    Qiao Qingyu planned to make tomato and chili sauce.


    When He Xiuyu wasn¡¯t home, she could send a jar with him to the cafeteria, where it could be deliciously mixed with rice or spread on steamed buns.


    Qiao Qingyu was bustling about in the kitchen when she heard someone knocking at the front door.


    She wiped her hands, peered out the slightly ajar door, and saw two unfamiliar faces, but Director Lin was standing beside them.


    Qiao Qingyu quickly walked to the door and opened it with a warm smile, ¡°Director Lin, please come in,¡± and then she cast an inquiring glance at the two strangers.


    Director Lin hastily introduced them, ¡°These two comrades are from Xichuan¡¯s Foreign Relations Department.¡±


    Foreign Relations Department?


    Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t aware of this department, but she nonetheless warmly welcomed the two visitors inside.


    After all, it was July, and the weather had turned hot.


    There happened to be some freshly washed cucumbers and tomatoes, which she placed in a large bowl and set on the living room table.


    ¡°These are cucumbers and tomatoes I¡¯ve grown myself. They¡¯ve just ripened recently; you both are welcome to try some.¡±


    Director Lin quickly added, ¡°You¡¯re in luck, these cucumbers, and tomatoes from Comrade Qiao Qingyu are even better than fruit. Please, have some, have some.¡±


    Saying so, he took a cucumber and bit into it with a crunch, savoring the crispness, sweetness, and unique refreshing flavor¡ªabsolutely delicious.


    The two, having official business to attend to, didn¡¯t feel comfortable indulging and instead pulled out notebooks and pens.


    One spoke gently, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, our main purpose in coming here is to inquire about a certain matter from you.¡±


    A flicker of surprise passed through Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes, but she still smiled and said, ¡°What would you like to know?¡±


    The one speaking just now was Old Zheng, who first introduced himself and then pointed to the young man beside him, saying, ¡°This is Comrade Xiao Xu, an official.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled again. She really couldn¡¯t fathom what these two were up to; her mind had already spun several circles.


    What does the Department of External Relations have to do with her?


    Moreover, what was strange was that they hadn¡¯t looked for He Xiuyu but came directly to her. So, the matter must be related to her and not He Xiuyu. Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mind was marked with big question marks, yet her face showed nothing.


    ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, do you remember the last inspection team from M country that came to Xichuan?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was taken aback for a moment, then nodded her head, ¡°Yes, I know. I was there at the time.¡±


    ¡°The head of the inspection team, President Wu Tai, suddenly fainted, didn¡¯t he? After he came to, he left the work here to Secretary Chang and went back to his country. But the factory here continued construction. There was a month when Secretary Chang couldn¡¯t contact Wu Tai and even asked us to help inquire about what happened in M country. Before we found out anything, Wu Tai reestablished contact, and Secretary Chang had once inquired about your family, particularly about your mother, Han Xianglan¡¯s family relations.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was truly stunned.


    While Old Zheng said this, she wondered if her thousand silk hemp seeds had attracted some special attention from foreign forces and if something happened in between that she didn¡¯t know about.


    But she didn¡¯t expect it to involve her mother.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face sank immediately, ¡°Why was he inquiring about my mother?¡±


    Old Zheng opened his briefcase, handed a photograph to Qiao Qingyu, and then told her about Wu Tai¡¯s entrustment with the local government to look for his missing cousin.


    ¡°Secretary Chang explained during our investigation that President Wu suspected your mother, Han Xianglan, was his lost cousin, Wu Qianyun.¡±


    Suddenly, the room fell into a quiet.


    Director Lin gaped at Qiao Qingyu, could it be?


    In an instant, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heartbeat thundered like drums.


    She quickly picked up the black and white photo, and at first glance, she jumped, goosebumps rising, a cold sweat breaking out on her back.


    She almost blurted out, but she choked back the words.


    The girl in the photo looked too much like her when she was little.


    The only difference was the clothes and hairstyle, as well as the background decor. The girl about four or five years old wore bracelets on her hands and a longevity lock around her neck.


    Even though it was black and white, the environment suggested it was from a wealthy or noble family.


    ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, Secretary Chang has entrusted me to ask you a few questions.¡±


    ¡°What does he want to ask?¡± Qiao Qingyu¡¯s voice was somewhat hoarse, still holding the photo.


    ¡°Secretary Chang said President Wu wants to know the real relation between your maternal grandparents and your family?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu frowned slightly. This couldn¡¯t be hidden, after all, everyone knew about it, but this was a matter of decades ago, which young people nowadays didn¡¯t know about.


    She tried to calm herself and said, ¡°My maternal grandparents were sworn kin recognized by Granny He from Hejia Village for my mother.¡±


    Old Zheng clearly looked startled. He turned to Qiao Qingyu and asked seriously, ¡°So you¡¯re saying your maternal grandparents have no blood relation to you?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded.


    But at that moment, Old Zheng showed a troubled expression. He began, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, this matter has become very complicated now. It could very well be a trap set by enemy spies, with their ultimate target being He Xiuyu as well as the Tenghai Research behind him. But we can¡¯t rule out that they have been framed. Mr. Wu and Wu Tai are indeed looking for their family members who went missing years ago, and there is indeed evidence of this...¡±

 Chapter 158 - 158 158 Does Mom Really Have Such an

    ?Chapter 158: Chapter 158: Does Mom Really Have Such an Astonishing Identity? Chapter 158: Chapter 158: Does Mom Really Have Such an Astonishing Identity? Qiao Qingyu clenched her hand on her knee and asked directly, ¡°Mr. Zheng, just tell me what you want to say.¡±


    Old Zheng shared an awkward glance with Director Lin, who nodded at him with a smile.


    He thought to himself, don¡¯t treat Qiao Qingyu as if she were a mere seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl. This girl is both clever and astute, with a sharp mind. You see how active her eyes are as she sits there, clearly analyzing the true meaning behind Old Zheng¡¯s words. She might also be wondering if her mother really is Mr. Wu from the Wulong Group¡¯s lost daughter.


    If it were any other girl, she¡¯d probably be utterly confused by now.


    But she remained incredibly composed.


    Old Zheng looked at Qiao Qingyu and said gently, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, our current stance is to wait and see. If someone indeed inquires about your mother, you¡¯ll need to be cautious in your response and you should report back to us...¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no problem with that, but Mr. Zheng, what if someone asks about the Qiao Family Team?¡± Qingyu¡¯s voice carried a hint of concern. ¡°You probably already know about my mother¡¯s past relationship with Mr. He of the He Family, and Hejia Village is very close to the Qiao Family Team. Many things are not secrets, and it¡¯s easy to learn about what happened decades ago.¡±


    Old Zheng nodded in agreement and said, ¡°That¡¯s true, and we¡¯ve considered that as well. We¡¯ve already informed the local police to keep a close watch. However, Mr. Wu and President Wu are reportedly detained in America right now. Our embassy is actively working on the case, so until things are clear, no one is going to disturb your mother or your family at the Qiao Family Team.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu breathed a sigh of relief; this was for the best.


    Until the situation became clear, and without knowing whether this could be a hostile trap, the people of the Qiao Family Team should not be disturbed, especially her mother, Han Xianglan.


    What if it isn¡¯t the case? It would just add unnecessary trouble.


    And if it is, but the person turns out to be malicious, then recognizing them would be pointless.


    So, the only option was to wait and see.


    Director Lin left with the two men, taking the photo with them. As they departed, each man grasped a cucumber and a tomato, munching away.


    Director Lin had eaten them many times before, but it was Old Zheng¡¯s first, as the side-street stores didn¡¯t even sell cucumbers or tomatoes yet.


    Living in an apartment without a single vegetable garden and having to buy even a clove of garlic from the side-street store made him somewhat envious of those living in the base family quarters, with their front and backyards.


    After seeing them off, Director Lin immediately went to report the matter to He Xiuyu. Although the investigation concerned Han Xianglan, she was now He Xiuyu¡¯s mother-in-law, and it was both reasonable and appropriate for He Xiuyu to be informed.


    Meanwhile, He Xiuyu had already invited Su Yunyao and Shen Haoze to dinner at his place the next evening. After all, they had come from the same place and it had been a long time since they¡¯d gathered. Su Yunyao appeared conflicted, but Shen Haoze agreed readily.


    By now, it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that stories about Qiao Qingyu were circulating all through the base.


    He had moved from initial annoyance to present curiosity.


    No one mentioned anymore that Qiao Qingyu was the ignorant, foolish country woman who came from the countryside, including Su Yunyao.


    Faced with such a Qingyu, aside from cursing in her heart, Su Yunyao found it impossible to talk about Qingyu¡¯s foolish past with anyone.


    The silly things she had done earlier were now laughingly described as youthful ignorance or youthful impulsiveness; anyway, everything was beautified.


    Yet unexpectedly, she was invited to dine at his home.


    Should she go?


    She didn¡¯t know whether she wanted to go or not, yet she nodded and agreed anyway.


    He Xiuyu glanced at her indifferently before leaving the workshop, then ran into Director Lin, who had come to find him.


    Thus, He Xiuyu learned that two comrades from the Xichuan Foreign Relations Department had come looking for Qiao Qingyu, and he naturally became aware of Mr. Wu¡¯s situation as well.


    He Xiuyu, like Qiao Qingyu, was stunned.


    However, he recovered faster, nodded in agreement, and then hurried to his office to call Qiao Qingyu, informing her that he would not be coming home tonight but would be inviting Su Yunyao and Shen Haoze for dinner at his house the next evening.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mood was quite normal, and she cheerfully agreed. She didn¡¯t mention anything about her mother, so naturally, He Xiuyu did not ask.


    After exchanging a few words, they both hung up the phone.


    Qiao Qingyu continued making her tomato chili sauce, which she had learned from Han Xianglan.


    To tell the truth, her mother, Han Xianglan, didn¡¯t resemble a rural woman at all, even though she indeed grew up in the countryside. For some reason, there was a distinct aura about her, different from other rural women¡ªa perception not filtered by kinship but a genuine sentiment.


    Han Xianglan, parentless, was sold to the He Family at the age of four.


    The timeline did match.


    But could her mother really have such a staggering identity?


    At present, it was not confirmed, so she naturally wouldn¡¯t dwell on it or make it public.


    It would be awkward for everyone if it turned out not to be true.


    Moreover, in the book, there was never any mention of the chairman of the Wulong Group in M Country, a top billionaire who might be Han Xianglan¡¯s father...


    And it seemed the situation was not simple now.


    Just earlier, Old Zheng hadn¡¯t made things very clear, but Qiao Qingyu had easily deduced that Mr. Wu was now suspected of being a double agent.


    But it was not impossible either¡ªhow many people wear the cloak of patriotism while engaging in traitorous deeds, not to speak of now, but even decades later?


    Qiao Qingyu put the finished tomato chili sauce into a large jar, sealed the lid, and it would be ready to eat after two days.


    Now her little vegetable garden had a diverse variety of crops, including green onions, ginger, and garlic, and the seasoning was well-stocked, making it fragrant after being marinated for two days.


    Their whole family loved spicy food.


    Xiao Hexuerong included.


    After cleaning the kitchen, Qiao Qingyu suddenly recalled the tragic ending of the Qiao Zhicai Family in the original book.


    This style of wiping out the entire family seemed familiar, a plot often found in some novels.


    Qiao Qingyu clenched her hands.


    But she did not call home. Such matters were not to be brought up, and she dared not mention them over the phone either, in case it was being tapped, turning nothing into something troublesome.


    Additionally, Old Ning from the county public security bureau was no ordinary person but a former war hero and a part of the reconnaissance team, incredibly formidable.


    He would definitely have people covertly monitor the Qiao Family Team after hearing the news.


    Moreover, with the detained Mr. Wu and President Wu seeking their relatives, the matter, should it be mishandled, would likely end unresolved.


    Unless Mr. Wu and President Wu could safely return to Huaxia.

 Chapter 159 - 159 159 Got into a Fight

    ?Chapter 159: Chapter 159: Got into a Fight Chapter 159: Chapter 159: Got into a Fight After Qiao Qingyu¡¯s recent maneuvers with the Qiao Family Team, everyone deeply realized the truth that trouble comes from careless talk.


    So, if anyone were to investigate, it would definitely catch the villagers¡¯ attention.


    However, she still ought to write a letter to Han Xianglan, not saying it outright, she¡¯d just tell her mother a story...


    Once Qiao Qingyu had decided, she no longer dwelled on it, after all, nothing was set in stone yet, and it was pointless for her to fret aimlessly.


    She headed to the back garden.


    The Chinese cabbages Qiao Qingyu had planted were now nearly covering the ground, the leaves thick and stems robust, surely by the cold autumn, the cabbages¡¯ hearts would be tightly wrapped.


    Just then, Qiao Qingyu actually heard Rongrong crying.


    Qiao Qingyu paused, was she hallucinating?


    Rongrong should be in kindergarten at this time.


    Qiao Qingyu hurriedly walked a few steps and leaned over the wall, looking to the left, and sure enough, it was He Xuerong, standing in front of her was Xiao Hu, stretching his little arms like a mother hen.


    There were two little boys and a little girl in front of her.


    She recognized these three children; the two little boys, one was named Dashun and the other Daji, were brothers.


    The little girl was Sister Yu¡¯s daughter from the base, named Wei Xiao.


    Usually, these children didn¡¯t interact, as most of the time it was only Xiao Hu and Little Rongrong playing in the yard.


    After all, around this time, only the He family¡¯s small vegetable garden and flower garden were the prettiest.


    Qiao Qingyu quickly went back inside the house, untied her apron, then pushed the front door open and hurried toward where the children were standing.


    Round the corner, she heard Dashun laughing loudly, ¡°Li Mingguang, He Xuerong is just a little mute, she only ever goes ¡®ah ah ah¡¯...¡±


    Xiao Hu glared with wide eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t talk about Rongrong like that, she is not, she just doesn¡¯t like to talk!¡±


    ¡°Not liking to talk? My mom said she¡¯s a mute and even ill...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face cooled.


    Dashun¡¯s mother, Zhu Guizhi, was a staff member at the base hospital.


    She knew her, as someone who liked to gossip about patients¡¯ secrets, coincidentally having encountered her twice.


    Most of the time, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t like to meddle, nor did she want to seem sanctimonious, as she wasn¡¯t the embodiment of justice, and besides, as a family member, how could she criticize the hospital¡¯s management?


    But even so, she had mentioned this matter to Old Wei, not knowing if Old Wei had forgotten or if that woman couldn¡¯t change her old habits.


    At this moment, Xiao Hu, annoyed, didn¡¯t say another word but charged with clenched fists.


    Dashun, being two years older than Xiao Hu, was naturally taller.


    Thus, Dashun easily pushed Xiao Hu down, who fell but got up and charged again.


    Daji yelled next to them, ¡°Go brother, go!¡±


    Wei Xiao, clearly used to watching Dashun fight other children, clapped her hands, ¡°Go Brother Dashun, fight him, fight him!¡±


    The two mismatched in height fought each other.


    Dashun pinned Xiao Hu to the ground, huffing, ¡°Li Mingguang, you son of a labor camp prisoner, you dare hit me, I¡¯ll have Uncle Lin put you behind bars too...¡±


    Li Mingguang, even more furious, his eyes red, flipped over and pinned Dashun, attempting to hit him with his small fists, but Dashun caught his hand, and Daji rushed forward to join the fight against Li Mingguang.


    He Xuerong stood frozen, her face streaked with tears, but she seemed too scared to speak, her small mouth tightly shut.


    Qiao Qingyu took a few steps forward, pulled Daji away, and then also held Dashun down as she told Li Mingguang, ¡°Xiao Hu, let go.¡±


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu, tears suddenly filled Xiao Hu¡¯s eyes and he let go of his hold.


    Qiao Qingyu also took the opportunity to carry Xiao Hu to the side.


    Having gotten up, Dashun looked at Qiao Qingyu. He dared not speak; he recognized Qiao Qingyu, the one who drove the prettiest tractor. Every time she passed by, he watched Li Mingguang sitting inside with envy, jealousy, and hatred.


    Behind their backs, everyone cursed Li Mingguang as a lackey.


    Usually, adults who saw this kind of situation would loudly call someone over to settle the matter, or have their parents come to apologize, or they might simply give them a slap across the face.


    But no one expected that He Xuerong¡¯s little aunt, who could drive a tractor, wouldn¡¯t even dare to let out a peep.


    It seems they weren¡¯t wrong¡ªHe Xuerong was the little mute, and their little aunt was the big mute.


    Then they heard a few children laughing loudly behind them.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t mind and took one child by the hand into the yard.


    Xiao Hu was in a sorry state, his body and face covered with grime, and his hand had been scratched by claws.


    Luckily, there was no bleeding.


    Qiao Qingyu checked him over; thankfully, she had arrived just in time.


    After washing their little hands and faces, she made them sit on small stools. Qiao Qingyu asked Li Mingguang, her voice very stern, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you in kindergarten?¡±


    Wiping a tear, Xiao Hu hurriedly explained, ¡°We didn¡¯t run off. Today the kindergarten suddenly had a lot of rats, and the teachers were terrified. They sent us all back in a big truck to the family compound. The security guard at the gate said you were home, so I planned to take Rongrong home first. But I didn¡¯t expect to run into Dashun and Daji. They wanted to play war with us. I didn¡¯t agree, and the three of them blocked me and even mocked Rongrong...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was startled too. Mice suddenly appearing in the kindergarten?


    Aunt Qiao hadn¡¯t mentioned this earlier, nor had she mentioned picking up Rongrong. So, had it just happened?


    It was certainly dangerous, not just ordinarily so.


    Xiao Hu looked up, his voice firm, ¡°Aunt Qiao, this is a personal grievance between Dashun and me. We need to resolve it ourselves. If you get involved, their moms will come and scold you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°A personal grievance?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Aunt Qiao, Dashun actually isn¡¯t a bad kid. He even helped me guard your house over there. But he has a sharp tongue, and this time I have to teach him a lesson.¡±


    Their earnestness while speaking such words was quite cute at five years old.


    ¡°How will you solve it?¡±


    Xiao Hu hesitated, ¡°Aunt Qiao, can I keep it a secret?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu frowned. ¡°Xiao Hu, hitting people is wrong and hurting someone even more so. You can¡¯t do dangerous things.¡±


    Xiao Hu¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Aunt Qiao, I promise I won¡¯t do bad things. I¡¯m a good kid...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t take Rongrong with you,¡± Qiao Qingyu suddenly felt really worried.


    After a thought, she told Xiao Hu, ¡°Leave this matter to Aunt Qiao, I promise to make Dashun cry and apologize.¡±


    Xiao Hu, ¡°Really?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded, ¡°Really!¡±


    She had Xiao Hu and Rongrong sit under the grape trellis, and then she went into the kitchen. There was still half a bag of potatoes at home, which she had stored in the space, so they hadn¡¯t sprouted even in this season.


    She peeled and cut five large potatoes into fries, washed them several times, and then soaked them in a basin.


    After waiting for about ten minutes, she scooped them out to drain.

 Chapter 160 - 160 160 Fried Potato Sticks

    ?Chapter 160: Chapter 160 Fried Potato Sticks Chapter 160: Chapter 160 Fried Potato Sticks Although the family compound of the base looked beautiful with its red bricks and tiles, they still had to cook with firewood.


    The electricity supply was insufficient, and there were no gas stoves.


    Next to the stove was a bellows; only when it was pulled did the firewood in the stove burn vigorously.


    Nowadays, they were burning cornstalks, and every household also had a coal stove, receiving a monthly allotment of coal briquettes¡ªof course, this cost money.


    Because of the hot weather, Qiao Qingyu had placed her coal stove in the courtyard, right next to a stone platform specially built by He Xiuyu.


    Qiao Qingyu brushed aside the coal that covered the stove¡¯s embers and set an iron pot with two handles on top of the stove.


    There wasn¡¯t much oil in the house, but she poured what there was into the pot.


    Soon, an unusual fragrance wafted through He Xiuyu¡¯s courtyard¡ªone that He Xuerong had never smelled before, and Xiao Hu had certainly never encountered either.


    Qiao Qingyu was frying French fries.


    In that era, fast food and the like had not yet entered China.


    For the ordinary citizens of China, there were only so few ways to cook potatoes.


    Stir-fried potato shreds, potato slices, or stewed potato chunks.


    Even if the potatoes were cut into sticks, they were still meant to be stewed.


    In the following decade, people would create numerous variations with potatoes, but for the time being, even the most common potato pancake or shredded potato cake was rarely made by anyone.


    As far as Qiao Qingyu was concerned, she didn¡¯t know about other places, but at least she was aware that in the entire Harvest Commune, the above-mentioned were the usual potato dishes.


    However, people in the north liked to grind potatoes into flour, then mix it with some wheat flour to wrap and eat as vegetable dumplings.


    Frying French fries releases a unique fragrance that can fully capture the charming aroma inherent to potatoes.


    To say that the scent wafted for thousands of miles was an exaggeration, but at the very least, the children of the base¡¯s family compound, who had never experienced such an aroma before, now smelled it drifting out from He Xiuyu¡¯s house into the outdoors.


    Dashun and Daji, along with Yu Jing¡¯s little girl, were playing on the road outside.


    Having just finished a fight with Xiao Hu, whose parents had shown up, the children didn¡¯t dare to follow suit; however, Dashun felt he had won, and the victor naturally wanted to strut triumphantly in front of the loser.


    So, since the place where they played was not far from He Xiuyu¡¯s house, the enticing aroma naturally led these children, without any prior agreement, to sniff the air in unison, searching for the source of the fragrance.


    Children, inherently, have a natural craving for food.


    At this moment, they still didn¡¯t know how to control their desires.


    So, following the aroma, they all stood at Qiao Qingyu¡¯s front gate.


    Qiao Qingyu had deliberately left her gate wide open, and the spot where she was frying the French fries wasn¡¯t far from the gate.


    The tempting scent at that moment was like a little hand tugging at the children¡¯s stomachs.


    Dashun, Daji, and Yu Jing¡¯s little girl couldn¡¯t help but swallow their saliva.


    They didn¡¯t dare to enter the courtyard, so they stood outside, sticking their heads in and looking for the source of the aroma. Then they saw ¡°Aunt Qiao,¡± the woman sitting next to the coal stove. In front of her was a bowl of golden yellow stick-shaped items, from which the fragrance was emanating.


    Dashun couldn¡¯t stop swallowing his saliva uncontrollably; Daji and Wei Xiao did the same.


    Every child who has had such an experience knows that when faced with delicious food, saliva isn¡¯t something they can control.


    At this moment, that¡¯s exactly how they were.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at the three children peeking around, her lips curling slightly as she pretended not to see them and finished frying the rest of the potato strips. She then took the iron pot off the stove to start making tomato sauce.


    The tomato sauce was meant to be dipped with the potato strips.


    Using ingredients at hand made it all too easy, and the tomato sauce was simple to prepare.


    Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water, score them with a cross, peel and chop them finely, pour a bit of hot oil in the pan, add the tomato pieces in, and after simmering for a few minutes, the tomato sauce was ready.


    Qiao Qingyu served the tomato sauce in a dish.


    She moved the small elmwood dining table from her bedroom and set it under the south side of the grape trellis, only a dozen steps away from the doorway. At this point, Xiao Hu and Rongrong could no longer restrain themselves and would have already snatched some if not for Qiao Qingyu¡¯s usual strictness in certain matters.


    Qiao Qingyu directed Xiao Hu to fetch some stools, and he quickly ran to the shed on the east side, grabbing two stools and racing back.


    Xiao Hu and Rongrong took their seats beside the small dining table while Qiao Qingyu portioned out some of the potato strips onto a plate and brought over the tomato sauce.


    By now, the two children had stopped looking at Qiao Qingyu; their four eyes fixed intently on the golden, tempting fried potato strips on the table.


    They had never seen such a thing before, whether in the commissary or even on other families¡¯ dining tables.


    He Xuerong came from a family with better living conditions and had eaten many things that ordinary children couldn¡¯t access, but she had never seen such food.


    Her bright eyes locked onto it, and a suspect trace of drool formed at the corner of her mouth.


    Qiao Qingyu hurriedly pulled out a handkerchief to wipe it away, and seeing Xiao Hu constantly swallowing with a ¡°glug glug,¡± she glanced at the three other children standing at the door, unwilling to leave. Qiao Qingyu picked up a potato strip and dipped it in the tomato sauce.


    Qiao Qingyu was absolutely not putting on an act.


    This thing was naturally fragrant.


    Not to mention its fragrance now, it would also be delicious decades later.


    Elderly folks, children, and young people all liked it.


    ¡°Xiao Hu, Rongrong, this is called fried potato strips, eat it with the tomato sauce and it tastes amazing. We must be hungry, so let¡¯s eat quickly,¡± she said.


    As soon as the word ¡®eat¡¯ finished, two little hands reached into the plate; each grabbed a potato strip, imitated Qiao Qingyu by dipping it in the tomato sauce, and then took a bite. Both kids paused simultaneously at first, then involuntarily squinted their eyes and continued stuffing their mouths non-stop...


    Even He Xuerong gorged herself like she hadn¡¯t eaten in days.


    That¡¯s the reason why people in later generations enjoyed watching mukbangs, witnessing someone else eating evokes a desire to eat oneself, all the more so in the early 1980s.


    Dashun and Daji, along with Wei Xiao, watched enviously as Xiao Hu and Rongrong devoured the potato strips, dipping bites into the sauce on the plate.


    They stood at the doorway, not far from the grape trellis.


    Dashun felt if only his arms were a little longer, he could almost reach those delicious-looking golden strips on the table.


    The three kids kept swallowing saliva, the more they looked, the more they craved, the more they looked, the more uncomfortable they felt. They gripped the door threshold so tightly that they left indentations in the door frame.


    They looked again at Qiao Qingyu, but she didn¡¯t look back at them at all, acting as though those three standing by the door did not exist.


    Dashun wondered if they were at someone else¡¯s house, would their mom allow him, his brother, and Xiao Xiao into the yard for a few bites?


    Wuu, Aunt Qiao is so mean!

 Chapter 161 - 161 161 Die-Hard Followers

    ?Chapter 161: Chapter 161: Die-Hard Followers Chapter 161: Chapter 161: Die-Hard Followers Dashun felt aggrieved, but Daji burst into tears with a loud cry.


    Qiao Qingyu looked over at them, and this was the most typical case of making the neighboring kids cry out of sheer envy.


    It¡¯s not an exaggeration, it really could make them cry.


    Qiao Qingyu felt that they had already been moved to tears by envy, wondering whether she should spiritedly turn around, head home, and then go complain.


    She also wanted to take this opportunity to meet Dashun and Daji¡¯s mother.


    Regardless, He Xuerong¡¯s illness should not be carelessly spoken about, and Li Mingguang¡¯s father was certainly not a topic for her to discuss at home.


    Especially not in front of the children.


    This woman talked too recklessly; she needed to teach her a lesson.


    Unexpectedly, the three children didn¡¯t move an inch.


    Yu Jing¡¯s daughter was the same age as He Xuerong.


    At that moment, she was staring eagerly at Xiao Hu and Rongrong, who were gobbling down golden, unfamiliar food beside the small dining table.


    Sometimes crying is contagious; the little girl¡¯s tears started dropping, and then it was the slightly older Dashun, but he too was soon infected, his eyes reddened, and he also cried.


    His crying was soft, whining, and Qiao Qingyu could not pretend to ignore it.


    She took a plate and filled it with fries, slowly walking towards the three teary-eyed children.


    Qiao Qingyu did not hand the plate to them, but all their gazes were fixed on it. Upon closer inspection, the golden fries looked even more tempting, and the scent was overwhelming.


    Dashun felt that in all his life he had never smelled anything so delicious, seemingly better than the braised pork cooked during New Year¡¯s.


    Dashun swallowed a mouthful of saliva with a sobbing hiccup.


    Yet his eyes never left the fries.


    Qiao Qingyu, beaming, looked at them and said, ¡°Dashun and Daji, oh and you¡¯re Xiao Xiao, right? Why are you three crying at my doorstep?¡±


    The children didn¡¯t speak, staring intensely at the fries in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand as if they hadn¡¯t noticed her, the living person.


    Qiao Qingyu raised the fries up a bit to stop their ogling, and she asked Dashun, ¡°Dashun, I am talking to you. Why are you crying at my doorstep? Did I bully you?¡±


    Dashun shook his head, his voice whining, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Since I didn¡¯t bully you, stop crying then. By the way, do you guys want some fries?¡±


    Dashun still had some pride; he swallowed his saliva again while shaking his head, ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat...¡±


    ¡°Oh, since you don¡¯t want to eat, then I will take this plate of fries away.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu pretended to turn around and leave when Dashun blurted out, ¡°Aunt Qiao, I want to eat.¡± He then pointed at the other two little ones, ¡°They want to eat, too.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stopped, still smiling, and she asked Dashun, ¡°Aunt Qiao can give you some to eat, and will even invite you to sit under the grape trellis to eat, and you¡¯ll also get sweet and sour tomato sauce, but Aunt Qiao has a question for you.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Qiao, go ahead...¡± Dashun stammered out.


    ¡°What did you just call my Rongrong?¡±


    Dashun was naturally a clever child, and he immediately straightened up, ¡°Aunt Qiao, I was wrong, I shouldn¡¯t have called Rongrong a mute.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face cooled, ¡°Do you really know what you did wrong?¡±


    ¡°Aunt Qiao, I know I was wrong,¡± he added, inspired, ¡°And I shouldn¡¯t have cursed Li Mingguang either.¡±


    Then, lifting his eyes, he looked at Qiao Qingyu, his voice choking, ¡°Aunt Qiao, I was just angry. Xiao Hu used to play with me, but ever since Rongrong arrived, he has ignored me completely. We used to carry wooden guns together to protect your house.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, but then she quickly hid her smile. Yet as she laughed, the three children somehow simultaneously sighed in relief, all eyes glued to the French fries in her hand.


    Qiao Qingyu invited the three children inside, asking them to wash their hands in the gazebo, then fetched three small stools for them.


    By this time, Xiao Hu and Rongrong were staring at them with wide eyes.


    Rongrong was expressionless and Xiao Hu was fuming.


    Looking at Dashun, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s voice softened, ¡°Dashun, the words you said earlier hurt Xiao Hu and Rongrong. What do you think you should do?¡±


    Dashun immediately said to Xiao Hu and Rongrong, ¡°Li Mingguang, He Xuerong, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Xiao Hu stared blankly at Dashun and then turned toward Qiao Qingyu. Aunt Qiao is so formidable, she actually made Dashun apologize to him.


    Xiao Hu pursed his lips. The two had been playing together for a long time, and there were feelings of course, but still he said, ¡°Dashun, my dad made mistakes, and now he is genuinely accepting punishment. But he works hard too; he isn¡¯t a reformed criminal, he just made mistakes.¡±


    Dashun pouted and did not speak.


    Though feeling slightly unconvinced, after all, that¡¯s what everyone had been saying, he knew now was not the time to speak up, or else he wouldn¡¯t get to taste these delicious treats.


    He Xuerong glanced at Dashun before ignoring him, reaching out her petite hand, she took a French fry, dipped it into ketchup, and began eating leisurely.


    Now almost full, she didn¡¯t devour her food as she had initially.


    Qiao Qingyu had the children sit down, placing the plate of French fries she had brought out earlier in front of them and placing the ketchup in the middle, she showed them how to eat it.


    Then the three children couldn¡¯t wait to mimic Xiao Hu and Rongrong¡¯s way of eating, and upon the first bite, Dashun was stupefied. He then shoved the French fries and his fingers into his mouth.


    If it wasn¡¯t for Qiao Qingyu¡¯s quick reflexes, this silly boy might have bitten off his fingers.


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry at the absurdity, suddenly becoming curious, she asked, ¡°Dashun, Aunt Qiao doesn¡¯t even know your full name yet?¡±


    Sitting together for a meal made Dashun feel like they were a family and he wasn¡¯t behaving like the little scoundrel from before, now polite and sweet, ¡°Aunt Qiao, my name is Wang Shun, and my younger brother¡¯s name is Wang Ji.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mouth hung open, not closing for a moment.


    So, these brothers Dashun and Daji will be Li Mingguang¡¯s right-hand men in the future?


    And devoted followers as well.


    It was said that after Li Mingguang died, for some unknown reason, they hated Tenghai Research Base, then one of them tied an explosive to his body, planning to blow up the Big White Building.


    Naturally, they were caught.


    Charged with multiple crimes, they were sentenced to twenty years.


    But by then, the brothers¡¯ parents had long been divorced.


    However, the specific details weren¡¯t clear to Qiao Qingyu; the storyline in the book was merely grazed over.


    Qiao Qingyu simply brought the whole bowl of French fries to the table for them to enjoy heartily.


    It was then that the usually silent Wei Xiao suddenly spoke, her voice frail and delicate, ¡°Aunt Qiao, I saw something similar in a foreign film where foreign kids were eating this. Mom told me it¡¯s called ¡®french fries¡¯.¡±

 Chapter 162 - 162 162 Free Flight

    ?Chapter 162: Chapter 162: Free Flight? Chapter 162: Chapter 162: Free Flight? Qiao Qingyu nodded, ¡°The scientific name for potatoes is Solanum tuberosum, so you can also call them ¡®fried potato strips.''¡±


    ¡°Aunt Qiao, the fries you make are so delicious.¡±


    ¡°You sure have a sweet mouth, little girl.¡± Qiao Qingyu said, her smile brimming with praise.


    Wei Xiao, who had been praised, finished a fry, licked her fingers, and then looked up at Qiao Qingyu with a soft voice, ¡°Aunt Qiao, Mom said that in the future, she will let me go to a place where I can eat fries every day for school.¡±


    ¡°Oh, where can you eat fries every day?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked with genuine curiosity.


    Wei Xiao shook her head, ¡°Mom didn¡¯t say, and I don¡¯t know either.¡±


    Then she added, ¡°Mom said it¡¯s a place of freedom where you can grow wings and soar...¡±


    The smile on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face suddenly froze.


    But then, she smiled again.


    ¡°Xiao Xiao, that place must be the vast fields where the potato farmers carry back cartloads of potatoes home, and then you can eat fried potatoes every day.¡±


    Dashun joined in, ¡°Aunt Qiao, I want to go to that kind of place too. I want to eat fries every day.¡±


    ¡°I want to, I want to,¡± Daji asserted, not to be outdone.


    Xiao Hu gave the two of them a look, then turned to Qiao Qingyu with a soft, sticky voice, ¡°Aunt Qiao, as long as I¡¯m a well-behaved child, I can eat fries without having to go to the countryside, right?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled at them, ¡°Alright, don¡¯t talk while eating.¡±


    No matter how delicious the fries were, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t let them overindulge, as after all, these were deep-fried foods. Once they had enough, she wouldn¡¯t let them eat anymore, for there was still lunch to be had.


    A serving of fried potatoes made the three kids noticeably more attached to Qiao Qingyu.


    Dashun had always coveted Qiao Qingyu¡¯s vegetable garden and flower garden; he had even sneaked peeks over the wall.


    He also coveted Qiao Qingyu¡¯s tractor.


    He even knew that Qiao Qingyu¡¯s tractor was parked in the carport in Zone 5.


    He walked around the yard several times, with Xiao Hu constantly reminding him in the manner of a little master not to step here or touch there...


    Dashun wasn¡¯t offended, his eyes shining brightly as he turned to Qiao Qingyu with sugary sweetness, ¡°Aunt Qiao, I like you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled; a child¡¯s affection is so simple, yet it¡¯s the purest.


    At that time, the sun was right overhead, and it was almost time for lunch.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t want to keep the three children for lunch.


    ¡°Alright, you¡¯ve had enough to eat, it¡¯s time to go home, or your families will start looking for you.¡±


    Although Dashun was only seven, even a seven-year-old can understand what adults mean. He took his brother and Wei Xiao, and they parted from Qiao Qingyu somewhat reluctantly.


    Qiao Qingyu walked them to the door, and after they had gone a dozen steps, Dashun suddenly turned his head, his eyes gleaming, his voice soft, ¡°Aunt Qiao, when you drive the tractor, can I come up and touch it?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu laughed, ¡°Not only can you touch it, but if there¡¯s a chance, Aunt Qiao will take you to Barley Grassland to pick mushrooms.¡±


    ¡°Really, Aunt Qiao, you¡¯re not lying to us, are you?¡± Dashun¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Qiao Qingyu.


    ¡°Aunt Qiao is not someone who goes back on her word.¡±


    With a loud ¡°ow!¡± Dashun jumped up and down several times, not knowing what to say, unable to offer words of thanks. He vigorously waved at Qiao Qingyu, then grabbed his brother and Wei Xiao, and scurried off into the distance.


    Yet, the smile on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face gradually faded as the words Wei Xiao had said echoed endlessly in her head.


    Yu Jing, everyone called her Sister Yu, was said to be very kind and highly skilled in her profession¡ªshe was the head accountant of the base, holding considerable financial power. Not to mention her personality, her position alone was something people sought to curry favor with.


    But she was never condescending, always modest and approachable, and got along very well with everyone. Since Qiao Qingyu had been there for quite some time, whenever others mentioned Yu Jing, they would be full of praise¡ªincluding He Xiuyu, Old Wei, and Old Xie.


    Therefore, to reach such a level was truly a mark of success, and Yu Jing¡¯s name too was etched into Qiao Qingyu¡¯s memory.


    But why would she say something like that to the children?


    Qiao Qingyu did not think that a place where one could eat fried potato chips every day could be a village.


    Moreover, a village was not a place of freedom, where one could sprout wings and soar.


    Being a farmer was hard work.


    Even with Yu Jing¡¯s high level of awareness, if she had to choose to become a farmer who works with her face towards the earth and her back to the sky, she would definitely not agree.


    Besides, the most important point was that fried potato chips was a new term that didn¡¯t appear until seven years later in the real world.


    Even though this was the world within a book, it wasn¡¯t advanced enough to be years ahead of the real world; the living standards were mostly in sync.


    Aside from the deliberately altered timeline of university entrance examinations, not much else was different. Perhaps to avoid coincidences with real-life names and places, many elements were intentionally obscured or erased.


    But only slightly so.


    Naturally, even she would not dare to mention the term ¡°fried potato chips¡± to Xiao Hu and Rongrong.


    As Qiao Qingyu was kneading the dough, her mind still pondered the words Wei Xiao had said. She hadn¡¯t expected the phone in the study to suddenly ring. She hurriedly answered it, and it was He Xiuyu on the line.


    He told her that a large number of rats had been found active in the base kindergarten, so the area around the kindergarten had already been cordoned off. It hadn¡¯t spread to the residential area of the base, but the perimeter was already under strict surveillance. He advised her not to wander around unnecessarily.


    The sudden appearance of so many rats was frightening. The presence of many rats often signaled the plague, and the plague meant mass death, especially since there was no cure for it at the moment.


    He Xiuyu stressed his points for quite some time, and Qiao Qingyu agreed to every one of them.


    Qiao Qingyu, with some concern, asked, ¡°Do you have any good defensive measures in place? And what are you doing with the rats you¡¯ve caught?¡±


    ¡°There is a specialized epidemic prevention station at the base, and the staff from the epidemic prevention department have all been mobilized.¡±


    He Xiuyu continued, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the relevant personnel from the hospital are also in place.¡±


    It would be a lie to say she wasn¡¯t worried. But it seemed that the people at the Tenghai Research Base were more aware than anyone of what a large number of rats signified. Besides, this wasn¡¯t an issue she could help with; she worked in the Seed Laboratory, not the Pharmaceutical Laboratory.


    ¡°Are you going to the scene to direct?¡±


    ¡°There are specialized command personnel. I have to go down to the workshop soon.¡±


    After their conversation, He Xiuyu hurriedly hung up the phone. Qiao Qingyu had unanswered questions in her heart that she couldn¡¯t discuss with He Xiuyu, but after all, he would be back tomorrow.

 Chapter 163 - 163 163 Seeking Justice for Two Sons

    ?Chapter 163: Chapter 163: Seeking Justice for Two Sons Chapter 163: Chapter 163: Seeking Justice for Two Sons Fortunately, the epidemic prevention workers arrived quickly, and this time they found over a hundred rats, which were all thoroughly dealt with. However, the kindergarten needs to be disinfected inside and out, so the kindergarten principal asked parents to inform each other.


    So Rongrong and Xiao Hu didn¡¯t need to go to kindergarten either. Like all children who disliked going to kindergarten, they cheered and ran outside.


    It was already two o¡¯clock in the afternoon.


    Xiao Hu and Rongrong had already arranged to play a war game with Dashun and Daji.


    In this era, children loved nothing more than playing war games.


    They would divide into two camps, one being the good guys and the other being the bad guys.


    In the end, if the good guys captured the bad guys and took over their territory, they won.


    There were certain rules, but how to play was up to the children themselves.


    Xiao Hu and Rongrong stood at the door waiting for them, but they didn¡¯t expect Dashun and Daji to arrive with a woman with ear-length hair in tow.


    Wei Xiao followed from a distance, her small hands clasped together as if she was quite scared.


    Xiao Hu stared hard; he certainly knew who the woman was. She was Dashun¡¯s mother, a very annoying woman.


    She worked at the hospital handing out tickets.


    And yet, she always claimed she was the greatest worker, one who helps the dying and heals the injured.


    Moreover, she was formidable. He had seen her fight with Jianguo¡¯s mother.


    In the end, she had reduced Jianguo¡¯s mother to tears.


    Xiao Hu grabbed Rongrong and ran into the yard, then slammed the gate shut briskly. At that time, there was a kind of iron bolt on the gate, and once he slid the bolt into place, Xiao Hu patted his chest and breathed a sigh of relief.


    Qiao Qingyu, who had come out of the kitchen, was momentarily stunned.


    From the steps of her home, she happened to see a woman, looking furious, leading two children toward her house.


    She remembered now; that woman was Zhu Guizhi, the mother of Dashun and Daji.


    Qiao Qingyu sauntered down slowly and asked Xiao Hu, who was on guard at the door, ¡°Xiao Hu, why did you close the door?¡±


    Xiao Hu stomped his feet, squinted his eyes, and put a finger to his lips with a shush, then ran to Qiao Qingyu, lowering his voice, ¡°Aunt Qiao, Dashun¡¯s mother is being unreasonable again. You mustn¡¯t argue with her; she¡¯ll make you cry.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu thought to herself that she would be lucky not to make the woman cry, but she still pulled Xiao Hu over, ¡°Xiao Hu, if Dashun¡¯s mother is heading straight to our doorstep with Dashun and Daji, she is looking for me. If I hide and don¡¯t come out, wouldn¡¯t it seem like I have a guilty conscience?¡±


    Xiao Hu didn¡¯t make a sound; he just looked up at Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu spread her hands, ¡°Look, Aunt Qiao worked so hard to make you crispy fried potato sticks and cooked the tomato sauce for you, and then invited three little friends to share the meal with you. Shouldn¡¯t Dashun¡¯s mother thank me?¡±


    Xiao Hu gazed blankly at Qiao Qingyu. Right, it seemed to make sense. He Xuerong, who was beside him, went ¡®Oh¡¯ and then vigorously nodded her little head; upon remembering something, she cracked a smile at Qiao Qingyu and gave her a thumbs up.


    Xiao Hu thought for a moment, then understood and immediately ran to the front gate. With a bit of effort, he drew the bolt and stood on tiptoes to push both doors open.


    At this moment, Zhu Guizhi arrived at the entrance of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house with Dashun and Daji in tow. She was seething with rage, her teeth clenched in anger, and a certain excitement lurked beneath her expression.


    After all, Qiao Qingyu was now a celebrity at the base; everyone knew her and no one refrained from singing her praises. It seemed as if the once tearful, tantrum-throwing, suicide-threatening fool from the countryside had suddenly transformed into a little fairy¡ªa subject of scorn.


    As the saying goes, a wolf travels a thousand miles for prey, but a dog travels just as far only to eat feces.


    She was merely pretending, and Zhu Guizhi couldn¡¯t wait to see how she would strip Qiao Qingyu of her false facade and prevent her from ever finding a footing at the base again.


    Dreaming of stepping on these women to build a good reputation? Ha!


    Moreover, if Zhu Guizhi could rip away Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mask of hypocrisy, she herself would become a notable figure at the base.


    She wasn¡¯t worried about He Xiuyu¡¯s retaliation. They hadn¡¯t even caught the big spy yet. In such a sensitive and critical moment, He Xiuyu wouldn¡¯t dare retaliate against her.


    Furthermore, Qiao Qingyu was too shameless; she had dared to bully Zhu Guizhi¡¯s own son, and this offense was something Zhu could not swallow!


    Technically, this wasn¡¯t the first encounter between Qiao Qingyu and Zhu Guizhi.


    They had met a few times before, though they always just brushed past each other.


    The base¡¯s family living quarters were quite extensive, almost the size of a small town. Plus, with Qiao Qingyu¡¯s recent early departures and late returns, chances for interaction had decreased even more.


    Qiao Qingyu offered a slight smile. ¡°Sister-in-law Wang, are you looking for me? Please come in...¡±


    First courtesy, then strategy; this had always been Qiao Qingyu¡¯s approach to life. At this point, whether intentionally or not, a few more women were also heading over in their direction.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled again, then glanced at the two children, still with a beaming expression, ¡°Sister-in-law Wang, I merely invited the children to a meal of fried potato sticks. You really did not need to bring the children over just to thank me...¡±


    Zhu Guizhi¡¯s face turned an ashen hue, and she raised her voice, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, quit playing dumb with me here. Don¡¯t think just because you¡¯re Chief Engineer He¡¯s wife that you can act high and mighty and trample over all of us. That would be one thing, but how dare you pick on the children? Is that what you call treating our children to some potato sticks? You were luring them, exploiting their inability to resist some rotten potato strips, then deceiving them. Your heart is simply too vicious. Do you even human?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression turned icy.


    ¡°Zhu Guizhi, so you¡¯re here to point fingers and accuse?¡±


    ¡°How would I dare accuse you of anything? You¡¯re Chief Engineer He¡¯s wife, after all. We can¡¯t afford to provoke you. One breath from you and our breadwinners, even my job, could be gone in a puff. But I¡¯ve always been about justice. I¡¯m not afraid of evil forces, nor will I bow to you. Today, I¡¯ve come to seek justice for my two children as well as Sister Yu¡¯s children.¡±


    At this point, because of her loud voice, dozens of women had begun to gather around.


    Old Xie¡¯s wife, Lin Cujuan, squeezed to the front of the crowd, frowning at Zhu Guizhi, ¡°Zhu Guizhi, what¡¯s this madness? Why are you dragging these children out here?¡±


    ¡°Ah, Director Xie¡¯s wife, what madness? What can I be doing with two kids? I just want to get an explanation for them.¡±


    ¡°What explanation? What exactly happened here? You have to make it clear. You can¡¯t just leave us hanging without the full story. Who did you learn that from?¡±


    Lin Cujuan scolded sharply.


    At that moment, a woman in her forties spoke in a soft, gentle voice, ¡°Director Xie¡¯s wife, you mustn¡¯t be partial. We all know you¡¯re good friends with Qiao Qing, but you can¡¯t just make baseless claims without understanding the facts.¡±

 Chapter 164 - 164 164 Who gave you the right tell me

    ?Chapter 164: Chapter 164 Who gave you the right, tell me! Chapter 164: Chapter 164 Who gave you the right, tell me! ¡°Do you even understand the situation? Then tell me about it!¡± Lin Cujuan retorted without any politeness.


    The woman at the corner of her mouth flashed a cold sneer, ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary worker¡¯s family member, what could I possibly understand?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t understand the situation, aren¡¯t you just spouting nonsense?¡±


    ¡°Lin Cujuan, today¡¯s matter has nothing to do with you, I¡¯m here to seek an explanation from Qiao Qingyu,¡± Zhu Guizhi shouted sharply.


    Qiao Qingyu crossed her arms, and although her face was cold, she was smiling. ¡°Zhu Guizhi, since you stormed to my doorstep, you must think I¡¯ve done something wrong. So go ahead and tell everyone, and if I¡¯m wrong, I¡¯ll apologize publicly. But if it¡¯s you making a fuss over nothing, then you¡¯ll have to write me a self-criticism.¡±


    ¡°Why should I write a self-criticism just because you apologize?¡± Zhu Guizhi glared and roared.


    Qiao Qingyu shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I can write the self-criticism too. Now, let¡¯s not waste everyone¡¯s time. Tell us what horrid thing I¡¯ve supposedly done.¡±


    Then, Zhu Guizhi grabbed Dashun, who kept his head bowed the whole time. His face flushed red, even his ears were red, and his eyes were teary. He didn¡¯t dare look at Qiao Qingyu.


    Even a seven-year-old child has a sense of shame.


    But he was, after all, only seven years old. Even if he knew this might be wrong, he didn¡¯t dare not come.


    ¡°Our Dashun and Daji, along with Sister Yu¡¯s child, were playing fine outside. But you, frying those potato strips, deliberately lured our children to cry at your doorstep.¡±


    After saying this, Zhu Guizhi pointed shakily at Qiao Qingyu, her voice full of distress, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, you¡¯ve gone too far, you¡¯re too wicked and sinister. How can you be so cruel to such young children? If you wanted to feed them, just feed them, or else close your door. What are you playing at? Are you bullying us because we have no one, or because we are ordinary people and you have Chief Engineer He¡¯s high position?¡±


    The surrounding people changed their expressions unanimously after hearing this.


    Some looked at Qiao Qingyu with complex eyes, as if what she did was indeed wrong and seemed somewhat sinister.


    You say you want to make something delicious, then either invite the children in or close your door.


    Making several children cry out of craving and then feeding them, isn¡¯t that a bit perverse?


    But these words they didn¡¯t dare to say.


    Anyway, Qiao Qingyu is a cadre¡¯s wife.


    However, the middle-aged woman spoke softly and gently, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, this is where you¡¯re wrong. Children are innocent. If you have any complaints against the adults, you could have directly approached Zhu Guizhi, but you shouldn¡¯t treat two poor children that way, and let¡¯s not forget Sister Yu¡¯s child, only five years old, the same age as Rongrong. You really crossed the line, you really shouldn¡¯t abuse your position.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled at the woman, but her smile didn¡¯t reach her eyes, ¡°Sister, you are quite right; I indeed have complaints against Comrade Zhu Guizhi, but I, Qiao Qingyu, always act openly and aboveboard. I would never target anyone¡¯s children.¡±


    Zhu Guizhi froze for a moment, then exploded in fury, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I, Zhu Guizhi, have had no longstanding grudges with you, and no recent quarrels either. What complaints could you possibly have against me? We have never even interacted before.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we have never interacted before, but everyone knows that my Rongrong goes to the children¡¯s department at the base hospital for physiotherapy once a week. As a staff member of the base hospital, you should be clearer about this than anyone else. Yet, who gave you the right to disclose a patient¡¯s private data and information and spread it everywhere?¡±


    At this point, Qiao Qingyu became quite aggressive. She stepped forward and coldly stared at Zhu Guizhi, whose face had changed color.


    Thinking to herself, in consideration of Dashun, she had intended to settle this matter quietly. After all, Dashun and Daji were good kids, and she wanted to resolve the issue in a peaceful atmosphere. However, this woman seemed hell-bent on self-destruction, so there was no need for her to be polite anymore.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s demeanor turned completely chilly as she raised her voice, ¡°Comrade Zhu Guizhi, I ask you again, who gave you the right to disclose a patient¡¯s private data and information?¡±


    ¡°I... I did not. Qiao Qingyu, what are you talking about?¡±


    For some reason, Zhu Guizhi suddenly found herself lacking in confidence. She had never expected Qiao Qingyu to make such a statement.


    Qiao Qingyu, standing before her, spoke sharply and forcefully, ¡°Comrade Zhu Guizhi, on April 28, 1980, several women surrounded you while you, foaming at the mouth, eagerly told them that a female worker in Tenghai Research¡¯s heavy machinery workshop had contracted a skin disease. You dramatically gestured and warned other women around you to stay away from this worker. Tell me, are these actions and words fitting for a staff member of a hospital? Who gave you the right?¡±


    Suddenly, due to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s icy voice, the noisy scene at He Xiuyu¡¯s house entrance fell into complete silence.


    Everyone looked on in troubled surprise at Qiao Qingyu and Zhu Guizhi.


    Dashun couldn¡¯t help but lift his head, staring at Aunt Qiao standing across from them, feeling somewhat unfamiliar and quite frightened.


    But he couldn¡¯t stop himself from pulling away from his mother¡¯s grasp; he knew she was the aunt his mother often ridiculed at home for being ¡®filthy,¡¯ covered in ¡®red spots,¡¯ and always told him to stay far away from that aunt whenever he saw her.


    ¡°Zhu Guizhi, last Sunday when you went to the base¡¯s supply and marketing cooperative to shop, outside the door, together with a female comrade...¡±


    Here, Qiao Qingyu paused, pointing at the woman who had just spoken in a hushed tone with added embellishments, speaking fiercely, ¡°That¡¯s right, her, you two together, in a voice loud enough for everyone around to hear, said that the young woman who just walked in had body odor. You said she had been treated several times at your hospital but such a condition could not be cured, claiming it was karma from her past life, hence, she was reborn carrying that odor.


    You said no one dared approach her, and wherever she went, the smell of body odor followed. The woman with you nodded and agreed, saying, yeah, that woman is really shameless, truly disgusting, how could she dare to show herself in public and pollute our air?


    Zhu Guizhi, fortunately, the young woman who entered the cooperative didn¡¯t hear this. If she had heard and become desperate enough to commit suicide, would you not be responsible for driving her to take her own life?


    What do you consider such behavior?


    Taking pleasure in someone else¡¯s illness, using a patient¡¯s privacy as your capital to boast everywhere, Zhu Guizhi, who gave you the right, I ask you, who gave you the right, tell me!¡±


    At this point, Qiao Qingyu spoke with extreme severity, her entire presence emanating an unstoppable killing aura.

 Chapter 165 - 165 165 The Air in the Sky is Good

    ?Chapter 165: Chapter 165: The Air in the Sky is Good Chapter 165: Chapter 165: The Air in the Sky is Good Zhu Guizhi¡¯s face turned deathly pale.


    She had indeed said those words.


    Her lips trembled, and facing Qingyu Qiao like this, she felt as if she were staring at the devil himself.


    It was at this moment that she finally remembered what Liu Qiao Wen had once told her: never meddle with Qingyu Qiao without sufficient capability, or else you would regret it for the rest of your life.


    Right now, Zhu Guizhi was filled with regret. She shouldn¡¯t have come to find Qingyu Qiao unprepared. She had thought she was just dealing with an eighteen-year-old girl, a newlywed bride. How could she have stood a chance against her?


    But now, it was she who was about to kneel!


    Zhu Guizhi¡¯s lips quivered, and suddenly, she screamed frantically, ¡°I didn¡¯t say it, Qingyu Qiao, you¡¯re slandering me, you¡¯re lying, I never said such a thing!¡±


    Qingyu Qiao let out a cold laugh, unmoved, her voice sharp and every word crystal clear.


    ¡°Zhu Guizhi, I can ask for Security to investigate this matter right now, if you still maintain that you¡¯ve never said it.¡±


    Zhu Guizhi was immediately at a loss for words, she did not dare to bluster any longer. If Security truly got involved, Director Lin would certainly make sure everything was investigated thoroughly.


    Not to mention others, there were Director Lin, Old Xie, and Lin Cujuan ¨C all of them in Qingyu¡¯s camp.


    Even if she hadn¡¯t said anything, they could still stir up trouble, and besides, she had indeed said it, truly and definitely, and not just once or twice.


    This damned Qiao Qingyu, how could she know about what happened on April 28th? She herself could hardly remember it, but she didn¡¯t notice Qingyu nearby last week when she went to the supply and marketing cooperative, just chatting idly with neighbor Sister-in-law Gu...


    All eyes turned to Zhu Guizhi.


    No one had ever expected that a simple visit to seek justice for her two children would turn so serious in an instant.


    A few people even instinctively stepped back. In these sensitive times, if Zhu Guizhi ended up charged with the crime of disclosing a patient¡¯s information without authorization, she would be in deep trouble.


    At that moment, the middle-aged woman who spoke in a delicate and gentle voice was about to slip away into the crowd, but was caught by the arm by Lin Cujuan, who then yanked her forward.


    Lin Cujuan¡¯s face was red with anger. Although she didn¡¯t know who the two people Zhu Guizhi gossiped about were, she was so furious she trembled all over. She had been to the hospital before, had injections, she had a birthmark on her buttock ¨C if these women spread that around, how could she continue to face people?


    That¡¯s why Zhu Guizhi was so detestable, truly despicable; this incident was too vile, and it couldn¡¯t just be left at that!


    And there was this woman named Gu Zhaodi. Lin Cujuan, grinding her teeth in anger, grabbed her by the collar, raising her voice to demand, ¡°Gu Zhaodi, tell me what you mean by ¡®your air¡¯, who has polluted ¡®your air¡¯?¡±


    Lin Cujuan¡¯s hand swung randomly around her, ¡°Is this air yours, does it belong to your house? Have you no shame at all? I think the one without shame is you! What right do you have to mock others? And what are you so proud of? Just look at your yellow teeth, I don¡¯t even need to get close to know your breath stinks like shit. And look at you walk, with your bowlegged, waddling gait ¨C what do you amount to, that you have the face to ridicule others?¡±


    Gu Zhaodi¡¯s face flushed red in an instant, then turned purple just as quickly, her whole body trembling with anger, ¡°Lin Cujuan, don¡¯t think you can bully people just because your family has an official.¡±


    ¡°Bully people?¡± Lin Cujuan raised her neck to look at the group of women in front of her, ¡°Everybody¡¯s watching here today, anyone with a bit of human decency would know if it¡¯s me who¡¯s been bullying. How can the world be so unreasonable? She¡¯s allowed to mock and disgrace others, but nobody¡¯s allowed to say anything about her?¡±


    Then someone immediately chimed in with approval.


    ¡°Yeah, Gu Zhaodi, you¡¯ve gone too far. You think you¡¯re celestial beings, huh? If you think the air is polluted, why don¡¯t you go to heaven? The air there is nice...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, who¡¯d have thought such a supposedly honest person could have a mouth so foul.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stepped forward, looking at Zhu Guizhi with an iron-blue face, her voice was deep, ¡°Zhu Guizhi, children are like blank pieces of paper; whatever you draw on them, that¡¯s what they become. You mock and insult our Rongrong in front of him, he will learn from you and mock her with the same words you use.


    You¡¯re a mother yourself. Our Rongrong is only five years old; she hasn¡¯t done anything to you, hasn¡¯t provoked you, hasn¡¯t been a bother to you. What right do you have to talk badly about our child behind her back?


    And, the details of Brother Li¡¯s disciplinary action have been announced throughout the entire military base. Now, the notice is still posted at the front door of the Big White Building. He has rectified his mistakes through labor, using work to atone for his wrongdoings, and he is merely undergoing re-education through labor. He¡¯s not a reformed labor convict. What right do you have to insult Li Mingguang¡¯s father in front of children?¡±


    Not far away, He Xuerong stood at the doorway, her black eyes fixed intently on Qiao Qingyu. Her small hand clenched, her lips moved but she didn¡¯t step forward to cause trouble. Instead, she stood obediently at the doorway with Xiao Hu, who had tears in his eyes.


    Then, Qiao Qing took a long breath, her voice filled with distress, ¡°Comrade Zhu Guizhi, despite all the despicable and insane things you¡¯ve done, children are innocent. Is it illegal for me to fry potato sticks in my own yard?


    Certainly not. It¡¯s natural for a child to be drawn to the smell and approach the door. It¡¯s just a normal child¡¯s instinct.


    They are sensible. They admit it was wrong to insult and hit Xiao Hu and Rongrong, and they recognize that hitting Xiao Hu was wrong. Knowing their fault and correcting it is what makes a good child. I invited the three kids into the yard, let them wash their hands clean, and then sit down together at the dining table with Rongrong and Xiao Hu to eat the potato sticks I fried. Is that a mistake?


    When Dashun left, he even called out from a distance, ¡®Aunt Qiao, I like you.¡¯


    But in less than two hours, you¡¯ve forced two children to come to the house of the aunt they like, raising a fuss with you. Zhu Guizhi, aren¡¯t you being too cruel? What are you turning the children into, tools?¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, you... you... you¡¯re slandering me...¡± Zhu Guizhi¡¯s voice trembled as she took a step back.


    ¡°So, I ask you, what are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I... I... I...¡± Zhu Guizhi, once an invincible woman with a far-reaching reputation, was at this moment, unable to say anything besides ¡®I.¡¯


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes bore a cold look, ¡°Comrade Zhu Guizhi, if you have any conscience left, I hope you go back to your unit right now and reflect on your own mistakes; otherwise, you will regret it!¡±


    Zhu Guizhi looked at Qiao Qingyu with a frightened and hesitant gaze, she finally realized that Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t just trying to scare her!

 Chapter 166 - 166 166 The Mountain King Who Can Put Someone

    ?Chapter 166: Chapter 166 The Mountain King Who Can Put Someone to Death! Chapter 166: Chapter 166 The Mountain King Who Can Put Someone to Death! Zhu Guizhi knew very well in her heart that she indeed had said those words and done those two things, but she had treated it as a joke.


    But at this moment, Zhu Guizhi felt ice-cold all over. She finally remembered the base hospital¡¯s management regulations, one of which strictly prohibited the disclosure of patient privacy.


    If this really caused severe consequences, she would be legally accountable.


    But she had never taken it seriously¡ªnot only her, many in the hospital hadn¡¯t taken it seriously. They often exchanged such information among themselves.


    She didn¡¯t know if they had spoken about it outside.


    But she knew she had spoken out, and she was caught, and that person was Qiao Qingyu, the very person she wanted to suppress today.


    Zhu Guizhi¡¯s hands trembled uncontrollably; suddenly, she pushed the person beside her and turned to run towards the main road at the entrance.


    She wanted to confess to the hospital leadership before they found out; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be able to escape the consequences.


    The case of Liu Qiao Wen was a bloody lesson!


    At this time, Zhu Guizhi¡¯s eyes were filled with hatred, but she didn¡¯t dare to look back at Qiao Qingyu or even curse her. She just thought of quickly going to the base hospital to admit her mistake to the leadership and save her job.


    Lin Cujuan sneered out loud, ¡°I thought she was such a noble person, but it turns out she¡¯s like this, not even cleaning up her own mess, how dare she trouble our Qingyu? Does she have any shame?¡±


    Meanwhile, that woman named Gu Zhaodi¡¯s face turned ashen; she pushed the crowd aside and staggered towards her home.


    People began to praise Qiao Qingyu, calling her a righteous and conscientious good comrade.


    Of course, to tell the truth, Qiao Qingyu really had stunned them just now.


    It was their first time seeing a girl so righteous and cutting with every word!


    In that moment, it seemed whatever guilty deeds done could no longer be hidden.


    ...


    That evening, He Xiuyu found out about what happened at his doorstep. He had already finished eating in the cafeteria, and it was there that he heard about the incident.


    The comrade named Zhu Guizhi, because her attitude in admitting her error was so sincere, crying bitterly, was nearly on her knees. Furthermore, as she actually did work very hard and selflessly, and since she hadn¡¯t disclosed any names or caused severe consequences, but with the leadership of the base deciding to make an example out of her.


    She was handling clerical work, a position which was laid-back and sociable, and then she was demoted to cleaning the toilets.


    And she was given a month to show good behavior or be dismissed immediately.


    This was also giving both sides a bit of maneuvering room and space. After all, her crime deserved neither death nor severe consequences, nor could they sentence her. However, if they really dismissed her and she went home and spread what she knew causing unimaginable consequences, it would be too late.


    Only after much deliberation did the leadership of the base hospital make this decision, but they also held a large meeting.


    This was meant to serve as a severe warning to everyone and, at the same time, rectify the hospital¡¯s lax atmosphere.


    Then He Xiuyu decided that Rongrong didn¡¯t need to go for pediatric treatments anymore.


    Moreover, the specialist he had invited could return to Beijing.


    Rongrong could very well recover slowly at home.


    He Xiuyu held a pen in his hand, his fingers extremely dexterous, twirling the pen in countless patterns, the entire person exuding a relaxed and joyful aura. This little wife of his, when not provoked, was just a pretty, clever little cat, but once provoked, she was fierce as a mountain king, capable of putting someone to death!


    Right, her nickname was King Qiao.


    So, at this very moment, He Xiuyu was filled with anticipation, wondering what kind of surprise Qiao Qingyu would bring him tomorrow!


    ...


    No matter what happens in the world, the cycle of the sun and the moon never falters, not even slightly.


    As night enveloped the earth, Qiao Qingyu had both herself and Rongrong cleaned up, with Rongrong obediently lying in bed.


    Since He Xiuyu wasn¡¯t coming back today, Qiao Qingyu planned to do a final check before resting.


    She went to the front door and, out of habit, glanced outside. What she hadn¡¯t expected was to see a child standing in the shadow of the doorway. Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t startled but still furrowed her brows.


    Upon closer examination, it was Dashun.


    Qiao Qingyu sighed softly and said gently, ¡°Dashun, are you standing at Aunt Qiao¡¯s door because you need something?¡±


    ¡°Aunt Qiao, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t tell my mom on you. I just carelessly said how delicious Aunt Qiao¡¯s fried potato strips were, so tasty that we all cried, and then when Aunt Qiao saw us crying, she let us in to eat. They were so good...¡±


    Then the child burst into tears, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aunt Qiao. I didn¡¯t know... I didn¡¯t know Mom would come to fight you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu reached out and gently ruffled Dashun¡¯s hair, her voice tender, ¡°Aunt Qiao isn¡¯t angry. Your mom has realized her mistake. As long as she corrects it, she¡¯s still your good mom, right?¡±


    Dashun thought about it and nodded tearfully.


    At that moment, someone emerged from the corner.


    She rushed towards Qiao Qingyu in strides, it was Zhu Guizhi.


    Her expression complex, Zhu Guizhi looked at Qiao Qingyu. She had just returned home, and both her sons were angry with her, feeling she had embarrassed them today. The younger son was somewhat okay, but the older one was more sensible and felt dishonored; he hadn¡¯t eaten dinner and wasn¡¯t speaking to her, then ran out of the house.


    She followed out of concern and then discovered her son walking back and forth in front of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house.


    Zhu Guizhi was both angry and distressed.


    She didn¡¯t understand how she had foolishly caused such trouble on a perfectly good day.


    If she could turn back time, she definitely wouldn¡¯t do something so embarrassing.


    She hadn¡¯t approached earlier out of fear her son would get angry and run off somewhere else; instead, she crouched in the corner watching him and then saw Qiao Qingyu come out.


    She thought Qiao Qingyu would definitely take the opportunity to badmouth her in front of her child, to scold her, but instead, she merely spoke softly and gently.


    That girl, who seemed like a devil, was actually so tender.


    Her voice hoarse, Zhu Guizhi looked down, avoiding Qiao Qingyu¡¯s gaze, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I¡¯m sorry, today was my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have disclosed a patient¡¯s privacy. You are right, if it really had serious consequences, I¡¯d owe someone their life...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at Zhu Guizhi, somewhat surprised.


    Regardless of whether it was sincere or pretense, at least she wouldn¡¯t dare to offend again.


    In a mild voice, Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°Zhu Guizhi, both of your children are good. I hope you can set an example. Let incidents like today¡¯s never happen again, you can really hurt them...¡±

 Chapter 167 - 167 167 Giving Mr. He XiuYu a Big Surprise

    ?Chapter 167: Chapter 167: Giving Mr. He XiuYu a Big Surprise! Chapter 167: Chapter 167: Giving Mr. He XiuYu a Big Surprise! Zhu Guizhi¡¯s tears streamed down in an instant.


    Looking at her son Dashun, Dashun also looked up at her with longing eyes.


    Apart from those who are completely heartless, which mother in the world doesn¡¯t love her own child?


    That love is deep in their bones.


    Zhu Guizhi took her son¡¯s hand, ¡°Dashun, Mom made things difficult for you today, and Mom will never do that again. Will you stop being mad at Mom, okay?¡±


    So it¡¯s said, a mother and son are just that¡ªa mother and son. Dashun¡¯s tears turned to laughter, and he happily followed Zhu Guizhi home for dinner, even turning around to wave goodbye to Qiao Qingyu as they walked.


    Qiao Qingyu shook her head, never expecting this matter to end this way, but she had to say she was very pleased that Zhu Guizhi could genuinely regret and change.


    No matter how you look at it, Zhu Guizhi was far better than Zhu Mingli, who glared at her with venomous eyes, and even more so than Liu Qiao Wen, who smiled to her face while cursing her in her heart.


    Qiao Qingyu turned and entered the yard, closed the door properly, and at that time, He Xuerong, who was anxious, was sitting on the kang bed in her small nightgown made by Qiao Qingyu, peering out the window.


    At this moment, the flowers on the window sill¡¯s pots had already grown more than twenty centimeters high.


    Lush and green, the sight sparked a joy from deep within.


    Especially those dry marigolds, with leaves like lotus leaves, looked exceptionally vibrant and beautiful.


    The little girl kept looking at the flower pots while peeking outside.


    Qiao Qingyu quickly entered the room, tucked the little girl into the quilt, and drew the curtains.


    By now, it was past nine o¡¯clock. Decades later, this time of night would signify that the nightlife had just begun.


    But it was different now. There were no streetlights in the residential area of the base, and it was pitch black without the moon. Plus, there were no televisions, let alone tape recorders, only a radio that Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t care to listen to much.


    So, Qiao Qingyu felt she should take a trip to the Southern region, to somehow get a tape recorder and some tapes to enhance her own entertainment life.


    Meanwhile, as He Xuerong lay beside Qiao Qingyu, she suddenly uttered two faint words, ¡°Little... aunt...¡±


    Very slowly, but not so slow as to be intermittent, only pausing for a few seconds in between. Qiao Qingyu blinked and turned her head to look at He Xuerong, who was also watching her with fuzzy, large eyes.


    The light in the room was on, and though not bright, it was sufficient to clearly see the rich, soft dependence and affection on the little girl¡¯s face.


    Qiao Qingyu bolted upright, her eyes equally sparkling, ¡°Rongrong, were you calling for little aunt just now?¡±


    He Xuerong hesitated for a moment but still nodded. Then she spoke again. Although a bit clumsy due to not speaking for a long time, she was still a child, and Xiao Hu had been with her all this time. Xiao Hu was quite chatty, and so her exposure to language was very rich and ample.


    And then, He Xuerong said, haltingly again, ¡°Little... aunt... I... am not... little... mute...¡±


    Although Rongrong and Qiao Qingyu shared no blood relation, although she was just He Xiuyu¡¯s little niece, she had no rights or obligations toward her. Yet for some reason, at that moment, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart softened, her eyes easily welling up. She hugged He Xuerong and cried, fiercely nodding her head, ¡°Rongrong, my darling, you are a lark, the most beautiful lark in our base, your voice is so lovely...¡±


    ¡°Little aunt, I¡¯m not a little mute, I¡¯m a lark...¡± Although spoken slowly, the words were clear.


    As she spoke, He Xuerong stretched out her little hands and mimicked the flight of a bird, showing Qiao Qingyu a smile that was pure and reliant.


    That night, Qiao Qingyu and He Xuerong didn¡¯t go to bed until after ten.


    While the iron was hot, Qiao Qingyu seized the opportunity. Once the little girl started talking, that was it ¨C she wasn¡¯t an adult who had been silent for decades due to a barrier.


    Ah, Rongrong could be considered a child who was late to speak, so for a child not yet five years old, it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration for her to speak fluently without pauses after an hour and a half.


    Indeed, Qiao Qingyu had done it, and so had He Xuerong.


    Qiao Qingyu really wanted to call He Xiuyu right then to tell him, but it was already late, and she couldn¡¯t get through.


    Tomorrow then, she¡¯d give Mr. He Xiuyu a big surprise!


    Before long, He Xuerong was tired and then lay down in the clean and fresh bedding, drifting into a deep sleep. Qiao Qingyu was also tired and soon fell into a deep slumber...


    The moment the sun rose, it signified that a new day had begun.


    The base¡¯s kindergarten was still being sanitized, so Xiao Hu and Rongrong remained at home today.


    Qiao Qingyu took the two children to pick and wash vegetables, preparing to entertain Shen Haoze and Su Yunyao in the evening.


    Qiao Qingyu was very serious about the preparations, so when He Xiuyu brought the two guests into the house, the aroma of the food was already wafting through.


    The spread was generous ¨C although there was no meat, they had eggs at home, and the vegetables from the garden could be picked at any time, washed clean, and stirred into a dish so green it seemed to drip.


    The cucumbers Qiao Qingyu grew were the most delicious he had ever tasted from childhood to adulthood.


    Qiao Qingyu stir-fried cucumber with eggs, saute?ed peppers with mushrooms, and then, early in the morning, Dashun had knocked on her door, pushed two salted fish into her hands and tried to leave. Qiao Qingyu caught him, filled a cloth bag with a few cucumbers and tomatoes for him to take home...


    So, the development of some things was truly unforeseen.


    The salted fish looked good, mailed from the Southern region. After being prepared, served with soaked beans and topped with chili slices, it was saltily aromatic.


    Tomatoes were cut into chunks and sprinkled with sugar, and a large bowl of tomato and egg soup was made.


    Since there was only a little millet left at home, and a week to go until the next ration supply, Qiao Qingyu used the remaining wheat and corn flour to steam vegetable buns.


    She had planted a row of water radishes in the yard; they were red, like little ginseng, and after washing, could be cut into chunks and eaten with sauce ¨C sweet and crisp. And the radish seedlings, after being blanched, mixed with lard, green onions, ginger, garlic, and spices, resulted in vegetable buns that the young men could eat ten of at a time.


    Shen Haoze was the first to enter the kitchen and couldn¡¯t help but swallow his saliva; He Xiuyu had never boasted about how delicious Qiao Qingyu¡¯s cooking was.


    Therefore, it was truly the first time Shen Haoze and Su Yunyao knew that Qiao Qingyu had such great culinary skills.


    Cucumber with fried egg, peppers with saute?ed mushrooms, buns that were steamed perfectly round and big; cucumber and water radish with a sheet of dry tofu all cut into strips, topped with minced garlic, drizzled with sesame oil and salt, making a truly authentic grand cold dish.


    Since the incident with Liu Qiao Wen, Shen Haoze had run into Qiao Qingyu a few times, but they hadn¡¯t had much to talk about...

 Chapter 168 - 168 168 He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu Arent Like

    ?Chapter 168: Chapter 168: He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu Aren¡¯t Like This! Chapter 168: Chapter 168: He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu Aren¡¯t Like This! Since Shen Haoze had been working down in the workshop recently, when he saw the meatless yet full-flavored dishes laid out on the table, he suddenly thought He Xiuyu was truly blessed, blessed not only with beauty but also with culinary delights...


    Could someone like Qiao Qingyu be what those men always talk about¡ªa woman who could grace a hall and manage a kitchen?


    Out of politeness, Shen Haoze was about to say something when Su Yunyao, following behind him, suddenly stretched out her hand and pinched the soft flesh of his waist.


    Shen Haoze stiffened all over, not daring to show it, worried that shouting out loud would anger Su Yunyao and also be embarrassing.


    He endured the pain, his body rigid, his face flushing red, as Su Yunyao quickly withdrew her hand, and then Shen Haoze ran to the living room as if making an escape.


    At this moment in the living room, He Xiuyu was arranging dishes and chopsticks on the dining table. He glanced indifferently at Shen Haoze as he came in, ¡°Have you washed your hands?¡±


    Shen Haoze nodded constantly, ¡°Washed, washed.¡±


    In the kitchen, Su Yunyao curled her lips, her gaze deep as she watched Qiao Qingyu, but she dared not speak rashly. Right now, to mock Qiao Qingyu in her presence, one really had to weigh the consequences of a possible retort.


    But Qiao Qingyu was starkly different from the Qiao Qingyu in her memory.


    She was like a completely different person!


    Su Yunyao stood at the kitchen doorway, and at that moment, the door was open; He Xiuyu¡¯s courtyard seemed like a haven from the rest of the world.


    Not to mention He Xiuyu¡¯s courtyard, even the entire base had changed, unlike anything she remembered.


    In her memory, this piece of barren and dry land was almost devoid of grass.


    She had once driven hundreds of miles with Shen Haoze in a jeep to the so-called green belt.


    In her memory, the sandstorm stretched for miles, endless, and far away when the wind blew strongly, it was like a disaster movie. A few years ago, a sweeping sandstorm had destroyed an entire village.


    But what did they see?


    They saw a stretch of green extending to the horizon, lush barley grass over twenty centimeters high; they saw birds flying by now and then and heard rustling sounds in the grass, and as they approached, they saw the shadow of some small animal swiftly diving into the bushes...


    This wasn¡¯t Xichuan, not Yushu County, not Xiaxi Commune, and certainly not Tenghai Research Base.


    That night when she returned, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep. It was a world she didn¡¯t recognize, not only was Qiao Qingyu strange, but even He Xiuyu had changed from his former self.


    Since childhood, when had she ever seen warmth and gentleness in his expression?


    But that was not for her, it was when others mentioned Qiao Qingyu.


    It shouldn¡¯t be this way.


    He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu were not like this!


    Thus, she became anxious and then remembered the independent design research that had established He Xiuyu¡¯s position as an industrial magnate in her past life.


    That was the large tunnel boring machine.


    Although it was still in research before her rebirth, it was essentially successful.


    In Huaxia, there is a tradition of keeping good things under wraps.


    So, she spent a whole day and night writing the report, filing the application, and drawing some preliminary sketches, then placed all these things in front of He Xiuyu¡¯s desk.


    She couldn¡¯t just sit back and wait for doom. Although she hadn¡¯t brought out the complete blueprint this time, she was determined to lead the team and together develop this large, heavy machinery.


    Because she had made a grave mistake in the past.


    Her error had led to the blueprint being damaged.


    Then she was forced to halt the research for several years, and she was fired and spent a year in jail.


    Now, what she wanted to do was make amends, because this world was far too alien and chaotic for her.


    She couldn¡¯t make the same mistakes again.


    Otherwise, what would be the point of her rebirth?


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at Su Yunyao, who seemed to be caught in some emotion again. She wasn¡¯t interested in analyzing what was on her mind, instead she said with a clear and cheery voice, ¡°Su Yunyao, this is your first time visiting my new home, right?¡±


    Suddeny snapped out of her reverie, Su Yunyao gave Qiao Qingyu a heavy look. She was a guest, and Qiao Qingyu the hostess, a dynamic that made her feel extremely uncomfortable and pained.


    Ever since the A-04 blueprint officially went into production, no, it should be said ever since He Xiuyu personally revised the errors, the way he looked at her had become complex.


    Even though they had never been close before, it had never been like it was now, and it weighed on her heart. She had no choice; after she brought out the blueprints, she had wanted to tell He Xiuyu straight up that these were the things he had researched in his previous life, they were all his, truly and completely his.


    But He Xiuyu wouldn¡¯t agree, wouldn¡¯t agree to put his name on it, wouldn¡¯t agree to claim this accomplishment as his own. What could she do? She dared not reveal her rebirth experience, so things had to stay as they were.


    It really wasn¡¯t her fault, she truly had no other way.


    Would the two of them just become parallel lines that would never intersect?


    Su Yunyao gave Qiao Qingyu a slight smile, thinking that wouldn¡¯t be the case; there was something off about this woman, a big issue.


    One day she would peel off the facade this woman wore, exposing her ugly true face.


    Su Yunyao¡¯s voice was also soft and gentle, utterly unlike her usual high-handed and aggressive tone when alone with Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s my first time at your new home, it¡¯s very cozy and beautiful, especially your vegetable and flower gardens, they are quite rare in this part of Xichuan.¡±


    ¡°Our little garden has required a lot of effort, you know? Take a look at that grape trellis, He Xiuyu handwove it himself. Pretty, isn¡¯t it?¡± Qiao Qingyu showed off.


    Su Yunyao turned stiffly to look at the grape trellis they had just walked past. It was truly beautiful, like a piece of art; she had noticed it earlier, but she did not know that He Xiuyu had made it himself.


    His hands, skilled in research, were now making flower pots for Qiao Qingyu, retrofitting tractors, and even weaving grape trellises.


    Her voice was strained as she spoke, ¡°Chief Engineer He has always been very skillful with his hands, the trellis is indeed like a piece of art.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes crinkled with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re right, this grape trellis is like a piece of art. Alright, don¡¯t just stand there, guests should make themselves comfortable. Head into the living room and rest. We¡¯ve got boiled water that has been cooled and cups that have never been used.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything I can help with?¡± Su Yunyao asked politely, not moving.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you call Rongrong and Xiao Hu back for dinner?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t stand on ceremony, breezily giving her orders with a smile.


    Su Yunyao raised an eyebrow but said nothing, turning to leave the kitchen.


    At this moment, Xiao Hu, along with Rongrong, was playing games with Dashun and a few others outside in the mountain flat by the houses...

 Chapter 169 - 169 169 Qiao Qingyus True Identity

    ?Chapter 169: Chapter 169 Qiao Qingyu¡¯s True Identity! Chapter 169: Chapter 169 Qiao Qingyu¡¯s True Identity! The children here only had a couple of games to play together, either messing with mud or playing war.


    As expected, they were all covered in mud, like little monkeys.


    Su Yunyao frowned slightly in disgust.


    He Xuerong glanced at her, and the smile on the little girl¡¯s face gradually disappeared. However, when she heard Su Yunyao say that her little aunt had called them back for lunch, Rongrong tugged at Xiao Hu, and he immediately stood up and waved to Dashun, Daji, and Xiao Xiao, ¡°Rongrong and I are going back now. You three should head home too.¡±


    The three kids seemed reluctant to leave but knew that Aunt Qiao had guests today; otherwise, they would have run into the yard much earlier.


    The three children scampered off, holding hands.


    Su Yunyao hesitated for a moment, preparing to reach out and take He Xuerong¡¯s hand, but the little girl twisted her body and ran off beside her.


    Su Yunyao stood by the wall of Mr. He¡¯s home, overgrown with climbing ivy, watching the small figure disappear into the yard.


    The little girl seemed a bit tanned, different from when she first arrived, but she looked much livelier and her face was more expressive. She wore a pink dress with a pair of sandals in the same color, and her hair was tied into two braids, topped with bows made from pink satin.


    This was the most common attire of the era, but He Xuerong appeared like a little Princess, even though her little face and hands were dirty, it didn¡¯t detract from her delicate beauty. Still, she couldn¡¯t remember anything about He Xuerong, as if the memories of her had been inexplicably erased.


    Because it was summer, even at five o¡¯clock, the sun was still hanging over the western mountains, but the sudden chill made Su Yunyao quickly walk back to the He family¡¯s yard.


    In the cool bamboo pavilion to the east, Xiao Hu and Rongrong were obediently washing their faces and hands.


    She stood on the steps and saw He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu standing side by side in the kitchen, very close to each other because He Xiuyu was tall, so he bent down to talk to Qiao Qingyu. After a few words, the next moment, He Xiuyu was sitting in front of the stove, starting the fire.


    The heat in front of the stove was intense in the summer. She saw sweat on his nose and forehead.


    Su Yunyao entered the kitchen and said with a smile, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, Xiao Hu and Rongrong are washing up. Is there anything I can help with here?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing more, go to the living room. Shen Haoze is inside too.¡±


    Su Yunyao didn¡¯t really want to stay in the kitchen; firstly, she had no interest in cooking, secondly, it was too hot, and after just a short while, her back was already drenched with sweat, and thirdly, she didn¡¯t want to witness the intimate exchanges between these two.


    Hence, she hurried to the living room and immediately saw Shen Haoze drooling over the dishes on the table, crunching on a cucumber he was holding.


    Su Yunyao frowned slightly and said softly, ¡°Shen Haoze, mind your image.¡±


    Shen Haoze froze for a second upon seeing Su Yunyao, but soon smiled, ¡°Yunyao, come and try this. The cucumber is so sweet and crunchy, it¡¯s delicious, the best I¡¯ve ever had in my life, even better than apples.¡±


    Su Yunyao let out an almost inaudible sneer but said nothing. After all, the living room was connected to the kitchen, and there were no sofas in the living room. Each household at the base had been provided with a long bench, and it seemed that the seat cushions on it were woven from reeds, making it soft and cool to sit on, quite comfortable.


    Looking around, she had to admit that He Xiuyu¡¯s house, although sparingly furnished and simple, was exceptionally clean and tidy, everything arranged in an orderly fashion.


    She withdrew her gaze, feeling somewhat suffocated, thinking she shouldn¡¯t have come, but she should have seen what this place was like a long time ago.


    Was it different from what she remembered?


    Su Yunyao lowered her head, concealing the thoughts in her eyes. Of course, there were differences ¨C quite big ones...


    In her last life, she had visited He Xiuyu¡¯s house. The yard was desolate, and the wall was bare. The furniture assigned by the base had not changed for two lifetimes, and the standard of issued items remained the same. However, this life brought a few pots of unknown plants on the window sill.


    The pots were fired by He Xiuyu himself, and the flowers and plants on them must have been planted by Qiao Qingyu.


    Lush and dripping with vitality, some had already developed flower buds¡ªit was easy to imagine, when they blossomed, what kind of scene would fill the room.


    It seemed Qiao Qingyu had indeed lit up her planting skills.


    But why had she done nothing in her last life? She remembered someone once saying that having grown up in the countryside, she should be able to plant some vegetables. Though the soil was poor, planting cabbages and spinach in spring could still yield a harvest.


    She remembered Qiao Qingyu had even scolded that woman thoroughly.


    She even shamelessly declared that she had finally flown out of the countryside and would never touch any of that farm work again.


    That Qiao Qingyu did nothing but knew how to enjoy life and loved to dress up.


    Every month, she would squander He Xiuyu¡¯s entire salary.


    Right, back then He Xiuyu¡¯s expression was different from now¡ªit could even be said he was like a different person.


    She remembered that he had already grown white at his temples when he was only thirty.


    He Xiuyu rarely returned to his residential compound home. When he did, it was usually payday, and moreover, they had no children.


    That¡¯s why she felt so much compassion for He Xiuyu.


    Yet now it seemed that the current He Xiuyu did not need her compassion at all. He was doing quite well, walking with lightness, his eyes brimming with a gentle watery smile when he spoke with Qiao Qingyu.


    He frequently came home and confidently left Rongrong in the care of this woman and, even if she wouldn¡¯t admit it, she had to acknowledge that the current Qiao Qingyu was vastly different from that foolish countrywoman.


    So even if Qiao Qingyu was not reincarnated, she certainly had another identity.


    For instance¡ªa possessed soul!


    Su Yunyao slowly stood up, took a few steps forward, and looked at Qiao Qingyu busily working in the kitchen. Her eyes were deep and inscrutable, her mouth curved in a strange smile.


    No rush; she now had to change her strategy. She wanted to befriend this Qiao Qingyu, she desired to get along with her just like best friends.


    Then she would know who this Qiao Qingyu really was.


    She would find out from where this wandering spirit came, who had taken over Qiao Qingyu¡¯s body. Su Yunyao would even prefer her to be the same fool as before.


    Because that woman was just too easy to deal with, with nothing in her head but eating, drinking, and merry-making, as if it was stuffed with bunches of grass.


    But this one, at times, was like a little witch¡ªit seemed, at this point, no one could handle her.


    There were just too many bloody examples.


    At this moment, Su Yunyao¡¯s heartbeat quickened a bit. A wandering spirit, huh? If He Xiuyu found out, not knowing where this wandering spirit came from, not knowing if it was male or female, young or old, occupying Qiao Qingyu¡¯s body, would He Xiuyu still smile so tenderly, would his step still be so light?

 Chapter 170 - 170 170 There are some things in the world

    ?Chapter 170: Chapter 170 There are some things in the world that simply cannot be explained Chapter 170: Chapter 170 There are some things in the world that simply cannot be explained It seemed Qiao Qingyu sensed an eerie gaze from behind, and suddenly she turned around. Although it was broad daylight, because Qiao Qingyu had turned around so abruptly, her gaze clashed with Su Yunyao¡¯s peculiar one in an instant.


    Then, Qiao Qingyu gave her a slight smile.


    Su Yunyao felt a cold sweat break out on her back, thinking that Qiao Qingyu¡¯s smile was truly unsettling, like that of a devil. Su Yunyao hurriedly shifted her gaze and turned to face the dining table, pretending to admire the spread of delicious dishes.


    Qiao Qingyu turned back, lifted the lid off the large pot, and picked out the steamed buns one by one with chopsticks into a basket, wondering what Su Yunyao was pondering earlier while staring at her.


    Was she figuring out how to snatch He Xiuyu away, or wondering why Qiao Qingyu was acting differently from her past self?


    The latter possibility seemed more likely.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t actually care and smiled at He Xiuyu who was coming over to help, ¡°No need for your help, go keep them company in the room. I¡¯ll check on Xiao Hu and Rongrong after I finish picking up the buns.¡±


    He Xiuyu nodded, meticulously cleaned around the stove area, and then shut the iron door next to the stove for safety.


    When he stood up, he saw two little ones standing at the door.


    This Li Mingguang, practically his own son by now. Not that he minded the child¡ªin fact, he quite liked him.


    Rongrong¡¯s changes today were due in no small part to Xiao Hu¡¯s contribution.


    He smiled at the two children.


    Just then, a soft and tender voice rose from the doorway, ¡°little uncle!¡±


    He Xiuyu was stunned, his body stiffening as he incredulously stared at He Xuerong standing at the entrance.


    Was he hallucinating, or was there something wrong with his hearing?


    He stared intently at He Xuerong, and Qiao Qingyu blinked. Okay, this must count as a surprise from He Xuerong to He Xiuyu.


    For some reason, He Xiuyu shifted his gaze to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face, and found her not shocked, but smiling.


    As if understanding something, He Xiuyu took three big steps to reach He Xuerong. He squatted in front of her, his eyes bright and seemingly glistening with tears, his voice urgent, ¡°Rongrong, did you just call out to little uncle?¡±


    He Xuerong nodded.


    ¡°Can you call out again?¡± He Xiuyu asked cautiously.


    He Xuerong nodded again, the little one¡¯s recovery was fast and astonishing. Indeed, some things in the world simply cannot be explained.


    A colleague of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s at Tenghai Research had suffered from depression; she had taken many medications, seen psychologists, and even undergone treatment in a mental hospital, all to no avail. She had almost given up hope, but then one day, after watching a movie, she took some sleeping pills and slept early. She slept until the next afternoon.


    The moment she woke up, she knew that her illness had been cured.


    This girl had once described to them the feeling she had at that time¡ªit was as if she had suddenly figured everything out, like enlightenment, and felt life was beautiful again.


    He Xuerong¡¯s situation must also be of this kind, a sudden recovery and quick adjustment to her new state.


    The little one¡¯s voice was very pleasant, with a distinctive clear childlike quality, ¡°little uncle, I can talk now, I¡¯m not mute anymore, I don¡¯t need to go to the hospital, I¡¯m better, I can sing too, little uncle, little aunt said I¡¯m the prettiest lark in our base...¡±


    Meanwhile, Shen Haoze, who had heard the girl¡¯s voice in the kitchen, was also stunned and exchanged a look with Su Yunyao; both of them ran towards the kitchen.


    Shen Haoze may not have seen He Xuerong more than a few times, but he also liked the little girl who used to call him Uncle Shen with her crisp voice.


    This time He Xiuyu brought her to the base, her eyes were completely foreign, as if she no longer recognized him, which made him very sad.


    Then Shen Haoze also took steps forward, his hopeful eyes looking at He Xuerong, ¡°Rongrong, do you still remember who I am?¡±


    ¡°I remember, you¡¯re Uncle Shen, you even bought me hawthorn candied fruit when you visited grandma¡¯s place.¡±


    Su Yunyao, of course, could not be the exception.


    She composed her emotions and adjusted her smile, also gently asking, ¡°Rongrong, then do you know who I am? Do you remember what I¡¯ve bought for you?¡±


    He Xuerong looked steadily at this woman, knowing that she didn¡¯t like her at all, yet she insisted on pretending to like her.


    She glanced at little aunt, who was smiling at her with tender eyes.


    Hmm, she had to be the polite and good child that little aunt would like more.


    The little girl nodded, ¡°I know you too, you¡¯re Aunt Su, you¡¯ve bought me chocolate candy...¡±


    But He Xiuyu couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, and swept up He Xuerong in his arms.


    The expression of emotions was through tears, but men and women expressed it differently.


    For instance, women weep for sorrow, men sing.


    Of course, He Xiuyu was not going to sing.


    So he chose He Xuerong¡¯s favorite game from the past, tossing her high into the air and then catching her, which, of course, took place in the yard, after all, the kitchen was too cramped, and it would be terrible if a child was accidentally thrown into a pot.


    Qiao Qingyu brought the steamed buns she had cooked to the living room.


    Everyone then took their seats, and although He Xiuyu was not exactly beaming with joy, everyone could see he was in an excellent mood.


    Rongrong and Xiao Hu sat between He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu, with Su Yunyao on the other side of Qiao Qingyu, followed by Shen Haoze; the table was large, with everyone seated around it, except for Su Yunyao, who had ulterior motives, made this meal a joyful one for both guests and hosts.


    By this time, night had fallen, and the electric lights were on.


    In an instant, the living room was shrouded in a soft yellow light.


    Shen Haoze and Su Yunyao were taking Xiao Hu and Rongrong to cool off under the grapevines.


    It wasn¡¯t clear what grass Qiao Qingyu used to weave, but everyone held a fan that looked quite substantial, and you know what, when the fan was moved, it stirred up a fragrant grassy aroma in the air, which was very pleasant.


    Though it was the heat of summer, perhaps it was an illusion, but Shen Haoze found that, although the weather at the base this year was hot, it wasn¡¯t as dry as before.


    As a scientific researcher, of course, he knew that everything had to be evidence-based, and this data also indicated that the sand belts and desert land near the Tenghai Research Base were being changed little by little.


    Shen Haoze enthusiastically talked to Su Yunyao about it, who clearly wasn¡¯t very interested, so he then told Xiao Hu and Rongrong, who were listening very intently, while He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu were cleaning up the dining room and kitchen.


    Usually, He Xiuyu enjoyed doing housework with Qiao Qingyu, especially today.


    There were indeed quite a few chores that needed doing inside and outside the house...

 Chapter 171 - 171 171 Su Yunyao Thinks She is a Demon

    ?Chapter 171: Chapter 171: Su Yunyao Thinks She is a Demon Exterminator Chapter 171: Chapter 171: Su Yunyao Thinks She is a Demon Exterminator Both were methodical in their work, and soon everything was tidied up.


    He Xiu Yu looked at Qiao Qingyu with a gentle voice, ¡°You worked hard today.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, not hard at all. They are your childhood friends and current colleagues, so it¡¯s natural to treat them to a meal. By the way, didn¡¯t you say Rongrong doesn¡¯t plan to continue in the hospital¡¯s pediatric department?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s time for the doctor to return to Beijing.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s invite him for a meal before he leaves,¡± Qiao Qingyu suggested.


    He Xiu Yu smiled, ¡°Alright.¡±


    There was a cool shed on the eastern side of the yard, built by He Xiu Yu when they first moved in, mainly for storing firewood. However, due to its large size, it was also convenient for washing faces and hands in the summer.


    The bathroom was essentially just a washing area with a water pipe, but there was no sewer system, as the base¡¯s underground drainage system wasn¡¯t capable of handling it yet.


    So, every household had a latrine in the back of their yard.


    He Xiu Yu¡¯s house was no exception.


    Of course, since moving here, cleaning the latrine had mostly been contracted out to He Xiu Yu.


    Qiao Qingyu even made him a mask out of cotton cloth.


    Water usage here wasn¡¯t lavish, as water used for washing faces and hands was conveniently poured into a large vat nearby.


    In hot weather, it could be sprinkled on steps and pathways, or used to mop floors¡ªtight water resources necessitated such conservation.


    Qiao Qingyu entered the cool shed to wash her hands, and after doing so, she stood to one side of the shed. It was at this moment that He Xiu Yu, standing under the grape arbor, happened to look up at her.


    Qiao Qingyu then waved to him.


    There was no lighting in the cool shed, but since it faced the living room, the area was dimly lit. Even so, it was still bright enough for He Xiu Yu under the grape arbor to clearly see the expression on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face.


    He suddenly remembered the words Qiao Qingyu had said to him, his brow furrowing slightly. He set the freshly washed tomatoes down on the bench under the grape arbor, ¡°You two eat first; I¡¯m going to get Qiao Qingyu some water.¡±


    Shen Haoze winked at him,


    Having drunk alcohol, He Xiu Yu was finally not so cold towards Su Yunyao, and for her, it felt like a return to old times.


    But hearing his words, her face fell, and from a distance, she glanced at the figure standing in the cool shed before looking away.


    Then, He Xiu Yu went inside to fetch a basin of water and brought it to the cool shed.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes sparkled as she held up her thumb and lowered her voice, ¡°He Xiu Yu, how are you so on point?¡±


    He Xiu Yu also lowered his voice, ¡°Comrade Little Qiao, it¡¯s not about being on point; I just wanted to bring you some clean water.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re taller; you block me and help me with something.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Of course, He Xiu Yu couldn¡¯t raise his voice, speaking in a very low murmur, almost a whisper.


    The two were very close, but at this moment, there wasn¡¯t an air of intimacy, especially since He Xiu Yu had a suspicion that Qiao Qingyu was about to do something significant.


    But he didn¡¯t know what Qiao Qingyu intended to do.


    And how would she deal with the matter concerning Su Yunyao?


    In He Xiuyu¡¯s view, the problem was very difficult to solve, and there seemed to be no starting point, just like facing a hedgehog.


    As a result, He Xiuyu regretted it, blaming himself for agreeing to Qiao Qingyu.


    If he messed it up, it would be terrible for Qiao Qingyu.


    He was just about to say something when he heard Qiao Qingyu whisper, ¡°You block me, pretend to talk to me...¡±


    Then Qiao Qingyu took out the letter she had stuffed into her trouser pocket earlier, He Xiuyu¡¯s gaze fell on the letter, the flap already sealed.


    Because the light here was very dim, he couldn¡¯t see clearly what was written on it, and Qiao Qingyu did not give him a chance to look either, swiftly and quietly flipping over the stone wall on one side of the arbor.


    There were her several large wooden crates, positioned in advance by her, so they easily concealed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s petite figure.


    Qiao Qingyu looked around quickly, then flipped over the wall.


    Beyond the arbor was the dark night, and then Qiao Qingyu moved from one darkness to another. To the east of her house, there were no houses, only a road alongside a sparse poplar forest.


    Outside the Poplar Forest was a tall enclosure wall, and then, to the north, were a few sparsely situated houses, but their lights could not reach here.


    Qiao Qingyu walked lightly along the base of the wall and arrived at her home¡¯s door.


    He Xiuyu and the others had come from the workshop, then circled around the Big White Building, walking back.


    So there were no bicycles or jeeps outside, and then Qiao Qingyu placed the letter in her own door¡¯s crack.


    At that moment, He Xiuyu partly busied himself with this and that, and sounds of clanking dishes and a washstand could be heard, his voice somewhat low; to Shen Haoze and Su Yunyao, it seemed like Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu were whispering to each other.


    Xiao Hu was a chatterbox, his voice relatively high, because just now Shen Haoze had told him that this place used to be a mandatory stop on the Silk Road, and then the sandstorms grew increasingly severe until a thriving small city was buried by them.


    The sandstorm extends to the north, into the desert where there is no habitation, no water sources, and no roads, so no one went looking for the so-called small city.


    In this era, what people needed was to be fed and clothed, to have money to educate their children, and then to succeed their parents in a good job.


    Farmers, on the other hand, hoped for a bountiful grain harvest in the fall, so they could have a good New Year.


    So this was just a legend, not something people would truly search for.


    Moreover, it was just a legend, unconfirmed by historical records, and archaeologists would hardly waste manpower and resources on such endeavors.


    But Xiao Hu took it seriously, his incessant chatter never stopped, making the grape arbor quite lively, while Su Yunyao was nibbling on tomatoes.


    Delicious, truly delicious!


    But Qiao Qingyu, oh Qiao Qingyu, what kind of wandering spirit were you?


    However, one thing was for sure: this person definitely came from the countryside.


    Perhaps she was an old farmer in her fifties, and the thought of it made Su Yunyao feel somewhat nauseous, hardly able to bear watching He Xiuyu getting affectionate with Qiao Qingyu in the arbor.


    Which reinforced Su Yunyao¡¯s determination to uncover Qiao Qingyu¡¯s true facade.


    At this moment, Su Yunyao felt like she was a Demon Exterminator, determined to exterminate and capture the demon occupying Qiao Qingyu¡¯s body and restore peace to the world.


    She could do it. She certainly could!


    Qiao Qingyu had now returned to the arbor, still silent so as not to arouse any suspicions. She gave He Xiuyu a thumbs up, lowered her voice, and said, ¡°Done.¡±

 Chapter 172 - 172 172 A Letter

    ?Chapter 172: Chapter 172: A Letter Chapter 172: Chapter 172: A Letter He Xiuyu stared intently at Qiao Qingyu, noticing the bright sparkle in her eyes, and he couldn¡¯t help but speculate what was written on the letter she had just received.


    He didn¡¯t ask, because Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t mention it.


    As night fell, Shen Haoze and Su Yunyao were also due to head home.


    Su Yunyao, who felt she had seen through some real aspect of Qiao Qingyu, stared at her with a condescending gaze as if looking at an ant.


    There was even an extreme suppressed loathing.


    Qiao Qingyu, seemingly oblivious, smiled warmly at her as if they were best friends, to which Su Yunyao responded with a forced smile, unexpectedly saying, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, the tomatoes you grew are really sweet and delicious.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the method Uncle taught me, and it seems it was indeed correct.¡±


    Then, somewhat regrettably she added, ¡°But the ripe ones were all eaten today. Otherwise, you two could have taken some back with you.¡±


    Shen Haoze quickly waved his hands, ¡°It¡¯s not right to eat and then take as well, this is already so kind of you. I didn¡¯t expect your cooking skills to be so good, Comrade Qiao Qingyu.¡±


    He had long lost his old prejudices when talking to Qiao Qingyu.


    Any fool could see that He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu got along very well.


    It would be stupid and distasteful to persist here.


    ¡°In the future, you should take the chance to come over to our place,¡± Qiao Qingyu said with a smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s for sure, as long as I have time,¡± Shen Haoze hurriedly replied, then pretending not to see He Xiuyu¡¯s frown. But it was indeed time for them to leave, Rongrong was already getting sleepy.


    Shen Haoze and Su Yunyao leisurely walked toward the front door.


    Qiao Qingyu tugged on He Xiuyu¡¯s hand which was hanging by his side.


    Though she said nothing, He Xiuyu understood.


    He spoke, ¡°Rongrong is falling asleep, I¡¯ll take her into the house first, Qiao Qingyu, can you see them out...¡±


    Shen Haoze interrupted with a smile, ¡°We are not outsiders, no need for formalities, just go attend to your matters.¡±


    His words were sincere, yet Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t take them literally. She followed behind the two while He Xiuyu carried He Xuerong into the house, and Xiao Hu also rubbed his eyes; his mother was working a double shift today, and his aunt hadn¡¯t come back from school, so he was staying at Aunt Qiao¡¯s today.


    But he was happy about it.


    Xiao Hu followed He Xiuyu into the house excitedly.


    Shen Haoze stood at the front door and, as usual, stretched out his hand to pull the door, but unexpectedly, a letter stuck in the door gap fell to the ground.


    It landed right at Shen Haoze¡¯s feet.


    Shen Haoze was briefly stunned, but quickly picked up the letter, only glancing at it before his expression changed drastically.


    What kind of expression was it?


    Qiao Qingyu, who was following behind, saw it clearly. Was it jealousy?


    It had to be admitted, Shen Haoze treated Su Yunyao very well.


    Even during meals, he often took care of her, and Su Yunyao and Shen Haoze appeared very affectionate.


    At this moment, Shen Haoze stared at Su Yunyao, glaring intensely with suppressed fury in his eyes, but soon his face darkened, and with a snap, he threw the letter into Su Yunyao¡¯s arms, his voice cold as he said, ¡°Seems like your love letters have even reached He Xiuyu¡¯s house. You really are relentless...¡±


    Su Yunyao furrowed her brows, for she still hadn¡¯t understood what had happened.


    She puzzledly lowered her head to look at the letter.


    Written in English on the envelope was¡ª¡±Dear Comrade Su Yunyao.¡±


    Underneath it was signed, ¡°A person who has silently loved you for two years!¡±


    Su Yunyao, holding the letter in her hand, started heading for the door because Shen Haoze had already angrily walked ahead.


    Although Su Yunyao disdained such a love letter, she also couldn¡¯t just randomly throw it on the ground, so she placed the letter in the shoulder bag she was carrying.


    And at this time, her mind was already checking through who it could be.


    There indeed were many young men at the base who liked Su Yunyao, be it because of her looks, family background, or other qualifications, she had consistently been among the top girls at the base and naturally had many admirers.


    To her, this was only normal.


    After all, the two of them had come together, and she shouted annoyingly from behind, ¡°Shen Haoze, what¡¯s wrong with you, why are you walking so fast, wait for me...¡±


    Shen Haoze¡¯s face darkened and his hands were stuffed in his pockets as he stood at the crossroads ahead, looking far away at Su Yunyao, who was approaching out of breath, and turned his head away without looking at her again.


    The approaching Su Yunyao said resentfully, ¡°What¡¯s with that face you¡¯re making?¡±


    Shen Haoze exhaled, and after a moment, adjusted his emotions, his voice again became calm, somewhat awkwardly he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, seeing the words written on the envelope made me upset.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a letter, I¡¯ve received plenty since I was young, do you need to be this anxious?¡±


    Shen Haoze was silent for a moment, his eyes losing their anger, he stepped forward first, and then the two of them walked together towards their dormitory direction.


    Qiao Qingyu saw Su Yunyao put the letter into her shoulder bag, a faint smile spread across her lips, and a moment later, she also turned around, then closed the door of her house, only to see He Xiuyu standing under the grape trellis.


    At this moment, this handsome man had a gentle gaze, carrying a slight smile.


    He Xiuyu pulled Qiao Qingyu into the study, then shut the door.


    It felt somewhat sneaky.


    Qiao Qingyu bit her lip, looking up at He Xiuyu.


    And He Xiuyu was also looking down at Qiao Qingyu, their eyes met, and Qiao Qingyu, in this moment of understanding, quickly explained, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t do anything illegal or undisciplined.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was naturally confident in this regard; she herself liked to stand on the moral high ground to judge others, so how would she allow herself to be in a perilous position?


    At this time, Shen Haoze and Su Yunyao had also arrived at the staff dormitories, which consisted of three buildings, housing the single male and female employees of Tenghai Research Base and the married employees who had not yet been assigned a house.


    Shen Haoze looked at Su Yunyao¡¯s shoulder bag, his gaze darkened, yet he still spoke gently, ¡°You¡¯ve had a long day, get some good rest.¡±


    Although Su Yunyao did not pay much attention, every woman has a bit of vanity.


    She really wanted to find a place where no one was around, to take a good look at the letter, and then figure out who this person was, before deciding how to reject him.


    Anyway, Su Yunyao wasn¡¯t interested in anyone except He Xiuyu!


    She absentmindedly waved at Shen Haoze, then quickly walked towards the dormitory main entrance, Shen Haoze watched Su Yunyao¡¯s figure disappear behind the door, and stood there for a long while before turning to head back to his own staff dormitory.


    Su Yunyao still lived alone, and after she entered the room, she locked the door from the inside, she had patience and after washing up, she curiously opened the letter...

 Chapter 173 - 173 173 An Introduction to Era Literature

    ?Chapter 173: Chapter 173 An Introduction to Era Literature Chapter 173: Chapter 173 An Introduction to Era Literature After opening it, Su Yunyao was stunned for a moment, as the entire letter was written in English.


    But when she saw the first few lines, her face turned deathly pale, her heart thudded rapidly, and she couldn¡¯t stop her hands from shaking.


    The lines of smooth English letters were trembling, but they were clearly etched in front of Su Yunyao¡¯s eyes¡ª


    The translated letter went like this:


    ¡ª Su Yunyao was reborn, reborn in the prime of her life, reborn before she had made any mistakes¡ª


    Just these words, at this moment, made Su Yunyao¡¯s mouth hang open as she struggled to breathe.


    She was so nervous that she suddenly collapsed to the floor.


    An indescribable fear forced her to look down.


    By now, she was drenched in sweat, and her back was soaked.


    ¡ª The reborn woman Su Yunyao, reborn on an early April night in 1980¡ª


    After your rebirth, you told your elder brother, Su Yuncheng, to turn over the Jade Golden Lotus, knowing it¡¯s loot associated with three human lives, thanks to memories from your past life¡ª


    Ms. Su Yunyao, you took advantage of your previous life¡¯s opportunity to work with the Tenghai Research team and plagiarized the complete set of A-04 design blueprints, which He Xiuyu had spent ten years independently developing.


    However, Ms. Su Yunyao, you should not have set your sights on the large tunnel boring machines.


    This is heavy machinery not to be possessed by your country, Huaxia!


    There is only one way out for you, find He Xiuyu tomorrow morning and have him call a meeting of mid-level and higher staff. You must publicly admit at the meeting that the large tunnel boring machine was plagiarized from He Xiuyu¡¯s ideas and research concepts.


    At that time, I will be sitting in the conference room, watching and listening to how you resolve this matter.


    Do not harbor any hope for luck, I am always beside you, closely watching you!


    You are a smart lady, and I believe you know how to choose.


    Always watching over you, the Old Mountain Eagle¡ª


    Seeing the end, Su Yunyao gasped for air with her eyes rolling up, almost fainting, like a fish stranded on the shore.


    It was only a piece of paper, but each word was like a bolt from the blue, leaving Su Yunyao with a blank mind; she could neither breathe nor think and collapsed on the floor. The next second, in terror, she threw the letter onto the cement floor.


    But just then, someone knocked on the door. It was her neighbor Gu Nana, ¡°Su Yunyao, you¡¯re back, right? Can you open the door for me?¡±


    Sitting on the cement floor, Su Yunyao¡¯s eyes suddenly widened. In panic, she hurriedly gathered the envelope and the letter from the floor to stuff into her bosom.


    Her panicked gaze then stared deathly at her own door; she couldn¡¯t let Gu Nana in, couldn¡¯t let her see the letter, and definitely couldn¡¯t let her see her own terrified looks.


    Otherwise, she¡¯d be finished.


    Her hoarse voice struggled to hide a tremble, trying to sound calm, so she spoke very slowly, ¡°Gu Nana, I¡¯m feeling unwell and have already gone to rest, please come back tomorrow morning.¡±


    From outside, Gu Nana asked with concern, ¡°Where do you feel uncomfortable? Do you need me to take you to the doctor?¡±


    Never before had Su Yunyao found Gu Nana so annoying.


    But she had to force herself to endure and coldly responded, ¡°No need.¡±


    Gu Nana pouted, but she didn¡¯t knock again. Everyone knew Su Yunyao¡¯s aloof and proud temperament.


    There was no more sound outside the door, and Su Yunyao¡¯s body went limp; she couldn¡¯t stand up and leaned against the wall, taking out the letter she was holding.


    For Su Yunyao, it was as if the sky had fallen, it even made her feel as if she were in a dream.


    Old Mountain Eagle, such a familiar name.


    Shangpo Village, Lu Guilian, Chen Dandan, Xiao Wu, Engineer Wang...


    In just two months, several dozen people had been arrested, all led by someone with the codename Old Mountain Eagle.


    Nobody dared to discuss it openly, but she had overheard their private conversations.


    Old Mountain Eagle was too mysterious, extremely mysterious, and possessed strong capabilities. Despite the base employing so much effort, they had not found him; so many people had been caught, yet he remained unscathed.


    It was even unknown whether he was male or female, old or young.


    And she did not understand, for in her previous life she had never heard of this person.


    But now Old Mountain Eagle had actually written her a letter, stating that tomorrow he would be among these people, watching her, paying attention to her.


    Yun Yao was terrified, clutching tightly at her chest.


    Old Mountain Eagle, how did he know she had been reborn?


    What did the beginning of that letter mean?


    Why was it so creepy?


    He even knew that her blueprints had plagiarized He Xiuyu¡¯s.


    Could it be that Old Mountain Eagle was also reborn?


    At last, Yun Yao¡¯s teeth began to chatter.


    It was too terrifying, truly terrifying; what had happened to this world, had it become a sieve?


    One after another, none were the same as before!


    Why, oh why had God been so careless, wouldn¡¯t it have been better for her to be the only one reborn?


    Yun Yao lowered her head once more and unfolded the letter. The English was fluent, without a single grammatical error¡ªno wonder Old Mountain Eagle could be a spy leader.


    What to do with this letter?


    Should she turn it in?


    No, if she turned it in, the contents would be known to everyone.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s A-04, which he pondered over without finding an answer, might find its solution in this letter; she had indeed called her elder brother.


    The Jade Golden Lotus had been given to her elder brother in a part-sale part-gift transaction. In her last life, although it was ultimately proven that the matter had little to do with her brother, he had still been dismissed from his job.


    His life had also been ruined.


    Her elder brother was the most promising one in the family, so after her rebirth, she had told him to immediately turn over the Jade Golden Lotus and also subtly mentioned its origins.


    Her brother was a smart man and had turned over the antique that very day.


    All of this could be verified.


    Therefore, this letter absolutely could not fall into the hands of others!


    Keeping it in the dorm wasn¡¯t safe either.


    And, no evidence could be left behind!


    She staggered to her feet and found some matches to burn the letter along with the letter paper inside.


    The ash settled on the concrete floor.


    After she had viciously stomped on it several times, grinding it into dust, she still felt uneasy and dumped it in the dirty water bucket.


    The building didn¡¯t have a sewage system, so she had to get up early to carry it down to the public restroom to dispose of it.


    After doing all this, Yun Yao felt a little better; her hands clenched tightly and with a snap, she turned off the lights in the room, plunging herself completely into darkness.


    Tomorrow morning, would she have to admit to He Xiuyu that she had plagiarized his work?


    But how should she admit it?

 Chapter 174 - 174 174 With Selflessness at Heart the World

    ?Chapter 174: Chapter 174: With Selflessness at Heart, the World Becomes Boundless Chapter 174: Chapter 174: With Selflessness at Heart, the World Becomes Boundless Should she tell everyone at the base that she had been reborn?


    No, she absolutely could not!


    Not only would she be treated as a thief, but she would also be regarded as a lunatic and locked up, or even possibly be confined in the newly established biological science laboratory.


    Thinking of this, her body shook uncontrollably like she was having a seizure.


    No, she couldn¡¯t let herself fall into that situation!


    Su Yunyao carefully recalled the content of the letter; the Old Mountain Eagle didn¡¯t care that she plagiarized A-04, but he did forbid her from developing and researching large drilling tunnel machines.


    That¡¯s because such heavy machinery had always been monopolized by foreign countries.


    The Old Mountain Eagle must be serving foreign powers.


    In the darkness, Su Yunyao kept weighing her options.


    She realized she only had one path to take.


    That was to admit to someone like He Xiuyu that she had stolen his work.


    So she would have to publically acknowledge her mistake, but if she did that, she would be completely disgraced at the base.


    Could she refuse to admit it?


    Having calmed down, Su Yunyao¡¯s mouth twitched with a cold sneer; after all, being thick-skinned was not such a bad thing.


    She had experienced more embarrassing things than this in her previous life.


    She had A-04 in her hands, she wouldn¡¯t be dismissed.


    At worst, she would be deemed overly vain and eager for quick success, followed by a formal reprimand. As long as she remained strong enough inside, none of that mattered.


    ...


    Meanwhile, at He Xiuyu¡¯s house, in the study room, two people sat in chairs opposite each other at a desk, with He Xiuyu¡¯s gaze fixed intently on Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu also stared unblinkingly at He Xiuyu.


    Although both of them were sitting relaxed, their gazes intertwined with each other, devoid of any hint of ambiguity.


    Qiao Qingyu had told He Xiuyu that she had written to Su Yunyao in the name of Old Mountain Eagle.


    This was beyond He Xiuyu¡¯s expectations, and he expressed a bit of shock.


    After a moment, He Xiuyu let out a long sigh, extended a finger towards Qiao Qingyu, and said with a sense of resignation, ¡°Comrade Xiao Qiao, you¡¯re quite bold.¡±


    ¡°I was just trying to test something. I wrote to her using the name of Old Mountain Eagle. If it was really her own work, she would have immediately handed the letter over to Director Lin or you, righteously indignant and full of righteous anger...¡±


    ¡°If she really had turned in the letter, Comrade Xiao Qiao, aren¡¯t you worried your handwriting would give you away? Don¡¯t underestimate Director Lin just because Old Mountain Eagle hasn¡¯t been caught...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not underestimating Director Lin, because the possibility of that happening is almost zero.¡±


    ¡°But if she did plagiarize, how did she manage it?¡± He Xiuyu mused.


    Qiao Qingyu spread her hands, ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. I¡¯m not responsible for the process; I just give you the result.¡±


    The room suddenly fell into silence.


    He Xiuyu slowly straightened up, his hands crossed and resting on the desk as he leaned forward slightly, bringing him a bit closer to Qiao Qing. He looked intently at this girl who was both bold and meticulous.


    She really hit the nail on the head with her method.


    She used Old Mountain Eagle to intimidate Su Yunyao and to put an end to her subsequent actions.


    Because now many people at the base knew that this kind of large heavy machinery had always been monopolized by foreign powers, and our country had always been in a passive situation, suffering the discomfort of being strangled.


    This was also why so much funding was being poured into development and research in this area.


    Old Mountain Eagle was originally a spy boss; his goal was to sabotage the research and development of Tenghai Research.


    Had it not been for Qiao Qingyu taking down Shangpo Village in one fell swoop, they would have continued to lie low.


    Tenghai Research Base had not been established for long, but it had the most research achievements because it gathered a multitude of talents from China.


    So his threat to Su Yunyao to stop her research was perfectly normal.


    Qiao Qingyu then continued with a teasing smile, ¡°If our Comrade Su Yunyao has firm beliefs, she wouldn¡¯t be intimidated at all, and at this time, she should call you or Director Lin to report the matter and personally hand over that letter to the organization.¡±


    He Xiuyu fell silent; he knew the normal procedure was indeed as such because at times like these, one must seek help from the organization.


    ¡°A clear conscience fears no accusation. If Su Yunyao is clear-hearted, this letter could be an important clue, and it might even become evidence of her merit.¡±


    He Xiuyu had to admit, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s analysis was spot on.


    By this time, Su Yunyao had already returned to her dormitory, and she surely would have seen the letter by now, but she remained quiet.


    Qiao Qingyu stood up; it was past ten o¡¯clock, and she needed to rest. She had been maintaining an early-to-bed and early-to-rise routine since she came to this world, but today she stayed up late.


    Her voice wasn¡¯t loud, but it was enough for He Xiuyu to hear, ¡°Although I really dislike Su Yunyao, I still hope that tomorrow morning, she will hand over that letter to you or Director Lin, or even to Shen Haoze...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu added sincerely, ¡°I really do wish to see such an outcome!¡±


    He Xiuyu walked towards Qiao Qingyu step by step, not getting too close, stopping three steps away from her, leaning slightly forward, and gazing intently at Qiao Qingyu, he suddenly asked, ¡°Have I ever told you that you are very beautiful?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu froze momentarily, blinking as she looked at He Xiuyu, feeling her heartbeat suddenly accelerate. She took a step back involuntarily, smiling, ¡°You don¡¯t need to flatter me; I know I¡¯m beautiful.¡±


    Unexpectedly, at the next moment, He Xiuyu reached out and ruffled her hair, his voice laced with laughter, ¡°Thick-skinned girl, go get some rest.¡±


    His voice was gentle as could be, soft and low, like a feather brushing against your heartstrings.


    Qiao Qingyu felt a flutter in her chest and quickly turned to leave.


    As she walked away, she patted her chest, thinking, ¡°Grandma, how much longer can I hold out?¡±


    He Xiuyu, this bewitching man!


    But He Xiuyu¡¯s smile faded from his eyes. He stood motionless in the study; the night outside had grown pitch-black, and the phone in the study remained silent.


    He wasn¡¯t as pure as Qiao Qingyu; he acknowledged that his feelings were very complex right now.


    Because there were many doubts and much inside information he hadn¡¯t shared with Qiao Qingyu, only he himself knew clear well, so he did hope that tomorrow morning Su Yunyao would come forward to admit that she had plagiarized his research and tell him how she had managed to do it.


    He stood silently under the dim yellow light, his brows still tightly knitted.


    The night enveloped the entire land as if it were a rising tide, but dawn would eventually come.


    The sun rose in the east, and the entire sky became clear and remote.


    The kindergarten was still on holiday, and the cheerful Rongrong and Xiao Hu slept in.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t wake up the three of them; he had made rice porridge and heated up some steamed buns in the pot, taking a quick bite before setting out to Big White Building for a run.

 Chapter 175 - 175 175 Su Yunyao Admits to Plagiarism

    ?Chapter 175: Chapter 175 Su Yunyao Admits to Plagiarism Chapter 175: Chapter 175 Su Yunyao Admits to Plagiarism My home is now much closer to the office, no need for a car to pick me up and drop me off; it¡¯s not very far, just a ten-minute run.


    He Xiuyu arrived early, reaching the Big White Building at 6:30 a.m.


    Then he saw Su Yunyao standing in front of the Big White Building.


    He paused for a moment but continued jogging, only to be stopped by Su Yunyao.


    Su Yunyao looked haggard, with dark circles under her eyes, evidently having not slept all night.


    They say you won¡¯t fear the knock at the door if you haven¡¯t done anything guilty.


    He Xiuyu sighed to himself, but his face showed nothing as he frowned slightly, ¡°Su Yunyao, do you need something?¡±


    ¡°Chief Engineer He, can we talk in your office?¡±


    He Xiuyu nodded and led Su Yunyao to his office.


    The door closed behind them, and Su Yunyao, empty-handed, did not have the letter written by Qiao Qingyu yesterday, clearly indicating it had been destroyed.


    Su Yunyao¡¯s voice trembled as she said, ¡°He Xiuyu, Brother Xiu Yu, considering that we grew up together, could you be lenient with me this time?¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s expression was cold and he raised his eyebrows, ¡°Su Yunyao, have you done something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Brother Xiu Yu...¡±


    He Xiuyu raised his hand to stop her, ¡°Su Yunyao, this is the office, that term of address is inappropriate.¡±


    Su Yunyao¡¯s face was already pale, and now it turned utterly colorless.


    She took a deep breath and spoke with difficulty, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Chief Engineer He, I plagiarized your ideas and research concept for the large tunnel boring machine. It really has nothing to do with me, I was wrong, I¡¯m reflecting on it, I hope you can convene a meeting with the middle-level cadres and above, I will make a self-criticism there, and then you could restart the project...¡±


    He Xiuyu sat on his chair, looking at Su Yunyao who stood in front of his desk, his voice cold yet calm, ¡°Su Yunyao, a year ago I was already preparing to develop the large tunnel boring machine, but I lacked sufficient manpower and resources. When I was ready to implement it, you had already taken the initiative with your blueprints and plans, now you tell me you plagiarized it from me, I just want to know how you did it?¡±


    Su Yunyao looked blankly at He Xiuyu, tears streaming down her face.


    What could she say?


    Could she tell him that she was reborn with the complete memory of her previous life, and an excellent memory at that, capable of replicating every blueprint she had come across then?


    Could she say it?


    Would she dare to say it?


    No, she dared not say it nor could she!


    Su Yunyao cried even harder, ¡°He Xiuyu... it really is plagiarism from you, but if I said I dreamed of it after having a dream, would you believe it?¡±


    He Xiuyu watched her silently, clearly disbelieving.


    ¡°There is no other explanation I can give, even if you were to kill me now and torture me for answers, it really came to me in a dream, I was wrong, I shouldn¡¯t have passed your work off as my own...¡±


    ¡°What about A-04?¡±


    He Xiuyu felt this also required clarification.


    Su Yunyao slowly straightened up; she knew He Xiuyu would definitely ask about A-04, but A-04 was already a done deal, and besides, Old Mountain Eagle did not care if it was her own design or not.


    So, she shook her head vigorously, ¡°A-04 was indeed designed by me, it just wasn¡¯t mature enough to discuss with you before, I also attended the university young scholar¡¯s class.¡±


    He Xiuyu stared intently at the tear-streaked Su Yunyao, his gaze sharp and icy, as if he could see through her thoughts at this very moment.


    Su Yunyao forced herself to remain calm; she was really suffering, feeling like she might faint any moment, but she had to hold on. Once she left this office, she had to be even more cautious because she didn¡¯t know who Old Mountain Eagle was and didn¡¯t know where those watching eyes were hidden.


    The thought sent another cold shiver down her back, even in summer, she felt as if she¡¯d fallen into an ice pit.


    He Xiuyu slowly shifted his gaze and picked up the phone at the table. He said, ¡°Notify the middle-level cadre and above to meet.¡±


    It was clearly a situation that should have embarrassed her, but Su Yunyao breathed a sigh of relief.


    Qiao Qingyu had no interest in the developments because Su Yunyao would not use her rebirth secret and the Su Family to confront the Old Mountain Eagle.


    The first sentence¡ªthat was the synopsis of a period novel she had read; she could not remember all of it, so she had copied down a few sentences.


    Next was the matter concerning Su Yunyao¡¯s elder brother, Su Yuncheng.


    Having been reborn, Su Yunyao certainly would not let her brother be dismissed from his job.


    Then there was the subsequent warning.


    Hence, the guilt-ridden Su Yunyao¡¯s reactions were all within Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expectations.


    She must have burned the letter; she would not keep such perilous evidence in her possession.


    Qiao Qingyu knew that this matter would surely proceed without any issue.


    It would not affect her in the least.


    If someone understood Su Yunyao the best in this world, it was her, Qiao Qingyu.


    ...


    He Xiuyu returned three days later.


    During those three days, Qiao Qingyu had already finished preparing for a long journey.


    She planned to travel to the Southern region.


    After dinner, He Xiuyu quietly shared Su Yunyao¡¯s situation with Qiao Qingyu.


    Neither of them had any particular reaction as they had already discussed it on that night; Qiao Qingyu had mentioned there was zero possibility.


    ¡°Is she still working?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked.


    ¡°Yes, because Project A-04 is under her supervision,¡± He Xiuyu then added, ¡°Her senior engineering position has been revoked, her salary has been downgraded by one level, but because she admitted her fault sincerely, she received a severe reprimand.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t she feel embarrassed or disgraced?¡±


    ¡°I underestimated Su Yunyao¡¯s psychological endurance.¡±


    What that meant was Su Yunyao¡¯s skin had thickened and she did not take the matter seriously.


    Qiao Qingyu then curiously inquired, ¡°During the meeting, did she look around nervously?¡±


    He Xiuyu nodded, his voice tinged with coldness, ¡°Her eyes were restless; aside from Shen Haoze and me, she seemed to suspect everyone.¡±


    Su Yunyao was not a comrade with firm beliefs; selfish and self-serving, so whatever contribution she made, He Xiuyu would never include her in his team.


    Moreover, the value of her supposed contributions remained questionable.


    Qiao Qingyu thought that probably for a long time to come, Su Yunyao would ponder over who the Old Mountain Eagle was.


    But Qiao Qingyu no longer planned to discuss Su Yunyao and instead shared her plans to go to Nangang City with He Xiuyu.


    She originally intended to go by herself, but Mr. Qian insisted on Fang Xiaomei accompanying her because he also planned to start a side business for Xiaxi Commune. Then Lu Ye learned about this and decided to get involved too.


    Lu Ye promised Qiao Qingyu that the goods she brought from the Southern region could be sold at his various business outlets.


    Or perhaps if the quantity was large, then wholesaled to him.


    Thus, the sales channel for the returning goods was solved for the most part.


    It all depended on what Qiao Qingyu would manage to procure this time.

 Chapter 176 - 176 176 The Feeling of Heartache

    ?Chapter 176: Chapter 176: The Feeling of Heartache Chapter 176: Chapter 176: The Feeling of Heartache He Xiuyu fell silent for a moment before taking Qiao Qingyu to the study.


    He seriously asked, ¡°Do you have a clear goal?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I made contact with the person in charge at Nangang Seed Breeding Base yesterday. This time, I am mainly preparing to introduce a batch of early-maturing seeds suitable for sandy soils.¡±


    He Xiuyu then asked, ¡°How will they be transported?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Zhou said we could contact a transport company¡¯s fleet or even use railway transport,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it already past the prime planting season for vegetables?¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s a type of early-maturing hybrid honey pumpkin in the south that matures in eighty-five days, which is suitable for planting in Xichuan.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu added, ¡°Of course, this was just verbally agreed upon; we¡¯ll have to see the seeds before we can finalize anything.¡±


    ¡°Regarding the seeds, you could actually afford to wait a bit more,¡± He Xiuyu calmly suggested.


    ¡°But I also want to see the current state of development in Nangang City. If possible, I¡¯d like to procure some goods from there and then make a profit from the price difference,¡± Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t hide anything and chose to speak frankly.


    He Xiuyu looked at Qiao Qingyu with a heavy gaze, sighed, and then started writing a letter.


    His handwriting was beautiful, strong and forceful, with a distinctive character.


    Soon, he finished a letter and put it into an envelope, ¡°I have a classmate in Nangang City. His department is similar to Lu Ye¡¯s. You can start with him.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu had no qualms about accepting the letter, and as she stood beside the writing desk, she hesitated as if she wanted to say more.


    He Xiuyu put down his fountain pen, looked up at Qiao Qingyu with a hint of a smile in his voice, ¡°Is there something you want to tell me?¡±


    After thinking it over, Qiao Qingyu decided not to hesitate any longer and told He Xiuyu about the conversation she had overheard from Wei Xiao after treating the children with fried potato sticks. After she finished, she added, ¡°Maybe I¡¯m overthinking it¡ªit was just a few words. But I felt it was necessary to tell you.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s eyebrows were tightly knit.


    He was very surprised.


    Although the words could be interpreted in many ways,


    coming from Sister Yu, they demanded deeper thought.


    He kept this matter in the back of his mind.


    He looked at Qiao Qingyu, leaned back slightly, and said with a half-smile, ¡°When I first brought you to Xichuan, I was thinking I should find you something to do. Staying at home every day is not only boring but also leads to wild thoughts...¡±


    ¡°Right, you should have found me a job a long time ago,¡± Qiao Qingyu said nonchalantly.


    Unexpectedly, He Xiuyu changed the subject, ¡°But seeing you so busy every day, I now think my initial idea might not have been reasonable.¡± He then laughed and said, ¡°Comrade Xiao Qiao, why do you think people are always so contradictory?¡±


    ¡°How else could they be called human?¡± Qiao Qingyu replied with a smile in her eyes.


    He Xiuyu watched Qiao Qingyu intently for a while and then broke into a smile as well.


    ...


    This trip went very smoothly.


    Qiao Qingyu first visited Mr. Zhou at the Nangang Seed Breeding Base, armed with an introduction letter and work badge, and from him, she purchased five thousand jin of hybrid honey pumpkin seeds.


    Of course, Mr. Zhou was familiar with Tenghai Research Base.


    So he took the initiative and reduced the price by fifty cents per jin.


    It cost a total of seven thousand yuan.


    She also spent three thousand yuan to buy lettuce, celtuce, and autumn-and-winter-suitable cucumber and tomato seeds.


    These were for her elder brother¡¯s preparation.


    After storing these seeds at the breeding base, Qiao Qingyu spent one day doing a whirlwind tour of the base¡¯s laboratories and experimental fields.


    She also took quite a few notes.


    These were all experiences.


    Afterward, Qiao Qingyu took Fang Xiaomei with the letter He Xiuyu had written and went to find his classmate.


    Naturally, they were warmly welcomed.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s classmate had an interesting name. His surname was Sui, and his given name was Sui Jun.


    It was said that his father was a military man. When he was born, his father¡¯s application for military service was approved, so that¡¯s why they named him that.


    When he heard what Qiao Qingyu had come for, Sui Jun didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately took them both to the newly established first wholesale market in Nangang City.


    Qiao Qingyu remained calm and collected, but Fang Xiaomei was truly amazed.


    She tugged at Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, just look at those scarves, how pretty are they? And look over there, so many beautiful dresses, my goodness, can these perfume sachets really be sold so freely?¡±


    And so on and so forth...


    Qiao Qingyu first went to contact the transportation company but then gave up on the idea when she found out that the transportation cost was too expensive due to the long distance.


    When Sui Jun learned of this, he took the initiative to arrange a train car for them.


    They mainly had several thousand pounds of seeds to transport.


    This was a matter of livelihood for the Northwest Base, so it was natural for him to help.


    After the transportation was arranged, Qiao Qingyu felt relieved and began wholesale purchasing in large quantities at the first wholesale market.


    The variety of goods she bought wasn¡¯t mixed. The main items were sandals, various colors of cloth, dresses, hair clips, and headbands. The rest were all soaps and towels.


    Retail price for soap was thirty-five cents each, while wholesale price was twenty-two cents.


    So, the more than twenty thousand yuan that Qiao Qingyu carried was certainly a fortune.


    Fang Xiaomei was shocked; she had never expected that Qiao Qingyu would carry so much money on her trip, and to just casually keep it in a canvas travel bag. Had she known, she would have been frightened.


    Fortunately, all the money was exchanged for goods and then transported to the train station and loaded into a train car.


    It was a perfect fit for one train car.


    The train was supposed to depart that afternoon, but for some unknown reason, the station suddenly went into lockdown.


    By the time the train was allowed to leave, it was already ten o¡¯clock at night.


    After the train car had been sent off, Qiao Qingyu also breathed a sigh of relief.


    The next day, Qiao Qingyu called Sui Jun to thank him for his enthusiastic help and also phoned Mr. Zhou at the Seed Breeding Base. Mr. Zhou was very warm-hearted and promised that as long as Qiao Qingyu called him, he would mail her the seeds she needed.


    She wouldn¡¯t need to run all over the place anymore.


    Qiao Qingyu thanked him with a smile and promised Mr. Zhou that she would keep some barley grass seeds and thousand silk hemp for him after the autumn harvest.


    ...


    No need to mention how arduous the trip was. Once back home, Qiao Qingyu slept for a whole day and night.


    For the first time, He Xiuyu felt a sense of heartache.


    He really wanted to tell Qiao Qingyu to stop doing anything and just stay at home like before. He could afford to provide for her...


    But those words ultimately remained unspoken.


    No matter how long they had been together, he knew her personality well.


    The seeds Qiao Qingyu purchased had also arrived, and the base had dispatched a vehicle to haul them to Zone 5¡¯s laboratory.


    They were all neatly arranged in the large warehouse.


    This time, Fang Xiaomei brought one thousand yuan, which was the amount of funds she was able to move, and also purchased some goods.


    However, this trip was a business trip for her, so she didn¡¯t make any profit from it.


    But Fang Xiaomei was shrewd, and Qiao Qingyu had reminded her beforehand, so she managed to borrow 500 yuan from her parents before leaving.


    Then all of it was spent on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s goods.

 Chapter 177 - 177 177 Dont Fall in Love with Her

    ?Chapter 177: Chapter 177: Don¡¯t Fall in Love with Her Chapter 177: Chapter 177: Don¡¯t Fall in Love with Her Qiao Qingyu¡¯s goods had just arrived at West River Station when a group of resellers surrounded her, something she hadn¡¯t anticipated, but she couldn¡¯t possibly sell all the goods right then and there, as some items were scarce in both Yushu County and the base.


    She sold only a portion, but with that, she managed to cover the transportation costs.


    One-third of what was left was given to Lu Ye.


    Two-thirds were taken by Old Xie to the cooperative established at the base.


    It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that within a week, these goods were completely divvied up.


    From this, Qiao Qingyu made eight thousand yuan.


    After that, she didn¡¯t need to travel to Nangang City herself anymore, leaving the phone numbers of the two main buyers. With one phone call, the goods would be sent over.


    This was also thanks to the face of Sui Jun, as he was considered one of the most promising young men in the area and a prime target for these merchants to curry favor with.


    The second time Qiao Qingyu made seven thousand yuan.


    Then Qiao Qingyu decided to call it quits.


    During this period, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hybrid honey pumpkins, after being cultivated in the laboratory, weighed in at three thousand five hundred kilograms.


    So, it was clear that the seed quality was excellent.


    Now planted, they would be harvested by the end of September.


    By then, the temperature in Xichuan would be in the teens Celsius.


    Because they were specially cultivated, they would mature a week earlier and the yield per pumpkin had increased from four kilograms to about five and a half kilograms.


    Now, the vegetables Qiao Qingyu was planting were mainly for winter provision.


    A total of five thousand kilograms of pumpkin seeds were sold, two thousand kilograms of which went to Mr. Qian at Xiaxi Commune and were quickly divided up among the teams below, some of which were so frustrated at getting nothing that they yelled at Mr. Qian.


    The remaining three thousand kilograms were sold to the base.


    From the hybrid honey pumpkin seeds, Qiao Qingyu made a total of one thousand yuan.


    She also planted quite a bit in the empty spaces in front and behind her house, and then gave some to Sister-in-law Li and Lin Cujuan.


    As for the vegetable seeds, they were temporarily placed on the shelves in the warehouse.


    Although the warehouse was basic, it was well designed, and currently suitable for storage.


    If there was heavy rain, Qiao Qingyu would move the seeds to the laboratory.


    Not too much, only about eight hundred kilograms.


    It wasn¡¯t too strenuous to handle.


    By now, Qiao Qingyu had fifty-eight thousand yuan in movable funds.


    Her smooth progress was largely thanks to He Xiuyu.


    She had brought back two cool shirts, two pairs of leather shoes, and several pairs of socks for He Xiuyu from Nangang City.


    She even bought him a briefcase.


    She added a recorder at home and bought a lot of tapes.


    Not to mention He Xuerong, whom Qiao Qingyu dressed up like a little princess.


    Among the tapes Qiao Qingyu bought were children¡¯s songs. Rongrong, having a talent for music, could sing them after listening just a few times, even more melodiously than the original singers.


    However, she preferred running wild in the fields with Xiao Hu and others, especially in the Barley Grassland, where they could also pick mushrooms.


    Qiao Qingyu also bought a pair of sandals for each of Xiao Hu, Dashun, Daji, and Wei Xiao.


    After all, the sandals from Nangang City were beautiful and fashionable.


    Because of Qiao Qingyu, the attire and belongings of the people at Yushu County, Tenghai Research Base, and Xiaxi Commune had all changed.


    People are like that, for example, once they get used to using soap, asking them to go back to using lye to wash their hands becomes unbearable.


    And no tickets were needed, all the goods were priced through bargaining.


    So, there was no chance of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s wholesale goods getting backlogged.


    Sister-in-law Li resigned from her workshop job, after all, she still had a son and a sister-in-law to take care of.


    Their work required shift rotations, she couldn¡¯t always work the day shift, especially since her husband was in such a sensitive phase, she went to the workshop mainly to check on Li Zhiqiang¡¯s condition. She also wanted to tell him that she believed in him, and to work well and show good behavior, as half a year would pass quickly, and she, Xiao Hu, and his sister were waiting for him to come home.


    Li Zhiqiang was deeply touched, and his work performance increased significantly.


    Then Sister-in-law Li felt relieved, after resigning from the workshop, she went to the newly established logistics greening construction farm at the base.


    There were no night shifts there, and the salary was as high as in the workshop.


    The greening construction farm employed over five hundred people, who were regular employees receiving monthly salaries.


    After the hybrid honey pumpkins sprouted, Old Xie and Qiao Qingyu finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    After all, this was a Southern variety, although suitable for sandy soil cultivation, experiments had never been done in the Northwest.


    Qiao Qingyu sent a detailed account of the pumpkin cultivation and sprouting conditions to Old Zhou at the Nangang City Seed Breeding Base.


    This was also providing him with firsthand information.


    Of course, no one knew that these had been further modified in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s special laboratory.


    However, everyone knew that Qiao Qingyu could contact seed stations from all over, Nangang City, Mobei Prairie, North City Seed Station. Unnoticed, she had built such an extensive network of contacts.


    Whether it was seeds unloaded from the train station, transported by long-haul trucks, or even mailed, in everyone¡¯s eyes, Qiao Qingyu had already become a major seed producer.


    This was the ultimate result Qiao Qingyu desired.


    But it also owed much to the prestigious name of Tenghai Research Base.


    When Qiao Qingyu was about to go out, she received a call from Station Chief Monk of the Mobei Prairie.


    His voice was loud, he told Qiao Qingyu that the barren plain which once had not a single blade of grass was now filled with golden lotus flowers.


    To thank her, Ge¡¯erleng Banner had collected all the seeds of barley grass from that prairie and sent her five thousand kilograms.


    It was transported by rail, and in fear of moisture damage during the rainy season, they had requested expedited shipping.


    So, it was estimated to arrive in a day or two, and she was told to wait for a call from the station.


    What could Qiao Qingyu say but express her full gratitude.


    Today, besides the initial leaks with corn, cabbage, and thousand silk hemp, the subsequent cultivated seeds progressed smoothly, especially since the initial seeds were backed up by He Xiuyu.


    Riding her bicycle cheerfully, Qiao Qingyu went to the Big White Building at the base.


    Meanwhile, Su Yunyao, who had been with He Xiuyu since the base workshop, was stopped outside his office door.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s expression was sharp with a hint of annoyance.


    He hadn¡¯t anticipated that after that incident, Su Yunyao would change completely.


    ¡°Comrade Su Yunyao, please go back to the workshop immediately, or you won¡¯t need to be responsible for this project anymore!¡±


    Su Yunyao got anxious, ¡°Chief Engineer He, can¡¯t you just listen to one thing I have to say?¡±


    He Xiuyu slowly exhaled, suppressing his impatience, ¡°Alright, speak!¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu is a problem, you need to be wary of her, don¡¯t fall for her, and certainly don¡¯t love her, or you will suffer regret for a lifetime!¡±


    He Xiuyu looked coldly at Su Yunyao, so cold that he couldn¡¯t even bother to warn or argue with her.


    He Xiuyu opened the office door, and as Su Yunyao tried to follow him in, he slammed it shut in her face.


    Before the door closed, He Xiuyu¡¯s gaze was extremely cold.

 Chapter 178 - 178 178 I Think the Problem is With You

    ?Chapter 178: Chapter 178 I Think the Problem is With You Chapter 178: Chapter 178 I Think the Problem is With You Su Yunyao felt icy cold, even though it was July.


    She was also burning with rage, staring hatefully at He Xiuyu¡¯s office door.


    After a moment, Su Yunyao walked outside.


    As she passed the data room, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.


    Shen Haoze was standing at the doorway, looking at her with a heavy gaze.


    Su Yunyao felt a wave of guilt and embarrassment, but she forcefully suppressed these emotions. Since that conference, Shen Haoze had always looked at her with a gloomy expression, and his tone was not as friendly as before.


    Thinking about it, Su Yunyao couldn¡¯t tell if she hated Old Mountain Eagle or feared him.


    In the meeting, she had carefully observed everyone¡¯s expressions¡ªshock, disdain, mockery, confusion, disgust¡ªall these complex emotions were displayed on their faces.


    She thought that if it weren¡¯t for her being in charge of project A-4, they would have fired her on the spot.


    Even after the meeting had dispersed, she still hadn¡¯t confirmed who Old Mountain Eagle was.


    It was very quiet around her even now.


    Su Yunyao forced a smile at Shen Haoze, feeling miserable inside, and her eyes reddened.


    She didn¡¯t know how she, a reincarnator, had ended up in this situation. Wasn¡¯t she supposed to become the woman everyone admired, standing shoulder to shoulder with He Xiuyu?


    How had she come to be despised by everyone?


    She lifted her leg to leave, but unexpectedly, Shen Haoze grabbed her arm and dashed downstairs with big strides.


    Shen Haoze was very strong, and Su Yunyao staggered as he pulled her, yelling in a lowered voice from behind, ¡°Shen Haoze, what are you doing? Let go of me, you¡¯re hurting my hand...¡±


    Shen Haoze was unmoved, dragging her down the stairs, though he slowed down a bit.


    They arrived on the first floor. Just then, Qiao Qingyu was getting off her bicycle and about to go inside, but she didn¡¯t expect to find Shen Haoze and Su Yunyao in the hallway.


    Shen Haoze said furiously, ¡°Su Yunyao, I think you¡¯re the one who¡¯s gone mad. You¡¯ve changed; you¡¯ve become too unfamiliar¡ªI don¡¯t even know you anymore...¡±


    Shen Haoze was so angry he was almost incoherent.


    Su Yunyao gritted her teeth, ¡°This is my own business, don¡¯t meddle.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to interfere, but look at what you just said to He Xiuyu. Should you be saying things like that? Do you want to erase all the affection we¡¯ve had since childhood before you¡¯ll be happy?¡±


    At that moment, Shen Haoze lost his usual grace and composure, his face red with anger.


    Su Yunyao, however, had calmed down. She looked coldly at Shen Haoze, arms crossed, ¡°Shen Haoze, what I don¡¯t understand is, if you like me, then why are you so close with He Xiuyu?¡±


    Shen Haoze was taken aback, ¡°Don¡¯t avoid the question. I¡¯m warning you, when you speak with He Xiuyu in the future, mind your status, mind your words. If things become irreparable, no one will be able to save you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your saving. The only one who can save me in this world is myself.¡± Su Yunyao walked forward a few steps, her embarrassment and guilt long concealed, feeling that life was bleak and joyless, almost wishing she had no memory of the past.


    She was even somewhat aggressive, ¡°Shen Haoze, I just don¡¯t understand, if you truly like me, then He Xiuyu should be your rival in love, but I have never seen a man be as close as brothers with his rival in love, so I really doubt whether you like me or you like He Xiuyu?¡±


    Outside, Qiao Qingyu felt very awkward, to enter or not to enter?


    Couldn¡¯t these two find a more private place to say such things?


    Shen Haoze was suddenly stunned, his face turning ashen.


    He gritted his teeth, extended his hand, his fingers trembling slightly as he pointed repeatedly, and he growled, ¡°Su Yunyao, you always say that Qiao Qingyu is problematic, but I see that the problematic one is you, you weren¡¯t like this before!¡±


    Saying this, Shen Haoze didn¡¯t even look at Su Yunyao and strode towards the main gate, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t want to listen, but these two were blocking the hallway. She wanted to push her bicycle away, but just then, Shen Haoze charged out.


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but smile at Shen Haoze.


    With an ashen face, Shen Haoze nodded slightly toward Qiao Qingyu then rushed past her like a gust of wind, followed by Su Yunyao walking out from the hallway with a grim expression. She noticed Qiao Qingyu right away.


    Su Yunyao halted her steps, and Qiao Qingyu thought she was going to be verbally attacked again. Qiao Qingyu braced herself, but unexpectedly, Su Yunyao just glared at her coldly and then hurried after Shen Haoze.


    Nuts!


    Qiao Qingyu pursed her lips, today she wasn¡¯t looking for He Xiuyu, she wanted to find Old Xie.


    Old Xie just happened to be in his office, Qiao Qingyu stated her purpose, and Old Xie clapped his hands in delight, just like the timely rain, the base needed a large area for greening and only a little had been completed this year.


    Old Xie happily agreed, waiting for the call from the station, then he would send trucks to transport the seeds to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s laboratory.


    Then Old Xie pointed upstairs, ¡°Your Xiao He just came back from the workshop, aren¡¯t you going to go up and see him?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu shook her head, ¡°Director Xie, I still have other things to do, I¡¯ll pass.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu left Old Xie¡¯s office, but unexpectedly ran into He Xiuyu and Sister Yu coming down from upstairs, the two were talking...


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu, He Xiuyu raised his eyebrows in surprise, then smiled.


    Taking quick steps to reach Qiao Qingyu, he asked softly, ¡°Did you come here for something?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Station Chief Monk just called me, he said he¡¯s sending five thousand kilograms of barley grass seeds from the railway as an unconditional support for the base construction, it should arrive in a few days.¡±


    Beside them, Sister Yu smiled warmly, ¡°Then I¡¯ll take my leave first, I hope you and Director Lin take the matter I mentioned seriously.¡±


    Then looking at Qiao Qingyu, her tone also warm and affectionate, ¡°Qingyu, my Xiao Xiao really likes you, she hasn¡¯t stopped bothering you recently.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all, Xiao Xiao is a lovely girl,¡± Qiao Qingyu replied politely.


    ¡°That¡¯s settled then, when I have time I¡¯ll invite you both to have a meal at home. Alright, I won¡¯t disturb you anymore, I¡¯m heading back to my office.¡±


    After Sister Yu left, the two exchanged glances, Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°I just discussed it with Director Xie, even if it¡¯s unconditional support, we should still be aware of it.¡±


    He Xiuyu nodded, ¡°Old Xie will handle it well, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    As Qiao Qingyu prepared to leave with her bicycle, He Xiuyu called out to her, speaking in a low voice, ¡°I wanted to talk to you about this at home, but since you¡¯re here, I¡¯ll just tell you now.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I filed a report to the higher-ups, requesting to transfer a few breeding specialists and technicians over...¡±

 Chapter 179 - 179 179 He Really Wants to Say鈥擧e Wants to Eat

    ?Chapter 179: Chapter 179: He Really Wants to Say¡ªHe Wants to Eat Her! Chapter 179: Chapter 179: He Really Wants to Say¡ªHe Wants to Eat Her! Qiao Qingyu tightened her grip on the bicycle handle as her heart inexplicably sank.


    He Xiuyu seemed not to notice Qiao Qingyu¡¯s small gesture, his eyes glinting with a smile as he slowly said, ¡°Once they arrive, the thousand silk hemp and barley grass seeds will just be ripe.¡±


    ¡°You mean to let them cultivate these seeds?¡±


    He Xiuyu lowered his eyes to look at Qiao Qingyu, his voice still leisurely, ¡°Little Qiao, your laboratory can serve as the original seed cultivation center, and a breeding center can be established at the base as well. The regulations here will remain unchanged. What do you think?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mind raced, feeling that He Xiuyu had thought everything through very thoroughly.


    A few days ago, Qiao Qingyu had also considered that once the seeds were mature, she could cultivate them, but it couldn¡¯t be limited to Xichuan, so she had been wanting to discuss with He Xiuyu to see if someone else could take over the breeding work, while she would only provide the original seeds, namely the first batch.


    But this was the first time Qiao Qingyu was handling such a matter, and she did not know if it was feasible, so she had kept silent, never expecting He Xiuyu to think ahead of her.


    Qiao Qingyu grinned, ¡°You¡¯ve really thought this through thoroughly, thank you.¡±


    ¡°How will you thank me?¡±


    He Xiuyu quickly glanced around and then lowered his head, asking Qiao Qingyu with a voice filled with laughter.


    ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± Qiao Qingyu instinctively asked.


    After all, nowadays, the best way to thank someone was by preparing a delicious meal.


    At that moment, He Xiuyu stared intently at Qiao Qingyu.


    This girl, always running around outside, yet her skin had not darkened but had become even smoother and more delicate, especially when a ray of sunlight shone on her face, making it appear even more white and translucent.


    Her lips were the most attractive, like two petals fused together.


    He really wanted to say¡ªhe wanted to eat her!


    However, Mr. He Xiuyu still spoke with a smile in his eyes and a slightly hoarse voice, ¡°I¡¯d like some cold noodles.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu spread her hands, ¡°Sorry, we¡¯ve run out of noodles at home.¡±


    He Xiuyu furrowed his brow in disappointment.


    ¡°Then fry some eggplants with chili for me.¡±


    Paired with two-meter rice, it would be fragrant and delicious.


    This request was not too demanding, and Qiao Qingyu promptly agreed. At this time, several people approached, and without more words, Qiao Qingyu mounted her bicycle and left the Big White Building.


    In the ¡¯80s, whether it was rice or wheat, the yields were still not high.


    Not to mention in the countryside, even in the cities, eating white flour buns every day was a luxury.


    However, this year had already missed the season for planting wheat and rice.


    So these would have to be planned for next spring.


    Qiao Qingyu then went to her Zone 5 Laboratory.


    On the warehouse shelves were several sacks that concealed their true contents, stuffed with ordinary vegetable seeds.


    These were prepared for her brother and the others.


    The well-cultivated ones she had stored in her space.


    But her current laboratory was set up quite similarly to her space.


    The only difference was that here, seedlings as excellent as those produced in her laboratory could not be cultivated.


    Qiao Qingyu did not plan to add more people to her laboratory, as she could only handle it alone in this lifetime, and He Xiuyu didn¡¯t have that intention either; hence, he would rather establish a separate breeding center.


    Qiao Qingyu took a stroll and was indeed relieved. Having such a seed production unit made her job easier.


    Even if the seeds bred were not as good as the ones in the ¡°space,¡± she couldn¡¯t always rely on the ¡°space.¡± Only by breeding on a large scale could she maximize their effectiveness.


    Qiao Qingyu returned home and called Lu Ye.


    Unexpectedly, the call was answered by a girl with a delicate voice, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was stunned for a moment and recalled the number, it was correct. The girl on the other end grew impatient, ¡°Who exactly are you?¡±


    ¡°I am Qiao Qingyu. Is this Lu Ye¡¯s office phone?¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, are you the Qiao Qingyu from the Qiao Family Team?¡± her tone suddenly became sharp.


    Then, the phone was snatched away, and it was Lu Ye¡¯s voice, frantic, ¡°Sheng Meijiao, get out!¡±


    The delicate voice became frantic instantly, and through the phone, she could be heard, ¡°Lu Ye, what do you mean? You ask me to leave when Qiao Qingyu calls you, what are you two doing that you can¡¯t let others know? She is already married, give it up!¡±


    The phone then abruptly disconnected.


    Qiao Qingyu frowned and slowly put down the phone. Who was this woman? She seemed to know her, but she didn¡¯t recognize her.


    Was her name Sheng Meijiao?


    Clearly, there was a strong hostility towards her.


    Qiao Qingyu wrinkled her nose and turned to her vegetable garden.


    Wearing her straw hat, she picked some chili peppers and eggplants, ready to ride her bicycle to the cooperative to see if there was any pork for sale.


    Speaking of which, the three of them hadn¡¯t eaten meat for more than twenty days.


    Not to mention Rongrong, even she was craving it.


    Just then, the phone rang again, and Qiao Qingyu hurried back inside to answer, thinking it should be Lu Ye.


    And indeed it was Lu Xiaopang, ¡°I am Lu Ye, was there something you needed?¡±


    His voice had already calmed down, apparently, he had either finished arguing or resolved the issue.


    Pretending she was unaware, Qiao Qingyu cheerfully said, ¡°Of course, I need something from you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Lu Ye asked calmly.


    ¡°I think you guys should also establish a specialized seed breeding base. Of course, this is just a suggestion. For instance, for the thousand silk hemp in the eight hundred mu test field, if the outcomes are good, you can set up a separate seed breeding base, and in the future, I can supply you with the original seeds.¡±


    Lu Ye pondered for a moment and suddenly asked, ¡°Is this what Tenghai Research Base also did?¡±


    ¡°Yes, so I think you guys could consider doing the same.¡±


    There was silence on the other end, and Qiao Qingyu furrowed her brows, ¡°Of course, this is just a suggestion. The actual execution is for you to decide.¡±


    It seemed Lu Ye slowly exhaled, ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve had this idea for a while.¡±


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been too busy, and I thought you wanted to monopolize seed breeding.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu laughed in disbelief, ¡°Lu Xiaopang, think about it. With my small laboratory, how could I possibly monopolize seed breeding? I wouldn¡¯t dare. I¡¯m already satisfied that I can provide original seeds.¡±


    ¡°You should have said so earlier, and I wouldn¡¯t have had to follow others blindly.¡±


    Lu Ye mumbled that, and Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t quite catch it, so she raised her voice, ¡°What did you just say? Say it again.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything important. This suggestion is good. We¡¯ll discuss it in a meeting, and if it¡¯s feasible, I¡¯ll let you know.¡±


    Then, he mumbled again, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, that woman earlier was Sheng Meijiao. She¡¯s my grandfather¡¯s old colleague¡¯s granddaughter, interning at the grassroots level. She often speaks without thinking, don¡¯t take her seriously.¡±

 Chapter 180 - 180 180 Heart Stirring

    ?Chapter 180: Chapter 180: Heart Stirring Chapter 180: Chapter 180: Heart Stirring Qiao Qingyu listened and spoke gravely, ¡°Lu Ye, I called you today to discuss work, not personal matters. So who that person is has nothing to do with me.¡±


    Lu Ye replied with a low voice, sounding somewhat embarrassed, ¡°I understand.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was the first to hang up the phone, biting her lip, feeling deeply guilty, but she had no other choice but to speak that way.


    She wasn¡¯t foolish; she had long recognized Lu Ye¡¯s special feelings for her.


    But it was impossible between them.


    Moreover, this era placed great importance on conduct, and she couldn¡¯t afford to cast a bad influence on herself, He Xiuyu, or Lu Ye.


    They were all good people.


    They deserved her careful consideration.


    Yet, her tone had been too cold.


    On the other end, Lu Ye¡¯s face turned grim. His features were delicate and his eyes usually sparkled, making him appear vibrant most days, but not at this moment. His brow furrowed with a hint of hostility.


    He locked his office door and walked towards the courtyard outside, where a jeep was parked and sobbing sounds were coming from inside it.


    Impatiently, Lu Ye stood next to the jeep and tapped on the window, his voice equally impatient, ¡°Sheng Meijiao, come out, let¡¯s have a proper talk...¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t come out. I won¡¯t talk properly with you. You deceived me; if I come out, you¡¯ll just leave me in the vast desert.¡±


    ¡°... can you stop being so childish?¡±


    Lu Ye rubbed his forehead and the driver spoke lowly, coaxing, ¡°Ah Ye, for the old monk¡¯s sake, Jiao Jiao came long distances to see you, you can¡¯t just drive her away.¡±


    Fuming with embarrassment, Lu Ye retorted, ¡°Did I ask her to come? I am working just fine here! Why did she have to come?¡± Then, pointing at Sheng Meijiao, ¡°What era are we in? Don¡¯t use those old folks¡¯ jokes to handle matters, I, Lu Ye, would rather die than acknowledge them.¡±


    He turned and walked away, but suddenly turned back, glaring viciously at Sheng Meijiao, ¡°I warn you, if I hear you speak insolently towards Qiao Qingyu again, I definitely won¡¯t spare you!¡±


    ¡°I hate you!¡± Sheng Meijiao yelled, stomping her feet inside the car.


    Lu Ye, abandoning his usual calm demeanor, commanded the driver sharply, ¡°You are Grandpa Sheng¡¯s exclusive driver, but Sheng Meijiao has no right to be in this car. I know it¡¯s tough for you, so before I call Beijing, you had better take her away.¡±


    The driver was really in a difficult position, but Lu Ye¡¯s point was right. He stepped on the accelerator and sped off in a puff of smoke.


    Lu Ye¡¯s gaze withdrew, troubled.


    With his hands in his pockets and brow deeply furrowed, he wondered what his grandfather was thinking, urging him on the phone to court Sheng Meijiao.


    He didn¡¯t even like her; why should he court her?


    Sheng Meijiao was like a child who never grew up, and he was no kindergarten teacher with time to play house with her.


    He went back to his office and called his grandfather. His tone wasn¡¯t sharp, but it was clear he was in a bad mood. ¡°Grandpa, please don¡¯t meddle in my affairs from now on. Besides, I¡¯m only twenty-one, my career has just started, what¡¯s the rush?¡±


    There was a moment of silence on the other end, ¡°Did you just scare away the Sheng Family¡¯s young lady?¡±


    ¡°Should I have kept her and celebrated the New Year together? She¡¯s ignorant and spouting nonsense all the time. I wonder where all her years of education went.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because you treated her poorly,¡± Old Sir Lu said gruffly.


    ¡°How should I treat her well¡ªcoddle her? I don¡¯t have time for that, I¡¯m not a kindergarten teacher!¡± Lu Ye retorted angrily.


    Old Sir Lu was left speechless.


    ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t interfere in your matters anymore, but I warn you, don¡¯t get too close to Qiao Qingyu. Remember, she¡¯s married¡ªher husband is He Xiuyu!¡±


    ¡°I understand!¡±


    Lu Ye angrily hung up the phone, and at that moment, he was alone in his office. He leaned over the desk, burying his head into the crook of his arm, and his eyes instantly reddened.


    He felt incredibly sad.


    In this world, there was only one King Qiao, only one Qiao Qingyu. There would never be another!


    The room was silent, and he had locked the office door. He shamefully cried.


    Lu Xiaopang sobbed for a while before he used the back of his hand to wipe away his tears. Then, he stretched out his hand and slapped himself twice.


    After that, he stood up, picked up the phone to instruct his secretary to prepare the car because he needed to return to Xichuan. If it was time to start preparing the thousand silk hemp experimental field seeds for them to cultivate, it should be arranged now.


    Moreover, it was essential to confirm that Qiao Qingyu would be the original seed provider for the seed breeding unit.


    This task had to be completed.


    What He Xiuyu could do for Qiao Qingyu, he could do too!


    ...


    As the night fell, He Xiuyu, having had his fill, fanned himself like an elderly man. On the ground, there was a bundle of mugwort, grown by Qiao Qingyu, used for mosquito repelling. It worked well and smelled very refreshing.


    At that moment, Rongrong and Xiao Hu were playing checkers inside the house, while Qiao Qingyu gathered the mugwort, listening to He Xiuyu talk.


    ¡°...Su Yunyao had made a list of everyone who attended the conference, except for me and Shen Haoze. It included their basic information. Sister Yu accidentally got a hold of it and handed it to me, advising me and Director Lin to pay extra attention to this matter.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked up at He Xiuyu, about to say something, but suddenly felt very tired. She was sitting on a stool enjoying the cool air, but her body swayed and she fell toward the ground.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s quick reflexes allowed him to catch Qiao Qingyu.


    Her soft and fragrant body fell into his arms.


    Instantly, He Xiuyu felt his heart stir.


    But the next second, he felt something was off. After hesitating, he reached out to pat Qiao Qingyu¡¯s cheek, softly calling out, ¡°Little Qiao, Qiao Qingyu, Qingyu...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu felt extremely tired, as if her body were falling apart. She was extremely sleepy. Her petal-like lips moved, and He Xiuyu didn¡¯t catch it clearly. He had to lean closer to hear Qiao Qingyu¡¯s faint voice, ¡°I¡¯m... so tired, I need to... sleep...¡±


    Then, she deeply fell asleep.


    He Xiuyu was momentarily stunned, but after checking carefully, he found she was indeed asleep.


    He paused for a moment, then holding Qiao Qingyu, he entered the house.


    Initially planning to carry Qiao Qingyu to her bedroom, He Xiuyu, for some reason, turned towards his own room instead.


    He cautiously placed Qiao Qingyu on the bed.


    The room was somewhat stifling, causing He Xiuyu¡¯s brow to furrow slightly, a sense of unease slowly rising in his heart.


    He went to his study to call the on-call doctor at the base hospital, asking for a doctor to be sent over. After hanging up the phone, He Xiuyu returned to his bedroom.


    Under the dim yellow light, he noticed that Qiao Qingyu¡¯s complexion was somewhat pale.


    Even though she was asleep, her eyebrows were furrowed, and worryingly, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s body was trembling slightly.


    He touched her forehead, which was chillingly cold.


    He anxiously felt her hand, which usually felt soft and warm, but now was also cold.


    Boldly, he slipped his hand under Qiao Qingyu¡¯s back to her slender waist, and her smooth skin made his hand shiver from the cold.


    Without a second thought, he wrapped his arms around Qiao Qingyu, bringing her entirely into his embrace...

 Chapter 181 - 181 181 Nightmare

    ?Chapter 181: Chapter 181 Nightmare Chapter 181: Chapter 181 Nightmare She should have felt soft and warm, but He Xiuyu felt as though he was embracing a block of ice.


    Even though it was a hot summer, He Xiuyu didn¡¯t feel any coolness. He took his hand from Qiao Qingyu¡¯s back and placed it on her carotid artery.


    The steady pulse eased He Xiuyu¡¯s tension somewhat.


    He Xiuyu hugged Qiao Qingyu tightly again, as if embedding her into his embrace.


    It should have been a charming scene, but He Xiuyu had no such thoughts. Qiao Qingyu had always been the picture of health and vitality, and her sudden change left He Xiuyu incredibly worried.


    However, gradually, he felt Qiao Qingyu¡¯s body temperature seemed to be returning to normal.


    The room was very quiet, and from the bedroom across the living room, the murmuring voices of Xiao Hu and Rongrong could faintly be heard.


    Due to the heat, a thin layer of sweat had formed on He Xiuyu¡¯s forehead.


    Then he felt Qiao Qingyu in his arms unconsciously snuggling closer, as if she knew she was cold and was desperately seeking warmth.


    He Xiuyu couldn¡¯t help but hold Qiao Qingyu tightly once again.


    He then acutely sensed that the body temperature of Qiao Qingyu in his arms was slowly returning to normal, and her pale complexion finally showed a hint of rosiness; her colorless lips now regained their usual delicate beauty.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t know what was happening to Qiao Qingyu, and his worry only increased.


    But as Qiao Qingyu¡¯s body temperature returned to normal, she seemed to find He Xiuyu¡¯s embrace too warm, and with a small hand, she unconsciously gave He Xiuyu a slight push.


    He Xiuyu looked down at Qiao Qingyu in his arms.


    Her eyelashes were so fine and long, each one soft and delicate, inspiring an irresistible urge to plant a gentle kiss upon them.


    Qiao Qingyu, who had been ice cold just before, now had beads of sweat on her nose. He Xiuyu slowly loosened his hold and propped himself up to stare at Qiao Qingyu.


    A few moments later, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyelashes quivered, and she slowly opened her eyes.


    Their eyes met. Qiao Qingyu looked confused, not quite understanding what was going on, but then she looked around left and right.


    She was indeed in He Xiuyu¡¯s bedroom.


    She, too, gradually propped herself up and sat opposite He Xiuyu.


    He Xiuyu stretched out the back of his hand to check her forehead and asked in a low voice, ¡°Do you feel better?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu bit her lip and nodded. Although she didn¡¯t know what had happened to her, she replied, ¡°Much better.¡±


    But just then, there was a knock at the door; He Xiuyu told Qiao Qingyu to lie down on the bed and he got up to open the door.


    It was Doctor Xu from the base hospital, who gave Qiao Qingyu a check-up ¨C blood pressure, heartbeat, temperature ¨C all these basic readings were normal.


    Of course, these were just basic checks. To find out if there were any problems, a comprehensive hospital examination would be needed.


    He Xiuyu went out to see Doctor Xu off, while Qiao Qingyu continued to sit on He Xiuyu¡¯s bed, lost in thought. She should have been seated outside on the small bench, and then suddenly, she found herself enveloped in darkness. It was as if she had returned to that icy lake once more, where a distant and uncomfortable tone kept calling her name over and over.


    That tone was very strange.


    But it was also somewhat familiar, as if her grandmother had taken her to hear it somewhere when she was young, but she could no longer remember.


    She felt like she was continually falling into the icy lake, unable to struggle. But then sunlight penetrated the cold water, her body felt warm throughout, and the strangeness of the unsettling tone was dispersed by the sunlight.


    And then, she awoke.


    Qiao Qingyu rolled out of bed, and at that moment, He Xiuyu also entered the bedroom, and then their gazes met.


    He Xiuyu stepped forward, still habitually placing the back of his hand against Qiao Qingyu¡¯s forehead. Qiao Qingyu instinctively tried to dodge backward but didn¡¯t expect He Xiuyu to hold her head in place with his other hand. After a few moments, He Xiuyu then seriously asked, ¡°What happened just now? Do you feel unwell anywhere?¡±


    The two of them were very close; He Xiuyu¡¯s actions and words, devoid of any flirtation, all expressed his concern. However, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but feel her heart race and her cheeks flush. If she remembered correctly, the moment she woke up, she felt He Xiuyu holding her tightly in his arms.


    Why was he holding her?


    Was he taking the opportunity to take advantage of her?


    Keeping her head down, Qiao Qingyu spoke softly, ¡°I just had a nightmare, it felt like I fell into an ice hole.¡±


    ¡°Your body temperature was very low just now, like a block of ice,¡± He Xiuyu then sighed in relief, slowly adding, ¡°But, thankfully, you¡¯re back to normal now. Still, you should go to the hospital for a check-up tomorrow.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu also felt that her nightmare was somewhat absurd and felt a bit uneasy at the bottom of her heart, so she nodded in agreement.


    A few days later, the check-up results came back normal¡ªof course, limited to the current medical conditions. If she still wasn¡¯t at ease, Doctor Xu suggested she should go to a hospital in Beijing for a further check-up.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t think it was necessary.


    If she kept getting checked, what if her space ability were exposed?


    Even though medical technology wasn¡¯t advanced, what if?


    Afterward, Qiao Qingyu threw herself back into her busy schedule, as the 5,000 kilograms of Barley Grass Seeds sent by Station Chief Meng Ke had already arrived and were delivered to her Zone 5 Laboratory.


    Qiao Qingyu told Old Xie that the quality of the seeds was reasonable, they could be planted straight away without cultivation, but she still needed to select them. She asked Old Xie to get started on the other preparatory tasks.


    Qiao Qingyu said this because she didn¡¯t want people to pay attention to her breeding process¡ªit was 5,000 kilograms, after all.


    There were fifty sacks of one hundred kilograms each.


    This was not a simple task.


    It was easier just to say she was selecting seeds.


    Then, Qiao Qingyu began to work overtime, taking a day and a night to sort out all these seeds.


    The quality of this batch of seeds was good; Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t add any more to them.


    After all, the laboratory¡¯s seed samples were limited, and now she only had 500 kilograms of the original seeds left.


    These could not be touched.


    The discarded seeds were placed directly in the courtyard.


    In total, 1,800 kilograms were there, and the 3,200 kilograms of cultivated Barley Grass Seeds were taken away by Old Xie.


    An individual¡¯s strength is limited; even if Qiao Qingyu joined in the planting, how much could she possibly accomplish in a day?


    Therefore, Qiao Qingyu simply asked Old Xie to assign a few people to haul the discarded seeds to the Poplar Forest to the east of her home.


    Qiao Qingyu casually spread these seeds around and inside the Poplar Forest.


    As to whether they would grow, that would be left to fate.


    In any case, she had scattered a dense layer of seeds over this large empty space to the east, and when she peered over the wall the next morning, she saw a flock of birds descending onto this part of the Poplar Forest.

 Chapter 182 - 182 182 Customs

    ?Chapter 182: Chapter 182 Customs Chapter 182: Chapter 182 Customs The birds were mostly sparrows, huddling together and pecking away at the ground. No need to guess, they were definitely eating the grass seeds.


    Xiao Hu, accompanied by Rongrong, grabbed a stick with several strips of cloth tied to it and charged into the clearing to scare off the birds because they had also helped to spread the seeds and naturally didn¡¯t want these birds to eat them all.


    ...


    The breeding centers of the base and Xichuan Breeding Center were established one after another.


    Then Qiao Qingyu¡¯s Zone 5 Laboratory became the primary seed supply center.


    Since it was affiliated with Tenghai Research Base, it came under the direct leadership of He Xiuyu, but Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t worried about how to deal with it in the future.


    The red flower and gastrodia of the Qiao Family Team were growing well, and the pharmaceutical factory from the provincial city sent people to check, also taking away the dandelions harvested from the Qiao Family¡¯s private land.


    After drying, the quality of dandelion was superb. The herbal medicine factory paid cash on delivery, which made the people of the Qiao Family Team envious. With just a few acres of private land, Uncle Qiao and the others actually earned four hundred and eighty yuan.


    Qiao Genbao received two hundred yuan.


    It was the first time he had earned so much money.


    Then the rose bushes he had grown were bought by a person in charge from the herbal medicine factory, fifty plants at one yuan each, giving him fifty yuan.


    The over one hundred rose bushes hadn¡¯t bloomed yet, but the leaves were shiny green, and the stems were thick.


    The cut branches, once inserted into the potting soil and taken care of for a while, had nearly a 100% survival rate.


    What Qiao Genbao sold were these successfully grown branches.


    Some people shamelessly approached Qiao Genbao to ask for branches. Living as neighbors in the same village, it was hard for him to refuse. However, Aunt Qiao stood at the door, lambasting anyone who came, which reduced the number of seekers considerably.


    Without writing a letter, Qiao Genbao called Qiao Qingyu.


    Then Qiao Qingyu told him that they planned to build some greenhouses after the autumn harvest.


    At first, Qiao Genbao was uncertain, but now he was determined, just waiting for Qiao Qingyu to come back and build the greenhouses to earn money, especially since, next year, they would start the contracted responsibility to households.


    This was also a way to accumulate experience.


    Qiao Qingyu asked her elder brother to prepare some materials for the greenhouses, but the plastic film needed to be purchased from the Southern region.


    These days, plastic film was in short supply. Unexpectedly, Wulong Daily Chemical Factory, overseen by Secretary Chang, started to continue its construction.


    From Lu Ye, she learned that after the completion of this factory, a batch of plastic film would be produced first.


    However, it was too late for the current need, so Qiao Qingyu called Boss Liu from the first wholesale market in Nangang City to keep an eye out for plastic film and notify her immediately if any became available.


    After finishing the phone call, Qiao Qingyu drove the tractor to the northern green belt of the base.


    Upon arrival, she found Director Lin with several security guards and Old Xie discussing something.


    Qiao Qingyu stopped the tractor and stood on the clearing, looking across the vast barren land where the seed drill and farm workers were busy.


    On the open ground, there were piles of sacks.


    She felt puzzled, ¡°Director Lin, what happened?¡±


    Old Xie sighed and said, ¡°Qingyu, it¡¯s lucky that when we took the seeds from your lab, we weighed each bag and went through the proper procedures. Otherwise, we would both have trouble explaining.¡±


    Then he pointed to the sacks on the ground, ¡°We lost over two hundred jin of Barley Grass Seeds.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was truly startled and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Who would steal grass seeds?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± mumbled Director Lin, ¡°especially these grass seeds, what can they be used for other than feeding birds and chickens?¡±


    ¡°Have you found out how they were lost?¡± asked Qiao Qingyu.


    ¡°With over five hundred workers, it¡¯s not easy to investigate. It¡¯s not like each person was responsible for a certain amount, since everyone worked together. Plus, we had several seeding machines. It was only today, at the end, that we realized this plot of land should have been fully planted with Barley Grass, but now we¡¯ve discovered about five thousand square meters of wasteland had been left and the seeds might have been lost,¡± said Old Xie helplessly.


    Qiao Qingyu speculated, ¡°Could it be possible that some people scattered too many seeds?¡±


    Director Lin and Old Xie also nodded in agreement, scattering seeds was never that precise.


    ¡°Director Lin, you better head back first, but still look into it. After all, our Barley Grass Seeds are indeed of superior quality,¡± Qiao Qingyu said.


    Old Xie shared Director Lin¡¯s sentiment.


    Indeed, no one had imagined that Barley Grass would turn out to be a green landscape in the desert, dressing the barren and poor land with a green carpet and spreading hope at the same time.


    So it wouldn¡¯t be impossible for someone to be tempted in this regard.


    Director Lin left with two security guards, and Old Xie continued to direct the workers to finish the closing tasks.


    In the evening, when Sister-in-law Li came to pick up Xiao Hu, she quietly pulled Qiao Qingyu aside to a corner and whispered, ¡°I want to report something to you. There¡¯s a guy in our team called Huang Datou, yesterday I saw him pocketing some seeds.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu frowned and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°How many times did you see it?¡±


    ¡°I only saw it once.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was somewhat disappointed, seeing it once didn¡¯t count as evidence; it was just a few seeds and they hadn¡¯t caught him red-handed. Even if they investigated, they might not find anything conclusive. However, she still mentioned this clue to Old Xie and asked him to inform Director Lin.


    Perhaps everyone thought these seeds were too common and not even worth a penny.


    But Qiao Qingyu knew that the Barley Grass Seeds that passed through her hands were among the highest caliber in the world, something not even found abroad.


    If there really were discerning people who looked carefully, they would discover that not all Barley Grass Seeds were the same.


    Thus, the world really doesn¡¯t lack people with a keen sense of smell.


    The next day, Old Xie told Qiao Qingyu that Huang Datou had come forward to admit his wrongdoing.


    He was an employee hired from outside, a local from Xichuan.


    His family situation wasn¡¯t complicated either. He confessed to stealing the seeds, but his intention was to plant them on his family¡¯s private land back home for pigs and sheep to feed on next year.


    He had stolen a total of three jin, which were also found at his relative¡¯s house in his hometown.


    After discussing with Director Lin, Old Xie did not fire him. Instead, they gave him a chance to redeem himself by keeping an eye out for similar behavior among other workers.


    After all, this kind of thing could only be uncovered through reports and whistleblowing.


    Unexpectedly, a week later, the Beijing customs intercepted Barley Grass Seeds that were about to be taken out of the country.


    Our country also has strict regulations regarding plant seeds.


    And foreign countries are the same.


    It¡¯s strictly forbidden to bring plant seeds into their territories.


    Thus, the motive for smuggling disguised Barley Grass Seeds did not hold up, and the person involved was detained.


    It turned out to be an American named Tom who had come with Wu Tai for an inspection.


    The matter suddenly became serious.


    However, Wu Tai was not affected, and Wu Xiucai¡¯s issue was also clarified.


    But their return to their home country was still not easy.


    The customs office called Old Xie, asking him to make a trip to Beijing, and he decided to bring Qiao Qingyu along...

 Chapter 183 - 183 183 You Woman Have Ruined Our Family

    ?Chapter 183: Chapter 183 You, Woman, Have Ruined Our Family Chapter 183: Chapter 183 You, Woman, Have Ruined Our Family Qiao Qingyu really didn¡¯t want to go. She had cultivated the Barley Grass seed, but not in reality¡ªit was in a dimensional space.


    He Xiuyu also disagreed, only letting Old Xie go to Beijing to bring back the Barley Grass seeds.


    However, the customs officer called again, hoping Qiao Qingyu could make the trip in person.


    After much thought, He Xiuyu decided to accompany Qiao Qingyu to Beijing.


    Qiao Qingyu only found out after He Xiuyu had purchased the tickets.


    The customs¡¯ request was reasonable, and she could no longer refuse. Moreover, with He Xiuyu by her side, she felt much more at ease.


    Since customs was pressing, they set off the next day, naturally bringing Rongrong along.


    After arriving in Beijing, they stayed at the headquarters¡¯ guesthouse.


    During dinner, Old Xie said, ¡°Qingyu, is this your first time in Beijing?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was stunned for a moment; after all, she used to live in Beijing.


    But in the book, it was indeed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s first time in Beijing, so she smiled and nodded.


    He Xiuyu then remembered how Qiao Qingyu had been so insistent about going to Beijing when they first got married.


    It was not easy to come to Beijing, so he really should take Qiao Qingyu out to enjoy the city, even though his reason for coming with her to customs was partly due to concern and partly because he indeed had work to report at the headquarters.


    Now, it being summer, Qiao Qingyu and Rongrong wore dresses of the same color with sandals on their feet, although many fashion-conscious girls in Beijing had already started wearing high heels.


    But these three were strikingly attractive, so whatever they wore looked good.


    Old Xie had relatives in Beijing and had left early in the morning. After getting ready, He Xiuyu took Qiao Qingyu and Rongrong out.


    The blazing sun was like fire, and He Xiuyu somehow found two umbrellas.


    They first went to stroll down a famous street.


    It was an era of collision between planned economy and market economy.


    Old met new, with goods for bargaining, rationed items, and foreign trade goods.


    He Xiuyu glanced at the shoes on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s feet, then discreetly surveyed her neckline, fingers, and wrists¡ªshe wore nothing.


    She was his wife now, and he hadn¡¯t even bought her a necklace.


    While turning a corner, Rongrong suddenly stopped and looked up, ¡°Little uncle, I don¡¯t want to see grandma, but I do want to see grandpa.¡±


    Rongrong, who had changed a lot in nature since her recovery, was now outspoken under the pampering of these two.


    He Xiuyu frowned slightly but still nodded, ¡°Okay, little uncle will take you to see grandpa.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see grandma or little aunt either,¡± He Xuerong emphasized specifically.


    ¡°Okay, little uncle promises you,¡±


    He Xuerong smiled sweetly, then looked up at Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Little aunt, you shouldn¡¯t go see grandma and little aunt either, they badmouth you every day...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu felt a bit awkward, and He Xiuyu coughed, ¡°Alright, Rongrong, tell little uncle what you want, and he will buy it for you.¡±


    ¡°I want a television set.¡±


    He Xiuyu laughed, ¡°Even if we buy a television set now, we can¡¯t receive any channels. When we can get channels in the future, little uncle will definitely buy you one.¡±


    He Xuerong, although not very happy, still nodded in agreement, and by this time, they had reached the bargaining area on the third to the left, which mainly sold items for export that were turned for domestic sale.


    Everything was available, a veritable feast for the eyes.


    The pity was that they couldn¡¯t shop as freely as they would a few decades later¡ªpicking something up and trying it on in the fitting room at will. At this moment, wanting to buy clothes meant having to be at the mercy of the salesperson¡¯s mood. Fortunately, the appearance and temperament of these three people stood out, so the salesperson greeted them with a smile.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s gaze fell upon a pair of black, cut-out high heels.


    Fashion truly is a cycle, and the saying held true. She had a similar pair at home that matched her clothing perfectly. Just as she was about to ask the salesperson to take a look at these shoes, a surprised voice suddenly called out from behind, ¡°Second brother!¡±


    The three standing at the counter turned around as if on cue. He Xuerong swiftly hid behind Qiao Qingyu¡ªa reflexive action. The little girl¡¯s face was a tad pale, her small hand clutching tightly at the corner of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s dress.


    Not far away stood a beautiful girl, about twenty years old, wearing a pale pink dress with lace trim and a pair of white, real leather high heels. With curved willow eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes that carried a somewhat sharp gaze filled with pride, her voice was nonetheless filled with excitement, but it was directed at He Xiuyu.


    There were three or four girls by her side, all looking curiously at the three of them, though most gazes lingered on He Xiuyu.


    Then, one of the girls bashfully greeted him, ¡°Brother Xiu Yu...¡±


    By this time, the girl who had shouted ¡°Second brother¡± had already strode forward, looking at He Xiuyu with her eyes sparkling, ¡°Second brother, when did you come back?¡±


    He Xiuyu spoke indifferently, ¡°I came back yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you go home?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Today is Monday, why didn¡¯t you go to work?¡± He Xiuyu countered.


    He Juanjuan pouted, ¡°I don¡¯t like that rotten workplace at all.¡±


    She seemed reluctant to talk about her job and, pointing to Qiao Qingyu with a frown, said, ¡°Second brother, who is she? She couldn¡¯t possibly be...¡±


    He Xiuyu hesitated for a moment but then nodded, ¡°She is your second sister-in-law.¡±


    He Juanjuan¡¯s eyes suddenly widened in shock, and her expression changed, her voice rising a little shrill, ¡°She¡¯s Qiao Qingyu?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression also changed; even a fool could see that He Juanjuan¡¯s hostility towards her was thick.


    But this was a public place, and she still smiled at He Juanjuan, ¡°Hello, you must be Juanjuan, right?¡±


    ¡°Shameless. What right do you have to call me Juanjuan?¡± He Juanjuan rebuked furiously.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression darkened instantly.


    He Juanjuan, teeming with rage, pointed at Qiao Qingyu, ¡°You and your shameless mother have ruined our family, and now you want to ruin my second brother too...¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± He Xiuyu¡¯s face turned instantly ashen; he truly hadn¡¯t expected his younger sister, who was already working, to still act as arrogantly and willfully as she did before.


    He stepped forward to grab He Juanjuan¡¯s hand, but she violently shook him off, ¡°Second brother, what are you doing? Are you trying to hit me? This woman is shameless, just like her mother...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu took a step forward, her gaze steady as she fixed it on He Juanjuan, ¡°He Juanjuan, say that one more time!¡±


    ¡°You are just as shameless as your mother. How dare you even walk into the He Family¡¯s door...¡±


    Slap!


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand struck her face.


    The sound of the slap brought sudden silence all around. The salespeople were stunned. If they hadn¡¯t misheard, this was supposed to be the relationship between a sister-in-law and her sister-in-law. But this sister-in-law was fierce. What was going on with the younger sister, claiming her to be as shameless as her mother?


    A few of the salespeople gathered around to watch the excitement.

 Chapter 184 - 184 184 Mr. Wu who has just returned to the

    ?Chapter 184: Chapter 184: Mr. Wu, who has just returned to the country, wants to meet you Chapter 184: Chapter 184: Mr. Wu, who has just returned to the country, wants to meet you He Juanjuan looked at Qiao Qingyu incredulously, then suddenly lunged at her in a frenzy, only to be grabbed by He Xiuyu. He Xiuyu¡¯s face had turned an ashen hue, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    Tears streamed down He Juanjuan¡¯s face as she spoke, ¡°Second brother, she hit me. No one has ever laid a finger on me since I was born, and she actually hit me.¡±


    Then she roared angrily, ¡°Second brother, hit her, hit her, give her a good beating for me!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at He Juanjuan with a cold gaze, her voice crisp and stern, ¡°He Juanjuan, if you dare to speak out of turn again, I will definitely not spare you!¡±


    He Xiuyu felt a sinking feeling in his chest. He knew what Qiao Qingyu was capable of; this girl was ruthless when it came to dealing with someone.


    This was the first time he had encountered such a situation, and at this moment, He Juanjuan was desperately throwing herself at Qiao Qingyu again.


    He Xiuyu was, after all, her brother. He said to the few girls who were frozen in shock, ¡°Come over and hold her back.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu gave the siblings a cold glance and then turned and walked away.


    He Xuerong burst into tears, ¡°Little Aunt, wait for me!¡±


    Then, pattering footsteps followed as she left her little uncle behind, running towards Qiao Qingyu, for in her eyes, the little aunt was the most formidable. She was afraid of her grandmother and little aunt.


    He Juanjuan¡¯s eyes bulged again as she shouted loudly, ¡°You little mute, you can talk now, come back to me!¡±


    He Xuerong kept running and looking back as if terrified that He Juanjuan would come after her.


    Qiao Qingyu paused, grabbed He Xuerong¡¯s small hand, and quickly descended the stairs. At that moment, Qiao Qingyu was seething with rage. What kind of manners, what kind of family education? In public, using foul language, how were they any different from the old hags of the Qiao Family Team?


    It truly was contemptible.


    After exiting the shop, she looked around. She needed to find a bus to go back to the guest house. What was supposed to be a pleasant shopping trip had turned sour, utterly disappointing.


    Upon reaching the entrance of the guest house, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s emotions had calmed, and He Xuerong had also returned to normal, her small mouth babbling, ¡°My little aunt is no good at all; Grandpa says she¡¯s been spoiled rotten by my grandma...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu eyed He Xuerong¡¯s sweaty little face, feeling a warm sensation in her heart, and picked up the little girl, ¡°Were you scared just now?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, not at all. Little Aunt, I¡¯m on your side. Even though she¡¯s my little aunt, she¡¯s never been nice to me.¡±


    ¡°She really isn¡¯t a good little aunt; just ignore her from now on,¡± Qiao Qingyu had no intention of speaking pleasantries in front of He Xuerong.


    As she walked, she pondered why it seemed like some women who appeared in her life acted as if their intelligence had been forcibly reduced.


    One by one, they didn¡¯t seem to know what came over them. They were all proper at normal times, but as soon as they encountered Qiao Qingyu, they acted like lunatics.


    Qiao Qingyu found it bizarre but had no choice but to suppress these eerie thoughts.


    Perhaps she was overthinking it.


    Sister-in-law Li, Fang Xiaomei, Shen Fen, Lin Cujuan, they were all good people.


    However, she didn¡¯t have time to think any longer, because several people were sitting on the sofas in the corridor, with two standing up. Upon seeing her and He Xuerong return, a young man approached swiftly with a smile on his face, ¡°Are you Comrade Qiao Qingyu?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu hesitated for a moment and nodded, ¡°Yes, I am. May I know who you are?¡±


    The young man introduced himself, ¡°I¡¯m Zhao Tian from the Foreign Affairs Department. Mr. Wu, who has just returned to the country, would like to meet you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. The name Mr. Wu was anything but unfamiliar to her. Could it be that the man suspected to be her biological father had returned to the country?


    At that moment, the elderly man sitting on the sofa slowly stood up, smiling warmly at Qiao Qingyu.


    Two other people standing beside him also rose to their feet, both staring intently at her. Then, the man known as Mr. Wu took a step forward, scrutinizing Qiao Qingyu carefully with eyes brimming with tears, murmuring, ¡°So similar, she¡¯s so incredibly similar.¡±


    The man beside him, who appeared to be in his fifties, handed over a handkerchief while comforting, ¡°Father, please don¡¯t get too excited.¡±


    The elderly man was tall and well-preserved. To be called father by someone in his fifties, he must be over seventy. Yet, his hair was jet black, and although his eyes had tears, his gaze was not clouded, and he stood straight-backed.


    He wiped the tears with the handkerchief, his voice choked as he asked, ¡°Your name is Qiao Qingyu?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then, could I have a word with you alone?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu hesitated for a moment but then nodded again.


    The research base¡¯s guesthouse was spacious and bright, with sofas and coffee tables placed along the corridors. Zhao Tian took care of the other few people and had them sit down, while a young man smilingly said, ¡°Rongrong, do you still remember Uncle Shen?¡±


    He Xuerong nodded, and the man said to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°My younger brother¡¯s name is Shen Haoze, I am his third brother, my name is Shen Haoming.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled at him, ¡°I¡¯ve heard Shen Haoze mention you.¡±


    Then he said, ¡°Please leave Rongrong with me.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu did not agree but instead looked towards He Xuerong, ¡°Rongrong, your little aunt needs to discuss something with this grandfather.¡±


    He Xuerong, incredibly well-behaved, hopped onto the sofa, swinging her legs and said in a soft voice, ¡°Little aunt, I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡±


    Surprise flickered in Shen Haoming¡¯s eyes. He remembered that this child seemed to have autism. Could it just have been a rumor? But she looked even more lively and adorable than before.


    Qiao Qingyu opened the door to their room, which was a suite with a living room, bathroom, and bedroom. She poured a cup of tea for Mr. Wu, who was sitting on the sofa, then sat opposite him, unsure of what to say.


    Mr. Wu had a kind smile and spoke in a gentle tone, ¡°Let me introduce myself first. I am the older brother of Wulong Group¡¯s chairman. If Han Xianglan is my brother¡¯s daughter, then I am your great-uncle. My name is Wu Xiujie.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was stunned, her mind racing until she grasped the relationship. However, she hadn¡¯t expected Wu Xiucai¡¯s older brother would be the one to find her.


    In the limited information available, there was no introduction to this older brother.


    But if Han Xianglan truly was Wu Xiucai¡¯s daughter, then she indeed had a familial relationship with the elderly man in front of her.


    Qiao Qingyu said with a smile, ¡°Mr. Wu, please drink your tea and take your time.¡±


    Wu Xiujie looked at Qiao Qingyu with profound meaning. ¡°Not bad, you girl, have a temperament somewhat similar to the chairman¡¯s.¡± He then took a sip of tea, wrinkled his brow slightly but still set the cup down.


    Qiao Qingyu responded politely, ¡°Mr. Wu, nothing has been confirmed yet. Please don¡¯t make such statements. It would be quite awkward if that isn¡¯t the case.¡±


    ¡°How could it not be with such a resemblance?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wu, there are too many people in the world who look alike, we can¡¯t make unfounded claims.¡±


    Wu Xiujie looked at Qiao Qingyu in surprise. She was young, but he hadn¡¯t expected her to be so composed. Somehow, he saw in her the image of his younger brother, Wu Xiucai, in his youth.

 Chapter 185 - 185 185 You Better Pray Your Mother is Not Wu

    ?Chapter 185: Chapter 185: You Better Pray Your Mother is Not Wu Xiucai¡¯s Daughter! Chapter 185: Chapter 185: You Better Pray Your Mother is Not Wu Xiucai¡¯s Daughter! A menacing aura slowly rose from the depths of his heart, his hand clenched the armrest of the sofa, and with a softened voice he said, ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about that? Nowadays, technology abroad is very advanced, as long as you agree to a paternity test, it can quickly determine the relationship between your mother and my elder brother.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu still spoke softly, ¡°Mr. Wu, a paternity test cannot be done casually, it still requires my parents¡¯ consent.¡±


    ¡°How could your parents disagree? If your mother really is my younger brother¡¯s biological daughter, do you know how massive an inheritance you would stand to receive?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu curved her lips but did not respond to Mr. Wu¡¯s words. Instead, she asked in surprise, ¡°Mr. Wu, where is your brother now?¡±


    Wu Xiujie frowned, suppressing his impatience, ¡°He¡¯s in the U.S.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu clenched her hand, her palm sweaty, perhaps due to the hot weather, perhaps the old man always gave an uncomfortable vibe, or perhaps she was just overthinking...


    Wu Xiujie, leaning on his cane, stood up and said in a deep voice, ¡°Perhaps my visit today was indeed too presumptuous, and it¡¯s understandable that you didn¡¯t react immediately. I¡¯ll be staying in the country for a while, and I plan to find an opportunity to visit the Qiao Family Team.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu also stood up, disagreeing, ¡°Mr. Wu, I think before Chairman Wu returns to the country, it¡¯s best not to disturb my father and mother.¡±


    ¡°Little girl, do you think this is disturbance?¡± Wu Xiujie asked with a heavy gaze.


    Qiao Qingyu nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    The room suddenly fell silent, and after a moment, Wu Xiujie chuckled, ¡°You, young lady, really have a calm temperament. If it were any other young girl, they would undoubtedly be overjoyed and lost in excitement by now.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wu, you are too courteous. By the way, why didn¡¯t Chairman Wu come with you this time?¡±


    ¡°He has many unresolved issues, and he can¡¯t return for now.¡±


    ¡°Then there¡¯s no rush in this matter. It¡¯s rare to visit China, and the country has changed a lot. You can take a stroll and tour around to see the great landscapes of our motherland...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu kindly suggested.


    Wu Xiujie¡¯s face remained calm as he looked at Qiao Qingyu with interest, and then without a word, he walked towards the door. Just as he was about to open the door, he suddenly stopped, looked at Qiao Qingyu who was not far away, and lowered his voice, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, you¡¯d better pray that your mother is not Wu Xiucai¡¯s daughter!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s gaze sharpened, ¡°Mr. Wu, what do you mean?¡±


    Wu Xiujie roared with laughter, pointing at Qiao Qingyu, ¡°You really are quite adorable...¡±


    Then he opened the door, walking gracefully towards the resting area where Zhao Tian and others were seated. Qiao Qingyu hurriedly followed and stopped Wu Xiujie, ¡°Mr. Wu, what did you just say? Could you please repeat it?¡±


    Wu Xiujie¡¯s red sandalwood cane was merely for show as he was quite agile. He stopped, amusedly watching Qiao Qingyu, suddenly coughed a few times, heaved a sigh, and said, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, don¡¯t be disappointed, there¡¯s still a one in ten thousand chance that we are related by blood. You might still have a chance at the inheritance, so don¡¯t hurry, just wait patiently.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, taken aback by the sudden change in Wu Xiujie¡¯s demeanor, was momentarily at a loss for response.


    However, others, including Zhao Tian and Shen Haoming, overheard the conversation.


    At that moment, He Xiuyu hurried up the stairs.


    He carried a bulging cloth bag, seemingly filled with many items.


    He was somewhat astonished by the scene before him.


    Wu Xiujie bypassed Qiao Qingyu, shaking his head and sighing, ¡°Ah, how morals have declined! The moment there¡¯s talk of an inheritance, everyone desperately leaps forward, regardless of the truth. How have the young people of Huaxia become so mercenary...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stared in disbelief, mouth agape, watching the old coot¡¯s retreating back¡ªit was undeniable, she had been duped.


    For the first time in her life, Qiao Qingyu had been thoroughly tricked.


    Moreover, it seemed there was no chance to refute.


    Because Wu Xiujie had already approached Zhao Tian, politely saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go, many pieces of information don¡¯t match, yet she firmly claimed there was no issue, sigh...¡±


    Wu Peng¡¯s gaze flashed with understanding, and he looked at the startled Qiao Qingyu with a hint of sympathy.


    A young girl, how could she contend against an old fox?


    It was just a pity that this family would soon be wiped out.


    Whether or not this family could escape was unavoidable!


    He turned around and prepared to follow Wu Xiujie downstairs.


    It was the first time Qiao Qingyu had experienced what it meant to suffer silently, unable to voice her agony. She stood rooted to the spot, her hands clenched together, watching Wu Xiujie at the staircase, her expression finally calming down bit by bit.


    Wu Xiujie was just about to go downstairs when he suddenly turned around to look at Qiao Qingyu, who was standing not far away. He raised his eyebrows, this girl didn¡¯t make a fuss or vehemently argue, but she calmed down so quickly.


    Interesting!


    He turned to Zhao Tian who was following beside him and said, ¡°This is all my fault, I¡¯ll invite her to dinner at a restaurant when there¡¯s a chance in the future.¡±


    Zhao Tian smiled gently, saying, ¡°Mr. Wu, watch your steps on the stairs.¡±


    He did not express an opinion on the matter since the identities of these two people were somewhat sensitive.


    After speaking a few words with He Xiuyu, Shen Haoming also followed them out.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at He Xiuyu and snorted softly, then pulled the running Rongrong into the room.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s expression remained calm. He followed leisurely, and by the time he entered the room, Qiao Qingyu had already taken Rongrong for a bath.


    The bathroom here was a real bathroom, equipped with a shower and 24-hour hot water supply. After Qiao Qingyu and He Xuerong finished bathing and came out, He Xiuyu had already left.


    Qiao Qingyu was not in a good mood, and for the first time, she truly realized what an awkward and embarrassing situation it was to be Han Xianglan¡¯s daughter married to He Xiuyu.


    She became somewhat uncertain about the future.


    And who exactly was this suddenly appearing Wu Xiujie?


    Why did he speak and act so oddly?


    He always gave her a dangerous feeling.


    Rongrong was tired, so Qiao Qingyu stopped her wild thoughts and took her to the bedroom to rest.


    As soon as they opened the room¡¯s door, the two were briefly stunned. He Xuerong rushed to the bed, then turned and shouted loudly, ¡°Little aunt, look, these are the high heels we saw in the store.¡±


    Next to the high heels, there was also a box. The clever girl picked up the box and handed it to the approaching Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Little aunt, quickly open it and see what¡¯s inside.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu thought for a moment, then opened the box, which contained two lipsticks¡ªboth in her favorite colors.


    She had never used such things since arriving here because she simply didn¡¯t think of using them.


    Later, in Nangang City, she hadn¡¯t seen lipsticks for sale either.


    She wondered where He Xiuyu had bought them from.

 Chapter 186 - 186 186 High Heels and Lipstick

    ?Chapter 186: Chapter 186 High Heels and Lipstick Chapter 186: Chapter 186 High Heels and Lipstick Qiao Qingyu¡¯s lips curved into a smile, unconsciously. That¡¯s just how easily women are charmed.


    These high heels were her size, and she had no idea how He Xiuyu knew her shoe size.


    Slipping into the high heels, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s fair feet against the cut-out black leather shoes looked as elegant and beautiful as works of art.


    Rongrong squatted at her feet, and tapping Qiao Qingyu¡¯s instep with her finger, she looked up and said, ¡°Little aunt, you look so pretty. I want to wear high heels too.¡±


    ¡°You little rascal, wait until you¡¯re grown up.¡±


    ¡°Then when I grow up, you¡¯ll buy me high heels, won¡¯t you?¡±


    The little girl made her demands unabashedly.


    Qiao Qingyu smilingly agreed.


    She walked around the house in her high heels for a few laps. The shoes were very comfortable, and she picked up her lipstick, which she seemed to have not worn for almost half a year.


    Her lips were naturally rosy, and with a light layer applied, they looked like jelly petals.


    He Xuerong squeezed in to share the mirror with Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu picked up the lipstick and dotted a red spot between Rongrong¡¯s eyebrows, the pair of them giggling together.


    After dinner, He Xiuyu finally came back. He didn¡¯t mention He Juanjuan¡¯s issue but called Qiao Qingyu to the living room and said directly, ¡°The Mr. Wu who came to see you today is named Wu Xiujie. He is the elder brother of Wu Xiucai, the chairman of Wulong Group, and is also Wu Tai¡¯s biological father. He has been back in the country for over half a month now.¡±


    She knew all of this.


    ¡°And then what?¡±


    He Xiuyu wouldn¡¯t talk to her this way unless he knew something she didn¡¯t.


    He Xiuyu paused for a bit, still speaking calmly, ¡°This time Wu Xiujie has returned to the country very ostentatiously. He brought back twelve pieces of national treasures that were lost overseas. After the donation ceremony, you will see related reports about him in the newspapers...¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying he¡¯s a patriotic overseas Chinese?¡±


    Bringing back so many national treasures at this time must have come at a great cost, especially considering the countless treasures lost abroad over more than a hundred years.


    He Xiuyu nodded, ¡°It seems so.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu sensed something in He Xiuyu¡¯s tone and asked, surprised, ¡°Is there something different about it?¡±


    He Xiuyu did not answer but instead countered, ¡°What exactly did he say to you?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu frowned and recounted verbatim what Wu Xiujie had said to her. Then she stood up from the couch and began pacing back and forth in the room, feeling uneasy, ¡°What does he mean by this? Is he threatening me?¡±


    He Xiuyu remained silent, but his dark eyes showed he was contemplating. Qiao Qingyu sat down beside him and asked He Xiuyu, ¡°You went to inquire about him on purpose just now, didn¡¯t you? Why?¡±


    ¡°He had someone come to the door as soon as we arrived at the headquarters guesthouse. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s too coincidental?¡±


    That was something Qiao Qingyu had not considered. She had overlooked it.


    ¡°So is there a way to contact his brother now?¡±


    He Xiuyu shook his head, ¡°The complexity of this issue now involves international affairs.¡±


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t say more, and Qiao Qingyu understood.


    But she still had some doubts, ¡°If his brother is in trouble, how is it that as the elder brother, he is unaffected by any of this?¡±


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t know either.


    He was a person skilled at speaking through data and facts, so he didn¡¯t make guesses.


    He Xiuyu then shifted the conversation, his voice carrying a hint of apology, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the trouble you experienced in the store today, I¡¯m here to apologize!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression changed for a moment, somewhat complex, but she likely had anticipated such issues beforehand, unless she never faced the He Family again in her life, some confrontations were indeed unavoidable.


    Beijing was vast, yet sometimes it seemed incredibly small.


    Qiao Qingyu curved her lips slightly, ¡°I hit her too. Didn¡¯t your family seek you out for a settlement?¡±


    He Xiuyu just smiled and did not respond to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s question, instead he spoke softly, ¡°Tomorrow we¡¯ll go to the customs together.¡±


    That night, Qiao Qingyu had trouble sleeping, tossing and turning, Wu Xiujie¡¯s words kept reverberating in her mind, for some reason, a slow burn of anger was rising within her.


    In the morning, Qiao Qingyu asked He Xiuyu, ¡°Could you help me meet Wu Xiujie?¡±


    ¡°What do you want to see him for?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s gaze lowered contemplatively for a moment before she lifted her head to look at He Xiuyu, ¡°That man plays by his own rules and is rather cunning; I want to meet him.¡±


    Unexpectedly, He Xiuyu agreed, ¡°After we return from the customs.¡±


    At the Customs General Administration office, Qiao Qingyu and Old Xie naturally did not meet the person who had stolen the Barley Grass Seeds, but the ten pounds of Barley Grass Seeds hidden in the hidden compartment of the suitcase were indeed cultivated by Qiao Qingyu¡¯s Space Laboratory.


    The procedures weren¡¯t too convoluted, and once everything was verified, they took the seeds back with them.


    Then, He Xiuyu made a few phone calls and left Rongrong in Old Xie¡¯s care while he took Qiao Qingyu to the Foreigners Hotel.


    This was one of Beijing¡¯s most famous grand hotels, with a majestic architecture and an elegant interior design that carried a strong cultural aura.


    When Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu arrived, Mr. Wu, an elder gentleman, was engaged in a spirited conversation with several middle-aged men wearing glasses.


    These people clearly held a great deal of respect for Mr. Wu.


    This was understandable since he was the deserving hero who had brought back so many national treasures to the country.


    They admired him, naturally.


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu come in, Wu Xiujie smiled, ¡°Miss Qiao Qingyu, didn¡¯t I make myself clear yesterday? Why have you followed me here again?¡±


    He then turned to look at He Xiuyu with a cheerful smile as if addressing a junior, ¡°Mr. Xiao He, you are an extraordinary scientist, the world cannot do without talented individuals like you, you mustn¡¯t let your partner act recklessly...¡±


    He Xiuyu simply smiled but did not speak.


    A young man next to Wu Peng came over to invite both of them to sit down, but Qiao Qingyu, with a smile, said, ¡°Mr. Wu, I can provide you with a very crucial lead, but I need to talk to you alone.¡±


    Wu Xiujie¡¯s smile froze for a moment, then he laughed merrily, ¡°What¡¯s this important lead that can¡¯t be discussed here?¡±


    ¡°No, I need to speak with you privately,¡± insisted Qiao Qingyu.


    A middle-aged man¡¯s face showed displeasure, but seeing He Xiuyu standing next to Qiao Qingyu, he held his tongue.


    Beijing¡¯s social circles were neither too large nor too small; people within these circles may not have met face-to-face but invariably knew of each other.


    He said, ¡°We¡¯ve almost finished our discussions,¡± and then he and the two others stood up to take their leave.


    As they passed by Qiao Qingyu, their brows furrowed.


    Qiao Qingyu, acting as if she hadn¡¯t noticed, continued to stand calmly at the entrance.


    Now curious, Wu Xiujie led Qiao Qingyu to an adjacent small reception room.

 Chapter 187 - 187 187 Arent You Afraid Im Recording This

    ?Chapter 187: Chapter 187: Aren¡¯t You Afraid I¡¯m Recording This? Chapter 187: Chapter 187: Aren¡¯t You Afraid I¡¯m Recording This? Wu Xiujie sat on the sofa in the small reception room, leisurely sipped his tea, then leaned back and regarded Qiao Qingyu with a piercing gaze. He asked in a slow, yet disdainful tone, ¡°Do you have any important clues?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t sit down. She didn¡¯t wish to engage in a lengthy talk with him. She remained standing at the door, her expression calm but her voice somewhat cold, ¡°Mr. Wu, if it comes to changing faces and playing tricks, you are indeed very skilled. However, let¡¯s get straight to the point today.¡±


    Wu Xiujie watched Qiao Qingyu with interest, a smile still on his face, ¡°Straight to the point? What exactly do you want to say?¡±


    ¡°Yesterday, as I was leaving, you told me¡ª¡¯You¡¯d better pray that your mother isn¡¯t the daughter of Wu Xiucai.¡¯ Can I take that as a veiled threat?¡± she asked.


    Wu Xiujie looked at Qiao Qingyu in confusion, ¡°Miss Qiao Qingyu, although I am advanced in years, my health is still good, and my memory is intact. I don¡¯t recall ever saying that.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°....¡±


    She knew he would deny it.


    ¡°Mr. Wu, regardless of your purpose or what you want to do, this is not your land to behave as you please. If you dare harm my family, I will never let you off!¡±


    The smile gradually faded from Wu Xiujie¡¯s face, and his gaze turned sinister as he stared at Qiao Qingyu, ¡°What now? Are you threatening me? Do you really believe I could make a phone call right now and have you thrown into prison?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu spread her hands, looking quite innocent, ¡°What did I say? I am but a teenage girl. How could I threaten you? Normally, I wouldn¡¯t even have the time to try to please you.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I recorded that?¡± Wu Xiujie asked darkly.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t seem to care as she quirked the corner of her mouth, ¡°The words I wanted to say are these. Whether you record them or not, that¡¯s up to you.¡±


    Having said that, Qiao Qingyu opened the door and stood at the threshold with a beaming smile, ¡°Mr. Wu, you don¡¯t need to see me out.¡±


    As Qiao Qingyu stepped out, He Xiuyu also got up and walked toward her.


    At that moment, Wu Xiujie stood in the living room with his hands behind his back, his menacing gaze fixed on Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled warmly and waved at him, ¡°Mr. Wu, it seems we have nothing to do with each other now. My mother isn¡¯t the person you¡¯re looking for, but nonetheless, it was a pleasure to meet you. Goodbye.¡±


    She then lifted her head, smiled at He Xiuyu, and nodded to a few people standing beside her, each with a different expression.


    Understanding the situation, He Xiuyu said solemnly, ¡°Then we¡¯ll be going now. Sorry to have troubled you...¡±


    And with that, the two of them left.


    Wu Xiujie stood in the small reception room, his face clouded over.


    He clenched his teeth, a surge of anger in his chest he couldn¡¯t vent. He grabbed a teacup from beside him and hurled it violently to the ground, hissing viciously, ¡°Suicidal!¡±


    Wu Peng¡¯s eyes flickered, and he exchanged glances with his son.


    Then, almost imperceptibly, he shook his head at his son...


    He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu walked back to the guest house. The foreigner¡¯s hotel wasn¡¯t too far from the headquarters¡¯ guest house; they were all in the same district.


    The walk would take roughly twenty minutes.


    When they passed a small park, Qiao Qingyu was pulled in by He Xiuyu.


    The two leisurely walked down the shaded path.


    It was already the afternoon, and dappled sunlight poured through the gaps in the leaves, casting countless spots of light dancing on the ground.


    After a few steps, Qiao Qingyu suddenly stopped, shook her right foot, and said with a beaming smile, ¡°Mr. Xiao He, I really like it.¡±


    He Xiuyu, looking down, felt his mouth and throat dry up, feeling as if today was indeed a bit too hot.


    Today, Qiao Qingyu wore a beige shirt and coffee-colored checkered trousers.


    She was wearing nylon stockings.


    Very thin, and very close to her skin color.


    He knew her small feet in the socks were as white as though they were carved from jade.


    He thought that Qiao Qingyu¡¯s socks were still a bit too thin¡ªif they were thicker, that would be better but, undeniably, they were really pretty.


    ¡°...Pretty,¡± his voice unexpectedly hoarse.


    Apart from those two words, He Xiuyu couldn¡¯t think of any other vocabulary.


    Qiao Qingyu stood obediently and cleverly in front of He Xiuyu, behind them were several towering trees, like a green umbrella, sheltering them both.


    Two young people passed by them. In these times, dating was much more reserved; not even hand-holding was seen, so naturally, Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu also maintained a certain distance.


    However, Qiao Qingyu still took a step forward, closing the gap between her and He Xiuyu, and said softly, ¡°Take Rongrong home tonight to see your parents.¡±


    He Xiuyu nodded, but he didn¡¯t say he would take Qiao Qingyu with him, because that would be incredibly hypocritical.


    Qiao Qingyu looked earnestly at He Xiuyu. This man was truly good; when they had left the hotel earlier, he had stayed protectively by her side.


    Although she wasn¡¯t yet prepared to share a bed and raise children with him, she also had no thoughts of leaving him at the moment.


    But the relationship between the He Family and Qiao Family was like a mountain standing between them.


    It seemed He Xiuyu knew what Qiao Qingyu was troubled about. He stretched out his hand and gently rubbed the top of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hair, tenderly saying, ¡°You are now my wife, and that will not change in the future.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t dodge, her eyes brimming like autumn water as she looked at He Xiuyu.


    Such a gaze nearly melted He Xiuyu¡¯s heart.


    And such a gaze also gave He Xiuyu enough courage. It was very quiet here, even the afternoon breeze quietly slipped away.


    He Xiuyu, with a serious expression and focused eyes, spoke with barely noticeable nervousness, ¡°Mr. Little Qiao, I don¡¯t know exactly how I feel about you, but whenever I think of spending the rest of my days with you, I feel very happy.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and then it started pounding vigorously.


    Was this a confession?


    It seemed so. She hadn¡¯t expected it to be so sudden, without any psychological preparation.


    She bit her lip, usually quick-witted, but now unable to utter a single word.


    She looked up at He Xiuyu.


    Their eyes met, and for some reason, they suddenly felt much closer to each other.


    It was an indescribable and wonderfully beautiful feeling.


    He Xiuyu felt his ears grow hot, so hot that his back also began to sweat. It was his first time doing this, and he was somewhat nervous, so he hastily diverted the conversation.


    ¡°I noticed Mr. Wu¡¯s complexion wasn¡¯t good; what did you say to him?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t expected He Xiuyu to change the topic so quickly, and she secretly breathed a sigh of relief. But she still needed to maintain her composure. Her eyes and brows carried a tender smile. Between a man and a woman, some affections didn¡¯t need words to express; a look, a gesture, was worth more than a thousand words.


    She softly recounted her conversation with Wu Xiujie to He Xiuyu.


    ¡°...I was just testing him, but I never expected Mr. Wu to blurt out a denial. Isn¡¯t it funny?¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s eyebrows twitched, but he said nothing.


    Qiao Qingyu continued, ¡°Does he think this is the United States? He can¡¯t just do whatever he wants, he¡¯s too presumptuous.¡±


    ¡°We also can¡¯t take it lightly,¡± He Xiuyu said quietly, ¡°I will report this issue directly to the relevant departments.¡±


    ¡°But surely he won¡¯t admit to having said those words.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll only report my concerns,¡± He Xiuyu declared calmly.


    Then he reached out boldly and took Qiao Qingyu¡¯s small hand, walking towards the end of the shaded path.


    ...

 Chapter 188 - 188 188 Lingering Distress

    ?Chapter 188: Chapter 188 Lingering Distress Chapter 188: Chapter 188 Lingering Distress In the evening, He Xiuyu was preparing to take He Xuerong back to the He Family.


    Qiao Qingyu carefully dressed up Rongrong, tying two red hair flowers into her little braids, putting her into a yellow puffy skirt, and red leather shoes with white socks embroidered with butterflies.


    Rongrong was beautiful and with her rosy complexion, she looked just like a little princess.


    Qiao Qingyu was very satisfied.


    No matter what, He Xuerong was living with her, and she didn¡¯t care about Meng Siqi and He Juanjuan, but she wanted to reassure He Shan.


    Rongrong was happy to go see her grandfather, but she was reluctant to leave Qiao Qingyu. She said, ¡°Little aunt, wait for us obediently, we¡¯ll be back very soon.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu pinched her cheek and then looked at He Xiuyu, ¡°You guys should go now, the buses will get crowded soon.¡±


    He Xiuyu was holding He Xuerong¡¯s hand as they walked out and closed the door. Feeling uneasy, he said to He Xuerong, ¡°Rongrong, wait for Uncle for a moment. Uncle needs to talk to your little aunt for a few words.¡±


    He Xuerong¡¯s eyes darted around, and she obediently stood in front of the corridor wall, nodding intensely.


    He Xiuyu opened the door again. Qiao Qingyu was tidying the clothes He Xuerong had changed out of. Surprised by He Xiuyu¡¯s return, she asked, ¡°Did you forget something?¡±


    He Xiuyu couldn¡¯t possibly return home empty-handed, he had bought pastry, canned goods and sausages, and five kilograms of apples with a Special Supply Ticket, all in a carry bag.


    He Xiuyu shook his head, stopped a few steps away from Qiao Qingyu, his eyes dimmed, his voice carried some apology, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for leaving you alone here.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t mind at all. ¡°It¡¯s okay, even if you asked me to go, I couldn¡¯t. It would be really awkward.¡±


    ¡°You, Comrade Xiao Qiao, rest assured, this awkwardness will definitely be resolved.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t hold much hope for that. Women understand women, and honestly, even if He Xiuyu was a genius, he couldn¡¯t possibly grasp all of Meng Siqi¡¯s psychological activities. Whenever she was mentioned, there was always a subtle, instantly ignitable emotion.


    But Qiao Qingyu still nodded. ¡°I hope so.¡±


    He Xiuyu looked outside the door, which was ajar. He reached out and grabbed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand. His palm was very dry, perhaps because he had been working in the workshop for the past two years, so his hands were calloused. Yet, when such hands held hers, it felt very comforting.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t struggle, letting him hold her hand, but her fair cheeks still reddened slightly.


    In theory, she was an experienced person, but in practice, she had zero experience.


    Not to mention facing a man whose face, body, and even his hands were perfect.


    She hadn¡¯t cultivated the way of ruthlessness, so how could she not blush and feel her heart race!


    He Xiuyu corrected Qiao Qingyu, ¡°It¡¯s not just hope so; it will definitely be so. Please believe in me, will you?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu felt a sour feeling rise in her heart. Actually, if He Xiuyu didn¡¯t know her, then he wouldn¡¯t have needed to endure such difficulties.


    But it was pointless to say anything more at this point.


    Qiao Qingyu pursed her lips and smiled, her eyes tender, her voice gentler, ¡°You¡¯re so smart, you¡¯ll definitely handle it well. I believe in you!¡±


    ¡°As long as you believe in me, I¡¯m not afraid of anything.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at He Xiuyu, her bright eyes shining with ripples, ¡°Really? Is my trust that powerful?¡±


    He Xiuyu felt a stir in his heart, an indescribable emotion controlled his whole being, and without thinking about why he made such a gesture, he had already pulled Qiao Qingyu into his arms. Qiao Qingyu was startled and just about to struggle when He Xiuyu softly said from above her head, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I just want to hug you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s body stiffened, not daring to move¡ªafter all, this wasn¡¯t the first time they had been this close.


    Hejia Village was the first time, her sudden faint was the second.


    But this third time was when both people were fully aware.


    Her face was against his chest, their breaths mingling together, and they could hear each other¡¯s irregular heartbeats. The sound was truly persistent and achingly tender.


    Qiao Qingyu felt that the chest against her face was very solid, and somehow, she quietly extended her hand and wrapped it around his waist.


    Indeed, his slim waist was solid and firm, and it felt very good.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s cheeks immediately blushed.


    But deep down, she felt immensely happy.


    Fortunately, her reason took over quickly, and she soon let go of her hand and pushed He Xiuyu away, decided to reassure him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me; I was just going to sort some things out here alone. Besides, I believe everything you said, so you should hurry back home with Rongrong.¡±


    Even though Qiao Qingyu had pushed him away, a faint fragrance still lingered around He Xiuyu¡¯s nose, making him feel very satisfied, his peach-blossom eyes full of tender warmth.


    ¡°Just stay in the guesthouse, and do not go out tonight. Rongrong and I will be back soon,¡± He Xiuyu instructed with concern.


    ¡°Alright, alright, hurry up. Didn¡¯t you leave Rongrong alone in the corridor?¡±


    He Xiuyu smiled, ruffled Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hair, then turned and pushed open the door, clasping Rongrong¡¯s hand. Qiao Qingyu also came out, and the two of them shared another smile.


    A gentle tenderness enveloped the two of them like water.


    Qiao Qingyu urged again, and then He Xiuyu finally picked up Rongrong and quickly left.


    Qiao Qingyu stood at the doorway until they disappeared by the staircase, then with a smile lingering on her lips, stepped briskly back to her bedroom.


    Outside the window, stars speckled the skyline, and lights of a thousand homes twinkled. Having such a man by her side, she thought she might as well walk this path with him.


    ...


    It was supposed to be a return at night, but He Xiuyu and He Xuerong did not return all night and did not even call.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t think much of it; after all, it was He Xiuyu¡¯s home. How could one simply take a glance and come back?


    After planning her next steps, Qiao Qingyu went downstairs for breakfast.


    Just as she opened the door, Old Xie hurried over from the direction of the stairs.


    Qiao Qingyu stopped and asked, ¡°Director Xie, is there something you need?¡±


    Old Xie hesitated, then shook his head, ¡°No, nothing, just calling you down for breakfast.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu thought Old Xie was acting a bit strange.


    But it wasn¡¯t right to ask too much.


    After breakfast, Old Xie said, ¡°Qingyu, if you want to buy anything else, do it quickly; we¡¯re heading back to Xichuan tomorrow.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t expected to leave so suddenly, but she didn¡¯t dwell on it, and went back to her room to get her money and shoulder bag and headed to West Street to shop.


    Despite having spent several months in Xichuan, she still had quite a few friends, and a trip to Beijing wasn¡¯t easy; she had to bring back some gifts for them and also needed to buy some things for herself, He Xiuyu, and Rongrong.


    West Street had many bargaining shops, slightly more expensive than planned goods, but no tickets were required, so there were also more people at the counters.

 Chapter 189 - 189 189 Pushed Out of the Car

    ?Chapter 189: Chapter 189: Pushed Out of the Car Chapter 189: Chapter 189: Pushed Out of the Car The place was bustling with activity, some counters were simply swamped with people.


    The salesclerks shouted impatiently.


    Although it was summer, fall would soon arrive, and Qiao Qingyu wanted to buy some sweaters and pants, but there were no ready-made ones, only piles of yarn.


    West Street had the most bargaining shops in Beijing, so there were definitely stores selling ready-made sweaters, but Qiao Qingyu was too tired to look for them, and simply bought a pair of knitting needles and several pounds of yarn.


    Director Shen and Sister-in-law Li both knew how to knit sweaters; she could learn from them when the time came.


    Besides, knitting would also help pass the time.


    She bought six bottles of face cream and seven silk scarves¡ªactually, they were just scarves, but that¡¯s what they were called in this era.


    She also purchased two bags of milk candies, along with some other things, and quickly filled the canvas bag she brought, and then the more than two hundred yuan she had also ran out. It must be said, shopping was truly joyful.


    Qiao Qingyu squeezed onto the bus, the carriage was really too crowded, and Qiao Qingyu had to stand near the door, holding the bag in one hand and firmly grasping the handrail with the other.


    The ticket collector shouted impatiently, ¡°Tickets, please, for those getting on...¡±


    There were three more stops to the headquarters¡¯ guesthouse, and she regretted not walking back.


    The bus started, and because the windows were open, there wasn¡¯t too bad of a smell, it was just too uncomfortable being squeezed from all sides.


    Qiao Qingyu frowned, trying to shrink back into the corner.


    However, the people on the bus were rather decent, especially the men, who tried to avoid close contact with the women.


    At the next stop, no one got off, but more people got on, and somehow Qiao Qingyu was squeezed several steps closer to the bus door.


    Qiao Qingyu was sweating profusely, and she let go of the handrail, preparing to wipe the sweat with a handkerchief because it had already dripped into her eyes.


    It was burning hot and extremely uncomfortable.


    But just then, the bus started, and a strong force came from behind her, a pair of strong hands pushed her toward the bus door, which was not yet properly closed, and in the blink of an eye, Qiao Qingyu was pushed out of the bus.


    The accident happened so suddenly that someone in the bus cried out, ¡°Stop the bus, stop the bus, someone fell out!¡±


    The driver was startled, braked hard, and at that moment, Qiao Qingyu had already rolled onto the road, with a jeep rushing towards her.


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t move at all, despair and bewilderment filled her eyes.


    Because everything happened so quickly, she hadn¡¯t even had time to react when a silhouette leaped from the bus, agile and swift, pulling her to roll toward the side of the road.


    Then, a piercing sound of screeching brakes echoed in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s ears.


    Her heart felt like it was going to leap out.


    A crowd quickly gathered, and the traffic police also ran over, whistling.


    The scene was chaotic, but it quickly got under control again.


    The bus driver and conductor also came down, both looking unwell.


    Qiao Qingyu came to her senses, moved her body a bit, and with the assistance of a traffic police officer at her side, stood up.


    She shouted loudly, ¡°Someone pushed me just now, no one on the bus is allowed to leave!¡±


    People inside the bus had been chattering, but at that moment, silence fell suddenly. Especially the dozen people by the door, who looked at each other with eyes full of suspicion.


    In these peaceful times, with people so simple, loving, and united, everyone took the bus every day, but suddenly facing a perpetrator pushing someone off the bus made everyone frightened.


    The traffic police realized the gravity of the situation. Although this was not his responsibility, he still asked, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded, ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±


    This was very serious now, involving a criminal case. Of course, the bus couldn¡¯t leave, and even the jeep that had almost hit Qiao Qingyu had stopped by the roadside. Many cyclists who were on their way to work also gathered around.


    Just then, the young man who had saved Qiao Qingyu frowned as he wiped off the blood from his arm with his handkerchief and then stood in front of her, saying guiltily, ¡°Comrade, I¡¯m really sorry. Did you feel like someone pushed you just now?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu glared at the young man, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, tall and thin, but she knew that if it weren¡¯t for him dragging her away from the jeep, she might not have fared well.


    Qiao Qingyu asked hoarsely, ¡°What exactly happened?¡±


    The young man, sweating profusely with his arm injured, having rolled on the ground, was quite disheveled. Qiao Qingyu was not much better off, with her legs and arms scraped as well.


    The young man hurriedly explained, ¡°Just now I was standing behind you. When the bus started, I lost my balance, and then the crowd behind me surged forward like a tide, and I, unable to keep my footing, fell forward...¡± He then said anxiously, ¡°Comrade, let me take you to the hospital.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu shook her head, her voice cold, ¡°I¡¯m not going to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t mean to do it, but I accept any punishment for this. However, before that, I want to take this lady to the hospital. Even though we just dodged a bullet, she did fall and scrape her arm, which needs medicine. It¡¯s hot now, and if it gets infected, it would be terrible...¡±


    He also said to the traffic officer, ¡°Even though it was not intentional, I should take responsibility. Let¡¯s get this lady to the hospital first and then deal with my issue, okay?¡±


    Someone nearby said, ¡°The young man didn¡¯t do it on purpose, and after pushing her out, he heroically dived to save her. If it weren¡¯t for this young man, she would have been hit by the car.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, there are so many people in the bus, even if someone wanted to push you, there¡¯s no room to do it.¡±


    ¡°Riding the bus is just like this, pushing and shoving. Once I was on the bus, my big toe was stepped on and swollen for more than ten days before it healed.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, it¡¯s really a suffering to ride the bus, why are there always so many people? I don¡¯t know where they all come from...¡±


    Then someone mumbled, diverging the topic far away.


    The traffic police directed the traffic to move on, and the bus was also let go, but the young man who had pushed and then saved her went to the nearby hospital.


    The doctor treated Qiao Qingyu¡¯s injured arm and shin, telling her it was no big deal as long as she kept them dry, and it would heal in a few days.


    When Qiao Qingyu came out of the hospital, both the traffic police and the young man were waiting for her at the door.


    Qiao Qingyu looked somberly at the man, who then pulled out his work ID and said sincerely, ¡°I¡¯m a worker at the steel plant, my name is Zhao Gang...¡± He then handed Qiao Qingyu a piece of paper, ¡°This is my home address. If you feel unwell, you can call me anytime, anywhere at this number.¡±

 Chapter 190 - 190 190 Not Indispensable to Each Other

    ?Chapter 190: Chapter 190: Not Indispensable to Each Other Chapter 190: Chapter 190: Not Indispensable to Each Other Qiao Qingyu did not take the piece of paper, glanced at the work ID, and then retracted her gaze, her brows furrowing slightly as she carefully recalled standing by the car door, facing it, indeed feeling a pair of hands pushing her from behind.


    She looked into the other person¡¯s eyes, which seemed open and honest, but the more perceptive Qiao Qingyu still insisted on going to the police station to make a statement.


    Zhao Gang did not hesitate at all, guiltily holding Qiao Qingyu¡¯s handbag and saying, ¡°You can go anywhere you like, but I think you should go back and rest now.¡±


    Because Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face was pale as a ghost, her lips bloodless¡ªshe had indeed been frightened.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at him, pursing her lips and shaking her head.


    They entered the police station, where Zhao Gang¡¯s account matched what he had said earlier.


    The officer made some calls, finding that Zhao Gang was actually a model worker at the steel factory; he was supposed to go to the branch in the suburban county, but now he was held up.


    There was no problem, and it did not involve any breach of public security regulations.


    Throughout, Zhao Gang kept apologizing profusely.


    And he insisted on escorting Qiao Qingyu back to the guesthouse.


    Qiao Qingyu thought about it and declined; since there was no problem, she let it go.


    She slowly exhaled, saying sincerely, ¡°Comrade Zhao Gang, thank you for saving me just now.¡±


    ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, you can¡¯t say that. If it wasn¡¯t for my push, how could you possibly have fallen off the bus? It¡¯s all my fault...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu waved her hand, not wanting to say more.


    The police station personnel had also checked Qiao Qingyu¡¯s introduction letter and work ID, and they treated her courteously throughout. Since Qiao Qingyu had declined Zhao Gang¡¯s offer, two volunteers from the police station bravely escorted her back to the headquarters guesthouse.


    As soon as Qiao Qingyu stepped through the front door, a small figure threw itself at her, followed by loud wailing.


    Qiao Qingyu was startled and quickly embraced Rongrong, who was rushing towards her, the little girl¡¯s face streaked with tears and dirty as if she was still wearing the small braids Qiao Qingyu had made her yesterday, though one had come undone.


    What had happened?


    Had she been wronged at home and sneaked out?


    Because there was no sign of He Xiuyu in the lobby.


    At that moment, Old Xie ran over sweating profusely.


    Just about to speak, he saw the medicine on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s arm and quickly asked, ¡°What happened to you?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu waved her hand, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a small scrape.¡±


    Rongrong, clinging to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s clothes, cried and sobbed, ¡°Little aunt, Grandma has been hospitalized...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was stunned and involuntarily looked towards Old Xie, who sighed, picked up Rongrong, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go upstairs to talk.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t believe that things had become so serious.


    Meng Siqi had fallen down the stairs and hit her head; she was now being treated in the emergency center.


    Old Xie had not provided any reasons, as he was not sure himself.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s voice was somewhat hoarse, ¡°Director Xie, why didn¡¯t you tell me in the morning?¡±


    ¡°Qingyu, it¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t want to tell you, but Chief Engineer He forbade me from saying anything.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s with Rongrong?¡±


    ¡°The child ran out on her own. Luckily, a kind person found her and brought her to our guesthouse.¡±


    ¡°Director Xie, how many tickets did you buy?¡±


    ¡°Just the two of us.¡±


    He Xuerong, who had initially been docile and cute while letting Qiao Qingyu braid her hair, suddenly turned around crying, ¡°Little aunt, I want to go back with you too. I don¡¯t want to stay here.¡±


    ¡°Rongrong, does your little uncle know you came to find me?¡±


    He Xuerong guiltily hung her head.


    Director Xie hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯ve already phoned Chief Engineer He.¡±


    After Qiao Qingyu finished packing up for Rongrong, she took her to the hospital.


    After much persuasion, convincing Rongrong that she would not send her away, and that she would take her back to Xichuan, Rongrong was no longer so resistant.


    By the time Qiao Qingyu arrived at the hospital, Meng Siqi had already been transferred to the ICU.


    Still in critical condition.


    Qiao Qingyu had taken the initiative to come.


    When she stood in the corridor with Rongrong, several people at the ICU door simultaneously turned to look at them, and He Xuerong quickly hid behind her.


    He Juanjuan¡¯s face twisted with ferocity, her eyes filled with rage.


    When He Shan saw her, he was startled at first, then stood up and said gently, ¡°Qingyu, you¡¯ve come.¡±


    He Xiuyu snapped back to reality and quickly walked towards her.


    Obviously, He Xiuyu hadn¡¯t rested for a day and a night; he looked haggard, his brow furrowed tightly.


    His voice was also somewhat hoarse, ¡°Why have you come?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded toward He Shan, her voice strained, ¡°Uncle He.¡±


    He Juanjuan¡¯s voice was sharp, but she was also trying to suppress it because they were in the hospital, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, if you have any shred of humanity, get out of here now, get as far away as possible, and never appear in our lives again.¡±


    ¡°Juanjuan shut up!¡± He Shan scolded with displeasure from the side.


    Biting back her anger, He Juanjuan sat in her chair, turned her head away, refusing to look at He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu.


    He Xiuyu took Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand and started walking towards the end of the corridor.


    He Xuerong looked back at her grandfather, bit her lip, waved at He Shan, hesitated in place for a moment, then stamped her foot and followed after Qiao Qingyu.


    ¡°That heartless little mute!¡± He Juanjuan cursed vehemently.


    He Shan trembled with anger, ¡°You are spoiled by your mother. How can you be so malicious? That¡¯s your older brother¡¯s daughter, your own niece. Can¡¯t you speak human?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not my niece; she¡¯s no longer my niece the moment she follows that shameless woman. What¡¯s wrong with my mother? My mother¡¯s life and death are uncertain, and yet you¡¯re here scolding me...¡± As she spoke, He Juanjuan started to cry.


    Qiao Qingyu also heard the crying, but she had already been pulled downstairs by He Xiuyu.


    Standing on the marble floor of the staircase, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°How is my aunt? What exactly happened?¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s face was dark, his brows locked in heavy, unwavering distress and worry.


    ¡°She¡¯s still in danger. My mom has a bad heart, and currently, it¡¯s not suitable for her to undergo surgery.¡±


    ¡°Is it because of me?¡±


    After saying that, Qiao Qingyu felt her words were meaningless. She tugged at the corner of her mouth, looked up to say something to He Xiuyu, but he preempted her, his voice slightly stern, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, don¡¯t talk to me about divorcing when you go back. What I said to you yesterday was not a joke, nor a whim, but a very serious promise!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu felt a pain in her heart; rationally, she thought it was best for them to separate now.


    Objectively speaking, neither of them had invested too much emotion into each other, with just a vague fondness. That¡¯s how He Xiuyu felt towards her, and she felt the same.


    Neither could say that they couldn¡¯t live without the other.

 Chapter 191 - 191 191 At All Costs

    ?Chapter 191: Chapter 191: At All Costs Chapter 191: Chapter 191: At All Costs So now, separation wouldn¡¯t greatly harm either of them, but with time, affection was bound to grow. What would they do then?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it was all because I was too willful back then,¡± Qiao Qingyu could only apologize with her head bowed.


    He Xiuyu suddenly pulled her arm, frowning as he asked, ¡°What happened to your arm?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing, I just fell by accident. I¡¯ve already applied some medicine.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t tell him about the incident on the bus that day.


    He Xiuyu said in a low voice, ¡°You should go back. Rongrong wants to go with you. Take her with you, and thank you for your trouble.¡±


    Then he asked He Xuerong, ¡°Rongrong, are you sure you want to go back to Xichuan with your little aunt?¡±


    He Xuerong hesitated for a moment, tears streaming down, but she still said firmly, ¡°I want to go home with little aunt.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s eyes darkened.


    This child, she never considered this place her home.


    He Xuerong then asked, ¡°Little uncle, will you be returning soon?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, but your little uncle has to wait a while.¡±


    ¡°Grandma will be okay, right?¡±


    ¡°Grandma will get well soon. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    He Xuerong pursed her lips, leaning against the wall, mumbling, ¡°Little uncle, why don¡¯t you believe me? I saw it; it was Little Aunt who pushed grandma down the stairs...¡±


    He Xiuyu frowned but didn¡¯t scold He Xuerong. Instead, he said, ¡°Rongrong, don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s suspicious gaze turned to He Xiuyu.


    Her lips moved, but she didn¡¯t continue to ask.


    He Xuerong had already told her on the way here.


    What He Xuerong told her was this:


    She was planning to return with her little uncle, but grandma objected, and aunt fanned the flames, saying that little uncle should immediately divorce the little aunt and send her back to her hometown, never to see her again. Little uncle disagreed, and as he was ready to go downstairs with her, grandma grabbed little uncle¡¯s arm from behind, then she saw Little Aunt wave her hand, and grandma tumbled down the stairs, with little uncle unable to hold on and falling after her...


    Qiao Qingyu had many more questions to ask, but since He Xiuyu didn¡¯t want to talk, she dropped the subject, speaking softly, ¡°Then I¡¯ll take Rongrong back to Xichuan first.¡±


    ¡°Old Xie is going with you; that puts my mind at ease.¡±


    ¡°He Xiuyu, I...¡±


    He Xiuyu quickly interrupted what Qiao Qingyu was about to say next, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. Leave this matter to me. If I can¡¯t even handle this, I don¡¯t deserve to be your husband.¡±


    After speaking, he carefully reminded Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Regarding Wu Xiujie¡¯s matter, I have already reported it to the relevant authorities.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes grew warm, and she responded with a hum. The reason she came to the hospital was because even if she didn¡¯t know, she had to see for herself now that she did. But it was also not appropriate for her to stay longer.


    He Shan approached, standing upstairs and looking at her, saying gently, ¡°Qingyu, don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re here. You take Rongrong back to the guesthouse first. Thank you for your efforts.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem, Uncle He. Rongrong and I will head back.¡±


    He Shan nodded, seemed to want to say something, but then sighed, and left with heavy steps.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t allow Qiao Qingyu to think too much and led her and Rongrong downstairs.


    He put Qiao Qingyu and He Xuerong on the bus.


    This bus wasn¡¯t very crowded.


    Qiao Qingyu held He Xuerong, sitting on the chair by the window and looking back, she could only see He Xiuyu¡¯s figure disappearing at the hospital¡¯s entrance.


    Qiao Qingyu frowned, not liking the scene before her eyes.


    Moreover, she could no longer determine if it was necessary to persist with her marriage to He Xiuyu under such difficult circumstances.


    Qiao Qingyu admitted that at times she was very pragmatic.


    She turned her head to look out of the car window; the country still heavily relied on bicycles, and at this time it was rush hour. The number of bicycles had clearly increased compared to when they had arrived, and one could even hear the ding-dong of the bicycle bells while sitting inside a bus.


    Accidentally bumping her arm against the seat in front of her, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but hiss in pain. Rongrong quickly raised her head, puckered her little mouth, and gently blew on it, saying softly, ¡°Little Aunt, don¡¯t hurt... just don¡¯t hurt...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu hugged Rongrong closer into her arms, resting her chin on top of the little girl¡¯s head, and murmured, ¡°Going back to Xichuan with Little Aunt, don¡¯t you miss Grandpa and Little Uncle?¡±


    ¡°...I miss them, but... I don¡¯t like Little Auntie and Grandma at all.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°Then from now on, you¡¯ll stay with Little Aunt.¡±


    He Xuerong happily twisted her body around, wrapped her arms around Qiao Qingyu¡¯s neck, and left a kiss on her face.


    She whispered, ¡°Little Aunt, don¡¯t leave, and don¡¯t abandon me.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu hummed in response, extending her hand to pat Rongrong¡¯s back.


    Truthfully, she was someone who feared trouble, but the more she feared it, the more it seemed to circle around her. She couldn¡¯t pinpoint the law behind it, but it was certainly annoying.


    Until she and He Xuerong left Beijing with Old Xie, He Xiuyu hadn¡¯t shown up; his belongings had already been packed by Qiao Qingyu and placed at the guesthouse.


    They arrived in high spirits, but left in a somber mood.


    She could only hope that He Xuerong¡¯s grandmother would be safe and sound.


    Otherwise, even if He Xiuyu were incredibly capable, their relationship could not continue.


    Marriage was about bringing together two families, not just about two people. It involved relatives and family members from both sides.


    It was a matter concerning a large group of people.


    Moreover, she really wasn¡¯t prepared to go to any lengths for this marriage.


    ...


    After coming back, life suddenly became busy.


    The last batch of Barley Grass had gradually sprouted.


    With that, the greenification project of Tenghai Research Base came to a pause, but the tasks that followed planting were even more daunting.


    Before leaving, He Xiuyu had called Qiao Qingyu to ask her to leave behind a pound of Barley Grass Seeds, which she did. Now, that pound of seeds was in Beijing¡¯s Academy of Sciences undergoing cultivation and research.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t understand the significance of He Xiuyu¡¯s actions; he only spoke of it over the phone, and she felt she should trust him.


    However, Qiao Qingyu soon put this matter out of her mind as Boss Chen from Nangang City called her; the plastic film she needed had been sourced, but required an advance payment.


    It was said that the batch of plastic film was coming from across the river and was somewhat pricey.


    Based on the area Qiao Qingyu needed, it would cost twelve thousand.


    Qiao Qingyu hesitated, telling Boss Chen that she didn¡¯t have that much money on hand.


    Laughing cheerfully over the phone, Boss Chen said, ¡°No problem at all, I trust you. You can pay me in installments...¡±


    He added, ¡°There¡¯s not much of this batch of plastic film left, if you want it you have to hurry and contact me. Otherwise, I can¡¯t hold onto it for long, I¡¯m doing this as a favor for Director Sui...¡±

 Chapter 192 - 192 192 Heart Startling

    ?Chapter 192: Chapter 192: Heart Startling Chapter 192: Chapter 192: Heart Startling Qiao Qingyu promised to figure out a solution as soon as possible and then hung up the phone.


    She was preparing to go to Xichuan.


    Wulong Group¡¯s daily chemical plant was currently under vigorous construction, and she wanted to inquire about the specific prices of plastic films there, knowing that Boss Chen, who was quite cunning, had extensive connections.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t want any unnecessary trouble.


    She asked Sister-in-law Li to take care of Rongrong for the day while she took the base¡¯s transport vehicle to Xichuan.


    She had contacted Lu Ye in advance, and he happened to be in Xichuan reporting on work; he happily agreed to take her to Wu Tai¡¯s factory to meet Secretary Chang.


    Qiao Qingyu also planned to inquire about Wu Xiujie¡¯s situation with Secretary Chang.


    When she arrived in Xichuan, it was just noon, and Lu Ye was waiting at the entrance of the Xichuan office; he had ridden a bicycle.


    With a simple shirt and pants, delicate features, and a tall, slender figure, he attracted the attention of quite a few girls.


    ¡°After we eat, we¡¯ll head to the factory.¡± After speaking, Lu Ye patted the back seat of his bike, ¡°Hop on, I¡¯ll give you a ride.¡±


    Then he scratched the back of his head, and said apologetically, ¡°I don¡¯t have a company car at my level yet, so you¡¯ll have to make do with the bicycle for now, as the factory is in the suburbs and there are no public buses yet.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu turned to look at the main entrance, where the truck she had hitched a ride with had already left. And since it was a base vehicle on a transport mission, she just hitched a ride and didn¡¯t feel right asking them to drop her at the chemical plant.


    Qiao Qingyu smacked her lips, regretfully saying, ¡°I should have driven a tractor here.¡±


    Lu Ye laughed, ¡°Give me a break, you, drive a tractor? Come on, let¡¯s go have lunch.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t make a fuss. She sat on the back seat of Lu Ye¡¯s bicycle, holding onto the edge of the seat, and then Lu Ye pedaled forward. Not far ahead, there was an alley with a restaurant known for its delicious meals. He planned to take Qiao Qingyu there for lunch first and then head to the chemical plant together.


    As they turned around a corner, a jeep came towards them.


    Originally, it seemed that the bicycle and the jeep would just pass each other, but the jeep suddenly stopped, and its door opened. After all, the speed of a jeep and a bicycle cannot be compared; the jeep had driven a certain distance, but the bicycle was not far away.


    Qiao Qingyu then heard a smooth, familiar voice behind her, ¡°Comrade Little Qiao.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu quickly looked back, only to see He Xiuyu standing beside the jeep, smiling gently at her.


    Apart from a call a few days ago when he mentioned his mother was out of critical condition, they hadn¡¯t spoken again, and Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t expected He Xiuyu to have returned.


    Joy still showed between Qiao Qingyu¡¯s brows.


    Lu Ye heard He Xiuyu¡¯s voice too, dismounted the bicycle, and Qiao Qingyu had already hopped off.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t stay put but leisurely walked towards Qiao Qingyu, nodding with a smile to Lu Ye who was pushing the bicycle, then turned to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°What brings you to Xichuan; did you know I was back?¡±


    ¡°How could I know you¡¯re back if you didn¡¯t call me?¡± Qiao Qingyu playfully glared at him but still asked softly, ¡°Has everything been resolved at home?¡±


    He Xiuyu nodded, ¡°Yes, everything is settled.¡± Then he continued, ¡°Where are you and Lu Ye off to?¡±


    ¡°This morning, Boss Chen called to say he had found a batch of plastic films, but the price was very high, plus he mentioned they were being brought over from across the river, which made me feel unsure. So, I decided to visit Wulong Group¡¯s chemical plant and consult Secretary Chang about the specific prices of the plastic films.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll come with you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu turned to look at Lu Ye and noticed that Lu Xiaopang¡¯s complexion didn¡¯t look very good; he seemed quite embarrassed.


    He Xiuyu was of a much higher rank than him, and his achievements were also superior, not to mention that it seemed the jeep was specifically to take He Xiuyu back to the base.


    Taking a jeep to the chemical plant?


    Just as Qiao Qingyu was about to speak, He Xiuyu gently said, ¡°I¡¯ll go and borrow a bicycle from Director Zhao...¡± He then smiled and explained, ¡°I also hitched a ride in this jeep.¡±


    It had to be said, He Xiuyu was a very prudent person, and sometimes, he made people feel refreshed; at least Lu Ye¡¯s complexion improved quite a bit.


    He Xiuyu clearly knew that Lu Ye had feelings for Qiao Qingyu, yet he acted as if he knew nothing and was also very gentle towards Lu Ye. During the meal, the three of them even started talking about the Seed Breeding Center.


    He Xiuyu told Qiao Qingyu that the test results for the Barley Grass were out, inside his briefcase, and he would show them to her once he got home.


    Lu Ye raised an eyebrow, ¡°Can¡¯t I take a look?¡±


    He Xiuyu, who was very good-natured, opened his briefcase and handed a folder to Lu Ye.


    ¡°This is public information; you can certainly take a look.¡±


    Lu Ye hadn¡¯t expected He Xiuyu to agree so readily, but he was indeed interested in the test results of the Barley Grass.


    After all, he had also had a major part in this.


    Naturally, the test results were authoritative, and the data was excellent. Qiao Qingyu also took a look and could not but admire them; the scientists had indeed discerned all the merits of the Barley Grass Seeds cultivated in the Space Laboratory.


    However, there were still some other characteristics that would need to be tested and compared against the next batch of mature seeds.


    And actual cultivation research monitoring was also required.


    But even so, Qiao Qingyu was amazed.


    Yet, for some reason, at this moment, Qiao Qingyu had a reckless thought.


    If she worried about this and that, then she should do nothing now, just stay quietly at home or simply shut herself in her Seed Laboratory and go into business.


    In this era, with the experience and vision of the next few decades, wanting to venture into business and become China¡¯s first billionaire was not an issue; she could even possibly become a world leader in the fields of electronic technology and finance.


    But now, she had no interest in these; she just wanted to see what she could turn Xichuan into.


    As for flaws, Qiao Qingyu was too lethargic to consider them anymore.


    After riding for nearly an hour, they reached the chemical plant, and it happened that Secretary Chang was in the office.


    When the exploratory team had visited the wasteland to check the thousand silk hemp, she had met Secretary Chang.


    Lu Ye and Secretary Chang were acquainted; after mutual introductions, Secretary Chang took Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu to the workshop that was not yet completed, pointing to the equipment being transported in, he said, ¡°This is the production line, which if put into operation, will produce over eight thousand tons of plastic film per year.¡±


    In this era, this production volume was already quite substantial.


    Qiao Qingyu mentioned the price given by Boss Chen, and Secretary Chang, frowning, said, ¡°That is indeed very expensive, but if it is coming from across the border, one must also be cautious whether it¡¯s smuggled goods or not.¡±


    This reminder was timely, and Qiao Qingyu sincerely thanked Secretary Chang.


    Secretary Chang looked at Qiao Qingyu, seemingly hesitant to speak, but Qiao Qingyu indeed had some questions to ask him, so she said, ¡°Secretary Chang, can we go to your office? I have something I¡¯d like to discuss with you.¡±

 Chapter 193 - 193 193 Control

    ?Chapter 193: Chapter 193: Control Chapter 193: Chapter 193: Control Secretary Chang naturally had no objections; he had actually been wanting to find Qiao Qingyu for a while.


    However, due to He Xiuyu¡¯s identity, he didn¡¯t dare to act.


    Secretary Chang took Qiao Qingyu back to the office, while Lu Ye and He Xiuyu were led by another person in charge to inspect other workshops and they discussed issues of raw material supply.


    Initially, building the factory here was chosen because, despite being located in the Northwest, it was integrated with convenient transportation and an expansive area, as well as the raw materials needed for producing plastic films, like the oil field a thousand kilometers away.


    Moreover, what mattered most was its proximity to the Tenghai Research Base.


    So, this person in charge had been eager to meet He Xiuyu and didn¡¯t expect him to come by today; they certainly wouldn¡¯t miss such an opportunity.


    At this time in the office, Qiao Qingyu got straight to the point, ¡°Some time ago, I went to Beijing. An elderly gentleman named Wu Xiujie found me.¡±


    Secretary Chang¡¯s expression was complex. There were newspapers on his desk, and he pointed saying, ¡°I actually found out about Mr. Wu¡¯s big move from the newspapers.¡±


    That was a news report about Wu Xiujie donating twelve national treasures that had been lost overseas.


    In the photo, Wu Xiujie had a very kind smile.


    And those treasures were indeed national treasures.


    This was not in doubt, so to say there was something wrong with him, before ample evidence, no one would believe it.


    If he weren¡¯t two-faced, even Qiao Qingyu herself would admire such a person.


    At that moment, Secretary Chang asked, ¡°What did he say to you?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu did not answer Secretary Chang¡¯s question, but instead turned the conversation with another question, ¡°Secretary Chang, how is your chairman nowadays?¡±


    Secretary Chang did not mind the question. Speaking of the chairman, he showed a hint of concern, ¡°If only I knew how they are now, we¡¯ve been unable to make contact.¡±


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t the construction here been halted? How did it resume?¡±


    ¡°The higher-ups said some of the evidence was fabricated. Since there were fabricated issues, it means there are problems with other evidence as well. Besides, our chemical plant is urgently needed by China, so after review, they let us continue construction.¡±


    ¡°What about the funding?¡±


    Secretary Chang smiled, ¡°That must be credited to our chairman¡¯s foresight. When he decided to invest in building the factory here, he set up an account domestically filled with plenty of funds for operations.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you make contact? Are phone calls not going through?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu fell silent for a moment but then suddenly asked, ¡°Secretary Chang, how long have you been working for Wulong Group?¡±


    Secretary Chang was taken aback, clearly not expecting Qiao Qingyu to ask him such a question. If someone else asked, he might not respond, but he had more patience with Qiao Qingyu, ¡°I¡¯ve been here for ten years.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s been that long. Then, do you know how the relationship is between the brothers Wu Xiucai and Wu Xiujie?¡±


    Secretary Chang laughed, pointing at the man in the newspaper, ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by how kindly he smiles now. In M Country, he has quite a reputation¨C¨Ccountless mistresses and many illegitimate children.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t a secret, and what¡¯s more, Wu Xiujie took pride in it.


    ¡°Wulong Group was founded by Wu Xiucai; does Wu Xiujie hold any shares?¡±


    ¡°He does not,¡± Secretary Chang replied patiently.


    ¡°Secretary Chang, if those twelve national treasures had all belonged to him, that would be one thing, but if they were all bought with money, that would be a significant expense.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t think of that. I¡¯m not very familiar with Mr. Wu¡¯s lifestyle, but those national treasures weren¡¯t part of his collection. However, he has his own company and family assets; the senior Mr. Wu even urged our chairman to take good care of his older brother on his deathbed.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at Secretary Chang, a forty-year-old middle-aged man with glasses, pale skin, and quite scholarly. He spoke Chinese very well. It was said he had a doctorate from a top U.S. university.


    He was a significant presence.


    But Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know if he was trustworthy.


    Aside from knowing that Wu Xiujie was a playboy, there seemed to be no other useful clues.


    After all, he was just a secretary and not a member of the Wu Family. If he could get in touch with Wu Tai, he might know something, but Wu Tai was Wu Xiujie¡¯s biological son.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced around the office and said leisurely, ¡°If you can¡¯t contact your chairman and president for a long time, what will happen to this factory?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it will continue to operate. We already have a complete plan, and the production line has arrived domestically. We can source raw materials locally, so there¡¯s no problem with the factory starting normal production.¡±


    ¡°So, you will stay in the country indefinitely?¡±


    Secretary Chang hesitated, looking at Qiao Qingyu. He remembered the photograph; if this girl really was the chairman¡¯s granddaughter, then she surely could be trusted. But what if she wasn¡¯t?


    But now, since he couldn¡¯t contact the chairman and president, he dared not go to Qiao Family Team to find Han Xianglan.


    Moreover, without the orders of the chairman and president, he would not dare to act rashly. Even though he couldn¡¯t contact them now, he felt it was only temporary. Given the chairman¡¯s ability, he would surely get out of the predicament; it was just a matter of time. So he needed to wait patiently.


    Secretary Chang said with a smile, ¡°I can¡¯t leave for the time being.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, being a clever person, of course knew that Secretary Chang didn¡¯t trust her either. Nonetheless, she said, ¡°A few days ago when I was in Beijing, Mr. Wu found me. In public, he said I looked a lot like someone. But when we were alone, he actually said that I better pray that my mother is not Wu Xiucai¡¯s daughter.¡±


    Secretary Chang was stunned.


    Qiao Qingyu continued, ¡°You think he might be becoming senile, repeating himself in a way that confuses others?¡±


    ¡°This...¡± Secretary Chang awkwardly said, ¡°Maybe Mr. Wu was just joking with you.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope,¡± Qiao Qingyu stood up, ready to leave, and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for taking up so much of your time.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, not at all.¡± Secretary Chang handed his business card to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°This is my card. Call this number if you need anything.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu took the business card and tucked it into her bag.


    Upon leaving the office, she happened to see He Xiuyu and Lu Ye walking toward her from a distance with two men.


    They were talking as they walked, seeming to be in a good mood.


    When leaving, the person in charge enthusiastically offered to drive them back to Tenghai Research Base in a large truck, but He Xiuyu declined.


    He still had belongings at the Xichuan Office.


    When she arrived home, it was already night, with stars twinkling above. Lights shone in the family housing at the base.

 Chapter 194 - 194 194 The Sense of Abstinence

    ?Chapter 194: Chapter 194: The Sense of Abstinence Chapter 194: Chapter 194: The Sense of Abstinence Qiao Qingyu held He Xiuyu¡¯s briefcase, while He Xiuyu was carrying two large bags, entering the gate of the family courtyard. Just a few steps in, everything around suddenly turned pitch black, then they heard the guard at the door saying, ¡°The power is out.¡±


    The base now generates its own electricity. These days, power supply all across Huaxia is very tight¡ªa power outage is a common occurrence.


    What Qiao Qingyu remembered most vividly was the evening of New Year¡¯s Eve when she was ten years old. The Qiao Family Team had just gotten electricity; before that, they always celebrated the New Year by candlelight. It was the first time they had electric lights, and the villagers were thrilled.


    However, just as everyone was making dumplings, the power suddenly went out, plunging them into darkness. Everyone scrambled to light candles and oil lamps, but such lights were never as good as the electric bulbs hanging from the ceiling. Out of habit, everyone rushed outside, only to see that Hejia Village across the river was brightly lit. Only then did they realize that it was only the Qiao Family Team that had lost power.


    The Qiao Family Team had an electrician who was on duty in the control room. When Sun Dazhang, the team leader, found him, he simply said the circuit was broken. Fixes would have to wait until daylight.


    The people were extremely disappointed. They had finally gotten electricity for a bright New Year¡¯s celebration, yet they still had to use oil lamps while the electric lights were out, which was frustrating.


    The old circuit breakers really were quite similar to knife switches.


    Then, Uncle Qiao noticed something seemed off with the circuit breaker. In his memory, it was supposed to face upwards, but it had flipped downwards. He quietly informed Sun Dazhang. After all, they weren¡¯t electricians. Even the team leader didn¡¯t dare to tamper with it lightly¡ªunknown things always brought a certain inexplicable fear.


    At that time, Sun Dazhang had just taken office and had a few people at his disposal, so he had Uncle Qiao drive a tractor to fetch the electrician from the commune.


    Then, with a simple push upward on the circuit breaker by the electrician, the entire village lit up again.


    But by then, it was already past eleven o¡¯clock; New Year¡¯s Eve was nearly over.


    At this memory, Qiao Qingyu chuckled.


    He Xiuyu carried the two bags in one hand and caught Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand, asking, ¡°Xiao Qiao, what are you laughing at?¡±


    ¡°Could it be that the electrician pulled the circuit breaker because of the sudden power outage?¡± she asked.


    He Xiuyu said seriously, ¡°Recently, electricity consumption has been high, and supply is insufficient.¡±


    Suddenly remembering something, he wore a smile as they walked, saying, ¡°Are you recalling your childhood, when the electrician from your Qiao Family Team, unable to go home for New Year, pulled the breaker out of spite?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°That year, your father and I went to Hejia Village for the New Year. The next day, while going out to pay New Year¡¯s visits, I heard about it...¡±


    By now, several households had started lighting candles.


    Despite this, the surroundings remained pitch black. Qiao Qingyu smiled warmly, ¡°You even visited Hejia Village; I went to my aunt¡¯s house every New Year, but I never saw you.¡±


    He Xiuyu just smiled, thinking to himself, how could he not have seen him? He ate so much of his candy, yet she had forgotten about him.


    Of course, since he couldn¡¯t remember, he wouldn¡¯t bring it up.


    The two groped their way inside and lit some candles.


    Qiao Qingyu rushed to wash her hands; they still hadn¡¯t had dinner.


    Meanwhile, He Xiuyu took out and arranged everything from the bags, one at a time.


    Qiao Qingyu picked two tomatoes, heated oil in the pot, and saute?ed some chopped onions until fragrant. She then fried the tomatoes and added water. It was too late for a stir-fry or stewed rice, so making some noodle soup was just right.


    Qiao Qingyu was particularly experienced at making noodle soup. She kneaded the dough with water, then dumped it into a colander, pressing it back and forth with a wooden spoon. Pearlescent-like noodle pieces began dropping into the boiling tomato soup. The egg was added after all the noodles were pressed, emitting an instant burst of aroma throughout the kitchen.


    Qiao Qingyu served the noodle soup in two big bowls, then chopped some sharp peppers and coriander, mixed them with a bit of salt, and set them on the table.


    The two dishes together were a perfect match.


    Even when the food had cooled down, both of them still sweated profusely as they ate. During the day, Qiao Qingyu had prepared a basin of hot water. Naturally, it couldn¡¯t compare with the hospitality of the headquarters. After a quick wipe, the two sat under the grapevine to cool off.


    Above them, there were no grapes, but the leaves were lush and green, covering the entire grapevine.


    At that moment, it was utterly silent, and the electricity was still out, making everything around extremely dim. The stars above shone even brighter.


    After a full day of activity, Qiao Qingyu was somewhat tired.


    She rose and went indoors to prepare for bed, followed by He Xiuyu, who leaned against the doorway with his hair still damp.


    Of course, he leaned against the doorway of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s bedroom.


    His gaze was intensely fixed on Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu arranged her pillow, drew the curtains, then kneeled on the cool mat, looking at He Xiuyu, and dryly said, ¡°It¡¯s late, you should go rest too.¡±


    Only then did Qiao Qingyu realize that it was just the two of them left in this house.


    What did He Xiuyu¡¯s look mean?


    She was naturally aware of the matters between men and women, but she wasn¡¯t ready.


    Qiao Qingyu felt her back sweat, and her palms were the same.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t move; he still leaned by the door, his posture lazy, his facial features handsome, even more attractive than stars decades later.


    Especially dressed in the deep blue pajamas, it exuded a profound and ascetic feel.


    She knew that his physique under the pajamas was great.


    Her throat felt a bit dry.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s voice was leisurely, ¡°Xiao Qiao, don¡¯t you have anything to ask me?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu thought for a moment, then hurriedly said, ¡°How is your mother¡¯s health recovery going?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s been discharged and is recovering well, but you¡¯ve already asked this.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu slapped the mat, ¡°What¡¯s going on, He Xiuyu, making everything so mysterious...¡±


    He Xiuyu shook his head, seemingly a bit disappointed, ¡°You really don¡¯t have anything to ask?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, looking at the bright-eyed He Xiuyu, said, ¡°What do you want me to ask?¡±


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu truly a bit confused, He Xiuyu pursed his lips, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to ask how I¡¯ve resolved the problem between you and me?¡±


    ¡°Did you really resolve it?¡± Qiao Qingyu blurted out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you trust me, or have you not taken this matter seriously?¡± He Xiuyu asked somewhat displeased, his voice growing deeper.


    Qiao Qingyu quickly said, ¡°Our families¡¯ issues are not small, it¡¯s not that I haven¡¯t thought about it, just that I didn¡¯t think it would be resolved so quickly.¡±


    Then curiously asked, ¡°How did you convince your mom and your sister?¡±


    ¡°Lay out the facts, make it reasonable,¡± He Xiuyu said nonchalantly, raising his eyebrows, ¡°This matter is complex if you say it¡¯s complex, yet also simple if you consider it simple; it all depends on how people see it.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu agreed deeply, ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s the idea. If you say it¡¯s severe, it¡¯s like a huge mountain lying between us, but if you say it¡¯s trivial, then it¡¯s really just a small ditch one can step right over.¡±

 Chapter 195 - 195 195 I Regret Marrying You

    ?Chapter 195: Chapter 195: I Regret Marrying You Chapter 195: Chapter 195: I Regret Marrying You Qiao Qingyu¡¯s voice carried a playful tone, and He Xiu Yu couldn¡¯t help but laugh before he finally spoke with sincerity, ¡°Little Qiao, I still haven¡¯t done well, I haven¡¯t made my mother and sister like you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu quickly waved her hand dismissively, ¡°It¡¯s okay, if they suddenly started liking me now, that would truly be weird.¡±


    He Xiu Yu seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, ¡°Even though marriage unites two families, I don¡¯t want them to interfere in my married life, this is my own choice.¡±


    The candlelight on the table flickered slightly, half illuminating the faces of the two, yet their eyes appeared to be filled with starlight, eyes locked, Qiao Qingyu actually wanted to ask why He Xiu Yu had initially agreed to marry her?


    Yet she ultimately swallowed those words back.


    He Xiu Yu leaned forward with a half-smirk, ¡°Little Qiao, I¡¯ve solved one of our problems, shouldn¡¯t you reward me?¡±


    Instinctively, Qiao Qingyu felt it was hard to respond, but she forced a smile anyway, ¡°What kind of reward do you want, shall I cook something delicious for you tomorrow?¡±


    He Xiu Yu shook his head.


    ¡°Then what do you want?¡±


    He Xiu Yu leaned in, pointed at his cheek with his finger, his voice tempting, eyes sparkling, ¡°Little Qiao, you could give me a kiss.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    Her cheeks flushed instantly, kissing him was really no big deal, but when spoken by He Xiu Yu, she felt too shy to proceed.


    Qiao Qingyu always thought she was thick-skinned, but now she realized how easily she could get shy.


    She grabbed a pillow and threw it at He Xiu Yu while complaining coyly, ¡°You really have no shame, what are you thinking?¡±


    He Xiu Yu caught the pillow without getting upset and gently placed it on the edge of the bed.


    His eyes twinkled with amusement, he asked leisurely, ¡°Little Qiao, are you feeling shy, embarrassed?¡±


    ¡°Just go back to your room and sleep!¡± Qiao Qingyu retorted with flushed cheeks.


    He Xiu Yu ran his hand through his hair, innocently replied, ¡°My hair is still wet, I can¡¯t sleep now.¡±


    ¡°I am tired, I¡¯ve been running around all day, I¡¯m really exhausted.¡±


    ¡°Kissing doesn¡¯t require much energy.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just stop!¡± Qiao Qingyu was almost furiously embarrassed.


    Yet unexpectedly, He Xiu Yu leaned in closer, his peach blossom eyes narrowing slightly, his voice soft and coaxing, like teasing a frizzed-up kitten, ¡°Are you really that timid?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stared at him huffily, her expression making her look all the more charming.


    He Xiu Yu¡¯s gaze grew intense, his voice laced with a hint of seduction, ¡°Little Qiao, muster the courage you had when you crawled into my bed, and kiss me!¡±


    Suddenly, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s bedroom was enveloped in silence.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes widened, her lips slightly parted, disbelievingly looking at He Xiu Yu.


    She couldn¡¯t believe that these words were spoken by He Xiu Yu.


    Yet her ears weren¡¯t deaf and her eyes weren¡¯t blind; these were indeed the words spoken by He Xiu Yu.


    After saying this, he didn¡¯t even flinch, still using those affectionate peach blossom eyes to gaze intensely at her.


    And so, an indescribable, ambiguous tenderness slowly enveloped the two of them, almost audible were the irregular heartbeats of both.


    He Xiu Yu clearly had no intention of letting Qiao Qingyu off the hook; he slightly shook his head, seemingly a bit disappointed, his voice still huskily charming, ¡°Little Qiao, compared to the you who crawled into my bed, you seem to have lost a bit of that heart-throbbing courage.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s voice sounded disappointed, and his gaze seemed to carry a hint of disappointment too.


    Such disappointment sparked a fire in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart before she could even figure out what was happening, impulsively making her stand up from the kang and walk over to He Xiuyu in a few quick steps.


    He Xiuyu swiftly raised his head.


    This was the first time He Xiuyu had looked up at her.


    Without a second thought, Qiao Qingyu reached out, cupped He Xiuyu¡¯s face in her hands, and planted a kiss on his cheek with her petal-red lips.


    Then she pushed him away, hands on her hips, and said arrogantly, ¡°There, kissed you, now hurry back to your room and sleep!¡±


    He Xiuyu was just teasing Qiao Qingyu, taking advantage of the beautiful moonlight tonight, but when her soft, fragrant lips pressed against his cheek, his whole body stiffened, and his heart seemed to stop beating.


    So when Qiao Qingyu pushed him, caught off guard, his tall figure staggered backward a few steps before he steadied himself.


    Looking at the beautiful girl standing on the kang with her hands on her hips, he muttered, ¡°King Qiao is mighty!¡±


    He Xiuyu then laughed, his laughter muffled, causing his chest to tremble.


    The laughter made Qiao Qingyu furious again, and she leapt down from the kang, slipped into her slippers, grabbed He Xiuyu¡¯s clothes, and pushed him out.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t struggle and let Qiao Qingyu push him out of the bedroom to the doorway, where she glared at him furiously and then slammed the door shut in his face.


    Outside the door, He Xiuyu found himself enveloped in a bubble of happiness, a sensation from head to toe that made him feel light as air.


    What kind of feeling was it?


    It was like being perfectly tipsy from drinking.


    With a smile playing on his lips and a gentle expression in his eyes, he stood outside the door and knocked three times, to which Qiao Qingyu¡¯s annoyed voice impatiently called out from inside, ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°Little Qiao,¡±


    After those four words, He Xiuyu paused.


    A moment of silence from inside, then Qiao Qingyu said impatiently, ¡°If you have something to say, say it.¡±


    ¡°Qingyu...¡± He Xiuyu¡¯s voice was deep, imbuing the two syllables with a sense of longing, ¡°I want to say I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°What have you done to me that you¡¯re sorry for?¡± Qiao Qingyu demanded from the other side.


    ¡°There was a time when I regretted marrying you.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not too late now.¡±


    It was as if He Xiuyu hadn¡¯t heard Qiao Qingyu¡¯s response and continued softly, ¡°So I¡¯m apologizing for my past uncertainty.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu fell silent. Though she felt it was ungracious to think so, she couldn¡¯t deny that He Xiuyu¡¯s words pleased her.


    She unintentionally pursed her lips and chuckled, murmuring from behind the door, ¡°Alright, I get it, go rest.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight,¡± He Xiuyu¡¯s voice was tender as water.


    ¡°Goodnight,¡± Qiao Qingyu softened in response as well.


    Separated by the living room, neither knew when the other fell asleep, but after a long time, Qiao Qingyu finally drifted off and dreamed.


    This time, it wasn¡¯t of cold lake waters, but beside a big river...

 Chapter 196 - 196 196 Give My Body Back to Me

    ?Chapter 196: Chapter 196: Give My Body Back to Me! Chapter 196: Chapter 196: Give My Body Back to Me! In Qiao Qingyu¡¯s dream, a little girl whose face she couldn¡¯t see pulled her to a large rock beside the river. The little girl told her there was a red carp in the river, and she stared with her eyes wide, bending over to gaze intently at the surface of the water. Then the little girl pushed her into the river...


    She struggled desperately, instantly engulfed by a feeling of suffocation, and then she saw the faceless little girl jump in after her, viciously grabbing her hair and screaming maniacally, ¡°Give me back my body, you thief, you robber, give it back to me... Give me back my body...¡±


    The voice repeated endlessly, and then the little girl¡¯s hands reached for her throat.


    Qiao Qingyu struggled frantically, and finally, she could see the little girl clearly ¡ª but only her eyes.


    Her eyes were pitch black, cold, and merciless, like a venomous snake staring you down.


    Qiao Qingyu screamed in terror, and then heard her bedroom door being flung open, with He Xiuyu in pajamas quickly stepping inside.


    At that time, the dawn faintly lit the room, and the eastern sky held just a sliver of weak dawn light.


    He Xiuyu took Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand, and she slowly opened her eyes, her forehead slick with sweat, her gaze somewhat vacant as she looked at He Xiuyu, obviously not yet awakened from the nightmare.


    He Xiuyu sat on the edge of the kang bed, extended his arms, and gently pulled Qiao Qingyu into his embrace, softly saying, ¡°Did you have a nightmare?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded instinctively.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it was just a dream. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    The familiar scent and gentle voice calmed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart bit by bit, and it was only then that she pushed He Xiuyu away, slightly embarrassed, ¡°I¡¯m fine now...¡±


    He Xiuyu let go of her and looked carefully at Qiao Qingyu before saying, ¡°Go brush your teeth and wash your face then. Breakfast is ready. I¡¯ll go pick up Rongrong.¡±


    After Qiao Qingyu murmured an acknowledgment, He Xiuyu then left her bedroom.


    Qiao Qingyu wiped the sweat off her back, the memory of the nightmare resurfacing ¡ª it had felt so real, as if she had lived through it.


    The original owner?


    Could that little girl be the original owner?


    But why were her eyes different from hers?


    The girl who pushed her into the water and then followed her jumping in had single eyelids and slightly upturned eyes that looked cold.


    And why did she look about eleven or twelve years old?


    Logically, she should be around seventeen or eighteen.


    If these were reflections from deep memories, had she fallen into the river at the age of eleven or twelve?


    But she didn¡¯t have any memories of that sort.


    Could this simply be just a dream?


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression turned stern as she shook her head vigorously.


    When it came to things she couldn¡¯t understand, Qiao Qingyu wouldn¡¯t let them trouble her continuously. She decided to make a call to the Qiao Family Team.


    Even though the long-distance call was available, there were regulations in place and the call charges had to be deducted from He Xiuyu¡¯s salary. Otherwise, with the current high cost of calls, the base couldn¡¯t afford it.


    Qiao Qingyu never made calls when it wasn¡¯t necessary, but today she wanted to ask her family.


    Although it was summer, rural people got up early because the weather was too hot at noon, making it hard to work in the fields, so some tasks were done early to take advantage of the cooler morning.


    The call was unexpectedly answered by Accountant Zhang, who, after chatting cheerfully for a few sentences, was told by Qiao Qingyu to pass on a message to her parents that she would call them in three hours.


    After hanging up the phone, Qiao Qingyu went to the vegetable garden.


    The marigolds planted next to the grape trellis were blooming beautifully, instantly uplifting anyone¡¯s spirits. Qiao Qingyu picked two persimmons, two cucumbers, a handful of chili peppers, and a bunch of cilantro before heading into the kitchen.


    She wondered how big the potatoes in their field had grown and thought she should check later. She planned to dig out a few potatoes to stew with green beans, served with rice¡ªit would be delightful.


    The dough-ball soup Qiao Qingyu made yesterday was all gone, and this morning, He Xiuyu had simmered some millet porridge and reheated a few two-grain steamed buns from the cupboard.


    This time He Xiuyu brought back foods from Beijing that could be stored without a fridge, especially since they did not own one and it was summer, so he mostly brought dry goods.


    Wrapped in paper was even a piece of salted cured meat, a big bowl contained several salted duck eggs, and there was also a bundle of kelp and seaweed.


    She didn¡¯t know where he managed to find a large bundle of hanging noodles and vermicelli.


    All of which were stored in the bottommost cupboard.


    Qiao Qingyu noticed that He Xiuyu was really good at stocking up the home with food and drink.


    Seeing the full cupboard, Qiao Qingyu felt especially content and finally had meat to eat.


    Although it was just dry, salty cured meat, once prepared, it was also delicious.


    By the time He Xiuyu came back with Rongrong, Qiao Qingyu had already stir-fried two dishes that should have been made at noon. However, He Xiuyu had to return to the base after breakfast, as he hadn¡¯t been home for half a month and had a backlog of work piled up.


    The salted cured meat, after a simple preparation and cut into thin slices, was stir-fried with hot peppers for a spicy and aromatic dish.


    She also scrambled some eggs with cucumbers, a dish that Rongrong particularly loved.


    She cut up all the sausages that had been brought home; He Xiuyu had bought them from the provincial city just a day before, but they would have spoiled if left for another two days.


    After breakfast, He Xiuyu took his briefcase and went to work.


    Rongrong squatted on the kang, choosing comic books, and after making her selection, she ran off the bed and said to Qiao Qingyu while running, ¡°Little aunt, I¡¯m going to take the comic books to Xiao Hu, I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    By the time she finished speaking, she was already out of sight.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled and shook her head.


    After tidying up, the time came for the call she had arranged with her family. Qiao Qingyu dialed the number, and the call was immediately answered¡ªit was her mother, Han Xianglan.


    The mother and daughter were speaking on the phone for the first time, which felt strange at first. But as soon as they started talking, the intangible longing flowed through the phone line.


    Han Xianglan¡¯s voice was choked with emotion, ¡°Qingyu, how are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m doing well here. How about you all?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re good too, of course. Your dad and your older brother have gone to the fields to work. Feifei and the others have gone to school. Your younger brother is at high school in the county and can only come back on the weekend. Your sister-in-law said she¡¯ll prepare some radishes and cherries to make steamed vegetable buns for dinner...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but swallow hard, ¡°Sister-in-law makes the best steamed vegetable buns, you¡¯re making me crave it.¡±


    ¡°Silly girl, who told you to marry so far away? If you had married closer, couldn¡¯t you come back to your mother¡¯s house to enjoy a good meal?¡± said Han Xianglan with regret.


    ¡°Oh, mom, let¡¯s not talk about that. By the way, I wanted to ask you, did I fall into the river when I was about eleven or twelve years old?¡±

 Chapter 197 - 197 197 Regretting Profoundly

    ?Chapter 197: Chapter 197: Regretting Profoundly Chapter 197: Chapter 197: Regretting Profoundly Han Xianglan¡¯s heart tightened on the other end of the phone, her hand holding the receiver suddenly sweated, and after a moment of hesitation, she asked dryly, ¡°Qingyu, have you forgotten?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t recall, did I ever fall into the river?¡±


    ¡°...You fell into the big river between our Qiao Family Team and Hejia Village that summer when you were twelve.¡±


    ¡°How did I fall in?¡±


    ¡°You were standing on a rock saying there were red carp in the river, then you slipped and fell in...¡± As she said this, Han Xianglan suddenly felt a chill.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t there other people around me?¡±


    Han Xianglan furrowed her brows tightly on the other end, ¡°Qingyu, what are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°Mom, I had a dream last night. I think it was when I was around eleven or twelve. A little girl was showing me the carp in the river, and then she pushed me in from behind.¡±


    Han Xianglan¡¯s heart pounded, as there were quite a few people washing clothes by the riverbank at that time, vividly, her daughter was standing alone on the big rock, leaning forward, still saying where the red carp were, but she fell in the next second.


    The river water was especially deep in the summer, but luckily there were many people by the river who rescued her in a flurry.


    ¡°Did you dream anything else?¡±


    ¡°No, that was the only dream I had, so I wanted to ask you.¡±


    ¡°Qingyu, did you just say someone pushed you into the river?¡± Han Xianglan¡¯s voice trembled on the phone.


    Qiao Qingyu quickly shook her head, ¡°No, it was just a dream. Weren¡¯t many people watching me alone?¡±


    Han Xianglan softly hummed, ¡°Why suddenly have such a dream?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it¡¯s a bit blurry now. Mom, let¡¯s not talk about this. Do you have money to spend right now?¡± Qiao Qingyu quickly changed the subject.


    ¡°Why would I not? I haven¡¯t even spent the money you left me.¡±


    ¡°Then spend it, buy whatever you should buy; I¡¯ll give you more later.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know, but there¡¯s little need for spending money living in the village.¡± Han Xianglan then added, ¡°Besides, you mailed us so many things recently; don¡¯t waste money like that in the future.¡±


    Older generations are like that, accustomed to frugality even with money in hand, what she had mailed them were clothes, fabric, towels, and soap brought back from Nangang City, along with ten pairs of rain boots.


    The village paths are poor, making rain boots the most suitable for summer.


    She had planned to buy some things to mail to her parents when she went to Beijing, but before she could buy them, Meng Siqi had an accident, and then she hurriedly returned to Xichuan.


    But there would be more opportunities in the future.


    After the autumn harvest, she planned to stay at the Qiao Family Team for a while.


    After chatting for a few more heartfelt sentences, Qiao Qingyu casually asked, ¡°Mom, after all these years, haven¡¯t you ever wondered about your biological parents and where they might be? Don¡¯t you want to find them?¡±


    Han Xianglan didn¡¯t mind this question at all, perhaps because she was often asked, she cheerily said, ¡°Decades have passed, and after they sold me to Old Lady He, they left. I was too young to remember anything back then, where would I even start looking for them?¡±


    ¡°What if they come looking for you?¡± Qiao Qingyu cautiously added another question, ¡°Mom, would you recognize them?¡±


    ¡°Why would I recognize them when they sold me?¡±


    ¡°Do you have no memory of them at all?¡±


    ¡°No, back then I was sick and had a high fever; surviving was already fortunate enough, let alone remembering so much.¡±


    It seemed that Han Xianglan believed that the two people who sold her must have been her biological parents.


    But now Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know how to start talking about the Wu Family.


    She tentatively said, ¡°Mom, do you think there are parents in the world who could be so cruel? You must have been very cute as a child, how could they bear to sell you? Maybe those people were traffickers who stole you from your biological parents and then sold you.¡±


    ¡°Ah, decades ago someone already told me this, but now I can¡¯t find those two people, so I don¡¯t know what happened.¡±


    ¡°Does Old Lady He have any impressions of those two people?¡±


    ¡°At that time, when things were chaotic, Old Lady He said she couldn¡¯t remember, she had forgotten what those two looked like long ago.¡±


    ¡°Mom, if they ever come to recognize you, don¡¯t pay any attention to them or meet with them alone.¡±


    Han Xianglan laughed, ¡°What are you talking about, child? I am over fifty now, even if they are alive, they would be in their seventies or eighties, how could they possibly come to recognize me? I¡¯m not an official, I am just a rural woman, what use would recognizing me be?¡±


    ¡°How could it be useless? You still have your daughter, me. I will be very powerful in the future. I¡¯m telling you in advance, if anyone tries to claim kinship with you, you should report it to the authorities, don¡¯t give them any opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I definitely won¡¯t let them take advantage of my daughter,¡± Han Xianglan said with indulgent laughter.


    Qiao Qingyu chuckled.


    ¡°Mom, let¡¯s leave it at that for now. You guys are doing well, and I am reassured. I¡¯m fine here too, so you don¡¯t need to worry about me. We can¡¯t keep hogging the phone line, I¡¯ll call you again if there¡¯s anything.¡±


    After a few more words, Qiao Qingyu hung up the phone.


    Standing in the study, she thought about how Mr. He and Old Lady He are still alive today.


    Perhaps because they felt guilty towards He Shan, although he was their only son, the elderly couple had always lived in Hejia Village, only occasionally rushing to and from Beijing.


    Probably one reason was their guilt for having sold his favorite girl to someone else, and another was Meng Siqi¡¯s issue, though Old Lady He didn¡¯t speak of it, occasionally her words would reveal her dissatisfaction with Meng Siqi and her regret for having sold Han Xianglan back then.


    Everyone in Hejia Village and Qiao Family Team knew how much the old lady regretted it.


    Old Lady He, whom Qiao Qingyu knew, had even secretly given her bean buns to eat when she was in Hejia Village.


    ...


    After resting at home for a day, Qiao Qingyu drove the tractor, taking Xiao Hu and Rongrong to the wasteland.


    This place could no longer be called wasteland, as the thousand silk hemp had flowered and would mature in a month.


    The barley grass was growing best, a tenacious plant that, like wildfire not exhausting the wild grasses, revived with every spring breeze.


    Especially after being cultivated into high-quality barley grass.


    Qiao Qingyu later threw plenty of straw mushroom and oil mushroom spawn into the grassland.


    Regarding the mushrooms in the grassland, she neither permitted nor forbade their collection.


    She simply turned a blind eye, as she had no choice. If she allowed unrestricted picking, the entire grassland might be trampled flat.


    Not to mention herself, even Mr. Qian would be so heartbroken that he¡¯d cry.


    Thus, if someone quietly picked some mushrooms occasionally, she just pretended not to see it.

 Chapter 198 - 198 198 Left with Nothing

    ?Chapter 198: Chapter 198: Left with Nothing Chapter 198: Chapter 198: Left with Nothing However, today it was very quiet here.


    The summer breeze gently wafted through, making the Barley Grass ripple and surge like waves in a green ocean.


    From afar, it was an utterly refreshing sight to behold.


    Today, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s tractor had brought along five children, Dashun, Daji, and Wei Xiao, followed by Xiao Hu and Rongrong, each with a small basket on their back.


    Now, they were running wild in the grassland.


    They would occasionally shout, ¡°There are mushrooms here! There are mushrooms here!¡± and the children would swarm to one spot together, their happiness so infectious that Qiao Qingyu almost wished she could join them in their folly.


    Qiao Qingyu headed towards the north side of the Barley Grassland, where a large area of Willow Wood was growing¡ªshe planned to take a look.


    However, she had to make her way around the Qiansi Hemp Field, which had grown taller than her.


    But she had only taken a few steps when she heard the sound of a jeep approaching from not too far away.


    Qiao Qingyu hesitated for a moment and hurriedly looked ahead. Although the distance was considerable, she recognized the jeep; it was a familiar vehicle from the base, often used by He Xiuyu.


    He Xiuyu, what was he doing here?


    Was he looking for her for some reason?


    While Qiao Qingyu was wondering, to her surprise, the jeep did not continue ahead but stopped in the distance.


    Qiao Qingyu stood at the end of the Qiansi Hemp Field and looked in that direction.


    Two people got out of the car, one was He Xiuyu, and the other was actually He Xiuwen.


    There was no need to say, this was definitely about either visiting Rongrong or taking her back.


    But now, it seemed he spent most of his time in the special forces team; did he have time to care for the child?


    Or could it be that Liu Ge had come back?


    That seemed unlikely.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s position gave her a clear view of He Xiuyu and He Xiuwen, while their gaze was fixed on the expanse of Barley Grassland.


    Qiao Qingyu was about to go meet them, but she stopped in her tracks when she saw He Xiuyu gesture to her from afar.


    Although she didn¡¯t understand, Qiao Qingyu stayed put.


    It wasn¡¯t long before He Xuerong¡¯s chirping voice could be heard from the grassland; though distant and indistinct, the sound was unmistakably joyful, like a happy lark.


    Then this happy lark emerged from the Barley Grassland, Dashun running ahead with a bunch of mushrooms in his hand, pursued by Xiao Hu and Rongrong behind.


    In particular, Rongrong, who was incredibly quick, managed to catch up with Dashun, tackled him from behind, snatched the mushrooms, and with her small face lifted, seemed to boast triumphantly about something.


    The young girl was dressed in denim overalls with a long-sleeved cotton checkered shirt buttoned up at the collar.


    Due to the rain the day before, she wore a pair of small red rain boots on her feet.


    She stood there proudly, like a little Princess.


    Dashun chuckled; he was merely teasing Rongrong after all. Xiao Hu, not amused, slapped him, then ran back to grab He Xuerong¡¯s small basket, into which He Xuerong placed the mushrooms she had reclaimed.


    The children then spread their arms and ran back towards the Barley Grassland as swift as the wind.


    The soil in this area had improved; birds and butterflies fluttered and circled over the brush, with a sky so blue it seemed as if the wind itself could sense the joy of these children.


    The jeep stopped behind a slope, and He Xuerong naturally did not see He Xiuyu and He Xiuwen.


    At this moment, standing beside the jeep, He Xiuwen¡¯s eyes were moist.


    Beside him, He Xiuyu¡¯s expression was calm. After a moment, he asked softly, ¡°Big brother, are you really not going to see Rongrong?¡±


    ¡°Rongrong is doing well here, so I won¡¯t go see her.¡±


    He Xiuwen wiped his face, his voice choked, ¡°I¡¯m not a good dad, I owe her an apology...¡±


    He Xiuyu fell silent for an instant but agreed, ¡°Rongrong is living well here. Let¡¯s not see her, then. We can wait until she¡¯s grown up.¡±


    He Xiuwen, holding back the tears in his eyes, watched foolishly as his daughter ran wildly through the grass like a butterfly. He had always neglected her care since she was little.


    In truth, he was not a good father, nor a good husband. A man like him should not have had a family, but he does not regret it. His daughter is lovely, and he loves her so very much!


    ¡°Xiuyu, this mission is different from the others. If I don¡¯t make it back, I entrust Rongrong to you.¡±


    He Xiuwen, saying this, had already calmed down.


    He Xiuyu was taken aback for a moment. Of course, he couldn¡¯t ask what mission He Xiuwen was undertaking, but it was the first time he heard his brother speak this way. He said gravely, ¡°Big brother, don¡¯t worry. I will treat Rongrong as my own daughter.¡±


    ¡°Qingyu is a good girl; don¡¯t let her down. Even if you are busy with work, make time for her. I¡¯m very grateful to her for Rongrong¡¯s improved health. If I survive and make it back, I will repay both of you...¡±


    ¡°Big brother!¡± He Xiuyu frowned, ¡°What are you talking about, Rongrong is my niece.¡±


    He Xiuwen had returned to normal, stretching out his hand to pat his brother¡¯s shoulder, his voice deep, ¡°It¡¯s time for me to go.¡±


    He Xiuyu hesitated no longer, waved to Qiao Qingyu from afar, and He Xiuwen also nodded to her, then they both got into the car. Soon, the jeep disappeared at the end of the slope.


    From start to finish, He Xuerong had not noticed the vehicle, and of course, she did not see her uncle and her father standing there for so long.


    Qiao Qingyu found it strange, not understanding what the brothers were discussing ¡ª why they¡¯d watched the child but not approached. It was truly odd...


    But she could not tell He Xuerong that her father had been there. Her questions would have to wait until He Xiuyu returned.


    ...


    He Xiuyu came back a bit late, looking tired, but his eyes lit up when he saw Qiao Qingyu.


    He hadn¡¯t eaten, so Qiao Qingyu made him some boiled noodles.


    That afternoon, she had bought a pound of meat from the base¡¯s supply and marketing cooperative and made a mushroom and meat sauce with it.


    The soy paste was made by Sister-in-law Li, a homemade broad bean paste, very fragrant.


    There was also half a jar of chili sauce left in the glass jar, which He Xiuyu got out himself.


    The noodles were ready-made dried ones, which after being boiled and rinsed in hot water, were placed in a big bowl and brought to the dining table for him.


    But all throughout, He Xiuyu never mentioned He Xiuwen.


    However, he did tell Qiao Qingyu that his classmate Sui Jun had called him, saying that the plastic film they had was smuggled goods, and it had been seized; that Boss Chen had also run away.


    Qiao Qingyu felt a bit relieved, ¡°Luckily, I was cautious back then. If I had transferred the money to him, wouldn¡¯t I have lost everything?¡±


    He Xiuyu chuckled softly, ¡°Don¡¯t misuse expressions, what do you mean everything?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes sparkled, ¡°And to think, your classmate¡¯s pretty decent.¡±


    ¡°Mhm, he¡¯s also found you a batch of plastic film, the right amount you need, six thousand yuan should cover it. If you agree, I¡¯ll call him tomorrow to let him know.¡±

 Chapter 199 - 199 199 Fish Seek Fish Shrimp Seek Shrimp

    ?Chapter 199: Chapter 199: Fish Seek Fish, Shrimp Seek Shrimp Chapter 199: Chapter 199: Fish Seek Fish, Shrimp Seek Shrimp ¡°Of course, I agreed. Wow, that¡¯s half less than expected,¡± Qiao Qingyu exclaimed in amazement.


    ¡°Boss Chen is a profiteering merchant. How could he rest until he makes a half profit out of the goods he¡¯s smuggled?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu pouted, ¡°I thought he was a rather honest businessman.¡±


    He Xiuyu smiled noncommittally, ¡°I¡¯ll go transfer the payment, and then have him send the goods to the Qiao Family Team.¡±


    ¡°That would be best...¡± Qiao Qingyu smiled, her eyes curving, ¡°Thank you for the trouble.¡±


    He Xiuyu glanced at her and then leisurely said, ¡°Do you remember the old Mr. Wu Xiujie?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded, ¡°Of course, I remember.¡±


    ¡°He has now taken citizenship in Huaxia.¡±


    ¡°Really? Are you serious?¡± Qiao Qingyu could hardly believe it, ¡°Now so many people in our country are desperate to go to ¡®M country¡¯ and dream of becoming ¡®M country citizens¡¯. Why would the old man do the opposite?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true, but it¡¯s also quite normal. When people get older, they tend to follow the saying ¡®all leaves return to their roots.''¡±


    ¡°What about Wu Xiucai?¡±


    He Xiuyu shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m not clear about that. However, in a week, old Mr. Wu Xiujie will come to Xichuan.¡±


    Instinctively, Qiao Qingyu felt a heaviness in her chest, ¡°What is he coming to Xichuan for?¡±


    ¡°Of course, to inspect his work. The chemical factory invested by Wulong Group is about to be completed. He will surely want to come and check on it.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was about to say something when the door of her house was knocked on.


    At that moment, the two of them happened to be sitting under a grape trellis enjoying the cool breeze, while He Xuerong, who had played all day, was doing the homework assigned to her by He Xiuyu every day.


    She wasn¡¯t allowed to sleep until it was done.


    Although He Xuerong wasn¡¯t a once-in-a-lifetime genius, she was still extremely smart. The math problems she worked on were already at the first-grade level.


    This was yet another future top student, and Xiao Hu was also there doing homework with her.


    So, in the yard, only He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu were present.


    Then they heard someone outside shout loudly, ¡°Chief Engineer He, it¡¯s Old Lin here.¡±


    It turned out that Director Lin had come.


    He Xiuyu stood up to open the door for Director Lin. He arrived in a hurry, fanning himself vigorously with a big palm-leaf fan several times before sitting down under the grape trellis and saying, ¡°I just got a call from Imperial City West District Police Station. They said that a technician named Zhao Gang from the Imperial City¡¯s Number One Steel Factory committed suicide last night.¡±


    He Xiuyu was unaware of this matter, so he was taken aback.


    ¡°Why would they call you?¡±


    He asked, puzzled.


    Director Lin then looked at Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qingyu, do you know him?¡±


    He Xiuyu immediately turned to look at Qiao Qingyu sitting next to him. When had she met this Zhao Gang?


    His brows furrowed slightly.


    Director Lin hurriedly said, ¡°No worries, no worries, it¡¯s just a routine inquiry because some time ago, Qingyu and Zhao Gang had been to the police station together to make a statement.¡±


    He Xiuyu knew nothing about this.


    Qiao Qingyu was also startled by the news. Coming to her senses, she quickly explained, ¡°I thought it was a minor issue and didn¡¯t tell Chief Engineer He about it. But why would he commit suicide? Isn¡¯t he a model worker of the steel factory?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that. The police station was also just inquiring as a formality. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Seeing that He Xiuyu¡¯s expression had turned somewhat serious, Qiao Qingyu quickly recounted the events of that day to him. She concluded with, ¡°I was planning on telling you, but then your mother was hospitalized. Besides, other than a slight scrape on my arm, I was fine and didn¡¯t mention it at the time. Then I forgot.¡±


    Director Lin stood up, ¡°I just wanted to talk to you for a bit, and now, it¡¯s time for me to head back.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu hurried to the kitchen and found two freshly washed cucumbers and three tomatoes in a large bowl, which she handed to Director Lin, ¡°They were just picked today, already cleaned.¡±


    Director Lin laughed heartily, a bit proud, ¡°I figured that your little vegetable garden would have another batch of ripe tomatoes these days, so I didn¡¯t call ahead.¡±


    ¡°Director Lin, your attention to detail is impressive,¡± Qiao Qingyu replied with a smile.


    Director Lin left with the large bowl, and He Xiuyu turned to Qiao Qingyu, inquiring in detail once again about the incident.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s serious demeanor made Qiao Qingyu tense up as well, and she couldn¡¯t help but ask worriedly, ¡°I felt like someone pushed me from behind, but if he pushed me, why did he save me? And why push me when we don¡¯t even know each other?¡±


    He Xiuyu went silent, unable to judge since he wasn¡¯t at the scene, and mumbled, ¡°Why would he commit suicide when he was living just fine?¡±


    After speaking, he stood up, ¡°I¡¯m going to make a call.¡±


    He had grown up in Beijing, and with many acquaintances in his circle, making such inquiries was easy for him.


    The reasons behind Zhao Gang¡¯s suicide were straightforward. He made a mistake at work and was harshly criticized by his superior, who told him to go home and reflect. But when he pushed open his front door, he found his wife in an affair with his classmate...


    The double blow drove him to jump off a building.


    Qiao Qingyu had a deep impression of this Zhao Gang, who seemed to be such a positive and upbeat person.


    Yet unexpectedly, he chose such a way to end his life.


    But this gave her a very strange feeling.


    He Xiuyu held Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand and said in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve asked my classmate to look into it.¡±


    ¡°What does your classmate do?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked curiously.


    She noted that although some of He Xiuyu¡¯s classmates were young, they all seemed to be characters of significance. Perhaps this was what they meant by ¡®birds of a feather flock together¡¯?


    ¡°He graduated from the Police University this year and just reported to the West City Branch a few days ago.¡±


    ¡°Uncle, Uncle, I finished my homework,¡± He Xuerong shouted as she ran out of the house, interrupting their conversation.


    But Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t have any more questions anyway.


    ...


    The next day, Qiao Qingyu dropped Rongrong off at kindergarten and rode her bike to her potato field, which spanned several acres.


    One acre was dedicated to the base.


    The rest was her own.


    Qiao Qingyu remembered that the potatoes should be quite large at this time of year¡ªtheir skins were very thin, not requiring peeling, and they were especially fragrant when washed and stewed with green beans.


    The potato plants bred in the lab were somewhat different from those she remembered at the Qiao Family Team; the plants before her had dark green leaves and thick stems, giving them a robust appearance.


    Wearing gloves, Qiao Qingyu started digging and soon felt something round. Suddenly, she experienced the thrill of treasure hunting.


    She began digging potatoes out of the soil, which was both exciting and surprising. Under the thick stems, it seemed that a large cluster of potatoes had formed. She carefully tried not to touch the small ones, as they still had the potential to grow.


    Qiao Qingyu pulled out a few large ones, then carefully covered the area with soil again.


    After digging up several potato plants, she filled about half a basket.


    Qiao Qingyu squatted at the end of the field, eyes shining as she gazed at the round potatoes in the basket. It looked like these acres of potatoes would yield a bountiful harvest.


    She happily placed the basket on the rear seat of her bike and decided to push her bike home...

 Chapter 200 - 200 200 You Have Been Reported

    ?Chapter 200: Chapter 200 You Have Been Reported Chapter 200: Chapter 200 You Have Been Reported The half basket of potatoes was heavy, and Qiao Qingyu held the bicycle handle with one hand while supporting the basket with the other.


    Although it wasn¡¯t very difficult, it was still strenuous to walk.


    But she hadn¡¯t expected that turning around the corner, she would run into Su Yunyao.


    This was the first time they had met since the last meal at her house.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t even look at her, pushing the bicycle forward.


    How could Su Yunyao let go of such a good opportunity?


    She stopped Qiao Qingyu.


    With a mocking smile, she said, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯d sooner die than return to farm work after finally leaving the countryside? So why are you digging for potatoes now? Look, your shoes are all dirty, how filthy...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at her sideways, landing a piercing retort, ¡°You thief, you rogue, get out of my way!¡±


    Su Yunyao¡¯s face changed instantly, and through gritted teeth, she said, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, it¡¯s just the two of us here, let¡¯s be straightforward. Aren¡¯t you a thief as well? You know very well what you¡¯ve stolen!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu suddenly giggled, ¡°I stole He Xiu Yu¡¯s heart.¡±


    Su Yunyao was speechless.


    Shameless, she dared to say that.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I warn you, you better stay away from He Xiuyu, otherwise, the day your true colors are revealed, you will become a homeless cur.¡±


    After saying this, she glared fiercely at Qiao Qingyu once more and quickly turned the corner of the large wall.


    ¡°Crazy!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu let out a sigh, Su Yunyao must have been doubting her background.


    It was only natural to suspect, after all, her behavior was definitely at odds with the original owner¡¯s.


    She didn¡¯t mind and curved her lips, pushing the bicycle forward.


    When she reached the entrance of the residential complex, she found Lu Ye talking to a security guard. As Lu Ye turned his head and saw Qiao Qingyu, he paused in shock for a moment, then quickly ran over, lifted the half basket of potatoes from the back seat, and asked with a frowned brow and an unhappy tone, ¡°Why are you doing this kind of work alone?¡±


    ¡°I just went to check on the potatoes, didn¡¯t expect them to have grown so large...¡± Qiao Qingyu then asked Lu Ye, ¡°Are you here looking for me, or are you headed to the base office?¡±


    Lu Ye glanced around and said in a low voice, ¡°Let¡¯s go to your place and talk.¡±


    His expression was different from usual, his brows marked with a trace of heaviness and worry.


    Qiao Qingyu nodded, spoke briefly with the security guard at the door, and then led Lu Ye into the residential complex.


    Lu Ye wasn¡¯t visiting Qiao Qingyu¡¯s small courtyard for the first time, but the profusion of blooming flowers and the lush green vegetables still amazed him for a moment.


    Qiao Qingyu went to the eastern arbor to wash her hands, and when she turned around, she saw Lu Ye had already run to the cucumber patch to pick cucumbers.


    Actually, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t really grow cucumbers at all; cultivating cucumbers was very complicated, not as simple as just sprouting.


    Luckily, Mr. Qian from Xiaxi Commune was helping her.


    So the cucumbers were growing very well.


    Using willow sticks to construct the cucumber rack, palm-sized cucumbers hung from it.


    Lu Ye unceremoniously picked four or five cucumbers, didn¡¯t even wash them or remove the yellow flowers, and just took a bite, then his eyes widened, ¡°This is too delicious, is this really a cucumber? Why is it so sweet?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu washed her hands, took the remaining cucumbers inside to wash them for him, and joked, ¡°Luckily I didn¡¯t use manure, otherwise...¡±


    Lu Ye stared at Qiao Qingyu, struggling to swallow the cucumber in his mouth, then began crunching down on more, muttering, ¡°Not clean, but eating it doesn¡¯t make you sick.¡±


    ¡°Stop it, that¡¯s just a lazy excuse!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu picked two more persimmons for him, washed them, and put them in a big bowl, then the two of them sat under the grape arbor.


    Lu Ye gulped down a cup of warm water.


    Qiao Qingyu tugged at the corner of her mouth, ¡°Eating like this won¡¯t upset your stomach?¡±


    Looking frustrated, Lu Ye said, ¡°And here you are making jokes about me, do you know you have been reported?¡±


    ¡°I have been reported?¡± Qiao Qingyu was genuinely shocked. ¡°Who reported me, and what did I do?¡±


    ¡°It was two people from North City. I brought them to the base, and now they¡¯ve gone to find He Xiuyu to investigate.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t they come find me?¡±


    ¡°Guess it¡¯s not time to involve you yet.¡± Lu Ye frowned, ¡°Someone reported that the corn seeds you supplied to Qiao Family Team have a questionable origin.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t expected anyone to actually make an issue of the corn seeds.


    Why hadn¡¯t her uncle called her then?


    So, her uncle and the rest probably didn¡¯t know.


    She calmed down and asked Lu Ye, ¡°Did they mention any other seeds, like thousand silk hemp or barley grass?¡±


    Lu Ye shook his head, ¡°The report only mentions the issue with five hundred acres of corn, hoping to trace their exact origin.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu thought to herself, where do they expect me to find the exact origin?


    It seemed someone really was keeping a close eye on her.


    The corn seeds were under scrutiny, and what about the thousand silk hemp, right, and the cabbage seeds too¡ªthey certainly wouldn¡¯t hold up to scrutiny either.


    But what of it?


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu¡¯s worried expression, Lu Ye softened his voice, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your He Xiuyu is so clever; he¡¯ll definitely know how to handle it. And you¡¯ve got me too. Give me some time; I must find the person who reported you.¡±


    ¡°Lu Xiaopang, I should really thank you, but why aren¡¯t you with them?¡±


    ¡°Those two wanted to have a private conversation with your Chief Engineer He. I wasn¡¯t supposed to overhear, so I came to find you instead.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that count as breaking the rules?¡± Qiao Qingyu was not worried for herself, but for Lu Ye.


    Lu Ye scoffed lightly, ¡°I called you before coming, but no one answered. So I just decided to come directly to you. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let anything happen to you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu felt touched and smiled warmly, though her words teased, ¡°Lu Xiaopang, guess I haven¡¯t beaten you up for nothing, thanks...¡±


    His eyes glinting with a helpless smile, Lu Ye playfully raised his fist towards Qiao Qingyu, ¡°You little brat, I was just letting you win.¡±


    ¡°Come off it; you¡¯re not stronger than me.¡± Qiao Qingyu laughed, her eyes twinkling.


    ¡°True, I¡¯m not as strong as you, but I never imagined that you, all grown up, would go back to working with the land.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a job too.¡±


    ¡°I used to wonder what you would end up doing when you grew up, but it never crossed my mind that you¡¯d go into farming. You never did much work like this in the Qiao Family Team, look at you now...¡±


    Saying this, Lu Ye had a touch of sympathy in his eyes, but his words came out sardonic, ¡°I don¡¯t know what your Chief Engineer He is thinking, letting you take on such hard labor, hmph...¡±


    ¡°Wait, Lu Xiaopang, are you here to scold me today?¡± Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes widened.

 Chapter 201 - 201 201 He Xiuyus Response

    ?Chapter 201: Chapter 201: He Xiuyu¡¯s Response Chapter 201: Chapter 201: He Xiuyu¡¯s Response ¡°I¡¯m not blaming you, I¡¯m just sharing my thoughts, and if you truly like it, I¡¯ll always support you,¡± Lu Ye explained hurriedly.


    ¡°That¡¯s more like it. Don¡¯t worry, our future will definitely be a win-win situation.¡±


    Lu Ye curled his lips slightly.


    He didn¡¯t want any win-win; he didn¡¯t care about himself, he just didn¡¯t want King Qiao to get hurt.


    Regarding the seeds provided by Qiao Qingyu, he didn¡¯t know much, so he couldn¡¯t speak recklessly.


    But if needed, he could do anything for Qiao Qingyu.


    ...


    Meanwhile, the atmosphere in He Xiuyu¡¯s office was somewhat solemn. He Xiuyu carefully reviewed their introduction letters and investigation requests, then placed them on the desk and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Have you been to the Qiao Family Team?¡±


    The two visitors were Old Zheng and Lao Liu.


    They were from the security department of North City.


    Old Zheng nodded and said, ¡°We visited before coming here.¡±


    ¡°How is the corn growing in the 500-acre trial field?¡± He Xiuyu¡¯s voice was very gentle. ¡°I¡¯ve been too busy with work and haven¡¯t had the chance to visit.¡±


    ¡°The growth is good; the local old farmers say this variety of corn is the best they¡¯ve ever planted.¡±


    ¡°Since the seeds were sown, has the 500-acre trial field caused any harm to the surrounding soil, crops, or environment?¡± He Xiuyu asked earnestly.


    Old Zheng hesitated for a moment, but then looked toward Lao Liu, who hurriedly said, ¡°We¡¯ve checked that as well, and there is no harm.¡±


    ¡°That means the corn seeds are safe and do not affect the surrounding crops and soil, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Old Zheng had to nod, not sure why, but this young man gave him an indescribable feeling, making himself seem like an unreasonable child.


    He Xiuyu got up and refilled their teacups with water, then sat back down across from them, hands crossed, and asked with surprise, ¡°Then what exactly do you want to investigate?¡±


    ¡°...We just want to investigate where your lover got so many corn seeds.¡±


    He Xiuyu curled his lips earnestly, ¡°Of course, they were cultivated in the laboratory.¡±


    ¡°Which laboratory?¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s handsome features remained gentle, but his tone was undeniable, ¡°Mr. Zheng, Mr. Liu, I have the right not to say on this matter!¡±


    Old Zheng and Lao Liu exchanged glances. If it were someone else, they would have insisted on asking, but since it was He Xiuyu, they could not question him further.


    But, wouldn¡¯t it be a wasted trip if they didn¡¯t clarify?


    ¡°Chief Engineer He, we mean no offense, but the whistleblower mentioned in the letter claimed it was serious. The sudden appearance of several thousand kilograms of corn seeds, if it¡¯s the malicious intent of some hostile forces trying to destroy our country¡¯s agricultural seed breeding and thus our national foundation, the loss would be tremendous.¡±


    Old Zheng was being realistic; this was indeed the content of the whistleblower¡¯s letter. Whether it was an alarmist view or not, he had to thoroughly investigate.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s eyes darkened for a moment, and after contemplating briefly, he slowly said, ¡°The information I have is the latest. I can tell both of you this: the 500 acres of corn planted by the Qiao Family Team are currently at the world¡¯s leading level. Their drought and flood resistance, pest resistance, and yield value are all unmatched. They can¡¯t yet breed such seeds themselves. How could it be their conspiracy?¡±


    Old Zheng and Lao Liu¡¯s eyes brightened simultaneously; they loved hearing about our country¡¯s unique leading position in the world, which filled them with national pride.


    ¡°Chief Engineer He, are you serious?¡± Old Zheng¡¯s voice trembled with excitement.


    ¡°The data in the scientific research base is definitely the latest. It¡¯s almost the end of August. If you can be patient for another month, you¡¯ll see that our country¡¯s corn production will be the highest in the world this year, and the seeds will be the best.¡±


    Then he added, ¡°So we also need to be wary of certain forces¡¯ malicious intentions and not disrupt our own order.¡±


    Both men nodded in agreement. Old Zheng quickly assured, ¡°You¡¯re right, Chief Engineer He. We are from the security bureau and don¡¯t know much about agriculture, but we also learned beforehand that this patch of corn is growing the best.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Zheng, Mr. Liu, since it¡¯s a trial field, it¡¯s still in the experimental stage. What I mentioned is the expected outcome, so it¡¯s inappropriate to publicize it widely before the yield is actually achieved.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, that makes sense.¡±


    ¡°Even if the yield is achieved, we can¡¯t be complacent. We must keep such excellent seeds in our hands; otherwise, we¡¯re just making wedding clothes for others,¡± He Xiuyu said meaningfully.


    Old Zheng and Lao Liu¡¯s expressions became serious.


    The two came to investigate the subject of the whistleblower, who was Qiao Qingyu, but they knew Qiao Qingyu was He Xiuyu¡¯s lover, and He Xiuyu was now one of our country¡¯s national treasures, and also the most promising young scientist.


    So, they couldn¡¯t allow him to be affected.


    The upper leadership had also instructed them to pay attention to their working and conversing methods.


    He Xiuyu continued, ¡°If this experiment succeeds, our Huaxia people will never go hungry again...¡±


    Old Zheng and Lao Liu were again moved; both had experienced the three-year natural disaster. Although they weren¡¯t starving now, they were just getting by, far from the point where every household had more food than it could eat.


    ¡°Chief Engineer He, we understand, and we also came here discreetly. Lu Ye brought us, and he¡¯s a trustworthy comrade. Also, according to the regulations, we can¡¯t show you the whistleblower¡¯s letter, but we studied it before coming. Perhaps this is also someone¡¯s conspiracy, after all, sabotage is their best tactic. We brought the whistleblower¡¯s letter too, which was anonymously sent using the left hand, mailed from a post office in a suburb of Beijing. You can investigate covertly...¡±


    Having said that, he handed a letter to He Xiuyu.


    He Xiuyu thanked the two old comrades and said gently, ¡°My lover, Qiao Qingyu, is now the head of the Original Seed Laboratory and is part of Tenghai. She is very smart and gifted. Although I gave her some guidance on cultivating the new type of corn seeds, she completed most of it on her own. Of course, it¡¯s still in the experimental and research phase, but both Xichuan and the base have established breeding centers for it. If the experiment is successful, it will be widely promoted next year.¡±


    Throughout, He Xiuyu actually never explicitly mentioned the source of the corn seeds, but this also gave the two old comrades room to speculate.


    In any case, they would certainly write an investigation report that satisfied both parties.

 Chapter 202 - 202 202 A Small Red Flower

    ?Chapter 202: Chapter 202: A Small Red Flower Chapter 202: Chapter 202: A Small Red Flower ¡°Don¡¯t forget about North City,¡± Old Zheng said with a chuckle. ¡°That¡¯s an important grain base for our country.¡±


    ¡°My spouse is planning to go back to the Qiao Family Team at the end of autumn to build a winter vegetable greenhouse and experiment with off-season vegetables. If it¡¯s successful, the people of North City will also be able to have green vegetables during winter.¡±


    The trip wasn¡¯t in vain; Old Zheng was pleased and said to He Xiuyu, ¡°Our winters in North City are long, and during that time, besides pickled cabbage, potatoes, and large radishes, if we can get some green leafy vegetables, that would be truly great!¡±


    Next, Old Zheng left a phone number for He Xiuyu, belonging to an official responsible for agriculture.


    ¡°This person is practical. I¡¯ll give him a heads up when I get back. You can be sure that he¡¯ll be of help if you need anything.¡±


    He Xiuyu thanked the two men again.


    At that moment, Lu Ye also returned to the Big White Building and was waiting for them downstairs.


    Seeing Old Zheng, Lao Liu, and He Xiuyu chatting amicably, Lu Ye breathed a sigh of relief.


    It seemed that the problem was resolved.


    Lu Ye looked at He Xiuyu with a complex expression and nodded to him.


    He Xiuyu responded warmly, ¡°Comrade Lu Ye has been waiting downstairs for a while; thank you for your hard work.¡±


    Lu Ye¡¯s face changed slightly, but he also smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not hard; it¡¯s what I should do.¡±


    He then asked Old Zheng and Lao Liu, ¡°Have the two elderly comrades investigated clearly?¡±


    Old Zheng smiled but didn¡¯t answer Lu Ye directly. ¡°Young comrade, we¡¯re taking the bus back to North City tonight. Thank you for your hospitality.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s my duty,¡± said Lu Ye, who did not press further. He understood the implied meaning of the words¡ªthat there was no issue.


    So, Lu Ye followed cheerfully behind the two men, looking for an opportunity to gesture towards He Xiuyu in the direction of the residential compound.


    He Xiuyu glanced at Lu Ye and knew this was Lu Ye signaling to inform Qiao Qingyu.


    After seeing the three off, He Xiuyu thought for a moment, then arranged some work and rode Old Xie¡¯s bicycle home.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for Lu Ye informing Qiao Qingyu in advance, He Xiuyu had planned to talk to her after work. But now that Qiao Qingyu knew, he couldn¡¯t let her spend the whole day worrying.


    The Big White Building was very close to the residential compound; it only took a few minutes to get there by bicycle.


    He opened the door to see Qiao Qingyu squatting under the grape trellis, staring at a wooden box.


    When she looked up and saw He Xiuyu enter, her already bright eyes lit up even more. She pointed at the wooden box and said, ¡°A guard just delivered it; it¡¯s from Beijing. What¡¯s inside?¡±


    He Xiuyu walked over and squatted next to Qiao Qingyu, using a pair of pliers to open the wooden box, which turned out to be full of books and materials.


    He Xiuyu took out the books, flipped through them, and then looked at a few documents before saying to Qiao Qingyu next to him, ¡°Before coming back, I made a trip to the Agricultural University. Professor Wang Tingsi once taught me for a while, and I asked him to find some textbooks and materials on agriculture and breeding for you.¡±


    He helped Qiao Qingyu take out and organize the books while whispering, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect them to mail it so quickly.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu caught a glimpse of the man squatting beside her. When he put his mind to caring for someone, he had an irresistible charm.


    She really needed these materials. Although He Xiuyu¡¯s study had some information on agriculture, it was only a few volumes, so the timing of this delivery couldn¡¯t have been better.


    Her heart felt particularly warm.


    ¡°Did Lu Ye come by just now?¡± He Xiuyu didn¡¯t look at Qiao Qingyu as he asked while organizing the books.


    ¡°Yes, he told me that someone had reported me.¡±


    ¡°The investigator has gone back to North City; it¡¯s all right now,¡± He Xiuyu said with soft reassurance.


    ¡°Who reported me, and what exactly is going on?¡±


    He Xiuyu was just about to discuss the matter, so he told Qiao Qingyu about his conversation with Old Zheng and Lao Liu.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard the news, it seems like He Xiuyu had managed to resolve the issue.


    In North City, even if there were a hundred complaint letters, the investigation into the origin of the seeds wouldn¡¯t proceed any further.


    With He Xiuyu in the base and Lu Ye in Xichuan, even if someone investigated the thousand silk hemp and cabbage seeds, it would be suppressed.


    Though Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t actually care if someone investigated her, she was indeed very happy that He Xiuyu had dealt with the problem.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, her eyes curving into crescents, and without saying thanks or offering further explanation¡ªas they had reached a mutual understanding on the matter¡ªshe said cheerfully, ¡°I¡¯ll make you something delicious tonight.¡±


    He Xiuyu pursed his lips and smiled, then went to the study with a stack of books.


    He took books out of two bookshelves and placed them in the lower cabinets, thus clearing those two shelves, and then put the books and materials mailed by Professor Wang inside.


    Qiao Qingyu followed him, watching his busyness, and asked with a smile, ¡°I have a question for you.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the question?¡±


    ¡°After moving here, why didn¡¯t you lock the study¡¯s door?¡±


    He Xiuyu turned around, looked down at Qiao Qingyu with a half-smile, and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you know why?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu blinked, remembering something, then said dryly, ¡°When I said I¡¯d use your books for kindling, I was just joking around.¡±


    ¡°Now I think you were joking, but at that time, I didn¡¯t think you were.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu pouted¡ªhow could he be like this?


    He didn¡¯t forget a thing about the past.


    Busy with many things, He Xiuyu couldn¡¯t stay longer. He had hoped to get some benefits, but Qiao Qingyu walked away, so he hurried off to his workplace. Qiao Qingyu then followed He Xiuyu¡¯s suggestion to read books, gather materials, and take notes.


    When she felt hungry, it was already noon.


    Qiao Qingyu sorted out her notes and materials on the desk and prepared to make herself something simple to eat.


    As she reached the door, she impulsively stopped, looking up at the calendar on the wall. Tomorrow would be September, and Qiao Qingyu promptly flipped over August¡¯s page.


    Then she narrowed her eyes.


    She drew a small flower on September twenty-fourth.


    Using a red marker.


    Qiao Qingyu leaned forward to look closer; underneath was the lunar date of August sixteenth.


    Huh?


    That date felt very familiar.


    Qiao Qingyu paused, then remembered¡ªit was her birthday.


    That little flower must have been drawn by He Xiuyu.


    Delighted, Qiao Qingyu left the study, guessing that He Xiuyu was planning to give her a birthday gift on that day.


    She was actually somewhat excited to see what it would be.


    After a quick lunch, she went to the Space Laboratory.


    It was as quiet as usual.


    Qiao Qingyu inspected the space like a lord surveying her domain.


    Most of the storage here was agricultural crops, and other types of plants were only contained in a bottle, or even in small glass tubes.


    So, some shelves held a diverse range of nearly thousands of plant species.

 Chapter 203 - 203 203 What is Exciting

    ?Chapter 203: Chapter 203 What is Exciting? Chapter 203: Chapter 203 What is Exciting? Qiao Qingyu only knew the approximate number, and she had not yet looked at everything even now.


    She stopped when she reached the section on fungi, standing before a row of test tubes on the fifth level that she hadn¡¯t had the chance to examine yet.


    Naturally, her height did not allow her to reach the fifth level.


    The metal rack was four meters high, but there was a movable metal ladder available.


    Standing on the ladder, she glanced over, each test tube capped and placed on the rack.


    There were fifty test tubes, with the rest being fungal blocks.


    Qiao Qingyu curiously examined a few, all of which were mycelia, and casually picked one up. It had a label with small writing but was still legible.


    Qiao Qingyu merely glanced at it, but the next second, she paused.


    The contents were a fungus labeled as No. 009. She hadn¡¯t studied biology, and naturally, she didn¡¯t quite understand the technical terms and data on it.


    However, it seemed it could be understood this way: the No. 009 fungus through cultured induction sped up the extraction of Rare Earth, which could increase the dissolution of rare elements from Rare Earth...


    Naturally, besides this, it was also possible to cultivate mushrooms from the mycelia.


    But such mushrooms were not edible.


    Qiao Qingyu carefully put the test tube back.


    Standing on the ladder, her calm heart became somewhat agitated.


    Throughout, Qiao Qingyu had believed that her Space Device was a collection of all plant seeds in this world.


    This was a fictional world.


    Whether it was the world in books or the one that truly existed, it was very different from some places in her memory.


    If it were a parallel universe, it could only be described as an impure parallel universe, which is why Qiao Qingyu used the seeds without any scruples.


    Her personal ability was limited. Even though she had now established the Original Seed Laboratory, and even though bases and Xichuan had established breeding centers, it did not affect other agricultural scientists and technicians from conducting research and experiments.


    She would not change the original historical trajectory of this world; at most, she could turn deserts into oases.


    Perhaps subtly, this could help improve the quality of seeds of crops in this world.


    But ultimately, a collective effort was needed.


    Not to mention the world, just talking about Huaxia, with its vast territory, the cultivable land area reached hundreds of millions of hectares.


    In a short time, planting the seeds from the Space Laboratory across all of Huaxia Land was a pipe dream.


    Thus, everyone had their own goals to strive for, and she, being a small butterfly, could not stir up any storms.


    This was also why she was confident and bold in her actions.


    Qiao Qingyu stared steadily at that test tube.


    If she hadn¡¯t misunderstood, taking this test tube out could alter the technological structure of this world.


    Technology is the primary productive force; there is no doubt about this, whether in the past, present, or future.


    And Rare Earth was an extremely important resource.


    Qiao Qingyu looked around, the variety of plants in the Space Device was too vast, and she had yet to understand more than half.


    She didn¡¯t know if there were other plants that were more than just plants.


    He Xiuyu was such a smart man; he had also early on analyzed that the seeds he held had incomprehensible origins.


    Yet he acted as if nothing had happened.


    Qiao Qingyu placed her hand on her chest; undeniably, she had a fondness for He Xiuyu, and this fondness grew stronger, but these feelings were not enough for her to risk giving him this test tube or even bringing him into this Space Laboratory.


    Actually, if the truth had been revealed, He Xiuyu wouldn¡¯t have made wild guesses; as a scientist, he would have understood the existence of the Space Device immediately.


    And this test tube in his hands could have had unimaginable effects.


    But this test tube isn¡¯t the same as thousand silk hemp or Barley Grass.


    The latter changes the soil and the environment.


    This doesn¡¯t affect the course of history, but the former has a significant impact.


    Qiao Qingyu came down the ladder and folded it neatly next to the glass wall.


    Pressing on the red mole on her index finger, she blinked and came out of the Space Laboratory.


    It must be said, the temperature in the Space Laboratory was still more suitable.


    Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t safe.


    Unless she lived alone.


    When He Xiuyu brought Rongrong back, Qiao Qingyu had already prepared dinner¡ªpotatoes stewed with green beans, to which she¡¯d added a dozen slices of streaky pork.


    She also mixed a cold dish with coriander, chili, and cucumber.


    She made Rongrong an egg and seaweed soup.


    Steamed two measures of rice.


    Then, there was also a bowl of mushroom sauce.


    For this era, it indeed was a very sumptuous dinner.


    After dinner He Xuerong stood at the front door waiting for Xiao Hu to come over and do homework with her.


    Qiao Qingyu stood next to He Xiuyu watching him wash dishes, then grabbed a cloth to wipe the rice bowl in her hand, suddenly reaching out to tap He Xiuyu¡¯s arm.


    He Xiuyu turned his head and looked at her with surprise, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°He Xiuyu, do you think I can trust you?¡±


    He Xiuyu froze for a second, unsure why Qiao Qingyu was asking him this, but then seemed to think of something, his eyes darkened as he slowly said, ¡°Asking this means you are unsure, whether I say you can or cannot, it¡¯s meaningless.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu blushed, He Xiuyu had hit a nerve, and she ungraciously slapped him, ¡°He Xiuyu, I¡¯ve realized, talking to you is really dull.¡±


    He Xiuyu leaned in closer, his voice a bit hoarse, a teasing glint in his eyes, ¡°Little Qiao, then tell me, what is fun to do with me?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu immediately widened her eyes, her cheeks flushed as she muttered angrily through clenched teeth, ¡°You¡¯re shameless, saying anything you like.¡±


    ¡°Little Qiao, you¡¯re so unreasonable. You say talking with me is dull, I sincerely ask you what is fun to do with me, what¡¯s wrong with that?¡±


    He then gave a meaningful chuckle, lowering his voice as well, ¡°Where did your mind go? You, girl, have impure thoughts.¡±


    ¡°Only you would have pure thoughts, you old rogue,¡± Qiao Qingyu retorted, feeling both embarrassed and annoyed.


    He Xiuyu seriously said, ¡°Rogue is a rogue, why add an old? I¡¯m not that much older than you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu lifted the rice bowl she held up, threatening, ¡°Believe it or not, I¡¯ll knock this rice bowl on your head!¡±


    ¡°Gentlemen use their mouths, not their hands,¡± He Xiuyu said, smiling through his eyes.


    Qiao Qingyu feigned a move to hit He Xiuyu with the rice bowl, He Xiuyu quickly grabbed her wrist.


    The two were close, He Xiuyu softly embraced Qiao Qingyu and whispered something in her ear.


    Suddenly a voice came from the doorway, ¡°Rongrong, don¡¯t look, let¡¯s go quickly.¡±


    Both turned around.


    Only to see Xiao Hu whoosh past the threshold, then remembering Rongrong was behind him, quickly reached out to pull her along to the study.


    She blushed, secretly shooting He Xiuyu a glance, quickly pushed him away, and adjusted her hair, then set down the rice bowl and went to the study, where she saw both children grinning at her...

 Chapter 204 - 204 204 Appraisal Results

    ?Chapter 204: Chapter 204: Appraisal Results Chapter 204: Chapter 204: Appraisal Results Qiao Qingyu sighed, feeling that children so young seemed to understand everything.


    She turned on the desk lamp, and the two children picked up their square-grid notebooks to practice writing.


    When Qiao Qingyu went out, He Xiuyu had already cleaned up the kitchen, and his staff was in the shed outside.


    Qiao Qingyu took her own textbooks, ready to head to the study class.


    Now, there were only five people left in the study class, and the teacher was still Shen Fen.


    Sun Aizhi¡¯s academic performance was also decent, but she couldn¡¯t teach senior year knowledge.


    It was more of a tutoring class than a study class.


    Qiao Qingyu carried a cloth bag, inside were the beans and chili peppers she had picked for Shen Fen in the evening.


    She liked Shen Fen, a person worthy of respect.


    As she walked past the grape trellis, footsteps followed her, and then a figure overtook her and stopped her.


    He Xiuyu stood amidst the faint night, smiling amusingly at Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Comrade Little Qiao, about my earlier question, you haven¡¯t answered yet.¡±


    ¡°Answer your head, I¡¯m off to class.¡±


    He Xiuyu chuckled, stopped teasing Qiao Qingyu, and instead said, ¡°Today is your last class.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked in surprise.


    ¡°The office has been officially established, Director Shen has a lot of work to do, and tomorrow her parents are coming from out of town. Both old people aren¡¯t in good health, and she¡¯s their only daughter, so she needs to take care of them.¡±


    ¡°So, today is the last lesson.¡±


    ¡°Director Shen will give you a holiday,¡± He Xiuyu continued, ¡°Director Shen and I talked, she wants me to tutor you in the future, and she hopes you will take the college entrance exam next year.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu had intended to do just that but hadn¡¯t formally discussed it with He Xiuyu. Now, seizing the opportunity, she asked He Xiuyu what his thoughts were if she got into university...


    ¡°I will naturally support you strongly.¡± Then, as if remembering something, he muttered to himself, ¡°The college entrance exam is in July next year, it seems I¡¯ll have to make sure to have protection measures in place.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t understand what He Xiuyu meant by his words, and she was too lazy to ask. Carrying a shoulder bag and holding a cloth bag, she said, ¡°It¡¯s almost time, I have to go.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s expression was warm as he smiled at her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, when I have time, I¡¯ll personally tutor you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded absent-mindedly and quickly headed toward the entrance gate.


    Behind her, the voice of He Xiuyu followed, ¡°In an hour, Rongrong and I will come pick you up.¡±


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Qiao Qingyu waved her hand, disappearing swiftly into the night.


    Yet, the corners of her mouth couldn¡¯t help but curl up into a smile.


    Just now, she and He Xiuyu had been flirting, hadn¡¯t they?


    It was such a fun feeling.


    She happily spun around a few times, her dress swirling into a flower, and like a cloud, she quickly drifted away.


    Under the same night sky.


    In a courtyard house in the West District of Beijing, Wu Xiujie, leaning on his cane, stood in his study with a face full of rage as a middle-aged man in a white coat kept his head lowered, not daring to utter a word.


    Upon closer inspection, one could see the man¡¯s hands trembling.


    Wu Xiujie¡¯s sinister voice echoed low in the study, ¡°I gave you a million US dollars, built you a laboratory, and now you¡¯re telling me it¡¯s too difficult to get accurate results?¡±


    The middle-aged man¡¯s lips quivered, and he slightly lifted his head to look at the elderly man standing before him.


    Nobody dared to treat him as just an old man, recalling his ruthless methods; the middle-aged man¡¯s lips trembled even more.


    But, for the sake of his life, he had to defend himself with difficulty, ¡°...Sir, although the laboratory was established and you provided the funds, we lack relevant equipment and experimental materials. China is too backward, I can¡¯t even procure the parts.¡±


    Wu Xiujie remained unmoved, pointed out towards the sky, and mocked, ¡°Do you know what the people of this land have once created using an abacus? If I gave you an abacus, could you do it?¡±


    The middle-aged man dared not argue.


    Wu Xiujie sinisterly asked, ¡°I¡¯m only asking you, can you or can you not?¡±


    The middle-aged man hesitated; given his level, it was very difficult, he couldn¡¯t even achieve a 10% accuracy rate, so what was the meaning of such an appraisal?


    Seeing the middle-aged man¡¯s hesitation, Wu Xiujie suddenly kicked the man down to the ground and, clenching his teeth, said, ¡°The things I worked so hard to obtain are going to be destroyed by your hands. What use is keeping a waste like you?¡±


    Suddenly, from some corner, two men cloaked in black approached, each grabbing one of the man¡¯s arms and dragging him out.


    The middle-aged man struggled desperately, crawling and rolling until he reached Wu Xiujie and pleaded urgently, ¡°Sir, please give me a chance, I will definitely provide satisfactory results.¡±


    The anger on Wu Xiujie¡¯s face slowly receded, like he had transformed into another person, smiling kindly. He sat on the red sandalwood chair and gently said, ¡°Dr. An, I know you are a very capable doctor. Leave this matter to you; I hope you can indeed provide me with satisfactory results.¡±


    Then he waved his hand, ¡°Go on and get busy, speak up if you need anything from Wu Peng.¡±


    Dr. An left, and the still-remaining Wu Peng then said, ¡°Father, I just received news, my uncle and Wu Tai have already been released from control.¡±


    Wu Xiujie¡¯s expression was indecipherable, ¡°So what about that?¡±


    ¡°They have safely escaped and have already started handling the Wulong Group.¡±


    ¡°Wu Xiucai is rushing back to the country, if Wulong Group can¡¯t be retained, he will take action.¡±


    Wu Peng was stunned for a moment, ¡°Father, then is all that we have done still meaningful?¡±


    ¡°Wu Peng, do you really think I covet your uncle¡¯s wealth?¡± Wu Xiujie¡¯s voice carried disdain.


    Wu Peng was startled. After so many years of doing so much, if not for his uncle¡¯s wealth, for what then?


    He felt he had seen through this old man completely, but since returning to China, he realized he still didn¡¯t understand him.


    Wu Peng humbly said, ¡°Father, your son is slow-witted, please enlighten me.¡±


    Wu Xiujie slowly stood up, leaning on his ever-present red sandalwood cane, and stood before the window, gazing into the profound night, and slowly said, ¡°That man raised by that woman, he really thinks I want his wealth. Wrong, I don¡¯t want his wealth; such things neither accompany life nor follow in death, and are already meaningless to me.¡±


    At this point, Wu Xiujie paused,


    Wu Peng gripped his hands tightly, quietly listening at his side.


    ¡°...From the day your uncle was born, he began to take what was mine, took my father, my grandparents, and all the glory that a direct descendant of the Wu family should have. So, I won¡¯t let him go to hell, but I will make him live in hell every day.¡± The old voice carried venom and deep-seated hatred,


    A smirk crossed Wu Peng¡¯s lips and a hint of mockery swiftly passed through his eyes; he really wanted to say, so many years have gone by, why still so hung up on this? Survived till now, can¡¯t you see through such trivial matters?

 Chapter 205 - 205 205 This is What Qiao Qingyu Owes Me

    ?Chapter 205: Chapter 205 This is What Qiao Qingyu Owes Me Chapter 205: Chapter 205 This is What Qiao Qingyu Owes Me The old man¡¯s biological grandmother, his own grandmother, had passed away. Couldn¡¯t the old master marry again, considering he might live a lifetime, wasn¡¯t it normal?


    The young uncle had always been bright and loved by everyone, which was not a problem.


    Thus, Wu Xiujie¡¯s hatred and bitterness were something he would never understand or empathize with.


    But, thinking about Wu Xiujie¡¯s personality, he swallowed back the words he wanted to say and sternly said from behind, ¡°Father, what do you need your son to do?¡±


    Since the young uncle didn¡¯t like him anyway, it served him right to end up in this situation.


    If only he could be treated like Wu Tai, he wouldn¡¯t have to do things behind this old man¡¯s back that could get his head chopped off at any moment.


    But, there was no choice, this path was a point of no return...


    The only thing he could do was to keep his two sons from getting involved, fortunately, the old man hadn¡¯t involved them in any clandestine activities.


    For that alone, he had to follow him.


    ¡°You and your two sons should keep quiet and stay in Beijing, watch every move your young uncle makes, and after the results of the assessment come out, I will make a trip to Xichuan.¡±


    ¡°Yes, father.¡±


    Wu Xiujie turned around and in a lower voice instructed, ¡°Contact Huang Sha, tell him to instruct Old Mountain Eagle to orchestrate an explosion accident soon...¡±


    ¡°Yes, father.¡±


    ¡°...Although our methods are the most advanced in the world, Huaxia is extraordinary. Don¡¯t be negligent nor underestimate their vigilance and capability,¡± Wu Xiujie advised in a low tone.


    Wu Peng nodded repeatedly, exchanged a few more words, and then left the study, passing through the hall to a dark courtyard. Yet, he stood still, then pressed something beside him, slowly, the ground opened, revealing a staircase with a faint light. He descended the stairs, and the stone slab above silently closed.


    The place returned to its normal stillness.


    Perhaps this was destined to be an unsettled night.


    Faraway in North City, five kilometers away from Qiao Family Team, was Lianjiang Village.


    Though it was summer, the laborers had turned off the lights and gone to bed early.


    The rural summer night was not quiet, with frogs croaking in the ditches and insects buzzing, sometimes even the big yellow dogs would join in with their barking.


    However, this didn¡¯t affect the people¡¯s descent into sweet dreams.


    In the north of the village, there was a household with tightly closed doors, a house made of half mud-brick, which was considered middle-class in this village.


    At this moment, the doors were also tightly shut with no hint of light from outside, but in one north-facing room, an oil lamp was lit.


    This room was not small, with a large rosewood cabinet against the north wall featuring a serpentine statue and offerings of incense in front.


    Near the door was a heated brick bed where an old lady with a face full of wrinkles sat cross-legged, while a man in his fifties stood on the floor, both watching someone lying on the bed.


    To be precise, it was a young girl.


    Her skin was as yellow as wax, she was as thin as a twig, and her sharp, triangular eyes flashed a malicious light as she stared intently at the old lady and said sinisterly, ¡°Grandma, I can¡¯t wait any longer. If you can¡¯t help me achieve my wish, your entire family of over twenty will perish.¡±


    The man standing on the floor flashed a look of terror in his eyes, but he dared not speak.


    The old lady sitting on the kang looked at the young girl lying there and said hoarsely, ¡°I have helped you achieve your wish before, but you have no ambition. Why turn around and take revenge on us? After all, this family is where you were raised.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me about those useless things. My current state is all your fault. Lying on this kang, I¡¯m better off dead. If I¡¯m not well, neither should any of you be!¡± Her voice suddenly became shrill at the end, almost as if another sharp voice was screeching from her throat along with her.


    The whole room suddenly plunged into an indescribable eeriness.


    The old lady felt a wave of dizziness and was about to fall over the edge of the kang when the middle-aged man quickly came to support her. His trembling voice said, ¡°Liuya, stop pushing us. Even if you push us to death, we still wouldn¡¯t know what to do...¡±


    ¡°You are Han Xianglan¡¯s elder brother, my grandma is Han Xianglan¡¯s mother, and even if not by blood, that whole family should respect you.¡± The young woman roared fiercely.


    It turned out that this old lady was Han Xianglan¡¯s mother, a recognized relative by Old Lady He, known as Han Lishi, and this man in his fifties was her eldest son, Han Dazhu.


    This girl was called Han Liuya.


    At that moment, the old lady sitting cross-legged on the kang suddenly opened her murky eyes, a sharp light flashing within them.


    Gritting her teeth, she said, ¡°That bitch Han Xianglan, if it weren¡¯t for me, their doomed fate wouldn¡¯t have landed them a son-in-law like He Xiuyu.¡± Then she looked up at her eldest son. ¡°Tomorrow, go to the Qiao Family Team and say I¡¯m not well, bring Han Xianglan here, and when she falls ill, have Qiao Qingyu come home immediately.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more like it. We should have done this earlier. If you hadn¡¯t stopped me, last time Qiao Qingyu came to see me, I would have killed her.¡±


    Han Liuya then looked at the dark-faced man, ¡°Dad, this is what Qiao Qingyu owes me, she has to pay her debts. After I go back, I¡¯ll still send you money.¡±


    She added at the end, ¡°But I¡¯ll forget a lot of things, so just ask me directly for the money when the time comes...¡±


    Han Lishi suddenly murmured, ¡°This will also shorten my lifespan, Liuya, you must keep your word.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an old lady, are you also afraid of death?¡± Han Liuya on the kang sneered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you old thing can still live for another twenty years.¡±


    Just then, a cat¡¯s meow suddenly came from outside the window, and the room fell silent.


    Han Lishi, holding a lamp and assisted by Han Dazhu, left the darkened room.


    Unexpectedly, Han Liuya suddenly shouted, ¡°Old thing, come back here, I need to go to the outhouse...¡±


    The old lady, with a calm expression, holding the lamp returned again.


    Han Dazhu, walking through the outer room preparing to return, passed by a room where his eldest son stood at the door rubbing his eyes impatiently, ¡°All this wailing in the middle of the night, can¡¯t people get some peace and sleep?¡±


    ¡°Just go back to sleep, it has nothing to do with you.¡±


    ¡°It has nothing to do with me, yet my mom is being tormented to death by you all, are we next?¡±


    Inside the room, the daughter-in-law¡¯s curses could be heard, ¡°That damned cripple, tormenting people nightly, why doesn¡¯t God just take her away soon...¡±


    Han Dazhu, with trembling hands, pointed at Han Tie, ¡°This beast, that¡¯s your sister too, and you say nothing about your wife, you spineless coward!¡±

 Chapter 206 - 206 206 Hope Youre Not Too Stupid

    ?Chapter 206: Chapter 206: Hope You¡¯re Not Too Stupid Chapter 206: Chapter 206: Hope You¡¯re Not Too Stupid Han Tie snorted coldly, turned around, and went back to his own room. With a snap, he shut the door behind him.


    Han Dazhu stood stupidly in the hall, praying to himself, ¡°Hurry and go back, hurry and go back; once you return, this home will finally be at peace.¡±


    The deep blue night sky was adorned with scattered twinkling stars, and a bright moon hung high above, its cool light enveloping the earth. Qingyu, carrying her books, chatted with Shen Fen as they walked. As they exited the office building, they saw two figures, one large and one small, approaching them in the distance.


    Shen Fen smiled warmly, ¡°Your little He is so good, he always comes to pick you up whenever he¡¯s at home.¡±


    The others teased, ¡°That¡¯s newlyweds for you, so sweet and sticky with each other. My spouse couldn¡¯t care less about doing that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, after being married for so long, don¡¯t expect them to pick you up. Consider yourself lucky if they leave the door unlocked for you.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, you all should hurry home.¡±


    Shen Fen gave Qingyu a few more instructions, greeted He Xiuyu, then headed in a different direction.


    Now, as the stars twinkled and the moon glowed brilliantly, the night had grown much cooler, and a gentle breeze passed quietly by them.


    Due to the lack of streetlights, He Xiuyu held a flashlight to illuminate the path ahead. Rongrong playfully hopped around in the light, while He Xiuyu carried a smile in his eyes, ¡°Comrade Xiao Qiao, from now on I¡¯ll be the one to tutor you in your studies.¡±


    Qingyu glanced at him sidelong, ¡°You seem pretty pleased with yourself.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright; I just hope you¡¯re not too dense.¡± As he finished speaking, he reached out and ruffled Qingyu¡¯s hair.


    Qingyu, in turn, slapped his arm.


    The sound was crisp. With a snap, Rongrong stopped in her tracks and looked at them puzzled, ¡°Uncle, Auntie, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing. There was a mosquito on your uncle¡¯s arm just now, and I killed it.¡±


    Rongrong continued to frolic, walking with a smile.


    And specifically aimed for the light cast by the flashlight.


    Because she thought it was particularly fun to walk this way.


    He Xiuyu quietly took Qingyu¡¯s hand. This was the first time they had walked hand in hand like this on a night road. Even with a playful little girl hopping in front of them, both of their hearts were floating, as though they were walking on clouds.


    He Xiuyu spoke tenderly, ¡°Comrade Xiao Qiao, as long as you like it, go ahead and do whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Qingyu¡¯s reply was soft.


    ¡°The issue with the whistleblower letter is hard to investigate cleanly, but it¡¯s certain that the person who wrote it comes from Tenghai Research Base.¡±


    ¡°The person who wrote the letter is really malicious.¡±


    He Xiuyu sighed, ¡°In the face of great enough benefits, those with shaky beliefs will waver.¡±


    Then he added, ¡°Let¡¯s not just talk about Tenghai Research Base. The same is true for other places.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s because the organizations providing them with favorable conditions are stronger than ours. If one day our Huaxia becomes the number one in the world, when our people are wealthy and our nation is strong, the opposition won¡¯t have any leverage to bribe these people anymore.¡±


    He Xiuyu paused his steps for a moment, then continued to walk on, but the hand that held Qingyu¡¯s tightened slightly, ¡°What you said is very true, we are not strong enough yet!¡±


    He enunciated the last sentence word by word, as though it carried a steadfast confidence.


    Qingyu tilted her head to look at him and found that He Xiuyu at this moment was truly captivating.


    She thought that such a man was trustworthy.


    Yet such a man was also extremely intelligent and perceptive.


    Last night, with just one sentence, he had already seen through her completely. Therefore, even when handing the test tube over to He Xiuyu, he needed to find an appropriate opportunity.


    This matter really couldn¡¯t be rushed and had to be planned meticulously.


    ...


    The next morning, the sky was somewhat overcast, but it was much cooler than usual. Rongrong clung to the doorframe, refusing to go to kindergarten.


    Because she saw her little aunt wearing the clothes she dons for driving the tractor today: work trousers made of labor cloth, with a beige checkered shirt inside. Although it hadn¡¯t rained, she was wearing sky-blue boots.


    Both pretty and dashing, incredibly good-looking.


    But her dressing up like this meant that she was going to the Barley Grassland of Xiaxi Commune.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly as he said with displeasure, ¡°Rongrong, let go.¡±


    Rongrong wouldn¡¯t let go, instead peering into the house. She then saw Qiao Qingyu coming out of the house and, looking at the scene at the doorway, Qiao Qingyu asked in surprise, ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡±


    He Xuerong let go and ran thumping up to her, tugging at her trousers and looking up pleadingly, ¡°Little aunt, I know you¡¯re going to Xiaxi Commune today. Can you take me with you?¡±


    ¡°Who said I was going to Xiaxi Commune?¡±


    He Xuerong stood up straight, pointing at Qiao Qingyu¡¯s boots and trousers, ¡°Little aunt, you getting dressed like this means you¡¯re going to drive the tractor, and driving the tractor means going to Xiaxi Commune.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to dig up potatoes in the potato field!¡± Qiao Qingyu said righteously.


    He Xiuyu watched amusingly at the little one and the grown one.


    He Xuerong wasn¡¯t disappointed at all and raised her little eyebrows, ¡°Little aunt, I want to go to the potato field too. I can help you with the work.¡±


    He Xiuyu stopped He Xuerong¡¯s wheedling, grabbing her hand and said unquestionably, ¡°Kindergarten isn¡¯t something you can attend or skip as you please.¡± His voice was tinged with severity.


    Qiao Qingyu had wanted to say something, but she shut her mouth. Indeed, that was the case since He Xuerong was in the senior group at kindergarten, similar to a preschool class.


    If she weren¡¯t so young, she would¡¯ve been sent to first grade this year.


    In any case, they couldn¡¯t cultivate a habit of laziness.


    Qiao Qingyu walked forward, one hand in her trouser pocket, and said, ¡°Rongrong, be good and go to kindergarten with your little uncle. Tonight, little aunt will make you fried potato sticks.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± He Xuerong¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say there was no oil at home?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go get some oil in a bit.¡±


    He Xuerong¡¯s eyes spun around, and she pouted, ¡°All said and done, you¡¯re still going to Xiaxi Commune, aren¡¯t you, little aunt?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu reached out to pinch her little cheek, saying affectionately, ¡°You clever little girl, wait for the weekend and your little aunt will take you to pick sour fruits.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°When has your little aunt ever lied to you!¡±


    As she said this, Qiao Qingyu had already locked the door of the house.


    After leaving the gate of the Tenghai Research Base, the three of them went in different directions.


    Qiao Qingyu went to check on the potato field, where among all the crops, potatoes were relatively low-maintenance. Aside from applying base fertilizer when planting and preparing the ridges after sprouting, they hardly needed any other attention.


    Potatoes are one of the most important vegetables and can be used as a staple food when necessary.


    Aside from the portion reserved for her own family¡¯s consumption, the remaining five acres of potato field were all left for seed.


    She happened to run into Old Xie. One acre of these potato fields belonged to Old Xie, who guarded it fiercely; no one could even think about sneaking away a single potato, and nobody should even consider plucking a potato leaf. Because of this, he specifically drafted a management system written on a wooden board, which was planted at the front of the potato field.

 Chapter 207 - 207 207 He Said He Regrets It a Lot

    ?Chapter 207: Chapter 207: He Said He Regrets It a Lot Chapter 207: Chapter 207: He Said He Regrets It a Lot Since she saw Old Xie, Qiao Qingyu took the opportunity to discuss the potato harvest from yesterday with him, ¡°Director Xie, as long as Xichuan doesn¡¯t get a month of heavy rain, the potatoes will have a bumper crop this year.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, a month of heavy rain in Xichuan? Impossible!¡± Old Xie laughed, shaking his head.


    Qiao Qingyu also smiled, ¡°Aside from what we¡¯ve set aside for winter consumption, we should use the rest as seed potatoes. However, my storage isn¡¯t quite right for that, we should start digging a cellar specifically for storing potatoes now.¡±


    Potatoes are tubers; after sprouting next spring, they can be planted directly in the ground. She read about potatoes, and as long as they¡¯ve sprouted, there should be no problem.


    After all, they¡¯re not like corn or rice seeds, where selection is more meaningful.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the cellar has already started being dug. Our cabbages and radishes are growing well this year, and I¡¯ve also started on a bigger one, designed by Comrade Lao Feng from the breeding center specifically to store potatoes.¡±


    It¡¯s good to have a research base; even digging a cellar needs a blueprint.


    ¡°By the way, Yu Jing said she has already set up an account for you, and everything like the official seal will be taken care of soon. You can then have money directly deposited into your account.¡±


    Of course, Qiao Qingyu wouldn¡¯t object; after all, her Original Seed Laboratory was affiliated with Tenghai Research Base, and everything had to be done according to regulations.


    After parting with Old Xie, Qiao Qingyu drove the tractor to Xiaxi Commune.


    Today happened to be a market day, and she needed to see if there were any stalls selling lard or soybean oil.


    The oil at home wasn¡¯t enough to last.


    She only received a small amount every month, and it would be gone in half a month.


    Parking the tractor at the gate of the commune, Qiao Qingyu glanced inadvertently to the right and saw two people standing on the other side of the large wall.


    The woman was Fang Xiaomei, and the man Qiao Qingyu seemed to remember, likely one of the drivers from the base.


    Right, wasn¡¯t that Fang Xiaomei¡¯s former boyfriend?


    What were those two talking about?


    Fang Xiaomei also saw Qiao Qingyu, turned around, and quickly walked toward her, while the young man behind her nodded at Qiao Qingyu and then turned to leave.


    Fang Xiaomei¡¯s face was flushed, perhaps from shyness or from walking too fast.


    Fang Xiaomei was a beautiful girl with bright eyes and white teeth.


    Though her complexion was not fair, it radiated a healthy, rosy glow.


    Though not as porcelain and delicate as Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face, she was also very pretty.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at the retreating figure, then asked curiously, ¡°Wasn¡¯t that guy just now Chen Sheng?¡±


    Fang Xiaomei shilly-shallied a bit, then nodded and murmured, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s him.¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯s going on with you two?¡± Qiao Qingyu probed.


    After all, she wasn¡¯t clear about their situation, but she knew very well that the two had broken up.


    ¡°Chen Sheng came to see me a few days ago; he said he regretted it, that he shouldn¡¯t have broken up with me on impulse.¡±


    ¡°So he wants to get back together with you?¡±


    There was a moment of silence, and then Fang Xiaomei shyly nodded.


    ¡°Does your uncle know?¡±


    Fang Xiaomei reached out and took hold of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand, ¡°Don¡¯t tell my uncle about this just yet. He doesn¡¯t know.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was not one to meddle in others¡¯ affairs, especially when it came to matters between two people. She was even younger than Fang Xiaomei; interfering would be foolish.


    But she still said, ¡°Isn¡¯t this a bit sudden? You¡¯ve been broken up for over half a year now. Why did he suddenly come to reconcile with you? Did you agree?¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯d think about it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right; we¡¯re not at anyone¡¯s beck and call, to come and go as they please...¡± Qiao Qingyu pushed her gently and whispered, ¡°Fang Xiaomei, I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t be too quick to agree. I¡¯ll look into it for you. Just in case he¡¯s been involved in any dirty business, we need to keep our distance.¡±


    Fang Xiaomei asked curiously, ¡°What could be going on with him?¡±


    ¡°Has he been seeing someone else during this time?¡± Qiao Qingyu looked at Fang Xiaomei as if trying to impart some wisdom.


    Fang Xiaomei said softly, ¡°It¡¯s normal to see someone, right? My family even introduced me to two guys.¡±


    ¡°Fang Xiaomei, it looks like you really like him,¡± Qiao Qingyu ventured.


    Fang Xiaomei bit her lip and stayed silent; then they heard Lu Ye¡¯s voice from behind, ¡°What are you two doing standing around here?¡±


    Fang Xiaomei poked Qiao Qingyu, who obviously couldn¡¯t continue the conversation and turned around to face Lu Ye, ¡°Lu Ye, are you here on business? Then I won¡¯t disturb you any longer; I¡¯m off to the market.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to the market for?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking to see if there¡¯s any lard or soybean oil.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Lu Ye quickly said to Fang Xiaomei, ¡°Fang Xiaomei, please escort those two older comrades to Vice Director Qian. They are going to the test fields to record some data.¡±


    Fang Xiaomei was about to leave, promptly nodded, and took the two comrades into the courtyard of the commune.


    Meanwhile, Lu Ye caught up quickly, ¡°Wait for me, Qiao Qingyu.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stopped in her tracks, ¡°You need me for something?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s walk and talk.¡±


    After they rounded the commune¡¯s large wall, Lu Ye asked Qiao Qingyu if she could get some high-quality soybean seeds. If she could, he planned to apply to plant soybeans at the Satellite Commune tomorrow.


    ¡°How many acres are you planning to plant?¡±


    ¡°Five thousand acres.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that would require tens of thousands of pounds of soybean seeds. Have you tried contacting North City?¡±


    After all, North City is a major soybean-producing area.


    ¡°Soybeans are a major crop nowadays, and even the local supplies of seeds are insufficient there; they¡¯re not selling. After much persuasion, I only managed to source two thousand pounds.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu only had five hundred pounds in her space, which wouldn¡¯t be enough; it was like a drop in the bucket.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll contact the Nangang City Seed Breeding Center.¡±


    ¡°Do Southern soybeans suit the Northwest¡¯s cultivation?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll discuss it more after contacting them. I¡¯m not very clear on the details myself.¡±


    As they talked, they had arrived at the entrance to the large market.


    People were already carrying their loads in and out.


    Lu Ye suddenly asked Qiao Qingyu, ¡°You know about Wu Tai, right?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Next week, Wu Tai¡¯s father will come to West River Chemical Factory for an inspection, and he¡¯s bringing investment funds.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stopped in her tracks, ¡°Wu Tai¡¯s father is Wu Xiujie, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the patriotic overseas Chinese who donated national treasures, but he¡¯s no longer an overseas Chinese. He¡¯s reclaimed our nationality.¡±


    ¡°Investment is a good thing. The area of desertification in the western and northern parts of Xichuan is so extensive; if it¡¯s all successfully addressed, it will be an earth-shaking change for Xichuan City.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but I heard from the higher-ups that Wu Xiujie plans to bring a batch of poplar seeds from abroad, a rather precious batch of about a million seedlings, rumored to be planted in the sandy areas...¡±

 Chapter 208 - 208 208 Mutated

    ?Chapter 208: Chapter 208: Mutated? Chapter 208: Chapter 208: Mutated? Qiao Qingyu pondered for a moment when she heard this. Wu Xiujie, what exactly does he intend to do?


    There¡¯s no doubt that his actions are supposed to be welcomed and respected on this land.


    Hence, she couldn¡¯t say anything.


    However, Qiao Qingyu thought Lu Xiaopang¡¯s reaction was a bit odd; logically, he should be happy.


    ¡°Why do you seem worried?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Now is not the time to say, but I suspect some of these poplars are going to be planted on the Barley Grassland,¡± he frowned, ¡°if that happens, the hard-grown grass will have to be removed.¡±


    Removing grass¡ªwhat kind of logic is that?


    Planting grass and planting trees have nothing to do with each other.


    ¡°Are you worried that the trees won¡¯t survive, and then the grass will also be removed, resulting in a loss greater than the gain?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m worried about that. The seeds of Barley Grass were hard to come by, and we have also invested a lot of manpower, material resources, and financial resources.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wu Xiujie really shows his devoted patriotic spirit,¡± Qiao Qingyu said thoughtfully.


    ¡°Hopefully so, but I¡¯ll try my best to keep them away from the Barley Grassland.¡±


    It¡¯s uncertain whether the poplars brought from abroad can turn into a forest, and if all the hard-grown grassland is removed, that would be really irresponsible.


    Moreover, he had also returned from abroad and was not as blind as others.


    The large batch of poplars brought back from abroad, not to mention the long distance, whether they could adapt was another problem.


    He couldn¡¯t say that importing these saplings was a bad idea.


    But he couldn¡¯t allow anyone to touch the Barley Grass he had spearheaded planting, especially now that it¡¯s almost the maturation period¡ªremoving it at this time would be madness.


    Hiding his displeasure, he said softly, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, there¡¯s a meeting in the city that I need to attend. When you have time, could you help me contact someone about soybean seeds?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu agreed; her thoughts were the same as Lu Ye¡¯s.


    ¡°The Barley Grassland in Xichuan is sparse, only a thousandth of the desert, and the seed station in the Mobei Prairie has no inventory. Fortunately, the planted Barley Grass survived and now all we are waiting for is the seeds to mature next year for large-scale planting. So, we cannot afford to fail at this critical moment. Planting trees is fine too, barren desert lands in the northwest stretch endlessly, so there¡¯s no need to compete with the Barley Grass for land...¡±


    Lu Ye nodded since he and Qiao Qingyu had reached a consensus, he felt more confident.


    He looked at Qiao Qingyu, his eyes smiling, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, you¡¯ve really grown up.¡±


    Speaking so logically and methodically.


    This somewhat resembled the Qiao Qingyu he remembered yet somewhat different.


    Before Qiao Qingyu could say anything, he abruptly continued, ¡°Is your family really out of oil?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t expect him to change the subject so suddenly and nodded, ¡°There¡¯s a little left. Why? Can you get more oil?¡±


    Lu Ye glanced at Qiao Qingyu and his attitude suddenly turned cold, ¡°I can get it.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu narrowed her eyes.


    This guy¡¯s mood had suddenly turned sour.


    ¡°But what does your family having no oil have to do with me? He Xiuyu is such a big leader, yet he lets his wife go around buying oil to eat. If he can¡¯t provide for his family, he shouldn¡¯t have gotten married.¡±


    ¡°Lu Xiaopang, what are you ranting about?¡± Qiao Qingyu stamped her foot in anger.


    Lu Ye seemed to realize that he had overreacted, and he chuckled, ¡°Just joking with you, I can¡¯t get soybean oil either, it¡¯s tightly controlled now, but I can help you get some pork fat.¡±


    ¡°No need for that, someone just brought in a load to sell, you go ahead, I¡¯ll call you when I get the soybeans.¡±


    As she spoke, Qiao Qingyu waved her hand and quickly disappeared into the crowd.


    Lu Ye also turned and left, feeling annoyed.


    He felt he had been too petty just now.


    Fortunately, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t take it to heart, otherwise it would have been really awkward.


    Yet, Lu Ye¡¯s steps were still heavy. Remembering the way his grandfather had scolded him, he felt baffled.


    His grandfather had said, if he truly liked Qiao Qingyu, why didn¡¯t he go to find her at the Qiao Family Team immediately after graduation?


    Now that she was married, he felt uneasy. What had he been doing earlier?


    So, thoughts that shouldn¡¯t be had should never be entertained.


    If he could handle the relationship normally, they could continue to associate, as they often needed to work together. If he couldn¡¯t control his emotions, then he¡¯d better leave early.


    He shouldn¡¯t bring any negative influence to He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu.


    Though he didn¡¯t want to admit it, Lu Ye thought his grandfather had a point, so he didn¡¯t deserve to pine after Qiao Qingyu, let alone bother her.


    Thinking this made him somewhat depressed. Qiao Qingyu, King Qiao, when would she ever worry about someone?


    Never, she always did things her own way.


    Lu Ye drove back to Xichuan in his jeep. As soon as he got out, his colleague Xiao Jin hurriedly walked up to him, pulled him to a secluded corner, and whispered, ¡°There was a call from above, they said the saplings will arrive in half a month, and they¡¯ve already found a spot to store them, in the newly established seed breeding center¡¯s big warehouse...¡±


    Lu Ye looked at Xiao Jin and said sternly, ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that good?¡±


    ¡°It is good, but I heard they plan to plant the saplings in the grassland. After all, grass has survived there, so the saplings should have a higher survival rate too.¡±


    Lu Ye felt a sinking feeling, he glanced around and asked, ¡°Was there a meeting about this? Did they issue any documents?¡±


    ¡°No, but I heard that the people sent by Mr. Wu suggested this, saying that the poplar trees will have a higher economic value than barley grass and also are better for sand prevention and forest stability.¡±


    ¡°Barley grass is also very important, haven¡¯t you seen how deep its roots go?¡±


    ¡°But the agricultural scientists accompanying Mr. Wu said that having deep roots isn¡¯t a good thing as it competes with us for underground water resources. Now is the best time to remove it; if it spreads, it could become an invasive species, and farmers¡¯ fields would end up full of it...¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, its deep roots don¡¯t draw from underground water resources but store surface and atmospheric moisture.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re speaking to the wrong person here, Lu Ye. The successful planting of barley grass created a beautiful prairie, that¡¯s an incredible achievement. If it all gets cleared away, you¡¯ll be the joke.¡±


    Then added, ¡°They still bully you because you¡¯re too young!¡±


    Lu Ye kept a calm expression on his face but internally wanted to curse. ¡°You grow your trees, I¡¯ll grow my grass, they are unrelated matters. To be honest, including the adjacent provinces, the area facing sand encroachment is nearly ten thousand li. Those saplings wouldn¡¯t even be enough, why do they have to compete with me for the barley grassland?¡±


    Thanking Xiao Jin calmly, Lu Ye walked slowly toward the meeting room.


    Whether they said it was for Qiao Qingyu or for his own accomplishments, he wouldn¡¯t allow them to get rid of the barley grass that had finally grown.


    If push came to shove, he was ready to risk it all, even if it meant losing his job to ensure this matter was cleared up.

 Chapter 209 - 209 209 Cant Help but Admire He Xiuyus

    ?Chapter 209: Chapter 209: Can¡¯t Help but Admire He Xiuyu¡¯s Foresight Chapter 209: Chapter 209: Can¡¯t Help but Admire He Xiuyu¡¯s Foresight Upon arriving at the conference room, Lu Ye¡¯s eyes were warm, carrying the usual hint of a faint smile.


    After reporting to his lead, he asked in surprise, ¡°Old leader, why do I see several cars heading towards the Breeding Laboratory?¡±


    ¡°Exactly what I was about to discuss with you,¡± the old leader smiled warmly as he arranged the documents on the table, his eyes full of affection as he looked at Lu Ye. ¡°Mr. Wu will soon arrive in Xichuan, bringing one million tree saplings. Half a month later, they will also be transferred here. We¡¯ve cleared out two large warehouses at the center to temporarily store these saplings, and you¡¯ll need to assign someone to manage them. Make sure there¡¯s no damage to those saplings.¡±


    Lu Ye replied seriously, ¡°Got it, I¡¯m aware.¡±


    ¡°The relevant documentation is already prepared.¡± Saying this, he handed the documents he was holding to Lu Ye, who glanced over them.


    This batch of Poplar trees is known as Black Poplar, suitable for planting in sandy soils, but not drought-resistant. However, if they do survive, their value is very high in many aspects.


    Lu Ye smiled, his voice warm, ¡°Old leader, these saplings are really giving us a big hand.¡±


    ¡°Right, even if only half survive, that¡¯s still five hundred thousand trees. Imagine, fifty thousand trees as a sandbreak. Think about it, in ten years...that¡¯s going to be a vast forest...¡±


    The old leader spoke with longing in his eyes.


    Lu Ye inquired, ¡°Have we selected a site for planting the trees?¡±


    ¡°Speaking of this, I need to discuss it with you. The soil where Barley Grass is planted is relatively good. Moreover, an agricultural scientist brought by Mr. Wu said the Barley Grass roots are deeper than any he¡¯s seen. It¡¯s likely a variant grass species that could lead to species invasion and impact the surrounding ecological environment, especially crops. Such grass, once rooted, would be very difficult to eradicate, so it¡¯s best to remove it before it matures...¡±


    Lu Ye¡¯s expression had grown somber, but the old leader, apparently not noticing, continued to speak in a gentle tone, ¡°It¡¯s just a pity for all the human, material, and financial resources that have gone into this.¡±


    ¡°Old leader, where¡¯s the person now?¡±


    Lu Ye asked calmly.


    ¡°He¡¯s at the chemical plant now.¡±


    ¡°What scientific basis does he have to claim this is a variant grass species?¡± Lu Ye maintained his composure.


    ¡°They have the most advanced science and technology and detection equipment...¡±


    ¡°Chief Engineer He from Tenghai Research has already taken the grass seeds to the Imperial Agricultural Research Institute for analysis and testing. The report is with the head of Tenghai Research Breeding Laboratory.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Lu Ye couldn¡¯t help but admire He Xiuyu¡¯s foresight.


    ¡°Oh, and the test results?¡±


    ¡°Of course, they are good. It¡¯s the best Barley Grass Seeds in the world currently. If we can keep planting them next year, we can raise pigs and sheep on a large scale and even grow mushrooms on the grassland...¡±


    The old leader stood up and paced back and forth with his hands behind his back.


    Now that it involved the Imperial Agricultural Research Institute and Tenghai Research, he had to be prudent.


    So he said, ¡°Let¡¯s have a meeting to discuss this. Can you get a copy of the Agrarian Institute¡¯s report?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lu Ye said, slightly relieved, nodding in response.


    ¡°Then make a trip to Tenghai Research. If the seeds are of high quality and are not a variant species, we must not only refrain from eradicating them but also actively promote them.¡±


    Lu Ye took these documents and went to the Tenghai Research Base again.


    This time it was official business.


    He knew the report results were in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hands.


    Lu Ye loaded two jars of lard and a small jar of peanut oil in the trunk of his car.


    These were gifts he was preparing for Qiao Qingyu.


    Lu Ye sat in the jeep, driving on the Yellow Sand Road toward the Tenghai Research Base.


    Qiao Qingyu had already bought half a can of lard to put in her tractor. First, she patrolled her Barley Grassland, and then she checked on the Willow Wood. She found that the germination rate of the willow wood was almost one hundred percent. Although their growth was slow, they looked robust and healthy.


    There was no need to mention the Barley Grass. In areas where the soil was slightly better, it was now lush and verdant.


    Even in areas with poor soil quality, it had grown up to her knees. Standing on the edge of the wasteland, she could smell the fragrance of the green grass brought by the southern wind.


    Thousand silk hemp was an economic crop, while, for now, Barley Grass was vegetation for sandstorm prevention.


    These two types of plants each had different functions, and at this moment, both tall and short were full of green vitality, making one feel particularly serene just by looking at them.


    Yet Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but think of what Lu Ye had told her.


    If someone stubbornly wanted to get rid of Barley Grass to plant trees, it could be one hundred percent certain that Wu Xiujie was targeting her.


    Then, from another aspect, it was confirmed that the items in her possession had indeed caught some people¡¯s attention.


    But Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t expected that person to be Wu Xiujie.


    What on earth did this old man want to do?


    Regardless of whether she had any connection with the Wu Family, based on the current situation, they would not become friends.


    Qiao Qingyu felt it necessary to give Old Xie an early heads-up. However, with He Xiuyu around, there should be no major problems. Qiao Qingyu parked the tractor in the garage of Zone 5, then carried the lard jar back home.


    Qiao Qingyu was the only one left at home. She wanted to check the soybean seeds in her space, so she pressed the red mole on her finger, and after ten seconds, she entered the Space Device.


    As always, it was quiet. Entering here was actually entering another dimension, another space.


    Actually, it was chilling to contemplate deeply.


    But Qiao Qingyu never dwelled on it too much.


    Qiao Qingyu checked the soybean seeds in the space. They were stored in the crop area in large bottles, each grain plump and full.


    There were five hundred jin. Next year, she planned to sell them to the Qiao Family Team since the soil in the north was better suited for cultivating superior soybean seeds.


    However, Lu Ye also wanted to plant soybeans, so once the soybeans arrived, it would be best for her to find an opportunity to cultivate them.


    Otherwise, achieving a good harvest would be difficult.


    She passed by a row of flower seeds, and on top was a layer full of test tubes. She thought for a moment, carried over a ladder, climbed up, and randomly took a bottle from the flower rack, not expecting it to be a kind of flower called calming grass, both the leaves and the flowers aided in sleep.


    This was good stuff indeed.


    Qiao Qingyu opened the bottle cap and poured a small heap into her palm, about twenty or so seeds, then put the seeds into the pocket of her overalls. But in the next moment, a sudden sharp pain came from her chest, like an invisible hand had clenched her heart.


    The pain was so intense that she couldn¡¯t breathe.


    The vase holding the calming grass that was in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand slipped and fell to the ground. The ground was paved with some unknown hard material, and the vase of calming grass shattered to pieces.


    Qiao Qingyu was startled, quickly recovered her senses, and climbed down from the ladder. She found another empty bottle on the other side, then squatted down and carefully picked up the scattered flower seeds from the ground one by one.


    She felt slightly uneasy. Could this body have heart disease, angina, or coronary heart disease?


    My God, how could someone so young have such issues?


    Strangely though, the sensation was sudden and now it was gone, as if it had flashed by in an instant.


    But there was still some dull discomfort in her chest, a very unpleasant heaviness.


    But just at that moment, Qiao Qingyu froze. She picked up a piece of the shattered glass bottle in front of her, then held it up and looked through it. She had never paid attention before, but now she discovered that the bottom of the bottle was engraved with a letter.


    It was a capital ¡°Y¡±!

 Chapter 210 - 210 210 He Xiuyus Yu is also Yu

    ?Chapter 210: Chapter 210 He Xiuyu¡¯s Yu is also Yu Chapter 210: Chapter 210 He Xiuyu¡¯s Yu is also Yu Qiao Qingyu gazed at it again, carefully examining under the bright light.


    The letter gleamed brightly within her sight.


    Qiao Qingyu wondered, what could this mean?


    Y?


    There are also many words that start with this English letter, each carrying various meanings. Similarly, if it¡¯s an abbreviation in Pinyin, there could be many meanings as well.


    Could this be the name of the Space Device?


    Or possibly the initials of its inventor?


    Yue, Yang, or Yin?


    So many possibilities.


    Certainly, it couldn¡¯t be the Jade from her name, Qiao Qingyu?


    At that thought, Qiao Qingyu grinned. Even if she had ten lifetimes, she wouldn¡¯t be able to create such high-dimensional space.


    She was no alien, after all.


    If it were He Xiuyu, that might be more likely.


    Suddenly, a thump struck Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart.


    Good heavens, she was thinking too much.


    After all, the ¡®Yu¡¯ in He Xiuyu was also ¡®yu¡¯.


    It was only then that Qiao Qingyu really realized that the last character of He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu was pronounced the same.


    Her mind was a jumbled mess, frozen for a few seconds. Deciding not to speculate wildly any longer, she hurriedly cleaned up the broken glass¡ªjust in case one day she stepped on it barefoot, that would be awful.


    But at that moment, she heard a knock from outside.


    Vaguely, it seemed to be Lu Ye?


    Hadn¡¯t he returned to Xichuan, and now he was back again?


    Qiao Qingyu quickly pressed the red mole on her hand, emerged from the Space Device after ten seconds, tidied herself up, and quickly went to the yard.


    Lu Ye was still knocking on the door, in a very polite manner that wasn¡¯t loud or annoying.


    Qiao Qingyu quickly opened the door, not expecting to see two people standing outside; Lu Ye was holding two jars, followed by a security guard from the compound, who also held a small jar.


    The security guard placed his jar under the grapevine in the yard, then happily left with two tomatoes.


    Everyone in the family compound of the base knew that the vegetables grown by Chief Engineer He¡¯s spouse were tastier than fruits, including cucumbers and tomatoes. Of course, he had only ever eaten apples besides these, but he thought tomatoes were even tastier than apples.


    The two tomatoes, he shared with another guard, and both didn¡¯t hesitate to quickly devour them.


    The other guard said with longing, ¡°When will our base plant more of these big tomatoes? Then we could eat our fill.¡±


    The other man absentmindedly consoled him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that day will definitely come. You¡¯ll be able to eat tomatoes until you¡¯re sick of them.¡±


    ¡°How could that be possible? I could never have enough in this lifetime.¡±


    That guard simply didn¡¯t believe it.


    The other was just placating him, of course, not taking it seriously.


    At He XiuYu¡¯s house, Lu Ye had placed all the jars properly and explained lightly, ¡°Two of these jars are lard and the other is peanut oil, which I got from the canteen. We¡¯ll deduct the cost from the money for buying seeds.¡±


    Then without waiting for Qiao Qingyu to object, he immediately started discussing the purpose of his visit. Towards the end, Lu Ye¡¯s expression became serious and cautious, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, this is no small matter. I always feel that Mr. Wu Xiujie isn¡¯t just about planting trees; it feels like he wants to eradicate all of our Xichuan¡¯s Barley Grass.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu naturally didn¡¯t take it lightly. She took out a report and handed it to Lu Ye, ¡°This is the original, you can take it back and show it to your leaders. Just return the original to me after making copies.¡±


    By this time, it was already 2 p.m. Qiao Qingyu had finished lunch and went to the Space Laboratory, planning to take a nap after a stroll. She figured that Lu Ye probably hadn¡¯t eaten yet.


    As Lu Ye reviewed the appraisal report again, he finally put it securely into his briefcase.


    Qiao Qingyu asked Lu Ye, ¡°Have you eaten?¡±


    Lu Ye answered honestly, ¡°No, I rushed over here.¡±


    ¡°Did you drive here or take public transport?¡±


    ¡°I drove here, my car is parked in front of the guard¡¯s entrance.¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment then, I will make you something to eat.¡±


    Lu Ye didn¡¯t refuse, as it wasn¡¯t his first time eating at Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house, and plus, he was really hungry.


    Since he was in a rush, he was dripping with sweat, so he went to the eastern pergola to wash his face and hands.


    Then, quite familiar with the place, he went to the vegetable garden and picked a cucumber. Without washing it, he started crunching on it.


    Time was tight as Lu Ye needed to head back soon, so Qiao Qingyu boiled him a large bowl of noodles. She ran them under cold water then mixed a bowl of sauce that was extremely fragrant and thick, topped with finely sliced cucumber and minced coriander.


    She poured the sauce over the noodles in the large bowl, and the aroma wafted up instantly.


    She put two dishes of pickles on the table. Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t mixed in any chili flakes, knowing that Lu Ye couldn¡¯t eat spicy food.


    Lu Ye mixed the noodles, unable to resist stuffing a big mouthful into his mouth. After a few bites, he swallowed.


    Taking a breath, he muttered, ¡°Delicious,¡± and then looked up at Qiao Qingyu, his expression somewhat complex. ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect your cooking to be so tasty.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush. Eat slowly.¡± Qiao Qingyu gave him another bowl of noodle soup, smiling as she spoke, ¡°I¡¯ll go pick some vegetables for you.¡±


    The pickings in the vegetable garden were actually quite slim. Qiao Qingyu was generous and often used such produce in exchanges, so besides the flourishing flowers and plants, the vegetables were always in high demand. Even the guards had to save up for several days for two tomatoes.


    Nonetheless, Qiao Qingyu still put together some eggplants, beans, cucumbers, a bunch of small green onions, and coriander for Lu Ye.


    The vegetables in the Northwest and North were similar, while Southern vegetables couldn¡¯t survive even with good seeds, so most of the vegetables in the garden were typical Northern crops.


    She packed these vegetables in a cloth bag. When Lu Ye was finished eating and drinking noodle soup, she asserted, ¡°I need to pay you for those three jars of oil.¡±


    ¡°Sure, you can pay with soybeans if you want, as I need quite a lot of them here.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, have you already planned the planting of the soybeans? The soil here isn¡¯t very suitable.¡±


    Lu Ye replied, ¡°I¡¯ve already planned it, but we¡¯re currently lacking good quality seeds. So, the plan isn¡¯t set in stone since this is for next spring.¡±


    So the main issue now was about the Barley Grass.


    Qiao Qingyu knew Lu Ye was capable. As long as he disagreed, this matter wouldn¡¯t proceed.


    Lu Ye didn¡¯t stay long at He XiuYu¡¯s house after finishing the meal, and he quickly left.


    Then, when getting off work, He Xiuyu brought Rongrong back home, and he was carrying a now rarely seen plastic jug, which contained a full plastic bucket of oil.


    It was either none or several jars.


    Nowadays, it was rare to use plastic jugs for storing soybean oil.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t think much about it and asked them to wash their hands and eat. But to her surprise, when He Xiuyu entered the kitchen, he immediately noticed the row of jars stored under the cupboard that was opened on the north side.

 Chapter 211 - 211 211 Or Perhaps Not to Hurt the Dignity of

    ?Chapter 211: Chapter 211: Or Perhaps Not to Hurt the Dignity of the Head of the Family? Chapter 211: Chapter 211: Or Perhaps Not to Hurt the Dignity of the Head of the Family? He Xiuyu opened the jars to find them brimming with lard, one was half-full with lard, and to his surprise, the other contained peanut oil.


    He Xiuyu was taken aback for a moment, his peach blossom eyes sparkling playfully. He had thought it was Qiao Qingyu who had bought it from the big market, his voice carrying a smile, ¡°I thought I could surprise you, but it turns out you¡¯ve bought so much. It must have cost a tidy sum...¡±


    His salary had gone up again, and now his monthly bonus and allowances were even higher than his basic pay, totaling nearly 300 yuan.


    Even in the entirety of China, that was considered decent.


    He reckoned there was still a week before payday, but this month¡¯s benefits would be 100 yuan less than the previous month¡¯s because he had exchanged that 100 yuan benefit for other rewards.


    He wondered if Qiao Qingyu still had enough money.


    At this moment, Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t realized anything yet and casually said, ¡°I bought that small jar from the big market for twelve yuan, and the jar cost me one yuan. The other three jars were just brought over by Lu Ye.¡±


    He Xiuyu slowly withdrew his hand, and the smile on his face seemed to gradually fade. He glanced at Qiao Qingyu, who was busy in the kitchen, and said warmly, ¡°Did those three jars cost a lot?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t want money for now, he asked me to help him source some soybeans. It¡¯ll even out if we trade with these.¡±


    He Xiuyu frowned slightly, not knowing why, but he felt a dull feeling in his heart.


    ¡°How did he know we were out of oil at home?¡± He Xiuyu asked, feigning nonchalance.


    ¡°I ran into him when I was at Xiaxi Commune.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu seemed to sense something different in He Xiuyu¡¯s tone and slowly stood up. At that moment, she was holding a basin filled with cabbage oil-shaozi-stuffed buns.


    Underneath the large iron pot, millet porridge was simmering; the fire in the stove burned red-hot. Not only was her back drenched in sweat, but her forehead, too.


    He Xiuyu quickly walked over and took the basin of buns from her hands to the living room.


    He placed the buns on the square table, which was provided by the base. The old, worn table from back home had been kept and now served as a desk in the study.


    Now, on this wooden table, there were two dishes: one was his favorite, diced chili and coriander, and the other was smashed cucumber with minced garlic.


    He turned back to the kitchen, suppressing the uncomfortable emotion in his heart, and said gently, ¡°Go wash your face. You¡¯re sweating profusely. I¡¯ve got this.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked up at He Xiuyu, wanting to ask if he was upset because Lu Ye knew they had no oil at home.


    Her mind was quick, naturally feeling that she hadn¡¯t misjudged He Xiuyu¡¯s thoughts, but since the man himself hadn¡¯t mentioned it, it didn¡¯t seem appropriate to ask directly.


    Qiao Qingyu was somewhat irritable.


    Setting aside her affection for He Xiuyu, Qiao Qingyu actually didn¡¯t think married life could bring much benefit to a girl.


    Endless housework?


    The need to tread carefully in social interactions?


    Or perhaps to not hurt the head of the household¡¯s pride?


    He Xiuyu saw the somewhat cold expression on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face. He just smiled and began pouring the porridge from the pot into a basin to take to the living room.


    By then, He Xuerong, who had cleaned herself up, was sitting obediently in the chair.


    Dinner went by quietly. Rongrong also sensed that there was something different about her uncle and little aunt compared to usual.


    The little girl was smart and knew that it was not the time to be chatty. She quietly and deftly finished her dinner, then went to the study, stood on the chair to turn on the desk lamp, and then sat down obediently to open her elementary school textbook...


    Like always, He Xiuyu helped Qiao Qingyu clean up.


    Qiao Qingyu felt annoyed by his presence and started to shoo him away, ¡°Go do your own work. I don¡¯t need your help with this. Otherwise, you¡¯re going to be busy until late into the night.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu knew that before he married her and Rongrong came over, He Xiuyu divided his time between the office and the dormitory, sometimes even choosing to stay at the workshop directly.


    There wasn¡¯t much change after marrying her. Apart from coming back to see her when the original owner hanged herself, he was still busy all the time. Then Rongrong returned, and initially, he could only visit once a week. It wasn¡¯t until they moved to the new family quarters closer to the office that he started to have regular office hours.


    But for him, getting off work didn¡¯t simply mean finishing the day. When the night grew silent, the light in the study remained on.


    Especially recently, that was even more the case.


    She didn¡¯t know if what she felt was sympathy, but Qiao Qingyu knew that He Xiuyu was doing important work and didn¡¯t need to be dealing with kitchen chores.


    Unexpectedly, He Xiuyu didn¡¯t say a word. He continued to help her tidy up the kitchen just like he did before, and together they went out to the cool shed.


    It was early September, and although the sunshine was still bright, the temperature at night had dropped significantly.


    Qiao Qingyu was thinking that she hadn¡¯t had time to knit sweaters and trousers, so she should take advantage of the good weather in the upcoming days to find and wash the home¡¯s sweaters and trousers, to dry them. Although it was dry in the Northwest, it didn¡¯t mean there was no rain at all.


    If the wind picked up, the clothes hanging outside would get covered in a layer of sand, so it was best to get out the autumn garments while there was no wind.


    He Xiuyu did not know what Qiao Qingyu was thinking. When Qiao Qingyu washed her hands, he passed her the soap bar, and when she wiped them, he handed her a towel...


    As Qiao Qingyu was absorbed in her thoughts, she naturally took them from him. It wasn¡¯t until she came back to her senses that she realized He Xiuyu was standing upright beside her, his drooping eyes shining with a warm luster, as if by standing in front of her, he could drop all his guard.


    He even reached out to straighten her hair.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart softened for a moment, and she glanced at him, ¡°Go attend to your things.¡±


    He Xiuyu did not leave but said to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°You don¡¯t have to keep sending me away. I just want to talk to you for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Then you better hurry up,¡± Qiao Qingyu still added with concern, ¡°Even though you¡¯re young now, it¡¯s not good to keep staying up late.¡±


    He Xiuyu clenched his hands, although he found the several jars of oil on the cupboard particularly annoying, he had concluded that if he wanted to have a good and lasting relationship with Qiao Qingyu, they needed to be open and honest about any issues.


    Because Qiao Qingyu was astute and perceptive, she could be very practical at times, quickly forming her own conclusions.


    ¡°Little Qiao, I¡¯m not trying to hide my feelings. I believe that household necessities should be a matter for both of us. So when I found out those jars of oil came from Lu Ye, my instinct was indeed to feel uncomfortable.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked up at He Xiuyu under the night sky, where this man was visibly conflicted, yet he spoke candidly.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be uncomfortable about? Friends helping each other and our household chores are different matters. Besides, we can¡¯t produce these essentials ourselves¡ªwe have to go out and buy them, don¡¯t we?¡±

 Chapter 212 - 212 212 I Am Human Not God

    ?Chapter 212: Chapter 212 I Am Human, Not God Chapter 212: Chapter 212 I Am Human, Not God ¡°You¡¯ve got a point, but let me explain myself,¡± He Xiuyu scratched the back of his head, his handsome features flashing a trace of discomfort, ¡°These feelings aren¡¯t quite rational, kind of absurd and unreasonable. Whether you say I¡¯m being petty or making a fuss, I accept it.¡±


    ¡°You are indeed a bit petty. What if you knew Lu Ye had also had a meal at our house, wouldn¡¯t you be even more upset?¡±


    He Xiuyu was stunned. What, that guy had mooched a meal here too?


    No wonder he smelled a different aroma than the usual dinner when he came in.


    But for some reason, when Qiao Qingyu talked to him like this, he felt relieved, especially because he loved hearing the words ¡°our house¡± from Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mouth.


    That felt particularly blissful.


    His eyes smiled as he reached out to hold Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand, suggesting, ¡°Shall we take a walk in the Poplar Forest outside?¡±


    ¡°Why go for a walk in the forest?¡±


    ¡°You mentioned that the Barley Grass you guys randomly scattered a while ago has started to grow, and I wanted to check it out.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Xiao He, it¡¯s so dark, you¡¯re going to the forest to look at grass, are you serious?¡± Qiao Qingyu was amused.


    He Xiuyu earnestly said, ¡°I can take a flashlight.¡±


    ¡°Alright, go deal with whatever you have to do. I understand what you mean, and I¡¯ll try not to talk about home matters with others, especially Lu Ye, is that okay?¡± Qiao Qingyu glanced at He Xiuyu with a somewhat teasing expression...


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, if I lacked that much confidence, I wouldn¡¯t be fit to be your husband,¡± He Xiuyu hurriedly explained.


    ¡°If you¡¯re confident, then why are you still standing here and not going anywhere?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu lifted an eyebrow at him.


    The dim lights fell subtly in the pavilion, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eye corners lifted, her petal-like red lips curling into a smile, making her appear indescribably lively and radiant.


    A warmth surged in He Xiuyu¡¯s heart, and he grabbed Qiao Qingyu, pulling her into his arms and against a corner of the pavilion.


    A pleasant masculine scent wafted over, making Qiao Qingyu¡¯s cheeks flush and her heart race as she quickly struggled, ¡°Let me go.¡±


    He Xiuyu lowered his gaze to look at Qiao Qingyu in his arms.


    A helpless smile played on his lips, though his voice was somewhat domineering, ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to judge me based on some childish things I¡¯ve said or done.¡±


    ¡°He Xiuyu, you¡¯re being quite unreasonable,¡±


    His arms tightened around Qiao Qingyu, his voice deep, ¡°It¡¯s not about being unreasonable, I just don¡¯t want our already fragile relationship to deteriorate further...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an exaggeration, it¡¯s not as serious as you¡¯re making it sound.¡± Qiao Qingyu really wanted to roll her eyes at him.


    ¡°Maybe all this seems trivial to you, but anything that¡¯s about you is a big deal to me!¡± He Xiuyu said with grave sincerity.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart skipped a beat; the way he hugged her so often, his scent so refreshingly appealing, was intoxicating indeed.


    ¡°I understand what you mean, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t hold any grudges against you.¡± Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but break free, glancing at Rongrong in the study, she softly said, ¡°Alright, you can let go of me now.¡±


    He Xiuyu was reluctant to let go, her body was fragrant and soft, always with a faint sweet scent.


    Qiao Qingyu pinched him on his soft waist, and although He Xiuyu wasn¡¯t afraid of pain, he had to let go. However, his peach-blossom eyes still intensely focused on Qiao Qingyu, this time he didn¡¯t speak, just watched her with his gaze.


    Qiao Qingyu could only reach out and push him, ¡°I¡¯m not as petty as you. You still dwell on it, I¡¯m not mad. Go ahead and get busy.¡±


    The pushed He Xiuyu looked back at Qiao Qingyu and realized that her indifference and distance had faded. He breathed a sigh of relief.


    He thought that he needed to be more open-minded in the future since his lover was different from others.


    Since he had decided to indulge her in everything, he must also embrace everything.


    He Xiuyu told himself this in his heart.


    Feeling that his behavior had been inappropriate, He Xiuyu quickly adjusted his mindset and started working.


    However, after Rongrong went to bed, he called Qiao Qingyu into the study.


    Qiao Qingyu stood at the entrance of the study and glanced at He Xiuyu who was arranging a pile of papers. She curiously asked, ¡°Why did you call me over?¡±


    He Xiuyu gestured, ¡°Come and sit down.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu sat opposite him, and He Xiuyu pushed a stack of papers towards her, ¡°This is the study material I organized for you during lunch today.¡±


    My goodness, it was just a casual remark, but the busy He Xiuyu really wanted to tutor her.


    Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t going to take the college entrance exam until next year, and she wasn¡¯t in a hurry; she didn¡¯t want to take up He Xiuyu¡¯s time. Flipping through the material, she said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush. The exam isn¡¯t until next year. Besides, I¡¯ve almost finished reviewing by myself; I just need to revise a bit when I¡¯m free.¡±


    ¡°You should take a good look, I also understand the recent college entrance exam topics. I¡¯ve outlined the key points for you, which should make your revision a bit easier.¡±


    After flipping through them for a while, Qiao Qingyu looked up at He Xiuyu. At that moment, He Xiuyu, with a pen in his right hand and his left hand on his chin, was watching her intently. His eyes were filled with twinkling stars, shimmering under the desk lamp. It was as if he was saying to Qiao Qingyu: Praise me, praise me, hurry up and praise me.


    ¡°You¡¯re amazing. Thank you,¡± Qiao Qingyu said with a smile, her eyes curving.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. I should be doing this.¡± He then handed her the pen and pointed to the first sheet, in a very pleased tone, ¡°Now, finish this worksheet and I¡¯ll check your basics.¡±


    ¡°Math? You¡¯re not planning on testing me on a subject every day, are you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the plan so far.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really tired. I want to rest,¡± Qiao Qingyu almost whined.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s heart melted at her manner, but he still insisted, ¡°No, finish the worksheet and then you can rest.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m really sleepy.¡±


    ¡°If you finish this worksheet, I¡¯ll give you a reward.¡±


    ¡°What kind of reward?¡± Qiao Qingyu looked at him warily.


    He Xiuyu leaned forward, his eyes twinkling with mischief, ¡°I might let you kiss me.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu threw the pen at He Xiuyu, chiding, ¡°Keep dreaming.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can kiss you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stared at He Xiuyu, resignedly saying, ¡°Mr. Xiao He, I¡¯ve realized how thick-skinned you are. How can a great scientist like you always talk like this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m human, not a god.¡± He Xiuyu handed the pen back, this time with seriousness, ¡°It¡¯s only nine o¡¯clock. It¡¯s too early to rest. With your ability, you should finish it in half an hour.¡±

 Chapter 213 - 213 213 She Doesnt Even Know If It Will Damage

    ?Chapter 213: Chapter 213: She Doesn¡¯t Even Know If It Will Damage Her Kidneys Chapter 213: Chapter 213: She Doesn¡¯t Even Know If It Will Damage Her Kidneys After finishing, He Xiuyu picked up a taller stack of documents next to him, drew another pen from the pen holder, and stopped teasing Qiao Qingyu, bowing his head to begin his work.


    Qiao Qingyu found it quite novel; this was the first time she interacted with He Xiuyu in such a manner. Normally, when he was working, Qiao Qingyu never came to the study.


    She thought He Xiu Yu was just putting on a show, but she realized that he was seriously focused on his work now.


    With the pen in her hand, Qiao Qingyu quietly observed He Xiuyu. His eyebrows were long, his eyelids hung low, and under the desk lamp, his eyelashes appeared especially long, casting crescent moon-like shadows below his eyes.


    His lips were also attractive. He Xiuyu wasn¡¯t a stern person, thus his lips tended to curve upwards slightly.


    The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up, revealing his muscular arms.


    Qiao Qingyu knew that he often worked with engineers to adjust machinery in the workshop, working just as hard as the workers.


    Thus, He Xiuyu¡¯s physique was also good, strong and firm, coupled with his tall stature, he possessed a handsome and reassuring presence.


    His hands looked nice too, holding a pen, he was writing something while reading, and for a moment, Qiao Qingyu found herself staring.


    Indeed, a man who is serious is exceptionally handsome!


    She felt a particular urge to rush over and kiss him, hold him, and even touch his firm and tight waist. Tempted so much, she hardly knew if it would affect his kidney.


    Across from her, He Xiuyu still bowed his head but suddenly spoke, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, your drool is dripping...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was startled, instinctively touching the corner of her mouth, then realizing she had been tricked, picked up a book, and threw it at He Xiuyu.


    He Xiuyu caught the book accurately and placed it on a nearby shelf, his expression half-smiling, ¡°Is it necessary to be so angry, I was just joking.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu glared at him but did not actually leave the study angrily as she was also curious about the test He Xiuyu had given her.


    Thus, Qiao Qingyu stopped staring at He Xiuyu and quietly sat across from him, taking the test seriously.


    The room quieted down immediately, the only sound was the rustling of the pen on paper.


    Qiao Qingyu was also a person serious about work. After she finished the test, He Xiuyu simply told her to leave the test there and go rest early.


    Qiao Qingyi stood up and glanced at the documents in front of He Xiuyu.


    Although she didn¡¯t want to admit it, Qiao Qingyu knew that He Xiuyu wouldn¡¯t deal with those letters and dossiers in front of her, nor modify those drafts, if there wasn¡¯t sufficient trust.


    These subtle details were particularly heartwarming.


    However, before leaving the study, Qiao Qingyu glanced at the calendar on the wall, which had flipped to September, and the little flower drawn on that day stood out prominently.


    He Xiuyu had been working earnestly, but when he saw Qiao Qingyu standing under the calendar, looking a bit awkward, holding a pen in his hand, he asked in a serious tone, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you gone to rest?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu thought about it; she would know what gift he was preparing for her on her birthday. Since he enjoyed surprising her, she decided to wait.


    Qiao Qingyu giggled at him and quickly went to the bedroom.


    However, He Xiuyu hurried to the calendar, feeling it wasn¡¯t good to display his intentions so openly on the calendar, but since he had drawn it with a ballpoint pen, he wondered whether to apply some solution to remove it before deciding against it. Wasn¡¯t it just deceiving oneself?


    Since Qiao Qingyu already knew, she hadn¡¯t asked him what the little flower represented. Given Qiao Qingyu¡¯s personality, she might have thought of something else.


    He Xiuyu slowly exhaled and returned to his desk to continue working.


    He worked until early morning, stretched his back, massaged his temples, and then prepared to rest.


    However, unexpectedly, in the quiet night and silent study, the ringing of the phone suddenly sounded. Though the ring wasn¡¯t loud, it was particularly harsh this night, startling not only others but He Xiuyu himself.


    He answered the phone, and Uncle Qiao¡¯s voice came from the other end, ¡°Hello, is this He Xiuyu¡¯s house?¡±


    ¡°... Yes.¡±


    ¡°Are you He Xiuyu?¡±


    He Xiuyu hadn¡¯t spoken with Uncle Qiao before. ¡°May I ask who¡¯s speaking?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Qiao Qingyu¡¯s uncle.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Uncle, is there something you need by calling so late?¡±


    He Xiuyu glanced at the door and asked in a low voice.


    ¡°I was just seeing if I could get through. He Xiuyu, there¡¯s nothing we can do here. Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mom suddenly fell seriously ill. Our local hospital couldn¡¯t handle it and suggested transferring her to the provincial hospital. Do you know any doctors there?¡±


    He Xiuyu pondered for a moment, then quickly promised, ¡°Uncle, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll contact the doctors at North City Hospital for you right now.¡±


    He continued, ¡°You can wait at the large brigade headquarters; I will try to hurry.¡±


    He Xiuyu had not expected that Han Xianglan would suddenly fall gravely ill. He hung up and prepared to close the study door.


    But he hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Qingyu to be coming toward him from the living room.


    Qiao Qingyu stood at the door, her eyebrows furrowed, looking somewhat groggy. Clearly, she hadn¡¯t slept well. She said, ¡°I just heard the phone ring. Was it from your work?¡±


    He Xiuyu shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to you about it later.¡±


    Then he began making calls.


    Once he made the call, Qiao Qingyu naturally understood what was going on. Initially standing at the doorway, she now stood across the desk, her hands tightly clutching the edge of the desk. No wonder her chest felt tight continuously.


    So her mother was ill. Was it truly a mother-daughter connection?


    It was Qiao Qingyu¡¯s first time experiencing such feeling.


    After He Xiuyu had made the necessary contacts, he immediately called Uncle Qiao, who had been waiting at the brigade headquarters. By this time, half an hour had passed, and although he had made only two calls, the hassle of making arrangements was troubling.


    Hearing that arrangements had been made, Uncle Qiao quickly said thank you.


    Qiao Qingyu snatched the phone, her voice urgent, ¡°Uncle, how is my mom really doing? How serious is it? Tell me the truth.¡±


    Uncle Qiao didn¡¯t try to keep her from worrying. He knew that if something happened and Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t see her mother for the last time, the child would never be at peace her whole life.


    Han Xianglan¡¯s condition was very severe, unconscious, and the doctors said her heartbeat was almost imperceptible. Even they couldn¡¯t say whether she would pull through, so he said gravely, ¡°Then you should come home for a bit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll come back tomorrow.¡± Then Qiao Qingyu¡¯s voice trembled as she asked, ¡°Uncle, how did my mom suddenly become so ill?¡±

 Chapter 214 - 214 214 The Necklace

    ?Chapter 214: Chapter 214: The Necklace Chapter 214: Chapter 214: The Necklace ¡°Early this morning, a message came from Lianjiang Village, saying your Grandma is not going to make it, and your mom rushed off alone,¡± said Qiao Zhiyuan. ¡°By the afternoon, she was taken to the hospital by your uncle¡ªit was a sudden illness...¡±


    ¡°My Grandma is not going to make it?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± Qiao Zhiyuan said coldly. ¡°That old lady is quite lively. She said she just missed your mom, but didn¡¯t expect your mom to suddenly fall ill and it scared her terribly.¡±


    After coldly huffing, he didn¡¯t say anything more.


    Qiao Qingyu knew her uncle had never liked that family.


    She said hoarsely, ¡°Uncle, my mom will be okay. I can get to the provincial capital the day after tomorrow, and then I¡¯ll go to the hospital to find you...¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Qiao Zhiyuan agreed and then comforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ve already arranged for a car, and we¡¯re taking your mom to the provincial hospital right now...¡±


    After saying this, the phone line clicked dead.


    Although Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t been in this world long enough to spend much time with Han Xianglan, in that moment, the feeling of blood kinship engraved in her body surged up.


    Her tears pattered down, and He Xiuyu let out a sigh; he knew he couldn¡¯t keep the sudden incident from Qiao Qingyu forever.


    He said quietly, ¡°Tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll write you an introduction letter, and then take you to West River Station.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded gently.


    He Xiuyu continued, ¡°I¡¯ve already contacted Uncle Zhu at the provincial hospital. Don¡¯t worry, the medical technology is very advanced now, and I¡¯ll keep an eye on things.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s brow furrowed. When she left, Han Xianglan was in good health and had even been checked out at the hospital with no major issues.


    How could she have become critically ill so suddenly?


    Her mom¡¯s godmother, who lived in Lianjiang Village, had been doing well. Her Grandma Han Lishi sometimes did odd jobs for people, but in recent years she had been slammed pretty hard by life and had given them up.


    The last time she returned to Qiao Family Team, she visited her and brought a lot of things, since during Uncle¡¯s last visit, Han Lishi had sent her a pound of sunflower seeds and a bag of dried potatoes.


    But she didn¡¯t like that family.


    She wasn¡¯t the original host and couldn¡¯t seem to foster those feelings.


    Also, in her childhood memories, her elder cousin Liuya had once grabbed her hair, trying to stuff her into the hearth, burning off her bangs.


    It had caused a fight between Qiao Family and Han Family, and after that, they rarely interacted.


    Liuya was two years older than her.


    One year, a group of kids went to play behind the mountain, and Liuya fell down the slope. Since then, she had been paralyzed and often lay in a semi-conscious state on the kang bed.


    Upon returning this time, she found Liuya awake, but her gaze was particularly unsettling.


    Qiao Family struggled in their own lives, yet the gifts they brought during holidays were generous. The red bricks for Han Family¡¯s house construction were brokered by her uncle, who also took money from his own family to help build it.


    But Qiao Family didn¡¯t like Han Family.


    After all, it was Granny He who had made the connection between the families.


    Now, this sudden illness at her house would surely anger her father and brother.


    Qiao Qingyu stood up, ¡°I¡¯m going to pack my things. You should rest early.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s concerned gaze fell on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face. ¡°Your train leaves tomorrow afternoon. You should rest well, otherwise the family will be even more worried when they see you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu absentmindedly nodded.


    He Xiuyu clenched his hand and said softly, ¡°Wait a moment.¡±


    Then he went to his bookshelf, opened the top compartment, and took out a box. The box was newly made of untreated wood with a simple design, but its edges and corners were polished smooth.


    After opening the box, He Xiuyu gently took out an item from inside.


    Qiao Qingyu looked over and her pupils shrank. Unexpectedly, he was holding a necklace with a pendant, the material of which was unidentifiable.


    He Xiuyu walked over, the necklace swaying slightly in his hand, casting a golden shimmer like flowing water.


    Qiao Qingyu watched him, not understanding when he had bought the necklace.


    ¡°Where did you buy this?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t buy it; I made it for you with my own hands.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at He Xiuyu in surprise. ¡°You can even make necklaces? Is that true or not?¡±


    ¡°Making a necklace isn¡¯t difficult, and the tools are easy to make.¡±


    He Xiuyu felt the conversation was going off track. He said in a low voice, ¡°This month, I originally had a one hundred yuan reward, but I applied to exchange it for a piece of gold ore. From it, I extracted twenty grams of gold, and the pendant below is an amulet a Lama gave me when I was on a business trip to Western Tibet...¡±


    He paused there, his voice filled with guilt. ¡°Ever since we got married, I haven¡¯t given you any jewelry. I was planning to personally put it on you on your birthday.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stared at He Xiuyu, the dim yellow light casting a gentle and bright glow in his eyes.


    His eyes were filled only with her.


    His hands were skillful, and Qiao Qingyu stood silently in front of him as He Xiuyu placed the necklace around her neck.


    The amulet seemed to be some kind of jade, engraved with intricate scriptures.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know the content of the scriptures, but for some reason, after one glance, her mood became extraordinarily calm.


    A feeling that could not be described seemed to flow slowly around her heart.


    She curved her lips at him, then extended her arms to wrap around his waist, leaning her cheek against his chest. He Xiuyu stiffened for a moment but then slowly raised his arms to embrace her too.


    The fresh and pleasant scent enveloped them both as they quietly listened to each other¡¯s heartbeat.


    In this moment, Qiao Qingyu felt like her heart had found a place to rest.


    ...


    Perhaps it was because of the amulet, or perhaps it was because of the comforting words from He Xiuyu, but although Qiao Qingyu felt upset and worried about Han Xianglan, she still fell asleep.


    When she woke up, He Xiuyu had already brought back a referral letter from his work, along with a stack of money, his salary advanced in anticipation, all handed to Qiao Qingyu.


    Just like the last time, he accompanied Rongrong to see Qiao Qingyu off on the train.


    The train carried Qiao Qingyu toward North City, speeding on its way.


    He Xiuyu, who had returned to the base, took Rongrong to kindergarten and unexpectedly encountered Mr. Qian at the entrance to the housing complex. Clearly, Mr. Qian had come looking for Qiao Qingyu.


    Seeing the approaching figure of He Xiuyu, Mr. Qian¡¯s eyes lit up and he quickly walked over, only then learning that Qiao Qingyu had taken the train back home.


    Disappointment flashed across Mr. Qian¡¯s face, but then he hastily said, ¡°Chief Engineer He, I won¡¯t disturb you any longer, I¡¯d better hurry back, too.¡±


    He Xiuyu walked him to where the tractor was parked, and while walking, asked, ¡°Vice Director Qian, is there something you wanted to discuss with Qingyu?¡±


    Mr. Qian hadn¡¯t expected He Xiuyu to ask him directly. He simply said, ¡°I wanted to talk with Qingyu to see if we could find a good plot of land in Xiaxi Commune and also build a few vegetable greenhouses to grow off-season vegetables for sale during the winter.¡±

 Chapter 215 - 215 215 Rapid Decline

    ?Chapter 215: Chapter 215: Rapid Decline Chapter 215: Chapter 215: Rapid Decline ¡°Mm, the plan is feasible, but there are also many difficulties,¡± He Xiuyu said in a gentle voice.


    ¡°Indeed, I know we can¡¯t compare to North City. Firstly, the soil isn¡¯t good, and secondly, making fires with wood is difficult.¡±


    At this point, Mr. Qian puffed out his chest, ¡°But our members aren¡¯t afraid of hard work or challenges. The harvest of thousand silk hemp, Barley Grass, and the big radishes and cabbages this year has given them hope. They¡¯re hoping to see if Qingyu can guide us again in building a few vegetable greenhouses. We¡¯re not looking to make much profit, just having enough to eat a meal of dumplings with meat filling during the New Year would leave us more than satisfied.¡±


    ¡°Have you spoken to Lu Ye about this?¡±


    ¡°I have, but Lu Ye said he doesn¡¯t have the seeds suitable for winter planting of off-season vegetables.¡±


    By this time, they had arrived at the crossroads and stopped, He Xiuyu continued in a warm tone, ¡°Vice Director Qian, when you go back, put together a complete plan and lay out all the convenient conditions you can offer. This winter, Director Xie is also planning to build several vegetable greenhouses. Once Qingyu returns, the three of you can sit down and have a thorough discussion.¡±


    Mr. Qian¡¯s eyes lit up; that would be wonderful.


    He climbed onto the tractor, elated, and returned to Xiaxi Commune.


    He Xiuyu headed to the Big White Building, his heart filled with worry and a kind of concern he had never felt before.


    It was as if a hand were squeezing the tip of his heart.


    The last time Qiao Qingyu left, he had not felt this way.


    Upon arriving at the entrance of the Big White Building, he ran into Yu Jing and Su Yunyao, who lately seemed to be quite often together.


    He had Director Lin conduct a covert investigation on Yu Jing, and so far, no issues had been discovered, whereas Su Yunyao remained suspicious.


    Although it was still impossible to explain how A-4 had been designed, it had to be admitted that Su Yunyao was exceedingly familiar with A-4, almost as if she had been involved from start to finish before redoing it now.


    This feeling was as eerie as when he held the draft of A-4 in his own hands before.


    ¡°Chief Engineer He, I was just looking for you to sign something,¡± Yu Jing said with a smile, holding a report in her hand.


    And Su Yunyao also spoke, ¡°Chief Engineer He, the second phase of A-4 has started; we need your signature on this document.¡±


    He Xiuyu nodded, hiding the thoughts in his eyes, and led the two into the Big White Building.


    ...


    Director Xie promoted Sister-in-law Li to be the leader of the first small team, specifically tasked with managing forty acres of cabbage and Qiao Qingyu¡¯s five acres of potato land.


    Especially the potatoes, which were to be prepared as seeds for the next year and were very important.


    Especially now that Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t home, Old Xie reminded Sister-in-law Li to be extra vigilant since the potatoes were edible.


    If not watched, the over a thousand people in the family compound could pilfer them in just a few days.


    Now that the Greening Committee and the Greening Farm had merged, Old Xie was responsible for both. Though the workload had increased, he relished it.


    He also hoped that Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mother could recover, safe and healthy.


    Good people deserve good fortune, including her family.


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu arrived in the provincial city quite soon and went straight to the Provincial Hospital after getting off the bus.


    He Xiuyu had told her to go directly to Vice Dean Zhu once at the hospital.


    Qiao Qingyu knocked on Vice Dean Zhu¡¯s office door.


    Knowing she was Qiao Qingyu, the other party was very enthusiastic. After briefly inquiring about He Xiuyu¡¯s well-being, he furrowed his brows and said in a low voice, holding a report, ¡°Qingyu, your mother¡¯s condition is very tricky. We have not encountered such a case before¡ªno lesion, but the body¡¯s organs are rapidly failing. We¡¯ve already consulted twice and also called experts in Beijing, but for such a case, there is currently no better medical plan.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu felt a heaviness in her chest and asked, ¡°Dean Zhu, are there similar cases abroad?¡±


    ¡°No related information is available yet,¡± Dean Zhu sighed, ¡°We¡¯ve only just started re-establishing contact with the medical community abroad, and everything is still in the initial stages.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stared blankly at the various medical reports in her hand, some of which she could understand, and some she couldn¡¯t, but she knew the illness was incurable.


    Vice Dean Zhu looked at Qiao Qingyu with a sorrowful expression and whispered, ¡°Qingyu, don¡¯t worry, I am currently in contact with an overseas hospital, and we should get a response soon.¡±


    A glimmer of hope lit up in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes. Medical technology in China was still undeveloped; if there was a treatment plan, her mother could be saved.


    Qiao Qingyu thanked Vice Dean Zhu and hurriedly went to the hospital room.


    Outside the hospital room, Qiao Zhicai and Qiao Genbao were sitting on chairs near the doorway. Her father had his head buried in his hands, and her elder brother quickly stood up when he saw her coming. His lips moved as if to say something, but he couldn¡¯t manage to speak.


    Both men had lost weight, especially Qiao Zhicai, who seemed to have aged several years.


    Qiao Qingyu gently opened the door. Han Xianglan was lying quietly on the hospital bed with her eyes closed, a saline drip attached to her wrist, her complexion pale as paper.


    After standing in front of the hospital bed for a long time, Qiao Zhicai took Qiao Qingyu outside. His voice was weary, ¡°Qingyu, have your brother take you out to grab some food, find a place to rest a bit.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu told Qiao Zhicai about the conversation with Vice Dean Zhu regarding the contact with the foreign hospital.


    Qiao Zhicai was stunned for a moment, ¡°This morning, when your mom woke up, she said she didn¡¯t want to be treated anymore. She wanted to go back to Qiao Family Team...¡±


    ¡°How can that be okay? Once back there, there wouldn¡¯t even be a doctor. Who would take responsibility if something happened?¡± Qiao Qingyu immediately objected with a frown.


    Qiao Zhicai didn¡¯t make a sound; he knew that was the truth.


    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry about the money; I have some.¡±


    Qiao Zhicai let out a heavy sigh and said in a low voice, ¡°Dad has money too, it¡¯s just that your mom doesn¡¯t want to stay in the hospital anymore.¡±


    ¡°Dean Zhu is actively trying to create the latest medical treatment plan, we must cooperate with the treatment.¡±


    ¡°...Alright, Qingyu, I¡¯ll listen to you. Go have a meal with your brother first.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu had some things she wanted to ask her elder brother, so she left her bag in the hospital room and followed her brother out of the hospital. Across from the hospital, there were a few restaurants. Qiao Qingyu had no appetite and couldn¡¯t eat, but Qiao Genbao still ordered two bowls of noodles for his sister and himself.


    Qiao Qingyu asked again, and her brother¡¯s account was the same as that of their uncle.


    Then Qiao Genbao added, ¡°When Mom woke up, she said after she spoke a few words with our Grandma, she felt a tightness in her chest and dizziness, then she passed out.¡±


    ¡°Mom went by herself? Didn¡¯t you guys follow her?¡±


    ¡°We all went out to work in the fields, we didn¡¯t know at the time.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t say anything. The hot soup noodles were served, and she pushed most of the bowl to her brother and forced herself to finish the rest.


    When they left, they packed a thermos of hot soup and egg noodles for Qiao Zhicai.


    When she returned to the room, Han Xianglan was still sleeping deeply.


    Qiao Qingyu found a moment to call He Xiuyu and told him that she had safely arrived at the provincial hospital and had seen Vice Dean Zhu, and then she relayed the diagnosis and suggestions from Vice Dean Zhu to He Xiuyu.


    He Xiuyu said warmly, ¡°Qingyu, don¡¯t worry. If we get through to the overseas hospital, I will arrange the paperwork for your mother to go abroad for treatment.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded her head, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so formal with me; take good care of yourself,¡± He Xiuyu¡¯s voice was gentle as water.


    Qiao Qingyu murmured her acknowledgement and then hung up the phone.


    Not too many family members were allowed to stay in the hospital room; Qiao Qingyu kept watch until midnight, then followed her brother to a nearby hostel.


    After two days and a night of exhausting travel, Qiao Qingyu lay down and fell asleep.


    In a half-dream state, it seemed as if someone was talking to her.


    But she didn¡¯t catch any of it...

 Chapter 216 - 216 216 Science and Mysticism

    ?Chapter 216: Chapter 216: Science and Mysticism Chapter 216: Chapter 216: Science and Mysticism When Qiao Qingyu arrived at the hospital, Han Xianglan had already woken up.


    Her complexion was pale as she insisted on going home.


    Qiao Qingyu, however, stared blankly at Han Xianglan¡¯s wrist.


    She remembered that there used to be a red cord bracelet there, the knots forming little flowers connected in a series, with a slipknot that could be adjusted to any size. Han Xianglan had worn it all her life.


    Perhaps because it was not valuable, no one bothered with it.


    But it was very delicate. Although Han Xianglan was very skilled with her hands, the ones she made were different.


    She had only ever made one for Qiao Qingyu.


    However, it was made with embroidery thread.


    It was also beautiful, but the original owner didn¡¯t like it much and didn¡¯t know where she threw it.


    Qiao Qingyu remembered, the last time she left, the knotted bracelet was still on Han Xianglan¡¯s wrist.


    She whispered soothingly, ¡°Mom, we have to listen to the doctor. As soon as the doctor says we can be discharged, we¡¯ll immediately go home...¡±


    Han Xianglan spoke slowly; she had hardly eaten in a week, surviving only on IV nutrition, and her voice was extremely weak, ¡°Qingyubao, let Mom go home...¡±


    Her illness had struck violently, and she felt she wouldn¡¯t last many days.


    If the doctor could have treated her disease, he would have used medicine by now.


    In her hazy state, she still caught parts of their conversations.


    So she didn¡¯t want to waste money or time.


    She wanted to return to the Qiao Family Team; that was her home, and if she was to die, she wanted to die there.


    A tear rolled down the corner of Han Xianglan¡¯s eye.


    The eyes of the few people in the room immediately reddened in response.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mind was in turmoil; could she really not change Han Xianglan¡¯s fate to die young, no matter what she did?


    With her hand clenched tightly by her side, Qiao Qingyu changed the subject.


    ¡°Mom, where did you put that knotted bracelet you always wear on your wrist?¡±


    Han Xianglan did not speak; Qiao Zhicai, who was beside her, took over, ¡°Your stepmother said that the cord was pretty and wanted to learn how to make it, so she took it a few days ago.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was just trying to divert the topic; Han Xianglan¡¯s health was the most important thing right now, and everything else didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°Mom, there¡¯s no way to help at home, and you can¡¯t receive nutrition injections either. Staying in the hospital, we can still try to find a solution,¡± Qiao Qingyu continued, ¡°I just got off the phone with He Xiuyu. If we can get in touch with a foreign hospital, He Xiuyu will arrange our travel abroad. Mom, I¡¯ll go with you overseas for treatment.¡±


    Han Xianglan slowly shook her head, her gaze resolute.


    A foreign country, that¡¯s too far from home.


    ¡°...Don¡¯t go, there¡¯s no need... to go through so much trouble...¡±


    At this point, Han Xianglan¡¯s face was even paler, devoid of any color, and she was very tired after this much talking; her eyes half-open, but her hand clutching her husband¡¯s tightly, Qiao Zhicai knew that his wife wanted to go home and did not want to stay in the hospital.


    He dared not cry and could only frantically say, ¡°Rest a bit first; I¡¯ll go see what the doctor says. If he agrees, I¡¯ll take you home right now.¡±


    Hearing this seemed to reassure Han Xianglan. She closed her eyes and fell back into a deep sleep; if not for the fluctuating data on the monitor next to her, Han Xianglan would have seemed to have no life left in her.


    Qiao Qingyu took Qiao Zhicai to find Vice Dean Zhu.


    They had been living there for nearly a week now, which was not a short time.


    ¡°¡±


    Every floor of the hospital had a duty office, which had to be passed before descending the staircase.


    Qiao Zhicai and Qiao Qingyu were stopped by a nurse as they walked by. She was holding a letter in her hand and asked Qiao Zhicai, ¡°Is your daughter called Qiao Qingyu?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu paused for a moment, looking at the nurse, ¡°I am Qiao Qingyu.¡±


    The young nurse handed the letter to Qiao Qingyu, saying, ¡°Then sign here, please. This registered mail is addressed to you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyebrows knitted together. Why would someone send registered mail to the hospital?


    Isn¡¯t this some kind of joke?


    Still, Qiao Qingyu signed in the register first, then picked up the registered mail, which had the words ¡°Qiao Qingyu ¨C Recipient¡ª¡± written in a large, awkward scrawl¡ªnot from writing with the left hand, but just clumsy writing. The address given was the North City People¡¯s Road Second Post Office.


    It had been sent out yesterday.


    Qiao Zhicai¡¯s literacy was taught to him by Han Xianglan, and though it wasn¡¯t much, at least he wasn¡¯t completely blind.


    But he recognized his daughter¡¯s name.


    Qiao Qingyu followed Qiao Zhicai towards the stairwell, with Qiao Zhicai voicing his concern, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to open it and see who it¡¯s from?¡±


    ¡°Not in a hurry, let¡¯s go find Vice Dean Zhu,¡± she replied as she stuffed the letter into her coat pocket.


    Now, it was already autumn in the north.


    Although the harvest had not yet started, the temperature was dropping day by day. Qiao Qingyu was already wearing a sweater underneath. They went downstairs to the Vice Dean¡¯s office, where it just so happened that Vice Dean Zhu had returned from a meeting.


    He informed Qiao Zhicai and Qiao Qingyu that they had made contact with a hospital overseas, but precise data had not yet been received, as making contact was really too complicated. It was hard to know how many procedures it would have to go through, and there were many language barriers as well.


    Fortunately, that hospital had a few Chinese doctors, which made communication a bit easier.


    Qiao Qingyu expressed her gratitude to Vice Dean Zhu, who waved his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t thank me; it¡¯s Mr. He XiuYu who¡¯s been bridging the connection. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have been this quick, so you all cooperate well with the treatment. There will definitely be a way, but if you go home, then there really will be no options left.¡±


    Qiao Zhicai and Qiao Qingyu both nodded.


    After exiting the office, Qiao Qingyu told Qiao Zhicai to go back first; she planned to buy some things at the shop opposite.


    Since she must continue to stay in the hospital for observation, she needed to buy some things for her parents and brother.


    For them, even with money in their pockets, they were reluctant to spend on anything.


    When Qiao Qingyu reached the first floor, she remembered the letter in her pocket. After thinking for a moment, she sat down on a chair, opened the letter, and quickly read it from beginning to end. Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression instantly darkened as she clenched the letter tight. She had never expected that it would be Han Liuya who wrote this letter to her.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, come find me in Lianjiang Village. Your mother will get better when you come, and it must be only you. If others find out, your mother won¡¯t live long, and no one will be able to save her, only I can...¡±


    There were typos and pinyin in the text, but Qiao Qingyu understood the meaning.


    Her heart suddenly started to beat wildly.


    Everything was too sudden; why would Han Liuya write such a letter, and how could there be such words in it? How was she so certain that her mother would get better after her arrival?


    Could it be...


    A frightening thought arose from the depths of her heart. Was it possible that Han Lishi and Han Liuya did something to harm her own mother?


    Ever since she transmigrated into the book, Qiao Qingyu had transitioned from an atheist to a theist.


    She believed in the existence of science in this world, as well as the existence of mysticism.

 Chapter 217 - 217 217 Lianjiang Village

    ?Chapter 217: Chapter 217: Lianjiang Village Chapter 217: Chapter 217: Lianjiang Village Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t think much at this point; with her dad and elder brother here, she needed to find an excuse to go to Han Liuya¡¯s to see what exactly was happening.


    After all, her mother¡¯s illness had arisen in a truly peculiar manner.


    Though medical science wasn¡¯t very advanced at the time, it should still be possible to identify the cause of an illness.


    Qiao Qingyu first went to the store across the street and spent dozens of yuan and some tickets to buy two cans of malted milk. Unexpectedly, they also had powdered milk for sale here, but it required a Special Supply Ticket; luckily, before coming, He Xiuyu had given her quite a few Special Supply Tickets.


    Having bought the remaining two bags of milk powder, she also bought soap, towels, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and an enamel basin for drinking water.


    She packed all these items into a cloth bag and returned to the hospital and went upstairs.


    Qiao Qingyu lied, saying that a family member from the base had a relative in the suburbs, a famous old traditional Chinese doctor, and she planned to go there to see if she could invite her over, which would be best, or if not, perhaps she could prescribe some medicine...


    Naturally, Qiao Zhicai and the others couldn¡¯t be at ease letting her go alone.


    But this news still gave them hope, and they were ready to let Qiao Genbao accompany her. Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t agree, ¡°Dad, you can¡¯t manage on your own, what if something happens and you can¡¯t cope? Besides, that old traditional Chinese doctor is a grandma; we even spoke on the phone before. She mentioned she¡¯d invite me to visit her when she returned to North City.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Qiao Zhicai asked.


    ¡°Really, Dad, elder brother, you stay in the hospital to take care of mom and wait for news, I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    After saying this, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t give the two men a chance to continue objecting. She grabbed her shoulder bag, pushed open the door of the sickroom, and quickly walked out.


    Qiao Zhicai followed behind her and dared not shout loudly, only saying, ¡°Qingyu, take care of yourself.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, without turning her head, replied, ¡°I know.¡±


    Then, she turned and disappeared around the corner of the stairwell.


    Qiao Zhicai sighed and turned to go back to the sickroom.


    His daughter made a good point; he couldn¡¯t even close his eyes at night, fearing that something might happen that he would regret for the rest of his life.


    He just hoped that the old traditional Chinese doctor his daughter mentioned truly had a solution.


    North City in 1980 appeared like an old photograph tinted with color.


    Old buildings carrying the atmosphere of the times, granny selling ice pops in a white apron, people coming and going on bicycles, rows of telephone poles with spider web-like wires...


    It was already autumn now, the leaves on the trees lining the roads had fallen, the autumn wind whirled the leaves into dances on the ground, and as pedestrians stepped on them, they produced a rustling sound; the bare branches gave off a sense of desolation.


    Qiao Qingyu sat on the public bus and took out the letter from her shoulder bag to read it once more, a cold smile on her lips. What kind of trick were Han Lishi and Han Liuya up to?


    Clearly, there was no goodwill.


    She narrowed her eyes, remembering the last time she went to Lianjiang Village; she stayed for no more than half an hour, and nothing had happened. She had even gone to Han Liuya¡¯s room to take a glance at her; apart from the discomfort her gaze caused, everything else was fine.


    Because she had brought canned pastries, Han Lishi was very pleased, praising her for being filial and sensible. Behind the scenes, she also disparaged the Qiao family as terrible and expressed dislike for the Qiao family associating with their Han family.


    ¡°¡±¡±However, when the original owner sent money to Han Xianglan, she even sent a telegram asking Han Xianglan to take out the money and deliver 300 yuan to Han Lishi.¡±¡±¡±


    It was clear from this that the original owner had a good relationship with the Han family.


    It was truly baffling.


    Perhaps she would find out what was going on once she arrived at the Han family.


    Qiao Qingyu first went to Harvest Commune, and then called Uncle Qiao, asking him to wait for her at the entrance of Lianjiang Village.


    Qiao Zhiyuan had no idea what medicine Qiao Qingyu was selling in her gourd; he thought she was going to the Han family to settle accounts, especially since Han Xianglan had an incident after seeing Old Lady Han.


    When they reached the village entrance, Qiao Zhiyuan hurriedly advised, ¡°Qingyu, don¡¯t do anything foolish. Although your mother fainted at the Han family¡¯s place, if you confront them over this, we won¡¯t have a leg to stand on...¡±


    ¡°Uncle, how could I possibly go to settle accounts with them? I just have something I want to ask Grandma. Come with me.¡±


    Of all the people in the family, Uncle Qiao was the most suitable to accompany her to the Han family.


    How could Qiao Qingyu possibly come to the Han family alone, as instructed in the letter? Who knew if Han Liuya would grab her hair and stuff her into the stove pit like she used to when they were children?


    Although she couldn¡¯t move, she couldn¡¯t discount the possibility of other ill intentions.


    That person was always full of envy, especially after lying on the kang for years; could her mentality not become distorted?


    And the whole affair was riddled with strangeness; she wasn¡¯t a fool.


    When they arrived at the Han family, the main gate was half open, several children were playing with mud in the courtyard, and the eldest sister-in-law was scolding someone, hands on hips, looking like her uncle and two older cousins had gone to work in the fields...


    Indeed, the Han family was quite prosperous.


    When the eldest sister-in-law saw Qiao Qingyu coming, her eyes flickered, and she raised her voice to shout, ¡°Granny, Uncle Qiao and Qiao Qingyu are here.¡±


    Then she ushered Qiao Zhiyuan and Qiao Qingyu into the house.


    The two entered the house, and at this moment, Han Lishi also hurried over from the northern room. Seeing Qiao Qingyu, joy flickered in her eyes, and then upon seeing Qiao Zhiyuan, her expression darkened instantly; but in the blink of an eye, she warmly invited them to sit and asked the eldest sister-in-law to pour water, her concern evident as she asked, ¡°Qingyu, how is your mother?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s gaze was heavy as she looked at the old lady, unsure whether this Old Lady Han knew about the registered letter, but it was certain that the others did.


    Otherwise, how could Han Liuya have sent such a registered letter from North City to the hospital?


    ¡°My mother¡¯s condition is relatively stable. Grandma, I just wanted to ask what exactly happened that day, how could my mother have suddenly fallen ill?¡±


    The eldest sister-in-law was not displeased by the side; after all, the matriarch ran the household, and she couldn¡¯t care less about these trivial matters. She excused herself saying she had something to do and left.


    Qiao Zhiyuan didn¡¯t drink the offered water either, sitting on the edge of the kang and also inquired, ¡°Aunt, we need to get this clear, so the doctors know how to treat her.¡±


    Han Lishi suddenly wiped her tears, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, I know it. Because of Granny He¡¯s incident, the Qiao family didn¡¯t want to have dealings with us. But I¡¯ve always liked Xianglan since she was little, and treated her like my own daughter; how could I not miss her after such a long time? I had to curse myself and coax her to come. Never did I expect that just after exchanging a few words, she would complain of chest tightness and breathlessness and then fainted. We were so scared we immediately used the commune¡¯s tractor to send her to the hospital... You all know the rest...¡±


    As she spoke, her eyes lingered on Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu met her gaze and noticed the old lady¡¯s murky eyes were full of restlessness and anxiety.

 Chapter 218 - 218 218 This is a Period Novel Not a Fantasy

    ?Chapter 218: Chapter 218: This is a Period Novel, Not a Fantasy Novel Chapter 218: Chapter 218: This is a Period Novel, Not a Fantasy Novel Just then, the sound of Han Dazhu¡¯s voice came from outside; looking out the window, he could be seen entering the yard with a hoe on his shoulder.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s gaze flickered with confusion. Shouldn¡¯t this time be spent working in the fields? Why had he returned so soon?


    At that moment, Han Lishi suddenly grabbed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand forcefully, ¡°It¡¯s not easy for you to come here. Go see Sixth Girl. She¡¯s been missing you ever since you left.¡±


    By this time, Han Dazhu had already entered the room and had started talking to Qiao Zhiyuan, inquiring about Han Xianglan¡¯s health. Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s attention was immediately drawn away, and Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t resist; she let the old lady pull her into the north room.


    After entering the room, the door was closed by the old lady.


    This was a north-facing room that didn¡¯t have glass paned windows like the others; this window was pasted over with thick paper.


    Although it was daytime, the light in the room was not bright at all.


    However, it had to be acknowledged that even though Han Liuya was paralyzed on the kang, her family took good care of her. The bedding was clean and the room had no particular smell, except for a faint scent of incense.


    Qiao Qingyu knew that there were statues enshrined in the room, but she didn¡¯t know what they were because the curtains were drawn.


    Then, just at this moment, Han Lishi, who was behind Qiao Qingyu, suddenly took out a sachet and swiftly struck a match to light it. Qiao Qingyu quickly turned her head to look, but suddenly felt a bit dizzy.


    The very next second, visible to the naked eye, everything in the room seemed to ripple like water.


    But it was only a blink of an eye before everything was back to normal.


    ¡°What did you light?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked Han Lishi.


    ¡°It¡¯s for fumigating the room.¡±


    Lying on the kang, Han Liuya cracked a smile with a dark tone, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, you¡¯ve arrived. Didn¡¯t I ask you to come alone?¡±


    ¡°Why should I come alone?¡±


    ¡°Because only you can do this thing, and most importantly, after you do it, your mother will immediately recover.¡±


    ¡°Han Liuya, that letter was indeed written by you.¡±


    Han Liuya chuckled, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, there¡¯s no point in hiding it. I was the one who wrote the letter.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s really going on?¡± Qiao Qingyu frowned, staring at Han Liuya who was still lying on the kang.


    ¡°Grandma, you tell her.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu turned her head to glance at Han Lishi, who was standing behind her.


    ¡°Qingyu, we¡¯ve always been concerned about your mother. You know Grandma used to divine things for people, and Liuya knows quite a bit about that as well. A few days ago, she had a dream where a deity told her that as long as we take half a bowl of the patient¡¯s daughter¡¯s blood from the heart and place a talisman on it, the illness will naturally heal, because your mother¡¯s illness is a sickness of the spirit, not the flesh.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was taken aback for a moment; she actually knew what was meant by a spiritual sickness versus a physical one.


    Put simply, hospitals can cure physical illnesses, but not spiritual ones.


    Han Liuya laughed mockingly, ¡°Look how scared you are, like a frightened bear, thinking I¡¯ll harm you. I asked you to come alone because if someone was with you, he surely wouldn¡¯t let you do this. It¡¯s just half a bowl of blood; it won¡¯t take your life, but what if it could save your mother¡¯s...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s deeply furrowed brow did not relax. This was utterly ridiculous; talk of heart¡¯s blood and requiring half a bowl¡ªthis was a historical novel, not a fantasy.


    She took a deep breath, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you could have just come to the hospital to find me. Why go through all the trouble of sending a registered letter? Don¡¯t you think your actions are sneaky?¡±


    Han Lishi sighed beside her, ¡°It was the immortal in Sixth Girl¡¯s dreams who told her to do this. For your mother¡¯s sake, we had no choice but to follow.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu remained silent.


    Han Liuya stared at Qiao Qingyu, her heart filled with venom and jealousy.


    After more than a month without seeing her, Qiao Qingyu looked even more beautiful. Her skin was as white as a peeled egg, and though she seemed thinner, it did not detract from her beauty.


    She wore clothes of a style Han Liuya had never seen before, very fashionable. She even wore little leather shoes and had a sweater under her clothing.


    It was easy to imagine she was living a good life.


    How could it not be good?


    Married to such a handsome and capable man. Although He Xiuyu was known for his odd temper, not being talkative, and quite aloof, there was no better man in the world than him.


    What man doesn¡¯t like a beautiful woman?


    Her memories were a bit disordered now, many things forgotten, but she still remembered that man growing more and more disgusted with her. Yet she had confidence that, with Qiao Qingyu¡¯s beauty, she would eventually win back his heart. So she couldn¡¯t delay any longer; any further delay would be too late.


    Suddenly she spoke up, her voice sharp, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, you¡¯re truly heartless. Your mom has been so good to you, and now you refuse to even give a little blood. I guess you can¡¯t wait for her to die, can you?¡±


    ¡°Liuya, shut your mouth!¡± Qiao Qingyu¡¯s gaze was filled with anger as she rebuked sharply.


    She looked at Han Lishi standing beside her and asked heavily, ¡°Grandma, why must it be blood from the heart, and how do you take it? Will it put my life in danger?¡±


    Before Han Lishi could respond, Liuya cackled, ¡°Granny, listen to her, would you? This wretch is still worrying about her own life at this time, less concerned than we are about her mother. No good deed goes unpunished; she truly has a rotten heart.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, struggling to keep her composure, kept her gaze firmly on Han Lishi.


    Han Lishi said, ¡°It has to be blood from the heart.¡±


    ¡°How do you take it? Can it be done here? Should Uncle come in?¡±


    Liuya scoffed, ¡°You really have no shame. To get blood from the heart, you have to take off your clothes. Why would you want your uncle to come in, huh? To look at your body?¡±


    Liuya¡¯s harshness and relentless nagging were well known to Qiao Qingyu.


    ¡°Liuya, don¡¯t push your luck,¡± Qiao Qingyu warned with an icy voice.


    Liuya didn¡¯t care, ¡°Did I say something wrong? Then you tell me, why do you want your uncle to come in? I may be paralyzed on this kang bed, but I¡¯m still a young maiden. Are you sure you want him to see me?¡±


    ¡°Fine, my uncle won¡¯t come in.¡± Qiao Qingyu suddenly calmed down, her icy gaze darting a glance at Liuya before addressing Han Lishi, ¡°Grandma, just tell me straight, what do I need to do?¡±


    ¡°I have here a Golden Needle. It will be used to prick an acupoint and draw out half a bowl of blood. I also have a talisman left by an ancestral master, a treasured heirloom. I¡¯m really going all out here. So, Qingyu, what¡¯s with that attitude? Do you really think we¡¯re out to harm you?¡±


    ¡°I never thought that. It¡¯s just that Liuya has a foul mouth, like she¡¯s eaten dung.¡±


    She then added, ¡°Grandma, I wouldn¡¯t let her off if it weren¡¯t for her paralysis!¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, who are you to forgive anyone? I¡¯m in this state because of you; I haven¡¯t forgiven you yet!¡± Liuya shrieked sharply.

 Chapter 219 - 219 219 Piercing Screams

    ?Chapter 219: Chapter 219: Piercing Screams Chapter 219: Chapter 219: Piercing Screams ¡°When did I ever harm you?¡± Qiao Qingyu raised her voice and coldly demanded an answer.


    Han Liuya¡¯s gaze flickered, and she kept silent.


    Qiao Qingyu sneered, ¡°When we were young, you said my face was pretty, then you grabbed my hair and stuffed me into the stove pit. Don¡¯t think that just because so many years have passed I have forgotten.¡±


    ¡°I was young back then; what did I know?¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯ve grown up, you should understand. Don¡¯t be so spiteful with your words, you should know what ¡®disasters stem from the mouth¡¯ means.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I never went to school, I don¡¯t know anything,¡± Han Liuya said shamelessly.


    ¡°Alright, stop arguing, both of you. Let¡¯s get down to business. Qingyu, do you agree or not? If you agree, Grandma needs to start now.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at Han Lishi, nodded, and spoke in a deep voice, ¡°I agree. Bring out everything you have.¡±


    Both Han Lishi¡¯s and Han Liuya¡¯s eyes gleamed with joy simultaneously.


    This method required the willing involvement of the other party, but it could also be done without the other¡¯s awareness.


    So, today it was definitely going to work.


    Han Liuya¡¯s mouth curved up into a smile. She thought, after ¡°Qiao Qingyu¡± walked out of here later, it very likely might not be ¡°Qiao Qingyu¡± anymore.


    It was really too good.


    She could finally walk under the sunlight again.


    She wanted to return to Xichuan immediately, to find He Xiuyu, and also to head to Beijing, preferably to live in a large courtyard.


    It would be best if she could find a formal job.


    She wouldn¡¯t be like the idiot Qiao Qingyu, who went to Xichuan and still dealt with crops.


    It was inherently servile.


    Even if she couldn¡¯t remember much after entering this body, it didn¡¯t matter. It was better not to remember; none of the past troubles were good, and she didn¡¯t want to remember them. She only wanted to live with He Xiuyu. As long as she could be with him, she wasn¡¯t afraid of thunder or lightning.


    Qiao Qingyu had not overlooked the fleeting joy in these two people¡¯s eyes, so she was particularly clear-headed and calm.


    Han Lishi busily took out a black bowl with gold trim from the cabinet, which was not the kind used for eating. It seemed strangely made from black clay.


    She also took out a Golden Needle from a cloth bag, lit a match, and heated the tip of the needle. Qiao Qingyu noticed that the needle was hollow.


    ¡°Qingyu, sit next to Liuya for now.¡±


    ¡°Why should I sit next to her?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked, confused.


    ¡°Because this matter requires her as a medium.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu took off her shoes, climbed onto the Kang bed, and sat cross-legged next to Han Liuya, as Han Lishi had instructed. She started by unbuttoning her outer garment, then Han Lishi climbed onto the Kang as well, placing the bowl in front of her, her voice trembling, ¡°Now, quickly grab Han Liuya¡¯s hand.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu raised an eyebrow and turned her head to look at Han Liuya, who was lying on the Kang with eyes intently fixed on her.


    Han Liuya, grinding her teeth, said, ¡°My hand is very clean.¡±


    Then she extended her hand.


    Qiao Qingyu also reached out, and the two held hands together.


    Suddenly, Han Liuya let out a piercing scream from her mouth.


    This shrill scream startled Qiao Qingyu as well, her eyes wide as she stared at Han Liuya lying next to her.


    Then, as if Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand were a fiercely burning magma, Han Liuya frantically withdrew her hand, terror-stricken.


    Her body began to convulse, her eyes rolling upwards, while Han Lishi¡¯s eyes widened with fear.


    Snapping back to awareness, she quickly crawled to Han Liuya¡¯s side and pinned her down, pressing some unknown acupoint, and soon enough, Han Liuya calmed down. She looked at her granddaughter in horror, ¡°Sixth Girl, what happened?¡±


    ¡°...Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand, it¡¯s so hot, so hot...¡±


    Han Lishi cast a suspicious glance towards Qiao Qingyu, not feeling any heat when she pulled on her hand just now.


    That¡¯s right, she pulled on the other hand just before, Han Lishi¡¯s eyes flickered, and a strange thought arose. Gritting her teeth, she also reached out to grab Qiao Qingyu¡¯s left hand that had just been in contact with Han Liuya¡¯s.


    That was the hand that Han Liuya had been holding.


    As Han Lishi prepared to grab Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand, her heart trembled, her hand shook, but upon holding it, there was no reaction at all.


    Han Liuya also found it strange, could it have been an accident just now?


    ¡°Try the other hand.¡±


    Although Qiao Qingyu felt everything before her eyes seemed somewhat absurd, she was eager to know what was really going on.


    She slowly turned around and extended her right hand to Han Liuya, with a smile that was not quite a smile, ¡°Then let¡¯s try this hand, and tell me, have you done something guilty? Otherwise, why would you have such a reaction?¡±


    This time, Han Liuya did not have a harsh retort; she eagerly yet cautiously grasped Qiao Qingyu¡¯s right hand, and as soon as the two hands touched, she once again let out a piercing scream.


    This time, the pain was so intense that Han Liuya couldn¡¯t even catch her breath, and naturally, her hand loosened again.


    Qiao Qingyu was also astonished.


    She extended her two hands, turning them over to look carefully, seeing no change, and the other party¡¯s hand also showed no change; it seemed no different than usual, yet the scream from before was certainly not fake.


    The room fell silent for a moment, and then Han Lishi¡¯s pupils suddenly contracted, her hands shaking uncontrollably. She seemed to understand something as she frantically gathered the bowls on the kang and the Golden Needle, while at that moment, the profusely sweating Han Liuya had once again returned to calm.


    So there was no need to question any longer, as long as Han Liuya held Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand, she would be in so much pain that she couldn¡¯t help but scream.


    And Qiao Qingyu remained completely unscathed, whether her left hand or right hand.


    So this method was not going to work.


    Han Lishi got off the kang, but Qiao Qingyu did not move, watching Han Lishi in surprise and saying calmly, ¡°Grandma, why have you stopped drawing the blood? I still want to save my mom...¡±


    ¡°This method won¡¯t work; we¡¯ll have to think of something else,¡± hurriedly said Han Lishi beside her.


    Qiao Qingyu leisurely got off the kang, put on her shoes, buttoned up her clothes one by one, and straightened up. She stood at the doorway and said with a tone of regret, ¡°There¡¯s a saying, ¡®desperate times call for desperate measures.¡¯ I truly regret wasting so much time. Let it be...¡±


    Having said that, she pushed past Han Lishi who was blocking the door and opened the tightly closed door.


    And just as Qiao Qingyu stepped across the threshold and stood outside the room, the curtain hanging on the red-lacquered wooden cabinet to the north suddenly burst into flames, and the whole curtain caught fire.


    Han Liuya shouted loudly, ¡°Fire, put out the fire quickly!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, standing at the doorway, was startled by the shout because the sound from the room naturally carried outside as she opened the door.


    Standing in the main room, the big cousin-in-law looked in this direction with disdain, her teeth gritted as she muttered something under her breath.


    Han Dazhu¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he hurried over in this direction, spotting Qiao Qingyu standing at the doorstep at a glance.

 Chapter 220 - 220 220 Why Didnt It Work

    ?Chapter 220: Chapter 220 Why Didn¡¯t It Work? Chapter 220: Chapter 220 Why Didn¡¯t It Work? At this moment, Han Dazhu¡¯s gaze was filled with cautious scrutiny and probing.


    Qiao Qingyu merely glanced at Han Dazhu before hurriedly stretching out her neck to peer inside.


    And at this time, Han Lishi had already taken a piece of clothing to beat the burning curtains. Qiao Qingyu jumped in fright, how could it have caught fire?


    The house¡¯s roof didn¡¯t have any tiles, it was all made of wheat straw. If it caught fire, it would be disastrous, especially with today¡¯s strong wind.


    Qiao Qingyu entered the house again.


    Unexpectedly, Han Lishi shouted loudly, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, get out of here.¡±


    By then, Uncle Qiao had also arrived and pulled Qiao Qingyu aside, whispering, ¡°What trouble are you looking for, you young girl?¡±


    He then called out to the dazed older female cousin who was standing there, ¡°Hurry up and get some water.¡±


    It was only then that Han Dazhu reacted and rushed into the house. However, Han Lishi had extinguished the fire, with just half of the curtains burned.


    The curtains were made of yellow silk fabric, and now the edges were charred.


    One could vaguely see the serpentine sculpture inside.


    Han Dazhu quickly turned to look at his daughter lying on the kang bed. Han Liuya clenched her teeth, ¡°What are you looking at!¡±


    A hint of disappointment flashed in Han Dazhu¡¯s eyes. It was a failure.


    After so much effort, why had it failed?


    Looking at his own mother, Han Dazhu felt some resentment.


    Why did she have to do this?


    Couldn¡¯t she think of some other way?


    Seeing that the Han Family was in chaos, Uncle Qiao politely exchanged a few words with Han Dazhu before leaving with Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu stood at the doorway, with Han Dazhu and Han Lishi, who had seen them out, behind her.


    Especially Han Lishi, whose gaze seemed to want to bore a hole through her.


    Although Qiao Qingyu was ignorant in this regard, signs had already shown that just now, both Han Lishi and Han Liuya were definitely engaging in some peculiar activities, like superstitious schemes.


    And what did they want with her ¡°lifeblood¡±?


    Could it be that she still had some connection to the Wu Family?


    But wouldn¡¯t it be better to ask directly for her mother¡¯s blood?


    Then, Qiao Qingyu recalled the knotted rope held by Second Aunt.


    She, too, began to feel superstitious.


    Could it be because this rope that had been with her since childhood was suddenly taken by Second Aunt, and then her mother met with misfortune?


    ...


    Meanwhile, at the Qiao family¡¯s old residence, in the east wing room, Qiao Family¡¯s second son¡¯s wife, Wang Mei, took the opportunity while no one was paying attention to sneak out the small cloth bundle hidden underneath a red brick in the corner.


    Today was her turn to cook, and all the men had gone out to work in the fields, while the old master and old madam had gone to the neighboring village to see an old doctor reputed to have excellent medical skills.


    They were all concerned about Han Xianglan.


    Seizing the opportunity, she opened the cloth bundle, which contained ten, ten-yuan banknotes. She counted them over and over, pressing them to her chest after counting, then counted them several more times before carefully placing them back in the cloth bundle. She hid it again under the brick in the corner and covered it with a box, only then standing up relieved.


    A smile played on the corners of Wang Mei¡¯s lips. She had never expected that a bracelet braided from a piece of rope by Han Xianglan could sell for one hundred yuan.


    Or to be precise, she sold it for 300 yuan.


    She gave two hundred yuan to her younger brother at her maternal home, who had set up the deal for her.


    Someone took an interest in the knotted rope on Han Xianglan¡¯s wrist, wanting to learn how to braid it, and asked her to help borrow the rope for a look.


    She had managed to borrow the item from Han Xianglan and sent it to her younger brother at her maiden home.


    But the very next day, her brother came to tell her that someone was ready to pay 300 yuan to buy it. Her heart almost stopped beating at that moment.


    300 yuan, although her family¡¯s days were better now and she had tens of yuan in her hands, that was still 300 yuan.


    Even if she gave 200 to her brother, she¡¯d still have one hundred left.


    What could she do with one hundred yuan?


    She could even marry off her son with that.


    Wang Mei agreed without hesitation, but her brother told her not to share the money with Han Xianglan. The Han family wasn¡¯t short on cash, what with such a capable daughter and son-in-law; their wealth was inexhaustible.


    They couldn¡¯t compare, so it was best to be cautious and just claim it was lost. After all, it was just a piece of rope; no one would take it seriously.


    She thought so too, although the color hadn¡¯t faded and the flowers woven into it were unusually pretty.


    But it wasn¡¯t a golden bracelet or silver bracelet.


    She just hadn¡¯t expected that before she could even tell Han Xianglan, Han Xianglan fell ill and was taken to the hospital, reportedly at death¡¯s door. That also gave her a sense of relief¡ªif Han Xianglan really passed away, no one would pursue the matter of the item.


    It seemed like even fate was helping her.


    But just then, she heard voices in the courtyard.


    It was Qiao Zhiyuan returning home.


    Wang Mei paused, wondering why he was back at this time. Wasn¡¯t he busy with the autumn harvest in the fields?


    The five hundred mu of experimental fields, regarded as the apple of the county¡¯s eye, were said to have a bumper harvest this year, with corn cobs growing thick and kernels plump and full.


    Many were tempted to steal some corn, but they couldn¡¯t even get close to the cornfields, guarded as they were by militiamen.


    Qiao Zhiyuan had been there ever since he returned from the provincial city.


    Wang Mei quickly stepped out of her own house but was surprised to see Qiao Qingyu following behind Qiao Zhiyuan.


    She asked in surprise, ¡°Qingyu, when did you come back? Didn¡¯t you go to see your mom?¡±


    ¡°I just got back from the provincial city, Second Aunt. I have something to ask you.¡±


    ¡°What do you need from me?¡±


    ¡°Second Aunt, that knot you borrowed from my mom¡ªI need it back to take to her.¡±


    Wang Mei felt a pang in her heart.


    It was just like attracting what she feared the most.


    For a moment, she was at a loss for words.


    Qiao Qingyu looked at Wang Mei with surprise, ¡°Second Aunt, I need to return to North City right now. Give me the item.¡±


    ¡°...Qingyu, what do you need a piece of rope for?¡± Wang Mei asked dryly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not about whether it¡¯s useful or not. It¡¯s because my mom wore that knot since she was little. I thought, maybe she got sick because the knot wasn¡¯t with her, so I wanted to take it back and see if that was the reason.¡±


    Wang Mei, feeling guilty, dared not meet Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes, mumbling, ¡°You¡¯re married to a scientist, yet you believe in such superstition?¡±


    ¡°Second Aunt, why are you dawdling? Just give it to me. That thing is useless to you...¡± Qiao Qingyu was getting impatient.


    ¡°I... I lost the knot.¡±


    Wang Mei stammered.


    ¡°Lost it?¡± Qiao Qingyu¡¯s head buzzed, ¡°Second Aunt, don¡¯t joke with me. It¡¯s not a golden or silver bracelet. Why would you keep it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you, I really lost it.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say someone wanted to learn how to make knots?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, but before I could show it to them, it disappeared,¡± Wang Mei explained frantically.

 Chapter 221 - 221 221 Thunderclap Rolls

    ?Chapter 221: Chapter 221 Thunderclap Rolls Chapter 221: Chapter 221 Thunderclap Rolls Qiao Qingyu stared unblinkingly at Second Aunt Qiao, remembering that this woman had always been selfish and fond of stirring up trouble. If it weren¡¯t for the elders keeping watch, there¡¯s no telling what mischief she might have caused.


    Fortunately, Uncle Qiao was a reasonable man, so even with some minor frictions, they would often turn a blind eye and let it pass.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face turned cold, ¡°Second Aunt, tell me the truth, did my mother¡¯s knot really get lost?¡±


    ¡°Why would I lie to you? It¡¯s really gone.¡±


    Beside her, Uncle Qiao could not help but interject, ¡°Then you should search again. Qingyu is waiting to return to the provincial city.¡±


    ¡°Where can I search? It¡¯s gone, it¡¯s gone. I¡¯ve searched for several days now. Are you trying to drive me to my death...¡± As she spoke, Wang Mei even began to cry, appearing extremely aggrieved, ¡°Qingyu, it¡¯s just a knot. You can¡¯t press me like this. If it¡¯s truly lost, I can compensate you with money. Just say how much you want, and I¡¯ll give it to you...¡± She began to gesture toward her pocket.


    Qiao Qingyu frowned, her gaze heavy as she fixed it on the Second Aunt before her.


    After a moment of silence, she exhaled slowly, ¡°The house isn¡¯t that big, just search carefully again. I¡¯m heading back to the provincial city now...¡±


    Hearing this, Wang Mei¡¯s face visibly relaxed with a sigh of relief.


    Qiao Qingyu turned and left.


    Wang Mei called out from behind, ¡°Qingyu, at least finish your meal before you go.¡±


    ¡°No need, there¡¯s a carriage available now. Otherwise, I¡¯d have to wait until tomorrow.¡±


    As she said this, Qiao Qingyu had already left the Qiao Family¡¯s courtyard.


    Uncle Qiao followed her, ¡°Qingyu, are you able to catch the coach now? Stay with us for the night and leave tomorrow.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu shook her head.


    If it weren¡¯t for a glimmer of hope, she wouldn¡¯t have come home at this time.


    She boarded the horse-drawn carriage, and Qiao Zhiyuan hastened toward the outskirts of the village.


    Unknowingly, the sky had darkened, and with the gloom, the wind began to rise.


    Uncle Qiao glanced at the weather, frowning, ¡°Are we expecting rain?¡±


    Rain in autumn was not a welcome sign.


    As they spoke, the clouds above became denser, and Uncle Qiao, who was driving the carriage, stopped because raindrops had begun to fall. He hurriedly turned the carriage around, ¡°Qingyu, we can¡¯t leave today. Let¡¯s go back home.¡±


    Though anxious, Qiao Qingyu knew it wasn¡¯t possible to travel in this kind of weather.


    Qiao Zhiyuan whipped the horses quickly, and the carriage clattered swiftly back to the front gate of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house. Qiao Qingyu alighted from the carriage and stood under the archway. Qiao Zhiyuan urged Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already sent your elder cousin to the provincial city. Once I¡¯ve taken care of things here, I will go with you tomorrow.¡±


    After saying this, he hurried home to get a raincoat and then went to the experimental fields where Sun Dazhang and his team were.


    Qiao Qingyu stood dazed at the doorway.


    At that moment, suddenly, a flash of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a loud crack of thunder which startled Qiao Qingyu.


    Thunder rumbled incessantly, as if the very earth and heavens were trembling.


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t expected the weather to change so swiftly.


    She turned and began to knock on the door. It was opened by her sister-in-law, Niu Guili, who was startled to see Qiao Qingyu. However, her reaction was different from Second Aunt Qiao¡¯s; she seized hold of Qiao Qingyu, her voice trembling, ¡°Qingyu, how is our mother? Has she gotten better? Have you come back with her?¡± She looked past toward the doorway.


    Qiao Qingyu felt a warmth in her heart, pulled her sister-in-law into the house, and then spoke, ¡°I came back for a bit of business. Our mother is still under observation at the hospital.¡±


    Niu Guili¡¯s eyes reddened, but she also knew this was not the time for tears, as it would be inauspicious. She quickly said, ¡°You probably haven¡¯t had lunch yet. I¡¯ll go roll the noodles for you right now...¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law, there¡¯s no need; I¡¯ll eat with Feifei and Doudou tonight.¡±


    Then she glanced at the room to the east, ¡°Sister-in-law, where¡¯s Mu Bao?¡±


    ¡°He still doesn¡¯t know about mom¡¯s illness. He¡¯s going to have his college entrance exam next year, and the school said they only allow him a leave once every half month.¡±


    After Niu Guili finished speaking, she went to boil water for Qiao Qingyu to wash her face and hands.


    Then she went to the kitchen to get busy cooking.


    After Qiao Qingyu had tidied herself up and lay on the soft bedding, she finally felt her tense nerves gradually easing, but scenes from her time at the Han Family kept flashing through her mind.


    Han Lishi, Han Liuya, what exactly did they want to do?


    Was it really for the sake of mom¡¯s illness, or was their actual target herself?


    If their real target was indeed herself, then was her mom suffering because of her?


    A glint of ruthlessness flashed in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes. If that was the case, she wouldn¡¯t let them off.


    Immediately after, she became anxious and worried, also not knowing how her mom was doing now?


    Qiao Qingyu could no longer sit still; she got up.


    Outside, the sky was overcast as if it were night, followed by the muffled sound of thunder after each flash of lightning.


    Heavy rain poured down, and the fierce autumn wind howled outside the window.


    Unable to sit still any longer, she put on her raincoat and rain boots and was about to run outside when her sister-in-law grabbed her, asking anxiously, ¡°Qingyu, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I want to go to the brigade headquarters to make a call and ask how mom is doing.¡±


    Niu Guili let go of her hand. She couldn¡¯t stop her, but she still advised, ¡°It¡¯s raining so heavily outside, be careful.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded hurriedly and then ran outside.


    It would take only three to four minutes to reach the brigade headquarters from the Qiao Family¡¯s house at a quick pace. Along the way, many people were rushing hurriedly toward their homes.


    Since she was wearing a raincoat, nobody recognized her.


    Upon reaching the brigade headquarters, to her surprise, there were dozens of people taking shelter from the rain.


    Then she heard Sun Dazhang¡¯s loud voice shouting inside, ¡°I was just about to call the commune. At such a critical time, how could the phone lines be cut off by the wind?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? It¡¯s just been cut off, and with such strong winds now, who dares to climb up the telephone poles, not to mention in this heavy rain?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, today¡¯s rain came too suddenly. By rights, it shouldn¡¯t have rained today.¡±


    ¡°And there shouldn¡¯t be thunder either. It¡¯s not summer. The thunder is frightening, with that cracking sound...¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a punishment from the heavens for some unscrupulous deed somebody did...¡±


    ¡°Could be...¡±


    Disappointed, Qiao Qingyu turned around and ran home through the heavy rain.


    After returning, there was another commotion.


    Fortunately, when Feifei finished school, the heavy rain had stopped.


    As the saying goes, ¡°An autumn rain brings the cold¡±; indeed, the temperature outside had suddenly dropped.


    In her heart, Qiao Qingyu thought, Su Yunyao, this reborn main female character, why is all her attention on He Xiuyu¡¯s scientific research results? Why can¡¯t she develop in the direction of electronic technology instead, and create mobile phones in advance, developing our own country¡¯s system and chips? It¡¯s only the eighties now, seizing the information network so early, the future is unimaginable.

 Chapter 222 - 222 222 Moms Illness is Cured

    ?Chapter 222: Chapter 222 Mom¡¯s Illness is Cured Chapter 222: Chapter 222 Mom¡¯s Illness is Cured ¡°If they had to rob someone, why not rob them?


    She didn¡¯t have to exclusively bring misfortune upon He Xiuyu.


    She didn¡¯t know exactly when she was reborn, but she could confirm that when she was reborn, there were already mobile phones and computers.


    It¡¯s just that they hadn¡¯t developed as quickly as they would in the following decades.


    This time she returned in a hurry and didn¡¯t bring anything delicious. However, her little nephew and niece were all around her, especially Feifei, who was the happiest. She took out the red rain boots Qiao Qingyu had bought for her and whispered to Qiao Qingyu that she could finally wear the boots tomorrow.


    Both children still didn¡¯t know that their grandmother¡¯s illness was very serious, and at this moment, their faces were all soft smiles.


    Qiao Qingyu asked about the two children¡¯s studies.


    Doudou was eight, and Feifei was seven.


    Doudou was already in the first grade and studied well, consistently scoring hundreds in his exams. Feifei, his younger sister, was always in preschool. At this time, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s grandparents, uncle, and Aunt Qiao had also arrived.


    They all asked about how Han Xianglan was doing. When they found out that He Xiuyu was contacting hospitals abroad, and if it worked out, he would arrange their travel abroad, everyone was initially shocked.


    After all, for them, foreign countries seemed like a different world.


    So having someone suddenly needing to go abroad for treatment was unbelievable.


    Qiao Qingyu patiently explained to them, and the two elders, including Aunt Qiao, were reassured and went back home.


    Niu Guili steamed some rice, then placed the golden crispy rice separately on a plate, knowing that Qiao Qingyu liked it.


    She used rich oil for the stir-fry and stewed green beans and potatoes, also making a tofu soup. Although the house was somewhat cold, eating made it feel warm.


    The two children ate deliciously, but Qiao Qingyu and Niu Guili, having things on their minds, reluctantly ate a few bites before putting down their chopsticks.


    In the deep silence of the night, Qiao Qingyu, unable to sleep, began to turn on the light and rummage through things.


    Somewhat puzzled, she didn¡¯t understand why the original owner hadn¡¯t left even a single piece of paper with writing.


    After searching for a long time, just like the last time, she found nothing.


    Qiao Qingyu lay back down on the Kang, forcing herself not to think about anything, and soon fell asleep.


    The next morning, Niu Guili made hot soup noodles topped with a poached egg. After eating, Qiao Qingyu prepared to leave, once again needing to take a horse-drawn carriage to the county town.


    However, she didn¡¯t ask her uncle to accompany her because the rain had been heavy, and the soybean fields in the ditches of their hundreds of acres were full of water, some of the soybean crops had been blown down by the strong winds.


    The village¡¯s cadres had all gone to the fields outside the village early in the morning.


    Before leaving, Qiao Qingyu quietly said to Niu Guili, ¡°Sister-in-law, that knotted bracelet that mom always wore was lent to Second Aunt, and after that she claimed it was lost. I don¡¯t believe it. When you have time, go to the old house and ask around; have her look for it again.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t she just borrow it a few days ago? How could it get lost so quickly?¡±


    Niu Guili immediately got angry.


    Although the item wasn¡¯t valuable, she knew since marrying into the family that her mother-in-law always wore it.


    People always keep sentimental attachments, even if it¡¯s just a blade of grass; over time, feelings develop, so how could it just be lost like that?


    She readily agreed, ¡°Okay, I will go to the old house later. I¡¯ve got to ask her thoroughly how she lost it and where it could be. It¡¯s possible she kept it for herself.¡±


    Hearing this, Qiao Qingyu felt a flicker of something pass quickly through her mind. She loweringly said, ¡°Sister-in-law, ask around indirectly; during the days mom was hospitalized, whether she had gone back to her parental home or met anyone.¡±


    Sister-in-law Qiao nodded and agreed to each task.


    ...


    When Qiao Qingyu arrived at the provincial city, it was already five o¡¯clock in the afternoon.¡±


    The provincial city didn¡¯t rain, the air was a bit dry, but today the sky was exceptionally blue, even though the sun had already set behind the mountain.


    Qiao Qingyu carried a shoulder bag, holding a canvas travel bag in her hand, which contained a few changes of clothes for her parents and her elder brother.


    She carried the travel bag upstairs, where the nurse at the station already recognized her and happily told her, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, your mother has improved and doesn¡¯t need IV nutrition anymore; she can eat now.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was stunned for a moment, then, with the canvas bag in hand, she hurried toward Han Xianglan¡¯s hospital room.


    The door to the hospital room was open, and there was the sound of talking inside. It was Qiao Zhicai, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, our daughter will be back soon...¡±


    And Qiao Tianbao¡¯s voice, ¡°Little aunt, Qingyu is now managing things very steadily. You¡¯ve just recovered from your illness; you really can¡¯t rush.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu quickly entered the room.


    Han Xianglan was sitting up on the hospital bed, no longer attached to an IV, and the heart monitor next to her had been removed. Her elder brother was packing up things, and Qiao Tianbao was peeling an apple.


    Then, seeing Qiao Qingyu enter, they all looked up simultaneously.


    ¡°Come, Qingyubao, come here and let mom hug you.¡± Han Xianglan stretched out her arms joyfully.


    Qiao Qingyu set down the canvas bag, ran forward a few steps, and plunged into Han Xianglan¡¯s arms, tightly embracing her. It was the first time in her life she had experienced what it meant to cry tears of joy.


    ...


    The hospital ultimately couldn¡¯t explain what the illness was.


    But Qiao Qingyu knew it wasn¡¯t the hospital¡¯s fault; it was very likely the doing of Han Lishi and Han Liuya.


    However, she didn¡¯t have any evidence right now.


    Should she discuss this with He Xiuyu?


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t realized that she had already gotten used to relying on He Xiuyu.


    The next day, they completed the discharge procedures, thanked Vice Dean Zhu, and returned to the Qiao Family Team with large and small bags.


    A few days earlier, Han Xianglan had been carried out of the Qiao Family Team, but this time, she got out of the car at the entrance of the village. Although she was still somewhat weak, she walked home, smiling and holding her daughter¡¯s hand.


    Visitors continued to come and go incessantly. By the time it finally quieted down, it was already past nine o¡¯clock in the evening.


    Qiao Qingyu asked her uncle to stay as she needed to tell her parents, elder brother, and uncle about her visit to the Han Family the day before.


    She hadn¡¯t let her uncle tell the truth, so now Han Xianglan and the others didn¡¯t know that she had actually gone to Lianjiang Village the day before yesterday.


    Qiao Qingyu first took out the letter, then narrated the events that had occurred.


    Everyone was both shocked and furious.


    Qiao Zhicai and Qiao Genbao¡¯s eyes were red.


    Qiao Zhicai clenched his teeth and seethed, ¡°I¡¯ve never liked that old witch. If it weren¡¯t for Qingyu, I would have cut ties with them long ago!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    That was when she remembered that the original owner had had a good relationship with the Han Family.


    Although she didn¡¯t visit often, sometimes she would impulsively bring gifts to them.


    This was also why, although the Qiao Family and the Han Family weren¡¯t close, they hadn¡¯t broken off relations.


    Qiao Qingyu frowned and said awkwardly, ¡°There¡¯s a problem with the Han Family. I didn¡¯t understand before because I was young, but I won¡¯t make that mistake again.¡±


    Qiao Zhicai quickly said, ¡°We don¡¯t blame you; Dad didn¡¯t mean anything by those words. It¡¯s mainly because the Han Family is too cunning...¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s gaze was deep, with a hint of fear, ¡°That family is too devious. I was talking with Han Dazhu in the main hall, not far from Liuya¡¯s room, but how come I never heard her scream? It doesn¡¯t make sense...¡±

 Chapter 223 - 223 223 Her Daughter is Still the Imposter

    ?Chapter 223: Chapter 223: Her Daughter is Still the Imposter Chapter 223: Chapter 223: Her Daughter is Still the Imposter Han Xianglan thought further ahead.


    Thus, her gaze seemed contemplative.


    It was only then that Qiao Qingyu remembered that something indeed was amiss. Logically, Uncle Qiao should have reacted when he heard Han Liuya¡¯s piercing screams that could break through the roof; how could he possibly remain indifferent and continue talking to Han Dazhu.


    It was probably because of the incense bag that Han Lishi had burnt. Moreover, that old lady really was quite mysterious.


    Qiao Qingyu would not foolishly dismiss such things.


    Whether it was science or mysticism, she could now be considered a fusion of both.


    At this point, Qiao Zhicai¡¯s eyes darkened a bit. ¡°Han Lishi was always a bit mystical. You can¡¯t say she is a charlatan; she does have some genuine abilities.¡±


    Uncle Qiao stated unequivocally, ¡°Let¡¯s end this marriage proposal now, no more dealings with them.¡±


    Now, there was no evidence that they were indulging in feudal superstitions, and bringing it up would also implicate Han Xianglan and Qiao Qingyu.


    It could backfire on the two of them later, which would be problematic to argue against.


    Uncle Qiao had a lot of experience in these matters. Unless you catch someone red-handed, it¡¯s pointless. Besides, even if someone were taken away for feudal superstitions, they would only be lightly reprimanded and released soon afterwards without any serious consequences, only to end up creating deep animosities.


    It wasn¡¯t that he feared them; he was wary.


    Although Han Lishi was mystical, it was undeniable that over the years, the old lady really had cured many people.


    Qiao Zhicai glanced at his wife, and Han Xianglan was also looking at him.


    Han Xianglan said, ¡°Let¡¯s follow Big Brother¡¯s advice.¡±


    She never liked interacting with the Han Family.


    This sworn kinship was recognized by Old Lady He when she was ten, but then she was sold to the Qiao Family by Old Lady He, and no one from the Han Family spoke up for her. Since then, she had given up hope.


    However, their relationship became legally that of mother and daughter after the residency registration system was perfected. As the team leader said, legally they were mother and daughter, and in future, she would even have the duty to support Old Lady Han when she grew old.


    Old Lady Han wouldn¡¯t actually expect her to provide support, but despite being sworn kin, they were, in reality, mother and daughter. Their interactions were lukewarm. There had been times when Liuya nearly burnt her daughter¡¯s face, and the Qiao Family almost smashed the Han Family. There were a few years without interactions, but after the daughter turned twelve, she always liked running to the Han Family.


    Thinking of this, Han Xianglan¡¯s eyes flashed. She was a person of keen mind and often grasped the crux of the issue.


    But she couldn¡¯t let her older brother know about such matters.


    And she certainly couldn¡¯t let her husband know just yet.


    Her husband was not highly educated nor was he a delicate thinker. Not telling him anything was problem-free, but telling him would complicate matters.


    When Qiao Qingyu turned twelve, her personality greatly changed, but no one thought it was wrong; everyone thought it was normal.


    And now, they still felt Qiao Qingyu was normal.


    In any case, as long as it¡¯s one¡¯s own family, any change didn¡¯t seem to be a problem.


    So, she began to entertain a bold idea.


    Qiao Qingyu noticed Han Xianglan staring at her and thought she wanted her opinion. She hurriedly said, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t associate with them in the future.¡± Then she added, ¡°But I won¡¯t let this injustice pass unnoticed. You don¡¯t have to worry about it; leave this matter to me.¡±


    Qiao Zhicai was about to say something when Qiao Zhiyuan suddenly banged the table, ¡°Good, my grandniece, we¡¯ll leave this matter to you. Your great uncle believes you can handle this beautifully.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    They really trusted her.


    It was getting late, and considering Han Xianglan had just recovered from a serious illness, Uncle Qiao took a flashlight and went home.


    Han Xianglan followed her daughter to her bedroom, planning to have a heartfelt chat together tonight.


    Qiao Zhicai sent his elder brother back and then secured the door. He stood in the courtyard, his gaze dark and directed towards Lianjiang Village.


    Despite his daughter being remarkable, he wasn¡¯t one to be trifled with either. Anyone who dared to scheme against his wife and daughter would never be forgiven by him.


    Qiao Genbao shared a similar sentiment, and the father and son headed to the side rooms to discuss further.


    Amidst the dead of night, Han Xianglan asked repeatedly about Qiao Qingyu¡¯s situation in Xichuan and finally felt relieved knowing her daughter was faring well.


    Mother and daughter lay side by side in bed, their heads close together.


    Initially, Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t accustomed to it; she had always been independent and seldom so intimate with anyone, but when Han Xianglan pinched her cheek, her rigid body softened.


    As Han Xianglan had matters to discuss with Qiao Qingyu, the room¡¯s light remained on, though the door was securely shut.


    One fall rain brings the chill; the temperature outside suddenly dropped.


    Sister-in-law Qiao had heated the kang bed ahead of time, and lying in pajamas while stretching all limbs was indeed very comfortable.


    ¡°Qingyu, you still haven¡¯t remembered how you fell into the water when you were twelve?¡± Han Xianglan asked softly.


    ¡°No, not at all; I don¡¯t have any recollection of it.¡±


    With her daughter having no memory of the incident, Han Xianglan hesitated. How should she broach the subject?


    She was worried it would frighten her daughter.


    After all, the circumstances were bizarre and unbelievable.


    Anyone else wouldn¡¯t have thought about it in that direction; only someone as sensitive as she would ponder such matters.


    ¡°Mom, why are you suddenly asking me this? Was there really someone who pushed me then?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Han Xianglan shook her head. ¡°After talking with you on the phone that day, Mom asked around some aunties covertly, and back then, you were indeed alone on that large rock.¡±


    Since no one pushed her, then she must have fallen into the river by accident.


    But what about that eerie little girl?


    Suddenly, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart skipped a beat; she recalled something. Although Han Liuya¡¯s features were not prominent as she lay on the kang, her eyes resembled those of the little girl in her dreams.


    However, their facial features were different.


    Han Liuya had a long face, whereas that little girl had a pointed chin.


    No matter how much a girl changes as she grows, a pointed chin won¡¯t turn into a square one.


    Unless one undergoes plastic surgery.


    ¡°Qingyu, think hard again, are you really sure you remember nothing?¡± Han Xianglan persisted.


    ¡°No, I remember absolutely nothing,¡± Qiao Qingyu responded without hesitation.


    Han Xianglan¡¯s gaze revealed a trace of contemplation as she began to rethink everything from start to finish.


    She was the goddaughter of Han Lishi, and during festivals when she had to visit, Old Lady He would naturally bring her along. Back then, such matters went unmonitored, so she knew very well.


    However, she did not know whether her suspicions had any connection with them.


    But one thing was certain, something had possessed her daughter¡¯s body after the drowning incident.


    That continued even after she married He Xiuyu and went with him to Xichuan; her daughter was still an imposter.

 Chapter 224 - 224 224 Is She the Original Owner

    ?Chapter 224: Chapter 224: Is She the Original Owner? Chapter 224: Chapter 224: Is She the Original Owner? Although thinking this way was horrifying and unsettling, it was the only explanation that made sense.


    Then her daughter returned to her own body, and the red mole on her hand returned as well.


    Thinking about this, Han Xianglan felt particularly distressed. From the age of twelve to seventeen, for five whole years, where had her daughter been? The thought of her possibly trapped in a dark corner, crying out for her mother, brought tears streaming down Han Xianglan¡¯s face.


    This startled Qiao Qingyu, who quickly reached out to wipe her tears, urgently asking, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong? Why are you crying?¡±


    Han Xianglan hastily replied, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s nothing, I was just thinking... thankfully, Mom is still alive. Otherwise, would my Qingyubao have become a child without a mother?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mom, that¡¯s why you need to take good care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°Qingyu, you can¡¯t go to the Han Family by yourself anymore. I need to tell you something.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t go alone, this time I brought Uncle with me, but Mom, what do you need to tell me? Is it about the Han Family?¡±


    Han Xianglan nodded. She didn¡¯t elaborate directly, after all, there was no proof.


    Besides, she knew clearly that her daughter, from any aspect, shined brilliantly.


    Thus, her daughter might also have had another extraordinary adventure. Her daughter returned to her own body, likely this spring.


    But her daughter hadn¡¯t told her, and if she rashly spoke out, how could mother and daughter cope with each other?


    Therefore, people with delicate sentiments tend to think more.


    However, Han Xianglan didn¡¯t feel she was wrong in doing so, as her daughter kept silent about it. How could she possibly speak up?


    But she could take another approach.


    So, Han Xianglan shared some secrets she occasionally learned about the Han Family in her childhood with her daughter.


    ¡°The young people nowadays might not know this, but the elderly back then were all aware. I remember when I was fourteen, Old Lady He took me to visit the Han Family, and just so happened to come across another village¡¯s bullock cart bringing their daughter to Han Lishi for treatment.


    The clinic in the town said it was madness, beyond their ability to cure, meant to be sent to the city hospital. In those days, the bullock cart couldn¡¯t reach the city hospital, so they had to head back home.


    Somehow, they learned that Han Lishi could solve problems, so they decided to try their luck at the Han Family as a last resort. I remember very clearly, Old Lady Han said that the girl¡¯s body was possessed by a wild ghost, which had displaced her soul.


    Back then, the girl was delirious, speaking nonsense, one moment saying one thing, another moment saying something else. Her accent was also bizarre, and she was even hitting and tearing at her own hair. It looked terrifying.


    Old Lady Han somehow got a bowl of water, scattered some incense ash into it, and added another object, then pinched her nose and made the girl drink it. Afterward, they had her lie on the kang bed, surrounded her with oil lamps arranged in a circle, and a few hours later, the girl was back to normal.


    I remember Han Lishi was very proud. She said, not to mention ten miles around, in the entire Northeast, only she had this capacity...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, who had been lying down, sat up in shock upon hearing this. Han Xianglan also sat up and crossed her legs on the kang bed.


    Qiao Qingyu clenched her hands, her heart pounding wildly.


    But then, her mind suddenly cleared.


    So, could she understand it this way? When she was twelve, she fell into the water, then Han Lishi let Han Liuya take over her body, continuing until she married He Xiuyu and moved to Xichuan.


    Then, the imposter, in an attempt to force He Xiuyu to return, hanged herself and unknowingly returned to her own body.


    Han Lishi and Han Liuya, unwilling to give up, somehow made her mother ill, then tricked her into coming back home, and everything that followed just fell into place.


    Thinking of this, Qiao Qingyu broke out into a cold sweat.


    Indeed, she couldn¡¯t underestimate anyone.


    Had it not been for Han Liuya¡¯s scream when she grabbed her hand, could this body have been switched by now?


    Logically speaking, even after many years, the original Qiao Qingyu should have known that the He Family and the Qiao Family couldn¡¯t be related by marriage, let alone resort to such despicable means to scheme against He Xiuyu.


    The only thing she couldn¡¯t understand was why He Xiuyu had agreed.


    After spending so much time together, she knew that He Xiuyu was not one to compromise habitually; he had his principles and lines that no one, including his father and mother, could force him to cross.


    But this would only be slowly understood once she returned to Xichuan, though now things were becoming clear.


    So, when she was twelve, Han Liuya took over her body, and she went to another world, reincarnating as an orphan.


    Could it be that she had come back after all this roaming?


    Only this explanation made everything clear.


    Only a person as harsh and merciless as Han Liuya would disregard the relationship between the He Family and the Qiao Family.


    She didn¡¯t hold the Qiao Family in regard and even visited the Han Family frequently; Han Liuya didn¡¯t seem like someone who cared about familial bonds. She likely had to return, which is why she burned all the paper with writing on it.


    As for why she chose her body, the reason was simple: it was healthy and beautiful and familiar with the family dynamics, making it hard to expose.


    But why did she scream now when she held her hand?


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but cast her eyes down, pulling out the gold necklace He Xiuyu had personally put on her from around her neck.


    The amulet engraved with intricate scriptures, made of an unknown material, neither jade nor wood, was exquisitely clear and milky-white in color.


    Han Xianglan leaned over for a look, ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°This was given to me by He Xiuyu. He said that during a business trip to Western Tibet, a monk presented it to him.¡±


    Han Xianglan let out a slow breath, then stuffed the amulet inside her daughter¡¯s pajamas, whispering firmly, ¡°Keep it on you all the time, and never lose it.¡±


    ¡°Mom, I understand.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s lips quivered slightly; she suddenly remembered the letter she had written; could the astute Han Xianglan have thought of something?


    But what should she say?


    To speak of one thing would lead to another, and from two would call for three.


    How could she explain her modern life and that this was a book?


    And also, what if she wasn¡¯t the original person either?


    That thought really made her feel stifled.


    Knowing her daughter had understood, Han Xianglan felt relieved, stretching out her hands and slowly hugging her daughter, gently patting her back, and softly said, ¡°My precious girl, I am telling you all this just to let you know that the Han Family is wicked. We aren¡¯t afraid of them; we just shouldn¡¯t provoke them for now unless we can completely crush them.¡±


    The words ¡°my precious girl¡± made Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes feel warm.


    She nodded somberly, ¡°I understand, Mom. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be careful.¡±

 Chapter 225 - 225 225 Donkey Meat Dumplings

    ?Chapter 225: Chapter 225: Donkey Meat Dumplings Chapter 225: Chapter 225: Donkey Meat Dumplings ¡°Alright, get some rest early, Mom is also tired...¡± Han Xianglan felt truly exhausted after all the ordeal of the past week.


    Qiao Qingyu turned off the light, and the gentle moonlight poured in like water, making the atmosphere warm and exceptionally comforting.


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t immediately start dealing with the Han Family; she had no complete plan yet.


    Han Xianglan was right, one shouldn¡¯t provoke them easily without a concrete reason, especially since there was no evidence of a crime or anyone¡¯s life at stake.


    Neither was there any connection with more controversial matters.


    The next morning, while Han Xianglan rested at home, Qiao Qingyu accompanied her eldest uncle to the 500-acre experimental field.


    The severe storm of the previous days had some impact on the experimental field, but the damage was not significant.


    Recently, Qiao Qingyu had learned a lot, especially since the establishment of the breeding and propagation center at the base. Whenever she had time, she went to learn from Professor Feng.


    The benefits were indeed substantial.


    Qiao Qingyu checked the overall growth of the corn, examined the stems, peeled back the husk, and gently pressed a corn kernel with her fingertips.


    Although they couldn¡¯t reach a yield of three thousand catties per mu, as long as there were no major natural disasters in the next half a month, a yield of over two thousand catties per mu was completely feasible.


    Captain Sun, standing beside her, looked at Qiao Qingyu and smiled warmly, ¡°Qingyu, you¡¯re getting more and more skilled now.¡±


    ¡°Our base has become a breeding and propagation center, and over a dozen experts, professors, and technicians have come from Beijing. I¡¯ve been learning a lot from them recently,¡± Qiao Qingyu explained factually.


    ¡°That¡¯s really great, Qingyu. Teach us too when you have time,¡± Captain Sun casually said.


    ¡°Not now, I barely understand the basics myself, it¡¯s all about learning the operations step by step.¡± She couldn¡¯t just boast without real knowledge.


    Then Qiao Qingyu smiled and asked, ¡°So, what are your plans for these corn crops?¡±


    ¡°Next year we¡¯ll start linked production contracting. The land will be allocated to individuals. Apart from the 20,000 catties reserved for you from the 500-acre experimental field, the rest will be kept by the county as seeds for large-scale planting.¡±


    ¡°Will it be planted uniformly or distributed to the members for planting?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no specific decision yet; we have to wait until after the corn harvest is completed.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded silently, finding the arrangement quite reasonable.


    Regarding the 20,000 catties dedicated to her, it was promised by Harvest Commune and Captain Sun during her last visit to Qiao Family Team.


    Although Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t initially ask for money, they had to acknowledge the connection to Tenghai; the cooperation had to be beneficial in the long run.


    Thus, seeing the promising growth of corn, they changed the initial allocation from two thousand to twenty thousand catties.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t decline and accepted it openly.


    At that moment, Qiao Qingyu remembered Lu Ye¡¯s advice, but she didn¡¯t think planting soybeans was a good idea.


    Part of Yushu County¡¯s land was suitable for corn, which really yielded well, especially wheat.


    So, she needed to make an early reservation for seeds of these crops at the seed station.


    Even if there were superior soybean seeds, priority should be given to planting them in North City.


    Xichuan was suitable for developing corn, wheat, and other crops.


    Thinking so, she realized there were numerous tasks to handle. Right, she still needed to go to the team headquarters to call He Xiuyu.


    After her mother¡¯s crisis was resolved, she had to inform He Xiuyu; otherwise, he would be worried. To say they had feelings was an overstatement; He Xiuyu was concerned mainly because of her.


    But for that alone, He Xiuyu was a person of excellent character.


    Just then, someone called her name from a distance, ¡°Qingyu.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu craned her neck and saw it was Brother Shengbao, the youngest son of her great-uncle¡¯s family and the cousin known for his poor sense of direction, who had gone to the Southern region to find Mu Bao.


    The Qiao Family indeed had many members.


    The eldest uncle¡¯s family had four sons, just in grandchildren he had nine.


    The second uncle¡¯s family had three sons, with a total of six grandchildren.


    Their own father was the youngest in the family and also had two sons; now his grandchildren were the fewest, only two.


    The eldest son of the eldest uncle was Qiao Tianbao, who married a girl from the city. Both had jobs and lived in the county town; they had three children.


    The second son, Qiao Shuibao, had joined the army, and after demobilization, was assigned a job in a neighboring county town¡¯s sugar plant security department; his family also had three children.


    The third son, Qiao Jinbao, was not well educated, but he was loyal and honest; he farmed at home, his family consisted of two sons and a daughter.


    The youngest was Qiao Shengbao, who had just run over to her side. He was nineteen this year, had stopped schooling after elementary, and now worked in the fields with his third brother.


    The Qiao Family had actually split up.


    However, the second uncle did not want to leave his parents and continued to live with his wife and the eldest uncle¡¯s family in the old mansion with Mr. Qiao.


    The old mansion¡¯s homestead was quite large, with the main house being a five-and-a-half-room structure made of mud and brick.


    There were three mud-brick rooms on each the east and west.


    The eldest uncle and Mr. Qiao¡¯s family lived in the main house, while the second uncle¡¯s family lived in the east wing.


    Qiao Jinbao lived in the west wing.


    However, those who got married later had moved out, otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t have been enough space in the house.


    Among the second uncle¡¯s three sons, one lived in the commune, another lived close by in the same village, and the youngest son was in high school with Qiao Mubao.


    It was true what they said about a flourishing family.


    If everyone gathered together, including the eldest aunt¡¯s family, it truly made up several dozen people.


    But their financial foundation was weak, and living day to day was a struggle.


    At this time, Qiao Shengbao had already run up to her, sweating profusely. Qiao Qingyu felt it wasn¡¯t easy for him to find this place.


    ¡°Brother Shengbao, what are you looking for me for?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re making dumplings at noon, grandma asked me to call you back to the old house to eat dumplings.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu casually asked, ¡°What filling?¡±


    ¡°Green onion and donkey meat filling.¡±


    That was good, there¡¯s a saying, ¡°Dragon meat in the sky, donkey meat on the ground.¡± She had eaten donkey meat-filled dumplings once, and they said when boiling them, the tips of the dumplings would all point upwards, just like donkey ears.


    When she actually saw the donkey meat dumplings, Qiao Qingyu realized she had been tricked; they were no different from the pork-filled dumplings made during New Year¡¯s, but they were far more fragrant than those with pork.


    She then talked to Captain Sun and the eldest uncle about the soybean seeds. Captain Sun promised Qiao Qingyu that he would look into the commune¡¯s planting plan for the next year to see if they could spare a few thousand pounds.


    Afterwards, Qiao Qingyu followed Qiao Shengbao to the main road. Qiao Shengbao parked his bicycle at the roadside; once Qiao Qingyu had gotten on, he pedaled forward briskly.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t mind, as she was contemplating what she had to do next.


    She planned to make a phone call at the village headquarters, and also ask He Xiuyu about the plastic film matter. Since she was already here, she thought of getting it arranged in advance.


    But as they walked, she felt something was off upfront; she remembered that past the cornfield was supposed to be a sorghum field, but now it had turned into a potato field?


    That¡¯s when she remembered who was riding the bicycle.


    She stretched out her hand and tapped Qiao Shengbao¡¯s back, her voice crisp, ¡°Brother Shengbao.¡±


    ¡°Qingyu, what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Slow down, I want to get off.¡±

 Chapter 226 - 226 226 The Use of Corn Leaves

    ?Chapter 226: Chapter 226 The Use of Corn Leaves Chapter 226: Chapter 226 The Use of Corn Leaves Qiao Shengbao didn¡¯t know what Qiao Qingyu was up to, so he slowed down the bike. Qiao Qingyu hopped off, looked around, and sure enough, they had taken the wrong path¡ªthis road led to Hejia Village. Not far off, the water shimmered in the light; wasn¡¯t that the big river?


    Qiao Qingyu pointed ahead, laughing, ¡°Brother Shengbao, look where you¡¯ve taken me?¡±


    Qiao Shengbao squinted and took a good look, then his face turned red all of a sudden, and he scratched his head, ¡°I didn¡¯t remember it wrong, this is the road.¡±


    ¡°A road can indeed be taken the wrong way.¡±


    Because it also has two directions!


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t say much, because that¡¯s just how he was¡ªa person who truly had no sense of direction.


    Today¡¯s temperature was much higher than usual, and the autumn sunlight was particularly warm. The sky was a deep, clear blue. Since they had cycled here, she pointed to the river ahead and told Qiao Shengbao she wanted to walk along the riverbank.


    That was doable.


    Qiao Shengbao, with the heart of a child, happily took Qiao Qingyu to the riverbank, where he then parked the bike in a drainage ditch by the road.


    The river was tens of meters wide and a tributary of Longjiang, nurturing hundreds of thousands of people in the area.


    The river was deep, and although it was autumn and the water level should have dropped, a heavy rain a few days prior had raised it again.


    However, the water was no longer as warm as in summer, especially during the busy farming season, so there were only one or two people washing clothes by the river, while several figures could be made out on the opposite bank.


    Qiao Qingyu went to the riverbank.


    She stood next to the large rock where she was said to have fallen into the water; the rock was big, with a bit of a slope.


    At the age of twelve, she had fallen into the water from that very rock.


    The water in the north differed from that in the south; in the south, the large and small rivers flowed gently, whereas in the north, the currents were swift and even the sound of the water could be heard.


    The water near the bank was clear to the bottom, but looking further out, it turned black. It wasn¡¯t that the water was dirty, but rather that it was very deep in that spot.


    The river also had a name¡ªBlack Water River.


    After circling around and finding no memories, she looked up to see an old lady on the opposite bank staring at her.


    On closer inspection, it turned out to be Granny He.


    Her body was still robust, even though her hair had gone completely white.


    He Xiuyu had mentioned that He Shan planned to take them to Beijing for care during the winter.


    After all, they were elderly, and He Shan was their only son.


    Behind her, Qiao Shengbao said that when they weren¡¯t so busy, he¡¯d come to catch some fish, as the carp were the fattest during this season.


    They could also catch some Mai Suiyu to make fish sauce.


    At that moment, a grasshopper¡¯s chirping noise came from the distant grass, and Qiao Shengbao¡¯s eyes lit up before he darted towards it.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at Granny He and walked up towards the riverbank.


    This greeting couldn¡¯t be made; it was too awkward.


    By the time she turned back around, Granny He had already left.


    She had no idea what Granny He was doing by the river.


    Qiao Qingyu stood beside the grass, watching Qiao Shengbao jump like a toad.


    And wouldn¡¯t you know it, he actually caught a grasshopper.


    Grasshoppers were scarce at this time of year. This one was a shiny, oily green and kept chirping incessantly even after being caught.


    Qiao Shengbao carelessly handed the grasshopper to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qingyu, hold this for a moment while I make a grasshopper cage.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu rolled her eyes inwardly.


    Qiao Shengbao didn¡¯t look at Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression and placed the grasshopper in her hand, Qiao Qingyu hurriedly gripped it, but shivered all over. Though she wasn¡¯t afraid of the creature, she couldn¡¯t stand the grasshopper thumping vigorously in the palm of her hand, causing goosebumps all over her body. She quickly took out a handkerchief to wrap it.


    At that time, Qiao Shengbao had already picked a few willow branches by the river and sat down to start weaving.


    Qiao Shengbao was skilled with his hands, and had learned how to make grasshopper cages from a young age.


    The cages he made had several layers and even a small door.


    But those types of grasshopper cages were woven from sorghum stalks, whose outer skin was similar to bamboo, and the inner core could be used as a support; willow branches were somewhat inferior in comparison.


    Qiao Qingyu sat beside him, then watched with interest as Qiao Shengbao¡¯s nimble hands flew up and down.


    Suddenly, she had a thought, ¡°Brother Shengbao, do you plan to farm forever?¡±


    ¡°What else can I do if I don¡¯t farm? I don¡¯t want to study either.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever tried weaving with corn leaves?¡±


    ¡°What can you weave with corn leaves? Are they not just for burning?¡±


    ¡°Who said that? If processed properly, corn leaves can be weaved into anything.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡± Qiao Shengbao stopped his movements and his eyes lit up, ¡°Ah, you saw it in Xichuan, right?¡± His interest piqued, he asked Qiao Qingyu to tell him what kinds of things could be made with corn leaves and how they would look.


    ¡°...Hats, shoes, sugar jars, tote bags, vases...¡±


    ¡°You can weave hats and shoes? Really?¡± Qiao Shengbao stopped his work in surprise.


    ¡°Why not? How do you think straw shoes are made?¡± Qiao Qingyu gave him a look.


    Qiao Shengbao continued weaving the grasshopper cage, but there was a new glint in his eyes.


    Soon, the cage was finished.


    Qiao Qingyu hurriedly placed the grasshopper wrapped in the handkerchief inside, but didn¡¯t expect the handkerchief to get soiled by the grasshopper, so she had no choice but to take it to the river to clean.


    Qiao Shengbao, carrying the grasshopper cage, followed Qiao Qingyu closely, inquiring whether the things woven from corn leaves looked good, if they were prone to deformation.


    Qiao Qingyu had seen the process on the internet, so she roughly described it to him.


    Qiao Shengbao¡¯s eyes twinkled, and he handed the grasshopper cage to Qiao Qingyu before mounting his bicycle with her and pedaling off in the opposite direction¡ªthey would just ride backward if forward wasn¡¯t right.


    By the time they got home, the dumplings were already wrapped, just waiting for Qiao Qingyu to come and cook them. Han Xianglan and the others were also there. Her uncle had returned home early, and one could tell he must have ridden in the wrong direction. Upon arrival, he received a kick and a scolding, ¡°It¡¯s just one road; how can you get it wrong? Are your eyes just for show?¡±


    Qiao Shengbao wasn¡¯t upset; he rubbed his bottom and dashed into the firewood shed at home, soon rustling up a large bundle of corn leaves.


    These too were prepared for fuel, some still green, but others had already dried.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t expect such creativity and dexterity from Qiao Shengbao.


    After cooking the dumplings, he had already finished half of the sugar jar.


    Of course, Qiao Zhicai was also deft with his hands and wasn¡¯t stingy with helpful comments.


    The donkey meat dumplings were served, bitten into with a dip in garlic sauce, bursting with fresh flavor.


    The room was small, so everyone ate outside. Two tables still weren¡¯t enough, so they placed the dumplings in large bowls and sat on stools to enjoy them.


    A total of five large pots were boiled, and by the time the last pot was cooked, those who ate first were already full.


    Qiao Shengbao was preoccupied, not even taking the time to savor his favorite meat-filled dumplings. He finished a large bowl in a hurry and then sat cross-legged in the cool shade near the house roof, continuing to weave the sugar jar. He placed a porcelain sugar jar in front of him as a model.


    Although only half-finished, it was easy to imagine that the final product would certainly be attractive.

 Chapter 227 - 227 227 Everything Can Be Programmed

    ?Chapter 227: Chapter 227: Everything Can Be Programmed Chapter 227: Chapter 227: Everything Can Be Programmed After finishing his meal, Qiao Zhicai also sat beside him and turned to ask Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Daughter, what do you want? Dad will make one for you.¡±


    Pausing for a moment, Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°Dad, can you make me a vase?¡±


    ¡°Why make a vase? The corn leaves it¡¯s made from can¡¯t hold water,¡± Qiao Zhicai expressed his doubts.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t need to hold water, we can put silk flowers or dried flowers in it later.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make one for you right now.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at the pile of corn leaves, smiled, and a preliminary plan formed in her mind. Although it was unexpected and sudden, it was highly feasible.


    In the kitchen, Wang Mei had been looking unwell,


    Ah, where could she get the rope knot from? She had already sold it long ago.


    So, a surge of anger rose within her. About a broken rope knot, did this whole family have to ask one after another? Today, Han Xianglan and Niu Guili had come together, and it was about this matter again.


    It made everyone give her unfriendly looks.


    She angrily slammed her chopsticks into the pot.


    Qiao Qingyu stood at the doorway of the kitchen, smiling, ¡°Second Aunt, who are you throwing a fit at?¡±


    Wang Mei jumped in fright and glared at Qiao Qingyu, ¡°You¡¯re not following along washing dishes, what lively scene are you watching at the doorway...¡±


    Washing dishes or not didn¡¯t matter, Qiao Qingyu stepped forward and rolled up her sleeves, ¡°Second Aunt, go back to your room and look for my mom¡¯s rope knot bracelet again, I¡¯ll wash the dishes.¡±


    Wang Mei, infuriated, clenched the cloth in her hand tightly, ¡°It¡¯s lost, it¡¯s lost, is this endless with you and your family?¡±


    But she spoke in a lowered voice, after all, there were so many people outside, and if this situation blew up, she would be in the wrong, and most importantly, she felt guilty.


    With a smile still on her face, Qiao Qingyu finally had time to observe Wang Mei¡¯s expression. While washing dishes, she said, ¡°Second Aunt, I heard your brother came to see you these past few days...¡±


    Wang Mei¡¯s expression suddenly changed.


    Her heart thudded rapidly.


    Similarly, she glared venomously at Qiao Qingyu.


    This was something she couldn¡¯t talk about, she insisted on not dividing the family in order to gain more advantages. So, the family¡¯s money was pooled together, albeit accounted for, but she had hidden one hundred yuan, unknown even to her husband, not to mention the additional 200 yuan from her little brother.


    Speaking out would make her life unbearable.


    So she would never tell them the truth, no matter what.


    But she couldn¡¯t outtalk Qiao Qingyu, covering her chest, she cried out that her heart felt uncomfortable.


    Then, she turned and walked away.


    Qiao Qingyu narrowed her eyes, knowing Wang Mei must be guilty about something. Could it be that Wu Xiujie¡¯s people had already arrived at North City?


    It was possible.


    After all, he was now officially a citizen of Huaxia.


    Watching Qiao Qingyu wash the dishes, the grandmothers and daughters-in-law scolded Wang Mei a few times for her laziness, then whispered for Qiao Qingyu to go play outside.


    Qiao Zhicai hadn¡¯t seen this yet, and he would definitely be angry if he did.


    You eat a meal of dumplings, but still have to work for them?


    Meanwhile, Qiao Shengbao had almost finished weaving the jar¡¯s body, only the lid was left.


    Qiao Qingyu took the completed body of the jar.


    Although it was her first work and looked somewhat rough, it had to be admitted that the design was ancient, and the shape was beautiful.


    The only downside was the uneven color of the corn leaves.


    These were plucked from the cornfields a few days ago.


    At this time of the year, when the corn is plucked and cooked dry, it has a distinct flavor, whether it¡¯s boiled or stewed.


    Here, people call them corn hangings.


    Now, the eaves of the main house are adorned with a row of them, about forty or fifty; they are all prepared for her because she loves to eat them.


    Fortunately, the corn leaves that were plucked were not used for kindling.


    Otherwise, the sugar jar couldn¡¯t have been seen.


    Qiao Qingyu sat next to Qiao Shengbao, watching him finish weaving the lid of the sugar jar and then fitting it together to complete the piece.


    Qiao Shengbao¡¯s eyes sparkled as he watched Qiao Qingyu fidgeting and asked expectantly, ¡°Qingyu, do you think anyone will buy it?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu blinked and said surprisingly, ¡°Who said we were going to sell this?¡±


    Qiao Shengbao was dumbfounded, ¡°If we¡¯re not selling it, then why weave it?¡±


    ¡°For our own use.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at Qiao Shengbao with a serious expression, while Qiao Shengbao was utterly speechless.


    In his eyes, Qiao Qingyu was very skilled at the moment.


    It was like a kind of inertia thinking; Qiao Qingyu said that corn leaves could be used to weave things, he followed her idea, thinking the woven items were for selling and that selling them could make money.


    He looked at Qiao Qingyu blankly and, after a moment, dropped his head in dismay.


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but snort with laughter.


    Qiao Shengbao quickly looked up at the sound of laughter, his eyes bright with anticipation, ¡°Sis, you were just joking with me, right?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu finally stopped laughing and thought to herself that Brother Shengbao was so adorable.


    ¡°It¡¯s not all joking; the market for these handicrafts hasn¡¯t really opened up yet. Selling them definitely won¡¯t be easy.¡±


    Qiao Zhicai glanced at his daughter and then at the nai?ve young Qiao Shengbao, feeling quite proud as he spoke, ¡°Corn leaves are everywhere, not everyone can weave them, even if it could make money, there would be many followers too.¡±


    ¡°Dad, you¡¯re right, so we need to be the first movers. I guess it will be fine for five years, but the key is how to open up the market.¡±


    Then Qiao Qingyu started discussing with Qiao Zhicai and Qiao Shengbao.


    After all, at home, only these two knew this craft.


    Qiao Qingyu asked them to gather more corn leaves during the autumn harvest as she planned to attend the exchange meeting in Nangang City at the end of the year.


    Starting now, the two of them would spend their free time weaving sugar jars, cup coasters, tote bags, vases, etc., and they could also try to create other handicrafts, letting creativity run wild; anything could be woven.


    They could even dye and weave patterns where appropriate.


    This was purely manual labor, with raw materials available everywhere; the only costs were time and energy, so as long as they could be sold, they were sure to make money.


    The other family members gathered around too. Wang Mei came out of the house slowly; her heartache had subsided, as she was always interested in money-making ventures, though sadly, her family lacked the necessary skills.


    Weaving wasn¡¯t so easy to learn.


    Qiao Qingyu gave Wang Mei a cool look; Wang Mei shrank her neck back, remembered what Qiao Qingyu had said, and turned around to go back inside.


    Qiao Qingyu also suggested to her uncle that after the autumn harvest, when the corn was threshed, a few people should be specifically arranged to collect the corn silk.


    This was also a medicinal material; although she didn¡¯t know the market value, the corn silk was readily available and easy to store¡ªdefinitely wouldn¡¯t result in a loss.


    So today, Qiao Qingyu surprised everyone, as these two items in today¡¯s rural areas were just like dirt clods; nobody wanted corn silk, and corn husks were thrown directly into the stove for burning.


    Who would have thought that with Qiao Qingyu, corn husks could be woven into crafts to sell and corn silk could become a herbal medicine?


    ¡°Uncle, you guys can arrange this in advance and then contact the pharmaceutical factory later. If they don¡¯t buy them, dry the corn silk and save it and I will handle it.¡±

 Chapter 228 - 228 228 He Missed Her

    ?Chapter 228: Chapter 228 He Missed Her Chapter 228: Chapter 228 He Missed Her ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll go right now,¡± Qiao Zhiyuan cheerfully lifted his leg and walked away.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go to the team office to make a phone call.¡±


    When he reached the team office, Qiao Zhiyuan opened the door to the office where the telephone was located, knowing his niece was calling He Xiuyu and not wanting others to disturb her, he prepared to close the door.


    However, Qiao Qingyu instructed Qiao Zhiyuan, ¡°Uncle, come to my house tonight.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan nodded in agreement, then closed the door.


    Qiao Qingyu returned from the riverbank around midnight, so she didn¡¯t call He Xiuyu. He might be in his office at that time, but he could also be in the workshop. She decided to try her luck.


    As it happened, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s luck was good, and indeed, He Xiuyu answered the phone. Qiao Qingyu first told him about her mother¡¯s turn from danger to safety, to which He Xiuyu on the other end of the line expressed surprise, involuntarily asking, ¡°Did she suddenly get better?¡±


    ¡°Mhm, she should have suddenly gotten better, I¡¯ll explain the details when I get back.¡±


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t continue to inquire.


    He spoke about the matter of the plastic films. ¡°Nangang City has already shipped them, and they should arrive at the county in two days.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll stay here for a few more days and arrange the matters concerning the greenhouse, so I won¡¯t have to rush back to Qiao Family Team during harvest time.¡±


    He Xiuyu knew he had to wait a few more days for Qiao Qingyu to return and felt a bit disheartened. Yet thinking of the time they would spend together in Xichuan upon her return, his spirits lifted.


    He really wanted to ask if Qiao Qingyu missed him because he missed her.


    In the evening, Qiao Zhiyuan strolled to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house with his hands clasped behind his back.


    Qiao Qingyu originally wanted to wait before speaking, but given the current situation, it was necessary to let the family know.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t beat around the bush; Qiao Zhicai, Han Xianglan, Qiao Genbao, along with Uncle Qiao Zhiyuan and herself, all sat together in the west room.


    Niu Guili had taken the two children over to someone else¡¯s house.


    It wasn¡¯t that she wasn¡¯t told, but this matter shouldn¡¯t be heard by the children; her elder brother could explain it to her in due time.


    Qiao Qingyu straightforwardly told the people seated cross-legged on the kang about everything involving Chairman Wu of Wulong Group searching for his lost biological daughter, including the events that had occurred in the past and recently.


    The individuals stared unblinkingly at Qiao Qingyu from the moment they started hearing the story, almost breathless until Qiao Qingyu finished speaking.


    ¡°Now, I still don¡¯t know for sure if my mom is Wu Xiujie¡¯s daughter, but there are definitely some issues at my second aunt¡¯s place. My mom has been wearing that knotted bracelet ever since I can remember, it might have been taken by that old man Wu Xiujie, so this matter needs to be cleared up by dad and Uncle...¡±


    ¡°Stop, stop, let me catch my breath, let me catch my breath...¡±


    Qiao Zhicai¡¯s face turned pale; he was nowhere near ecstatic about the potential revelation of his wife being the daughter of a tycoon.


    He was terrified.


    He had been comfortably seated cross-legged on the kang, but then he got up, put on his shoes, and started pacing back and forth in the room.


    Uncle Qiao too was filled with uncertainty, Han Xianglan, on the other hand, was completely unfazed.


    Unexpectedly, she was the most composed one.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to tell you originally, but now that someone has set their sights on Qiao Family Team, this matter isn¡¯t trivial. Whether it¡¯s true or not, it¡¯s better to be prepared,¡± said Qiao Qingyu as she continued.


    Qiao Genbao was simple and honest, but he wasn¡¯t foolish, so he instinctively felt that this might not be a good thing, and it could even be a disaster. ¡°We better not acknowledge this kinship, whether it¡¯s true or not, it can easily cause trouble.¡±


    Han Xianglan¡¯s brows furrowed, although what Qiao Genbao said was true, it wasn¡¯t pleasant to the ears.


    Qiao Qingyu reached out and patted Han Xianglan, ¡°Mom, what my elder brother means is, whether or not you are the daughter of some rich man, you will always be our mom, my dad¡¯s wife, and Feifei and Doudou¡¯s grandma...¡±


    It was then that Qiao Genbao realized, his face flushing as he explained, ¡°Mom, I didn¡¯t mean that, don¡¯t misunderstand.¡±


    The originally serious atmosphere suddenly eased.


    Qiao Zhiyuan looked at his family, ¡°If other families encountered this kind of thing, they would be praying to the gods, hoping it¡¯s true, but look at you all, each of you acting as if it¡¯s a bother.¡±


    Then he looked at his brother, ¡°Don¡¯t keep pacing back and forth, you¡¯re making my eyes whirl. This matter should only be known among us, don¡¯t talk about it with anyone else, just keep it in mind. I have to go back now and get Shengbao to sneak into Wang Mei¡¯s mother¡¯s village to find out if something¡¯s going on there.¡±


    Shengbao¡¯s classmate lived in the village of Wang Mei¡¯s mother.


    Holding a tobacco pipe and with his hands behind his back, Qiao Zhiyuan left, and at that moment, Qiao Zhicai also sat on the edge of the kang, looking at Han Xianglan, ¡°My heart keeps thumping, imagine if you really have a rich dad, he definitely won¡¯t approve of me, and might even force you to leave me.¡±


    Han Xianglan glanced at him, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what Qingyu just said? We don¡¯t even know if it¡¯s true or not, why are you thinking so far ahead?¡±


    ¡°Dad, you guys are already grandparents. Even if my mom really is Chairman Wu¡¯s biological daughter, he can¡¯t possibly force her to leave you.¡±


    Then Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°Besides, Mr. Wu Xiucai isn¡¯t even sure when he will return from the US.¡±


    Han Xianglan¡¯s brows were also furrowed; although she had just denied being shocked, that was a lie. She had been mentally prepared for a long time, as she had always fantasized about who her biological parents were from a young age...


    Old Lady He had even told her that the two people who sold her obviously looked like rural farmers and didn¡¯t resemble her at all.


    Even if those two people loved their daughter and didn¡¯t want her to suffer, the rural environment wouldn¡¯t allow her delicate hands and skin to be so fair and tender, as if she was a young lady from a wealthy family.


    If they really loved this daughter, why would they sell her?


    And they even hastily took the silver coins and ran away.


    That woman, purported to be her biological mother, hadn¡¯t even glanced at her.


    At the time, Han Xianglan had wondered if there really were such heartless parents in the world, but after hearing more and seeing more, she realized those two might not be.


    She hadn¡¯t expected her daughter to bring up such news today.


    No wonder she had written her a letter a while ago, telling a story about wealthy and poor families swapping children.


    She couldn¡¯t help but glance at Qiao Qingyu, this girl, probably afraid she would wildly speculate, hadn¡¯t dared to tell her the truth.


    Han Xianglan, on the contrary, appeared to be the most relieved and relaxed among them.


    Qiao Qingyu also sighed in relief.


    She hadn¡¯t expected that something she considered so serious would be met with such different reactions from everyone.


    Qiao Qingyu was very satisfied with the outcome, much better than everyone being uneasy.


    ...


    These days, Sun Dazhang was particularly motivated, as he was soon going to be transferred to the commune to be in charge of promoting and planting corn.


    His transfer to the commune was thanks to Qiao Qingyu!

 Chapter 229 - 229 229 Qiao Qingyu and the Wu Family Have No

    ?Chapter 229: Chapter 229 Qiao Qingyu and the Wu Family Have No Relationship Chapter 229: Chapter 229 Qiao Qingyu and the Wu Family Have No Relationship Naturally, after Sun Dazhang was promoted, Uncle Qiao naturally took over his position. Though Uncle Qiao was nearly sixty years old now, he was very content to become the head of the Qiao Family Team.


    The official document hadn¡¯t arrived yet, but internal notifications had already been sent to individuals involved, and agreements had been made, just waiting for the autumn harvest to handle the transfer.


    Qiao Qingyu felt a bit regretful. If her uncle had been younger, she really could have pushed him further along this path.


    But Sun Dazhang was also an astute man. Although he was cunning and had a desire for profit, that was human nature, as long as there were limits.


    Regarding Qiao Qingyu¡¯s suggestion about corn silk, Sun Dazhang was truly enthusiastic.


    It was like a group of people huddled around a lamp, but then someone struck a match and lit the oil lamp.


    Then the lamp brightened.


    Others saw it and thought, ¡°Oh my, is it really that simple?¡±


    But before someone did it, it was not so simple.


    In the rural areas today, who would pay attention to corn silk? But now it had become a traditional Chinese medicinal material, easy to collect while shucking corn, just assigning a few attentive commune members to sort it out. It could be dried and stored in a few days.


    Not much was needed, just a hundred or a hundred and eighty yuan, and by the end of the year, it could even provide half a pound of meat for each household.


    Not to mention he was about to become the Vice Director of the commune.


    In fact, given his experience, he would likely reach there in a few years, but going there with achievements in hand now was something different, wasn¡¯t it?


    Sun Dazhang personally drove the big horse cart, taking Qiao Qingyu through the mountains to view the cultivation of red flowers and gastrodia.


    Qiao Qingyu went around and couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the fertility of the land in North City.


    If only Xichuan was like this.


    Gastrodia and red flowers grew on two mountain slopes, in fertile black soil and a natural environment that, though it was said to be artificially planted, really wasn¡¯t that different from wild growth.


    Both these men were practical in their deeds; the members of the Qiao Family Team were fortunate.


    Just like Vice Director Qian from Xiaxi Commune.


    Both were dark and thin, constantly busy in the fields, but there was always a glimmer of hope in their eyes.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s words were indeed accurate; the plastic film had arrived, and Qiao Tianbao drove the big truck to deliver the plastic film back.


    Then it was all piled up in the storeroom at Qiao Zhicai¡¯s house.


    To prevent mice from biting, rat poison was bought for the storeroom, and wooden racks were brought from the team.


    These plastic films were just right to cover three big greenhouses.


    Next, wood for the greenhouses was needed, and Sun Dazhang naturally helped vigorously.


    Qiao Qingyu took the business card that Old Zheng from the Security Bureau in the provincial capital had given her and went to the county agricultural station.


    In this era, there was no talk of poverty alleviation yet; that would come five or six years later.


    At that time, it was called officials going to the countryside.


    There were annual tasks, and the person Qiao Qingyu sought was in charge of agriculture.


    His surname was Luo, and everyone called him Director Luo.


    Old Zheng had already discussed this matter with him, so after Qiao Qingyu introduced herself, Director Luo was very enthusiastic.


    When he heard that Qiao Qingyu planned to have her family build a greenhouse during the winter, his eyes lit up.


    With North City¡¯s long frost-free period, seeing green vegetables in winter was rare. Building a greenhouse, if successful, would yield significant profits. Even without selling to the provincial city, just supplying the nearby counties would generate considerable income.


    But he was very concerned about how these greenhouses should be built; after all, it wasn¡¯t just about erecting a building.


    ¡°Director Luo,¡± she said, ¡°the plastic film has already been sent from Nangang City to the Qiao Family Team, and the wood is nearly in place. I came to you seeking technical support.¡±


    ¡°Technical support is no problem,¡± Director Luo agreed eagerly.


    After understanding more from Qiao Qingyu, he, along with two technicians, went to the Qiao Family Team.


    The land in North City was already fertile, the soil deep, and rich in organic matter, very suitable for growing various vegetables.


    Although there was no previous example, there was still theoretical knowledge.


    In two days, they completed the overall planning layout. Greenhouses in the north were different from those in the south, requiring walls on three sides¡ªeast, west, and north¡ªrequiring that they begin drying adobe bricks now.


    Director Luo planned to do a pilot. If feasible, it would be strongly promoted next year.


    The demand for vegetables was constant throughout the year.


    Qiao Qingyu had once discussed greenhouses with Professor Feng, and for the north, a greenhouse measuring 120 meters by 10 meters was suitable.


    As for how the plastic film could best provide insulation and light, this was beyond Qiao Qingyu¡¯s understanding; after inspecting the site, Director Luo and the two technicians consulted with Qiao Zhicai and others, reaching a preliminary decision, and they returned to the agricultural station, with still much data to be gathered.


    For example, the indoor temperature, how heating could be more efficient.


    Qiao Qingyu had not expected Director Luo to be so supportive.


    This was a good thing.


    Her elder brother and others were most experienced in planting.


    The issue with seeds was easily resolved; Sun Dazhang had also arranged for three thousand pounds of soybean seeds, adding to the ten thousand pounds of corn seeds meant for Qiao Qingyu. A fleet from the county would deliver them to the Tenghai Research Base.


    Then they would also bring the seeds back, timing it just right.


    If they could manage to get more good seeds, it would be even better.


    Three greenhouses were to be built: one for their own family and two for her uncle¡¯s family.


    There were no more plastic films available for more.


    Of the three vegetable greenhouses, the most expensive part was the plastic film; the land was their own family land, walls made of adobe needed almost no money, and wood would be counted in the work points at the end of the year.


    Her second uncle and elder brother had already prepared quite a bit of ash and homemade fertilizer.


    Then there was heating fuel; this was not an issue. Although cutting wood in the back mountain was not allowed, there was plenty of dried branches and leaves.


    Plus, after the autumn harvest, corn stalks and sorghum roots could also be used as firewood.


    Still, Qiao Qingyu gave her elder brother 500 yuan in emergency cash.


    This time, unlike before, Qiao Genbao kept a record of it.


    The seeds were also accounted for.


    He was determined to do well.


    He aimed not only to make money but also to pay back all the money to his younger sister.


    The people in the village always came to inquire, but as soon as they heard the amount of money invested, they all backed off. The cost of the plastic film alone was astronomical.


    Qiao Qingyu planned most of the things in her mind; now she had to think about the Han Family.


    And the matter of Wang Mei and her brother, that was indeed a tough nut to crack.


    But she no longer needed evidence; Qiao Qingyu was one hundred percent certain that the rope-knot bracelet had been taken by Wu Xiujie. She didn¡¯t expect the old man to have so many people on hand.


    In Beijing¡¯s Wu Family quadrangle, Wu Xiujie had been supposed to set off a week ago, but he had stayed behind waiting for news of some items that needed to be appraised.


    Wu Xiujie hadn¡¯t expected the initial appraisal to show that Qiao Qingyu and the Wu Family were unrelated.


    His speculation had always been fifty-fifty. He sat in the study and said to Wu Peng beside him, ¡°Go and check on Doctor Lu again; why hasn¡¯t he brought out the appraisal report yet? It¡¯s been three days.¡±

 Chapter 230 - 230 230 The Biological Kinship between Han

    ?Chapter 230: Chapter 230: The Biological Kinship between Han Xianglan and Wu Xiucai is Invalid Chapter 230: Chapter 230: The Biological Kinship between Han Xianglan and Wu Xiucai is Invalid Wu Peng was just about to stand up when the door to the study room opened, and behind the bodyguard stood a doctor in a white coat¡ªDoctor Lu, who had been brought back from M country.


    Doctor Lu respectfully handed the identification report to Wu Xiujie.


    Wu Xiujie couldn¡¯t understand the data and threw it to his son, then he asked Doctor Lu, ¡°Just tell me the result directly.¡±


    ¡°According to the DNA test results, Han Xianglan and Wu Xiucai have no biological kinship.¡±


    Wu Xiujie understood this statement. He frowned slightly¡ªnot yet, they still had to keep searching.


    Though he claimed not to be obsessed with the wealth raised by his stepmother, he urgently needed the shares of the technology corporation held by Wu Xiucai.


    The technology corporation was completely controlled solely by Wu Xiucai.


    Except for his trusted associates, no one else could intervene.


    The company had laboratories and the biotechnology information he needed.


    He knew though others didn¡¯t that this company had actually established a branch in Huaxia, just hidden away by Wu Xiucai and some others.


    He still hadn¡¯t figured it out.


    Doctor Lu stood in front of him with a slight bow, very respectfully and with his head lowered; his demeanor was very respectful, and his eyes hidden behind his glasses also didn¡¯t reveal what he was thinking.


    Wu Xiujie knew that Doctor Lu was very useful, and spoke kindly, ¡°Go and rest a bit, you¡¯ve been working tirelessly these days, it¡¯s been hard on you.¡±


    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s my duty.¡±


    After saying this, Doctor Lu turned and left.


    Wu Peng also put down the report, ¡°What a pity, we¡¯ve exerted so much effort and time, and yet it¡¯s a false lead.¡±


    ¡°If she¡¯s fake, then there must be a real one. We can¡¯t take this lightly.¡±


    ¡°Father, maybe this little cousin has long passed away. Think about it, could a child survive being thrown into a heap of refugees during the years of war?¡±


    Wu Xiujie didn¡¯t utter a word, fell silent for a while, then knocked on the table, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Xichuan.¡±


    He had very important matters to attend to, and he didn¡¯t know yet how Huang Sha had arranged things.


    In a conference room in Xichuan, Lu Ye, although his expression was calm, clenched his hands tightly on the table as he struggled to maintain his composure.


    He was waiting for Professor Dong, who had returned from M country, to finish speaking.


    ¡°...So that¡¯s all I have to say. This barley grass is a mutated strain. Your research facilities lack the technical capabilities to detect it, and I have our country¡¯s best interests at heart, so I hope it can be eradicated soon. I will provide superior barley seeds, and of course, if there aren¡¯t enough workers, I can supply you with a free herbicide...¡±


    The few people sitting at the long conference table all looked displeased since being criticized directly by an agricultural technology expert from M country isn¡¯t pleasant for anyone.


    Lu Ye looked up at Professor Dong, his voice smooth yet very firm, ¡°Professor Dong, your proposal also lacks scientific basis. Who can prove that your assessment is correct?¡±


    Professor Dong¡¯s face turned grim, ¡°Mr. Lu, are you questioning my academic level?¡±


    ¡°I think those who demand rigor in academia should likewise demand it of themselves and must accept different viewpoints,¡± replied Lu Ye, neither humbly nor arrogantly.


    ¡°I am confident in my abilities; I just don¡¯t understand why you are so adamantly disagreeing. Do you have some hidden trouble you can¡¯t discuss? If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t help, but ultimately, this is Xichuan¡¯s own matter and none of my concern.¡±


    Lu Ye¡¯s expression remained calm as he glanced over the several-related personnel seated; maybe they weren¡¯t yet aware of the importance of barley grass, or perhaps in their view, it was just grassland that could be cleared, and after all, isn¡¯t planting trees better than grass?


    Why was he so insistent?


    That was because Qiao Qingyu also disagreed.


    But he couldn¡¯t let others see his motives.


    ¡°Professor Dong, we¡¯re discussing barley grass, please don¡¯t resort to personal attacks.¡±


    Professor Dong shrugged arrogantly, ¡°If you don¡¯t like hearing the truth, forget it. That¡¯s a common fault among Huaxia people, always beating around the bush.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Professor Dong, we understand your point, but the reports from our Beijing research institutions have their authority too. I think we could observe for another year.¡±


    The senior leader, sitting on the chair, prepared to close the discussion.


    ¡°I am also a persistent person. If it cannot be done as I said, I am prepared to leave Xichuan.¡±


    ¡°Professor Dong, the work here has just started, you can¡¯t leave.¡±


    Some people started to worry.


    Although Professor Dong was arrogant, he had rich experience in windbreak and sand-fixation, not to mention, he was also responsible for the technical guidance of a million saplings, and also had a large amount of funding. He was a representative of Mr. Wu, and even Secretary Chang was very polite when meeting him.


    There was no helping it, Xichuan was just too poor.


    Professor Dong picked up the portfolio on the table, glanced coldly at Lu Ye, and got up from his chair, striding out of the conference room.


    A moment of brief silence followed in the conference room. Lu Ye looked towards the senior leader, his voice somewhat hoarse, ¡°Don¡¯t you find it a bit strange, senior leader? Why is he so insistent on removing the barley grass?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t he say it? It¡¯s a mutated strain.¡±


    ¡°But our research institutions have already verified it, and there¡¯s no issue.¡±


    ¡°But we are indeed behind them after all.¡±


    ¡°I admit we are behind in some aspects, but the Beijing Research Center wouldn¡¯t make a mistake; I trust them!¡±


    Following that, Lu Ye also stood up and said firmly, ¡°I¡¯m going to Tenghai Research Base to find Chief Engineer He.¡±


    He actually didn¡¯t want to go; every time he saw He Xiuyu, it frustrated him, but he had to go.


    The senior leader thought for a moment, ¡°Okay, off you go.¡±


    At Tenghai Research Base, Old Xie hung up the phone, looking rather troubled. After thinking, he decided to find He Xiuyu.


    ¡°Chief Engineer He, you know about Professor Dong from M country, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°He just called me to say that our barley grass is a mutated strain and he hopes it will be eradicated immediately; otherwise, it could lead to unimaginable consequences.¡±


    ¡°Does he have any theoretical basis?¡± asked He Xiuyu leisurely.


    ¡°He has the most authoritative testing and research reports.¡±


    He Xiuyu curled his lips, ¡°Don¡¯t mind him.¡±


    That was exactly what Director Xie was waiting to hear, relieved, he walked away happily.


    Lu Ye arrived in the afternoon; after He Xiuyu had a detailed understanding of the matter, he and Lu Ye went to Xichuan.


    He Xiuyu brought along Professor Feng; he wasn¡¯t very knowledgeable about agricultural technology, but the questions he asked were all to the point.


    Professor Feng was a very serious man, so he also studied the barley grass at the base very seriously, including the thousand silk hemp from Xiaxi Commune.

 Chapter 231 - 231 231 Hold Breath

    ?Chapter 231: Chapter 231: Hold Breath Chapter 231: Chapter 231: Hold Breath The research results delighted Professor Feng and allowed him to see that it might be possible to realize the dream of transforming Xichuan into an oasis within ten years.


    Professor Dong and Professor Feng had a heated discussion for several hours.


    In the end, Professor Dong left in a huff.


    Professor Feng wasn¡¯t smug, though; he took the results of Dong¡¯s research and followed He Xiuyu back to the base.


    Lu Ye breathed a sigh of relief, for Barley Grassland was saved.


    Afterward, Lu Ye bought many books and asked his brother in Beijing to mail him books and materials about agriculture.


    He needed to study.


    Otherwise, what could he use to persist in what he wanted to persist in?


    Meanwhile, at Qiao Family Team, Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t expected Vice Dean Zhu to come down to the countryside with a medical team.


    Han Xianglan had once been hospitalized, so naturally, she was the first one needing a follow-up.


    They came in a medical vehicle, reportedly supported from abroad, and North City had only one.


    After examining Han Xianglan, it was time for the other villagers waiting in line to see the doctor.


    Qiao Qingyu invited Vice Dean Zhu to have a meal at her home, but Zhu declined with a smile, saying, ¡°In a while, we still have to go to other villages, but we have to thank Xiuyu for this medical vehicle.¡±


    He didn¡¯t mention the surname, just the given name, which showed a closeness.


    It turned out that this vehicle had actually been arranged by He Xiuyu, who had also suggested establishing a medical team, as many rural people were sick but endured their illnesses without going to the hospital.


    After arriving, Vice Dean Zhu realized that the situation was even more severe than what He Xiuyu had described.


    And he became more aware of the responsibility on his shoulders.


    Qiao Qingyu blinked her eyes, thinking although He Xiuyu was a man of great compassion, this time it seemed there was a purpose.


    But He Xiuyu didn¡¯t know about Han Liuya; she hadn¡¯t spoken to him.


    So it was a coincidence.


    Therefore, before Qiao Qingyu had figured out how to deal with Han Liuya, she heard that the Han Family from Lianjiang Village had been visited by the medical team, who took the paralyzed Han Liuya away.


    It was said that Han Liuya had been frightened into folly by the thunderstorm, and Han Lishi was criticized for valuing sons over daughters, as she had not rushed her granddaughter to the hospital even in such a condition.


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t expected the Han Family¡¯s incident to have such an unforeseen outcome.


    Could this be an instance of ¡°The flowers you intend to bloom may not blossom, yet the willows you plant by chance may grow into shade¡±?


    However, the Han Family¡¯s issues were far from over.


    If the problem couldn¡¯t be solved with science, she would have to ponder it carefully.


    That evening, she hadn¡¯t expected her second uncle to come to her house dragging along Wang Mei, whose cheeks were swollen.


    The second uncle¡¯s complexion was not good at all, and Wang Mei was keeping her head down. It was clear that she was clenching her teeth in anger, but she had no choice but to come.


    Han Xianglan frowned and had Qiao Genbao and Qiao Qingyu, along with Niu Guili, leave the room.


    After all, they were the younger generation, and it was evident that Wang Mei had been beaten.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t intentionally eavesdrop, but her second uncle¡¯s voice was quite loud. He said through clenched teeth, ¡°Apologize to your younger sister-in-law immediately, and then get the money out.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu understood right away that the knot had indeed been sold, though she didn¡¯t know for how much.


    However, Qiao Genbao was a man of hearty character and quickly led his wife and sister away.


    Half an hour later, Second Uncle took Wang Mei and left as well.


    When he saw that there were no people around, Qiao Zhihai stopped in his tracks and scolded in a low voice, ¡°Stop crying. Look at the fine mess you¡¯ve made.¡±


    ¡°You old thing, Qiao Zhihai, I¡¯ve spent my whole life with you, and this is how you treat me in our old age.¡±


    ¡°Am I the one treating you badly? Isn¡¯t it because you were foolish enough to get conned by someone?¡±


    ¡°How have I been conned? I didn¡¯t give the thing away for nothing. A broken rope was sold for 300 yuan. What more could she want? She must be wanting to fly to the sky.¡±


    ¡°With your long hair but short wit, why don¡¯t you think about why someone would spend 300 yuan on a rope?¡±


    ¡°How would I know? They¡¯re rich, they have plenty of money.¡±


    ¡°But even if they have a lot of money, they wouldn¡¯t just spend it like that. I¡¯ve told you, but you don¡¯t understand ¨C you fool. I¡¯m warning you today, if you dare to be greedy for small gains again, I¡¯ll divorce you.¡±


    ¡°Fine, divorce me. Do you think I even want to live these poor days with you?¡± Wang Mei wasn¡¯t someone to be trifled with, and she became resigned to her fate.


    It was silent all around. Qiao Zhihai was just trying to scare her. They had lived together for a lifetime. Although Wang Mei had a sharp tongue and was greedy for petty advantages, she had borne him three sons.


    ¡°Alright, if you¡¯re not worried about your youngest son failing to get into school or get married, then you can do as you please. I won¡¯t bother with you anymore.¡±


    Wang Mei was most biased towards her eldest son; she was still hoping that he would get into university.


    Wang Mei said nothing more, and Qiao Zhihai, with his hands behind his back, finally spoke slowly, ¡°Wang Mei, times have changed. That girl Qingyu has real ability. If you want our three sons and grandsons to have good lives in the future, you can¡¯t offend her, understand?¡±


    Wang Mei pouted, ¡°What abilities could a dead girl have? After all the spinning around, she¡¯s still dealing with clods of dirt.¡±


    Qiao Zhihai couldn¡¯t be bothered to explain further. The current Qiao Qingyu was someone who was warmly called ¡°Qingyu¡± not only at the commune and the county but also when she went to the provincial city.


    He was counting on the greenhouse big shed to make money.


    He no longer paid attention to Wang Mei and walked swiftly toward the direction of the old house.


    Wang Mei clenched her teeth and glanced in the direction of Qiao Zhicai¡¯s house, touching her face. It was all because of that Han Xianglan and Qiao Qingyu, those two cheap women; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have gotten beaten. She hated them to death, wishing that lightning would strike them and they wouldn¡¯t die good deaths.


    At this time, in Qiao Zhicai¡¯s house, Qiao Qingyu and the others also found out why Second Uncle had come. The rope ornament had been sold by Wang Mei and her brother.


    There were still 180 yuan lying on the kang.


    In fact, a total of 300 yuan had been sold, but Wang Mei¡¯s brother had used his 200 yuan to pay for his bride¡¯s dowry. The Wang Family couldn¡¯t scrape together a single penny, so Second Uncle had to add the only 80 yuan of savings from his family to another 100 yuan and brought the total sum over.


    Qiao Zhicai¡¯s face didn¡¯t look too good.


    Though the Second Brother tried to appear fair, there was still a rift between them. It was only because they saw the capabilities of his Qingyubao that they offered the money. Otherwise, given Second Brother¡¯s character, he would never have given up the money.


    He raised his head to look at Qiao Qingyu, ¡°There¡¯s nothing more here. Is it time for you to go home?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    Yesterday, her old man had drunk too much and, weeping, had said he regretted letting her marry so far away, asking her not to return to Xichuan until after the New Year. Why was he rushing her now?


    But she did indeed need to leave.


    She had a lot of affairs to attend to back in Xichuan.


    Han Xianglan, surprisingly, did not oppose.


    Rather, she told Qiao Zhicai to send the eighty yuan to Granny Qiao to handle.


    Although the rope ornament was something she had worn since she was young, it wasn¡¯t the end of the world without it.


    The eighty yuan was all of Qiao Zhihai¡¯s savings; how could she and Qiao Zhicai accept it?


    It was just that she felt very frustrated inside.

 Chapter 232 - 232 232 Sweet Little Actions

    ?Chapter 232: Chapter 232 Sweet Little Actions Chapter 232: Chapter 232 Sweet Little Actions Qiao Qingyu finished packing and called He Xiuyu to tell him she would be home in three days. He Xiuyu¡¯s voice carried a lightness and unmistakable joy, ¡°I¡¯ll try to make time and have Rongrong and I pick you up at the station.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu wanted to say that he was too busy to trouble himself, but then thought that refusing his offer wouldn¡¯t be very sensible.


    So, she nodded and responded, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll wait for you guys at the station.¡±


    He Xiuyu hummed softly, instructing her to be careful on the road and not to bring too much stuff. He reminded her to carry her introductory letter to switch trains and approach the stationmaster to buy a sleeper ticket...


    ¡°Alright, I know all this. You go on with your work; I need to finish packing.¡±


    Though Qiao Qingyu sounded slightly impatient, a smile adorned her face.


    She decisively hung up the call.


    On the other end, He Xiuyu held the receiver for a moment before finally placing it back on the phone.


    He cheerfully whistled, determined to take time out to join Rongrong at the station to pick up Qiao Qingyu in three days.


    Right, it had been several days since he¡¯d been home. He should tidy up the house tonight.


    With him not being around recently, their neighbor Granny Zhao might have hopped the fence to steal vegetables again.


    It was really headache-inducing.


    Granny Zhao wouldn¡¯t dare when Qiao Qingyu was home, but with her away, Granny grew bolder.


    He was angry but hesitated to confront her about the vegetables since Qiao Qingyu had worked hard on them, and he also worried about the old lady possibly falling.


    Yet, he couldn¡¯t possibly leave the gate open to let her wander in and out as she pleased.


    For the first time in years, he mentioned this issue to Old Zhao, the foreman at his unit.


    Initially embarrassed, seeing Old Zhao even more embarrassed made him feel better.


    It was good to have someone to take charge.


    After Qiao Qingyu boarded the train, He Xiuyu finally found time to quickly clean the house.


    Wipe, wipe, wipe. Wash, wash, wash.


    The northwest wind carried so much sand that a day without wiping meant a layer of dust¡ªlet alone more than a week without cleaning.


    With joint efforts from him and Rongrong, the place turned spotlessly bright and clean.


    According to the arrival time, he and Rongrong headed to the West River Station to pick up Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu was easy to spot amidst the teeming crowd; no matter how many people were there, he could recognize her at a glance.


    The two of them exchanged smiles on the platform, their eyes curving with joy. As they exited the station, He Xiuyu stealthily reached out and held Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand.


    Qiao Qingyu squeezed his fingers in return.


    Their small, sweet gestures continued until they got on the car and settled down.


    However, the jeep stopped halfway through the journey.


    Qiao Qingyu looked in shock at the distant scene, aware that it hadn¡¯t rained in Xichuan for over a month. The air was unusually dry, and the wind strong.


    Everyone had predicted the dusty weather would come.


    She had clung to a sliver of hope, but she knew that the so-called green belt was trivial compared to the entire belt of dust and wind.


    Yet, she didn¡¯t expect to encounter it halfway through.


    In the vast wilderness, the wild wind howled, and from afar, the rolling yellow dust looked almost like a scene from a disaster movie.


    With such low visibility, driving was impossible.


    He Xiuyu had no choice but to stop the jeep at the roadside.


    The three of them sat in the car, the sand hitting the glass with a clattering sound.


    At that time, if you were outside, your nose, ears, and mouth would all be filled with sand.


    Even if you were in a car, the dust was getting thicker and thicker.


    Qiao Qingyu was holding Rongrong while He Xiuyu sat in the driver¡¯s seat, his gaze heavily fixed on the Huang Sha outside that had already obscured the sun.


    But he didn¡¯t dare to leave the car now. The car was modified specifically for the sandstorm weather of the Northwest, and its four wheels were sufficiently thick to withstand such wind force.


    Near the Tenghai Base, there would be several sandstorms every year, and every March and April, there would be sandstorms.


    Qiao Qingyu frowned, ¡°This place really isn¡¯t suitable for living; we should find a suitable location for collective relocation.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easy to say, but too difficult to execute. It hasn¡¯t been considered before, but the common folk refuse to leave,¡± He Xiuyu quietly said, ¡°Moreover, there currently isn¡¯t a suitable relocation site.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, having never experienced it and mostly learned about it online, asked He Xiuyu what it was like after the sandstorm ended?


    ¡°I hope the Barley Grassland won¡¯t be entirely buried.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s brow furrowed tightly; barley grass, willow wood, and sea buckthorn could all alter the soil, yet they couldn¡¯t refuse the damage brought by a sandstorm, these external forces were unstoppable by anyone.


    ¡°The land in North City is really good,¡± Qiao Qingyu sighed.


    ¡°That¡¯s why during those years of famine, the lives of North City people were really not bad. The people from other provinces most envied North City because they could eat their fill there,¡± He Xiuyu said.


    Qiao Qingyu knew that decades later, people from North City also left their hometowns one after another for more prosperous cities.


    With better living conditions, they pursued an even higher standard of living.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression was somewhat heavy; she had done so much and once had great ambitions to turn this place into a scenic green and blue landscape.


    But now it seemed, it really was extremely difficult.


    She finally understood that preventing wind and sand damage wasn¡¯t a task that could be completed in just a year or two.


    The wind and sand had lessened somewhat, and He Xiuyu started the car and slowly drove forward.


    However, when approaching the residential area of the base, there was much less wind and sand, but the visibility was low, and everything around was gray and hazy. Qiao Qingyu used a scarf to cover Rongrong¡¯s nose and mouth, holding her as they entered the house.


    Only after closing the door did they breathe a sigh of relief.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t have time to talk to Qiao Qingyu. He drove the jeep in a hurry to the base.


    The base was okay, aside from an outdoor testing ground, other places weren¡¯t affected by the sandstorm.


    As soon as the wind and sand lessened a little, Old Xie rushed toward the cabbage patch.


    Fortunately, it was almost time for the autumn harvest.


    The cabbages could be cut in half a month.


    This wretched weather made going outside too uncomfortable, Old Xie spat out several mouthfuls of sand.


    Then he covered his head with the colorful scarf given by his wife.


    He wasn¡¯t the only one, many people walking back and forth wore similar gear.


    Rongrong pouted as she stood on a stool, ¡°Little aunt, yesterday my uncle and I cleaned all night, it was so clean, it¡¯s a pity, it was all for nothing. If I had known, I wouldn¡¯t have tired myself out.¡±


    This little adult.


    Qiao Qingyu asked with a smile, ¡°Have you not gone home these days?¡±


    ¡°No, my uncle took me to stay in the dormitory,¡± He Xuerong grabbed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand and whispered, ¡°Two aunties pretended to bring me snacks, but they actually came for my uncle.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was standing in front of the window, fretting over the sandstorm outside, when she heard He Xuerong¡¯s words, she turned her head in disbelief, ¡°He Xuerong, are you the one talking?¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s me talking, isn¡¯t it just me, the little cutie here?¡±


    He Xuerong smiled sweetly and coquettishly.


    ¡°But how could you tell those two aunties were after your uncle?¡± Qiao Qingyu was astounded as she asked He Xuerong.

 Chapter 233 - 233 233 Tenacious Vitality

    ?Chapter 233: Chapter 233 Tenacious Vitality Chapter 233: Chapter 233 Tenacious Vitality ¡°It¡¯s too simple,¡± they held out pastries for me to eat, but none of them spoke to me. They just stood by my little uncle¡¯s side and stared at him, their cheeks all red.¡±


    Then she eagerly sought recognition, ¡°I helped you drive them away.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu had not seen He Xuerong for half a month. The little girl was truly affectionate toward her, clinging to her side. Qiao Qingyu reached out and pinched her little cheek, ¡°Little aunt thanks you.¡±


    He Xuerong hugged Qiao Qingyu¡¯s thigh with a smile, lifting her face and said in a tender voice, ¡°Little aunt, I missed you so much.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu felt a bit guilty. To be honest, she hadn¡¯t thought about the child at all during this past half-month because she had been too busy.


    Especially since her mother had fallen seriously ill recently, leaving no time to think about this, but she couldn¡¯t say that out loud, ¡°Little aunt missed Rongrong too, so I bought you a sweater, a headband, and beautiful hair clips, all in the tote bag. Let¡¯s go get them...¡±


    He Xuerong cheered and dashed toward Qiao Qingyu¡¯s bedroom.


    Qiao Qingyu, however, looked outside at the weather with a worried frown.


    She didn¡¯t know how long the sandstorm would last.


    ...


    In previous years, a sandstorm would last at least a fortnight, but this year they ended after just three days unexpectedly.


    Qiao Qingyu knew that the poplars planted by Xichuan had been uprooted by the sandstorm.


    But her barley grass was fine; its roots were so deeply fixed that even winds three levels stronger wouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    It was just that the dust was thick, and some places were sandy.


    The thousand silk hemp had taken some damage, and the yield per acre would definitely decrease.


    What was unexpected was how resilient the green radishes and honey pumpkins turned out to be.


    Right, her five acres of potatoes were also unaffected.


    It took her two days to review all the crops she was responsible for¡ªbarley grass, thousand silk hemp, cabbages, potatoes, honey pumpkins, and green radishes.


    Overall, it was quite acceptable.


    Qiao Qingyu felt more confident.


    Lu Ye didn¡¯t take pleasure in others¡¯ misfortunes, but he felt a certain satisfaction inside. Professor Dong, who had been acting high and mighty every day, now had an ashen face.


    The black poplars he had personally directed to be planted couldn¡¯t withstand the sandstorm from a few days ago.


    It was a good thing they had all persisted, because one could only imagine the consequences if they had removed the barley grass to plant those black poplars.


    Lu Ye followed Professor Dong back from the sand control strip, and Professor Dong, with a somber expression, went to see Mr. Wu Xiujie at the hotel.


    Mr. Wu Xiujie had now arrived in Xichuan.


    Wu Tai didn¡¯t look much like him; he must resemble his mother more.


    He seemed like a very kind old man, but Lu Ye always felt that the old gentleman had too many schemes in his eyes.


    Maybe that was normal, after all, one cannot survive without some skills in that country, relying solely on a brother would not suffice.


    Inside the hotel, Mr. Wu Xiujie listened to Professor Dong¡¯s report, with his son Wu Peng standing beside him.


    Professor Dong might be arrogant in public, but he couldn¡¯t even straighten his back in front of Mr. Wu Xiujie.


    Wu Peng tugged at the corner of his mouth, gazing deeply at Professor Dong. He was the most academically advanced among the first batch of orphans his father had nurtured, but even after coming to China, he was faced with setbacks at every turn.


    Yet, he was of great use.


    But even now, he didn¡¯t know what his father planned to do.


    In his father¡¯s hands, he didn¡¯t know how many such orphans there were. They were engaged in various professions and were all outstanding. Although they couldn¡¯t infiltrate every corner, they could be utilized whenever he wished.


    He hated him, on the one hand, but on the other, he both respected and feared this father.


    If he possessed even a tenth, no, just one percent of his father¡¯s savvy, he wouldn¡¯t be in this situation today.


    But he didn¡¯t understand why his father, possessing such great influence, insisted on changing his nationality back to Huaxia? What development could he find in this poor and backward country?


    According to his abilities and the electoral system of capitalist countries, his father could have easily run for president.


    Could it be because he was getting too old?


    Or was it simply unrealistic?


    So, what did he want to do by returning to his homeland?


    Thinking of a certain possibility, Wu Peng¡¯s back broke out in a cold sweat.


    Could it really be what he was thinking?


    Too terrifying.


    That was an abyss, an unfathomably deep one.


    Wu Peng¡¯s face remained calm, but the guesses just now had churned his insides like turbulent waves.


    At this moment, Wu Xiujie was completely unaware of the wild ideas his son next to him was entertaining.


    He looked at Professor Dong with a gentle expression and said, ¡°You¡¯ve done well. It¡¯s impossible for one person to make such a significant change alone. After all, we are new here; it¡¯s normal for them not to trust us. But does Barley Grass truly have such tenacious vitality?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, it has great vitality. Its roots penetrate deep into the soil, and it doesn¡¯t drain too much groundwater. To say that it is a mutant grass species isn¡¯t quite accurate¡ªit could also be referred to as an exceptional grass species.¡±


    ¡°You should stay here; I¡¯ll apply for temporary residency for you.¡±


    Professor Dong breathed a sigh of relief; as long as he didn¡¯t have to change his nationality, it was fine. He didn¡¯t want to come back; his home, his roots were actually in M country.


    ¡°In the coming time, you need to keep a close watch. After Barley Grass matures, keep the seeds in hand, then think of a way to destroy the Barley Grass. Such a superior grass species must not be allowed to grow on this land.¡±


    Professor Dong nodded, and Wu Peng quietly uttered a sound of acknowledgment.


    No one felt that Wu Xiujie¡¯s commands were particularly abhorrent. They simply saw it as a minor task, easily accomplished.


    Because they held in their hands the world¡¯s most terrifying weed killer.


    ...


    Lu Ye didn¡¯t go to see Qingyu but phoned her to inquire about soybean seeds. Qiao Qingyu told him that she had already secured three thousand jin and would send them over with the corn seeds.


    Qiao Qingyu also said, ¡°Lu Ye, actually I don¡¯t recommend you planting soybeans on a large scale. I can share some corn seeds with you.¡±


    Without hesitation, Lu Ye accepted her offer over the phone, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was momentarily stunned, ¡°Why did you agree so quickly?¡± Then she realized, ¡°Lu Xiaopang, have you been coveting my corn seeds all along?¡±


    Lu Ye chuckled on the phone, ¡°Thanks, King Qiao,¡± and then promptly hung up.


    Qiao Qingyu glared, learning that Lu Xiaopang had also picked up some cunning.


    Even without the proverbial chilling autumn rain, the temperatures dropped lower each day.


    During the day, Qingyu was busy running back and forth, insisting that Old Xie and Xiaxi Commune¡¯s Vice Director Qian quickly harvest the honey pumpkins.


    And not to forget to save the seeds.


    Except for the honey pumpkins that Old Xie specifically planted in the newly established farm, those grown by the commune members of Xiaxi Commune were basically scattered around fields, underneath eaves, and in backyards.


    But their yield was gratifying, hardly affected by the sandy weather.


    Vice Director Qian delivered a sack to Qiao Qingyu, and in the afternoon, Old Xie came by on his bicycle with another sack.


    Old Xie was happy; although the pumpkins weren¡¯t very large, their high yield was promising. After a rough estimate, there were almost eighty thousand jin.


    Peeling the pumpkins, scooping out the seeds, and cutting them into small pieces to cook with millet into a porridge made for a delicious and nutritious meal.

 Chapter 234 - 234 234 The Squirrel Preparing for Winter

    ?Chapter 234: Chapter 234: The Squirrel Preparing for Winter Chapter 234: Chapter 234: The Squirrel Preparing for Winter The pumpkin seeds could also be dried.


    The pumpkin skin could be fed to pigs.


    Pulled pumpkin vines could be used for kindling, truly nothing was wasted.


    Qiao Qingyu made pumpkin pancakes that evening.


    He Xiuyu stood in front of the calendar in his study. In just two days, it would be Qiao Qingyu¡¯s birthday; she would be turning eighteen. The thought made his heart beat unusually fast.


    Like a thief, he sneaked a little box into the drawer.


    Then he hurried out to help serve the rice porridge that Qiao Qingyu had cooked.


    Only when Qingyu returned did this place feel like a home, otherwise it would be cold and empty.


    Xiao Hu had a particularly good nose. Despite the distance, he seemed to smell the cooking from the He family and used the excuse of delivering pickles to Qingyu to stay over. By now, he was already sitting obediently on a chair with Rongrong.


    Qiao Qingyu had made a basin full of pumpkin pancakes. She chopped a cabbage, sliced a dozen pieces of pork belly, and stir-fried them with soaked wood ear mushrooms on two plates.


    The cucumbers and tomatoes in the vegetable garden were mostly out of season.


    She had wanted to make tomato sauce from the tomatoes, but there were hardly any left.


    The biggest and reddest ones had been stolen by old Mrs. Zhao from the backyard.


    Even though Director Zhao compensated her, there was nowhere she could buy tomatoes like hers.


    So, the vegetables they had been eating lately were cabbages, radishes, potatoes, or pumpkins.


    However, the pumpkin pancakes made by Qiao Qingyu were fragrant, soft, sweet, and powdery.


    If it weren¡¯t for the fear of feeling too stuffed, He Xiuyu felt he could finish off the entire basin.


    Director Xie, who managed the logistics, finished eating with He Xiuyu. After getting Qingyu¡¯s permission, he took a pumpkin pancake to Old Xie.


    Old Xie had eaten pumpkin pancakes when he was young, but they were not as delicious as the one in He Xiuyu¡¯s hand.


    After asking for the recipe, he immediately noted it down on paper, planning to give it to the canteen manager the next day. Pumpkins could not only be a vegetable but also a staple food.


    He had saved quite a bit of seeds and planned to reclaim all the wasteland to the west next year. Not only would he plant pumpkins, but he was also going to plant other crops. Right, the plastic film they ordered had arrived, and after the autumn harvest, they would select fertile land to cover with greenhouses.


    Just like the specifications for the Qiao Family Team¡¯s greenhouses.


    Tenghai Base had a dedicated coal mine for energy supply.


    However, covering too many greenhouses could lead to exceeding energy standards.


    Food was important, but an increase in costs meant a reduction in funds for scientific research.


    They had to take it one step at a time.


    He told He Xiuyu that he planned to cover five greenhouses.


    Xiuyu didn¡¯t manage these affairs, but sometimes, because Qingyu also raised awareness in this area, he told Old Xie that Vice Director Qian from Xiaxi Commune was also planning to cover greenhouses. There was no competition, only the shared learning and accumulation of experience.


    Having told what needed to be told, He Xiuyu turned around and went home.


    Convinced, Old Xie wiped his mouth and entered the house. His youngest daughter, with her sensitive nose, tugged at him and sniffed, ¡°Daddy, what delicious thing did you sneak eat? It smells so good?¡±


    Lin Cujuan had seen He Xiuyu arrive and also came to ask Old Xie.


    Old Xie relayed the method for the pumpkin pancakes provided by He Xiuyu to his wife. Although they had already finished dinner, Lin Cujuan was a skilled and efficient person, and Old Xie also wanted to see if they could replicate the exact same pumpkin pancakes.


    Lin Cujuan¡¯s culinary skills were quite good and she almost recreated the taste of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s pumpkin pancakes.


    Old Xie ate another two, and his daughter ate three, leading him to have to take her out for a walk.


    He Xiuyu, who had also overeaten, left the children at home to do their homework while he took Qiao Qingyu by the hand for a stroll. From a distance, they spotted Old Xie and his little girl. Not wanting anyone to disrupt their private time, He Xiuyu swiftly turned and led Qiao Qingyu towards the poplar forest to the east.


    Old Xie, ¡°...¡±


    He wasn¡¯t blind. Don¡¯t think he hadn¡¯t noticed the young couple.


    Qiao Qingyu had no choice but to follow. As they turned the corner of the courtyard wall and lost sight of Director Xie, she stopped and asked, ¡°You¡¯re not really thinking about going into the forest, are you?¡±


    ¡°No, let¡¯s just walk around this road and then head home.¡±


    Just as they turned the corner of their courtyard wall, they heard a deeply suppressed sobbing sound. It was nighttime; on the right was the poplar forest and on the left, although there were houses, the lights were not very bright. Instinctively, Qiao Qingyu ducked into He Xiuyu¡¯s embrace.


    He Xiuyu raised an eyebrow and hugged Qiao Qingyu tighter, enjoying the feeling of her throwing herself into his arms.


    However, he noticed a figure squatting at the entrance of Director Zhao¡¯s house.


    He held Qiao Qingyu close and whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked ahead from his embrace: the night was dark and it was unclear who it was. By now, the crying had stopped and the person had stood up, but they did not enter the courtyard, simply standing there aimlessly. Judging by the figure, it looked somewhat like Deputy Director Zhao¡¯s wife.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t want to meddle in other family¡¯s affairs, and, taking Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand, turned back the way they had come.


    Just a few steps into their walk, laughter from a woman came from behind them in the Zhao family¡¯s courtyard.


    The laughter started to fade, and they could hear Mr. Zhao talking.


    Qiao Qingyu looked at He Xiuyu, ¡°That woman is Mr. Zhao¡¯s distant cousin who came here looking for a job.¡±


    He Xiuyu responded softly with a hum.


    ¡°Did they have a fight?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    ¡°But Mrs. Zhao seems good-tempered, always smiling when we meet her.¡±


    ¡°We should be going now,¡±


    He Xiuyu said helplessly.


    Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t too curious and walked hand in hand with He Xiuyu, close together, taking their time to get back home.


    The next day had nice weather. In the afternoon, He Xiuyu found time to join Qiao Qingyu in harvesting the cabbages they had planted, as well as the green radishes.


    After removing the wilted leaves around the cabbages, they lined them up under the eaves.


    He Xiuyu took a shovel and dug a large pit in the yard, burying the radishes and ginger. This storage method would preserve them well until heavy snowfall.


    Some cabbages would be kept fresh, while others were to be pickled.


    Prior to this, Qiao Qingyu had already sun-dried a bag of eggplant and green beans.


    She had also planted a lot of garlic. Qiao Qingyu braided these garlic stalks and hung them under the eaves, where four large strings of red chilies were already swinging. These would be enough to last them through the winter.


    The two of them busied themselves like little squirrels preparing for winter, working until night fell.


    The feeling was peculiar but also joyous.


    It was time to make dinner; while He Xiuyu continued digging a vegetable pit, Qiao Qingyu started cooking.


    They were quite tired from the day¡¯s work, so she made a simple hot soup with egg noodles. Sister-in-law Li¡¯s spicy pickled cabbage was delicious, although Qiao Qingyu made a sweet and sour radish especially for Rongrong.


    Midway through their meal, the phone in the study rang. He Xiuyu hadn¡¯t expected a call from the base saying that four foreign-return students had arrived.


    He told Qiao Qingyu not to wait for him. Hurriedly, he rode his bicycle to the Big White Building.


    Meeting them turned into a warmly-extended introduction.

 Chapter 235 - 235 235 Today is Your Birthday

    ?Chapter 235: Chapter 235: Today is Your Birthday Chapter 235: Chapter 235: Today is Your Birthday Four students studying abroad, three men and one woman, the only female student was named Chu Ying, He Xiuyu noticed she had been staring at him.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s brow furrowed imperceptibly.


    Chu Ying was there on a government scholarship and had been abroad for three years, graduating this year. Prior to this, she was interning, but a coup had occurred in the country where they were, and these four students were trapped in a mechanical factory.


    The country sent a special task force to rescue them, and although there were no casualties, two soldiers were seriously injured.


    All these students were under He Xiuyu¡¯s leadership, and the knowledge they possessed was exactly what He Xiuyu urgently needed.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for the coup, they would have interned in that country for one to two years, but now their internship location had been moved to Tenghai Research Base.


    Chu Ying¡¯s lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but after looking at He Xiuyu, she swallowed her words.


    Old Xie led them to the dormitory that had already been arranged, and after they settled in, he took them to the cafeteria for a meal. By the time they returned to the dormitory, it was already ten o¡¯clock at night, and He Xiuyu walked home in the darkness of the night.


    Qiao Qingyu, along with Rongrong, had already fallen asleep. He tiptoed into his own bedroom without turning on the lights and just stood by the window, gazing at the profound night outside, guessing in his heart that the team that had gone to bring these students back to the country must have been led by his big brother.


    It was said that there were over forty people in total, who had passed through several countries before finally returning to Huaxia.


    He was very worried, and didn¡¯t know how his brother was, but he couldn¡¯t ask.


    Chu Ying tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She was the only female student assigned to Tenghai and, therefore, had a dormitory to herself. Today, she had seen He Xiuwen¡¯s brother, but she had not yet met He Xiuwen¡¯s daughter.


    Although they had only spent less than a month together, she had truly become smitten.


    She liked He Xiuwen, not to mention that before they boarded the plane, in an effort to save her, He Xiuwen was shot, although he was rescued, he was still in the intensive care unit of the military hospital.


    In this era, the ones who could go abroad on government scholarships were not ordinary people. Chu Ying¡¯s family also had connections, so she easily found out about the situation of He Xiuwen¡¯s family.


    Coincidentally, she was assigned to intern at Tenghai Research Base and then found out that He Xiuwen¡¯s only daughter was living in He Xiuyu¡¯s house.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s wife was a woman from the countryside with little education, but she was good at farming.


    A flash of contemplation crossed her eyes, and she also felt a deep affectionate concern for He Xiuwen and Rongrong. If there was a way, He Xiuwen probably wouldn¡¯t have left Rongrong at his brother¡¯s house.


    So, what could she do for He Xiuwen?


    ...


    They had the day off for the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15, which was Qiao Qingyu¡¯s first Mid-Autumn Festival in this world.


    This year, Tenghai Research Base saved quite a lot of money on winter vegetables, so instead of the half-jin of mooncakes distributed last Mid-Autumn Festival, this year it was increased to a jin.


    Although it was a holiday, there was much to do at home. The two of them lacked experience in daily life, and it had not occurred to Qiao Qingyu until autumn to dig a vegetable cellar.


    A vegetable cellar is for storing cabbages and potatoes over the winter. Although the logistics had a large vegetable cellar, this year they planned to distribute the winter provisions to each household.


    So, He Xiuyu¡¯s vegetable cellar had been dug intermittently for over half a month, located next to the east cooling shed. Today, they could finally finish the job.


    He Xiuyu called out to Qiao Qingyu from the vegetable cellar, asking her to come down and check its quality. Qiao Qingyu squatted by the edge, looking up at He Xiuyu who was gazing at her, the vegetable cellar was surprisingly more than two meters deep.


    There was a ladder on the side.


    Qiao Qingyu climbed down the ladder; indeed, it was good. There was a layer of wooden shelves on the side, though rough, it was for storing fresh cabbages.


    The soil floor was covered with a thick layer of sand, convenient for storing potatoes.


    When the temperature dropped, they could dig up radishes and keep them here, allowing for fresh radishes in the winter.


    After a full inspection, Qiao Qingyu was very satisfied. Rongrong and Xiao Hu also wanted to come down, but were scared off by a look from He Xiuyu, who then regretfully clenched his mud-covered hands.


    He told Qiao Qingyu to go up first. After he finished checking everything, he took his tools and climbed out as well.


    He Xiuyu had placed a thick wooden board over the mouth of the vegetable cellar, cautioning He Xuerong and Li Mingguang not to take the children to play there, and especially not to enter. The two kids weren¡¯t foolish and naturally agreed to his instructions wholeheartedly.


    He Xiuyu then proceeded to clean up every nook and cranny around the vegetable garden.


    The dark soil of the courtyard looked particularly fertile.


    He remembered how not long ago, the place had been a lush and vibrant scene, bursting with colorful blooms. Now, in the blink of an eye, it had turned into an expanse of desolation.


    But seeing the piles of cabbages and radishes, as well as the undelivered potatoes, his heart felt settled once again.


    The next afternoon, He Xiuyu busily worked on a golden, elongated object in his workshop, the sound of tinkering filling the room.


    Shen Haoze, who had been watching for a while, finally understood and exclaimed, ¡°He Xiuyu, you couldn¡¯t possibly be making a ring for Qiao Qingyu, could you?¡±


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t look at him but said indifferently, ¡°Have you completed the task I assigned you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s completed.¡±


    ¡°No, you haven¡¯t completed it. I asked you to check the security of Laboratory One again. We¡¯re going to conduct the first experiment in half a month.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already checked it several times with Director Lin.¡±


    ¡°I assembled a new type of detecting device yesterday. Use that device to conduct another check.¡±


    After that, He Xiuyu added another instruction in an indifferent tone, ¡°There can be no oversights.¡±


    Shen Haoze grumbled, ¡°You just want to get rid of me, He Xiuyu. I really didn¡¯t think you would be this kind of person.¡±


    He Xiuyu ignored him.


    Finding it uninteresting yet curious about the effectiveness of the newly assembled detecting device, Shen Haoze took the keys He Xiuyu gave him, fetched the device from the next room, and then headed to the first laboratory at Tenghai Research Base with the machine in tow.


    The security of Laboratory One was of utmost importance; the Old Mountain Eagle had not yet been caught, and neither He Xiuyu nor Director Lin could put their minds at ease.


    Previously, only three inspections were done; now the frequency had doubled.


    But He Xiuyu felt that Shen Haoze was distracting him from work, so he decided to add an extra check on the spot.


    It would probably take Shen Haoze several hours to finish the task, and He Xiuyu concentrated on hammering the gold in his hand with a small mallet earnestly.


    Qiao Qingyu did not leave the house today because today was her birthday. In her previous world, she didn¡¯t even know her own birth date, but in this world, she had a birthday.


    In the morning, He Xiuyu had personally rolled out a bowl of noodles for her and topped it with a sunny-side-up egg.


    Today, He Xiuyu finished work as usual and returned home with Rongrong.


    The day before, He Xiuyu had divided two fish, one of which Qiao Qingyu placed into a water basin.


    He Xiuyu instructed Qiao Qingyu to wait for him to deal with it, while she took it upon herself to have the rice ready early, and even picked out a piece of tofu. They also had a jar of soybean paste that Sister-in-law Li had gifted them at home.


    After changing his clothes, He Xiuyu set about killing the fish. Once he had prepared the knife, he heated the pan to fry the aromatics, rendering the lard from the pork belly to pan-fry the fish on both sides. Then, he stirred in the soybean paste until fragrant, added water, and placed the cut tofu beside it, covering it with a lid and letting it stew.


    Iron Pot Tofu Stewed with Big Fish!


    Qiao Qingyu thought that seemed like the right name for the dish.


    While she tended the fire, she saw He Xiuyu carry his briefcase and another bag into the bedroom.


    Then, to her surprise, He Xiuyu closed the bedroom door.


    As they were sleeping in separate rooms, Qiao Qingyu rarely entered his room.


    To her astonishment, He Xiuyu stayed inside for about half an hour before emerging...

 Chapter 236 - 236 236 Youve Finally Grown Up

    ?Chapter 236: Chapter 236 You¡¯ve Finally Grown Up Chapter 236: Chapter 236 You¡¯ve Finally Grown Up The iron pot tofu stew with big fish was ready.


    The fragrance filled the yard.


    The family of three sat at the dining table and began to eat, Qiao Qingyu glanced at He Xiuyu, feeling that he was somehow different from usual, but couldn¡¯t pinpoint how.


    Could it be that he had prepared another gift for her? A necklace was already enough, what else could there be?


    ...


    At the entrance of Shen Fen¡¯s house, Mr. Zhao¡¯s wife, Huang Ling, placed her hand on the door panel and then slowly withdrew it.


    Her eyes were full of anger and sorrow.


    She hadn¡¯t expected her educated husband to agree with his mother¡¯s suggestion.


    The thought alone disgusted her.


    So she would no longer stay with him. Over these days, she had seen through the true colors of his family.


    She accepted that she couldn¡¯t have children, so she wouldn¡¯t burden him. She was planning to divorce him.


    A neighbor had advised her to seek help from He Xiuyu, since Mr. Zhao¡¯s superior was Chief Engineer He, and with just a word from Chief Engineer He, Mr. Zhao would surely comply.


    But she couldn¡¯t, especially since she had been thrown out by her mother-in-law and husband following a quarrel a few days ago. Crouching by the door in the shadows, she saw He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu walking hand in hand.


    She looked wretched that day, with a slap mark from her mother-in-law on her face and her clothes torn by that woman.


    She didn¡¯t blame them for walking away. She was grateful they didn¡¯t see her in such a state.


    She was also an educated person who could support herself, even if she was just a worker.


    But she could no longer stand being in that house, especially after her mother-in-law¡¯s repulsive suggestion and the fleeting look of joy in her husband¡¯s eyes, she had given up completely.


    Her heart ached, but she knew what she had to do.


    With that thought, Huang Ling gathered her courage and knocked on Shen Fen¡¯s door.


    ...


    It was getting late, Chu Ying, who was reviewing documents in the office, rubbed her eyes and tidied up the documents on the desk, preparing to return to her dorm, when she unexpectedly saw Su Yunyao.


    They had known each other before, but she had just found out that Su Yunyao lived in the same complex with He Xiuyu and Shen Haoze, which meant that Su Yunyao also knew He Xiuwen.


    She smiled and spoke directly, ¡°Mr. Su, may I have a word with you?¡±


    Su Yunyao frowned, as she didn¡¯t remember this person at all, indicating her memories from her past life were becoming increasingly vague.


    The only constant was the progress of scientific research.


    It wasn¡¯t that there were no changes. At the very least, the project she was working on had started a decade earlier because of her.


    She smiled, ¡°Sure, let¡¯s find a quiet place. Ask me anything you want.¡±


    Chu Ying breathed a sigh of relief, worried that Su Yunyao might ignore her.


    At He Xiuyu¡¯s house, Rongrong was asleep.


    After washing up, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but stand at the door of He Xiuyu¡¯s bedroom.


    There was something oddly peculiar about He Xiuyu today.


    She had intended to knock on the door but, changing her mind, Qiao Qingyu pushed open He Xiuyu¡¯s bedroom door and then stood at the doorway, freezing in the next second.


    The bedroom door was directly facing the bed.


    The room was bathed in red.


    Red bedsheets, red pillowcases, red quilt, and two red ¡°double happiness¡± characters were pasted on the windows.


    There were even two red candles on the table next to him, though they weren¡¯t lit.


    He Xiuyu sat upright on the edge of the bed.


    His hands rested on his knees, and he was momentarily stunned as Qiao Qingyu suddenly burst in. Their gazes intertwined in the air, and Qiao Qingyu saw surprise and nervousness in his eyes.


    Obviously, He Xiuyu hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Qingyu to burst in like that since she rarely visited his bedroom and would usually knock when she did.


    Qiao Qingyu also stared blankly at He Xiuyu.


    His skin was naturally pale, made even more delicately exquisite by the yellowish light.


    He wore a coffee-colored turtleneck sweater, resembling a distinguished young nobleman.


    And also... also... he seemed like...


    A bride sitting on the wedding bed!


    This realization made Qiao Qingyu pause for a moment before she couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter.


    He Xiuyu finally regained his composure, stood up from the bed, took a few steps toward Qiao Qingyu, pulled her toward him, and, as he did, he shut the door. Then he pushed her against the wall, leaned in close, and asked, with a hint of embarrassment in his voice, ¡°What are you laughing at?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m laughing because you look like a bride waiting for her husband to lift the red veil.¡±


    Hearing this, He Xiuyu¡¯s ears turned a bit red, but there was a smile in his brows. He reached out and pinched Qiao Qingyu¡¯s cheek, his gaze focused and voice soft and low, ¡°King Qiao, you¡¯ve turned eighteen.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was somewhat dumbstruck and murmured instinctively, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s my birthday today.¡±


    He Xiuyu pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket, and when he unfolded it, there were two engraved gold rings inside, one larger than the other.


    He said, ¡°Our wedding was so rushed, I didn¡¯t buy you anything. I was supposed to give you both a necklace and a ring, but this is just as good.¡±


    Then, without further ado, he took Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand and slid the smaller ring onto her ring finger.


    Holding the larger ring, he handed it to Qiao Qingyu, extended his own hand, his gaze tender and bright.


    Qiao Qingyu found it difficult to breathe, recognizing the gesture and the look in his eyes, but it all felt too sudden.


    However, under He Xiuyu¡¯s captivating gaze, she impulsively took the ring and placed it on his ring finger, their fingers interlocking tightly the next moment.


    He Xiuyu was a man of action.


    In a low voice, he earnestly whispered in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s ear, ¡°I¡¯ve prepared for a long time, all for today so we can consummate our marriage.¡±


    Though He Xiuyu uttered these words in the most graceful manner, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face flushed immediately.


    She stammered, ¡°But... but I¡¯m not ready yet.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to prepare, I¡¯ve prepared enough.¡±


    ¡°You... what exactly have you prepared?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked naively.


    ¡°You still have to take the college entrance exam next year, and you¡¯re not that old; we can wait until you graduate before having children.¡±


    Despite He Xiuyu¡¯s confident demeanor, a careful listener could detect a tremor in his voice, a nuance completely missed by the utterly nervous Qiao Qingyu.


    She really wasn¡¯t ready for this.


    Qiao Qingyu extricated herself from his embrace, put her hands on him, and pushed with embarrassment, ¡°Even if you¡¯re prepared, I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to do anything, I¡¯ll be very careful,¡± He Xiuyu insisted earnestly.


    ¡°Stop talking!¡± Qiao Qingyu found that the old rogue in him was back; she had just been reminiscing about the sweet, wife-like He Xiuyu.


    He Xiuyu wasn¡¯t just posturing; he was truly surprised, thinking Qiao Qingyu would be looking forward too.


    But why wasn¡¯t it like he imagined?


    Nevertheless, his eyes flickered with amusement, and he pulled Qiao Qingyu back into his arms, his left hand encircling her waist. He leaned down and stopped just an inch from her lips, his voice gentle, ¡°King Qiao, you¡¯ve finally grown up...¡±

 Chapter 237 - 237 237 Feels Very Good

    ?Chapter 237: Chapter 237: Feels Very Good Chapter 237: Chapter 237: Feels Very Good They were this close for the first time under such clear circumstances, their breaths mingling, bright eyes close at hand, his handsome face before her like a sculpture.


    All she could see in those bright eyes was his reflection.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mind went blank.


    He Xiuyu slowly lowered his head...


    The moon rose high into the sky, and Su Yunyao walked toward the dormitory with Chu Ying, chatting as they went, ¡°I only know this much, speaking of it, Rongrong is a pitiable child. Chief Engineer He has no time to look after her, she spends most of her time in the kindergarten, or Qiao Qingyu takes her running around everywhere. You wouldn¡¯t believe, this child looked like a delicate princess when she first arrived, but now she¡¯s like a rural kid...¡±


    Su Yunyao¡¯s voice carried a smile, yet the tone wasn¡¯t quite right.


    She sighed at her side, ¡°A child without a mother is really pitiful.¡±


    Chu Ying¡¯s hands, holding books, tightened.


    Su Yunyao¡¯s gaze flickered, then she urged, ¡°Alright, we should head back to the dorm now.¡±


    ...


    The next morning, He Xiuyu looked at Qiao Qingyu with a resentful gaze.


    He had not had his way last night.


    His fingers traced over Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyebrows.


    Qiao Qingyu opened her hand abruptly, coquettishly saying, ¡°Don¡¯t wake Rongrong.¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, you really are like a cunning little fox.¡±


    He Xiuyu said, his tone indulgent yet helpless.


    But a careful observation would reveal that the two had clearly become much closer.


    After all, although they hadn¡¯t consummated their relationship last night, under He Xiuyu¡¯s guidance and initiative, they had been quite intimately engaged.


    So even the way they looked at each other was different.


    Rongrong was clearly about to wake up. He Xiuyu, reluctant to leave, pinched Qiao Qingyu¡¯s small hand and then rose to say softly, ¡°The rice porridge and pumpkin cakes are already warm in the pot. I¡¯ve eaten, and I need to head to the office early today because of some work.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu lazily responded with a sound.


    Thinking back to last night¡¯s scene, her heart smiled, feeling quite good.


    He Xiuyu changed into his clothes, holding his briefcase at the door. Just as he was about to speak, the urgent ring of the phone came from the study.


    It was Shen Haoze on the line, his voice trembling slightly, ¡°He Xiuyu, come over right away. I¡¯ve found an explosive device in the first lab¡¯s workroom.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s voice suddenly turned stern, ¡°Don¡¯t touch anything, I¡¯m on my way.¡±


    He put down the phone, while at the base, Shen Haoze stood by the window, his face pale. The entire window frame in front of him was filled with a new type of flammable explosive substance he had never seen before.


    If it wasn¡¯t for He Xiuyu asking him to check again, if it wasn¡¯t for He Xiuyu reassembling the detection machinery, he would have never discovered it, his back was all sweaty, and Director Lin and two experts standing behind him felt the same.


    Qiao Qingyu watched as He Xiuyu hurriedly left, not even having time to speak to her, and knew that there had been another incident at the base. Her brows slightly furrowed, she sorted through the plot she knew and, feeling helpless, realized she had nothing that could help He Xiuyu.


    She took Rongrong to kindergarten, and today she still had to prepare the cabbages and then make pickled vegetables with Sister-in-law Li.


    After finishing, Qiao Qingyu straightened her back, just about to wash her hands, when the half-open door was suddenly pushed open, Granny Zhao from the backyard stood at the doorway. Seeing Qiao Qingyu, she rushed forward as if seeing a savior and, without any explanation, grabbed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand, crying, ¡°Qingyu, Granny Zhao has always treated you just like my own daughter, right?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    She was truly speechless, not knowing what kind of face Granny Zhao had to say such things. They barely interacted; if there were any ties between them, did stealing her vegetables count?


    Qiao Qingyu quietly withdrew her hand, ¡°Granny Zhao, what¡¯s wrong with you? Is there something you need?¡±


    ¡°Qingyu, I¡¯ve been thinking, and you are the only person I can ask. Please help me persuade my daughter-in-law. She insists on divorcing my son.¡±


    As she spoke, a hint of cruelty flashed in Granny Zhao¡¯s eyes. That damned Huang Ling, thinking she could just leave the Zhao family like that wasn¡¯t going to be easy; she had delayed her son¡¯s life for so many years, and for the rest of her life, she would have to work like an ox to compensate.


    If Tian Li could get pregnant, she would need to go through the confinement period, and how could her old bones take care of that? If Huang Ling divorced, wouldn¡¯t she be the one forced to do all the household chores from then on?


    What mattered most was that Huang Ling earned a lot, giving half of her monthly salary to her. If there was a divorce, she would lose everything, and others would benefit, which she certainly opposed.


    Qiao Qingyu recalled the scene she had witnessed that day. She didn¡¯t interact much with Huang Ling. Mainly because, since she had arrived at this base, she was initially extremely busy with various tasks, and apart from Sister-in-law Li and Director Shen, she really didn¡¯t have many close contacts


    ¡ª even with the Zhao Family living just next door.


    She asked, ¡°Granny Zhao, why does Sister Huang Ling want to divorce Mr. Zhao?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because she can¡¯t bear children? She said she didn¡¯t want to delay my son anymore, but I just can¡¯t let her go.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu suddenly remembered a time in the backyard when she heard the old lady from the Zhao family courtyard swearing about a hen that couldn¡¯t lay eggs and wouldn¡¯t budge from the coop, calling it some nasty names.


    So, was Granny Zhao scolding Huang Ling at that time?


    Granny Zhao still clung to Qiao Qingyu, knowing that although Qiao Qingyu was young, she was the wife of Chief Engineer He and now held a significant position at the base; nowadays, none of the women on the base dared to mess with her. If she spoke a word, it was guaranteed to work.


    However, Qiao Qingyu directly said, ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with Sister Huang Ling, my intervention won¡¯t help.¡±


    ¡°Qingyu, you have such a persuasive way of speaking, please, persuade Huang Ling for me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know what¡¯s going on, so I won¡¯t persuade her!¡± Qiao Qingyu refused very decisively.


    Granny Zhao¡¯s eyes flickered, ¡°It¡¯s simple, she wants a divorce because she can¡¯t have children, but we all can¡¯t bear to let her go. Just convince her to stay, please don¡¯t let her divorce my son.¡±


    Then she continued, ¡°She¡¯s already of such an age; who would want her after she gets divorced, a hen that can¡¯t lay eggs?¡±


    The latter part slipped out unintentionally.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression grew cold, ¡°Granny Zhao, that¡¯s a horrible thing to say. You better head home now; I need to go out and take care of some things.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu unapologetically sent her away, not feeling the slightest embarrassment.


    Without paying her any more attention, Qiao Qingyu went inside to wash her hands, only to be surprised by Granny Zhao who stole a big cabbage and ran off.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mouth opened in shock, but in the end, she neither shouted nor chased.


    Granny Zhao was over sixty, and a shout might scare her into falling and causing an accident¡ªthat would end up costing more than a cabbage.


    ...


    The atmosphere in the base¡¯s first laboratory was particularly solemn and tense.


    Everyone had been analyzing this layout, not just for a day or two, but since the construction of the base began.


    They had already contacted the closest military specialists who were now approaching by helicopter.


    Therefore, they immediately commenced a comprehensive inspection of the entire base.

 Chapter 238 - 238 238 Disagreements in Emotion

    ?Chapter 238: Chapter 238 Disagreements in Emotion Chapter 238: Chapter 238 Disagreements in Emotion He Xiuyu and Shen Haoze had business at the office. On the way, Shen Haoze, still shaken, said, ¡°We¡¯re lucky you asked me to check again, otherwise the consequences would be unthinkable.¡±


    He Xiuyu remained silent. If it weren¡¯t for preparing a gift for Qiao Qingyu, he wouldn¡¯t have asked Shen Haoze to take the machine and check it all over again.


    Thus, no safety matter is too small.


    Tenghai Research Base immediately started a thorough sweeping check.


    Chu Ying took leave to go to the supply store to buy candies and pastries. She had just received various Special Supply Tickets from the research base, which included a jin of milk candy ticket and a jin of fruit candy ticket, and she bought them all.


    After packing these things, she returned to the dormitory.


    Granny Zhao returned home, holding a cabbage in her hands, to see Huang Ling packing her things and her face immediately darkened. Her eyes flicked, pointing to the cabbage in her hands, she said, ¡°This is the cabbage Qiao Qingyu gave me. Huang Ling, I¡¯ve already spoken with Qiao Qingyu, and she said that you can¡¯t divorce if we disagree.¡±


    The packing Huang Ling froze.


    ¡°When did Qiao Qingyu speak with you? Moreover, she¡¯s from the Breeding Laboratory; she doesn¡¯t deal with the Women¡¯s Federation¡¯s affairs.¡±


    Huang Ling didn¡¯t want to create a scene. Regardless, they were a couple once, and she wanted to leave the last page dignified for Mr. Zhao and the Zhao Family, simply stating that the couple didn¡¯t get along and wanted a divorce.


    ¡°I just went to see Shen Fen, and Shen Fen said you two should cool down and think it over. She will talk to my son to understand the situation. If my son disagrees, you can¡¯t get a divorce,¡± Granny Zhao said, looking at Huang Ling with disdainful pride. Suddenly she lowered her voice, biting her teeth, ¡°You wretch, this is the debt you owe our Zhao Family. If it weren¡¯t for you, my eldest grandson would be in school now, so you have to pay it back!¡±


    Huang Ling felt her heart sink. She had talked to Shen Fen last night, who was decidedly firm. However, Shen Fen said she would look into the matter in detail. Getting a divorce wouldn¡¯t be easy if Mr. Zhao disagreed. It wasn¡¯t easy to end the marriage, and she also offered a lot of advice.


    Yet, no one knew about the affairs of the Zhao Family.


    But why would Qiao Qingyu get involved?


    Shen Fen was the director of the office and also held responsibilities in the Women¡¯s Federation. She was in charge of these matters.


    But she had little contact with Qiao Qingyu, and instinctively felt that sly daughter-in-law wouldn¡¯t say something so foolish, would she?


    The news about Mr. Zhao and his wife Huang Ling¡¯s divorce somehow spread. It was said that Huang Ling was adamant about the divorce while Mr. Zhao and his mother were firmly against it.


    The job became difficult. Huang Ling¡¯s application for employee housing hadn¡¯t been approved yet, so she had to continue living in the Zhao household, waiting on the entire family, including that woman.


    Lin Cujuan came looking for Qiao Qingyu and directly said, ¡°Qingyu, you¡¯re young and don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on between a couple. You shouldn¡¯t get involved in their mess.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was stunned, ¡°What am I meddling in? What couple¡¯s business? Sister Lin, what¡¯s actually going on?¡±


    Judging by Qiao Qingyu¡¯s reaction, it didn¡¯t seem like she was faking. Lin Cujuan thought it over and considered that this might be a lie from Old Lady Zhao, so she told Qiao Qingyu what Granny Zhao had said.


    Qiao Qingyu was so angry her eyebrows inverted.


    She would never get involved in a couple¡¯s affairs, and what position or right did she even have to intervene?


    ¡°Sister Lin, Granny Zhao came to me the other day asking me to persuade Sister Huang Ling not to divorce. I ignored her, and then she stole one of my cabbages and ran off.¡±


    So that was what happened. Lin Cujuan suddenly realized.


    Qiao Qingyu asked Lin Cujuan to go home first, not wanting to get her involved in the situation. That evening, she went to knock on the Zhao family¡¯s door.


    The door was opened by a woman whom she had seen several times; she was Old Lady Zhao¡¯s niece, who seemed to be called Tian Li.


    She didn¡¯t know how old Tian Li was, but Tian Li addressed her as ¡°Sister Qiao Qingyu¡± right away.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t lower herself to Tian Li¡¯s level and shouted into the courtyard, ¡°Granny Zhao, come out for a moment, I need to talk to you.¡±


    She heard suppressed crying from inside the house, the angry scolding of a man, and the sound of porcelain bowls shattering. After she shouted out, the house fell silent.


    Old Lady Zhao¡¯s face was not looking good. When she came out and saw it was Qiao Qingyu, she forced herself not to curse. ¡°Qingyu, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s voice was loud and clear, ¡°Granny Zhao, it¡¯s about the rumors you¡¯ve been spreading. We need to clear that up today.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? What rumors?¡±


    By this time, a crowd had already gathered. With a beaming smile, Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°Granny Zhao is getting senile. She ran over to my place the other day, spouting nonsense that I didn¡¯t quite catch. Then she took advantage of my distraction to steal a cabbage and ran off. I didn¡¯t even dare to call her out¡ªI was afraid of startling her and causing an accident, which I couldn¡¯t bear the responsibility for.¡±


    As for the matter of whether Mr. Zhao and Huang Ling would divorce or not, Qiao Qingyu certainly wouldn¡¯t bring it up in such a public setting. It really had nothing to do with her. After saying this, Qiao Qingyu turned and walked away.


    Granny Zhao was left behind, her face turning a livid shade of purple with anger.


    Somebody asked Granny Zhao, ¡°Why does your daughter-in-law insist on divorcing? Did you guys bully her?¡±


    A blunt speaker chimed in, ¡°Your niece Tian Li has been here so long. Why doesn¡¯t she find some work? It doesn¡¯t look good for a young woman to just stay at home.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s it to you? Mind your own business,¡± Granny Zhao snapped, shooting everyone a fierce glare before slamming her front door shut with a bang.


    Qiao Qingyu heard the noise as well and after thinking for a while, she went to find Shen Fen. Shen Fen was feeling a bit headache, as Mr. Zhao had a good reputation as a good husband, and the couple had always been affectionate with one another. However, all of a sudden, Huang Ling wanted a divorce, which Mr. Zhao strongly opposed.


    She roughly shared the details with Qiao Qingyu. Considering Qiao Qingyu¡¯s young age, she presumably couldn¡¯t offer any good advice.


    Indeed, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t have any good suggestions, but she said, ¡°Director Shen, I think you should ask in more detail. Even if there¡¯s marital discord, there has to be a reason that led to it, right? It obviously seems like an excuse.¡±


    ¡°How do you know it¡¯s an excuse?¡± Shen Fen asked in surprise.


    ¡°Intuition.¡±


    Shen Fen gave Qiao Qingyu a look, then hurriedly put on her coat and rushed to the Zhao family house.


    Qiao Qingyu, while in the courtyard, heard the Zhao family¡¯s wailing and cursing.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced in the direction of the back yard, then retracted her gaze.


    She had dug out all the winter clothes, as the days were sunny. It was good to bring them outside to air out for wearing during the winter.


    ...


    Chu Ying finally found a chance to corner Xiao Hu.


    She asked all about He Xuerong.


    Asking if she was eating well, if she was dressed warmly, whether anyone was hitting or cursing at her.


    Then, satisfied, she gave Xiao Hu a bag of sweets.


    After Chu Ying left, Xiao Hu immediately ran toward the back of the courtyard wall, where Dashun, Daji, and Rongrong were all crouched in the corner waiting for him.


    He Xuerong glared with her pitch-black eyes, warningly said, ¡°Li Mingguang, what did that woman ask you?¡±


    ¡°She asked if you¡¯re eating well, if anyone is hitting or scolding you...¡±


    ¡°And how did you answer?¡±


    ¡°I said you weren¡¯t eating well, and that there were people hitting and scolding you...¡±


    He Xuerong punched Xiao Hu in the chest, glaring with anger, ¡°Li Mingguang, you dare to lie. I¡¯ll have Aunt Li break your legs!¡±

 Chapter 239 - 239 239 A Bountiful Harvest

    ?Chapter 239: Chapter 239: A Bountiful Harvest Chapter 239: Chapter 239: A Bountiful Harvest Li Mingguang felt wronged and rubbed his chest, ¡°How could I know what she¡¯s going to do next if I don¡¯t say it like that? Besides, if I don¡¯t say it that way, she wouldn¡¯t give me the candy.¡±


    Dashun said, puzzled, from the side, ¡°What does the woman want to do next?¡±


    ¡°Nothing good, anyway.¡±


    He Xuerong huffed angrily. She felt very concerned because her little uncle was handsome, and she had to be responsible for dealing with the women who always came to him under the pretext of caring for her.


    Otherwise, the little aunt couldn¡¯t keep up.


    ¡°I want candy,¡± Daji said pitifully from the side.


    ¡°No!¡± He Xuerong felt unhappy. The candy was something she had received in exchange for being scolded and beaten.


    She took all the candy and stuffed it into her little crossbody bag, then turned and ran toward home.


    Xiao Hu was downcast.


    Dashun and Daji comforted him from either side, and Xiao Hu¡¯s eyes flickered, ¡°Go home and get your tools. Let¡¯s go dig for treasure in the poplar forest to the east.¡±


    Hearing about digging for treasure, Dashun and Daji cheered and ran towards their homes.


    Xiao Hu chased off in the direction of He Xuerong.


    ...


    The autumn harvest had already begun.


    These past few days, Xiaxi Commune and the base were bustling with activity.


    It was the base¡¯s first year of autumn harvest, and while it wasn¡¯t Xiaxi Commune¡¯s first year, it was the first year they achieved a great harvest for cabbages and radishes.


    In addition to the cabbages and radishes allocated to commune members, they also sold a part to institutions in Yushu County.


    Just from that, they made more than five thousand yuan.


    As for the base, it was all for their own consumption.


    In the newly dug large vegetable cellar, they stored the winter supply of cabbage and radishes.


    With this alone, they had saved more than 30,000 yuan.


    This money saved was spent on scientific research, creating many precision parts.


    Thousand silk hemp¡¯s economic benefit was not calculated by yield per acre but rather by overall economic efficiency.


    Xiaxi Commune¡¯s eight hundred acres of thousand silk hemp experimental field brought in an estimated net income of more than 30,000 yuan.


    Qiao Qingyu harvested over ten yuan from her three thousand acres, with Qiao Qingyu earning more than sixty thousand yuan.


    The efficiency of thousand silk hemp was the most significant; it had the same growing costs as castor planted in other places, but the benefits more than tripled.


    Qiao Qingyu kept ten thousand yuan worth of thousand silk hemp seeds for herself, and the rest were handed over to Xiaxi Commune and Lu Ye to handle.


    The money came in very quickly, directly from the provincial capital, and Qiao Qingyu received fifty thousand yuan directly.


    The remaining two thousand three hundred acres of thousand silk hemp seeds were decided by the provincial capital to be kept for sowing.


    This meant that next year, there would be tens of thousands of acres of thousand silk hemp to improve the barren land.


    Of course, the main crops were still irreplaceable.


    Harvest Commune had a lot of barren land, and the main planting plan was still thousand silk hemp and Barley Grass.


    Vice Director Qian kept twenty thousand yuan worth of seeds, with the rest of the money going into the commune¡¯s finances.


    Before the year even ended, according to labor contributions, commune members from Xiaxi Commune involved in the planting of thousand silk hemp received as much as ninety yuan, while the least amount anyone received was forty yuan.


    This did not include the year-end work points and grain.


    In an instant, the area surrounding Xiaxi Commune was abuzz like a pot set to boil.


    In Panquan Village, the whole village lived in mud houses, with one household to the west of the village.


    They lived in the most dilapidated three-room mud house.


    He was from a member¡¯s family in Panquan Village, Wang Laogen¡¯s household.


    He was the one facing the most hardship in the village.


    How severe were their hardships...


    It was literally walls without possessions, his parents were ill all year round, and with six children in the household, the eldest was fifteen years old, already working in the fields early. Even though the third and fourth children didn¡¯t share one pair of pants with several siblings like some families did, their pants were layer upon layer of patches anyway.


    In the summer, to save on shoes, whether boys or girls, they all went barefoot.


    Of the four laborers in their family, only Wang Laogen was the main breadwinner, while the others could only earn half work points, yet they had just received two hundred yuan after this year¡¯s autumn harvest.


    That income came from planting thousand silk hemp.


    Wang Laogen¡¯s hands trembled as he held the money; it was the first time in his life he had held this much money.


    The people queued up behind him were not envious because some of them had received even more than Wang Laogen did.


    Feeling as though he was in a dream, Wang Laogen made his way home, one unsteady step after another.


    However, when he reached his doorstep and saw his anxiously waiting wife, he took her and headed toward the outskirts of the village.


    After walking for four hours, they arrived at the big market of the commune.


    He bought cotton and fabric, a bottle of soy sauce, and five pounds of noodles¡ªhis old mother had always wanted to eat noodles mixed with soy sauce.


    He bought a pound of meat, half a pound of sugar...


    He bought a scarf for his wife, who had married into hardship, swallowing bitter sustenance without a day of comfort.


    Wang Laogen bought items while shedding tears.


    But as he cried, he soon began to smile. The elders often said that things would get better later on. After waiting fifteen years for ¡®later,¡¯ it had finally arrived.


    The joy brought by the harvest was indeed an overnight change.


    All the past hardships and exhaustions were worth it.


    Qiao Qingyu, having heard about it, was deeply moved. She wasn¡¯t naive¡ªforget that it was only 1980; even a decade later, many people would still be struggling on the poverty line.


    Next was the time to start digging up potatoes. This time, He Xiuyu specially took a day off. The head of logistics, Old Xie, led a group of people, and in one day, they dug up all five acres of potatoes.


    After weighing, they had harvested thirty-two thousand pounds of potatoes.


    An average yield of over six thousand pounds per acre.


    Such a yield would still be considered high even after several decades, showing that Qiao Qingyu had effectively skipped decades of progression to reach the level of high-quality seed and scientific farming.


    Qiao Qingyu kept five hundred pounds of potatoes for her own family¡¯s consumption, and the rest was taken by Old Xie to the new large vegetable cellar at the base farm, where they preserved it scientifically and properly under Professor Feng¡¯s direction.


    These potatoes were not to be eaten; they were all kept as seeds.


    Director Xie had initially planned to give some potatoes as a benefit to middle and senior managers, but Professor Feng firmly opposed the idea.


    So, everyone was quite envious of Qiao Qingyu, who had five hundred pounds of potatoes.


    So wealthy, such a sight.


    Lucky for him, the potatoes he had allocated were about to be transported to the base as well.


    After the potato harvest in the Northeast, there was a term called ¡°walking the potatoes,¡± meaning to turn over the ground where potatoes had been harvested once more, since no matter how careful one is, some are always missed.


    Unexpectedly, after dozens of family members turned over the potato field, they found only a few dozen potatoes, frustrating them tremendously.


    They felt they had been made fools of, tilling for the farm for nothing, and even became a laughing stock to others.


    ...


    Afterward, the Qiao Family Team sent ten thousand pounds of corn and three thousand pounds of soybean seeds.


    The corn harvest was abundant; the Qiao Family Team had good soil and were meticulous in their farming, coupled with favorable weather this year, the average yield per acre astonishingly reached two thousand eight hundred pounds, setting a new record.


    Natural it led to large-scale promotion and planting.


    Qiao Genbao came along this time, while Uncle Qiao and Sun Dazhang were busy handing over tasks. By the way, Qiao Zhiyuan had now been officially appointed as the Qiao Family Team Leader, and Sun Dazhang had become the Vice Director Sun of the Harvest Commune.

 Chapter 240 - 240 240 He Xiuyu Doesnt Want to Live Off a

    ?Chapter 240: Chapter 240 He Xiuyu Doesn¡¯t Want to Live Off a Woman Chapter 240: Chapter 240 He Xiuyu Doesn¡¯t Want to Live Off a Woman Qiao Genbao only stayed here for two days before he hurriedly left.


    His sister¡¯s life was better than he had imagined, so he felt relieved. Qiao Qingyu bought him quite a few things, and then he took away the vegetable seeds needed for the three greenhouses.


    Qiao Qingyu divided the remaining seeds among Old Xie and Vice Director Qian.


    Lu Ye also took away the soybean seeds, and Qiao Qingyu deducted the oil money.


    Lu Ye didn¡¯t say anything, but he agreed with Qiao Qingyu on two thousand jin of corn seeds.


    However, Qiao Qingyu planned to give them to him next year.


    Then, only ten thousand jin of corn was stored in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s warehouse.


    She planned to compare the seeds harvested with Professor Feng from the lab-cultivated seeds and the seeds harvested after the lab experiments once the barley grass seeds were harvested.


    Qiao Qingyu was now more than just a ¡°ten-thousand-yuan household.¡±


    She had savings of eighty thousand yuan and over five thousand in cash on hand.


    He Xiuyu looked dejectedly at the four hundred eighty yuan in his hand, including his manuscript fee and bonus.


    Truly, without comparison, there is no harm.


    So, he had to work even harder.


    Otherwise, he would end up living off a woman in the future.


    ...


    Wang Laogen of Panquan Village made a great contribution.


    He caught three people, although he almost had his leg broken.


    Their village was the poorest among those in the Xiaxi Commune due to its geographical position, with a lot of barren land and few cultivable crops. They had always struggled even for food and clothing, but it was this village, due to surplus labor, that had participated from beginning to end in clearing the land and planting thousand silk hemp, so the villagers of Panquan Village all had money now.


    The farmers were not foolish; they had their wisdom and valued the vast expanse of Barley Grass that had turned yellow to the east of their village.


    The villagers loved to stroll there whenever they could.


    After Wang Laogen had his dinner, his wife finished making his new shoes. He couldn¡¯t bear not to wear them. He had worn a new pair of shoes the year he got married, and after that, it was a cycle of wearing new shoes for three years, old ones for another three, and patching them up for yet another three. His shoes were worn out, and he couldn¡¯t afford new ones, so he shamelessly went to relatives in the city to beg for shoes they no longer wore.


    So, even though it was dark, Wang Laogen decided to wear his new shoes for a walk, and he ended up at the Barley Grassland. There, he saw three people sneaking into the Barley Grassland and scattering something inside.


    Then Wang Laogen, on an impulse, charged at them...


    Wang Laogen was sent to the hospital, and the three men were caught. They had a new type of herbicide, which, after being researched by Professor Feng, was reported to Vice Director Qian of Xiaxi Commune. This herbicide had been used in developed countries but was banned from production three years ago.


    These three men were villagers from another village, known to be idle. They claimed that a stranger from out of town gave each of them one hundred yuan to scatter the stuff in the Barley Grassland.


    Similar incidents happened in several other places one after another.


    The case had been registered, but it would take some time to investigate thoroughly, especially since there was no surveillance, making it more difficult.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s Barley Grassland was the earliest to harvest, so the barley grass seeds were all ripe. Vice Director Qian, with a big group of people, had collected all the barley grass seeds and delivered them to Qiao Qingyu.


    But before Qiao Qingyu could haul the seeds back to the base, Professor Dong, along with a group of people in a big truck, rushed over.


    He found Qiao Qingyu and introduced himself very politely. Then he said somewhat arrogantly, ¡°Miss Qiao, I have some good news for you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu took off her gloves and looked at Professor Dong, asking indifferently, ¡°Professor Dong, what¡¯s the good news?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided to invest two hundred thousand yuan to buy all of the barley grass seeds.¡±


    The people around took in a breath of cold air, and Vice Director Qian¡¯s mouth was so agape with surprise that he couldn¡¯t close it.


    Two hundred thousand yuan!


    Of course, he had seen money before, but how could these barley grass seeds, all five thousand jin of them, sell for two hundred thousand yuan?


    Qiao Qingyu suppressed her doubts and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, but I plan to keep the Barley Grass Seeds for further planting. They¡¯re not for sale.¡±


    ¡°Two hundred thousand yuan, though. You could continue to buy other kinds of seeds. As far as I know, didn¡¯t you also buy your seeds from the grasslands?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but the seeds I¡¯ve cultivated are different from those from the grasslands. Besides, Professor Dong, haven¡¯t you studied them too? You said they are a mutant variety that needs to be eradicated, so why do you want to buy all of them now?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu asked very seriously.


    Professor Dong¡¯s face remained unchanged as he said, ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯ve decided to buy them all. I will further cultivate and study them. I know you are poor and backward right now and desperately need money, and Mr. Wu has ample funds. We¡¯ve decided to help you out of poverty and lead a prosperous life...¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the thought, Professor Dong and Mr. Wu, but I really must apologize. I¡¯m not going to sell the barley grass seeds,¡± Qiao Qingyu refused flatly and decisively.


    Professor Dong¡¯s face darkened.


    After arriving in China, he realized that on this land things were not so easy to accomplish. For instance, right now, if he were in the U.S., he would have negotiated directly with the farm owner, without all these troubles.


    But here, it is different. There are village communes, county towns, then provincial cities; they are all interrelated like one big family. This made what he wanted to do extremely difficult.


    He wasn¡¯t holding out much hope, and he asked, ¡°Then, could you sell me half?¡±


    ¡°Professor Dong, barley grass seeds are hard to come by, and right now, not even a single seed is for sale...¡± Then Qiao Qingyu looked into the distance for a moment before smiling brightly at Professor Dong, ¡°Sorry, our base¡¯s truck has arrived.¡±


    True enough, the roar of a big truck could be heard in the distance.


    Professor Dong¡¯s face darkened as he stepped aside, watching helplessly as Qiao Qingyu drove away on the tractor from the Barley Grassland and as the base¡¯s three trucks hauled away the five thousand jin of barley grass seeds.


    If the seeds were still in Xiaxi Commune it would be one thing, but once they reached the research base, it would be tough for him to get his hands on them.


    Professor Dong quickly calmed his expression and drove back to Xichuan.


    Lu Ye was also at the scene but had remained silent the whole time. After watching Qiao Qingyu refuse Professor Dong with a smile, he became somewhat worried. Once back in Xichuan, he went to see the old leader and candidly shared his suspicions.


    The old leader frowned deeply and said, ¡°Lu Ye, I¡¯ve considered what you¡¯re saying, but what good does it do for them?¡±


    ¡°Yes, according to normal reasoning, there¡¯s no benefit for them, it¡¯s not necessary, and it¡¯s even quite childish...¡± Lu Ye seemed to be talking to himself, but then he said, ¡°But, old leader, there are a small number of people in this world who just can¡¯t stand to see others doing well.¡±


    The old leader fell silent.


    But some things didn¡¯t need to be said out loud for now. He said, ¡°Alright, go about your business. I¡¯ve got this in mind.¡±

 Chapter 241 - 241 241 Wife

    ?Chapter 241: Chapter 241 Wife Chapter 241: Chapter 241 Wife Lu Ye left the old leader¡¯s office and decided to head to the daily chemical plant to look for Secretary Chang.


    Wu Xiujie and Professor Dong, did they really take everyone for fools?


    To his surprise, halfway there, he was stopped by the person in charge of the provincial paper mill.


    The paper mill wanted to buy all of the thousand silk hemp rods.


    Lu Ye laughed; this was going to be a significant income.


    No doubt about it, he might be able to recoup half of the seed money.


    ...


    In order to divorce Mr. Zhao, Huang Ling had no choice but to tell Shen Fen what had happened recently.


    Shen Fen was incredulous, yet filled with raging anger.


    If that were the case, then Mr. Zhao, Old Lady Zhao, and that woman named Tian Li were treating her like a monkey being played.


    She had been a teacher for many years, served as the director of the office, and then led a study class. Now she was also in charge of the Women¡¯s Federation work at the base. It was the first time she had heard of such tactics.


    Simply because Huang Ling was infertile, Elder Mrs. Zhou had brought her distant niece from her hometown to prepare her to sleep with Mr. Zhao and have children, and then those children would be considered Huang Ling¡¯s.


    Outside, Huang Ling was Mr. Zhao¡¯s legitimate wife; at home, she was the chief wife, while Tian Li would be the concubine.


    This thoroughly disgusted Shen Fen; she wished she could go directly to the factory workshop at the base and expose Mr. Zhao¡¯s hideous face to everyone.


    But then she realized a serious problem and asked Huang Ling, ¡°Huang Ling, this is all from your side of the story; do you have any solid evidence?¡± Then she paused. They were both married for over a decade; there was nothing to be shy about, so she directly asked again, ¡°Did Tian Li sleep with Mr. Zhao?¡±


    Huang Ling¡¯s heart tightened, and discomfort welled up within her. No matter what, this was a man she had once loved. She knew that what Mr. Zhao currently had was hard-earned, and he should be able to control himself before she agreed.


    She shook her head, struggling to speak, ¡°No.¡±


    Shen Fen felt puzzled, ¡°Then just agree to the divorce. After that, he marries Tian Li. Why bother doing such a risky thing? If someone reports this, it¡¯s illegal.¡±


    Huang Ling shook her head again, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ...


    The first snow fell quickly, the temperature plummeted, and before a blink, early winter had arrived.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t leave her house; her kang bed was warm. She sat on it, knitting gloves for Rongrong, and then she heard someone knocking on the door.


    Unexpectedly, it was Huang Ling from the back courtyard, with a large wooden chest behind her.


    Before Qiao Qingyu could speak, Huang Ling hurriedly explained, ¡°These are agricultural notes and materials left by my father. I thought you could use them after sorting them out, so I brought them over. They¡¯re not worth much. If you don¡¯t want them, they would end up being burned by my mother-in-law...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was stunned. All these materials were packed in a large wooden chest. Huang Ling was sweating profusely and seemed a bit nervous. Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t ask further but smiled, and together with Huang Ling, they moved the chest into the house.


    She invited Huang Ling to sit down, pouring her a cup of hot tea.


    She crouched down to flip through the notes and materials on top. Initially, her expression was casual, but after a few minutes, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face became increasingly serious and even carried a whisper of surprised joy.


    The notes and materials were incredibly detailed; many were things that Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t seen in her current materials.


    Qiao Qingyu looked down at the notebook cover in her hands.


    There were three words written on it: Huang Guohua.


    Qiao Qingyu was momentarily taken aback, suddenly recalling that Professor Feng had once mentioned an agricultural scientist named Huang Guohua.


    Professor Feng had said that Huang Guohua was his older schoolmate, but indeed a presence like an elder brother.


    He was, however, extremely talented, one of the earliest students to study abroad and also among the first to return to the country. Sadly, he had committed suicide a few years ago.


    Could Huang Ling be the daughter of Huang Guohua?


    Huang Ling was somewhat nervous and also carried a hint of anxiety; this was her first time doing something like this, so naturally, she was feeling all jittery inside. Just now, when she saw the look of joy on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face as she flipped through the documents and notes, she had breathed a sigh of relief. But this woman, much younger than herself, quickly regained her composure, leaving her unsure whether this was what she needed.


    Qiao Qingyu refilled her tea cup with water, smiling brightly, ¡°Sister Huang Ling, this is actually the first time you¡¯ve visited my home.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve been neighbors for such a long time, and this really is the first.¡±


    ¡°Have you been busy with work recently?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay; I had night shifts a few days ago and am resting these few days.¡±


    ¡°Sister Huang Ling, may I ask who the owner of these notes and documents is?¡±


    ¡°He was my father, but he¡¯s no longer with us.¡±


    Huang Ling¡¯s voice dipped a bit lower.


    Qiao Qingyu hesitated for a moment before speaking, ¡°Sister Huang Ling, I won¡¯t hide it from you, I¡¯ve learned some things about your father from Professor Feng. Professor Feng has always admired your father¡¯s character. I never expected his daughter to be right here at our research base.¡±


    A flicker of emotion passed through Huang Ling¡¯s eyes, followed by a wry smile, ¡°That¡¯s all in the past now; it¡¯s just me left at home.¡±


    ¡°Sister Huang Ling, do you have the authority to decide what to do with these notes and documents?¡±


    ¡°I do. Besides, my mother-in-law somehow dug them out yesterday, saying that if they kept sitting around, they¡¯d be home to bugs, and she wanted to use them to start a fire.¡±


    At this point, a hint of loathing crossed Huang Ling¡¯s eyes.


    Qiao Qingyu pondered for a moment, not that she was suspicious by nature; she just felt that at such a critical time, Huang Ling¡¯s sudden decision to bring these notes over to her home may not have been unintentional.


    ¡°Sister Huang Ling, these notes and materials are indeed a great use to me, I truly can¡¯t thank you enough.¡±


    Huang Ling seemed to relax, her expression calming as she set down her teacup, ¡°I have to get back home now, still plenty of housework to do.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu saw Huang Ling out, and as the two were now more familiar, their conversation warmed up.


    Behind the gate in the back courtyard, Old Lady Zhao from the Zhao Family hid, glaring darkly at Qiao Qingyu and Huang Ling.


    Tian Li, standing behind her, said in a low voice, ¡°Second Aunt, why does sister-in-law hate me so much? I¡¯m not holding any grudges now; I just want to preserve Zhao Family¡¯s lineage and honor. Why won¡¯t she agree?¡±


    By the end, she sounded quite pitiful, but her eyes conveyed a different story.


    She harbored hatred too, and after all her scheming, there was no way she¡¯d be content with just bearing children for the Zhao Family.


    After parting with Qiao Qingyu, Huang Ling frowned as she caught sight of two fleeting shadows in her yard, feeling annoyed, she turned and headed to the office.


    Qiao Qingyu, unconcerned about Huang Ling¡¯s intentions for the moment, hurried back home, placing the notes and materials on the kang bed, and began flipping through them one by one.


    Outside the perimeter wall of the base¡¯s family compound, in the same old spot.


    He Xuerong, looking like a little bear, watched intently at the activity ahead.

 Chapter 242 - 242 242 She Wants to Be Your Stepmother

    ?Chapter 242: Chapter 242: She Wants to Be Your Stepmother! Chapter 242: Chapter 242: She Wants to Be Your Stepmother! Daji whispered from behind, ¡°Rongrong, why hasn¡¯t Xiao Hu come back yet?¡±


    ¡°I guess that woman surnamed Chu has probably run out of sugar tickets,¡± Dashun said with schadenfreude.


    They were squatting not far from the supply and marketing cooperative.


    Chu Ying squatted in front of Xiao Hu, stuffing sugar cubes into his pocket and instructing him, ¡°Auntie has used up all her sugar tickets for this year, but Auntie will find a way. You must also keep the promise you made to Auntie, okay?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Aunt Chu, I, Li Mingguang, guarantee I will take good care of He Xuerong,¡± Li Mingguang patted his chest to assure her, but there was a hint of disdain in his eyes.


    He had thought this extravagant Aunt Chu had a lot of good stuff, but as it turned out, she ran out of both sugar and pastry tickets.


    He smiled sweetly, ¡°Aunt Chu, I¡¯m going to find Rongrong now.¡±


    Chu Ying stood up. During this period, not only had she used up her own sugar and pastry tickets, but she had also obtained some from the other three people who came with her.


    She originally wanted to give them directly to He Xuerong, but the little girl¡¯s eyes held such obvious hostility when she saw her that Chu Ying didn¡¯t dare to approach, fearing it might backfire.


    Knowing that Li Mingguang got along best with He Xuerong, she always contacted Li Mingguang.


    She just hoped that these kids would treat poor Rongrong well.


    With a sense of accomplishment, Chu Ying turned and left.


    Xiao Hu was running when he stopped, turned his head to look back, his shiny black eyes rolled, and then he continued to run towards where He Xuerong and the others were hiding.


    It was a bit cold, and their breaths formed clouds as they spoke.


    Xiao Hu handed over the sugar cubes to He Xuerong, and then she divided them up, giving each of the three kids two pieces.


    He Xuerong held the sugar cubes in her hand; they were new orange-flavored candies from the supply and marketing cooperative, sweet and delicious.


    There was sugar at home, but the little aunt was particularly strict.


    It was only here at the big wall that she could eat as she pleased.


    She asked Li Mingguang, ¡°Xiao Hu, do you know what she¡¯s up to?¡±


    ¡°I know. This time I finally figured out what she¡¯s up to,¡± Xiao Hu said proudly with a candy in his mouth.


    He Xuerong perked up and asked urgently, ¡°Is she trying to be my little aunt?¡±


    Li Mingguang shook his head, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then what does she want?¡±


    ¡°She wants to be your step-mother!¡±


    Li Mingguang¡¯s revelation was startling, and Dashun and Daji, with sugar cubes in their mouths, opened their mouths wide in surprise. As kids, the term step-mother was all too familiar.


    The elders would mention it, and their own mothers would often use it to scare them; it was not unfamiliar.


    Daji¡¯s drool was flowing out.


    The sugar cube in He Xuerong¡¯s hand dropped to the ground with a plop.


    Quickly sucking his drool back in, Daji hurriedly picked up the sugar cube, brushed off the dirt, and offered it to He Xuerong.


    He Xuerong¡¯s little face turned pale; she was somewhat dazed.


    Even though she was smart, she had never imagined that the woman surnamed Chu would want to be her step-mother!


    ...


    Today was Sunday, so He Xiuyu came back earlier than usual, bringing in a chill with him. However, his eyes softened the moment he saw Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu quickly pulled him into her room, He Xiuyu misunderstood and thought Qiao Qingyu wanted to kiss, hurriedly lowering his businesslike voice, ¡°Rongrong is still here, wait until she falls asleep tonight.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stretched out her hand and smacked his arm, ¡°What are you thinking? I want to show you a box of stuff.¡±


    Then she pushed open the bedroom door, where Rongrong had long since returned to normal, casually reading a comic book on the kang bed.


    She looked up, sweetly greeted her little uncle, and then lowered her head, thinking to herself, she hadn¡¯t expected there to still be women who liked her dad.


    The words ¡®dad¡¯ were both foreign and familiar to her, and when she thought of them, they stirred no more feelings than the word ¡®mom.¡¯


    She pursed her lips.


    The two adults naturally didn¡¯t notice Rongrong¡¯s small gesture, and Qiao Qingyu pointed out the notes and materials already packed in a wooden box to He Xiuyu, ¡°This was given to me by Huang Ling, do you know who her father is?¡±


    ¡°Who is he?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s Huang Guohua.¡± Qiao Qingyu then asked, ¡°Do you know him?¡±


    While flipping through the notes and materials in the box, He Xiuyu nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of him.¡±


    Back then, he and Professor Feng were the two most famous agricultural scientists.


    Professor Huang spent more time in the Southern areas, while Professor Feng spent most of his time in the North.


    Standing beside him, Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°I suppose now that my Breeding Laboratory and the contracted wasteland have been sorted out, she decided to bring these things out. Did she just remember, or does she have something to ask me?¡±


    ¡°What do you think she might want?¡±


    ¡°She wants to divorce Mr. Zhao. And she hasn¡¯t been able to get it done.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu followed up with, ¡°What kind of person is Mr. Zhao?¡±


    After pondering for a moment, He Xiuyu nodded, ¡°At least from what I¡¯ve seen so far, he seems alright.¡±


    But he added, ¡°However, I don¡¯t know much about his family life.¡±


    He Xiuyu put the items back in their place, knowing that this information was valuable, but there was no such thing as a free lunch, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t get involved in this. I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re responsible for the technical side, not the Women¡¯s Federation. Forget it, don¡¯t get involved; it¡¯s not good for you. I¡¯ll talk to Director Shen after I find out more.¡±


    Even though Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t thoroughly examined the notes and materials, she largely understood the significance. Indeed, there was a lot of data on crops, vegetables, and fruit trees from the Southern regions, but the North also had its share, including data from the routine soil tests of the five years after planting trees in the deserts of Xichuan.


    This was a significant gift, Qiao Qingyu smirked.


    ...


    At the Xichuan hotel, Wu Xiujie¡¯s expression was very grim. Although it seemed everything went smoothly for him since returning to the country, in reality, he hadn¡¯t managed to accomplish any of his goals, except for confirming that Han Xianglan and his little aunt did not have a father-daughter relationship.


    Beside him, Wu Peng handed an envelope to Wu Xiujie, ¡°Father, how should we deal with this knot?¡±


    Wu Xiujie stared at the envelope with disgust and waved his hand, ¡°Throw it away.¡±


    Wu Peng scrunched up the envelope and tossed it into the trash can.


    ¡°Little Uncle is coming back to the country soon, what should we do now?¡±


    ¡°Wait and see.¡± Wu Xiujie¡¯s face remained dark as he spoke these four words after a long silence.


    Wu Xiucai, having settled his business affairs, disappointedly stared at a letter. It was a message from his homeland informing him that Han Xianglan was not his daughter. Hearing this, his heart felt empty once again.


    But even so, he would not give up.


    ...


    He Xuerong and Li Mingguang had been scheming for several days. They had drained Chu Ying financially, and though she had underhanded motives, if the adults found out, they were sure to be punished.


    So, on Wednesday morning, the three children strutted into the Big White Building.


    It happened to be during a meeting.


    They normally wouldn¡¯t have been able to get in so easily, but they ran into Director Xie. He Xuerong calmly told Director Xie they were there to report a problem to Grandpa Wei.

 Chapter 243 - 243 243 But Ill Only Help You Once

    ?Chapter 243: Chapter 243 But I¡¯ll Only Help You Once Chapter 243: Chapter 243 But I¡¯ll Only Help You Once Director Xie thought it was amusing and, on impulse, brought the three children to the conference room¡ªthe meeting was about to end anyway. He had just stepped out to take care of something, but there were no major issues at today¡¯s meeting. They had already cleared out a batch of ¡°pests¡± at the base in the past few days, eliminating many security risks, although they hadn¡¯t found the mastermind yet, but a lot of the mastermind¡¯s pawns had been chopped off.


    It would be difficult to completely eradicate them; after all, traitors were never in short supply, whether in the past, present, or future.


    Although the situation remained severe, everyone had relaxed quite a bit over these two days.


    He pushed open the conference room door with a smile, looking at the dozen or so mid-level and higher cadre who, still smiling, looked at them in surprise, and said, ¡°Old Wei, these three kids are here to report some information to you.¡±


    He Xiuyu froze.


    He glanced at He Xuerong¡ªthere was nothing unusual about the child that morning. He had said goodbye as usual when he dropped her off at the kindergarten.


    Also, how did the three of them get out of kindergarten?


    Did the teacher know?


    He Xiuyu ground his teeth, and before he could speak, He Xuerong¡¯s tears started falling plop, plop. When she cried, Li Mingguang and Wang Ji also began tearing up.


    ¡°Grandpa Wei, we are so scared. Did we do something wrong?¡±


    Li Mingguang said this.


    Everyone was confused, but since these were just three kids, they didn¡¯t take it too much to heart, until He Xuerong choked up and said, ¡°Xiao Hu, tell them what you know.¡±


    Commanded, Li Mingguang stepped forward and said crisply, ¡°Grandpa Wei, Uncle He, there¡¯s an Aunt named Chu Ying at the base. Recently she kept asking me about Uncle He¡¯s family situation, but she hasn¡¯t come to see me lately, nor has she given me any candy or pastries...¡±


    The room went silent at once; since the inspection work had just finished, even though there were some achievements, everyone¡¯s nerves were still tense. Hearing this kind of statement was most sensitive.


    Director Lin squinted his eyes, ¡°Xiao Hu, what exactly happened? Take your time and explain.¡±


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu found Huang Ling and took her to the lab to meet Professor Feng.


    Professor Feng did not show the excitement of meeting a dear friend¡¯s daughter, his demeanor remained indifferent. Qiao Qingyu sensed something was wrong and softly said, ¡°Professor Feng, then I¡¯ll leave first. You two can chat slowly...¡±


    Professor Feng looked at Qiao Qingyu, then his tone became gentler, ¡°Don¡¯t forget the homework I assigned.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    So much homework day by day.


    She glanced at Huang Ling, who was hanging her head. Qiao Qingyu thought this was the real reason why Huang Ling had given her the notebook materials.


    Huang Ling had known earlier that her father¡¯s friend was also at the base, but she dared not meet him, probably having done something to make Professor Feng detest her.


    Everyone at the base knew she was Professor Feng¡¯s student, so out of desperation, Huang Ling had approached her.


    It seemed she didn¡¯t need to think too hard; Mr. Zhao and Huang Ling¡¯s marriage could probably be annulled.


    But was all this trouble necessary just to get a divorce, or was there some secret here she was not supposed to know?


    Qiao Qingyu left Professor Feng¡¯s laboratory.


    Professor Feng adjusted his glasses, his voice calm and devoid of emotion, ¡°Huang Ling, I will never forgive your betrayal of your father!¡±


    Huang Ling¡¯s face turned pale in an instant, her hands clenched as she remained silent.


    ¡°But your father only has you as a daughter. I can¡¯t just ignore you, but I¡¯ll only help you this once.¡±


    Huang Ling knelt down, tears streaming down her face, ¡°Uncle Feng, I was wrong...¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Professor Feng asked in a calm tone.


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu stood on the right side of the road; if she was not mistaken, that was He Xiuyu coming from a distance with Rongrong and Xiao Hu.


    Shouldn¡¯t these two kids be in kindergarten right now?


    Even though they are in the higher class, they still have classes.


    He Xiuyu did not expect it to be Qiao Qingyu. From the direction she was coming, he knew she was going to see Professor Feng. His expression darkened, and he said in a low voice, ¡°We¡¯ll talk when we get home.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at the two dejected kids. They must have gotten into trouble.


    After getting home and taking off their outer cotton clothes, He Xuerong deliberately blew on her hands for warmth and constantly stomped her feet. He Xiuyu, speechlessly watching her, noticed the thick mittens that Qiao Qingyu had made for her. The mittens were knitted on the outside with a layer of cotton jacket inside, and on her feet, she still wore suede boots.


    His voice was brusque, ¡°Get out all your sweets.¡±


    He Xuerong suddenly looked up, unable to believe what her uncle just said.


    Covering her heart with her hand, feeling so heartbroken, ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re so cruel and heartless. You¡¯re going to lose your niece.¡±


    But knowing that her uncle was angry, she quickly took off her shoes and climbed up on the kang (a traditional Chinese bed).


    Li Mingguang was sweating profusely.


    Then Qiao Qingyu saw He Xuerong, like a little hamster, pulling out chunks of candy from the corner of the cabinet and even from behind the drawer mirrors.


    Was this He Xuerong?


    What did she overlook?


    During this time, He Xiuyu briefly explained the situation to Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu stared at Li Mingguang, then looked at He Xuerong searching for sweets everywhere with her little body bent. This child was almost cunning, not only sneaking sweets but also setting traps for adults.


    ¡°What was Chu Ying¡¯s reaction?¡±


    ¡°She was so upset by these kids that she cried.¡±


    Li Mingguang suddenly mustered the courage, ¡°She wasn¡¯t crying out of anger. She was crying out of shame, ashamed that she had considered becoming Rongrong¡¯s stepmother.¡±


    He Xuerong, rummaging for candy in the corner, suddenly stood up when she heard this, tears filling her eyes, her voice full of grievance, ¡°I don¡¯t want a real dad or a real mom and not stepdads or stepmoms either. I just want my little uncle and little aunt.¡±


    Hearing this, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart cramped with discomfort, but He Xiuyu remained unmoved, his voice cold, ¡°Continue searching.¡±


    He Xuerong immediately stopped crying, continuing to rummage through the corners for hidden candy.


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    No wonder she could be an actress in the future. Look at those tears, so easily controlled.


    The last bit of sympathy that Qiao Qingyu had vanished, she earnestly asked Li Mingguang, ¡°Xiao Hu, no matter what, you deceived Aunt Chu. Have you and Rongrong apologized to her?¡±


    ¡°We apologized,¡± Xiao Hu whispered softly.


    He Xuerong remained silent. Qiao Qingyu looked at Rongrong in surprise, ¡°Comrade Rongrong, I think there¡¯s still a problem with your thinking. Chu Ying wanting to be your stepmother and you and Li Mingguang deceiving people for treats aren¡¯t the same thing.¡±


    She paused for a moment to compliment, ¡°He Xuerong, to hide so many sweets right under my eyes, you are really something...¡±


    He Xuerong, ¡°...¡±


    That wasn¡¯t a compliment; it was adding fuel to the fire.


    This was the first time she saw both her little uncle and little aunt being stern with her.


    As expected, He Xiuyu frowned, ¡°Are there any more in this room?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no more, little uncle,¡± He Xuerong honestly replied.


    ¡°What about the other rooms?¡± He Xuerong didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Continue searching,¡± He Xiuyu was unsparing, ¡°No sweets for a year.¡±

 Chapter 244 - 244 244 Why Not Just Pick Today

    ?Chapter 244: Chapter 244: Why Not Just Pick Today? Chapter 244: Chapter 244: Why Not Just Pick Today? He Xuerong was quick to act, finding over a pound of fruit, milk, and chocolate candies.


    Qiao Xiangyu truly admired her and unapologetically took all the candies.


    She then sincerely suggested to He Xiuyu, ¡°I think these two children have too little homework; I have a good article here, let them copy it a hundred times.¡±


    He Xuerong, ¡°...¡±


    Li Mingguang, ¡°...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at the two children with a smirk, ¡°Giving you abilities, for sweets and pastries, lying and deceiving, and then playing the victim to escape responsibility.¡±


    He Xiuyu held out a finger, ¡°Go to the study and write it, a hundred times.¡±


    Although Li Mingguang was somewhat disappointed, he couldn¡¯t suppress the sneaky joy on his lips, after all, he and Rongrong were being punished together.


    At that moment, a girl walked into the yard, quite pretty and slender. She stood on the concrete steps, craning her neck to look inside.


    Then she made eye contact with Qiao Qingyu, who was organizing cupboards on the stove.


    Both blinked.


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    Who is this?


    He Xiuyu frowned, ¡°It¡¯s Chu Ying.¡±


    Chu Ying had actually come to plead.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it was my own assumption; it¡¯s not the children¡¯s fault.¡±


    Her voice was a bit strained, but Chu Ying apologized nevertheless.


    Qiao Qingyu quickly poured her some tea, smiling, ¡°Just now I was thinking of finding you to apologize.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also to blame. I¡¯m an adult and still got deceived by kids...¡± finally looking at Qiao Qingyu, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I owe you an apology too.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re apologizing to me for what?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked with a smile.


    Chu Ying awkwardly clasped her hands together, ¡°...I...I couldn¡¯t find you the two times I tried, and I¡¯m not familiar with Chief Engineer He... so I... I wrote a complaint letter accusing you of child abuse...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s smile faded, good, this one is a tattletale too.


    Chu Ying¡¯s cheeks were red, not daring to stay any longer, she put down the paper bag she was holding on the living room table, ¡°This is my apology to the children, I... I¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    Having said that, Chu Ying quickly stood up and headed for the door.


    She left so swiftly that Qiao Qingyu, chasing after her to the front door, almost didn¡¯t catch her, and had to call out loudly, ¡°Chu Ying, your scarf!¡±


    Chu Ying, blushing, turned back and took the scarf from Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand, looking back to normal but more embarrassed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry Comrade Qiao Qingyu, I¡¯ll go to Old Wei right now to admit my mistake and I¡¯ll get that complaint letter back.¡±


    ¡°You definitely did it anonymously,¡± stated Qiao Qingyu assuredly, ¡°If you had put your name on it, Old Wei would have approached you sooner.¡±


    Chu Ying, ¡°...¡±


    Chu Ying, extremely embarrassed, put on her scarf and hurried off to find Old Wei.


    She had to get that letter back.


    And admit her mistake, wailing, kids are the devil!


    As winter arrived, the days grew shorter and darkness fell early, with smoke rising from many household chimneys.


    He Xiuyu had not gone to work that afternoon, supervising the two children in their writing, when suddenly, cries and shouts were heard from the backyard.


    Qiao Qingyu furrowed her brow and suddenly stepped out as she recognized Huang Ling¡¯s cries.


    ¡°...you useless hen, I¡¯m telling you, as long as Granny Zhao is alive, don¡¯t even think about getting a divorce!¡± Granny Zhao chased after Huang Ling with a stick in her hand.


    Although Huang Ling felt embarrassed, she wouldn¡¯t just stand there and take the beating; instead, she ran towards Director Shen¡¯s house, followed by several kids enjoying the spectacle.


    Then, more people, having heard the noise, came outside.


    Qiao Qingyu narrowed her eyes; it looked like Granny Zhao had beaten Huang Ling quite often, judging by how fluid her movements were.


    Now that she had seen it, she couldn¡¯t pretend to ignore it.


    Qiao Qingyu stepped forward and grabbed Old Lady Zhao who unexpectedly blurted out, ¡°You all have been deceived by this wretch; she¡¯s the real beast! If I hadn¡¯t taken her in, she wouldn¡¯t even have a place to beg now, do you know how her father died? He was so infuriated by her that he jumped off a building...¡±


    Professor Feng had told Qiao Qingyu about this; indeed, he had jumped off a building.


    ¡°Granny Zhao, even so, it¡¯s better to part amicably. But this way of chasing and cursing at her is too much,¡± Qiao Qingyu said, displeased.


    Several women, none of them old, in their thirties, crowded forward. Being daughters-in-law themselves, they naturally disapproved of the old lady¡¯s behavior and echoed in agreement.


    Granny Zhao wanted to lash out, but she was intimidated by Qiao Qingyu.


    Then she saw He Xiuyu, standing silently not far away, looking in their direction. She clenched her teeth in anger, holding back her rage, and turned to walk toward her own house.


    Qiao Qingyu then saw Shen Fen leading a disheveled, furious Huang Ling over.


    Shen Fen, seeing the crowd of about a dozen people, frowned and said, ¡°Go home and cook, everyone. The affairs of a husband and wife, the more outsiders get involved, the more complicated it becomes.¡±


    Everyone knew this was true, including Qiao Qingyu, who then left as well.


    At dinner time, Qiao Qingyu saw Professor Feng and Mr. Zhao entering the family compound together.


    Naturally, they were heading toward the Zhao family¡¯s house.


    Mr. Zhao was hanging his head, looking quite despondent. This was the first time Qiao Qingyu had seen him since his wife, Huang Liangling, had asked for a divorce.


    He clearly did not want to divorce.


    But Qiao Qingyu had already learned of their conflicts from Shen Fen, so she had no sympathy for Mr. Zhao at all. Even if the liberation had elevated women¡¯s status, the inherent flaws remained in men.


    So, feeling impulsive, Qiao Qingyu asked He Xiuyu, ¡°If I can¡¯t have children, would you find another woman to have them and then keep both wives at home?¡±


    He Xiuyu was slicing radishes, and her words nearly made him cut his hand. He gave her a complicated look and said in a low voice, ¡°Comrade Xiao Qiao, you need to give me a chance to answer your question.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stepped forward, placing her hand on his waist.


    He Xiuyu had a good physique, broad shoulders and a slim waist, and he felt good to the touch. She half-jokingly said, ¡°Why not take a chance today?¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s body stiffened, ¡°...¡±


    His look was inscrutable as he stared at Qiao Qingyu, knowing she would not let him have his way.


    Sure enough, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s smile faded, ¡°Just focus on slicing the radishes. I¡¯ll make a cold dish for dinner.¡±


    Couldn¡¯t she give him some hope?


    However, it seemed that Qiao Qingyu liked being physically close to him quite a bit lately. He Xiuyu smirked slightly and bowed his head to continue cutting the radish strips.


    After flirting, Qiao Qingyu stood at the door of the study, watching with a somewhat amused look at the sullen faces of He Xuerong and Li Mingguang.


    Initially, these two children were quite excited, thinking that writing a hundred little texts wasn¡¯t anything extraordinary, especially since He Xiuyu had made them do a lot of homework every day.


    But never had they been required to write a hundred pieces.


    Is a hundred pieces a lot?

 Chapter 245 - 245 245 Now Ruined by Two Women

    ?Chapter 245: Chapter 245: Now Ruined by Two Women Chapter 245: Chapter 245: Now Ruined by Two Women It didn¡¯t seem like much, a short text of less than a hundred words.


    But if one had to write it a hundred times, it no longer was a simple matter.


    He Xuerong saw Qiao Qingyu enter, her face displaying a plea for help as she pitifully whined with her wrist in hand, ¡°Little aunt, my wrist really hurts.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu walked in as the two children fixed their gazes on her without blinking.


    In a gentle and soft voice, Qiao Qingyu asked, ¡°How many times have you written it?¡±


    Li Mingguang hastily flipped open his notebook, and indeed he checked one by one. Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t in a hurry at all; this was something where she couldn¡¯t afford to be soft-hearted.


    The children had to count for themselves to truly feel it.


    Qiao Qingyu curved the corner of her lips; these children, though crafty and sharp, were still too naive.


    Did they think writing a hundred times was as simple as counting from one to a hundred?


    Otherwise, it would only get harder the more they wrote.


    Li Mingguang felt he had counted wrong. A single squared page could count as one repetition, he counted again, and it was only eighteen.


    Both children were already capable of addition and subtraction within a hundred.


    Li Mingguang¡¯s gaze fell on his notebook, only to realize he still had to write eighty-two more pages.


    He looked at Qiao Qingyu in disbelief.


    He Xuerong and Li Mingguang were making the same progress.


    But she just realized, forbidding sweets for a year was the lightest punishment. Her little aunt was the most ruthless, ¡°Little aunt, can we just write it twenty times instead?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Qiao Qingyu¡¯s tone was gentle, but her voice carried firmness, ¡°If it¡¯s set for a hundred times, it will be a hundred times.¡±


    Then she added, ¡°Continue writing after dinner!¡±


    He Xuerong jumped down from the stool, grabbed Qiao Qingyu as she was about to leave the study, her face teary, ¡°Little aunt, I was wrong. I should have stopped Xiao Hu when he lied. I shouldn¡¯t have suggested cheating for sweets or tattling, but Xiao Hu was implicated by me, please don¡¯t punish him, okay?¡±


    It must be said, He Xuerong was quite responsible.


    Xiao Hu holding the pencil hastily stood with He Xuerong, crying out, ¡°It¡¯s my fault, I should never have lied from the start. I shouldn¡¯t have disgraced Aunt Qiao...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu felt angry whenever this issue was mentioned; in Chu Ying¡¯s eyes, what had she become.


    Otherwise, Chu Ying wouldn¡¯t have written an accusatory letter.


    But then again, if she hadn¡¯t remained anonymous, would there have been so many consequences?


    ¡°Do you truly realize your mistakes?¡±


    Both children nodded earnestly, ¡°We realize it, we really do.¡±


    A hundred repetitions, only now understanding how dreadful it was.


    Moreover, they indeed had made mistakes.


    Both children looked at Qiao Qingyu with hopeful, pitiful eyes.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled; their eyes instantly lit up, only to be taken aback as Qiao Qingyu emphatically stated, ¡°Continue writing, and if there are any mistakes, you¡¯ll write an additional one.¡±


    He Xuerong¡¯s audacity was growing; at the base, she was the unrivalled children¡¯s leader. Despite her young age and being a girl, even boys aged seven or eight listened to her due to her cunning tricks and unique standing. Their parents, probably, had instructed them behind the scenes to cajole He Xuerong to avoid her wrath...


    Previously unnoticed, now that she was become aware, she certainly had to do something.


    And Li Mingguang, in the story, the adult version of Li Mingguang had no moral baseline except for not harming women. He was capable of every other despicable deed.


    In this life, Xiao Hu¡¯s family was happy, and the duped Li Zhiqiang treasured everything he had.


    Yet even so, Li Mingguang¡¯s lies came easily.


    He had no regard for Aunt Qiao, whom he always claimed to love the most.


    He Xiuyu had already disciplined him, so for her to bring it up again would be pointless.


    Though deep down, there was still some disappointment towards the two children.


    After Qiao Qingyu finished speaking, she turned and left without mercy.


    He Xiuyu and Li Mingguang noticed that Qiao Qingyu seemed different from usual, and it truly frightened them.


    If the previous tears were an act, then the tears now were real.


    ...


    The next day, He Xiuyu went to work and asked for leave for Xiao Hu and Rongrong, as they still had thirty papers to complete.


    Towards the end, Qiao Qingyu would let them move around a bit. It wouldn¡¯t be worth it if the punishment was to exhaust the children.


    As for the rest, it would have to come slowly.


    He Xiuyu had already learned about the complaint letter yesterday, and he wanted to see how Old Wei would handle it.


    Fortunately, there was no objection.


    Criticizing in large meetings, writing reflections, deducting salaries, and observing subsequent work performance¡ªif they still acted impulsively and recklessly, then they really weren¡¯t suitable to be here.


    He Xiuyu also suggested that all staff should study their writings after work to improve their moral thinking. Otherwise, everyone might truly start to think of themselves as exceptionally privileged.


    ...


    Mr. Zhao and Huang Ling divorced; it went smoothly with the help of Professor Feng, and Huang Ling moved into a single dormitory.


    In less than half a month, Mr. Zhao, who once swore never to divorce, got married to his distant cousin Tian Li.


    The Zhao Family didn¡¯t say anything; it was Tian Li who went around telling the news.


    So, what Huang Ling said back then was true. How could Mr. Zhao marry Tian Li if it were not true?


    But what about Huang Ling?


    She¡¯s not worthy of sympathy either.


    But deep down, Zhao Gangfeng hated it to the core. He hadn¡¯t wanted to divorce Huang Ling or marry Tian Li. Even if he was divorced, he wouldn¡¯t marry Tian Li.


    Tian Li looked so pitiful initially, vowing she¡¯d help to have children, and he, in a moment of folly, had agreed. But he never expected the always gentle Huang Ling to completely disregard their marital bond and blow this matter up.


    He had even promised not to touch Tian Li.


    But Huang Ling still divorced him, and then, taking advantage of him being drunk, Tian Li slept with him and later threatened him that she would accuse him of molestation if he didn¡¯t marry her.


    He had no choice but to agree.


    Even though he was thirty-five, he was still considered a young cadre at the base, with a promising future, which now was ruined by these two women.


    Oh yes, and his always instigating mother!


    He truly hated everything!


    ...


    The last of the medicinal herbs from the Qiao Family Team were also purchased by a traditional medicine factory in the provincial city, including corn silk, and it was all cash on delivery.


    Aside from some grains being not full, the maize from the five hundred acres experimental fields was all taken away by the seed station of the county.


    Of course, they didn¡¯t take it away for free, they paid for it, and whoever wants to plant next year has to buy the seeds, which is also fair.


    After all, it was grown by the Qiao Family Team, and maize is a major crop in the north anyway.


    Qiao Family Team saved two thousand acres of maize seeds, planning for planting next year.


    After discussing with the community leaders, Qiao Zhiyuan distributed the money from the sale of the medicinal herbs to the members in advance.


    Some families received over ninety yuan, even those with less labor managed to get thirty yuan.


    Although it wasn¡¯t a lot of money, they would receive most of it before the Spring Festival.


    This brought hope into their lives again, and with hope, people felt better. When people are in a good mood, they often think about those who enabled them to live such good lives.


    Therefore, many went to Qiao Zhicai¡¯s house, not bringing much, just a few ears of corn, a bunch of dried potatoes, a bundle of starch noodles, and even some black fungus and mushrooms picked from the mountains...


    These were all gestures of gratitude, this was the first time Qiao Zhicai had received such treatment. Walking through the village, he felt different from before.

 Chapter 246 - 246 246 I Found Out Your

    ?Chapter 246: Chapter 246 I Found Out Your...... Chapter 246: Chapter 246 I Found Out Your...... Then, the three greenhouses of Qiao Family were essentially completed.


    They also chose to cultivate seedlings within the greenhouses.


    The greenhouses employed the ¡°Earth Fire Dragon¡± heating system, and now that the temperature was not too low, they only needed to burn it for a while to cool it down, and during the day, the sunshine made the inside of the greenhouses warm and cozy.


    The vegetables planted were common northern varieties such as cucumbers and tomatoes, as well as little Chinese cabbages and radishes intended for dipping in sauce.


    It was their first year with little experience and purely explorative, but thankfully, the vegetable seeds were of high quality, the soil was fertile, and the agricultural station was very supportive. Quite a few people were already tempted. As long as the Qiao Family made money this year, they would follow suit.


    All this was conveyed to Qiao Qingyu by Qiao Zhicai over the phone.


    Then Qiao Qingyu also learned that Qiao Zhicai and Qiao Shengbao had managed to make hundreds of handcrafted corn husk items.


    They had also woven a number of items from wheat straw.


    Qiao Zhicai thought about not troubling his daughter with this, planning to take these items to the county market to see if anyone would buy them.


    Luckily, he discussed it with Qiao Qingyu first, who was firmly against it, because the craftsmanship involved was not complex, and anyone skillful could figure out how they were made at a glance, leading to potential over-saturation in the market even before they truly made their debut.


    Qiao Zhicai was relieved he had taken his daughter¡¯s advice, glad that he hadn¡¯t let other villagers see them making the items and also that he had shared his thoughts with his daughter.


    Qiao Qingyu felt that she really needed to find time to go to Nangang City.


    ...


    This lesson had hit home hard, and He Xiuyu took time out to give them quite a bit of homework, preparing to send both children to first grade next year.


    It just so happened that the base school would be completed next year as well.


    It was said that the base school had already started recruiting teachers.


    Shen Fen originally wanted Qiao Qingyu to go to the office, but since she had established the Breeding Laboratory, that plan was dropped. Now, the office had two more employees, but Zhu Mingli had not returned; Sun Aizhi said that Zhu Mingli was planning to take part in the teacher recruitment exams next year.


    To be honest, Zhu Mingli¡¯s level of education was totally capable of teaching primary school and could even manage first year of junior high.


    Up till now, Zhu Mingli¡¯s mother would snort through her nose and walk away with her head held high if she saw Qiao Qingyu in the courtyard¡ªthe pride of an intellectual.


    However, Qiao Qingyu did not have a good impression of Zhu Mingli¡¯s mother. Even though she had put Zhu Mingli in her place, it was Zhu Mingli who had provoked her first. If Zhu Mingli¡¯s mother had had sense, shouldn¡¯t she have apologized?


    It was understandable to be protective, but not to the point of being unable to distinguish right from wrong, right?


    Qiao Qingyu voiced her dissatisfaction to He Xiuyu.


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu¡¯s unresolved displeasure, He Xiuyu immediately set down his pen and said in a gentle voice, ¡°The recruitment of teachers at the base is very rigorous this time, and all aspects are taken into consideration, if she really has an issue, she won¡¯t be hired.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just afraid of some underhanded dealings.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. These matters were not his concern, as Old Wei was handling them, but recently the base had been focusing on moral and character education, with Old Wei leading the charge, and he trusted Old Wei in this area.


    ¡°Even with recruitment, there¡¯s still a year of probation. Teaching and educating is not so simple, Old Wei won¡¯t be confused about that.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled and sat beside He Xiuyu, raising a smiling face, ¡°I was just speaking casually. After all, I¡¯m just an external staff member; how could I influence your work.¡±


    ¡°You could influence my work,¡± He Xiuyu replied with a downward glance toward Qiao Qingyu, teasing, ¡°For instance, by whispering sweet nothings.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes widened, and she reached out to pinch the soft flesh at He Xiuyu¡¯s waist.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare whisper sweet nothings; how could someone as meticulous and serious as you ever listen to me.¡±


    ¡°You could try, how would you know without trying?¡± He Xiuyu said, his voice laced with laughter, as he gripped the hand that was making mischief at his waist, his voice husky, ¡°Comrade Xiao Qiao, I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯re quite interested in my waist.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was indeed interested not only in his waist but also in his physique¡ªespecially his long legs. It wasn¡¯t that she was being coy or shy; she was just worried about getting pregnant. She had just turned eighteen and didn¡¯t want to have children so early.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand was held by He Xiuyu, feeling somewhat hot in his grasp.


    Just as she wanted to say something, there came the sound of footsteps pitter-pattering from the living room.


    Qiao Qingyu quickly struggled to free her hand from He Xiuyu¡¯s grip, and by that time, He Xuerong was already standing at the door, rubbing her eyes and asking softly, ¡°Little aunt, why aren¡¯t you sleeping yet?¡±


    These days, He Xuerong was particularly clingy to her. Qiao Qingyu knew this child was extremely sensitive, probably sensing a slight disappointment in her, so she seized every opportunity to apologize to Qiao Qingyu, which made Qiao Qingyu herself feel embarrassed.


    Then the result was that even if she coaxed the child to sleep, as soon as Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu spent a while alone in the study, the kid would get up to look for her.


    He Xiuyu frowned, watching Qiao Qingyu take He Xuerong to sleep. He thought that after the Spring Festival, He Xuerong could move into her own bedroom.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s own bedroom now also had a smaller heated kang set up, big enough for two people. Although it was somewhat warmer here than in North City, it still was quite cold.


    Without installed radiators, they basically had to rely on heating from the kang.


    He Xiuyu returned to his bedroom. He had come back late that day, and it was Qiao Qingyu who had heated the kang for him. Slipping his hand under the blanket, he felt the warmth. Lying down in bed, he placed his arms behind his head, taking a comfortable breath, listening as Qiao Qingyu and He Xuerong seemed to be whispering about something, and then the bedroom light was turned off.


    He pondered for a moment, his mind revisiting the call Mr. Qi from the headquarters had made to him.


    Wu Xiujie was ready to invest two million dollars in the Tenghai Base. If viable, he would follow up with additional investments, but he wanted a share in the ownership.


    Although Tenghai Research Base seemed like a calf at birth, its potential for growth was infinite. Others might not know, but He Xiuyu was crystal clear about it.


    Such joint ventures could end up losing their identity in the end.


    It could indeed turn out to be making a bridal gown for someone else.


    Naturally, He Xiuyu would not allow that issue to arise at the Tenghai Research Base¡ªunless he was no longer in charge of the work here.


    He welcomed investments, but it depended on how they were made.


    He Xiuyu slowly closed his eyes, feeling their vulnerability, understanding that some would use robust capital to test your endurance.


    At present, they were indeed in a very difficult stage. The several scientific research projects they had on their hands were not straightforward, involving not just design but actual building, iteration upon iteration of testing. Frankly, he thought of the research base as a gold-devouring beast.


    So, he was also considering whether to separate the Light Industry Workshop from the research base first. Of course, this separation did not mean it would no longer belong to the research base, but rather that it would have separate accounting in some aspects, implying the Light Industry Workshop could serve clients outside the base.


    The plan was feasible.

 Chapter 247 - 247 247 Are You That Happy to Go Out with Me

    ?Chapter 247: Chapter 247: Are You That Happy to Go Out with Me? Chapter 247: Chapter 247: Are You That Happy to Go Out with Me? He Xiuyu couldn¡¯t lie still any longer. He turned over and sat up, the air in the room was still a bit chilly, but he only draped a coat over himself and went to the study again.


    He Xiuyu turned on a desk lamp and began to write furiously with pen and paper.


    Qiao Qingyu was sleeping soundly on the warm heated brick bed.


    ...


    Wu Xiucai¡¯s problems in the United States had basically been resolved, and the items he had hidden were safely transferred to Huaxia.


    However, Wu Tai¡¯s wife and son did not want to come back.


    So, only Wu Xiucai returned to Yun City with Wu Tai.


    After all, this was their hometown, it was from the port of Yun City that they had left Huaxia, so it was fitting that they return here.


    ...


    Xichuan had received a heavy snowfall, and He Xiuyu had stayed in the laboratory for three days before returning home after the snow had stopped.


    The first thing he did when he got home was to start cleaning the courtyard, sweeping the entrance.


    Qiao Qingyu had only cleared a small path, while He Xiuyu had cleared everything that needed to be cleaned, piling the snow at the base of the sea buckthorn bushes.


    He Xuerong, dressed warmly, followed He Xiuyu with a small shovel and kept busy.


    Qiao Qingyu stood at the door, calling the two in for a meal.


    This year was no different from the last; their diet was still mostly coarse grains. However, they had plenty of radishes and dry vegetables. Since there was no proper place to store the pumpkins, Qiao Qingyu had decided to turn them all into dried pumpkins.


    At that moment, Qiao Qingyu quite envied the base canteen¡¯s warm cellar.


    She steamed buns made from a mix of corn and wheat flour.


    She made a radish and potato soup.


    Together with two pickled dishes that Sister-in-law Li had brought over, the three of them, two adults and one child, finished everything except some buns.


    During the meal, Qiao Qingyu felt like He Xiuyu seemed to have something on his mind, and sure enough, once Rongrong had fallen asleep, he quietly said to Qiao Qingyu, who was sitting on the bed reading a book, ¡°Come to my bedroom, I want to talk to you about something.¡±


    His voice was very soft, afraid of waking the child. Qiao Qingyu looked up at him with some wariness, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just say it here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not something that can be explained in just a moment.¡±


    He Xiuyu was very serious, just like when he talked to her about work.


    Qiao Qingyu dropped her guarded attitude, set aside her book, put on her cotton coat, and followed He Xiuyu to his bedroom¡ªthere was no choice, apart from the bed, everywhere else was cold.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t even know how she had managed to persevere.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s small heated bed was quite warm. He pulled back the blanket, tucked Qiao Qingyu inside it, and then climbed in himself. Before Qiao Qingyu could ask what it was about, he picked up a paper bag from the bedside and handed the contents to her.


    Qiao Qingyu was startled for a moment. She recognized the object, all too familiar¡ªit was her mother¡¯s knotted bracelet, wasn¡¯t it?


    So the question arose, how did it end up in He Xiuyu¡¯s hands?


    Qiao Qingyu snatched the string over, turning it over and inspecting it carefully. It was exactly like the one in her memory, no mistake about it.


    ¡°How did you come by this? This is my mom¡¯s knotted bracelet.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± He Xiuyu¡¯s expression was serious.


    Qiao Qingyu nodded without hesitation, ¡°Certain!¡±


    ¡°I just happened to see it when I went to Xichuan for a meeting yesterday. Weren¡¯t you asking me about the knotted bracelet? I took it to heart, and sure enough, after asking, I found out that the knotted bracelet indeed came from the trash can in Wu Xiujie¡¯s room.¡±


    At this moment, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t have time to wonder why the contents of the trash can in Wu Xiujie¡¯s room were being sifted through. Her mind was occupied by the knotted bracelet¡ªit turned out to be in Wu Xiujie¡¯s possession. But why had he thrown it away?


    An unbelievable thought suddenly struck her, and Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°He Xiuyu, are you saying that Wu Xiujie did a paternity test by some means, then found out that my mother was not Mr. Wu Xiucai¡¯s biological daughter, and that¡¯s why he wanted to throw this thing away?¡±


    He Xiuyu nodded, took Qiao Qingyu¡¯s cold hand into his, and spoke in a low voice, ¡°Just listen to what I¡¯m about to say.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu hummed in agreement, realizing that many things she was unaware of were quietly happening.


    ¡°... Wu Xiujie is planning to invest two million dollars in the research base. He applied for and established a biological science laboratory, located in Xichuan. It¡¯s very likely he has an underground laboratory in one of his properties in Beijing...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression remained calm, ¡°So, he threw away the knotted bracelet because he already knew that my mother was not Mr. Wu Xiucai¡¯s biological daughter.¡±


    He Xiuyu smiled, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you surprised?¡±


    ¡°Why should I be surprised? I think this outcome is for the best.¡±


    He Xiuyu said softly, ¡°He may no longer be focusing on you. However, Wu Xiucai has returned to the country. He¡¯s been very low-key this time. But precisely because he is low-key, his return to Huaxia is all the more significant¡ªhe¡¯s preparing to come to Xichuan to see you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu pointed at herself disbelievingly, ¡°Really, to see me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve already spoken with headquarters, and I agreed.¡±


    ¡°But he should be going to the Qiao Family Team to see my mother, right? You¡¯d think that would be the normal train of thought.¡±


    He Xiuyu sighed deeply, a slight furrow in his brow, his expression not very good. What exactly did these two old men want to do? It already seemed as if there were no connections left, yet why were they both turning their attention to the Tenghai Research Base as well as to him and Qiao Qingyu?


    He did not want Qiao Qingyu to get caught up in the whirlpool of trouble.


    Wu Xiujie was far too complicated and cunning. By now, he had already bought the support of some people.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, just keep what I¡¯ve told you in mind,¡± He Xiuyu instructed.


    Qiao Qingyu obediently nodded.


    Of course, she knew He Xiuyu had already shared a lot of information with her.


    Since He Xiuyu told her, it meant it was within the safety margin, but she couldn¡¯t possibly tell anyone else. Qiao Qingyu placed the knotted bracelet in a paper bag. She naturally wouldn¡¯t question why things from a hotel trash can would be investigated.


    Since she was already here, it was just the time to have a chat with He Xiuyu, ¡°I¡¯m planning to go to Nangang City in a few days. My father and Brother Shengbao have already made many handicrafts.¡±


    He Xiuyu pondered for a moment, ¡°Wait for me. I have to take a trip to Nangang City as well.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was somewhat surprised.


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s true.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s development plan report for the Light Industry Workshop had been approved, and he intended to visit Nangang City personally.


    The thought of going with Qiao Qingyu softened him completely, his lips curled with a smile.


    Looking at Qiao Qingyu¡¯s bright eyes, he leaned in close, his gaze focused, and his voice gentle, ¡°Are you this happy to go on a trip with me?¡±


    For some reason, Qiao Qingyu suddenly felt an inexplicable surge of emotion rising from the bottom of her heart.


    That surge rose from the very tips of her heart and quickly spread throughout her body.

 Chapter 248 - 248 248 Really Delicious

    ?Chapter 248: Chapter 248 Really Delicious Chapter 248: Chapter 248 Really Delicious Qiao Qingyu stretched out her hand to grab He Xiuyu¡¯s collar and pulled him towards herself, her usually crisp voice slightly hoarse, her eyes shining with a different kind of luster, ¡°Mm, happy.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s eyes darkened, perhaps in some areas, men truly could be self-taught.


    Moreover, he wasn¡¯t about to give Qiao Qingyu any chance to hesitate!


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu had a dream last night, where she dreamed of herself turning into a green radish, peeled and chopped into pieces by He Xiuyu, who then stewed her into a soup, and the He Xiuyu in her dream said¡ª ¡°You¡¯re really tasty.¡±


    The dream scared Qiao Qingyu awake.


    In He Xiuyu¡¯s arms, she then saw a large, handsome face intently watching her.


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu wake up and impatient to speak, He Xiuyu lowered his head and once again they were locked in a passionate embrace.


    Half-asleep and half-awake, the alarm clock rang, and the sky was faintly brightening.


    A new day had begun.


    Unexpectedly, it had started to snow heavily outside.


    They say good snow promises a good harvest.


    It seemed like this year would be a bountiful one.


    He Xiuyu had great stamina, and upon waking up went for a run in the morning, returned home to sweep the yard and make breakfast, and by the time he went out with Rongrong, Qiao Qingyu was still sleeping, dazed and confused.


    She was very tired, her entire body aching.


    Worried, He Xiuyu sent Rongrong off and returned home, heated up a large basin of hot water for Qiao Qingyu, woke her up, and tended to her while she washed and ate her breakfast.


    Qiao Qingyu was shy, truly, no matter how thick-skinned she was, she felt bashful at this moment, especially with just the two of them at home.


    So they say, this is the punishment for acting on impulse.


    She urged He Xiuyu, ¡°Go to work, I¡¯ll sleep a bit more.¡±


    She was indeed sleepy, and yawned while she spoke.


    ¡°Mm, I¡¯ll come back early tonight,¡± He Xiuyu said softly.


    Lifting her eyelids, Qiao Qingyu uttered a faint sound of affirmation and then closed her eyes and fell back asleep.


    He Xiuyu tiptoed around to tidy up before heading off to work.


    Shen Haoze watched He Xiuyu with a suspicious gaze all morning.


    At lunch, without waiting to ask anything, the man had disappeared.


    After much questioning, they found out He Xiuyu went to the cafeteria to get food and headed back home.


    Ah, he went home!


    Only then did Shen Haoze realize the exceedingly good mood He Xiuyu was in.


    His eyes and brows carried a spring-like warmth, his steps light, occasionally spacing out, and then, while walking to the laboratory, he even whistled a tune.


    It was the first time he had seen him so joyful.


    Could it be...


    No way!


    Shen Haoze felt like he had grasped at some kind of truth.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Qingyu eating her meal found it unbelievable yet somewhat annoyed, looking at He Xiuyu sitting opposite her and eating, she said in a mocking tone, ¡°Wow, just after one night, the service has improved, and you even know to get me food from the cafeteria. This is my first time eating your cafeteria¡¯s food.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s handsome face blushed slightly as he said in a low voice, ¡°Talk properly.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it just after one night?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu raised an eyebrow and asked him.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s eyes subtly dimmed, and without making a sound, he mouthed four words.


    Qiao Qingyu got it in a second and nearly flipped her bowl onto He Xiuyu¡¯s head.


    When it came to flirting, she was no match for He Xiuyu.


    He Xiuyu saw that Qiao Qingyu had calmed down and then tenderly said, ¡°I was worried about you sleeping all day without eating, and besides, is the food in the cafeteria good?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu replied, ¡°The communal meal is delicious.¡±


    It was a fresh experience the first time.


    ¡°Since I was ten years old, the meal I¡¯ve eaten the most is the cafeteria¡¯s communal meal, I never found it tasty, but you seem to have a good appetite.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu had just made a casual remark.


    Yet, when she heard He Xiuyu say this, thinking of his experiences, she indeed felt a twinge of heartache, ¡°I¡¯ll make you something delicious tonight.¡±


    He Xiuyu hadn¡¯t expected this bonus, and of course, he wasn¡¯t vulgar enough to say he only wanted to eat her, but his eyes conveyed that message.


    ...


    When it was time to go back to work in the afternoon, Shen Haoze went to knock on He Xiuyu¡¯s office door.


    Unexpectedly, the guy wasn¡¯t in the office, and Shen Haoze had no idea where he had gone, which was quite disappointing.


    He had no other intention; he just wanted to verify if his thoughts were accurate.


    But then, he ran into Su Yunyao outside.


    These days, he had been avoiding her because he didn¡¯t know how to face her.


    In his heart, Su Yunyao was clever, stunning, and generous, a girl who dared to love and hate. Maybe she had this or that little flaw, but morally, she shouldn¡¯t have any blemishes.


    Yet she had hit Shen Haoze¡¯s biggest taboo.


    So it wasn¡¯t that Shen Haoze found Su Yunyao annoying; he just found himself revolting.


    He detested how his so-called love could vanish in an instant, and he scorned himself for the man who swore to wait for Su Yunyao to change her mind, to wait for her to give up on He Xiuyu.


    Sadly, he had stopped liking her even before she had a change of heart.


    Thus, the current Shen Haoze was quite conflicted.


    When Su Yunyao saw Shen Haoze turn to leave, she, irritated, arched an eyebrow, quickened her steps, and caught up with Shen Haoze, her voice carrying a chill, ¡°We work at the same place, where could you possibly hide from me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hiding from you, why would I?¡±


    ¡°Then why do you turn away whenever you see me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I was going somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°Forget it, Shen Haoze, we grew up together since we were kids. Don¡¯t I know what kind of person you are?¡±


    Shen Haoze stopped, his expression returning to calm, and he looked deeply into Su Yunyao¡¯s eyes, asking indifferently, ¡°Then tell me, what kind of person am I?¡±


    A sneer played at the corner of Su Yunyao¡¯s lips, but her mind drifted to the events of her past life, where in the autumn of that year, Shen Haoze had left the world due to a lab explosion.


    He had died trying to save He Xiuyu.


    She had never understood why he did that.


    Was the bond of brotherhood really so significant, significant enough to outweigh his own life?


    That¡¯s why for a long time, she had revered Shen Haoze.


    And in this lifetime, she still felt the same.


    But ever since her plagiarism was publicly apologized for, Shen Haoze changed suddenly, and now Su Yunyao finally realized that Shen Haoze was indeed a person with moral fastidiousness.


    ¡°Shen Haoze, you¡¯re good in so many ways, but it¡¯s a pity that there¡¯s one thing that makes you quite disagreeable.¡±


    Shen Haoze didn¡¯t know what about him was disagreeable, and he quietly waited for her to continue.


    But Su Yunyao suddenly lost interest in saying anything more; she didn¡¯t want to speak further. After all, she had always just thought of Shen Haoze as the brother next door she grew up with, and actually, that was really quite nice.


    Su Yunyao smiled, lifted her head, and turned to leave.


    Yet, deep down, she still felt uncomfortable.


    Shen Haoze stood still in the same spot for a long time, fine snowflakes settling on him. Some melted quickly, while others landed on the ground.


    He thought that next year the base would probably become a different place altogether.


    ...


    Indeed, He Xiuyu finished work very early in the evening and also brought Rongrong back with him.

 Chapter 249 - 249 249 He Took the Initiative to Pull Her In

    ?Chapter 249: Chapter 249 He Took the Initiative to Pull Her In Chapter 249: Chapter 249 He Took the Initiative to Pull Her In Qiao Qingyu had regained her energy and was busy cooking in the kitchen when He Xiuyu helped He Xuerong take off her coat and put on a cotton vest to wear at home, telling her to go read comics on the kang.


    He Xiuyu then went to the kitchen and hugged Qiao Qingyu from behind, affectionately kissing the corner of her mouth and asking with concern, ¡°Feeling better now?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu rolled her eyes, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    He Xiuyu laughed, whispering, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go to my bedroom and warm up the kang.¡±


    After saying that, He Xiuyu left the kitchen and went outside to fetch the cornstalks he had chopped into sections.


    In Xichuan, there are no forests, thus no wood to burn. It was remarkable to even gather a few bags of leaves in the fall.


    The usual fuel was cornstalks and the roots beneath.


    And then there was coal.


    Unexpectedly, just as he lit the fire, smoke began billowing from the room where He Xiuyu stayed, startling Qiao Qingyu. She put down the basin she was holding and hurried to He Xiuyu¡¯s room.


    Rongrong also hurriedly put on her shoes and ran over.


    Casually, He Xiuyu brought in a basin of snow from outside and poured it all into the stove pit.


    This bedroom wasn¡¯t connected to the kitchen and had its own flue. He Xiuyu opened the window, letting the smoke in the room disperse, but when cold air swept in, he said to the two, ¡°You two better go out, it¡¯s smoky.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t leave but asked worriedly, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why is there smoke?¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s brow furrowed, ¡°I¡¯m not sure, it was fine yesterday, maybe the chimney is blocked.¡±


    ¡°Can you still make a fire if the chimney is blocked?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked.


    He Xiuyu shook his head, ¡°Definitely not.¡±


    He Xuerong became anxious, understanding the simple logic that if they couldn¡¯t heat the kang, it would remain cold, she stepped forward and grabbed He Xiuyu¡¯s hand, ¡°Uncle, then you should stay with us tonight.¡±


    Before Qiao Qingyu could speak, He Xiuyu, smiling, agreed, ¡°Okay!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked suspiciously at He Xiuyu and then glanced at the now-extinguished stove pit. But she didn¡¯t understand these things and didn¡¯t overthink it, pointing to things on the floor, ¡°Then you better tidy up quickly, make sure there are no sparks, safety is most important.¡±


    He Xiuyu quickly agreed, a fleeting smile passing across his eyes.


    So, after Rongrong fell asleep,


    He Xiuyu, who was sleeping on the outermost side, pulled Qiao Qingyu into his own quilt.


    He even shamelessly said that this time, it wasn¡¯t her crawling into his quilt, but him pulling her in.


    Embarrassed, Qiao Qingyu pinched the soft flesh on his waist fiercely.


    Thus, it could be said He Xiuyu was in pain yet delighted.


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu had already told Fang Xiaomei about Chen Sheng¡¯s situation, but she hadn¡¯t expected that Fang Xiaomei was still seeing him secretly.


    If she hadn¡¯t seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn¡¯t have believed it.


    Fang Xiaomei was visibly guilty, and Chen Sheng, embarrassed, glanced at Qiao Qingyu, nodded with a smile, and then turned and left.


    Qiao Qingyu grabbed Fang Xiaomei, ¡°I told you, after breaking up with you, he dated two other people. He despised the second one for her poor family background. He despised the third one because she had many younger siblings. Then he came back to you, can you trust such character?¡±


    Fang Xiaomei hung her head and said nothing.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t want to say much anymore, relationship matters are hard to define clearly.


    But she still wanted to ask, ¡°Xiao Mei, tell me the truth. Have you not forgotten about him even after breaking up?¡±


    Fang Xiaomei¡¯s head dropped even more.


    So Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t even need to ask to know the answer.


    This silly girl had never forgotten Chen Sheng. So when Chen Sheng came back to her, she only held out for a few days before agreeing immediately.


    And Fang Xiaomei¡¯s family was quite satisfied with Chen Sheng.


    Both of Chen Sheng¡¯s parents were cadres, still in the county town. He was their only son, with two older sisters who were already married off well.


    Not to mention, Chen Sheng¡¯s job was good too, he was with the Tenghai Base¡¯s small vehicle team, clearly dealing with big leaders.


    So, it was tacitly approved¡ªthe parents¡¯ tacit approval also helped Fang Xiaomei agree to get back together with Chen Sheng.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t entertain conspiracies¡ªafter all, Chen Sheng was indeed in a better position than Fang Xiaomei, and his job was not bad. There was no need for him to use Fang Xiaomei to curry favor with her, and by extension, He Xiuyu.


    This matter really didn¡¯t need to be considered from that angle.


    He Xiuyu had a good impression of Chen Sheng, said he was a good driver, and his repair skills were not bad; once their car broke down in the vast Gobi, and Chen Sheng managed to get the broken car restarted in just one hour.


    So, this was a technical talent, just had quite a few relationships. But now, legally, there¡¯s no law against having relationships, nor a rule saying you can only have one.


    Qiao Qingyu patted Fang Xiaomei¡¯s shoulder and changed her tone, ¡°Since you like him, just get along well, but make sure to protect yourself. Don¡¯t let him succeed before you get a marriage certificate.¡±


    Fang Xiaomei was not silent anymore, immediately raised her head with her cheeks blushing, shyly said, ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was very serious, ¡°Xiao Mei, you are half a year older than me. To say we are like close sisters might be an exaggeration, but what I said just now was not a joke.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve got it, I¡¯m not stupid, how could I go with him without a marriage certificate and a banquet?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu breathed a sigh of relief. Then she changed the topic, ¡°Come on, take me to see those greenhouses.¡±


    She had also just returned from the base¡¯s greenhouses and heard that the progress was the same. However, she still wanted to see it with her own eyes.


    The best land of Xiaxi Commune now had five greenhouses built on it.


    Today, they were already filled with greenery; the cucumbers were about to climb up the trellis.


    It was predicted that a month before the New Year, the five vegetable greenhouses could be harvested.


    They chose experienced and good-reputation commune members, among them was Wang Laogen from Panquan Village.


    Living till now, it was the first time in his life that he had worn a new pair of cotton shoes.


    So, he was working especially hard. The greenhouse he and a few other members were responsible for was growing better than the others.


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu coming over, Wang Laogen ran over joyfully, all familiar with her by now, his face all smiles, ¡°Jade, you must come and see, the cucumbers in our greenhouse have bloomed.¡±


    ¡°Really, then I must take a look.¡± Then she followed Wang Laogen to the land where the cucumbers were planted. Fang Xiaomei also followed behind.


    She had always found it incredible, never expecting that this year at Xiaxi Commune would be such a year.


    It seemed, to put it this way, like every day was exceptionally exciting.


    Looking at the cucumber field, the leaves vibrant green with a few yellow blossoms, Qiao Qingyu knew that in a little while, there would be cucumbers twisting and growing out.


    Even with the same seeds, planted in different lands, cultivated and tended by different people.


    The results would still be different.

 Chapter 250 - 250 250 Sansha Buddha Cave

    ?Chapter 250: Chapter 250 Sansha Buddha Cave Chapter 250: Chapter 250 Sansha Buddha Cave Qiao Qingyu knew that Wang Laogen was mainly responsible here.


    Qiao Qingyu then had some thoughts but couldn¡¯t speak of them now, only waiting for next spring.


    These five greenhouses had their own technicians recording the temperature from morning to night and the changes in the growth of the vegetables every day.


    So similarly, the Qiao Family Team¡¯s three greenhouses were also keeping records.


    Qiao Qingyu thought that consolidating these records might even make a book.


    After Qiao Qingyu left, Chen Sheng turned to find Fang Xiaomei.


    He was off work today, so he had stayed around.


    Chen Sheng nervously watched Fang Xiaomei to see if there were any changes in her mood and then felt relieved.


    It seemed that no matter what Qiao Qingyu said or didn¡¯t say, Fang Xiaomei remained unchanged.


    Fang Xiaomei was too easy to understand, still the type you could see right through.


    The two of them stood in the corner of a large wall, Chen Sheng gave Fang Xiao Mei a covert look; the reason for their reunion was actually quite simple.


    It was after dating two other people that he realized no one was more compatible with him than Fang Xiaomei, especially in terms of the chance of having sons.


    The other two were simply no good.


    After his mother spoke up, he dared not continue dating anyone else; doing so would ruin his reputation, so he settled on Fang Xiaomei.


    Besides, it was only after dating the other two that he realized Fang Xiaomei was indeed the best among the three.


    However, such thoughts were known only to his parents, and no fourth person could possibly be aware.


    He would not let anyone, especially Fang Xiaomei, discern his true thoughts.


    He sneered inwardly at Qiao Qingyu; did she really think his reunion with Fang Xiaomei was because of her and He Xiuyu?


    How self-deluded!


    ...


    Wu Xiucai arrived in Xichuan at last with Wu Tai and checked into the Xichuan Hotel, where Wu Xiujie and Wu Peng were staying on the same floor as them.


    At that moment, the four men stood in the first-floor living room, smiles on their faces, yet in their hearts, they had cursed each other to death a thousand times over.


    This was particularly true for Wu Tai.


    He was sitting in a wheelchair, his gaze cold and dark as he stared at Wu Xiujie and Wu Peng. Although he hadn¡¯t found direct evidence yet, he was convinced that it was their doing.


    He would not let these two people off the hook!


    Wu Peng paid no attention to his gaze, feigning compassion as he said, ¡°Ah, Tai, it¡¯s really sad. From now on, you won¡¯t be able to walk anymore. How about this, I know a prosthetic limb manufacturer, I¡¯ll get in touch with them and have them make you a false leg...¡±


    Wu Tai¡¯s hands gripping the wheelchair¡¯s wheels clenched tight.


    He felt his eyes could split open with fury in an instant; usually, he could restrain himself, but now Wu Peng was like stabbing a knife into his wound.


    He wished he could kill him!


    Wu Xiucai cleared his throat softly.


    Wu Tai took a deep breath, slowly regaining his composure.


    The accompanying people instinctively felt something off about these four.


    They appeared cordial on the surface, but it felt extremely awkward, yet they still warmly invited them to the banquet hall.


    The meal, naturally, was one where both hosts and guests thoroughly enjoyed themselves.


    After the meal, Wu Xiujie visited Wu Xiucai¡¯s room.


    Last time they met in the United States, he had not expected their next meeting to be in Huaxia.


    Wu Xiujie spoke directly, ¡°Raised by a petty woman.¡±


    Wu Xiucai didn¡¯t hold back his retort, ¡°Raised by a dog of a woman.¡±


    Wu Xiujie was momentarily stunned because it was the first time he had heard his younger brother curse. His face flushed with rage as he shouted loudly, ¡°Wu Xiucai, how dare you insult our mother?¡±


    Wu Xiucai¡¯s voice was icy, ¡°You¡¯re nothing but a son of a bitch, and I will leave you with nothing.¡±


    ¡°You son of a petty woman, what are you going to do, what can you possibly do to leave me with nothing?¡±


    ¡°You son of a bitch, just wait and see how I, Wu Xiucai, strip you of everything and reduce you to a homeless cur. Oh right, a bitch¡¯s son is a dog, that phrase really is most apt.¡±


    Wu Xiujie was indeed infuriated.


    He stared at Wu Xiucai with eyes wide in disbelief. The two always had their conflicts, but to be honest, Wu Xiucai had always been quite courteous to him. Respectful both in person and behind his back. Even after their complete fallout in the U.S., he never insulted him like this.


    But who could have imagined that after a few months, Wu Xiucai had completely changed.


    This was a classic case of ¡®do as I say, not as I do.¡¯


    He charged forward, intent on striking Wu Xiucai, but never expected Wu Xiucai to react with a swift movement of his wrist. The black, cold weapon was now pressed against his chest.


    ¡°Bitch¡¯s son! Enjoy your last days while you still can eat and drink,¡± Wu Xiucai said through clenched teeth.


    It was then that Wu Xiujie realized he had been careless, grossly careless. He didn¡¯t move, nor did he dare take an impossible gamble.


    Even though he was on Huaxia soil, if this ¡®son of a petty woman¡¯ really shot him, even if he were punished afterward, Wu Xiujie would be dead.


    He cherished his life far too much,


    His life was precious, not worth less than that of a bitch¡¯s son.


    Raising his hands, Wu Xiujie took a few steps back and with a menacing smile said, ¡°Son of a petty woman, you¡¯re ruthless.¡±


    He retreated to the doorway.


    Wu Xiucai proficiently stowed the weapon in his hand. It was a silencer-equipped pistol that had been passed through official channels given to him for self-defense.


    ¡°I curse you to never find your daughter in this lifetime, to die without ever finding her, and even if you do, it¡¯ll be nothing but a grave,¡±


    Afterwards, laughing hysterically, he pushed open the door and left Wu Xiucai¡¯s bedroom.


    Wu Xiucai, pale-faced, clutched his chest as if all strength had been drained from his body, and sat down on the couch.


    Whatever Wu Xiujie said, he could normally ignore, but he truly couldn¡¯t bear to hear such words.


    ...


    In Beijing, He Shan went to meet with the ¡°Number Three¡± person in charge under the escort of a security officer.


    He was a kindly elder who, after gesturing He Shan to sit down, handed him a manila file envelope. He Shan opened it and began to read its contents with earnestness.


    Although his expression was calm by the end, it was also mixed with complexity and solemnity.


    ¡°Have you finished reading? What do you think?¡± the elder asked.


    ¡°I will comply with the leadership¡¯s arrangement.¡±


    ¡°Good, you will then be transferred to Xichuan. There¡¯s no issue with Wu Xiucai, but Wu Xiujie is too deeply hidden. Our comrades paid with their lives to get this information.¡±


    At this point, both men wore heavy expressions on their faces.


    Who could have imagined that Wu Xiujie, who returned to the country with so much fanfare, not only colluded with foreign forces but also had traveled to Xichuan this time in search of a treasure buried there fifty years ago.


    The treasure in question wasn¡¯t simply gold, silver, or jewels.


    It referred to the murals and several hundred Buddha statues in the Sansha Buddha Cave, along with a great number of other precious historical materials.


    When this Buddha Cave was discovered, it had already been ravaged by looters, leaving only the immovable, yet shattered remnants behind.

 Chapter 251 - 251 251 She Will Be the Richest Woman in the

    ?Chapter 251: Chapter 251: She Will Be the Richest Woman in the World Chapter 251: Chapter 251: She Will Be the Richest Woman in the World Everyone thought that these treasures had already been secretly smuggled out of the country, especially since it was a time of great turmoil and war in the nation.


    There were no records, no visual materials, so no one truly knew what the wall paintings and Buddha statues in the Sansha Buddha Cave, along with the precious historical documents, actually were.


    Without definitive evidence, even if they appeared abroad, it wouldn¡¯t be possible to reclaim them according to international norms.


    But in recent years, there had been definite news that these valuable treasures hadn¡¯t yet been smuggled out; they were still in the country.


    Now, further confirmation of this information had been received.


    This batch of Buddha statues, wall paintings, and other precious items was in Xichuan.


    However, it was still unclear exactly where in Xichuan.


    It seemed that Wu Xiujie¡¯s information was incomplete, after all, the Sansha Buddha Cave was two thousand miles away from Xichuan.


    But, clearly, he was desperate, sparing no expense to get one million saplings and digging for months without finding anything yet.


    Perhaps he truly couldn¡¯t pinpoint the exact location, or maybe Wu Xiujie was setting up the Enchantment Formation.


    After all, that man was truly cunning.


    He was a very tough opponent.


    Fifty years had passed, and the geographical appearance of Xichuan had changed significantly. What was once a large oasis in the north of West River was now buried under sands.


    Old He then said, ¡°Han Xianglan is indeed Wu Xiucai¡¯s biological daughter, but we can¡¯t reveal this information now, primarily considering safety issues and because we don¡¯t want additional complications at such a critical moment.¡±


    He Shan fell silent, he had already seen it in the documents, but despite the internal turmoil, he managed to calm down quickly.


    He agreed with the old man¡¯s words; the situation was not clear, and if they confirmed now that Han Xianglan was Wu Xiucai¡¯s daughter, then Wu Xiujie, given his obsession with Wu Xiucai, would not spare Han Xianglan and the Qiao Family.


    This involved a lot more people and events.


    Logically, He Shan shouldn¡¯t have involved himself, but precisely because of his complex identity, his interest in certain matters wouldn¡¯t arouse suspicion in others.


    He Shan left the ordinary, old building.


    His feelings were indeed very complicated.


    Mr. Wu had once personally written him a letter, but the letter had gotten wet and he still didn¡¯t know what it said.


    But now it could be confirmed that the content of the letter was probably asking about Han Xianglan, considering she and he had grown up together.


    However, after obtaining the forged expert report setup by his superiors, both Wu Xiujie and Wu Xiucai should shift their focus.


    Yet, he still couldn¡¯t figure out why Mr. Wu Xiucai would visit Qiao Qingyu in Xichuan instead of seeing Han Xianglan.


    Was it because his brother Wu Xiujie was in Xichuan?


    Could it be that these half-brothers, finally unable to maintain a facade of brotherly respect, had irreparably fallen out?


    Without clearing up the facts, He Shan couldn¡¯t conclude.


    He Shan¡¯s transfer was naturally an internal affair; even Meng Siqi had no idea where he had gone.


    Meng Siqi had been recuperating at home but was much better now, nearly fully recovered. Knowing that He Shan was going out, she packed his things as usual.


    He Shan silently sat on the couch, sipping tea.


    His eldest son, He Xiuwen, was also recuperating in the hospital, but being strong, he had almost recovered and would probably return to work in a month.


    He was the only one in the family who knew.


    He still hasn¡¯t dared to tell Meng Siqi, worrying that her weak heart couldn¡¯t bear it. So, it¡¯s better not to know and spare the worry.


    Currently, what troubled him was that Meng Siqi always saw Han Xianglan as an imaginary foe. He never mentioned Han Xianglan¡¯s name, but unexpectedly, the one who mentioned it the most was Meng Siqi.


    Those who didn¡¯t know would think she liked her a lot.


    So He Shan genuinely felt helpless.


    If he said he had completely forgotten Han Xianglan, that would be a lie, but he had forcefully severed that relationship long ago.


    All that was left was guilt.


    But Meng Siqi was different. She just loved to bring it up from time to time, tormenting both herself and him.


    Later, he had a serious talk with her, and she finally stopped mentioning it. But who would have thought that after a trip to Hejia Village, his second son He Xiuyu had married Han Xianglan¡¯s daughter?


    So Meng Siqi really was always on the brink of collapse.


    His feelings for Meng Siqi weren¡¯t fake. She gave birth to his children, managed his household, endured hardships through wind and rain. It¡¯s just that he wasn¡¯t good at expressing it.


    Now, the situation had changed again.


    In the plans set earlier, within about a year, these issues would be resolved, and then Meng Siqi would know Han Xianglan was Wu Xiucai¡¯s biological daughter.


    She possessed unique inheritance rights.


    After acknowledging her ancestry, Han Xianglan would become the richest woman in the world.


    By then, he didn¡¯t know how his wife would react...


    Wouldn¡¯t she be sarcastic every day?


    Thinking about such days, He Shan felt a bit of a headache.


    He remembered what his second son had told him, and at this moment, He Shan also realized he hadn¡¯t handled things well.


    He stood up from the sofa. In the bedroom, it was only him and Meng Siqi. He stepped forward and took her hand. Meng Siqi was startled, still unable to react, so he simply pulled her into his arms. The action embarrassed him as well¡ªit was really awkward to hug and hold at their age.


    Meng Siqi felt it was sudden too, her face reddened and she scolded in a low voice, ¡°What are you doing, Old He, let go!¡±


    ¡°Wife, you¡¯ve worked hard all these years.¡±


    Hearing such words out of the blue, Meng Siqi was even more stunned.


    ¡°...Wife, I¡¯m not eloquent, but from the moment I married you, in my heart, you have been my wife, my lover, He Shan¡¯s wife. I will stay with you till we grow old, I can swear to heaven...¡±


    Meng Siqi was somewhat shocked.


    It was really too sudden; it could be said that she was frightened.


    Since marrying He Shan, she had never heard such intimate and heartfelt words from him, so a possibility crossed her mind...


    Meng Siqi¡¯s expression changed instantly.


    She pushed He Shan forcefully, her hand trembling as she pointed at him, her voice somewhat shrill, ¡°Old He, tell me, have you done something to wrong me? Do you have another woman outside? Have you had a child with her?¡±


    At that moment, Meng Siqi didn¡¯t think about Han Xianglan.


    She detested Han Xianglan, detested Qiao Qingyu, that was her personal opinion, but she knew that He Shan and Han Xianglan were clean.


    Han Xianglan was a proud woman with self-respect. Even though she grew up in the countryside and had had a hard life, she never interacted with the He Family, just like a stranger.

 Chapter 252 - 252 252 Consistent Character Setting

    ?Chapter 252: Chapter 252: Consistent Character Setting (Additional Chapter for Alliance Leader Jin Lingshan) Chapter 252: Chapter 252: Consistent Character Setting (Additional Chapter for Alliance Leader Jin Lingshan) On this point, Meng Siqi couldn¡¯t find a single fault.


    It was said that when Qiao Qingyu married He Xiuyu, she nearly died of anger, even going so far as to cut off contact with her daughter.


    So now, she thought that this old thing must have someone on the side and might even have fathered a child.


    It wasn¡¯t strange or just her imagination.


    Just a few days ago, a female college student who hadn¡¯t even graduated yet knelt at the entrance of the compound with a three-month-old baby.


    She claimed that the child belonged to Liu Hai, the director of infrastructure who lived in the building opposite her house.


    The child was sick, she had no money, and she couldn¡¯t get in touch with Liu Hai; with no other option, the college girl had to bring the child to the compound to find him.


    At the time, Liu Hai¡¯s wife, who was also her close friend, got so angry that her heart condition flared up and she was sent to the hospital.


    Liu Hai was already over fifty, and his children were all settled down.


    But who could have guessed he would stir up such a mess?


    The child was indeed his, and he had even kept this woman on the side for three years already.


    As it turned out, the woman¡¯s college admission wasn¡¯t earned through exams; he had pulled strings to get her in.


    He had thought of keeping her on the side, enjoying the young body from time to time.


    But he hadn¡¯t expected to get her pregnant.


    At that time, getting an abortion was not so easy; you needed a referral letter and a marriage certificate.


    Besides, with the college student pleading desperately, the child ended up being kept after all. Just that he had been away on a business trip for a month recently, and who could have thought that the woman would run out of money and the child would fall seriously ill?


    So that¡¯s how the scandal came to light.


    Naturally, Liu Hai wouldn¡¯t end up with a good outcome.


    The college student was expelled from school, and after leaving the baby at the compound¡¯s entrance, she returned to her hometown.


    So now, this baby was staying in Liu Hai¡¯s house.


    Tell me, isn¡¯t this matter disgusting?


    Because the affair was so sensational and relatable, the women in the compound all had more or less suspicion towards their husbands.


    Meng Siqi was confident; she knew her husband¡¯s character wouldn¡¯t allow for such things, but now, seeing him like this, how could her heart not waver?


    Even her mind was thinking, if it really came to light there was a child, oh my god, let¡¯s not live anymore; let¡¯s all jump off a building together.


    She certainly wouldn¡¯t help raise someone else¡¯s child!


    Watching Meng Siqi¡¯s face change colors continuously, He Shan became so angry that his face turned ashen.


    How could he not know what Meng Siqi was thinking at this moment? Therefore, he thought, he must maintain his consistent character and couldn¡¯t play any sentimental games.


    With anger, he reprimanded loudly, ¡°I think you¡¯re quite ill, you should go back to the hospital right away and have your brain checked. And let me tell you, don¡¯t associate such filthy business with me, He Shan. It¡¯s an insult to me, understand?¡±


    Meng Siqi looked at him suspiciously and seeing Old He already so incensed, she finally mumbled, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing, that¡¯s best. But if there is, I won¡¯t let you off.¡±


    He Shan snorted through his nose, turned his back, and strode off in a huff.


    Meng Siqi slowly calmed down, and then the corners of her mouth inevitably curled upwards.


    Thus, that night, this old married couple unexpectedly had a moment of tenderness.


    ...


    He Xiuyu learned ¡®definite¡¯ news from some source¡ªthey said Han Xianglan was not Wu Xiucai¡¯s daughter.


    So now, Wu Xiujie stopped paying attention to Han Xianglan and the Qiao Family.


    However, Wu Xiucai planned to find time to meet Qiao Qingyu.


    He probably just wanted to see with his own eyes whether this Qiao Qingyu really looked so much like his wife.


    The specific timing hadn¡¯t been determined yet,


    but Qiao Qingyu made a call to the Qiao Family Team.


    Han Xianglan, who picked up the phone, had no particular reaction, simply saying ¡°I know,¡± before quickly asking about Qingyu¡¯s recent situation. Qiao Zhicai was alongside her.


    Their concern for their daughter was genuine, and Han Xianglan had no interest in her own origins.


    She had moved past the time of being interested.


    Now, she just hoped for her children¡¯s lives to keep getting better, and if she and her husband could live well and see their grandchildren grow up, that would be the best.


    Qiao Qingyu thought this mindset was good.


    ...


    She had originally planned to visit Nangang City after half a month, but the trip was delayed again because He Xiuyu had urgent matters to attend to.


    ...


    It was Sunday, and He Xuerong had run off to play at Xiao Hu¡¯s house.


    Li Mingguang was now living in a room by himself, which Li Zhiqiang had furnished with a desk and bookshelf. Then he built a small kang (traditional heated bed), which was laid with a new mat.


    The walls were also adorned with several paintings by Xiao Hu himself.


    Xiao Hu had been living in this room alone for a week now.


    Holding her little hands behind her back, He Xuerong walked around the room once and then thought of her own bedroom.


    Ah, that¡¯s right, she also had a bedroom now.


    Li Mingguang happily said, ¡°I asked my dad to make the desk specifically for two people to use together, you see, there are two chairs, so you can come over to do your homework at my place too.¡±


    He Xuerong pursed her lips and replied, ¡°Even if there are two chairs, does your house have as many books as mine?¡±


    Li Mingguang shook his head, ¡°No, your house has the most books in our compound.¡±


    ¡°Then where to do the homework?¡±


    ¡°At your place,¡± Xiao Hu turned his eyes and nodded obediently.


    He Xurerong smiled proudly, walked around his room once more, then dashed back home and pulled Qiao Qingyu toward her bedroom.


    He Xuerong¡¯s bedroom lacked nothing.


    Except there was only one chair, but it was much larger than Li Mingguang¡¯s.


    It also had a small kang, but it wasn¡¯t lit during the winter, so the room¡¯s door was often closed; when opened, a burst of cold air rushed in.


    Qiao Qingyu pulled He Xuerong aside, ¡°Rongrong, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Little aunt, Li Mingguang has his own bedroom now, complete with his own desk and chair. He just showed it off to me.¡±


    ¡°Xiao Hu is six years old now; he can have his own bedroom and private space.¡±


    ¡°Little aunt, I¡¯ll be six come New Year¡¯s too,¡± He Xuerong shook Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand, ¡°Little aunt, I want to have my own bedroom and private space too.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still too young, and it¡¯s a bit cold in winter. It¡¯s better to stay with little aunt.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t annoyed by the hassle, she genuinely disagreed.


    But He Xiuyu, who had been in the study, came out and agreed, ¡°Rongrong, uncle is very happy you have this thought. You can try it out. If you think it¡¯s fine, then you can live in your own bedroom from now on. If you don¡¯t like it, you can always come back and live with uncle and little aunt.¡±


    He Xuerong clapped her hands, ¡°This is a good idea, uncle, quickly light the kang for me, I want it nice and warm...¡±


    He Xuerong ran to the bathroom to fetch water to clean the rags and started wiping down the table.


    Her luggage was all stored in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s room, brand new, waiting for when she was a little older to move into her own room.


    Seeing how excited He Xuerong was, Qiao Qingyu felt it was alright.


    She had been worried that the kang, not being lit regularly, would release smoke, after all, the flue in He Xiuyu¡¯s room had never been properly fixed. But unexpectedly, aside from a little smoke initially, the flue worked exceptionally well.

 Chapter 253 - 253 253 He Cried

    ?Chapter 253: Chapter 253 He Cried Chapter 253: Chapter 253 He Cried The little kang bed was covered with a woven mat, and the temperature in the room quickly rose.


    The bedroom faced the sunlight.


    At this very moment, it was noon, and Qingyu simply moved the blooming dry marigolds and snowdrops to the windowsill.


    She also moved He Xuerong¡¯s textbooks and her schoolbag over from the study, and very soon, the small room turned warm and beautiful.


    He Xuerong was very pleased, she took off her shoes and rolled around on the kang bed for a while, and then started to look for her own drawings to stick on the wall.


    When Qingyu finished preparing lunch, the father and daughter had just finished their business.


    During the nap time, He Xuerong was in her own bedroom.


    Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but check on her twice, but to her surprise, the little one adapted very well, sleeping on the small kang with her little face all flushed.


    During the daytime, things were fine, but Qingyu was worried about the night.


    Unexpectedly, when it was time to sleep, He Xuerong cheerfully returned to her own bedroom and fell asleep quickly, leaving Qingyu to have worried over nothing.


    When He Xiuyu awoke, Qingyu woke up as well.


    It was a little past eleven at night, and the couple was still not at ease about He Xuerong, so they quietly went to check on her again, only to find her sleeping as soundly as ever.


    This time, they were truly reassured.


    Now that they were reassured, they found themselves temporarily unable to sleep, so Qingyu simply asked He Xiuyu, ¡°The day after tomorrow, Wu Xiucai is coming to the base, should I prepare lunch for him?¡±


    ¡°No need, the base will take care of it.¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem to be planning to go back to Yun City. I didn¡¯t expect these two old men to be so frighteningly persistent.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, they are very clever, staying within the bounds of the law.¡±


    ¡°He Xiuyu, why do I feel like things aren¡¯t that simple...¡± Qingyu looked at He Xiuyu with eager interest, ¡°Compared to all the other provinces and cities, our Xichuan ranks at the bottom, whether it¡¯s in terms of investment, prospects, or geographical environment, none of it is optimistic. But why is Wu Xiujie putting so much effort into this?¡±


    ¡°There will always be a time when the purpose is revealed.¡± He Xiuyu paused, not wanting to say more. He saw his wife propping her face with her elbow, full of enthusiasm, and suddenly said seriously, ¡°Qingyu, let¡¯s talk about things related to the kang while we¡¯re on the kang.¡±


    ¡°What about the kang?¡± Qingyu asked He Xiuyu, not understanding at first.


    He Xiuyu pulled her into his arms, ¡°Don¡¯t know?¡± Then, without waiting for Qingyu¡¯s response, ¡°Let me teach you.¡±


    With that, he went to look for the hidden condoms.


    On this matter, the two had long reached a consensus.


    One, because they were young, and two, they were preparing for school next year.


    So for now, they decided not to have children and thus necessary precautions had to be taken.


    It had been three days since the last time, and He Xiuyu thought tonight was perfect, feeling revitalized after a good sleep, except that there was only one box of condoms left, which made him feel as anxious as if there were no grains stored at home.


    He stretched out, waiting for the inquisitive Qingyu to finish fussing around, then reached out and turned off the light...


    ...


    Wu Xiucai¡¯s visit to the base was very low-key, without much fanfare, just accompanied by Wu Tai and Secretary Chang.


    Qingyu went to the meeting room in the Big White Building as scheduled.


    Since there was no special connection, it was unnecessary to entertain at home; this place was just right.


    With the principle of having no special connection and just coming to look, Qingyu was very calm.


    However, Wu Xiucai was not calm at all.


    His tears suddenly welled up in his eyes.


    He himself didn¡¯t know that at this moment, he was already in tears.


    Qiao Qingyu saw Wu Xiucai for the first time.


    These two brothers looked nothing alike. One was tall and imposing, while the other bore the delicate air of a scholar.


    Wu Xiucai had suffered a serious illness and had just recovered, still looking very thin, whereas Wu Xiujie was robust and ruddy-faced.


    But for some reason, upon seeing Wu Xiucai, Qiao Qingyu also felt a pang of sadness in her heart. She thought it was probably because the old man was in tears, suggesting that she really did resemble his deceased wife.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t have a good impression of Wu Xiujie, but she felt differently about Wu Xiucai. After all, the old man didn¡¯t have any malice in his eyes, and he didn¡¯t play mysterious games like Wu Xiujie did, who was duplicitous.


    But before she could say anything, Wu Xiucai took out a handkerchief to wipe away his tears and, without giving Qiao Qingyu another glance, he turned and left the meeting room.


    Wu Tai, pushed by Secretary Chang, followed behind.


    Wu Tai gave Qiao Qingyu an apologetic smile.


    He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu stood together. They exchanged glances as well.


    Being reminded of the one who passed away by someone who looked so much like her would stir emotions in anyone. But what followed was pain and despair.


    Thus, it was normal for Wu Xiucai not to want others to see him losing his composure.


    And so, Wu Xiucai really came and left in a hurry without leaving a word behind.


    After finding out, Wu Xiujie just pursed his lips and said nothing.


    He had many important things to do.


    But the difficulty was truly great.


    It made him somewhat resent the people living on this land, all these wars, disasters, and famines. Why hadn¡¯t they been wiped out, why were they still stubbornly living on this land?


    This made anything he wanted to do not so easy.


    But his main purpose for coming this time was the treasures in the Sansha Buddha Cave.


    His map was complete, and he also had the journal of the adventurer Tom.


    But they had already inspected that area and found no sign!


    Which meant there were two possibilities: the first was that the equipment was too outdated to detect anything, and the second was that the treasure was buried very deep.


    So, planting so many seedlings was just a way to divert attention. No matter how deep a tree pit was, it would only be a few dozen centimeters deep, so even if the landscape had changed, it was impossible for such a large cache of treasures to be buried just a few dozen centimeters from the surface.


    Moreover, it was unlikely that they were simply buried in the soil.


    He and his men analyzed that there should be a cave of some sort.


    It would be a large air-raid shelter, so he needed to obtain local maps concerning civil defense.


    Now he always had people around him. A keen sense made him aware. He must be under surveillance, which might also be a form of protection. But whatever the case, their actions were definitely restricted.


    Wu Xiujie stood in front of the hotel window, looking at the snowflakes flying outside, observing how it was getting colder. Even if they found the exact location, it was impossible to start digging now at the treasure site, and what then? How could they transport the findings?


    It was not just one or two items; it was a large batch, an enormous Buddha Cave.


    Inside, it was said that countless gems were inlaid in the murals. Tom had a Shariputra, which was also a relic, and he took away some of the gems.


    They seemed unrelated to the Buddha statues at first glance and thus didn¡¯t attract attention.


    The rest of the large treasures were still somewhere in Xichuan. Even if they were to be unearthed now, how would he get them out?

 Chapter 254 - 254 254 His Father Was Actually Transferred to

    ?Chapter 254: Chapter 254: His Father Was Actually Transferred to Xichuan Chapter 254: Chapter 254: His Father Was Actually Transferred to Xichuan ¡°It was impossible to get anything done amidst the chaos fifty years ago, and in 1980 it was even less likely.¡±


    ¡°But a living person won¡¯t let themselves be killed by holding their urine.¡±


    He intended to buy that entire area.


    If he bought the whole area, it would naturally include the Barley Grassland that Qiao Qingyu first planted.


    Moreover, because the geography had changed over the past fifty years, he couldn¡¯t pinpoint its exact location so he had to expand the area several times over.


    But policies here hadn¡¯t loosened yet, and thinking about buying and selling land was utterly impossible, so he could only wait, wait patiently. But what infuriated him was that the little lady showed no signs of leaving.


    It was said that there¡¯d be an increased investment here too.


    He thought, perhaps this was the real geomantic treasure spot. Otherwise, why would the research base be built here? Why would he and that young lady both invest here?


    His money would¡¯ve yielded a colossal, hefty return if placed in Nangang City and its surroundings.


    Could it be because somewhere underground there were Buddha statues and murals buried?


    Or maybe because of Xichuan¡¯s millennia of cultural heritage?


    Wu Xiujie had no way of knowing.


    The snow outside was falling heavier by the minute, and it was said that Xichuan hadn¡¯t seen snow like this in many years.


    He couldn¡¯t help but think of the Barley Grassland.


    He summoned Professor Dong to ask about the research results of the Barley Grass Seeds, this time, he asked Professor Dong to analyze the genetic sequence of the seeds.


    Professor Dong frowned, ¡°Sir, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m not serious or that my expertise isn¡¯t up to par, the conditions are just too rudimentary. Even the most skilled cook can¡¯t whip up a meal without rice.¡±


    Wu Xiujie always had a particular tolerance for Professor Dong.


    After all, there were many things in the future that required his presence.


    Especially the biological sciences lab he had applied to establish.


    But what was maddening was that he had submitted the application almost a month ago, and in theory, it should¡¯ve been approved by now. But there was still no news.


    So, it goes to show that the efficiency of the people on this land was really too low, no wonder it was so poor and backward!


    ...


    Ever since Wu Xiucai left without a word, the Wu Family brothers hadn¡¯t given Qiao Qingyu any further attention.


    Qiao Qingyu breathed a sigh of relief, but He Xiuyu felt that it wasn¡¯t so simple because he got insider information that his father had actually been transferred to Xichuan.


    He would take office in half a month.


    Right now he should be in the process of getting acquainted and handing over duties.


    However, this news wasn¡¯t public, even his own mother didn¡¯t know that his father was in Xichuan, at the construction base only 800 li away, where there were thousands of excellent engineers.


    He Xiuyu thought, it looked like some major move was about to happen.


    These were all internal documents exchanged, sealed up after being read. He and Qiao Qingyu began packing up, preparing to take Rongrong to Nangang City.


    After setting the date, Qiao Qingyu called home.


    Qiao Zhicai couldn¡¯t possibly go to Nangang City with them. By all rights, he was He Xiuyu¡¯s father-in-law, but it was also a peculiarly awkward relationship. Until both families¡¯ matters were adequately settled, it was best to avoid meeting if possible.


    Naturally, this task fell upon Qiao Shengbao.


    Qiao Shengbao was so delighted he was jumping three feet high!


    He had been to the Southern regions; he had also been to Nangang City, where he ran into his cousin Qiao Mubao.


    That truly was a bustling place.


    It was a pity that he had no money at the time, and the two almost didn¡¯t make it back without begging¡ªsuch a hard journey.


    Having fixed the time, he would join them at the provincial city station, Qiao Shengbao hurriedly organized the handcrafted goods with Qiao Zhicai, and then set off with a large bag of handicrafts and a few bundles of corn leaves.


    Two days later, they met on the train to Nangang City.


    The train tickets were arranged in advance by He Xiuyu, naturally they were for a sleeper compartment.


    Qiao Shengbao took out the corn leaf handicrafts one by one. Some had been flattened, some had slightly changed shape, but luckily, they weren¡¯t as fragile as glass¡ªhe just needed to tidy them up a bit to restore them to their original state.


    Rongrong¡¯s eyes bulged with excitement, quickly making herself at home by sitting next to Qiao Shengbao and busying herself with him.


    She had finally found a new game.


    Because of these items, the awkward atmosphere of the meeting was immediately dissolved.


    From Qiao Qingyu¡¯s perspective, He Xiuyu should call Qiao Shengbao ¡°Brother Shengbao.¡±


    Of course, He Xiuyu would never do that, and Qiao Shengbao didn¡¯t dare to ask him to, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to call him brother-in-law either.


    So, calling him Chief Engineer He was the most natural.


    But Rongrong, with her sweet mouth, cheerfully called him ¡°Uncle Shengbao¡± every chance she got.


    Qiao Shengbao was flattered.


    So, throughout the trip, he made over a dozen little trinkets for He Xuerong.


    All of which Rongrong placed in her backpack.


    Qiao Qingyu nodded to herself in satisfaction, as long as there was a market, her father and Brother Shengbao¡¯s crafts would have no trouble selling.


    Moreover, taking Qiao Shengbao out was also to broaden his horizon and expand his thoughts.


    If these items could make money, naturally they couldn¡¯t keep it a secret and get rich behind closed doors, nor could they keep it under wraps.


    Instead, they should involve other people in the village and work on it together.


    However, Qiao Qingyu had grander plans for Qiao Shengbao¡¯s role.


    It just depended on Qiao Shengbao¡¯s capabilities.


    Upon arriving at Nangang City station, the local office of Tenghai Research picked them up and arranged for them to stay at a guesthouse.


    So really, Qiao Shengbao was quite moved¡ªhaving someone to take care of things along the way really made a difference, thanks to He Xiuyu¡¯s connections, they were well looked after and didn¡¯t have to worry about a thing.


    No wonder Qiao Qingyu was so desperate to marry He Xiuyu back then.


    It felt somewhat improper to think that way, but Qiao Shengbao felt like he was beginning to understand his sister¡¯s actions back then.


    Of course, he couldn¡¯t share these thoughts with Qiao Qingyu; his sister would still be an impressive and formidable figure even if she hadn¡¯t married He Xiuyu.


    The trade fair would be held in two days.


    With Sui Jun¡¯s help, a booth had already been booked in advance.


    A hundred business cards were also prepared.


    After getting these preparations done, Qiao Qingyu, with her notes and materials, headed to the Nangang City seed breeding base.


    Once again, she was received by Old Zhou.


    They often communicated before, and Old Zhou had a good relationship with Professor Feng. Qiao Qingyu also brought a letter from Professor Feng.


    After reading the letter, Old Zhou prepared a variety of seeds for her, including about a dozen vegetables, flowers, and saplings, as Professor Feng indicated in the letter.


    Crops from the Southern might not be suitable for planting in the North, but Old Zhou was intrigued by the Qiao Family Team¡¯s high-yield corn seeds.


    Just yesterday, after the seeds made the headlines in the Beicheng Daily, they were featured prominently in the national newspaper.


    Qiao Qingyu had also seen the newspaper in Old Zhou¡¯s office. She had been traveling the last few days, and when she left, she knew they were in the Beicheng Daily but was unclear about the rest.


    So, she knew that the Tenghai Research Base was the one being given the most attention.


    However, due to Tenghai¡¯s particular nature, it had become low-profile.


    Which might not be a bad thing after all.

 Chapter 255 - 255 255 Swollen Face Pretending to be Fat

    ?Chapter 255: Chapter 255: Swollen Face Pretending to be Fat Chapter 255: Chapter 255: Swollen Face Pretending to be Fat ¡°As for Old Zhou¡¯s wish to promote a new high-yield corn variety in parts of the Southern region, that all depends on whether the county town leaders, the seed station directors, and Harvest Commune can bear the cost.¡±


    She didn¡¯t get involved nor did she express any opinions.


    Old Zhou wasn¡¯t disappointed either; in his view, Qiao Qingyu only played the role of a middleman, and the real decision-makers in the end were the local leaders and He Xiuyu.


    So, he planned to meet with He Xiuyu.


    And since the high-yield corn seeds from Qiao Family Team had made it into the national newspapers, it was natural that heads of agriculture departments from other countries had seen them too.


    The assistant was quite astonished.


    Because agriculture in their country was already the most developed in the world, a real agricultural powerhouse, yet their per-unit yields hadn¡¯t reached the levels of Northern Huaxia agriculture.


    It seemed completely incredible, just one year and such great achievements were made?


    The head of the agriculture department shrugged and put the document on the desk, tapping the tabletop with his fingers, he asked his assistant, ¡°Do you think such high yields per unit are for real?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s fake. Our country¡¯s agricultural science and technology is very advanced, already at the top of the world. Huaxia¡¯s agriculture is just starting out; it would take them at least several decades to catch up to us, so it¡¯s impossible to achieve such a breakthrough in just one year.¡±


    You must know that breeding seeds isn¡¯t that simple.


    Sometimes even breaking gene sequence codes is necessary, and they do have a huge team of scientific researchers as well as the world¡¯s most advanced and developed laboratories.


    The assistant straightforwardly said, ¡°I think this news is fake, just hyped up.¡±


    The head laughed, ¡°Yeah, I think so too. It surely must be hyped up; they always like to pretend to be more than they are.¡±


    The assistant also laughed and carelessly threw the document into a corner.


    But a few smaller neighboring countries didn¡¯t think so¡ªwhat if it were true?


    So, they needed to go to Huaxia to buy seeds.


    Even if they couldn¡¯t buy the seeds, getting hold of the technology would be worth the visit.


    ...


    The trade fair was held as scheduled.


    He Xiuyu was also among the participants.


    His focus was on light industrial products.


    Qiao Qingyu and Qiao Shengbao stood in front of their booth, which was rather quiet, to say the least.


    It wasn¡¯t as busy as they had imagined.


    Basically, it was to the point of being ignored.


    Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t worried; their target customer group wasn¡¯t the cities surrounding North City anyway.


    The corn leaf crafts were intended for a specific market.


    Qiao Qingyu was waiting for someone, Boss Chen, the largest wholesaler at the first batch market.


    He guessed that it should be about time for him to arrive.


    But Qiao Shengbao had no idea what Qiao Qingyu was thinking. The other booths were bustling with people, yet their booth remained deserted.


    Rongrong didn¡¯t seem to care; she ran around with a corn leaf woven hat on her head. Since she was pretty, people noticed the hat on her head, but even so, no one came to take a closer look.


    At that time, people generally cared more about electronic products and daily necessities. As for the craft decorations, not many were interested.


    Worriedly, Qiao Shengbao asked Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qingyu, what should we do if no one comes to ask about our products?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t tell him what to do but put two corn leaf woven flowers in a vase and turned to look at Qiao Shengbao, ¡°What do you think we should do?¡±


    ¡°... I don¡¯t know either.¡±


    ¡°Then have you wasted the past three days strolling the streets for nothing?¡± Qiao Qingyu countered.


    Qiao Shengbao scratched his head, and then his eyes lit up. He was no stranger to bustling streets and suddenly knew what to do.


    Business like theirs couldn¡¯t just stand by and wait for people to come.


    He took a few finely crafted trinkets and squeezed his way toward where there were more people.


    Grabbing their attention, drenched in sweat, he stuttered as he began to sell his handicrafts.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled; no matter what, this was a big step toward success.


    As long as one could start talking, the road ahead would be easier.


    She waved and called Qiao Shengbao over, telling him that the corn leaf crafts weren¡¯t very high-end commodities. When selling, you also need to consider where the potential customer comes from, what their needs are.


    For instance, there were people from North City here; if you tried to sell these things to them, would they want them?


    And there were other bosses, clearly, you could tell what they were looking for.


    Some bosses liked tea, some liked porcelain, some liked silk.


    Qiao Qingyu rattled off a long list, and although Qiao Shengbao was geographically challenged, he was quick-witted in this regard and memorized it all.


    This time he was full of confidence.


    Moreover, from the ride here to now, watching Qiao Qingyu¡¯s interactions and dealing with people and things around her, Qiao Shengbao¡¯s doors to a new world had been slowly opened.


    And he had the basics in this area to begin with.


    So if he really put his mind to it, he would catch on quickly.


    But the results were minimal.


    Qiao Qingyu only glanced once and then looked away, because Boss Chen had arrived.


    Boss Chen had timed his arrival perfectly, with a middle-aged man carrying a briefcase and sporting a potbelly by his side.


    He seemed to have known where Qiao Qingyu¡¯s booth was all along and headed straight for her, his laughter reached her before he did, ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, long time no see! If I hadn¡¯t found out by chance, I wouldn¡¯t have known you came to Nangang City...¡±


    ¡°Boss Chen, hello. I knew you were busy with business, so I didn¡¯t want to bother you,¡± Qiao Qingyu also smiled.


    ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, why so formal? We are friends after all. Look, I¡¯ve brought a potential customer for you,¡± he said as he introduced the person beside him, who turned out to be from the Nanyang Foreign Trade Company.


    You could call him Boss Lee.


    Boss Lee was very polite and clearly an old acquaintance of Boss Chen, smiling with his eyes squinting until they were nearly closed, yet his sharp gaze quickly swept over the corn leaf crafts.


    He lowered the heart he had been holding up.


    He owed Boss Chen a big favor, so he had to come, though he thought he¡¯d end up collecting junk to take back with him¡ªbut he figured, he might as well do some charity.


    As a businessman, he realized at a glance how to make the crafts, but he had to admit; every single one was delicate and intricate. Some even had color added, indeed featuring a heavy dose of local and folk characteristics.


    Qiao Qingyu looked at Boss Chen and Boss Lee with a beaming smile.


    She knew Boss Chen must have been coming to offer an indirect apology; last time, the plastic film he had was smuggled goods, and he himself had been heavily fined for it, almost getting arrested.


    If Qiao Qingyu had really bought the stuff from him, it would have been a complete loss.


    But since then, Qiao Qingyu had broken off contact with him and hadn¡¯t bought any more goods from him.

 Chapter 256 - 256 256 Rich and Boastful

    ?Chapter 256: Chapter 256: Rich and Boastful Chapter 256: Chapter 256: Rich and Boastful The market in the Northwest was also very large, yet this was just one side of the coin, there was the matter of Sui Jun¡¯s connection, who had been promoted this autumn.


    ¡°People with connections do well in their careers, and it¡¯s the same with business.¡±


    His information was naturally well-informed, and he soon learned that Qiao Qingyu had a large batch of corn leaf crafts ready for the trade fair.


    He couldn¡¯t arrive too early but couldn¡¯t be late either.


    The timing was just right.


    They both knew what was going on, and Boss Lee was indeed very interested in these crafts.


    Still, Qiao Qingyu had to ask, then found out that Boss Lee had a headquarters overseas.


    It¡¯s not that there was no demand for corn leaf crafts, nor that there was no market; it was simply that no one had ever sold such items before, let alone displayed them in a store.


    Qiao Qingyu asked Rongrong to call over Qiao Shengbao.


    Even though Qiao Shengbao hadn¡¯t managed to sell a single craft, he wasn¡¯t discouraged and was still full of confidence.


    After that, things went much smoother.


    The negotiated price for the crafts was just right, within a range both parties could accept.


    Corn leaf woven vases, including two sunflowers with unique designs tucked inside them.


    These sets took one person two days to weave.


    At a rate of one yuan per day, the cost would be two yuan.


    Currently, the corn leaves were obtained in exchange for work points, plus the cost of transport, the wholesale price would also be three and a half.


    She and Sister-in-law Li sold a canvas bag for six yuan.


    That was because they didn¡¯t plan on doing a second batch, and then used very good quality canvas and materials, plus the quantity was limited¡ªjust selling it as a novelty.


    But Qingyu intended to produce corn leaf crafts for the long haul.


    However, making corn leaf crafts was hard work.


    So, the price set for a vase with two sunflowers was four yuan and twenty cents, while a sugar jar was one yuan and five yuan.


    All the crafts on the display were prepared to be shipped away, just so happened that Boss Chen had a shipment going to North City, the return trip could transport all of Qiao Family Team¡¯s handicrafts.


    The shipping cost was 800 yuan, divided between Qiao Shengbao and Boss Lee.


    The future would depend on the circumstances.


    Thus, no contract was signed.


    After all, these weren¡¯t necessities, and Boss Lee wasn¡¯t sure about the prospects.


    Qiao Shengbao was thrilled but knew he couldn¡¯t appear too excited at the moment, or he would be taken lightly. So, he forcibly controlled his facial expression.


    But inside, his heart was bubbling with joy.


    He could also make money now.


    This time he and his uncle had made a tidy sum.


    The crafts on display totaled to 305 yuan, Boss Li paid 1000 yuan, the rest was a deposit, taken in cash.


    Ten-yuan banknotes, in ten bundles, filled Qiao Shengbao¡¯s shoulder bag to the brim.


    He had never owned so much money in his life; it scared him, nearly causing his heart to leap out of his chest.


    At this time, Rongrong was talking to two kids; her eyes flickered, and she took out a mini sugar jar from her little bag, just about as big as her hand, containing a dozen candy pieces.


    The two kids were brought along by adults to watch the excitement.


    Families who could come here were generally well-off, so they weren¡¯t interested in Rongrong¡¯s candies, but they coveted the mini sugar jar.


    Shengbao was skilled with his hands, he had woven it on the train, and took special care to ensure the joints and edges wouldn¡¯t hurt Rongrong by smoothing them down with sandpaper.


    It looked just like a cream-colored porcelain vase painted with patterns.


    ¡°If you want this sugar jar, talk to your dad, my Uncle Shengbao handwove it, and he¡¯s just over there at the stand.¡±


    So, before they even finished packing up their stand, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s display welcomed two more people, bringing along two children.


    One was simply to pacify a child, but the other¡¯s eyes lit up upon seeing the delicate sugar jar.


    The weaving was so intricate that it didn¡¯t look like it was made out of corn leaves at all.


    His family ran a candy business, and he thought it would be great to have candies in those jars inside a gift box.


    Kids would definitely love it.


    He ordered five hundred on the spot.


    He even suggested Shengbao weave some animals into the design to add a sense of playfulness for children.


    Another also ordered a hundred, intended as gifts.


    Boss Lee, seizing the opportunity, joined in and ordered a thousand, and this required a contract to be signed.


    Qiao Shengbao promised to weave one for each of the two kids as gifts.


    One child requested a panda design, another a tiger.


    Shengbao agreed without hesitation; though challenging for him, it was also a test, and Qingyu¡¯s foresight in bringing two bundles of corn leaves was truly insightful.


    The mini sugar jar, despite its small size, was priced the same as the larger ones.


    After taking down the address and contact number, Boss Chen left first, and Boss Lee went to another display.


    Qiao Shengbao crouched down to He Xuerong, ¡°Rongrong, you¡¯re Uncle Shengbao¡¯s lucky star, you¡¯re even more amazing than I am.¡±


    He Xuerong haughtily lifted her neck, asking, ¡°Then how are you going to thank me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy you whatever you want.¡±


    At that moment, Qiao Shengbao, feeling flush with cash, readily agreed. He Xiuyu had also successfully negotiated his industrial products and had been keeping an eye on this area.


    Qiao Qing¡¯s visit to Nangang City with a batch of handicrafts was information he had Sui Jun release.


    Everything is difficult at the beginning.


    Once they got started, the path ahead would be easier.


    He took everyone out to eat, and this time, Qiao Shengbao insisted on paying.


    Walking halfway, Qiao Qing reached out and slapped his back, ¡°Brother Shengbao, can you let go of your hand? Holding your canvas bag like that, aren¡¯t you telling others that there¡¯s something valuable or money inside? Do you want to invite robbery?¡±


    Security wasn¡¯t great at the time.


    Terrified, Qiao Shengbao hurriedly loosened his grip and stood up straight.


    He Xiuyu, smiling, decided to take him to the post office to mail the money back safely.


    When there were only 200 yuan left in Qiao Shengbao¡¯s bag, he let out a sigh of relief; had it been before, he would have been nervous with that amount.


    But with one thousand yuan as a comparison, the 200 yuan didn¡¯t seem so frightening anymore.


    Back home, Qiao Shengbao holed up in his room and started to weave small sugar jars.


    Qiao Qing bought him several picture books and paint supplies.


    The books had various photos of animals and flowers, as well as other craft images.


    Qiao Shengbao was engrossed and spent a day and a night weaving four sugar jars.


    Two tiger designs, one for He Xuerong to give to Li Mingguang, another for the kid at the fair, and one with a panda eating bamboo pattern, left unpainted as the natural look was nicer.


    He also made a sugar jar for He Xuerong, this time with snowdrops adorning it.

 Chapter 257 - 257 257 Wholeheartedly for the Maternal Family

    ?Chapter 257: Chapter 257: Wholeheartedly for the Maternal Family! Chapter 257: Chapter 257: Wholeheartedly for the Maternal Family! Qiao Qingyu saw Qiao Shengbao¡¯s eye circles turning dark blue, then incessantly kneading the back of his neck.


    Artisans sell their manual labor, which is less relaxing than farming.


    Therefore, if there were stable orders in the future, her father and Brother Shengbao could just do the instruction, supervision, and handle contact and sales.


    After returning to Xichuan, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s life went back to normal.


    However, for the Qiao Family Team and Qiao Zhicai¡¯s family, as well as Qiao Zhiyuan, the excitement lasted for more than half a month.


    It was the first time in his life that Qiao Zhicai had earned so much money.


    He and Qiao Shengbao had filled a whole truck with their woven crafts and hauled them away.


    In total, they sold goods for 2,700 yuan.


    Qiao Shengbao took the initiative to suggest adding Qiao Qingyu in for the three of them to split the profits equally.


    Though Wang Guihua was somewhat displeased, she thought that if it weren¡¯t for Qiao Qingyu, the corn leaves would have just been kindling, and they couldn¡¯t have sold for so much.


    Even with splitting it three ways, her family would still get 900 yuan.


    Not to mention the 1,600 sugar jars still to come.


    She had her own wisdom and felt that involving Qiao Qingyu would ensure even greater commitment to the cause.


    Otherwise, who could these old farmers possibly know?


    In doing business, not being cheated was already good enough, let alone making a profit.


    Having thought it through, she happily agreed.


    Qiao Zhicai naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse. Although he and his nephew had made all the items, without his niece, what else could be done with those things besides burning them for cooking?


    Privately, he felt that even giving his own niece some money was still too little.


    In his opinion, his niece should get at least half.


    Of course, he didn¡¯t speak these thoughts because he knew that his Qingyubao definitely wouldn¡¯t agree.


    Indeed, Qiao Qingyu did not agree.


    She had originally intended to allow the Qiao Family to enjoy a prosperous life ahead of time. Besides, in the face of money, it¡¯s best not to test human nature, even with family.


    Moreover, once her father and Qiao Shengbao got the hang of it, she wasn¡¯t planning on being involved any longer; she didn¡¯t have the energy to spare.


    If she were to take a third, it would be one thing for her own parents, but what about others?


    Over time, it could give rise to feelings of imbalance.


    That was something she did not want at all.


    She was just so selfless, all for the sake of her family!


    When she talked to He Xiuyu about this, her eyes shone brightly as she watched his expression.


    He Xiuyu merely nodded understandingly, pinching her increasingly delicate cheek, and said offhandedly, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I just love your dedication to your family.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu then collapsed into his arms, laughing heartily.


    In the blink of an eye, they entered the twelfth lunar month.


    North City was a world of ice and snow, and Xichuan was also draped in silver and white.


    Unexpectedly, Wu Xiucai, preparing to head for Yun City, arrived in a large truck to bring warmth to the Tenghai Research Base.


    He also brought two baskets of vegetables, one basket of seafood, and one basket of meat for Qiao Qingyu.


    Apart from fresh vegetables, the rest could be frozen outside in the yard.


    Old Master Wu Xiucai didn¡¯t show up, but he had someone pass on a message, saying that since Qiao Qingyu and his wife looked so similar, it was fate, and he was just fulfilling a wish.


    After getting He Xiuyu¡¯s approval, Qiao Qingyu accepted the gifts. After all, many people saw this as a gesture of respect for He Xiuyu, and whether to accept it or not was up to him.


    After leaving Xichuan for Yun City, Wu Xiucai departed, while Wu Xiujie remained stationed here. As he flipped through Tom¡¯s diary, his eyebrows furrowed tightly. He sent everyone else out and began to ponder deeply.


    Tom¡¯s Shariputra was fake, and in his diary, he said everyone around him advised him that if he took the Buddha Tower that enshrined the Shariputra, he would be cursed.


    But the gem scripture scrolls he took out were all genuine.


    Even so, Tom still met an untimely death, and then this diary and map ended up in his hands.


    The Buddhists say that people have reincarnation and the world has transmigration.


    He obtained a piece of information that the Shariputra enshrined in the Sansha Buddha Cave could open the door to another space.


    This, only he knew.


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, it was the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.


    Early in the morning, Qiao Qingyu made Laba Porridge and vegetable buns, sliced the buns, mixed some sauce for dipping, and the taste was incredible.


    After He Xiuyu had eaten his fill, he went off to work, while she didn¡¯t plan to go home for the New Year this year. Riding the train in winter was torture, and moreover, He Xiuyu wasn¡¯t going back to Beijing either; she couldn¡¯t bear to leave him and Rongrong here.


    So naturally, she couldn¡¯t return to her maiden home on the second day of the lunar new year, so Qiao Zhicai mailed her a lot of foods and supplies.


    Including the money Qiao Qingyu fronted, it totaled eight thousand yuan.


    Once the twelfth month arrived, the Qiao Family¡¯s three greenhouses began selling their vegetables.


    Don¡¯t underestimate the purchasing power of people during this era.


    Fresh and tender vegetables were quickly sold out once they hit the market.


    They were going to sell them gradually over the twelfth lunar month, and at this time, it was a daily sight to see money coming in.


    It was estimated that each greenhouse would net six hundred yuan in profit.


    But this also meant that the greenhouses could be used again next year, and with just this, each greenhouse would earn an additional two thousand yuan next year.


    The external debts had been paid off, and what remained was all theirs.


    Qiao Zhicai and Han Xianglan both wished so much that Qiao Qingyu could come home for the New Year. Since her birth, it was the first time the Old Qiao Family was having such a good celebration.


    But without Qiao Qingyu at their side, even the taste of meat lost its savor.


    ...


    There is a saying in the north: ¡°Child, child, don¡¯t you cry, after Laba, we¡¯ll butcher a pig, child, child, don¡¯t be greedy, after Laba, New Year is nigh.¡±


    After Laba, days flew by even faster, and in the blink of an eye, it was New Year¡¯s Eve.


    This was not only Qiao Qingyu¡¯s first Spring Festival here, but also He Xuerong¡¯s.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s calligraphy was excellent, and the Spring Festival couplets he personally wrote adorned the big gate and the main house doors.


    The atmosphere of the Spring Festival grew stronger over the past two years.


    Aside from vegetables reserved for the staff¡¯s usage, the greenhouses at the research base also distributed a cucumber, half a pound of green beans, and a bundle of bok choy to each household in the family compound before the Spring Festival.


    This year, each household was given ten pounds of pork.


    It was quite generous indeed.


    The base¡¯s shop had brought in firecrackers and sold out completely, Qiao Qingyu had brought He Xuerong two lanterns, bought a bunch of red candles, and also specifically bought a pack of smaller candles for lighting the lanterns.


    Su Yunyao went back to Beijing for the New Year. Due to urgent work tasks, Shen Haoze did not go home, and was called over on New Year¡¯s Eve.


    He didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable at all. However, he also took all the benefits he was issued, including blocks of sugar, pork, and fish.


    Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu were busy in the kitchen, while Shen Haoze was outside setting off small firecrackers with Rongrong.


    At one point, Qiao Qingyu glanced out and saw He Xuerong speaking with Chu Ying outside, with Chu Ying holding some candy.


    Qiao Qingyu extended her hand and tapped He Xiuyu¡¯s arm, gesturing for him to look outside too.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s brows furrowed slightly; he didn¡¯t particularly like Chu Ying being close to He Xuerong.


    This kind of intentional approach made people uneasy.


    Moreover, he was aware of his brother¡¯s situation. He wasn¡¯t sure if his brother had forgotten his sister-in-law, but he did know his brother currently had no intention of settling down.

 Chapter 258 - 258 258 Celebrating the New Year

    ?Chapter 258: Chapter 258: Celebrating the New Year Chapter 258: Chapter 258: Celebrating the New Year He Xuerong was a clever and nimble child. Seeing the big bag of candy in Aunt Chu¡¯s hand, some of which she had never seen before with beautiful wrappers printed with foreign words, she was very tempted, but she still firmly shook her head, saying softly, ¡°Aunt Chu, my uncle punished me for lying by forbidding me from eating candy for a year, and the time isn¡¯t up yet. Please don¡¯t lead me to make a mistake.¡±


    Shen Haoze smiled and said to Chu Ying, ¡°I know about this matter, so don¡¯t tempt her with candy anymore. She¡¯s taken your kindness to heart, so save it for yourself.¡±


    Chu Ying really had no idea that He Xuerong was punished like that for that incident.


    She was quite generous though and put the candies into her backpack, praising, ¡°Rongrong, you¡¯re a good girl.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Chu, even if you praise me, I¡¯ll still stick to my position.¡±


    Chu Ying was startled, finding this little girl as sharp as a tack.


    ¡°Alright, I understand your stance, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t break your principles, little one. I wish you a Happy New Year!¡±


    ¡°Aunt Chu, Happy New Year to you too!¡±


    He Xuerong¡¯s voice was also sweet.


    Shen Haoze scratched the back of his head, feeling a bit confused. But he was too lazy to ponder it. Chu Ying turned and walked away, and just after taking a few steps, He Xuerong called out from behind, increasing her volume, ¡°Aunt Chu, I also wish for you to get married this year.¡±


    Chu Ying took a misstep, stopping and turning around with a look of amused resignation toward He Xuerong, grinning without a word, then quickly walked away.


    She was quite fond of He Xiuwen.


    She wanted to be nice to He Xuerong, but after being teased by these kids, she realized she hadn¡¯t backed out, but had come to see how naive and childish she was.


    Just like her own mother said, she had read herself silly.


    ...


    The New Year¡¯s Eve dinner at He Xiuyu¡¯s house was sumptuous.


    Braised fish, oil-braised prawns, stir-fried cucumber and eggs, braised pork, potato and chicken stew with glass noodles, braised spareribs, and a dish of pork belly stir-fried with mung bean sprouts.


    Qiao Qingyu also made fried potato balls for He Xuerong.


    Somehow, He Xiuyu had gotten hold of a bottle of red wine. After opening it, he poured some for Qiao Qingyu first, then himself, and finally for Shen Haoze.


    Shen Haoze pouted.


    He had long known this guy favored love over friendship, and now he felt it acutely, but he also really liked the atmosphere in He Xiuyu¡¯s house, and especially Qiao Qingyu¡¯s cooking skills.


    So he smartly kept his mouth shut.


    He Xiuyu raised his glass, his gaze turning to Qiao Qingyu, and said softly, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Three words, and everything was said without speaking.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°You¡¯re being so formal with me.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t formality, it¡¯s something I¡¯ve always wanted to say,¡± He Xiuyu¡¯s eyes twinkled with a smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re great too, and I thank you as well,¡± Qiao Qingyu returned with a smiling gaze.


    Shen Haoze exchanged an awkward look with He Xuerong. Raising his glass, he clinked it with He Xuerong¡¯s and said, ¡°Uncle Shen wishes our Rongrong grows more beautiful by the day.¡±


    He Xuerong¡¯s glass was filled with a drink, and she smiled sweetly, ¡°I wish Uncle Shen finds a wife soon.¡±


    Shen Haoze roared with laughter, ¡°You little rascal, you can¡¯t even let one comment slide.¡±


    ...


    Although when in Rome, do as the Romans do, everyone there, including He Xiuyu and Shen Haoze, was from the North. Despite regional differences in New Year¡¯s customs, they were all pretty similar.


    After the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner, there were dumplings to make, with Qiao Qingyu preparing a filling of celery and meat. Before eating the dumplings, they had to set off firecrackers.


    He Xiuyu bought He Xuerong a bundle of small firecrackers, which, when lit, could be held in the hand to run around and let it pop and spark, particularly beautiful in the night.


    It was like a fairy scattering magic from her wand.


    However, Qiao Qingyu strictly forbade He Xuerong from running while setting them off.


    Because it was simply too dangerous.


    She took He Xuerong alone to a higher place to set off the fireworks, because He Xiuyu and Shen Haoze had gone to the base¡¯s cafeteria to have a celebration with the staff.


    Of course, they had to return home to eat dumplings at eleven o¡¯clock at night.


    Then, seeing the firecrackers being lit here, a large group of children ran over,


    including Xiao Hu and his little aunt.


    After giving some instructions, Qiao Qingyu headed home to make dumplings.


    ...


    For the Chinese, New Year¡¯s Eve is very important; it signifies whether the new year will have a good start and good luck, so every household¡¯s New Year¡¯s Eve dinner must be as lavish as possible.


    In the past, scraping together every last cent was required to set up a New Year¡¯s Eve feast, hoping for a prosperous year ahead.


    But this year, Xiaxi Commune truly had a bountiful harvest. The pigs raised by the big teams were slaughtered, and after fulfilling their obligations, the remainder was distributed among the villagers.


    At the end of the year, besides grain, households received a share of money too.


    In Wang Laogen¡¯s family, the elderly and children, including himself, were all dressed in new clothes, and so was his wife.


    Two tables were set on the kang, with chicken, fish, and mostly meat.


    After a year of hard work, this New Year¡¯s Eve dinner seemed particularly significant.


    Wang Laogen raised his cup, wanting to say something but was too overwhelmed to speak. Looking at his five ravenous children, he waved his large hand, ¡°Eat!¡±


    Eat up, eat heartily!


    No longer would it be like in previous years, where a single piece of meat caused crying and howling among several children.


    Life would only get better.


    ...


    In Yun City, Wu Xiucai had already bought back the old Wu Family estate.


    He went to the ancestral hall alone.


    He didn¡¯t dare to speak out loud; after lighting the incense, he just choked up in his heart, ¡°Wan Jun, we¡¯ve found our daughter. Her name is now Han Xianglan. We¡¯ve become great-grandparents, but her life has been so tough...¡±


    Tears streamed down Wu Xiucai¡¯s face, rendering him speechless.


    He thumped down on his knees in front of his wife¡¯s memorial tablet, murmuring in his heart, ¡°Wan Jun, wait for me to bring our daughter and her children to offer you incense. Once I¡¯ve taken my revenge, I¡¯ll join you. Just wait for me...¡±


    ...


    On the morning of the first day of the new year, when the group of children came to pay their New Year¡¯s visits, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t see Xiao Xiao. She asked He Xuerong, ¡°Didn¡¯t Xiao Xiao come back? Why isn¡¯t she playing with you all?¡±


    Some time ago, Xiao Xiao had been sent back to her hometown and was brought back before the New Year. Because it had been so hectic, Qiao Qingyu really hadn¡¯t noticed until she saw the bunch of children and remembered that it had been a long time since she last saw Xiao Xiao.


    While she was talking, Xiao Xiao ran over from the side, her cheeks rosy, wearing a red woolen hat and a red scarf.


    Qiao Qingyu wrapped New Year¡¯s money in red paper, giving a share to each child, including Xiao Xiao. Not seeing her for half a year, Xiao Xiao had grown taller and was still somewhat shy.


    But her expression was excited and thrilled as she happily thanked her, ¡°Thank you, Aunt Qiao.¡±


    Then the group of kids rushed out to the main street in a commotion.


    Continuing to visit each house to pay their New Year¡¯s visits and collect New Year¡¯s money.


    Qiao Qingyu felt she really was paranoid; she thought Xiao Xiao had been sent away because of that conversation they had last time and had also secretly reminded He Xiuyu to be cautious.


    But looking at Xiao Xiao now, she didn¡¯t seem abnormal.


    Now the base¡¯s security forces had been increased. Any bad deeds wouldn¡¯t be so easy to pull off.


    The most important thing now was still technological and economic development.

 Chapter 259 - 259 259 Who is Whose Gift

    ?Chapter 259: Chapter 259 Who is Whose Gift Chapter 259: Chapter 259 Who is Whose Gift After the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, spring farming preparations would begin in the Northern Land.


    And then, in another half a month, it would be He Xiuyu¡¯s birthday.


    It was convenient that He Xiuyu was born on the second of February, which was said to be the day when the dragon raised its head.


    Qiao Qingyu planned to give He Xiuyu a gift on the second day of February.


    That was because He Xiuyu had told her that there was a new project about rare earth elements starting after the new year, and he would be even busier than last year.


    Time flew by; after Jingzhe, it was the second day of February and also He Xiuyu¡¯s birthday.


    This day was not a rest day, so Qiao Qingyu got up early and rolled out a bowl of noodles for He Xiuyu, topped with a poached egg.


    Then she instructed him to come back early that evening, as she would surprise him.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s eyes shone, and he rubbed his hands together. His little wife liked looking at his face and was also fond of his body; he really had no idea what sort of surprise she would give him.


    He was very much looking forward to it.


    The vegetables in the greenhouse were out of season, but fortunately, there was still plenty of stock at Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house, with dried daylilies, beans, potatoes, wood ears, and mushrooms that her parents had mailed from home.


    She also went to the base¡¯s store and bought two pounds of pork to prepare a lavish dinner.


    After a satisfying meal, He Xiuyu cleaned himself thoroughly and lay on the kang bed, waiting for Qiao Qingyu¡¯s surprise.


    Rongrong turned a year older during the New Year¡¯s celebrations.


    The little girl had grown taller, and her features had become even more delicate.


    Many times, He Xiuyu found it inappropriate to enter her room.


    Qiao Qingyu watched as He Xuerong finished her night routine and waited until she fell asleep before leaving He Xuerong¡¯s room.


    Then she returned to the bedroom and was suddenly taken aback.


    How come He Xiuyu had gotten into bed so early?


    Usually, he would still be busy in the study at this hour; could he be tired today?


    Qiao Qingyu thought he was asleep, so she tiptoed into the room, not expecting that He Xiuyu was only pretending to sleep and opened his eyes when he heard her enter.


    His eyes were bright, sparkling with a different kind of luster.


    Qiao Qingyu sat on the edge of the kang and reached out to pinch his chin, teasing, ¡°Waiting for me to come and have my way with you, huh?¡±


    Just as He Xiuyu was about to nod, he thought better of it; if that were the case, then he would be her present, and it wasn¡¯t her birthday after all.


    He caught Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand, his expression a playful smirk and his voice a bit husky, ¡°The best birthday gift is you. Hurry up and join me!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu slapped him lightly, yet she still said, ¡°I do have a real gift for you, but before I give it to you, I want to ask you, do you trust me?¡±


    Without hesitation, He Xiuyu replied, ¡°Of course I trust you.¡±


    He¡¯d have to have been struck by lightning to not trust such a wonderful wife.


    He didn¡¯t know just how much he loved or liked her, but he did know that he couldn¡¯t live without her for the rest of his life.


    Qiao Qingyu took off her shoes and climbed onto the kang, but instead of moving toward the bed, she headed to the windowsill.


    She took down a wooden box that was on the windowsill and then sat beside He Xiuyu, handing him the box and gesturing for him to open it.


    He Xiuyu gave Qiao Qingyu a suspicious glance before opening the wooden box.


    What he had not expected at all was a test tube inside, growing white mycelium.


    He knew Qiao Qingyu had been very busy these days because spring farming was about to start, and the planting scale this year would be even larger than last year.


    Whether at the base farm or Xiaxi Commune, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s presence was now everywhere.


    The base farm was currently clearing land and had also invested a lot of machinery and equipment.


    This year, the continued planting of Barley Grass with the wind and sand shall carry on, and the arable soil will keep being used for cabbages, radishes, and honey pumpkins, followed by cultivating the best land for potatoes.


    As for corn, it was an experimental crop on the finest land in Yushu County.


    Thousand silk hemp was also planted extensively this year.


    She retained two-thousand jin of corn seeds, and in accordance with the contract, she had first pick of three-thousand mu of transformed land.


    Five-hundred mu were planted with corn, five-hundred with wheat, and the rest was used for growing millet.


    Xiaxi Commune had implemented a system of linked production and responsibility contracts, and she hired Wang Laogen as her assistant.


    The County Machinery Factory had long since expanded, and Qiao Qingyu had the priority to purchase the machinery produced.


    And of the eighteen-thousand jin of corn seeds, Mr. Qian kept two-thousand, Lu Ye two-thousand, and the remaining fourteen-thousand were sent to Xichuan.


    There was an incident in this process.


    The neighboring country wanted to purchase corn seeds, and some officials thought about selling, since ¡°friendship comes first,¡± right? Fortunately, reminded by Qiao Qingyu, He Xiuyu sent word to all the departments.


    Consequently, the neighboring country¡¯s agricultural officials who couldn¡¯t make the purchase wanted to learn the technique.


    However, before they could learn, there was friction at the border.


    Thus, they quickly returned to their country, worried that if they were too late, they¡¯d be detained.


    The corn seeds from North City were the same case.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Qingyu was also preparing to visit Jiusanwu Farm to buy some Sea Buckthorn Seeds.


    Which was why she was always very busy.


    But he had not expected that inside this box was actually a test tube, with white fungal mycelium crawling inside. After reading the instructions, He Xiuyu suddenly sat up.


    He read the instructions incredulously from beginning to end once more and then stared at the mycelium inside the test tube, his eyes shining with an eager glow.


    He asked Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Is this for me?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded, a trace of nervousness lingering deep in her eyes. She had thought that the war might not break out, but to her surprise, it was merely delayed by a year.


    She knew that He Xuerong¡¯s father, He Xiuwen, had also gone to the battlefield.


    This item was of great usefulness to He Xiuyu.


    He Xiuyu started getting dressed, and Qiao Qingyu stopped him, ¡°The current temperature will allow it to keep for a few days, don¡¯t be in a rush.¡±


    He Xiuyu looked down, kissed her, and said in a deep voice, ¡°I¡¯m going to the lab. I will be late coming back. Don¡¯t wait up for me.¡±


    Qiao Qingyue didn¡¯t expect He Xiuyu to be so decisive. She had even thought through her words beforehand, but He Xiuyu hadn¡¯t asked any questions.


    He didn¡¯t even show a hint of doubt or speculation.


    She thought, this was his trust in her.


    Without her saying anything, he wouldn¡¯t question the origin.


    Because they both had an extraordinary trust in one another. Such trust didn¡¯t need too many words.


    Qiao Qingyu still followed him outside, but to her surprise, He Xiuyu had already disappeared without a trace. Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t comprehend his feelings, but his actions deeply moved her, and she guessed he probably wouldn¡¯t return that night.


    Unexpectedly, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s estimate was inaccurate.


    He Xiuyu hadn¡¯t been gone just the night, but half a month.


    He had been in the laboratory the entire half-month.


    He didn¡¯t attend meetings or go to the workshops; even Old Wei hadn¡¯t seen him.


    And the laboratory where He Xiuyu stayed was his own, fully-equipped facility. He was also working on a private project, and when he was using the lab, no one dared to disturb him.


    After Qiao Qingyu gave the test tube to He Xiuyu, she momentarily laid to rest a matter of concern. She visited her own space again to check. At present, indeed, the only thing she could offer was this test tube, which was also of the greatest use given the current situation.

 Chapter 260 - 260 260 She Brought Him In

    ?Chapter 260: Chapter 260 She Brought Him In Chapter 260: Chapter 260 She Brought Him In The only thing that wasn¡¯t clarified was, why were such letters printed on the bottom of the bottle?


    Maybe she was overthinking it, there was no meaning to it, it was just a letter after all.


    Qiao Qingyu was as busy as He Xiuyu.


    Spring plowing had already started, and thankfully, it was the second year in Xichuan, so many of the planting plans were going very well. No matter what kind of seeds she had in her hands now, there was no worry about not being able to sell them.


    So now it was just a matter of quantity.


    She had contacted a batch of Barley Grass Seeds from the Mobei Prairie again, in addition to those she harvested last year, although she handed over last year¡¯s harvested Barley Grass Seeds to Professor Feng.


    The seeds she obtained from the Mobei Prairie were still cultivated by her.


    At the same time, she also tested the effectiveness of plowing machines and seeders.


    Qiao Qingyu had made over a hundred thousand yuan from selling corn seeds.


    The wheat and sorghum seeds were all purchased locally, with Lu Ye making the arrangements.


    To be safe, Qiao Qingyu also used her Space Laboratory for their first cultivation.


    This year was still a year of experiments, such as with corn.


    She didn¡¯t use her own Space Laboratory, but instead started to select and cultivate seeds using the methods she had learned.


    Qiao Qingyu thought that after the first cultivation, the seeds should have been improved.


    But currently, before the harvest, these were only conjectured data. So, this year¡¯s corn was still a trial field.


    She had lost five pounds. Spring plowing was exhausting, especially after large-scale planting this year, she didn¡¯t have many people at hand, but luckily Wang Laogen was capable. He was not participating in the collective work this year, so some families had spare labor available.


    Qiao Qingyu had Wang Laogen hire twenty main laborers; the others were temporary workers.


    Even so, it was an expense of several thousand yuan each month.


    You can¡¯t farm without money.


    After all agriculture is fully mechanized, a lot of labor will be freed.


    The high-yield corn seeds had already caught the attention of higher-ups.


    So, this year North City was still focusing on corn, also as a trial for widespread adoption.


    Because of the sufficient quantity, the entire county town¡¯s original corn planting plan had switched to the new type of corn seeds.


    Last year, it wouldn¡¯t have been dared, but this year nobody worried.


    These corn seeds were also cultivated jointly by the North City Seed Cultivation Center and the East An County Seed Station, with experts guiding on the side.


    If this year is successful, it can be popularized across half of Hua Country.


    Qiao Qingyu felt that turning East An County into a seed base was also a good choice.


    As for Xichuan, it¡¯s better to focus on improving the soil.


    Work is endless. The current farming work is also never done.


    In the blink of an eye, she had almost been in this world for a year, and then Qiao Qingyu realized that He Xiuyu hadn¡¯t been home for over half a month.


    She went straight to the Big White Building at the base.


    Of course, she couldn¡¯t enter his laboratory, but she could make a call, and then she saw He Xiuyu standing in front of her, his eyes bright and spirited but having lost over ten pounds, pale as a ghost.


    Qiao Qingyu was really startled, and through gritted teeth, she pulled him and dragged him outside.


    She was now his wife, after all; she didn¡¯t want him to die young nor did she want to be a widow.


    Seeing the worried look in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes, He Xiuyu obediently went home with her.


    She boiled a big pot of hot water for He Xiuyu to have a good bath, and while he was bathing, Qiao Qingyu had already prepared the meal.


    Thick millet porridge, buns made with a mix of grains, green beans and red chili fried with pork belly, and she made a bowl of seaweed egg soup.


    It was midday, and after eating, Qiao Qingyu frowned and said, ¡°I know how you feel, but you have to take care of your body. The body is the capital of the revolution.¡±


    He Xiuyu, sitting in the chair, looked up at Qiao Qingyu, who was standing in front of him with her hands on her hips.


    His wife had also lost weight.


    The little bit of flesh she had put on had disappeared again.


    He sighed and pulled Qiao Qingyu into his arms, letting her sit on his lap, and said tenderly, ¡°Little Qiao, do you know what you¡¯ve given me?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t speak.


    He Xiuyu spoke for himself, ¡°It¡¯s a secret weapon that can change Huaxia¡¯s status and the scientific process.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu asked in a muffled voice, ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask how I got it?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you researched it yourself. My wife is very impressive, but you¡¯re destined to be an unsung hero,¡± said He Xiuyu¡¯s voice, gentle as water. ¡°Just give me half a year, and I will take our country¡¯s technological development a big step forward.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart stirred.


    Without much forethought, if she wanted to popularize the seeds from her Space Laboratory, she needed a powerful and trustworthy supporter and backing.


    If it was last year, it would have been fine, but this year the corn seeds received unprecedented attention, and many eyes were watching her, which made Qiao Qingyu even more cautious.


    Especially the Barley Grass Seeds.


    If she only cared about her own little plot, that would be no problem; her family¡¯s vegetable garden was enough for her to tinker with for a lifetime.


    But Qiao Qingyu did not want to just do that, so she stood up and took He Xiuyu¡¯s hand.


    She didn¡¯t tell He Xiuyu where they were going because she didn¡¯t know if she could take him there. If she could bring him in, he would naturally know the secret. If not, she was prepared to tell him the truth.


    In fact, as soon as she took out the mycelium test tube, He Xiuyu almost understood everything.


    After silently counting to ten, the next moment, she and He Xiuyu appeared in the Space Laboratory.


    Never in a million years had she thought she¡¯d actually bring He Xiuyu inside.


    The two were still holding hands, but He Xiuyu felt the air around him suddenly became comforting.


    It seemed like the air was filled with energy, continuously replenishing his overly expended body.


    Who was He Xiuyu? In the blink of an eye, he understood everything.


    So from the beginning to the end, he was right.


    His little wife indeed had another space that was above this world.


    He thought that for the rest of his life, Qiao Qingyu would never tell him.


    But to his surprise, this silly girl actually brought him here.


    Wasn¡¯t she afraid he might harm her in the future?


    He Xiuyu did not go to check the various glass bottles and test tubes placed in high-dimensional space, but instead bent down and looked at Qiao Qingyu, his voice slightly hoarse, ¡°Xiao Qiao, do you trust me that much?¡±


    ¡°You are the person who will stay with me for life, if I don¡¯t trust you, then who should I trust?¡± Qiao Qingyu¡¯s voice carried a smile.


    Qiao Qingyu realized that bearing the secret alone felt like a heavy burden on her shoulders. But sharing this secret with He Xiuyu made her heart feel lighter all of a sudden.


    Had she known this, she would have told him sooner.

 Chapter 261 - 261 261 Did You Create the Seed Laboratory

    ?Chapter 261: Chapter 261: Did You Create the Seed Laboratory? Chapter 261: Chapter 261: Did You Create the Seed Laboratory? He Xiuyu¡¯s voice was very soft and low, but he spoke as if making a vow, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I He Xiuyu will never betray your trust!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°I believe in you!¡±


    When she was at her hometown, one day her father drank too much, and his snoring was thunderous. At that moment, she thought to boldly try and see if she could bring Qiao Zhicai into her space while nobody was watching. After all, children could indeed enter, but she didn¡¯t expect it to fail.


    She also conducted experiments while living in the same room with Han Xianglan, but still couldn¡¯t bring anyone in.


    After that, she no longer conducted such dangerous experiments.


    Qiao Qingyu, with a smile, pointed to this space, ¡°I haven¡¯t even checked all of it, there¡¯s just too much, and sometimes I even forget what I¡¯ve seen. Don¡¯t think this is a great thing, I will need your help in future.¡±


    ¡°Little Qiao, I like being your shield,¡± He Xiuyu¡¯s voice was warm.


    Of course, Qiao Qingyu knew, and the moment she brought him in there, she realized that she truly trusted this man with all her heart.


    He Xiuyu examined the seeds rather swiftly, but even so, he had only seen a fraction of what was there.


    Even though he was a calm and collected man, he couldn¡¯t help but be a bit shocked.


    There were many extinct plants here, as well as many newly cultivated varieties.


    Who built this laboratory?


    It seems there really are highly intelligent beings.


    Qiao Qingyu was lucky, and he, even luckier.


    He came up with a new idea and said softly, ¡°The biological science laboratory at the base is about to be completed, and the staff is already fully prepared. I¡¯ve decided to personally lead this team to gradually promote seeds that are suitable for this land.¡±


    Speaking of this, he looked at Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Of course, this would require collaboration with your breeding lab.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu felt her decision was very wise.


    This cake was too big, she didn¡¯t have the stomach to consume it all.


    It would come at a huge cost.


    After knowing that Ning¡¯an County and Xichuan in North City had gained high attention from the authorities, she knew she could no longer endlessly take things out.


    Nobody is a fool.


    Any smart person, by merely connecting a few dots, would realize something was off about her. By then, not even He Xiuyu could save her.


    However, she could still be a pioneer.


    ¡°... This year, I plan to plant barley grass and poplar trees extensively, both of which can improve the soil and also have economic benefits. In a few days, I am going to get some sea buckthorn seeds to come back. By the way, I¡¯ll take you to see the seed cultivation machine from an unknown space.¡±


    He Xiuyu was pulled by Qiao Qingyu and stood in front of the seed cultivation machine.


    Laymen watch the excitement, experts see the doorway.


    He Xiuyu spent an hour studying the machine simply. He told Qiao Qingyu that this seed cultivation machine was very advanced, and so were the materials, but it might not be impossible to replicate, though it would take him five to ten years.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes widened in surprise; if it really happened, it was hard to imagine what the situation would be like.


    The two decided that Qiao Qingyu would still oversee the barley grass, but the poplar trees were handed over to He Xiuyu.


    On these two points, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t want to make money.


    He Xiuyu felt quite heartened, ¡°It may sound cheesy and selfish for me to say this, but I personally think that turning the sand belts of Xichuan and even a thousand miles around into green oases would be the greatest achievement of your life.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been thinking the same. Right now, I already have more than one hundred thousand yuan in my hands. If nothing goes wrong, the three thousand mu of land should earn at least two hundred thousand yuan. Next year, I plan to continue expanding the cultivation, but I plan to return to the Qiao Family Team. I plan to turn Ning¡¯an County into Huaxia¡¯s seed base.¡±


    Especially the Qiao Family Team.


    Qiao Qingyu planned to let her uncle, who had just been promoted to team leader, lead all the villagers on another path to wealth.


    Maybe in a few years, the Qiao Family Team would become Huaxia¡¯s first Xiao Kang Village.


    That would be an epoch-making feat.


    Even though He Xiuyu had known about his wife¡¯s family fortune for a while, he still felt a bit of a toothache at the moment.


    His wife was so good at making money, it put a lot of pressure on him.


    However, as mature and intelligent as he was, he was still a young person. Being trusted by his wife like this and then brought into a high-dimensional space, as a scientist, if he couldn¡¯t open the door to a new world, or even another world, then he would be a fool.


    Obviously, he wasn¡¯t going to be a fool.


    So he was very excited, and at this moment, he felt somewhat overwhelmed, especially hearing Qiao Qingyu¡¯s plans. Thinking about the disaster-stricken country that might, because of this Space Device, embark on an unstoppable path of rapid development and strength.


    He even felt like crying.


    He carefully re-examined this set of machinery, amazed at the designer¡¯s bold ideas and also pondering how he could improve the breeding equipment at the base in collaboration with Professor Feng.


    Then he walked over to a corner and immediately saw the broken glass shards in the wooden box.


    Qiao Qingyu, who had been following him closely, pointed at the shattered glass and said, ¡°Last time, it accidentally fell on the ground and broke.¡±


    Then He Xiuyu frowned, bent down, picked up the bottom of the bottle, and carefully looked at it. After a few seconds, his expression became strange.


    An incredible idea occurred to him.


    Noticing the change in his expression, Qiao Qingyu asked curiously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you find something?¡±


    ¡°Can we go out now?¡±


    ¡°Sure, just hold my hand.¡±


    Ten seconds later, the two appeared in their bedroom. He Xiuyu directly went to the window sill, lifted the flowerpot, and held it above Qiao Qingyu¡¯s head.


    He said, ¡°Take a close look, do these two letters look very similar?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked up and then held the bottom of the glass bottle to compare, and her heart suddenly started pounding. The bottom of the flowerpot also had a big letter Y.


    The letters were identical, but even though it was uppercase, the tail curved up a bit, like a mischievous little tail.


    The arc of the curve was exactly the same.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s voice was a bit hoarse, filled with puzzlement, ¡°You might not know, but I like to make things myself, like experimental vessels and test tubes, as well as these flowerpots, and I like to leave a mark on the things I make.¡±


    ¡°Did you make this Seed Laboratory?¡± Qiao Qingyu blurted out, then covered her mouth in surprise.


    It was too unbelievable.


    But He Xiuyu shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t have that capability. Currently, I don¡¯t even have the ability to replicate machines, let alone this high-dimensional space.¡±


    Then he placed the flowerpot back in its original spot. The flowerpot contained the tea tree Qiao Qingyu had planted last year, which had grown quite tall by now, likely all seeds from the laboratory.


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu still in a reflective mood, he smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t think about things that don¡¯t make sense.¡±


    Then he began to put on his coat.

 Chapter 262 - 262 262 Exhilarating

    ?Chapter 262: Chapter 262: Exhilarating Chapter 262: Chapter 262: Exhilarating ¡°What are you doing, you¡¯re going to the lab again?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked.


    ¡°The cultivation research of the mycelium has reached a crucial moment, and I cannot relax. I won¡¯t be back for a while. I¡¯m sorry you¡¯re having to work so hard at home,¡± He Xiuyu said guiltily.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to visit the Space Laboratory again?¡±


    He Xiuyu shook his head, but as his gaze settled on his lively wife, the color in his eyes deepened and he changed his mind. He took off his coat again and pulled Qiao Qingyu into his arms, ¡°Right now, I just want to see you.¡± He leaned down, and his cool lips pressed against her red ones.


    In fact, he had missed her too.


    He had longed for her so much that even if she hadn¡¯t reached out to him, he would have come home in these few days.


    Though it was daytime, with the door locked and the curtains drawn, they indulged themselves just the same.


    He Xiuyu returned to the lab feeling refreshed and energized.


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu had finally accomplished a major task and didn¡¯t feel like going anywhere else. Moreover, she was extremely tired. Having been so intensely intimate with He Xiuyu for the first time, her voice was a little hoarse, so she decided to take the afternoon off.


    ...


    When she received a call in the evening, she was shocked. How had He Shan managed to transfer to Xichuan?


    He called her, planning to take He Xuerong to stay for a while because he had found out that both members of the couple were very busy.


    When He Shan arrived, He Xiuyu made time to leave the lab, and father and son had a small drink together.


    He Shan felt very gratified, never having expected his second son and Qiao Qingyu to lead such a sweet and beautiful life together.


    Seeing is believing.


    Even if his eldest son had told him they were doing well, he still worried without seeing it for himself.


    His granddaughter Rongrong was simply like a little fairy, smart, witty, and polite, speaking in a gentle, soft voice that could melt his heart.


    He was very thankful to Qiao Qingyu.


    He Xuerong also was very sensible, and she no longer wanted to be in the senior class of the kindergarten.


    Her little aunt was very busy every day, yet still took care of her, and she felt sorry for her too, so she happily left with her grandfather.


    But she told Qiao Qingyu that once she finished farming, she would come back. She also informed Qiao Qingyu that she and Xiao Hu had agreed that they wanted to be farmers in the future.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry; this must be what they call ¡®you are who you befriend.¡¯


    ...


    When the first light rain of Xichuan came, spring plowing had also ended.


    And He Xiuyu¡¯s experiment had finally come to a close, and he was ready to go to Beijing to report on his work.


    He Shan became busy too, and he had to send Rongrong back.


    The key point was that He Xuerong also knew that her little aunt was done with spring farming.


    Since He Shan had arrived and was ready to go to Beijing, He Xiuyu decided to stay.


    He Shan was busy with work and could only stay for a couple of days at their house.


    By the time he brought Rongrong back, it was already afternoon.


    If the location had been Beijing, things might have been a bit awkward. However, the location was Xichuan, and now Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu were truly husband and wife, so psychologically, they would have to accept that sooner or later they would all be one family.


    It was already April now. In Xichuan, if it were any other year, the place would still look desolate, but this year was different.


    Barley Grass had already taken on a hint of green, dotting the edge of the horizon with signs of spring, and as he walked this path, He Shan was filled with emotion.


    He had never expected Qiao Qingyu would be walking this same road today.


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu, he felt somewhat dazed, but he quickly regained composure. It was said that Qiao Qingyu bore a strong resemblance to Wu Xiucai¡¯s wife, yet she wasn¡¯t much like Han Xianglan; she had inherited the best qualities of both her parents.


    But in his heart, he sighed. What would it be like if Han Xianglan could have stayed by Wu Xiucai¡¯s side?


    Even with his rich imagination, he couldn¡¯t picture it at all¡ªor perhaps, he didn¡¯t dare to.


    Qiao Qingyu had prepared the washing water and, picking up Rongrong, kissed her fiercely. It had been nearly a month, and she really missed the little girl.


    When bored, the little girl was particularly good at cheering you up.


    He Shan wasn¡¯t big on appetite and didn¡¯t feel like eating stir-fries. Luckily, Qiao Qingyu had made bone broth that morning¡ªthe pork bones bought from the base¡¯s store had been simmering until now, creating a fragrant and rich flavor.


    So Qiao Qingyu rolled out some noodles.


    Last autumn, she had washed the remaining cilantro, braided it into ropes, and hung several strings in a cool place.


    With the arrival of spring, she planted garlic sprouts.


    Her hot white noodle soup was topped with a poached egg and sprinkled with garlic sprouts and cilantro, finished with a few drops of sesame oil. Even the usually picky He Shan suddenly felt famished.


    Although he didn¡¯t want stir-fries, Qiao Qingyu still mixed up a plate of sweet and sour shredded radish and stir-fried a dish of cabbage and black fungus, accompanied by two side dishes of pickles. The dinner was not only varied but also looked quite lavish.


    In He Xiuyu¡¯s memory, his father was always a very serious man. However, it was only during dinner that day that he noticed more white had crept into his father¡¯s temples, and his expression was unusually tender throughout the meal.


    He Shan stayed in the bedroom that He Xiuyu used to occupy. The chimney was surely clear, and although it was April, the evening was still chilly, making the room not so warm, yet the little kang was heated and cozy.


    He Shan had peace of mind regarding the two of them. Though both were busy, their life seemed to be thriving.


    He enjoyed the atmosphere in his son¡¯s home. No wonder Rongrong always spoke nonstop about her ¡°little aunt.¡±


    The only issue was that his wife, although she had stopped giving opinions on the marriage, did not like Qiao Qingyu deep down¡ªand Juanjuan shared the sentiment.


    They both adopted the attitude of living one day at a time, avoiding contact with Qiao Qingyu whenever possible.


    On this matter, he felt powerless and truly could do nothing.


    Nor did any opportunity arise for them to see the good in Qiao Qingyu.


    Particularly his only daughter, Juanjuan, who had quit her job to start a company with someone else. To his eyes, it was nothing but a shell company, its sole advantage being their parents¡¯ influence.


    In the early stages of reform, too many were looking to leverage that kind of influence.


    He was simply too busy at the moment to deal with Juanjuan¡¯s business, and he could only instruct Meng Siqi to keep an eye on her to prevent any significant missteps.


    He had to be stern. If Juanjuan¡¯s mistakes were severe, they could impact the futures of He Xiuwen and He Xiuyu. Only by conveying this gravity would Meng Siqi take it seriously.


    Though his mind was swirling with thoughts, He Shan quickly drifted off to sleep.


    ...


    He Shan had other business on this trip too, regarding Wu Xiujie.


    Wu Xiujie had begun tree planting and afforestation again, with great energy¡ªgetting interviewed, appearing in newspapers, desperately crafting the image of a patriot.


    His first goal was to purchase the plot of land where Qiao Qingyu had planted grass.


    He had been active since last year, but due to the lack of policies allowing free trade of land, he had to abandon the idea.


    Then, he started to think about contracting.


    Unfortunately, Qiao Qingyu already had an agreement in place from when she contracted the land last year. If the land was to be contracted again, she would be the first in line; only if she didn¡¯t want it could it be offered to someone else.


    Last year, after bumping into resistance at Qiao Qingyu¡¯s, Professor Dong wasn¡¯t too keen on dealing with her. Wu Xiujie sent Wu Peng with a check to persuade Qiao Qingyu to transfer the contracted grassland and the successfully cultivated small plot of Willow Wood Forest to him.

 Chapter 263 - 263 263 Disappeared in Front of Her Eyes

    ?Chapter 263: Chapter 263: Disappeared in Front of Her Eyes Chapter 263: Chapter 263: Disappeared in Front of Her Eyes If Qiao Qingyu considered spending two hundred thousand yuan last year to buy seeds somewhat acceptable, spending fifty million yuan now for subcontracting fees surely heightened her caution.


    Moreover, she did not have a good impression of Wu Xiujie and his team, and she had her own plans, which she certainly did not agree with.


    Still, within the bounds of policy, Wu Xiujie managed a tricky move and contracted the barren sandy land Qiao Qingyu intended to plant with Barley Grass this year.


    If that land were all sown with Barley Grass, it would undoubtedly have the most notable effect on improving the soil climate of the area.


    Wu Xiujie¡¯s lavish spending raised suspicions not just in He Xiuyu but in Qiao Qingyu as well, who always felt he had ulterior motives.


    But it must be said, the Black Poplar trees he planted last year did survive to some extent.


    He Shan¡¯s visit this time was also to take a firsthand look at the land contracted by Wu Xiujie.


    So, bright and early in the morning, he prepared to leave, only to find Li Mingguang neatly dressed, with a small water bottle, already waiting at the door.


    Needless to say, this must have been He Xuerong who slipped out to tell him last night.


    Li Mingguang¡¯s words grew sweeter, ¡°Grandpa He, Aunt Qiao, Uncle He...¡± greeting everyone in turn, then clutching his water bottle, his voice tenderly added, ¡°I¡¯ve already asked for leave from kindergarten, I promise I won¡¯t be any trouble.¡±


    He Shan stretched out his hand to pat his little head, laughing, ¡°I always hear Rongrong mention you, you¡¯re a fine little fellow.¡±


    Li Mingguang pursed his lips and smiled, ¡°Thank you for the praise, Grandpa He.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu felt that after a year, Xiao Hu had become much more sensible, and many of his little faults had improved after last year¡¯s incident.


    The family quarters of the base were not too far from the land Qiao Qingyu had contracted.


    He Xiuyu also frequented it.


    Driving the Jeep loaded with these people quickly reached their destination.


    Spring plowing had just ended, nothing had sprouted in the land yet, but it no longer felt desolate.


    Xichuan¡¯s land was different from North City¡¯s; North City had plains, with straight furrows stretching to the horizon. Here, near the loess high slopes, the terrain was undulating.


    Honestly speaking, some areas really weren¡¯t suitable for mechanized planting.


    It was half manual and half mechanized.


    However, looking north, one could see the grasslands fogged with green, and the surviving Willow Woods had sprouted green buds.


    Poplar trees were naturally resilient species, especially the improved Willow Wood.


    Today, there was no one in the fields.


    Usually, it was quite lively here.


    Qiao Qingyu had given Wang Laogen and others a holiday, from starting spring plowing to now nearly two months had passed, and everyone had worked tirelessly; she had even paid this month¡¯s salary in advance.


    After getting out of the car, He Xuerong and Li Mingguang dashed off toward the grassland like the wind.


    He Xiuyu instinctively went to support He Shan.


    Met with a glare from He Shan, He Xiuyu smiled, watching his father¡¯s nimble movements.


    Today the sun was brilliant, with no wind, rain, or sand.


    Here on the barren slope, the soil was irredeemable, so no one bothered to waste energy on it.


    But as Qiao Qingyu watched, she envisioned turning this place into a tourist spot with built hostels in the future.


    Up the slope, there were quite a few red poppy flowers, and down the slope, expanding Barley Grass by several hundred acres, then creating an artificial lake in the grasslands, and planning to establish a sea buckthorn orchard with the introduction of sea buckthorn. In five years, the Willow Wood would also be mostly grown, and then, the scenery here could become a demonstration area; gradually expanding into Xichuan and, a few years later, if she still had the energy, shifting the battle to the adjacent Gelle State.


    He Shan, hands clasped behind his back, looked contentedly at the scenery before him.


    And to think, Qiao Qingyu was a capable girl, having accomplished such a significant endeavor. Which girl of her age had the vision to do such things?


    The work that Qiao Qingyu did now seemed unremarkable, but five years later, it would undoubtedly be astounding.


    He Shan felt immensely proud, his lips curving into a smile.


    He strolled leisurely into the Barley Grassland, smiling and saying, ¡°I¡¯ve been here several years ago, during this season when the sandstorms are the fiercest. That¡¯s right, where I live now, the sandstorms are truly fierce...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t ask the old man where he lived. She no longer had any Barley Grass Seeds, as the Station Chief Monk of the Mobei Prairie had nearly sent her all the seeds from the entire prairie.


    Fortunately, He Shan¡¯s central focus at work wasn¡¯t on sandstorm prevention and greening.


    His area was also under the jurisdiction of Xichuan. The local government had its own arrangements.


    He glanced at He Xuerong and Li Mingguang, who had run to the middle of the grassland, and said to He Xiuyu standing beside him, ¡°Let¡¯s go ahead and take a look.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu did not call out ¡°Dad¡± at this moment.


    Even though she had already become He Xiuyu¡¯s legitimate wife.


    ¡°Uncle He, then I¡¯ll go check on the two children.¡±


    He Shan nodded with a smile, leading He Xiuyu toward the vast land he had originally planned to visit.


    It was not visible from here; one had to cross three hills.


    Qiao Qingyu also entered the grassland, pondering whether she should contact a farm to buy a few lambs. Even if not for selling, could she slaughter them for meat?


    She really wanted to eat hot pot and roasted lamb chops.


    Later, she would need to look up some information. She had learned a bit about farming, remembered instances of raising pigs, chickens, ducks, and geese, and knew that in spring, eggs could be incubated on a heated brick bed.


    After a few dozen days, chicks and goslings would emerge from their shells, something she had witnessed in person.


    For raising pigs, they were typically caught in spring and then slaughtered before the Chinese New Year in winter.


    If well raised, they generally could grow to over two hundred pounds.


    She hadn¡¯t had much contact with lambs, but Station Chief Monk probably knew a lot more.


    Thinking this reminded her not to forget to phone Station Chief Monk when she got home to see if he had any lambs or ewes for sale.


    But then came the issue; she obviously needed to build a sheep pen and couldn¡¯t just keep the sheep in the base courtyard.


    So, should she discuss with Old Xie about establishing a farm at the base?


    After considering it, she thought the plan was feasible.


    At this moment, Qiao Qingyu also reached the two children.


    She was carrying a basket woven from willow branches.


    This season, many wild herbs were sprouting, and she had recently seen wild sprouts peering through the gaps in the grass.


    Last year, she had planted vegetables, flowers, and sea buckthorn wherever she felt like in the garden.


    Even though she had given the dandelion seeds to her elder brother and others, she hadn¡¯t thought to scatter some dandelion around the corners of her own vegetable garden. By next spring, they would become valuable, suitable for eating raw with sauce, making dumplings, or even frying with eggs...


    And indeed, dandelions are very resilient plants; they can take very good care of themselves without any attention.


    She had planted them at the edge of the garden at the beginning of the month, but they would take at least half a month to appear.


    However, she had not expected this piece of Barley Grassland to offer her so many surprises.


    Not only were there dandelions but also bitter herbs, and last year, she had even discovered the presence of soft ground, a type of fungus similar to wood ear.


    Soft ground wasn¡¯t big and would appear after rain, preferring to stay under grass roots. If you couldn¡¯t see it, even if soft ground was all around, you wouldn¡¯t see any; but if you spotted one, you would realize, oh my, this area is full of soft ground.


    It was really magical.


    However, it hadn¡¯t been much last year, and Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t take it seriously.


    This year was different; after a rain, she could come and collect soft ground.


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu digging up wild herbs, He Xuerong and Li Mingguang went to the car to fetch their little shovels to help.


    The two kids ran towards her with shovels, and Qiao Qingyu immediately stood up and shouted, ¡°Walk slowly, no running!¡±


    The two children now really listened to Qiao Qingyu and indeed slowed down. But little did they expect, the next second, He Xuerong and Li Mingguang suddenly disappeared from her sight...

 Chapter 264 - 264 264 Seeing the Sun Again

    ?Chapter 264: Chapter 264: Seeing the Sun Again Chapter 264: Chapter 264: Seeing the Sun Again Qiao Qingyu thought she was seeing things, so she blinked hard.


    Then, she heard a thunderous explosion.


    Plumes of dust rose swiftly, along with the startled cries of two children.


    Her complexion drastically changed, and she threw down what she had in her hands and ran frantically towards the front.


    With a speed she had never possessed before.


    It wasn¡¯t more than a few tens of meters away, she swept through like the wind, but instinctively screeched to a halt.


    At first, she stared in disbelief at everything before her, and then suddenly she threw herself onto the ground.


    Ahead, the grassland, which was previously intact, now had a huge hole in it.


    Even with the dust obscuring her view, Qiao Qingyu could still see the golden Buddha several meters high, seated on a lotus pedestal.


    Majestic and merciful, he looked down upon all beings.


    She saw He Xuerong and Li Mingguang sitting in the palm of the Buddha¡¯s hand, the two children also looking up at her in a daze.


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but mutter, ¡°Namo Amitabha!¡±


    She saw that the platform of the Buddha was still several meters above the ground and told He Xuerong and Li Mingguang with the gentlest expression, although her hands trembled slightly, her voice was exceedingly tender, ¡°You two, don¡¯t move, don¡¯t move at all.¡±


    Given the sudden change in the environment, no matter how smart Li Mingguang and He Xuerong were, they would not be able to react in time. The best thing to do was to stay perfectly still.


    At this moment, two people hurriedly ran over from a distance.


    They were He Xiuyu and He Shan, who had returned. Despite He Shan¡¯s age, his movements were fast and agile.


    In the blink of an eye, they both arrived opposite Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu hastily called out, ¡°Be careful where you step.¡±


    Seeing the situation before them, there was no need for Qiao Qingyu to explain anything, as she herself did not understand what was happening. However, as He Shan saw everything before him, he too was momentarily stunned.


    He could never have imagined that the Buddha statues, murals, and some precious gems that had been elusive, and the Buddha Tower enshrining the Shariputra, lay slumbering beneath this Barley Grassland.


    Now, they had finally seen the light of day again!


    But at this moment, the most important thing was to get the two children to safety.


    This was not difficult for He Shan and He Xiuyu. Qiao Qingyu soothed the children¡¯s emotions, and the little ones, with their courage, were not frightened at all but rather excited.


    He Xiuyu pulled the children up.


    Qiao Qingyu finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    Two hours later, the area was under martial law.


    The base guards, commune militiamen, and the county public security officers set up a cordon stretching hundreds of meters; He Shan could not return to his station this time.


    Li Mingguang and He Xuerong were also taken to the periphery, but as they looked towards the grassland, the two little ones¡¯ eyes shone with excitement as they asked Qiao Qingyu if they had found the treasure and if they were heroes.


    Qiao Qingyu gave them an affirmative answer.


    Qiao Qingyu first took the two children home, then He Shan set up tents here. Soon, his engineer troops started moving towards this location.


    The entire half of the Barley Grassland and the barren slopes were cordoned off.


    Even the crossroads were secured.


    After Qiao Qingyu got home, she made some delicious food for the children, and even Xiao Hu wasn¡¯t allowed to leave; she settled him in He Xiuyu¡¯s room.


    The house didn¡¯t have any calming medicine, but at noon, Qiao Qingyu fried potato balls that the two children had been longing for.


    In those times, when children from poor families felt unwell, a good meal often cured their sickness better than medicine sometimes did.


    Nevertheless, Qiao Qingyu still followed the old methods and gently stroked both children¡¯s heads and pinched their small hands. Only after they had fallen asleep did she breathe a sigh of relief.


    Although her patch of grass had suffered a mishap, there were still other large expanses of grassland. She went to the study to call Station Chief Meng Ke to discuss the matter of lambs and ewes.


    Station Chief Meng Ke wasn¡¯t in charge of this, but he was familiar with the matter and told Qiao Qingyu to wait for his call.


    Afterward, Qiao Qingyu made another round of checks in front of her house and behind it. Everything that should have been planted had been planted, and now the sea buckthorn was also sprouting green buds.


    Last year, some seeds from this vegetable plot were saved. However, she had given them to family members who came asking for vegetable seeds at the start of spring.


    This year, what she planted were seeds from her own space.


    The vegetable garden wasn¡¯t big and didn¡¯t need too many.


    Only after keeping herself busy did her mood begin to stabilize. Qiao Qingyu had never expected that there would be such a vast underground space beneath the Barley Grassland.


    It was clear that this was not the original location, but rather something that had been moved here.


    That evening, only He Xiuyu came back alone, He Shan stayed in the tent on the Barley Grassland.


    He Xiuyu also had his own urgent business, as he was heading to Beijing tomorrow.


    However, regarding the underground space beneath the Barley Grassland, he told Qiao Qingyu everything he knew. It turned out its discovery owed much to the barley grass Qiao Qingyu had planted, as the soil layer from those years was not very thick.


    Similar to an air-raid shelter, the structure didn¡¯t use steel but wood instead.


    The roots of the barley grass went deep, and the beams above, made of unprocessed wood, had started to rot when the roots of the barley grass had grown over them.


    This was built as a temporary measure, likely planning to quietly move everything out once the situation had cooled down.


    Nobody knew what had happened, but those people left Huaxia.


    And just like that, fifty years went by.


    ¡°The corn I planted nearby won¡¯t be affected, will it?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked.


    ¡°No, the cordon is only around the grassland.¡±


    ¡°Then do you think Xiao Hu and Rongrong can be considered to have made a contribution?¡±


    He Xiuyu smiled and ruffled Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hair, ¡°They¡¯ll be given a certificate at the right time.¡±


    ...


    The next day, He Xiuyu left in a hurry after breakfast.


    Qiao Qingyu took Rongrong to kindergarten. Along the way, everyone was talking about the incident; many people knew that underneath the piece of Barley Grassland that Qiao Qingyu had contracted, a treasure trove had been found. It was full of cultural relics, with the most important being the Buddha statues, Buddha Towers, and the cut-out murals from the Sansha Buddha Cave.


    It was truly a significant event.


    Sister-in-law Li and Qiao Qingyu walked together to send the children to kindergarten. Along the way, Sister-in-law Li said, ¡°They don¡¯t let us visit now, but if they did, I¡¯d really like to go and worship. The Buddha provides blessings, otherwise the children would have coincidentally ended up in the Buddha¡¯s hands.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu also felt scared after the fact¡ªif they hadn¡¯t landed in the Buddha¡¯s palm, the consequences would have been unimaginable.


    Sister-in-law Li went to work on the farm, and Qiao Qingyu drove the tractor to her Barley Grassland.


    Not too far away, Wang Laogen hurried over. Seeing Qiao Qingyu, he said anxiously, ¡°Qingyu, I came over yesterday afternoon. And then they didn¡¯t allow anyone to enter the grassland, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Uncle Wang, didn¡¯t you have the day off yesterday?¡±


    ¡°There was nothing to do at home, and I just couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the land here, so I came over to check it out. But they wouldn¡¯t let me go this way. However, they didn¡¯t care about the cornfield over here.¡±


    Then he said in a low voice, ¡°I heard there was some treasure discovered. Is that true?¡±

 Chapter 265 - 265 265 He Hates Qiao Qingyu to Death

    ?Chapter 265: Chapter 265 He Hates Qiao Qingyu to Death Chapter 265: Chapter 265 He Hates Qiao Qingyu to Death ¡°It¡¯s almost like a treasure. However, when they start working, you need to keep an eye on them¡ªdon¡¯t let them run off. We¡¯re going to be busy here for a while,¡± Qiao Qingyu instructed.


    ¡°Okay, I got it. Don¡¯t worry, leave it to me.¡±


    The 3,000 acres had all been sown, and the rest was up to the weather to bring rain. If it didn¡¯t rain, they¡¯d have to find another way.


    Now, the biggest issue on this land was probably the treasure buried beneath it.


    They needed to return it intact to where it originally belonged.


    But that was no small matter; it involved various aspects and wasn¡¯t just the responsibility of one department. Even Yushu County couldn¡¯t take charge on its own.


    Luckily, the engineering troops led by He Shan had taken over. They were just waiting for the responsible authorities from Xichuan and Beijing to arrive, and then they would collaborate with the cultural preservation center from Sansha City to form a special action team.


    He Shan and his engineering troops had set up camp on the north side of the Barley Grassland, near the Willow Wood Forest planted by Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced far over her Barley Grassland. There were many people here with quite a number of villagers watching from a distance, and many engineers setting up warning lines and building security zones.


    Qiao Qingyu knew she could get in if she revealed her identity, but she decided to drive the tractor back to the family compound instead.


    This wasn¡¯t something that could be settled in a day or two.


    Maintaining the complete integrity of the items without damage was very difficult.


    As for what would happen to her grassland, that depended on their project¡¯s progress.


    After Qiao Qingyu left, a van that the locals had never seen before drove over from the direction of the main road.


    Then the van stopped outside the security line.


    They were barred from entering.


    The guards wouldn¡¯t let them in, even if they revealed their identities and ensured household safety.


    Wu Xiujie¡¯s face turned ashen.


    He was usually well-informed.


    He hated Qiao Qingyu to death.


    That damned girl, if she had agreed to subcontract the grassland to him, wouldn¡¯t he have discovered it by now?


    His only targets were the Buddha Tower and the Golden Buddha; the rest were just a smokescreen.


    He wasn¡¯t foolish; the challenge was immense, similar to fifty years ago, but high rewards always bring brave souls, and traitors were never scarce on this land.


    As long as he could smuggle part of it out, his trip to China could conclude satisfactorily.


    But now, all his plans had gone awry.


    He had exerted so much manpower, resources, and financial power, only to end up with zero!


    So how could he possibly be content with that?


    After receiving the news, he rushed over immediately.


    Returning from an inspection on the other side, He Shan squinted at a distant group of people, chuckling, ¡°He¡¯s quite quick.¡±


    He wondered what Wu Xiujie¡¯s mood would be upon seeing this.


    Smiling, he turned to the young comrade beside him and said, ¡°Go, invite Mr. Wu Xiujie over here.¡±


    With the leader¡¯s order, the young comrade cheerfully brought Wu Xiujie, his son Wu Peng, Professor Dong, and a secretary inside.


    Today, Wu Xiujie was holding a briefcase, which he usually never carried himself; it was always handled by his secretary. But today, he clutched the briefcase tightly in his hand.


    Inside the briefcase were a map and a diary.


    He knew he shouldn¡¯t open it, but he wanted to bring both items.


    The excavation had to proceed with utmost caution, although they had created an opening, the underground space had accessible passages.


    Moreover, they couldn¡¯t afford another collapse.


    Hence, everyone stood within the safe perimeter.


    Wu Peng knew the inside story, and though he felt a tinge of regret, he also recognized that these people seemed to have oversimplified the land and its people.


    Put it this way, it was like a group of city folks who considered themselves noble and decided to live in the countryside for a while, bringing along things the rural people had never seen and driving cars they had never encountered, only to realize upon arrival that it wasn¡¯t as simple as doing whatever they wanted.


    The crops in the fields belonged to someone, and chickens, ducks, and geese couldn¡¯t just be caught and cooked.


    Each household had its own building site, and even if they brought a truckload of building materials, they had no place to build a house.


    This was approximately what Wu Peng was thinking at the moment.


    He had even advised Wu Xiujie more than once to leave hastily before things got exposed, to no longer treat these people like fools.


    He realized that his father was now a persistent fool!


    Of course, Wu Xiujie was unaware of what his son thought.


    He squatted on the grass, his feet numb, yet his eyes couldn¡¯t stray from the Golden Buddha.


    A gleam of greed flashed in Wu Xiujie¡¯s eyes, which He Shan observed clearly and silently sneered.


    At this moment, the elusive golden glow stung Wu Xiujie¡¯s eyes, causing him pain.


    He grew angry, feeling as if a cat was clawing at his chest.


    He hastily stood up, and Wu Peng by his side quickly extended a hand to help him, preventing him from falling.


    Beside them, He Shan cheerfully said, ¡°Mr. Wu, it¡¯s precisely because of your distinguished contributions and your special status that you are allowed a peek. Otherwise, others wouldn¡¯t be able to come in.¡±


    Wu Xiujie snorted coldly through his nose.


    In a sarcastic tone, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that some things are better left buried underground. If they are exposed to the air and oxidize, breaking down, that wouldn¡¯t be good, so you need to be careful.¡±


    He cursed inwardly that it would be better if this place blew up.


    Suddenly, He Shan said, ¡°Mr. Wu, you also need to be cautious...¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, Wu Xiujie, walking ahead, was suddenly tripped by the undergrowth. Even with Wu Peng holding him, it was too late to pull him back, so both father and son ended up sprawled out on the grass together.


    And their direction of prostration was towards that benevolent Golden Buddha.


    Suddenly, all around them fell silent.


    Wu Xiujie¡¯s complexion changed, and he no longer dared to speak haughtily, hurriedly leaving the scene with his men in disarray.


    The excavation and protection work continued.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Qingyu took Rongrong to Sister-in-law Li¡¯s house. Taking the Research Base¡¯s vehicle, she accompanied Director Xie to Jiusanwu Farm to purchase sea buckthorn seeds.


    Director Xie and the farm manager of Jiusanwu Farm were old classmates, and naturally, they greeted each other warmly upon meeting. They had already discussed over the phone beforehand, so that day, they managed to secure three thousand pounds of sea buckthorn seeds and returned to Tenghai Research Base.


    This time, two thousand two hundred pounds of sea buckthorn seeds were cultivated.


    The remaining eight hundred pounds were defective.


    However, Qiao Qingyu, like the previous year, scattered them in a forest to the east of her house.


    The grass seeds spread last year had also turned quite green this year.


    The once barren soil gradually began to take on a hint of green.


    After returning home, Qiao Qingyu made dumplings and took a tractor to the treasure site, also known as her Barley Grassland.


    No idle bystanders were present after several days away, but they still found the passage.

 Chapter 266 - 266 266 Heartthrob

    ?Chapter 266: Chapter 266: Heartthrob Chapter 266: Chapter 266: Heartthrob He Shan was in good spirits, and his smile grew even kinder when he saw Rongrong who had come along.


    Given the living standards today, the conditions here weren¡¯t harsh, but they weren¡¯t very comfortable either.


    Especially the living quarters.


    They were just a series of tents.


    Luckily, it was already spring, the climate was gradually warming, and the weather was getting warmer as well.


    Qiao Qingyu not only brought dumplings, but she also brought dipping sauce and two light side dishes.


    The dumplings were packed in a lunchbox, and then wrapped in a towel. By the time He Shan ate them, they were still steaming hot. Qiao Qingyu poured him a cup of hot water, then let Rongrong keep He Shan company while he ate as she went to her Willow Wood forest.


    Bordering the forest was a large expanse of barren hillsides, where Qiao Qingyu had intended to continue planting barley grass and willow wood this year, but her plans had been disrupted by the old man Wu Xiujie.


    Missing spring meant missing a whole year.


    Moreover, that detestable old man had contracted it for thirty years.


    Qiao Qingyu walked further, her vision blocked by a hill. When she reached the top of the hill and looked forward, there was not a soul in sight.


    Although spring plowing had passed, it didn¡¯t mean everything was done. Outside the security line¡¯s safe distance, the remaining farmland was not interfered with, meaning Wu Xiujie seemed to have no plans for this barren land.


    Qiao Qingyu ground her teeth and stomped hard on the ground beneath her feet, regretfully walking back.


    When she saw the grass, her mood improved a lot.


    Perhaps everyone knew that it was not easy for this patch of grass to thrive. Although many people worked here, except for walking on specific designated paths for activities, no one trod on the other grasslands.


    This was much better than what Qiao Qingyu had expected.


    Then, she found herself standing on the steps leading into an underground space.


    This space was more than ten meters high.


    In those days, it was considered a large project.


    It was said that they were gradually being transported to the Buddha Cave.


    It was a pity that they didn¡¯t have much material on hand, so comparing physical items and information was a difficult task, but it was also a challenge.


    The shining golden Buddha statues of He Xuerong and Li Mingguang had already been moved and protected.


    And then there were a large number of stone Buddha sculptures.


    As for the scriptures, no one expected them to be preserved very well.


    Qiao Qingyu just looked around and remembered the idea she had before coming here to build an artificial lake in the center of this grassland.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, her lips curving upwards.


    Should she consider herself lucky or fortunate?


    Still, she was very fortunate.


    The treasure was discovered beneath her barley grass, so there would be absolutely no loss. Fortuitously, with He Shan by her side, many troubles were avoided.


    And He Xiuyu was also there, naturally bringing the police in time. Otherwise, had others gotten to it first, to be honest, some items would surely have been lost.


    We are all ordinary people, how could one remain indifferent to such treasures?


    Sometimes, one shouldn¡¯t underestimate a person¡¯s moral character, but at other times, one shouldn¡¯t overestimate a person¡¯s resistance to money either.


    So, after everything was taken care of, this underground space simply shouldn¡¯t be filled in.


    Just turn it into an artificial lake.


    The pity was that this place was dry with little rain, and it was hard to say how long it would take to become an artificial lake.


    At that moment, He Shan was already walking over here with Rongrong.


    After receiving permission, He Xuerong couldn¡¯t wait and ran to the underground passage ahead.


    Beside her was Xiao Wu, and Qiao Qingyu just watched as Xiao Wu led He Xuerong quickly disappearing into the horizon.


    They went down to that space.


    Then, He Shan suddenly said beside her, ¡°Qingyu, recently, Rongrong¡¯s mother sent us a letter, saying she wants to take Rongrong abroad.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was stunned.


    In her heart, that woman shouldn¡¯t have been in contact with the He Family anymore.


    But now, why does she suddenly want to take He Xuerong abroad?


    Could it be that after the initial passion and impulse, she finally missed her child?


    That was also possible.


    No one could live in the throes of passionate love forever; they would eventually return to reality...


    But what did the He Family mean, and why did He Shan discuss this with her?


    Qiao Qingyu, once faced with straightforward people, didn¡¯t beat around the bush, ¡°Uncle He, what do you all mean, do you want to send Rongrong over?¡±


    ¡°This matter, I haven¡¯t discussed it with your older brother yet. It mainly depends on his opinion.¡±


    ¡°The opinions of adults are certainly important, but the child¡¯s opinion is even more important.¡± Qiao Qingyu¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. ¡°Rongrong is very intelligent, much smarter than other girls her age. She has her own personality and opinions. I think this matter should prioritize her.¡±


    He Shan thought for a while and smiled, ¡°If we prioritize her, she wouldn¡¯t even choose her father.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu laughed, ¡°Rongrong also considers this place her home.¡±


    Naturally, children should grow up with their father and mother.


    But if the father and mother can¡¯t be together and have their own difficulties, then it might be better for her to grow up here.


    He Shan was busy here; people always came to report on work.


    Qiao Qingyu knew that in about a month, this place would nearly be done; she took He Xuerong to check on her own land again.


    They just turned around the fields, estimating that in a few days, the corn, wheat, and millet would begin to sprout.


    ...


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t return alone; he brought a team back and a trainload of tree species, all brought to Tenghai Research Base.


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t expected He Xiuyu to act so quickly and had no idea where he got them, but they were all suitable for growing in the windy sands of the Northwest.


    Poplar, dry willow, Yulania, elm, mountain grapes.


    In the evening, He Xiuyu gave Qiao Qingyu a plan that primarily focused on Barley Grass, Willow Wood, and sea buckthorn, along with the aforementioned trees, to create a multi-tiered greening system combining water, grass, trees, and shrubs to combat sandstorms.


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t expected that He Xiuyu would have such a detailed and thorough plan.


    It was truly captivating.


    But due to the limitation of jurisdiction and region, for now, He Xiuyu¡¯s greening system could only be applied around the greening and sand control belts of Tenghai Research Base.


    As for the entirety of Xichuan, to be honest, he really couldn¡¯t reach that far.


    But there was still Lu Ye.


    This system plan, as long as Lu Ye agreed, he would share it with him.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t hesitate and said, ¡°You don¡¯t even need to ask. Lu Ye would definitely agree.¡±


    He Xiuyu felt a mixed emotion in his heart, and spoke with a smile that was not quite a smile, ¡°You speak as if you¡¯ve made the decision for him.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu rolled her eyes, ¡°This is a great opportunity; if he disagrees, he¡¯s a fool.¡±

 Chapter 267 - 267 267 The Space Device May Have a Service

    ?Chapter 267: Chapter 267: The Space Device May Have a Service Life Chapter 267: Chapter 267: The Space Device May Have a Service Life He Xiuyu chuckled softly, no longer wishing to continue the conversation, and briskly turned off the lights in the study, taking his fragrant and gentle wife back to the bedroom.


    A little separation is better than a new marriage, after all.


    Naturally, it was a blissful evening with a perfect moon...


    ...


    As it turned out, Lu Ye wasn¡¯t a fool, but a young man adept at seizing opportunities.


    After He Xiuyu had made that call to him, Lu Ye had hurried over like the wind, and by that time, the entire team had already approved the greening system.


    However, He Xiuyu couldn¡¯t focus all his energy here. What he did next was also what he and Qiao Qingyu had discussed.


    Old Xie was still holding the position of logistics director. He was also the farm manager, so there was a significant change in personnel at Tenghai Research Base during this meeting.


    Comrade Zhou Xiaoqin (Sister-in-law Li) was originally a small team leader, but because of her hard work and excellent performance, she was appointed as the deputy director of the farm.


    Meanwhile, Director Xie still held the position of farm manager.


    But Old Xie was no longer in charge of logistics. He was officially appointed as the director of the Tenghai Greening Ecology Center.


    This position was two levels higher than the logistics director, and his salary had increased by two levels as well.


    Old Wei still focused on administration.


    The new logistics director was a subordinate of Old Xie; the two of them worked well together, and since the logistics department required someone diligent, earnest, and hardworking, he was the right person for the job.


    This new director was also known by Qiao Qingyu.


    He was a very serious person, and everyone called him Old Zhang.


    As for Qiao Qingyu, He Xiuyu was not planning to let her formally join the staff of Tenghai Research Base just yet.


    Once she entered that system, Qiao Qingyu would be restricted in what she wanted to do, and he planned to wait until the timing was right to spin off her Original Seed Laboratory separately.


    But not now. He had at least to wait until Qiao Qingyu graduated from college.


    Just thinking about it made He Xiuyu somewhat anxious, wishing that Qiao Qingyu would graduate from college now. Of course, it wasn¡¯t because he was in a rush to separate the Original Seed Laboratory.


    He wanted to have a child that belonged to both of them.


    He really, really did, and he had even thought of a name.


    Whether it was a boy or a girl, the name would be He Qiao.


    Hmm, it¡¯s just that he didn¡¯t know if Qiao Qingyu would agree.


    Although the name was meaningful, it was too simple.


    ...


    A year passed, and Lu Ye grew another year older, maturing and becoming much steadier.


    No one knew what he had been through; last year, one could read his thoughts in his eyes, but now one couldn¡¯t see anything at all.


    Perhaps this was the price of growing up.


    Lu Ye happily took a greening ecology system back to Xichuan to report to his old leader.


    Naturally, the old leader thought to entrust the task to him.


    A new entity was established, called the Xichuan Greening Ecology Headquarters. No one knew why it was called ¡®headquarters,¡¯ probably because they didn¡¯t want to be overshadowed by Tenghai.


    Anyway, Lu Ye became the deputy director of this headquarters¡ªof the branch that is.


    He was too young and inexperienced to take on the major responsibility; it would upset those comrades who had toiled hard for half their lives.


    Lu Ye didn¡¯t care.


    Originally, he came to Xichuan to gain experience, but now he really wanted to accomplish something.


    Lu Ye brought the seeds he had acquired to Tenghai Research Base, a total of five truckloads, all handed over to Qiao Qingyu, to be settled in a professional manner, with a payment of three thousand yuan for seed cultivation fees.


    Previously, He Xiuyu had already grown the seeds he brought in using the Space Device, and this time Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t alone; she didn¡¯t need to do anything, as He Xiuyu had taken care of everything.


    He Xiuyu handed over the successfully cultivated seeds to Professor Feng, instructing them to grow saplings in the base¡¯s experimental fields.


    Saplings cultivated with local soil were more likely to survive.


    As for the over twenty thousand pounds of seeds from Lu Ye, He Xiuyu used the evening hours to work with Qiao Qingyu, cultivating them using the Space Laboratory.


    For their initial cultivation, they had to utilize the equipment of the Space Laboratory.


    During the process, He Xiuyu discovered an unexplained energy fluctuation during the third stage of seed cultivation.


    He Xiuyu walked around the space.


    He didn¡¯t believe that this space could connect to other higher-level spaces, or that some advanced life form was controlling this laboratory.


    He was more inclined to think it was the intrinsic energy of the Space Device itself.


    If so, the Space Device might have a lifespan.


    That is, after exhausting its energy, the space might disappear.


    But he had no idea what kind of energy was sustaining the Space Device.


    In fact, He Xiuyu was eager to immediately research the energy and composition of the Space Device.


    If it could be deciphered, it would presumably propel the entire human society straight into the space age.


    Unfortunately, he had no time for that.


    Just like that, half a month really did pass by in the blink of an eye.


    One day, Qiao Qingyu planned to visit her land to check on the crops¡ªthe corn, wheat, and barley had all sprouted.


    It had rained the day before, so there should be plenty of soft soil in the grassland. Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t bring Rongrong with her; she took a backpack and placed it inside the tractor¡¯s cabin, then started her own vehicle and headed out of the base courtyard.


    Once she left the courtyard and traveled a bit further, there was a road, not very straight, leading to Xiaxi Commune and also to Xichuan.


    Then, Qiao Qingyu saw a few people on the roadside and a familiar van parked there.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t even slow down because she saw Wu Xiujie.


    She had a bad feeling that this old man Wu Xiujie was definitely there to find her.


    Qiao Qingyu drove straight ahead, not wanting to deal with the old man, only to find that Wu Peng hastily stood up and started waving his hands.


    Qiao Qingyu had no choice but to stop the tractor.


    They weren¡¯t the type to fake accidents; she simply didn¡¯t want to interact with them.


    Without even leaving the tractor¡¯s cabin, Qiao Qingyu opened the door and asked Wu Peng, ¡°Mr. Wu, is there something you need?¡±


    Wu Peng smiled and pointed to the side of the road.


    Following the gesture, Qiao Qingyu saw Wu Xiujie sitting by the road like an old farmer, wearing a straw hat, holding a fan, and fanning himself intermittently.


    ¡°Comrade Qiao Qingyu, my father wants to speak with you about something.¡±


    Wu Peng had complicated feelings toward Qiao Qingyu; every time he saw her, he was reminded of little aunt.


    Speaking of which, little aunt was a good person.


    She was the only good person in the entire Wu Family.


    She never looked down on him for being the son of a concubine, taught him to read, and even gave him pastries to eat. Regrettably, the concubine always said she had ill-intentions, and therefore, was adamant that he should not go to little aunt¡¯s place.


    In the Wu Family, especially as a son to Wu Xiujie, one must learn to be ruthless and inhumane to survive.


    He was not a good person; on the contrary, he was a villain with hands stained with blood.


    In the Wu Family, good people never received a good reward.


    He sighed and looked away.

 Chapter 268 - 268 268 Turn Against Someone

    ?Chapter 268: Chapter 268: Turn Against Someone Chapter 268: Chapter 268: Turn Against Someone Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know what Wu Peng was thinking, and she was also afraid of the sun since it was quite harsh today, so she picked up her straw hat and got off the tractor.


    However, Wu Peng walked around the tractor with interest, patted the tires, and then the driver¡¯s cabin. That¡¯s when he discovered that this was no ordinary tractor; its driver¡¯s cabin was actually bulletproof.


    Wow, really cool.


    It must have been He Xiuyu who gave it to Qiao Qingyu.


    He really underestimated her.


    By this time, Qiao Qingyu was already standing next to Mr. Wu. Wu Xiujie still sat submissively, not caring whether the dirt below would dirty his clothes. His legs were crossed, but the direction he was looking, Qiao Qingyu glanced and immediately knew what it was.


    Wu Xiujie didn¡¯t pretend to be profound and was very easygoing as he patted the space next to him, ¡°Girl, do you want to sit for a while?¡±


    In fact, Wu Xiujie always gave Qiao Qingyu a very cunning feeling.


    But while being cunning, he seemed rather gentle.


    Yet below that gentle facade, he seemed ready to turn his face and deny recognition at any moment.


    That pretty much summed up Wu Xiujie¡¯s overall impression on Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled and shook her head, ¡°Sorry, Mr. Wu, I still have some things to take care of today.¡±


    ¡°Are you heading to your grassland?¡±


    ¡°Something like that,¡± Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t specify.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re going to Barley Grassland, let¡¯s go together; I just happen to have something to discuss with you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu seriously said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want to discuss?¡±


    Wu Xiujie didn¡¯t answer her directly, but instead gazed into the distance for a while and sighed almost imperceptibly before standing up and saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t do anything to harm you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu sneered inwardly. You would think of doing so, but how could you?


    Wishful thinking.


    Although Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t speak, her expression spoke for her. Qiao Qingyu was not usually like this, but she couldn¡¯t help being influenced by Wu Xiujie whenever she saw him, and it must be said that Wu Xiujie was indeed a quite extraordinary person.


    He knew how to provoke someone.


    His sense of right and wrong was not strong, and he seemed to have no bottom line, so Qiao Qingyu really didn¡¯t like dealing with him.


    Qiao Qingyu was originally going to Barley Grassland anyway, and there was no need to make a detour for him. Besides, Qiao Qingyu wanted to see what Wu Xiujie was really up to.


    When they arrived at the security line¡¯s gate, they saw He Shan from afar. He Shan was stunned for a moment, not expecting Qiao Qingyu to come with Wu Xiujie.


    Mr. He¡¯s heart sank, wondering if Wu Xiujie now knew the truth.


    It shouldn¡¯t be.


    Wu Xiujie believed the report wholeheartedly, and Wu Xiucai prioritized the safety of his daughter¡¯s family while also burying his sentiments deep in his heart.


    Now, just staying in Yun City and recuperating.


    He had absolutely no contact with Han Xianglan or Qiao Qingyu.


    However, He Shan knew that the old man had something in his hands, and it definitely related to the Buddha Cave.


    He Shan even knew that the documents held in the briefcase that day surely contained the related information.


    Frustrated by the lack of opportunities, but that was not very important now.


    He greeted the few people with beaming smiles and welcomed them in.


    Naturally, he first exchanged pleasantries with Wu Xiujie, then politely asked him what he was here for this time, ¡°Mr. Wu, do you have any new information about the artifacts in Buddha Cave? If so, I warmly welcome it.¡±


    This was the shadow in Wu Xiujie¡¯s heart, and as he watched the flurry of activities at the scene, his eyes suddenly darkened.


    He fell silent.


    Today he hadn¡¯t brought his briefcase. Hands clasped behind his back, he looked at the objects inside but thought to himself, don¡¯t think that just because it¡¯s transported to Buddha Cave it¡¯s safe.


    It is yet to be known to whom the prize will fall, he simply didn¡¯t believe that he couldn¡¯t get a hold of anything.


    After all, just last year, artifacts were secretly smuggled out of the country.


    He knew, but he just wouldn¡¯t say!


    He was here today to negotiate terms with Qiao Qingyu and He Shan.


    Wu Peng said cheerfully, ¡°This time, we are here to discuss a matter with Qiao Qingyu, of course, whether or not it will succeed, Mr. He must also agree.¡±


    He hadn¡¯t expected He Shan to be involved.


    He Shan knew Wu Xiujie would not give up. Moreover, He Shan had indeed been waiting for Wu Xiujie for more than half a month, not expecting that he would be able to persist until everything was shipped away before coming out to find him.


    ¡°Mr. Wu, I am all ears to hear what it is.¡±


    He Shan gestured to Qiao Qingyu, indicating for her to hold off on speaking.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go and take a look over there.¡± Wu Xiujie didn¡¯t say what the matter was, and, with hands behind his back, walked ahead.


    The direction he was walking towards was the Willow Wood Forest that belonged to Qiao Qingyu, where the saplings had mostly thrived and were already thirty centimeters tall.


    From a distance, it was a vibrant sight.


    In contrast, the area ahead was truly barren.


    Moreover, the problem was that near the wasteland, the growth of the saplings was significantly worse than inside.


    The sand wind had a considerable impact on the saplings.


    But it would be different if this area was all planted with barley grass or sea buckthorn.


    After reaching this point, Wu Xiujie turned his head to look back, a glimpse of surprise flashed in his eyes, then he looked at Qiao Qingyu again, his fingers fidgeted a few times before he spoke, ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking these days. I have limited energy, after all, I¡¯m getting old, and bidding for this wasteland was one thing but cultivating it is another...¡±


    Everyone remained silent, waiting for him to continue.


    Wu Xiujie was pleased with the response and went on, ¡°Tearing up the contract is impossible, as we must uphold the spirit of the contract. However, I can sublet this wasteland. I wonder if Comrade Qiao Qingyu would be interested?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu felt incredibly astute.


    Just now at the security checkpoint entrance, she almost guessed it.


    This old man wouldn¡¯t be looking for her for anything else; surely, he wanted to sublet this wasteland to her.


    Perhaps it was to exchange for something, barley grass seeds or Willow Wood saplings?


    That she wasn¡¯t sure of.


    But since he mentioned her, Qiao Qingyu asked Mr. Wu, ¡°Do you have specific terms? If so, I¡¯d like to hear them.¡±


    Then she added, ¡°However, subletting can be quite troublesome, I would rather directly lease an available wasteland. As you know, Xichuan lacks many things, but not barren sand land.¡±


    Wu Xiujie glanced sideways at Qiao Qingyu, knowing early on that this girl was sly, never engaging in a losing deal.


    ¡°What small matter would need terms? It¡¯s just subletting. As long as we three parties agree, it¡¯s easy to handle, just sign on it, you won¡¯t incur losses, and furthermore, the cost is low, you¡¯re actually getting a big bargain.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu certainly didn¡¯t want such a bargain.

 Chapter 269 - 269 269 Earth Where Did You Go

    ?Chapter 269: Chapter 269: Earth, Where Did You Go? Chapter 269: Chapter 269: Earth, Where Did You Go? Qiao Qingyu was just about to speak when He Shan chuckled and said, ¡°Mr. Wu, this sounds just like sub-contracting land; it seems like it has nothing to do with me, right?¡±


    ¡°There is, of course, there is.¡± Wu Xiujie looked at He Shan, his smile deepening, ¡°This sub-contracting is conditional.¡±


    ¡°What conditions? Let¡¯s hear them,¡± He Shan still maintained a gentle demeanor.


    Qiao Qingyu felt that Uncle He seemed a bit preoccupied today.


    So, being clever, she did not interrupt but quietly stood aside.


    Wu Xiujie glanced at He Shan; he was his main target.


    ¡°I am particularly interested in our country¡¯s Dunhuang culture. It¡¯s rare, during my time of residence, I even discovered precious cultural relics in the Buddha Cave. He Shan, I know Qiao Qingyu is your daughter-in-law, and you are a family. Qiao Qingyu surely wants to connect all these barren lands together. If you let me join your special group, I would transfer all these sandy lands to Qiao Qingyu.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu furrowed her brows; she had not expected this condition.


    She was about to speak when He Shan turned and asked her, ¡°Qingyu, putting everything else aside, is this barren sandy land of any use?¡±


    ¡°At the moment it¡¯s of no use; my energy is limited, and there are still many things to handle at the base. Besides, I have already contracted a lot of land this year,¡± Qiao Qingyu indeed spoke the truth.


    Wu Xiujie smiled, ¡°Lack of energy now doesn¡¯t mean lack of energy in the future. You should know, I have already contracted here for thirty years; it¡¯s not just a short time.¡±


    He Shan still chuckled, ¡°If you transfer the rights to contract this land, I might consider letting you join the special group, considering this is also your great contribution to sand control and desertification prevention in the Northwest.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu felt that He Shan was speaking nonsense.


    What kind of contribution was this?


    Wu Xiujie clearly did not expect things to go so smoothly; he asked, ¡°Are your words binding?¡±


    He Shan frowned unhappily, ¡°I, He Shan, never joke about such matters.¡±


    Wu Xiujie was just asking casually.


    He told Wu Peng, ¡°Take all the documents and files to Xiaxi Commune and transfer the land contracting rights to Qiao Qingyu.¡±


    He Shan waved his hand, ¡°Public and private matters should be distinct; if that¡¯s the case, I can¡¯t agree to this.¡±


    ¡°He Shan, didn¡¯t you just say that this wasn¡¯t a joke?¡± Wu Xiujie¡¯s eyes narrowed, and his expression darkened.


    He Shan, as if he hadn¡¯t seen his expression, patiently explained, ¡°Mr. Wu, as you just mentioned, Qiao Qingyu is my daughter-in-law. Both publicly and privately, she should not be involved in this matter. Regardless of whether this land will be contracted by Qiao Qingyu or someone else, first, you need to terminate your contract with Xiaxi Commune.¡±


    He paused then continued more soothingly, ¡°Of course, this will also involve some expenses after you terminate the contract. However, I presume the land use fee stipulated in your contract must be extremely low, so I¡¯ll send my assistant Xiao Wu with you to handle this specifically, and we¡¯ll waive the penalty fee.¡±


    He Shan had met Vice Director Qian of Xiaxi Commune a few days ago, as he had come here, after all, to help maintain order. At that time, Mr. Qian was very angry, grumbling about this barren land for a long time.


    Initially, he and Qiao Qingyu had a complete plan for this area, which now being forcefully disrupted, would definitely affect the continuation of the plan.


    He believed that Wu Xiujie, going to dissolve the contract, would be more than welcomed by Vice Director Qian of the Xiaxi Commune.


    Wu Xiujie did not bother to figure out why He Shan had so easily agreed.


    But as long as he got in, he was happy, and as for afterward, they would play it by ear.


    He waved, ¡°Wu Peng, go ahead, and handle it according to the normal penalty fee.¡±


    Wu Peng did not understand why his father wanted to join this special team. Had he switched to archaeology?


    But he did not ask, as long as the intention wasn¡¯t to steal these items.


    He wanted to live a few more years, after all.


    Wu Peng left with his secretary accompanied by Xiao Wu.


    Wu Xiujie asked He Shan, ¡°Can I go and visit the site?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± He Shan nodded naturally and heartily.


    Qiao Qingyu did not ask why; surely there were twists she was unaware of.


    ¡°Uncle He, I¡¯ll go check on the seedlings over there.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡± He Shan said with a smile, ¡°I checked yesterday, and aside from a few, most seedlings are doing well. By the way, Wang Laogen is doing a fine job; he¡¯s a reliable man whether in working or managing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to him; otherwise, I couldn¡¯t manage it.¡±


    ¡°Go on, after today, you just wait for Mr. Qian¡¯s call,¡± he added, ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded, exchanged a few words with He Shan, and walked towards her land.


    Passing by the underground cave, she found old Wu Xiujie squatting on the ground, staring blankly at a pile of objects.


    Qiao Qingyu suddenly remembered a serious issue.


    Even if she wanted to fill up this underground cave, where would the soil come from?


    With such an excavation carried out years ago, where had all the excavated soil gone?


    She stopped, turned her head to look.


    On the north side, a tall slope of land, could that be the accumulated soil from the past?


    Fifty years had passed; if it was dug by locals, some should still be alive, but no one had ever provided this clue.


    Where had all the digging laborers gone?


    Qiao Qingyu felt a chill down her spine.


    She hurriedly quickened her steps towards her corn field, which was adjacent to the grassland; she walked for more than half an hour. Then she saw Wang Laogen coming from the land with a dozen men behind him.


    Qiao Qingyu greeted them cheerily and together they checked the sprouted corn and sorghum.


    Indeed, not bad.


    Of course, compared to North City, it fell far short.


    It was still a matter of the soil.


    Qiao Qingyu felt she could skip the chemical fertilizers and continue with the enhanced organic ones; for that, Xiu Yu¡¯s biological science lab would be needed.


    This walk also took over two hours. Qiao Qingyu prepared to head back.


    Because by then, the sky had become overcast, the air humid, seemingly about to rain¡ªgreat news for the crops.


    Just sprouted, a rain would be perfect.


    However, for those currently excavating artifacts, it would delay the schedule, but luckily, the work was nearing completion.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s round trip took over three hours.


    She went straight to He Shan, unable to contain her concerns and suspicions.


    Nor had she expected that He Shan had just extracted this information from Wu Xiujie.


    He wasn¡¯t supposed to tell, but after all, Qiao Qingyu was the one who contracted this grassland; he couldn¡¯t let her be anxious and conflicted.


    Besides, what if it scared her?


    Even the most capable girls were timid in this respect.

 Chapter 270 - 270 270 Personally Taking Her to the Exam

    ?Chapter 270: Chapter 270 Personally Taking Her to the Exam Venue Chapter 270: Chapter 270 Personally Taking Her to the Exam Venue He Shan led Qiao Qingyu to a secluded place and spoke in a low voice, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about this matter. When this underground space was being excavated, half of the workers were foreign adventurers, and then there were also a dozen or so people from Xichuan. They weren¡¯t killed, after all, they all had families, if someone took them out to work and they didn¡¯t return, wouldn¡¯t their families suspect something? They were paid their wages and went straight home. However, at that time they didn¡¯t know what this place was for. After these people left, little by little, they secretly transported these things here to hide them...¡±


    This issue had been considered by them long ago, so they were always careful in their handling of it.


    Qiao Qingyu breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that it was not as she had imagined.


    Qiao Qingyu drove the tractor back home to the residential compound with peace of mind, and in the afternoon, she received a call from Mr. Qian. Excitedly, Mr. Qian informed Qiao Qingyu that Wu Xiujie had unilaterally terminated the contract for the land he had leased. Considering the many contributions he had made to Xichuan, the land lease contract was amicably dissolved.


    Qiao Qingyu did not intend to take over the lease, as she had limited energy and couldn¡¯t handle everything.


    But she could help.


    Although production contracts had now been distributed, the wasteland could not be divided among individuals; only cultivable land could be. The rights to use these wastelands still belonged to the commune.


    Then, that¡¯s when He Xiuyu¡¯s multi-tiered greening system came into play.


    Mr. Qian directly went to find Lu Ye.


    Yushu County was the first experimental area. This place was also the closest to the wind-sand belt.


    And Xichuan offered the most policies.


    But, seeding was indeed too difficult now.


    No planning naturally resulted in no excessive reserves.


    Whether it was ordinary seeds or precious seeds, they had all become scarce.


    For example, the Barley Grass Seeds in the hands of Station Chief Meng Ke of the Mobei Prairie were completely out of stock.


    Even though the spring planting had just begun, there were no reserves left.


    One could say that the greening was happening too fast, and they could not keep up with the pace. But this was really not the fault of the seed stations. Nobody expected that all of a sudden, a Qiao Qingyu would appear and spread the Barley Grass seeds into a small-scale prairie.


    The tree species and wild grape seeds that He Xiuyu had obtained were also out of stock now.


    Qiao Qingyu wanted to take bigger steps but was hampered by the lack of resources, as it¡¯s tough for a clever woman to cook without rice.


    In the evening when He Xiuyu came back, she talked to him about this issue.


    He Xiuyu thought it was some serious matter. Smiling, he said, ¡°Professor Feng and Old Zhou have gotten in touch with a batch of seeds that will arrive in a few days. In your Space Laboratory, there¡¯s a type of forage called alfalfa that has been improved. Normally, it can be harvested four times a year, but in Xichuan, it¡¯s closer to two. However, it can still produce around four thousand catties, and most importantly, a single planting can be beneficial for ten years...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu thought about it for a while and finally pulled He Xiuyu into the space.


    Indeed, it was just as He Xiuyu had said.


    One has to admire He Xiuyu¡¯s memory. She had seen a lot, and many were just a brief glimpse.


    And so, Qiao Qingyu helped the Xiaxi Commune plant alfalfa on that stretch of wasteland.


    ...


    Before one knew it, summer arrived.


    Qiao Qingyu had still not realized her dream of shepherding and riding a horse.


    Nevertheless, the Barley Grass remained lush and green; the artifacts in the underground cave had all been transported away. He Shan, along with the engineering troops, had also left. Before leaving, they leveled the barren hillside to the north and then filled the underground cave with soil. This place was too far from the groundwater source, so the artificial lake that Qiao Qingyu wanted was very much up in the air; moreover, having a large hole here was quite dangerous.


    After leveling it and replanting the grass, they could finally call it a day.


    Rongrong was on holiday, and Qiao Qingyu was preparing for the college entrance examination.


    He Xiuyu specially took three days off to filter through the key points with Qiao Qingyu and then accompanied her and Rongrong to the exams in Yushu County.


    The family of three checked into a guest house.


    The weather was quite hot, and Yushu County did not have a night market. After Rongrong fell asleep, He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu leaned on each other and talked.


    ¡°As long as you play it normal, you¡¯ll definitely get into the school you¡¯re aiming for, don¡¯t be nervous,¡± He Xiuyu spoke softly and gently.


    Qiao Qingyu lay on his thighs, holding a book, which she flipped through for a few pages before setting it aside, laughing, ¡°I¡¯m not nervous; it seems to me like you¡¯re the nervous one.¡±


    She played with his fingers but remained silent.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you talking?¡± He Xiuyu asked.


    ¡°I suddenly feel like I don¡¯t want to leave you or Xichuan. Going to university doesn¡¯t seem to hold much significance.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t we have an agreement? Rongrong and I will be right here waiting for you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu sighed, glancing at the sleeping He Xuerong, ¡°It¡¯s quite tough, though.¡±


    He Xiuyu, ¡°You don¡¯t need to overthink it. I was prepared for all sorts of difficulties when I brought Rongrong back, only I didn¡¯t expect it would wear you out.¡±


    He Xiuyu felt guilty.


    ¡°Get some rest early. I¡¯ll take you to the exam site tomorrow.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°No, that¡¯s embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°What, you¡¯re sick of me?¡± He Xiuyu looked at her askance.


    Qiao Qingyu wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a gentle kiss.


    Study hard, and do well on the exams.


    Having a laboratory without even a diploma would be a problem in the future.


    The next morning, He Xiuyu woke up early to buy breakfast for Qiao Qingyu. She didn¡¯t have much soup, but Rongrong insisted that Qiao Qingyu eat two eggs and a fried dough stick.


    Apparently, Xiao Hu had told her it symbolized scoring 100 points.


    Luckily the fried dough sticks were not too big and were nicely fried, and with two eggs, they were quite manageable. Qiao Qingyu also drank a bowl of millet porridge.


    He Xiuyu checked the fountain pens in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s pencil case, taking one out to test if it leaaked ink or could write properly, and he had prepared three fountain pens for her.


    Qiao Qingyu had entered the exam room on her own when she took the college entrance exam, but this year, to her surprise, it was her husband and his little niece seeing her off.


    Looking at the tall and distinguished He Xiuyu standing outside the exam center, Qiao Qingyu felt warmth in her heart.


    He smiled, and she smiled back, reassured and not nervous.


    The two days of exams passed quickly.


    Then it was time to wait at the base family compound for the scores and the admission notice.


    Back then, you would first declare your preferred universities and then receive your scores.


    The volunteer choice she had discussed with He Xiuyu was, naturally, Imperial Agricultural University, and with her marks, she should be admitted.


    But He Xiuyu was very busy, so she went to submit her choices by herself.


    When the results came in, Qiao Qingyu scored first place in the arts for West City.


    Shen Fen came over happily with the letter, and Sister-in-law Li, lively as ever, called a few close acquaintances over; they had a dinner party that night making dumplings, which turned into quite the bustling event.


    After that, it was just waiting for the admission notice, but Qiao Qingyu acted as if this were not happening at all, being busy again in the fields.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s life was incredibly fulfilling.


    The multi-tier greenification system in Xichuan was orderly and unfolding, a significant amount of human, material, and financial resources were invested, and the results were noticeable.


    The sandstorms were gradually diminishing, and the green areas were steadily growing.


    Xichuan had also become a region of focus for those above.

 Chapter 271 - 271 271 Xichuan Agricultural College

    ?Chapter 271: Chapter 271 Xichuan Agricultural College Chapter 271: Chapter 271 Xichuan Agricultural College Xichuan is the largest city in the northern part of West City, bordering Gelle State, and our country¡¯s desertified land covers nearly one million square kilometers, with Xichuan accounting for one-fifth. Therefore, the greening construction in Xichuan has achieved such remarkable results in just two years, naturally drawing attention.


    The barley grass planted last year can now be systematically grazed.


    As long as it¡¯s not overdone, the prairie and the sheep can complement each other.


    The alfalfa seeds taken out from the laboratory were sold to Xiaxi Commune, where Mr. Qian led people to plant them on the reclaimed land. Now the alfalfa has already sprouted.


    Although it wasn¡¯t as vigorous as the barley grass, that wasteland finally saw green.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t raise sheep, but there was barley grass at the base, so she contacted the Mobei Prairie and purchased one hundred lamb, ten ewes, and four rams.


    There wasn¡¯t a separate breeding farm established; instead, it was directly incorporated into the farm.


    The earliest residential area was partially dismantled to set up a sheep pen, and barley grass was planted everywhere possible. Some areas were lush green, while others were still bare. The soil there was indeed beyond salvaging, and there was no point in wasting the seeds.


    Qiao Qingyu also mailed some alfalfa and ryegrass seeds to Station Chief Monk of the Mobei Prairie to diversify the grass species on the prairie.


    Those grass seeds would grow more vigorously on the prairie than here in Xichuan.


    Therefore, during the waiting period for the admission notice, there was none of the anxiety typically felt by other candidates. It seemed like only the blink of an eye before the admission notice arrived at the Tenghai Research Base, addressed to He Xiuyu.


    So He Xiuyu was the first to get his hands on it. Seeing the address below, he was suddenly stunned, his brows knitting tightly together. He really wanted to open the envelope to check if there had been a mistake in the address or the contents.


    Having nothing pressing to do, he hopped on his bicycle and sped home.


    Rongrong had just finished lunch and was taking a nap, while Qiao Qingyu was wandering around in her own yard.


    She was startled to see He Xiuyu return, ¡°Why are you back? Not busy anymore?¡±


    He Xiuyu lifted the envelope in his hand.


    ¡°Ah, has the notice arrived?¡± Although she was confident, she couldn¡¯t be completely at ease until she saw it with her own eyes.


    Isn¡¯t there a saying in this world, ¡°It¡¯s not the ten thousand things one fears but the ¡®just in case.''¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s expression was somewhat complex, but Qiao Qingyu was too happy to notice. She took the envelope, and though He Xiuyu had not opened it, she tore it open and unfolded the admission notice inside, smiling cheerfully.


    Her heart finally settled down.


    He Xiuyu kept watching Qiao Qingyu, and only after seeing her expression did he realize she had kept a secret from him.


    He didn¡¯t even know what to say at first.


    After a long pause, he finally said, ¡°Finished looking?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve finished,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you applied to Xichuan Agricultural College?¡± asked He Xiuyu.


    Imperial Agricultural University and Xichuan Agricultural College aren¡¯t even on the same level in terms of faculty strength, scale, and age.


    ¡°I did indeed want to attend Imperial Agricultural University at first, but you see, my responsibilities here are growing. Plus, Professor Feng said he is now also a professor at Xichuan Agricultural College, so I changed my mind at the last minute.¡±


    The two stood under the shady grapevine trellis, where light filtered through gaps in the grape leaves. A breeze passed by, lifting a strand of hair on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s forehead. He Xiuyu reached out to embrace his wife, his voice hoarse, ¡°You married me with the hope of a comfortable life, but it has been tough since then.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you know it¡¯s tough,¡± Qiao Qingyu stated confidently, ¡°so you have to repay me well.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu would never say she wasn¡¯t tired; that was something a foolish woman would do.


    Indeed, He Xiuyu felt even more heartbroken.


    He didn¡¯t go to work that afternoon. Instead, he stayed home washing clothes, mopping floors, tidying up the vegetable garden, and cooking dinner. After they were well-fed and satiated, they went out for a stroll. And then, everyone came to know that Qiao Qingyu had been accepted to Xichuan Agricultural College. There were those who congratulated, those who envied, and even those who whispered sneering remarks.


    Of course, there were also quite a few who expressed regret.


    With such high scores, she could have easily gotten into Imperial University.


    During the summer, as the number of mosquitoes continued to increase, He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu quickly returned home.


    That night, they switched on the lamp, crabs...


    Attending Xichuan Agricultural College, although Qingyu couldn¡¯t commute from home, she could return once a week. There was a daily car service to Tenghai Research Base from the Xichuan Office, so hitching a ride was very convenient.


    Thus, there wasn¡¯t a need to pack too much.


    Qiao Qingyu felt that her decision was very wise. Moreover, who¡¯s to say that after several decades, Xichuan Agricultural College wouldn¡¯t become a top-tier Agricultural University?


    It was only after stepping out of the laboratory that Su Yunyao learned that Qiao Qingyu had become the liberal arts valedictorian of West City; she also found out that Qingyu, still in order to take care of her family, had given up the chance to attend university in Beijing to go to the Agricultural College in Xichuan.


    The admission notice had already been received.


    Su Yunyao was stunned.


    How was it possible?


    How could Qiao Qingyu possibly be the liberal arts valedictorian?


    It was truly a shock beyond words.


    Although she was absolutely certain in her heart that this was not the Qiao Qingyu she knew.


    The difference couldn¡¯t be that drastic.


    She used to think that Qingyu was just an old farmer, which made her feel quite disgusted on behalf of He Xiuyu for a while.


    So what kind of deity or spirit was this Qiao Qingyu?


    Su Yunyao felt she was getting somewhat depressed.


    To say that Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t attended a single day of school was an exaggeration, but Su Yunyao was crystal clear about her previous level of education.


    Then, watching her work the land, Yunyao had assumed that the spirit that possessed this Qiao Qingyu must surely be some filthy, raggedy old farmer.


    But now, that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. What kind of old farmer could possibly become the liberal arts valedictorian of a province?


    She knew that Qingyu was going to take the college entrance exams, and she knew she was attending tutoring classes. In Su Yunyao¡¯s heart, it never crossed her mind that Qiao Qingyu could actually get into university.


    Not to talk of university, the prospects of community college or even a distance education school were out of reach for her.


    It would have been surprising enough if she had just not dropped out of elementary school.


    But now, with the results out and the admission notice arriving, it really felt like a harsh slap across her face.


    She wanted to claim that the results were fake or copied, but no one would believe her¡ªwho would a liberal arts valedictorian copy from, after all?


    So her scores were indeed genuine, without a hint of falsification, something that stumped Su Yunyao completely.


    She couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and decided to look for He Xiuyu.


    She was the project leader for the A-04 project. Contact with He Xiuyu was inevitable. When she knocked on the office door, He Xiuyu was the only one working inside.


    The atmosphere at the base had been unusually tense and hectic lately, but she was only responsible for this one project, without involving herself in others. She was aware that there must have been some very important project underway.

 Chapter 272 - 272 272 A Weary Heart Tormented

    ?Chapter 272: Chapter 272: A Weary Heart Tormented Chapter 272: Chapter 272: A Weary Heart Tormented He Xiuyu looked up at her and asked indifferently, ¡°Engineer Su, is there something you need?¡±


    Su Yunyao clenched her fists; at the company, He Xiuyu simply did not like her calling him Brother Xiu Yu.


    She had no choice but to say, ¡°Chief Engineer He, I heard that your wife, Qiao Qingyu, became the top scorer in the liberal arts for the province and was then admitted to Xichuan Agricultural College?¡±


    When He Xiuyu heard the three words ¡°Qiao Qingyu,¡± his brows and eyes softened unconsciously, and he asked Su Yunyao, ¡°Are you here to offer congratulations? If so, I¡¯d have to say thank you.¡±


    Su Yunyao clenched her teeth; she wasn¡¯t there to offer congratulations at all. Why should she congratulate that woman!


    Her brow was furrowed tightly. From start to finish, He Xiuyu was very clear about separating his professional life from his personal life and never confused the two, and what Su Yunyao wanted to say or do was really not so easy.


    After hesitating for a moment, Su Yunyao still spoke up, ¡°Chief Engineer He, you are a scientist; you always value rigor and thoroughness in everything you do.¡±


    He Xiuyu raised an eyebrow, lowering his head to sign his name on a document, and said indifferently, ¡°That¡¯s right, scientists must maintain strict, meticulous, and responsible attitudes.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think Qiao Qingyu¡¯s results are too strange? Everyone knows her educational background. Although she took after-school classes, and despite her intelligence, isn¡¯t becoming the top scorer in liberal arts for the entire province a bit too exaggerated?¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting her scores are fraudulent, that she cheated?¡± He Xiuyu¡¯s voice was calm, betraying no emotion.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that; it just seems unbelievable that she completed in one year what takes others ten years, and she even became the first. It¡¯s too incredible.¡±


    ¡°Engineer Su, what are you trying to say?¡± He Xiuyu looked at Su Yunyao with a deep gaze, and suddenly his voice took on an unpredictable tone, ¡°Su Yunyao, if you think there¡¯s something abnormal, then tell me, where is the abnormality?¡±


    A glimmer of joy appeared in Su Yunyao¡¯s eyes. She hadn¡¯t expected He Xiuyu to actually ask her that¡ªdid it also mean that He Xiuyu harbored doubts about Qiao Qingyu?


    Indeed, as far as she remembered, He Xiuyu never liked Qiao Qingyu.


    And in her memory, Qiao Qingyu had always been a foolish, ignorant, and unambitious village wife who only knew how to splurge He Xiuyu¡¯s salary and bonuses.


    Now that image had changed so drastically; how could it not raise suspicions in anyone¡¯s mind?


    But Su Yunyao hadn¡¯t considered the reversal; there were many ways in which she herself had changed. Without similar experiences, who would think in that direction?


    Su Yunyao¡¯s voice grew a little urgent, ¡°Brother Xiu Yu, do you trust me?¡±


    He Xiuyu frowned slightly; although he didn¡¯t like hearing those four words in the workplace, he still resisted the annoyance and said in a low voice, ¡°That depends on what you have to say.¡±


    ¡°Brother Xiu Yu, have you never thought...¡±


    At this point, Su Yunyao abruptly stopped.


    If she were to say Qiao Qingyu had been reborn, or some lonely ghost had taken over her body, then there would be a problem. He Xiuyu would definitely ask her how she knew.


    What would she answer then?


    He Xiuyu still sat in his chair, though he leaned back a bit, lifting his eyelids to watch the changing expressions on Su Yunyao¡¯s face, his mind was pondering; A-04 was his brainchild. He had worked on it from the initial idea and the first set of data to its current stage, yet Su Yunyao had produced a completed work.


    He couldn¡¯t believe that two people in this world could have identical thought processes.


    That was impossible.


    Just like the college entrance examination essay, given the same topic, ten thousand people would write ten thousand different essays; none would be exactly the same.


    One could hardly assert there are absolutes in this world, but in this regard, it could be said to be absolute, absolutely impossible unless it was cheating.


    But how did Su Yunyao cheat? His later work hadn¡¯t come out yet, so how could she copy?


    His voice was very calm, ¡°Su Yunyao, what do you think I¡¯ve thought about?¡±


    Su Yunyao¡¯s emotions had already calmed down. She was no longer the person she had been when she had first been reborn.


    Nearly a year and a half had passed, she had experienced ups and downs and various things. The world she lived in now and her surrounding environment, including the Tenghai Research Base and the people by her side, had all changed completely.


    So, was He Xiuyu still the same He Xiuyu from before?


    The answer was negative, no.


    He Xiuyu had changed too. The He Xiuyu from the previous lifetime in 1981 was definitely not like now. Although he was still very capable and excellent, he truly was worn out by the harpy Qiao Qingyu.


    She had never seen his eyebrows relaxed.


    But now, Qiao Qingyu was no longer the same Qiao Qingyu, so naturally, He Xiuyu was no longer the same He Xiuyu.


    He was spirited, with a light step. Although he was still serious, there seemed to always be a faint smile on the corners of his mouth.


    The aura around him was peaceful, somewhat like the warmth of the sun.


    His complexion was good, his gaze bright, his eyebrows and eyes relaxed. When he was not busy, he played basketball with colleagues, and he seemed more approachable when talking to them.


    All this proved that He Xiuyu¡¯s family life was very happy, and indeed, extremely happy.


    Su Yunyao, after all, had lived for many years. She let out a long sigh in her heart. If she couldn¡¯t say it, she would just have to let the matter rot in her stomach for the time being.


    Moreover, He Xiuyu was so smart, he could think about it on his own.


    Perhaps the effect would be even better than saying it out loud.


    Su Yunyao said softly, ¡°Chief Engineer He, I¡¯m sorry, I meddled too much.¡±


    After speaking, she didn¡¯t wait for He Xiuyu to say anything, turned around, and quickly walked toward the office door, afraid that He Xiuyu would call her back. She almost ran to open the door and then hurriedly left He Xiuyu¡¯s office.


    He Xiuyu glanced at the door and let out an almost inaudible snort of laughter, then continued to look at the documents.


    When Su Yunyao went downstairs, she ran into Shen Haoze.


    Shen Haoze, as usual, was prepared to avoid her.


    Su Yunyao, with a cold smile on her lips, boldly stopped him and even reached out to grab his wrist. Shen Haoze¡¯s face flushed red in an instant, and he blurted out in frustration, ¡°Su Yunyao, have you gone mad? Let go of me.¡±


    Su Yunyao still wore a cold smile, her voice just as frosty, ¡°Shen Haoze, I remember that in the past when I would grab your hand, you would be so thrilled that you wouldn¡¯t know what to say.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯ve already said that was in the past. Can you stop bringing up the past?¡±


    ¡°If we don¡¯t mention the past, does it cease to exist? Since we were children, Shen Haoze, you¡¯ve always been following me around.¡±


    ¡°Su Yunyao, what exactly do you want to do?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to do anything, I just find you somewhat ridiculous.¡±


    Su Yunyao suddenly released her grip, scornfully glanced at Shen Haoze, hummed coldly, and quickly walked downstairs.


    Shen Haoze leaned against the wall, raised his wrist to look at it, this damn woman, when had she gotten so strong, to actually turn a grown man¡¯s wrist red.


    Then, she must hate him in her heart now...

 Chapter 273 - 273 273 If you dont want others to know dont

    ?Chapter 273: Chapter 273: If you don¡¯t want others to know, don¡¯t do it yourself Chapter 273: Chapter 273: If you don¡¯t want others to know, don¡¯t do it yourself Shen Haoze¡¯s expression was complex, each time he faced Su Yunyao, he did not know what to do.


    In his memory, Su Yunyao was cheerful and generous, always calling out to Brother Xiu Yu first and then to Brother Haoze when she was following behind him and He Xiuyu.


    She was smart, eager to learn, and knew a lot; she wasn¡¯t like other girls who were weak and tearful.


    She had always been a wonderful presence in his heart, but one day when that was shattered, he found her detestable.


    And now, Su Yunyao had shed these disguises, and she was cold, even disdainful towards him.


    Shen Haoze reached out and fiercely grabbed a handful of his hair, wondering how had they reached this point?


    He let out a heavy sigh, vigorously shook his head, and strode towards He Xiu Yu¡¯s office.


    ...


    Su Yunyao did not return to her workshop; she went to find Qiao Qingyu again.


    She stood at the entrance of He Xiuyu¡¯s house, looking into the courtyard, which, like last year, was lush and blooming beautifully.


    The small courtyard looked like a little garden.


    Admittedly, the base¡¯s environment had greatly improved, and the food quality had increased.


    Even though she often stayed in the laboratory, she knew that the 1981 Tenghai Research Base was very different from the Tenghai Research Base in her memories.


    This year, there had only been two dust storms.


    The greenery in the distance was ever increasing.


    There even was a flowerbed in front of the Big White Building, filled with beautiful rhododendrons.


    And Qiao Qingyu was still as beautiful, wearing a yellow round-neck short sleeve shirt and a plaid long skirt, her shins white and straight; although she had two braids, she did not look like she was from a rural area at all.


    Rongrong stood beside her, the little girl watching her warily.


    The girl was growing prettier, and standing together, although Su Yunyao was very jealous, she thought they resembled a beautiful painting framed by the grape trellis.


    She knew without entering that He Xiuyu¡¯s house would be spotless and warm.


    She could imagine what kind of mood He Xiuyu would be in after a day¡¯s work.


    Thinking so, a bitter taste emerged in her mouth.


    At that moment, Qiao Qingyu also could not help but come forward; it had been a long time since she had last seen Su Yunyao.


    ¡°Engineer Su, is there something you need?¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I would like to have a few words with you alone.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu patted Rongrong, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were going with Xiao Hu to the store to buy notebooks? Go ahead.¡±


    He Xuerong hesitated in her steps, glanced at her little aunt and then at Su Yunyao. However, the look she gave Su Yunyao was wary, like a little cat with its fur bristled.


    Su Yunyao did not like this child.


    Similarly, He Xuerong did not like her either, but she knew there certainly was something matter. She took her little backpack ready to find Xiao Hu. As she passed by Su Yunyao, the small girl snorted heavily from her nose, stomped, and then fluttered away like a butterfly.


    Only then did Su Yunyao walk into the courtyard, not entering the house.


    Inside were traces of the life He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu shared.


    Looking at it would hurt her eyes and make her heart ache and suffer.


    Su Yunyao was sitting under the grape trellis, not expecting that it had truly become a grape trellis now.


    As they say, a visitor should be treated as a guest. Qiao Qingyu would not let anyone fault her, especially since Su Yunyao, who had just entered, did not start any provocations. Qiao Qingyu poured her a cup of warm water and placed it beside her, ¡°It¡¯s a bit hot, have some water.¡±


    Indeed feeling both hot and thirsty, Su Yunyao did not hesitate to pick up the cup and drink heartily. Qiao Qingyu watched her with astonishment.


    After placing down the cup, Su Yunyao smiled. Although Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t find her smile terrifying, it did give her the creeps slightly.


    However, Qiao Qingyu did not show any changes in her expression and leisurely asked, ¡°Have you taken the day off today?¡±


    ¡°No rest today; I had some business with Chief Engineer He. Then I learned you had become the Humanities Valedictorian of the province and got into Xichuan Agricultural College, so I thought I should come and congratulate you in person.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect you to become the valedictorian.¡±


    Still smiling brightly, Qiao Qingyu was not modest at all, ¡°I was quite confident myself.¡±


    ¡°I remember you having only elementary school education, and you managed to finish a decade¡¯s worth of learning in just one year. That is indeed impressive.¡±


    ¡°I remember you came from a Youth Class of a technology university, so it¡¯s mutual.¡±


    Su Yunyao wasn¡¯t exactly sneering, but she found Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words distasteful.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I started learning at the age of five and never stopped; you can¡¯t compare with me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true; I started much later, but luckily, I first met a good teacher in Shen Fen, and then I met He Xiuyu.¡±


    Speaking these words, Qiao Qingyu meant them genuinely.


    Ever since Shen Fen recognized her so-called talent, she really took great care in teaching her.


    Even though without Shen Fen, Qiao Qingyu would have found another way to enter the college entrance examination, she had to admit that having Shen Fen saved her a lot of trouble.


    And then there was He Xiuyu. Although there were tender and sweet moments between them, most of the time, he was supervising her studies.


    Qiao Qingyu did not want to excel, but having good grades also made her happy.


    At the very least, it would look good when mentioned later.


    Su Yunyao curled her lips, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, let¡¯s not beat around the bush. You have a bad impression of me, and I feel the same about you. We both know what you¡¯ve been up to.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu widened her dewy eyes in surprise, ¡°Engineer Su, what do you mean by ¡®what I¡¯ve been up to¡¯? Although things seem calm at our base for now, some villains won¡¯t give up, you can¡¯t just talk carelessly.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want others to know, don¡¯t do it yourself.¡±


    Su Yunyao seemed very satisfied with Qiao Qingyu¡¯s current expression and sternly said.


    Qiao Qingyu laughed, ¡°Su Yunyao, that phrase really suits you.¡±


    Su Yunyao¡¯s face turned red in an instant; she knew Qiao Qingyu was talking about that plagiarism incident. Clenching her teeth in anger, she knew she couldn¡¯t stay calm in front of Qiao Qingyu.


    Fear her? No, she truly despised her.


    Especially that mouth, she really wished she could sew it shut.


    ¡°...Why the long face? Although they say don¡¯t hit a face and don¡¯t expose people¡¯s shortfalls, you speaking those words without reason can lead to misunderstandings.¡± Without waiting for Su Yunyao to speak, Qiao Qingyu plainly asked, ¡°Su Yunyao, what do you really want to say?¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, everyone else might be blind, but I, Su Yunyao, am not. No matter how smart you are, or how strong your learning ability is, how could a country girl who spent nearly twenty years in the countryside transform so radically within one year to the extent of a complete makeover?¡±


    Su Yunyao stood up, ¡°A person can pretend for a year, for a decade, but not for a lifetime. Qiao Qingyu, I will definitely strip off this facade off you.¡±


    ¡°Freak!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu spat out three words.

 Chapter 274 - 274 274 Everywhere Are Eyes

    ?Chapter 274: Chapter 274 Everywhere Are Eyes Chapter 274: Chapter 274 Everywhere Are Eyes Su Yunyao glared at her viciously and strode toward the door, disappearing around the corner in the blink of an eye.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t care and curled her lips dismissively. Of course, she didn¡¯t care. She had the guts to bring He Xiuyu into her Space Laboratory¡ªwhat else was there to worry about?


    Qiao Qingyu was about to take the cup into the arbor to wash it when someone else walked in. It was Old Lady Zhao, who lived in the back courtyard. Qiao Qingyu frowned involuntarily; that old woman was truly thick-skinned.


    In the spring, she shamelessly took quite a lot of vegetable seeds. Logically, being from the countryside, she should have had a green thumb. However, her vegetable garden turned out to be the worst, which is why she was always pilfering vegetables from one neighbor and pinching onions from another.


    What was she up to now?


    ¡°Granny Zhao, it¡¯s almost noon. Aren¡¯t you cooking? What are you doing here?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s question was not at all polite.


    Her daughter-in-law was pregnant¡ªyou know, that distant cousin¡ªshe was quite big now, and the old lady had to take care of her every day; she looked much thinner than before.


    ¡°My Xiao Li wants to eat cucumbers. I looked around and saw that the cucumbers in your garden are the best.¡±


    She said this and quickly headed for the cucumber bed. Qiao Qingyu called out leisurely from behind, ¡°Granny Zhao, just so you know, I¡¯ve just fertilized this vegetable garden.¡±


    Granny Zhao didn¡¯t care at all. She didn¡¯t stop walking or talking. ¡°The success of the crops is like a flower; it all depends on the dung as the head of the household. Your words won¡¯t scare me¡ªI¡¯ve never seen anyone as stingy as you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone treat another¡¯s vegetable garden as if it were their own.¡±


    ¡°Then who told you to make your vegetable garden grow so well?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    Don¡¯t get mad, don¡¯t get mad. Getting angry is bad for your health, and no one else will suffer for you!


    She walked quickly and grabbed Old Lady Zhao, frowning as she spoke, ¡°Granny Zhao, don¡¯t be insatiable. Those cucumbers are still small and can¡¯t be picked. If you want to eat, go buy some from the commune.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just picking one, and you¡¯re being so miserly. Are all the wives of officials so heartless?¡± It seemed Granny Zhao was gearing up to start wailing.


    ¡°Old lady, your words are really heartless. How much of my family¡¯s vegetables have you eaten, and have I ever heard a word of thanks from you?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was so angry that her face turned crimson. She felt she was really quite capable, able to deal with shrews and troublemakers, but against someone like Old Lady Zhao who was old and shameless, she was at her wit¡¯s end.


    She couldn¡¯t hit or scold her. If it had been a young person, she would have slapped them long ago.


    She handed her a tomato, speaking impatiently, ¡°Get going now, your daughter-in-law is calling for you.¡±


    Old Lady Zhao looked suspiciously at Qiao Qingyu, then pricked up her ears and listened. Sure enough, she heard Tian Li calling for her from the back courtyard.


    Holding the tomato, she glanced at the yard once more and said, ¡°The vegetable seeds you gave me just aren¡¯t good. My family¡¯s vegetables don¡¯t grow nearly as well as yours, obviously not the same variety.¡±


    ¡°Old lady, you don¡¯t even look at what kind of soil I have, nor do you see how I plant and care for them. My He Xiuyu has to till, fertilize, and water the garden until dark after work. You grew up in the countryside too; is this how you¡¯re supposed to farm? Can¡¯t you stop saying such disgraceful things...¡±


    Old Lady Zhao¡¯s face was thick-skinned; even if her face reddened, it couldn¡¯t be seen. With a huff, she snatched the tomato and turned to leave.


    Qiao Qingyu watched her departure, hands on her hips. That old woman was just like a toad on the ground¡ªnot biting, but just plain irritating.


    Rongrong and Li Mingguang came running over, sweating bullets. Seeing Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression, the young girl¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She hurriedly took Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand, ¡°Little aunt, little aunt, did that woman surnamed Su bully you?¡±


    Li Mingguang, however, glanced back and said, ¡°Rongrong, I bet it was Grandma Zhao coming to take advantage again. I saw her with a tomato; it¡¯s definitely from your family¡¯s garden.¡±


    He Xuerong¡¯s eyes started rolling.


    She gave Li Mingguang a meaningful glance.


    Qiao Qingyu quickly said, ¡°You two remember this, don¡¯t even think about any crooked schemes, I¡¯m not bothered about such petty advantages.¡±


    Li Mingguang was startled and quickly assured her, ¡°Aunt Qiao, Aunt Qiao, we didn¡¯t mean to do anything bad.¡±


    ¡°Right, little aunt, with Grandma Zhao being so old, how could we dare to bully her? What if she tried to extort us? How would we handle that?¡±


    That was correct, they even knew the word ¡®extort.¡¯


    Qiao Qingyu patted them on the back and said, ¡°Go wash your hands, wipe the sweat off your faces.¡±


    At that moment, from the Northwest direction, there seemed to come a noisy commotion.


    Qiao Qingyu looked that way, too. The base¡¯s residential compound was large, not as big as a town, but pretty much the size of a village, yet it was seldom this tumultuous.


    Qiao Qingyu walked outside and saw quite a few people running toward Dashun¡¯s house.


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t hold back Li Mingguang and He Xuerong, who quickly ran off into the distance.


    Standing at the crossroad, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t wait long before the two kids came running back, gasping for breath, their little faces ashen. He Xuerong grabbed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand, trembling voice and all, ¡°Little aunt, little aunt, Xiao Xiao¡¯s dad died.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was stunned. Xiao Xiao¡¯s dad ¨C wasn¡¯t that Sister Yu¡¯s husband?


    She had seen him just a couple of days ago at the front gate.


    How could he be gone all of a sudden?


    Seeing the states of the two children, she couldn¡¯t just let them walk home alone; they seemed to have received a shock. At this time, it wasn¡¯t appropriate for her to go ahead, so she quietly said, holding one child by each hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go back home first.¡±


    Soon, news that Sister Yu¡¯s husband, Wang Feng, had passed away, spread throughout the base.


    Qiao Qingyu went to Sister Yu¡¯s house where Sister Yu had already cried until she fainted several times. Xiao Xiao¡¯s face was covered in tears, standing numbly in the corner, small hands clutching the hem of her clothing without uttering a single word.


    Qiao Qingyu let Xiao Hu and Rongrong accompany Xiao Xiao while she joined others in comforting Sister Yu.


    The word was that the couple had been very close; who would have thought that one would depart before the other, leaving the remaining one in such torment?


    Yu Jing was indeed suffering, yet at the same time, she was both shocked and scared.


    Her husband¡¯s death was unjust, for she hadn¡¯t completed her tasks lately and had remained unmoved, causing dissatisfaction from above, who said she must be punished.


    Her heart was overcome with fear, but the base was like an iron barrel, eyes and watchful gazes everywhere. What could she do, what dared she do? Before she could act, she would be caught.


    The doctor¡¯s diagnosis was a heart attack, but she knew her husband didn¡¯t have heart disease. His heart was fine. How did they do it? Who did it?


    If she failed to complete her tasks again, would her daughter be the next one?


    Her heart was filled with towering hatred. One misstep led to another.


    She didn¡¯t even know how she had come to walk down such a path.


    What was the cause of it?


    Right, she was the descendant of a martyr, her mother had given birth to her in prison, and then was secretly executed by the enemy on the eve of liberation. She was rescued, taken in, and raised by her father¡¯s comrade-in-arms...

 Chapter 275 - 275 275 Sleepwalking

    ?Chapter 275: Chapter 275: Sleepwalking Chapter 275: Chapter 275: Sleepwalking They treated her well, they didn¡¯t hide her origins from her; she only realized when she grew up that no matter how well they treated her, it was still different from having one¡¯s own children.


    She also hated; hated why her own parents had died so early. If they were still around, would those people still look at her with pity and sympathy?


    She disliked such gazes.


    According to her parents¡¯ achievements, she was also the descendant of a military family.


    Watching those progeny who were arrogant and proud under the shelter of their parents, she gritted her teeth in anger.


    The bright path paved with the blood of martyrs was walked by those who had nothing to do with the martyrs.


    This was what people meant by ¡°the ancestors plant the trees, and their descendants enjoy the shade.¡±


    And she had to rely on herself for everything.


    Yu Jing lurked in the darkness, her face twisted as she watched her daughter, still looking anxious as she slept, and silently made up her mind.


    ...


    Because the school was close, there was no rush in packing up.


    Over the past few days, Li Mingguang and Rongrong had been keeping Xiao Xiao company.


    He Xiuyu took on two more days of work before returning.


    Wang Feng¡¯s funeral had already been handled.


    Speaking of which, He Xiuyu felt rather wistful; after all, Wang Feng was strong and in his prime, the perfect time to pursue a career.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t tell He Xiuyu about Su Yunyao¡¯s visit; it was all unimportant chatter, and there was no point in telling him.


    However, Qiao Qingyu did grumble a few words about Old Lady Zhao, and He Xiuyu was helpless to react.


    He consoled his wife, ¡°Old Lady Zhao is old, and although her behavior is very annoying, you really mustn¡¯t take her seriously.¡±


    ¡°If I really took her seriously, would she dare to come?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu glared, and He Xiuyu chuckled lightly, pulled her into his arms, turned off the light with a sweep of his hand, and pressed his thin lips down. It was a beautiful time, and rare was the day he wasn¡¯t busy; he didn¡¯t want to waste it on useless people.


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu gave this month¡¯s wages to Wang Laogen, and as she drove the tractor back to the base, she didn¡¯t expect to see Dashun¡¯s mother waiting for her at the door.


    Nowadays, her relationship with Zhu Guizhi was quite good.


    Her complexion was poor, and Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know what was wrong, but she let her into the house and asked her what was the matter. But to her surprise, Zhu Guizhi got up to close the open door before sitting down on the edge of the kang bed, her face filled with worry as she spoke to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°I¡¯ve been pondering this for over half a month now, and the more I think about it, the more it seems wrong, the more frightened I become, but I don¡¯t know who to talk to about it.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s smile also faded, ¡°Sister Zhu, if there¡¯s something troubling you, feel free to talk to me if you think you can. If you can¡¯t, don¡¯t obsess over it.¡±


    ¡°Yun Yao, if Old Lady Zhao tries to take advantage of you again, don¡¯t let her in.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu replied with a pained expression, ¡°You say that, but I can¡¯t keep my door locked all day. Even if I did lock it, I¡¯d have to open it as soon as she knocked. That old lady has such thick skin, not even a machine gun could pierce through it.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s true. No one knows what to do with her; she¡¯s always taking advantage of her age, plucking onions from one house and snatching vegetable leaves from another. Can you believe she¡¯s still causing such trouble at her age? It¡¯s incredibly annoying.¡±


    At this point, Zhu Guizhi¡¯s expression seemed much better, but she lowered her voice and continued, ¡°Yun Yao, still try to avoid her if you can. There¡¯s something I want to tell you...¡±


    ¡°What is it, Sister Zhu?¡±


    ¡°Well, I have this sleepwalking issue. It doesn¡¯t happen often, but I did sleepwalk during this year¡¯s New Year. Somehow, I ended up at the very back of our base¡¯s family housing area ¨C yes, right at Old Wei¡¯s place...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu knew that was the house Old Wei had been allocated. However, Old Wei¡¯s family lived elsewhere, so the house was empty for the time being, with Old Wei mostly staying in the dormitory.


    As Zhu Guizhi spoke, her expression became somewhat strange.


    ¡°You know how sleepwalkers don¡¯t really feel the outside world, but I tripped over the threshold and suddenly woke up. It scared me to death, wondering how I got there when I was clearly in my own warm bed. Thankfully, I was wearing cotton shoes and clothing. Just no hat, and it was terribly cold.¡±


    As Zhu Guizhi reached this point, she paused again. Qiao Qingyu poured her a glass of water, ¡°Take your time, Sister Zhu, no need to rush.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, however, was also thinking that Zhu Guizhi must have witnessed something shocking; otherwise, she would not wear such an expression.


    Sure enough, Zhu Guizhi continued, ¡°I was just about to head home when I heard a man and a woman... you know, the sounds they make when they¡¯re having ¡®that kind of activity.¡¯ It scared the life out of me; I thought there were ghosts. I couldn¡¯t catch my breath for a moment. Then I felt something was off. Guess whose voices they were?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu widened her eyes at Zhu Guizhi, thinking how would I know, yet she played along and asked, ¡°Who were they?¡±


    ¡°It was Sister Yu¡¯s husband, Wang Feng, and Mr. Zhao¡¯s daughter-in-law, Tian Li.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes widened in shock, ¡°Really? Are you sure you didn¡¯t mishear?¡±


    ¡°How could I mishear that? It was for real, I wasn¡¯t dreaming. Those two were talking dirty while at it... I won¡¯t repeat what they said to you...¡±


    ¡°Later, I thought maybe it was just a dream, but such stuff weighs on your mind, especially seeing Tian Li and Wang Feng during the day. We all live in such close quarters in the same compound. Eventually, I caught them in the act again. Those two went to Old Wei¡¯s house in the middle of the night.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t even fear freezing to death; it¡¯s just vile.¡±


    As she said this, Zhu Guizhi grabbed her teacup and downed a big gulp of water, then breathed out a long sigh of relief.


    Then she leaned in closer to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°You see, Huang Ling and Old Zhao have been together for half a lifetime, and they still don¡¯t have any children. And now Tian Li gets pregnant not long after marrying into their family. I suspect that the child in Tian Li¡¯s womb could very well be Wang Feng¡¯s. But now that Wang Feng is gone, Tian Li hasn¡¯t shown any reaction. I¡¯ve been thinking it over these past few days and felt I should come warn you. Since you¡¯re living so close to Old Lady Zhao and Tian Li, it¡¯s best to keep your distance from that family. They¡¯re no good.¡±


    After sharing this, Zhu Guizhi felt much better. She also told Qiao Qingyu to keep this to herself ¨C with Wang Feng gone and Old Zhao willing to play the role of the real father, they might as well let him. It¡¯s just too bad for Yu Jing and Xiao Xiao; they¡¯ve really had bad luck.


    She finished with, ¡°Yun Yao, have you noticed how few good men there are in this world? I heard you¡¯re planning to go to school soon. You also need to be careful.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°Thank you for the heads up, Sister Zhu, but we can¡¯t generalize based on a few instances. There are still plenty of good men out there. Look at how good your husband is to you and the kids.¡±


    Zhu Guizhi actually laughed. She had been the one to start the trouble, but reconciling with He XiuYu¡¯s house was all thanks to her husband¡¯s efforts.


    He was good to her and the children on regular days.


    But still...

 Chapter 276 - 276 276 Liking Someone Elses Wife

    ?Chapter 276: Chapter 276 Liking Someone Else¡¯s Wife Chapter 276: Chapter 276 Liking Someone Else¡¯s Wife Wang Feng and Yu Jing were also a loving couple.


    But, He Xiuyu¡¯s character is impeccable, she was worrying over nothing.


    ¡°...But one must still be careful, never take things lightly. The base is getting more and more people, especially many young and beautiful women. Some young girls just like to fixate on successful men who are married with children, who knows what¡¯s wrong with them, truly fucking disgusting.¡±


    ¡°Maybe picking up something ready-made is particularly comforting for them,¡± Qiao Qingyu said with a smile.


    When He Xiuyu came back in the evening, Qiao Qingyu still quietly told him about the matter.


    ¡°...I¡¯ve been pondering all afternoon, and I was wondering, how did Tian Li and Wang Feng get involved? And Wang Feng, he¡¯s got such nerve, how could he dare to sleep with a colleague¡¯s wife?¡±


    Then she glanced at He Xiuyu with a meaningful look and said, ¡°Actually, some men really are perverts, they just love other people¡¯s wives.¡±


    This was definitely not slander; it was even historically verifiable.


    He Xiuyu stretched out his hand and pinched his wife¡¯s cheek, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me with that kind of gaze, your husband is not that disgusting.¡±


    But he then fell into contemplation, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t mentioned it, I wouldn¡¯t bring it up either. Do you know? Wang Feng¡¯s death was very strange. Just before that, the base hospital had just completed physical check-ups for the engineers, and Wang Feng had a very healthy heart. Whether Mr. Zhao is infertile has not been investigated, but on the day Wang Feng had the accident, someone saw Tian Li talking with him.¡±


    ¡°How long after they parted did Wang Feng have the accident?¡±


    ¡°About two hours.¡±


    ¡°Did you guys ask Tian Li?¡±


    ¡°We asked. Tian Li only said she went to the shop to buy something and just chatted for a while when she saw him.¡±


    At that time, no one knew that these two had such a secret relationship.


    But now the man is gone, who would believe it if only Zhu Guizhi said so here?


    Zhu Guizhi had been silent all along, probably thinking the same.


    Then, after more than half a month of feeling something was off, she came forward, although she admonished Qiao Qingyu not to tell anyone, she had her own calculations, telling Qiao Qingyu was tantamount to telling He Xiuyu, and Qiao Qingyu would keep her secret.


    Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°I think you all should check out Old Wei¡¯s place; maybe you¡¯ll find some clues.¡±


    He Xiuyu hummed softly but couldn¡¯t sit still. He said in a low voice, ¡°You go to sleep first, I¡¯ll go find Old Wei and Director Lin.¡±


    He Xiuyu got up after speaking, his movements swift as he left.


    Qiao Qingyu looked outside the window, not knowing when he would return.


    The days that followed were quiet, so there was no knowing whether they found any useful clues at Old Wei¡¯s place.


    It is presumed that Tian Li and Wang Feng stopped their affair after her belly started to show.


    Even if there were evidence, the scientific methods available now wouldn¡¯t be able to extract it.


    The base elementary school was finally established, and unexpectedly, Zhu Mingli was successful in her application.


    She didn¡¯t know what she was thinking when she ran in front of Qiao Qingyu to brag, ¡°I know you definitely didn¡¯t speak well of me behind my back. Luckily, the chief examiner has nothing to do with your family, or else I definitely wouldn¡¯t have been selected.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at her, not sure whether to call her smart or not, so she felt a bit troubled¡ªcan such a person really be a teacher?


    ¡°...If you want to safely get through the probationary period, you shouldn¡¯t say this kind of thing in front of me,¡± Qiao Qingyu said with a smile, not the least bit annoyed.


    Sun Aizhi furrowed her brow. Although she was an office clerk at the office, she still preferred being at school. There weren¡¯t as many messy issues, and there were winter and summer breaks.


    She naturally succeeded in getting the job.


    She had never expected that what Zhu Mingli had stopped Qiao Qingyu to say would be this.


    Had she known, she would never have walked with her. Fool!


    Qiao Qingyu was worried and still went to find Shen Fen. Only after learning that these young ones wouldn¡¯t be teaching main subjects for a while did she feel relieved.


    Let Zhu Mingli teach music, then. She could sing if she wanted.


    If she could teach their Rongrong to sing out of tune, she¡¯d treat her to a meal!


    School was about to start, and Qiao Qingyu busied herself tending to her vegetable garden, flooding what needed to be flooded and drying what needed to be aired. She was calm and collected, after all, she could come back once a week, so she felt quite relaxed and comfortable. That¡¯s why Qiao Qingyu thought her earlier decision was brilliant.


    The Qiao Family Team was about to harvest in the autumn. This year had good winds and timely rains¡ªanother bumper harvest year.


    Before the harvest had even begun, many people were already placing advance orders for corn seeds.


    Qiao Zhicai and Qiao Shengbao had taken two more orders. Qiao Shengbao had gone to Nangang City three times by himself and had become quite adept through the experience.


    Qiao Mubao was going to take the college entrance exam next year, but ever since he found out that his second sister, Qiao Qingyu, had become the liberal arts top-scorer, the pressure on him doubled. He was determined to not only become the top science scorer in North City but also the first in Ning¡¯an County.


    Qiao Qingyu felt very heartened after finding out. The kid was smart, but he was quite playful.


    Qiao Qingyu sent him all her review materials, including many key points sorted out by He Xiuyu.


    With these resources, he should be able to perform normally and get good results in next year¡¯s college entrance examination if he didn¡¯t get too nervous.


    Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu together took care of the cabbages and radishes they had planted, just like last year, storing some in the cellar and pickling some into sauerkraut. The leftover beans and eggplants were sliced and hung to dry. As for the potatoes, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t have time to take care of them because school was starting for her.


    With Sister-in-law Li helping, these tasks would be handled properly, and with Sister-in-law Li looking after Rongrong, Qiao Qingyu was at ease.


    Even staying at the dormitory, with Chu Ying offering her help quietly, Qiao Qingyu admired her perseverance. She probably guessed that He Xiuwen didn¡¯t even know who Chu Ying was.


    Moreover, it was rumored that He Xiuwen¡¯s ex-wife was returning to the country.


    On the last day of August, Qiao Qingyu was heading to Xichuan Agricultural College to register. Naturally, He Xiuyu came along with Rongrong to send her off to college.


    He Xiuyu drove the base¡¯s jeep, with Qiao Qingyu¡¯s luggage, washbasin, thermos, and other living and toiletries loaded in the back.


    He Xuerong was also starting school tomorrow, the little girl said cheerfully, ¡°Little aunt, we have to remember September 1st, we¡¯re both starting school on the same day.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Rongrong, September 1st, 1981. Your little aunt can¡¯t forget that I¡¯m going to school with little Rongrong.¡±


    ¡°But little aunt, you¡¯re going to college, and I¡¯m going to elementary school...¡± He Xuerong¡¯s tone was full of disappointment. How great it would have been to go to college with little aunt.


    Qiao Qingyu pinched her little cheek, ¡°Little aunt will be back on Saturday. Make sure to eat well and listen to your little uncle¡¯s words...¡±


    There was nothing else to instruct. The child had her little uncle, Chief Engineer He, taking care of her. At the base, she was treated like a treasure; everyone who saw her smiled warmly.

 Chapter 277 - 277 277 Ambush

    ?Chapter 277: Chapter 277 Ambush Chapter 277: Chapter 277 Ambush He Xiuyu¡¯s gaze carried a smile, his heart reluctant to part, yet also filled with some pride.


    He couldn¡¯t help but recall the night Qiao Qingyu had crawled into his bed, those bright eyes in the half-dream, half-awake moments.


    He curved the corners of his mouth, saying that no matter how different Qiao Qingyu was now from the past, he didn¡¯t care because he knew she was always Qiao Qingyu, the same King Qiao who had once roamed the Qiao Family Team.


    He had always liked her, she was the person he held most dear.


    The roadsides were not endless fields; there was a stretch of hill after hill, and although the hills were not craggy with strange stones, they were barren of any grass.


    But once past these hills, one could see people bustling in the fields.


    The autumn scenery was always the most beautiful.


    The poplar leaves turned golden yellow, the maple leaves became fiery red, and even if the Barley Grass was somewhat yellowed, it still composed a picturesque autumn scene.


    Autumn always brought a sense of joy from harvesting.


    Sometimes when the wind was strong, tumbleweeds could blow over from the sandy areas.


    Although its name sounded pleasant, it also had a nickname, the ¡®wanderer of the grassland.¡¯


    He Xiuyu drove very steadily, and although the road was bumpy, Qiao Qingyu and He Xuerong could not feel it; their car was driving on the desolate hill.


    Suddenly, completely unguarded, there was a loud ¡®bang¡¯; the road they were traveling on was blasted open, the jeep flipped several times in the flames, and with a ¡®boom¡¯, it landed in a ditch by the road.


    If not for He Xiuyu¡¯s quick reaction, if not for Qiao Qingyu having a Space Device, then this modern tale would have ended here.


    But in the blink of an eye, when an unusual vibration came from beneath the car, He Xiuyu suddenly threw himself to the back, shielding Qiao Qingyu and Rongrong under him as the world seemed to spin and collapse instantly.


    Almost instinctively, Qiao Qingyu pressed down on the red mole on her index finger, and by the time the jeep had flipped several times into the ditch, she had already pulled both of them into the space.


    The shock left He Xuerong unconscious.


    The environment inside the Space Device was not unfamiliar, He Xiuyu checked He Xuerong first and, discovering she was only unconscious, breathed a sigh of relief. Qiao Qingyu was terrified, so much that she hadn¡¯t even reacted yet; everything was an instinctive action.


    Inside the Space Device, He Xiuyu couldn¡¯t know what was happening outside, but he understood what had occurred. They had been ambushed, likely with landmines or bombs planted on the road with the intent of taking his life.


    Looking at Qiao Qingyu¡¯s somewhat vacant eyes, he reached out his hand, and even though his heart was pounding, he still comforted her in a low voice, ¡°Thank goodness, thank goodness, we¡¯re all right. Do you know what¡¯s happening outside?¡±


    At that moment, the family of three sat on the ground of the space, He Xuerong cradled in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s arms, while He Xiuyu¡¯s face was also unusually pale, beads of sweat visible on his forehead. Qiao Qingyu finally regained her composure bit by bit and, suppressing the wild beating of her heart, sensed the surroundings and said, ¡°There¡¯s gunfire outside.¡±


    That is to say, not only were there landmines or the like, but guns had been fired to completely eliminate their presence.


    ¡°What do we do?¡±


    ¡°You and Rongrong stay here for now, I¡¯ll go out.¡±


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t go out, it¡¯s too dangerous out there.¡±


    ¡°We must capture a live one this time. The thorn will never be removed if we don¡¯t pull it out,¡± He Xiuyu¡¯s voice had become somewhat hoarse as he spoke.


    It had been a peaceful era for a long time, although one case after another had been experienced, it was still the first time they encountered something like this.


    Qiao Qingyu laid Rongrong on the ground, thought about the specific position, and controlled the space to move several dozen meters to the left, then pulled He Xiuyu out of the Space Device.


    After they emerged, they were on the backside of a hillside, close to the slope, with an overturned jeep not far ahead.


    They hadn¡¯t left the base for long, and with sounds of explosion like that, the base¡¯s security would definitely hear it, so they just had to hold on for ten minutes before Director Lin would arrive with backup.


    He told Qiao Qingyu to quickly return to the space, and Qiao Qingyu worriedly whispered, ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous. You don¡¯t even know where the enemy is hiding. What if you get shot? Flesh and blood can¡¯t withstand a bullet.¡±


    He Xiuyu looked at Qiao Qingyu¡¯s anxious face and ultimately decided not to risk going alone.


    Just as Qiao Qingyu was pulling He Xiuyu to enter the space, a woman¡¯s voice from behind the hillside reached them, ¡°Go check if they¡¯re dead.¡±


    Yu Jing!


    He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu exchanged a look, incredulous, yet filled with anger.


    He Xiuyu told Qiao Qingyu to enter the space immediately, while he, like a leopard, pounced toward the back of the hillside. His movements were swift and sharp, as if he had practiced countless times with perfect precision and not a hint of deviation, tackling a woman and a man on the downslope.


    Qiao Qingyu entered the space, then picked up a stick and came back out, rushing up to hit the man, striking right at his knee joint. The man knelt on the ground, staring at He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu with eyes wide with terror.


    He never imagined that the two people who should have been tens of meters away inside the jeep would appear at their ambush point.


    What¡¯s more, they were merely on the other side of the hill?


    Why was this?


    What exactly had happened?


    How did these two people crawl out of the jeep that had been smashed out of shape?


    All of this happened in the blink of an eye; Yu Jing kicked at He Xiuyu. Even though Yu Jing was specially trained, she was facing someone who was also specially trained, and moreover, a young man. Thus her kick missed, and then He Xiuyu swiftly returned a kick.


    The speed was so fast that both Yu Jing and the other man had no time to make a sound.


    And at this moment, three or four jeeps were thundering out from the base.


    He Xiuyu acted quickly and efficiently, knocking out Yu Jing and the man to prevent them from committing suicide or trying anything else.


    The situation was hair-raising, yet it was over in just a few minutes. They say life and death can happen in an instant, and it indeed was no lie.


    When Director Lin arrived at the scene with his team, anxious and frightened, the middle of the road had already been blown open with three or four large holes, and the jeep had been flipped over.


    Qiao Qingyu took out the still-unconscious Rongrong from the space and handed her over to He Xiuyu, who placed her in the jeep Director Lin had driven. Director Lin¡¯s face was pale, he hadn¡¯t expected such an incident to happen.


    The audacity was too great, truly outrageous, with no regard for human life at all.


    Last year, Qiao Qingyu had already had some suspicions about Yu Jing. Today, suspicions had finally been confirmed, and he regretted not acting sooner. Unforgivable, utterly unforgivable.

 Chapter 278 - 278 278 Old Mountain Eagle Captured

    ?Chapter 278: Chapter 278 Old Mountain Eagle Captured Chapter 278: Chapter 278 Old Mountain Eagle Captured ¡°If she didn¡¯t have a space to hide, several people in the car wouldn¡¯t have survived.¡±


    Because the jeep was not only upside down, but the collapsed roof had already halved the space. If it was a person being crushed, their bones would have been smashed to pieces.


    He Xiuyu, carrying Rongrong and accompanied by Qiao Qingyu, had no choice but to return to the Tenghai Research Base housing. By then, the guards from the Security Office, the local militia, and the county police had all rushed over.


    Two of the escapees were caught by the militia and brought in while Yu Jing¡¯s house was sealed off. Xiao Xiao was taken away by Zhu Guizhi to their house.


    After taking Rongrong to the base hospital for an examination, Rongrong woke up. Seeing familiar people around her, He Xuerong felt much better.


    Still, she was frightened.


    Qiao Qingyu asked He Xiuyu to help her request leave.


    She definitely couldn¡¯t report for duty as usual the next day. Qiao Qingyu repacked her belongings and cooked Rongrong¡¯s favorite meals. The following day, He Xuerong was back to full health, and Qiao Qingyu confidently escorted her to school.


    Subsequently, devices for operating a transmitter were discovered in Yu Jing¡¯s home, and a multitude of evidence confirmed she was Old Mountain Eagle. However, everyone knew there must be others aiding her crime, or she wouldn¡¯t have had access to so much equipment and manpower.


    That person must be residing at the base, keeping an eye on He Xiuyu¡¯s home at all times, otherwise the plan wouldn¡¯t have been laid out so meticulously.


    Because it was widely known around the base that He Xiuyu would be taking Qiao Qingyu to school today, and such a fact couldn¡¯t be kept secret, making the investigation rather difficult.


    Excluding people close to him and those who were unlikely suspects, the most suspicious turned out to be Mr. Zhao and his family who lived in the backyard of He Xiuyu¡¯s house.


    Particularly this morning when Old Lady Zhao had entered their yard, her eyes shifty, scoping the place out. Qiao Qingyu thought she was looking for vegetables to pick, but she and He Xiuyu had already stored the cabbages in the cellar and buried the radishes in a sandpit beneath the vegetable garden. The dried vegetables were the only things left out.


    And yet, this old lady even tried to tiptoe to snatch some.


    She left embarrassedly when she saw He Xiuyu coming out.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t need to report this as He Xiuyu already knew.


    However, no useful information was gleaned from the inquiry.


    Yu Jing, knocked unconscious, was searched by the female officers from the county and taken to the interrogation room.


    At first, she refused to confess, feigning deafness and dumbness. But she was clearly demoralized and desperate. She hadn¡¯t anticipated the explosion to be a success, yet not even manage to damage the car, and all three passengers were unscathed while four out of their group of six were captured.


    The other two were shot dead on the spot.


    According to their plan, once He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu were killed by the blast, they could retreat at ease.


    They had already found a retreat path through the desolate hills and slopes.


    Yet, they had failed.


    She hung her head, not wanting anyone to see the emotions in her eyes. She could never have imagined that Huang Sha, her contact, was actually Mr. Zhao¡¯s wife, Tian Li, the illiterate woman from the countryside who was despised by everyone for stealing another¡¯s husband.


    Saying nothing perhaps left her a chance to live, but if she spilled everything, she would be finished.


    Moreover, Huang Sha and those above her were all ruthless.


    ...


    Yu Jing was part of Tenghai Research Base¡¯s middle to upper management, even considered one of the high-ranking officials. Her arrest couldn¡¯t be kept under wraps.


    Then people began to speculate that Yu Jing might actually be Old Mountain Eagle. When Su Yunyao heard this news, her heart started thumping wildly again.


    Could it be? How could Yu Jing be Old Mountain Eagle?


    Old Mountain Eagle was supposed to be someone who had gone through the same experiences as she had.


    She had never noticed any signs of rebirth while living with Yu Jing.


    In my previous life, I didn¡¯t pay much attention to Yu Jing. Several years later, she was transferred away, but during her time here, she was outstanding, had a good reputation, and was serious and responsible in her work. No one ever had a bad word to say about her, and it was comfortable to be around her because she never said anything that would make you feel uncomfortable.


    So how could Yu Jing possibly be the Old Mountain Eagle?


    The most important point is that Yu Jing doesn¡¯t know any foreign languages.


    So the letter written to her couldn¡¯t have been written by Yu Jing.


    Su Yunyao felt that her thoughts were becoming a little confused. She hid in a dark corner of the workshop; she had long since burnt the letter. How could she dare to leave evidence behind? But just after she began to suspect that Old Mountain Eagle may not be someone from the base, Yu Jing became a suspect.


    Su Yunyao thought that either Yu Jing wasn¡¯t the Old Mountain Eagle, or the person who wrote her the letter was someone else.


    My God, it was terrifying. Who could it be? Who could it be!


    Su Yunyao¡¯s previously calm mood was now boiling like hot water.


    She thought she should find an opportunity and an excuse to go see Yu Jing.


    ...


    Yu Jing was arrested; this time, she couldn¡¯t escape the death penalty.


    It was just pitiful for her daughter, Xiao Xiao.


    Fortunately, the child still had grandparents.


    Wang Feng¡¯s departure was too abrupt, and it happened in the summer. The grandparents, who lived far away, had to travel by train for three days. When they heard the news, they both fell ill and couldn¡¯t come; now they had to be informed again. Just as they were starting to recover a bit, this incident occurred. But thinking of their poor granddaughter, who had lost both her father and mother, they gathered their strength and made the journey by car to Tenghai Research Base, arriving just yesterday.


    During holidays and festivals, Wang Feng and Yu Jing would also take their child back to their hometown. Xiao Xiao had a good relationship with her grandparents, so everyone felt relieved entrusting the child to them.


    The people sent from above worked with Director Lin from the base to handle the case together.


    The location was set at the base.


    There was also the idea of fishing.


    ...


    He Xiuyu was taking Qiao Qingyu to school again.


    This time he hadn¡¯t brought Rongrong.


    Since today was a Thursday, Rongrong had already started school, while Qiao Qingyu would stay in school for two days before returning home.


    This time they arrived safely at the gates of Xichuan Agricultural College.


    They had left early in the morning, but by the time they reached the school, it was already after nine in the morning.


    He Xiuyu accompanied Qiao Qingyu to complete the enrollment process.


    It was the end of a class, and the moment these two appeared on campus, the rate of turning heads was indeed high. Even in the relatively reserved era of the 1980s, it didn¡¯t at all hide the numerous curious and eager glances.


    Then some people found out that the beautiful girl was named Qiao Qingyu, and she was the liberal arts top scholar from West City.


    As for the person beside her, nobody knew.


    Some guessed he was her brother, and some guessed he was her boyfriend¡ªno one guessed he was her husband.


    It¡¯s probably because nobody imagined that Qiao Qingyu was already a married woman.


    The dormitory buildings now didn¡¯t have very strict regulations, so He Xiuyu, carrying her luggage, basin, and daily necessities, also entered Qiao Qingyu¡¯s dormitory.


    During the break between classes, her roommates had all returned.


    A total of eight people could live in this dormitory...

 Chapter 279 - 279 279 Who is the man beside her

    ?Chapter 279: Chapter 279: Who is the man beside her? Chapter 279: Chapter 279: Who is the man beside her? Now there were only a few in the room, so the conversation wasn¡¯t ranging far and wide, but these people also came from different places. After several days, they had become familiar with each other, and the few young girls started speculating about who this person who hadn¡¯t arrived might be.


    Could it be that they had given up on pursuing their studies?


    Just as they were guessing, the person arrived.


    No one expected this last-to-arrive female student to be so attractive.


    The two girls in the upper bunk, one named Liu Min and the other named Liu Hong, not related, just happened to share the same surname, exchanged a glance. Liu Min whispered, ¡°Now, that¡¯s the real campus belle. Seems like we crowned the campus belle too soon.¡±


    Liu Hong giggled, ¡°Sun Xiuyuan hasn¡¯t seen Qiao Qingyu yet. After she sees Qiao Qingyu, let¡¯s see if she can still be so proud.¡±


    ¡°All because she¡¯s pretty and comes from a good family, she looks down on everyone. It¡¯s only been a few days, and she¡¯s already surrounded by so many people.¡±


    ¡°Some boys are so pathetic, the girl doesn¡¯t even spare them a glance, and yet they fawn over her.¡±


    ¡°Stop talking...¡±


    Liu Min quickly stopped the gossiping with Liu Hong when Qingyu approached with a sweet smile, handing a handful of candy to each of them.


    She struk up a casual conversation and quickly became chatty with the few girls in the room.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s bunk was on the bottom.


    He Xiuyu moved nimbly to open her luggage, make the bed, and spread the sheets. It didn¡¯t take long for everyone to realize that the relationship between these two was not as simple as being siblings; they were more likely a couple.


    Then Qiao Qingyu introduced him with a grin, ¡°This is my husband, He Xiuyu.¡±


    By that time, He Xiuyu had finished tidying up and stood beside Qiao Qingyu. Tall and elegant, with a handsome appearance, everyone had only caught a fleeting glimpse of him when he entered. He had kept his head down, busying himself. The girls being modest had mainly focused on Qiao Qingyu and hadn¡¯t taken a good look at He Xiuyu until then. My god, they thought, he¡¯s even more handsome than a movie star.


    Liu Min felt a twinge of sourness in her heart, it seemed unfair that these two attractive people had ended up together.


    People always have a special fondness for beautiful things.


    So the first impression was extremely good. If Qiao Qingyu wanted to befriend someone, there was no one she couldn¡¯t win over, realizing that all of them were students in the same department.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t speak much, just smiled lightly.


    Though he seemed mild-mannered, He Xiuyu had quite a commanding presence, which led several classmates to mention they had a class or found excuses to slip away.


    He Xiuyu helped Qiao Qingyu organize her books and placed the electric kettle on the windowsill. There was only one desk in the room, now heaped with belongings.


    First come, first served, and those who came last naturally had no place.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find time to make you a bookshelf when I get back,¡± he promised.


    ¡°No need to go through all that trouble; when they come back, I¡¯ll ask them to make some space for me,¡± Qiao Qingyu said as she looked around with a cheery smile, ¡°This is where I will be living for the next three years.¡±


    ¡°You seem in a good mood,¡± He Xiuyu remarked with a smile.


    ¡°Of course, this is a university campus after all. By the way, let¡¯s go see Professor Feng,¡± Qiao Qingyu suggested.


    Professor Feng taught two classes a week.


    They were scheduled back-to-back over two days, and he also had a dormitory here, with his classes on Thursday and Friday.


    He Xiuyu glanced at the bed and then suggested, ¡°Next time we come, we¡¯ll bring over the sheepskin pad, it¡¯s getting cold and the school heating is surely not up to par.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s much better compared to the dormitories at the base, where your engineers still have to heat their own rooms.¡±


    Currently, the main source of heating at the base is the Big White Building, followed by various laboratory bases and workshops.


    The several dormitory buildings and family housing areas temporarily rely on their own heating; the boiler room¡¯s capacity is not sufficient to handle the extra load.


    He Xiuyu furrowed his brow, feeling frustrated, and sighed, ¡°Money, it¡¯s still a question of money.¡±


    Being a scientific research base, they could produce boilers themselves, but where would the money come from?


    The Light Industry Workshop had already produced prototypes of recording machines, and now they were in the final stages of assembly. After passing quality control and being reported, they would go to market if no issues were found.


    The brand of the recording machine was named ¡°Spring Rain,¡± symbolizing the arrival of spring and the revival of all things, marking the start of hope.


    Hopefully, the Light Industry Workshop could boost the base¡¯s economy.


    He Xiuyu made a note of the things Qiao Qingyu currently lacked, then the two locked the dormitory door and went downstairs.


    With all that hustle, school had already let out.


    The campus grew crowded again, as Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu headed towards the teachers¡¯ dormitory area.


    The two of them weren¡¯t in a hurry and walked leisurely forward, deciding not to eat at the cafeteria. He Xiuyu planned to invite Professor Feng out for a meal; in ¡¯81, the individual economy of Xichuan was gradually reviving, and two small restaurants had opened up opposite the agricultural college.


    How good the taste was, they didn¡¯t know, but they guessed that opening a restaurant must mean the cooking skills were there.


    At this moment, a group of people approached; if one looked closely, one would notice a scene resembling stars surrounding the moon.


    Encircled in the midst was a very pretty girl holding books, with her hair in a ponytail, wearing a white mohair turtleneck sweater, plaid wool trousers, and a pair of brown leather shoes.


    Her family¡¯s conditions must be quite good; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be dressed so fashionably.


    Her skin was very fair, and she had a pair of phoenix eyes that slanted upwards at the corners, giving her a commanding presence.


    Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu only glanced at her before shifting their gaze away, but to their surprise, the girl stopped in her tracks.


    Her first look was at He Xiuyu, the second at Qiao Qingyu, and then the two of them brushed past the group.


    Sun Xiuyuan was somewhat puzzled in her heart, wondering when such attractive newcomers had arrived at school, and why she hadn¡¯t known.


    A boy by her side eagerly offered, ¡°Xi Yuan, the girl we just saw is a new arrival today. She¡¯s from the class of ¡¯81, named Qiao Qingyu.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, the name was familiar, well-known to many. The top student in liberal arts from West City who chose not to go to Beijing but to Xichuan Agricultural College instead; many people couldn¡¯t understand it and naturally, the name stuck in their heads.


    An involuntary gasp from a female classmate beside her, ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s Qiao Qingyu, she¡¯s so pretty.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s the man next to her? He looks like a movie star, doesn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Is he also a new student from our year?¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s countenance darkened bit by bit. She was not averse to the praises of the man¡¯s handsomeness, but being told about another girl¡¯s attractiveness in front of her displeased her; she had always been the one praised for her looks and couldn¡¯t bear to hear such talk.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the beauty in her? I think she¡¯s nothing special,¡± Sun Xiuyuan scoffed lightly, ¡°Besides, we shouldn¡¯t focus on appearances.¡±


    ¡°Right, right, we are college students of the new era; we can¡¯t be so superficial. Let¡¯s not talk about looks, it¡¯s too frivolous.¡±


    Someone said with righteous indignation.


    At this time, unlike decades later, no one dared to openly call someone the ¡°most beautiful girl on campus¡±; at most, they would discuss it privately.


    Of course, saying someone is good-looking generally means comparing them to movie stars.

 Chapter 280 - 280 280 A Dead Pig Is Not Afraid of Boiling

    ?Chapter 280: Chapter 280: A Dead Pig Is Not Afraid of Boiling Water Chapter 280: Chapter 280: A Dead Pig Is Not Afraid of Boiling Water Sun Xiuyuan wanted to call out to Qiao Qingyu and get to know her, but even though the two seemed unhurried, they quickly turned to the other side of the Flower Pavilion and soon disappeared from her sight.


    Sun Xiuyuan was in a bad mood, and the boy next to her quickly tried to cheer her up, ¡°I heard the school is serving braised pork today; we should hurry or we won¡¯t get any.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just braised pork, and you all drool over it.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, we are indeed greedy, but how can we compare to classmate Xiuyuan? You look like a movie star, come from a good family, and even have great academic performance. No one can compare...¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s mouth curled into a smile when she heard these compliments.


    When Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu went to the dormitory, Professor Feng had just arrived. Seeing them, he happily poured water for them and talked a lot. Then the three of them left the campus and went to a restaurant across the street, ordering four dishes and three bowls of millet rice. The flavor was indeed not bad.


    Rice was still a rare commodity and considered a fine grain. Corn and millet were abundant, but wanting to eat rice once a week was a luxury.


    It wasn¡¯t that Qiao Qingyu was hesitant, first because rice cultivation wasn¡¯t widespread, especially in the north, where rice was rarely grown, and she couldn¡¯t go to the south at the moment. Moreover, Qiao Qingyu wanted to wait and see if hybrid rice technologies would appear, even if the old man from the book no longer existed and whether others would still appear following the historical course.


    So, the plan to cultivate rice was set for next year.


    Not much was said at the table, but after finishing the meal, Professor Feng still brought up the topic of rice.


    He talked about things Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know, such as the fact that high-quality rice was extremely scarce, mostly being long-grain rice. Professor Feng mentioned that the soil in North City was particularly suitable for rice cultivation.


    It was a pity that the cultivation area was small and the yield was low. But, he had to admit, the taste was superb.


    This wasn¡¯t an exaggeration; from now into the future, North City¡¯s rice would be top-notch, especially the rice grown with mountain spring water, which was exclusively supplied.


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t experimented with it and didn¡¯t know the taste of the rice she might grow in her lab, but she thought it should be decent.


    He Xiuyu caught on to Professor Feng¡¯s words without showing any reaction, ¡°Rice cultivation isn¡¯t suitable in Xichuan. My hometown is in Hejia Village, not far from Qiao Family Team. The soil, surrounding environment, and climate near Qiao Family Team are suitable for cultivating one season of rice every year, but the best experimental fields should still be established south of the Yangtze River.¡±


    Professor Feng pondered a moment, nodded, and said, ¡°That¡¯s indeed the case. Let me write a letter to Professor Wang when I return and see if we can collaborate to find a plot for experimenting with high-yield rice cultivation.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu always listened silently without expressing her opinions, but no matter where the experimental field was, the plan to cultivate rice for next year was definite.


    After resting for a while, it wasn¡¯t good to stay in the restaurant for too long, so He Xiuyu took Professor Feng and Qiao Qingyu back to school, and then he drove back to the base.


    By the time he reached the base, it was already afternoon. He went to find Old Lin, who told him that Yu Jing remained tight-lipped, showing a stubborn attitude as if nothing could harm her.


    He Xiuyu thought for a while, if the child in Tian Li¡¯s belly was indeed Wang Feng¡¯s, then the breakthrough with Yu Jing would be quick.


    Director Lin also knew this logic, frowning, ¡°The problem now is that we cannot confirm it. Even if there is witness testimony, it still lacks incontrovertible evidence; we can only wait for the child to be born to see if it really belongs to Old Zhao...¡±


    Tian Li was six months pregnant now, and even if she was culpable, she was in her pregnant stage, and after giving birth, it would be the breastfeeding period. The law has regulations in this regard, similar to how mentally ill individuals who commit murder are not held legally responsible.


    If the breakthrough didn¡¯t open up, the gang behind the scenes couldn¡¯t be unearthed; catching only Yu Jing would be futile.


    Now, they needed a net that would catch them all.


    After all, times had changed; the activities of these people had become increasingly weak.


    He Xiuyu said, ¡°Director Lin, although Yu Jing is very committed to her so-called faith, she is also a woman, Wang Feng¡¯s wife, and Xiao Xiao¡¯s mother. How about this, when Qingyu returns, let her ask Zhu Guizhi to do some work.¡±


    Director Lin¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°You mean let Zhu Guizhi visit Yu Jing and then casually tell her the truth she knows?¡±


    He Xiuyu nodded.


    If they went to talk, it wouldn¡¯t be credible, but if Zhu Guizhi casually mentioned it, the credibility would be much higher, especially as Zhu Guizhi had indeed witnessed it firsthand.


    Moreover, Zhu Guizhi had many reasons to talk.


    ...


    At that moment, Tian Li, with her belly protruding, was pacing back and forth in the room, anxious and restless. She wasn¡¯t worried; she was six months pregnant, and with three more months to childbirth and then breastfeeding, she had plenty of time.


    She just hadn¡¯t expected this plan to fail, having prepared for more than half a year, even conducting several rehearsals in the darkness of night. She had also arranged for an undercover agent to kill Yu Jing once it was confirmed that He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu had died.


    This would allow her to continue her infiltration.


    But now that the plan hadn¡¯t succeeded, He Xiuyu, Qiao Qingyu, and even that child were completely unscathed. It was baffling; logically, they should have been blown sky high and then tumbled several times back down to earth. The jeep was still under repair, so how could the people inside have escaped unscathed, at least sustaining some fractures...


    The fact remained that these three people were unharmed; Qiao Qingyu went to school, He Xiuyu went back to work as usual, and Rongrong went to primary school.


    Tian Li placed her hand on her belly, her best safeguard, but she couldn¡¯t understand why the higher-ups felt the Tenghai Base was a thorn in their flesh when to her it seemed so backward and impoverished.


    But she couldn¡¯t delve into these reasons; she could only execute her duties.


    Sitting in another room, Old Lady Zhao¡¯s heart was pounding anxiously.


    Her daughter-in-law was pregnant, and of course, she was happy. She had even been persuaded to go to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s vegetable garden.


    But on that late August day, He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu had a car accident.


    The people were unharmed, and Old Lady Zhao initially didn¡¯t suspect anything, but when she heard they were safe, she accidentally caught her daughter-in-law¡¯s eye showing a teeth-gritting expression, making the situation even more suspicious.


    They say with age comes cunning, and even though an old horse may stumble, an old individual should be savvy even without much worldly experience.


    She silently prayed to Buddha, hoping for a peaceful resolution, ideally without any further incidents.

 Chapter 281 - 281 281 Rendezvous Code

    ?Chapter 281: Chapter 281: Rendezvous Code? Chapter 281: Chapter 281: Rendezvous Code? Su Yunyao had requested to see Yu Jing, a request that normally wouldn¡¯t be allowed, but when Su Yunyao pleaded with He Xiuyu, he agreed readily and even personally called Director Lin.


    Naturally, Director Lin agreed, so Su Yunyao was able to see Yu Jing, detained behind the interrogation room window.


    Su Yunyao was pleased that He Xiuyu had given her face, feeling a small secret delight in her heart.


    However, upon seeing the haggard and disheveled Yu Jing, her expression became complex.


    In a nearby hidden vantage point, He Xiuyu and Director Lin were also watching Su Yunyao and Yu Jing.


    Especially He Xiuyu, he didn¡¯t know if he could find the answer in this meeting.


    But he knew that Qiao Qingyu had written a letter to Su Yunyao in the voice of Old Mountain Eagle, which had scared Su Yunyao so much that she came to him the next day to admit her faults, publically critiquing herself without remorse...


    It¡¯s well-known that a young girl couldn¡¯t do such a thing, yet she had done it against all odds.


    Su Yunyao, with a somewhat hoarse voice, then asked Yu Jing, ¡°Sister Yu, everyone says you are the spy chief Old Mountain Eagle, is this true?¡±


    Yu Jing lifted her head and looked at Su Yunyao, she could have never anticipated that this woman would be the first to see her.


    Privately, the two of them had a good relationship, and Su Yunyao was proud and conceited, but ever since she had been stripped of her pride, she had become reckless.


    You couldn¡¯t say she wasn¡¯t intelligent; on the contrary, she was very smart, just not using it in the right way.


    Yu Jing smiled, she had lost a scary amount of weight in just a few days, her eyes sunken and cheekbones protruding, looking almost like a skeletal frame.


    She didn¡¯t answer Su Yunyao¡¯s question, but simply said, ¡°Su Yunyao, this isn¡¯t something you should ask about, and it¡¯s not your responsibility. I don¡¯t wish to respond.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just asking, I know you won¡¯t tell, but now everyone at the base is talking like this...¡±


    ¡°Let them say what they want. What did you want to talk to me about, is it just this? Whether or not I am Old Mountain Eagle, does it concern you? Have I affected you in any way? Or harmed you? Oh, perhaps I¡¯ve sought to harm He Xiuyu, he¡¯s the man you love, but he doesn¡¯t like you. After all this time, let me sincerely advise you, Sister Yu, to give up that fantasy. You¡¯re far from Qiao Qingyu¡¯s league.¡±


    Director Lin discreetly glanced at He Xiuyu, whose expression remained calm and unaffected.


    But Su Yunyao¡¯s face didn¡¯t look too good. Before, Yu Jing had already hinted to her indirectly, which she hadn¡¯t taken to heart, but now it seemed like Yu Jing¡¯s true feelings, and what of it? Now, it was Yu Jing who was locked up inside, while she was outside.


    Su Yunyao stood up, somewhat unwilling to leave it be, and asked again, ¡°Sister Yu, then do you know about Jade Golden Lotus?¡±


    In the secret corner, He Xiuyu and Director Lin, who were constantly watching the interrogation room, swiftly exchanged glances.


    Was it a secret passphrase?


    Or perhaps Su Yunyao was Yu Jing¡¯s superior?


    For a moment, not just Director Lin, even He Xiuyu held his breath in shock.


    Little did he know that Jade Golden Lotus was something Qiao Qingyu had written in the letter, the very reason Engineer Su of the Su Family had been implicated and discharged, leading to the gradual downfall of the entire Su Family.


    Yu Jing¡¯s brow furrowed slightly as her thoughts raced. She, too, considered it might be a secret passphrase. Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t the case; she thought these were words Director Lin had given Su Yunyao to bait her with, and with a cold smile on her lips, she thought it naive. How could they expect her to tell the truth in such an incongruous attempt?


    Yu Jing shook her head, ¡°Jade Golden Lotus? I don¡¯t know about it.¡±


    Her words carried the weight of truth, for she indeed did not know, and her eyes and gestures did not betray her, as He Xiuyu, skilled in analyzing micro-expressions, knew Yu Jing was telling the truth.


    After Yun Yao uttered those words, she immediately regretted it. She wasn¡¯t foolish; once she put her mind to it, she knew she shouldn¡¯t have mentioned it here. Fear gripped her heart, which started pounding rapidly.


    There was a moment of silence in the room. Trying to compose herself, Yun Yao took a deep breath and asked again, ¡°Sister Yu, do you really know nothing about the Jade Golden Lotus?¡±


    If Sister Yu was the one who had written that letter, she must know about it. Even if she denied it, shouldn¡¯t she remind herself?


    Or perhaps reveal her rebirth in exchange for a lighter sentence?


    Yun Yao watched Yu Jing nervously, while Yu Jing became even more certain that this was Director Lin trying to trap her in her words.


    Yu Jing decisively shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about a Jade Golden Lotus.¡± Then she counter-asked, ¡°Is this something from your family?¡±


    Yun Yao did not hide the truth. ¡°It is not from my family; it¡¯s a piece of... dirt.¡±


    ¡°Why did you ask me about it?¡± Yu Jing genuinely didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°They all say you are the Old Mountain Eagle, right? I just wanted to see if you really know what¡¯s the deal with this item.¡±


    Despite her forced composure, Yun Yao¡¯s back was soaked in cold sweat.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Yu Jing answered concisely.


    Yun Yao had nothing more to ask, but looking at Yu Jing, she still said, ¡°Sister Yu, I advise you to confess honestly and hope for leniency. Even if you get a life sentence, doesn¡¯t your daughter need her mother to be alive in this world?¡±


    Yu Jing¡¯s eyes widened in shock, not expecting Yun Yao to say such things. She suddenly felt lost.


    Then she looked down without a word, but laughed coldly in her heart. With a death sentence by firing squad looming over her, confessing wouldn¡¯t make a difference.


    Everyone has their fate; there was nothing she could do about it.


    Yun Yao sighed and then left.


    She wasn¡¯t there to see Yu Jing alone; it wasn¡¯t allowed. Two members of the special task force were present as well.


    One of them stopped Yun Yao as she was leaving and led her to the office. He Xiuyu was not there, but Director Lin was meeting with Yun Yao.


    Director Lin wouldn¡¯t let Yun Yao know he had been monitoring her. After the task force member finished reporting, Director Lin smiled and asked Yun Yao, ¡°Engineer Su, what is this Jade Golden Lotus you mentioned? Why did you ask Yu Jing about it?¡±


    Yun Yao already regretted it, but she wasn¡¯t really scared; she wasn¡¯t a spy, and she had nothing to do with any of that stuff, nor did she deign to join their organization.


    She might despise the poverty and backwardness here and look down on many people and things, but she hadn¡¯t engaged in espionage in her past life, let alone after her rebirth.


    It was the 1980s now. Those who dreamt of overthrowing the government should have woken up from their dreams long ago.


    Yun Yao calmed herself and candidly said, ¡°Director Lin, do you suspect it¡¯s a secret code for a rendezvous?¡±

 Chapter 282 - 282 282 Millennium Plan

    ?Chapter 282: Chapter 282: Millennium Plan Chapter 282: Chapter 282: Millennium Plan Director Lin smiled, neither confirming nor denying, simply waiting for Su Yunyao to explain.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. If it were a secret code for a meeting, I wouldn¡¯t ask in front of the special project team members. I thought Yu Jing was the Old Mountain Eagle. Everyone says so, right? As a little leader in intelligence, he must surely know a lot. The Jade Golden Lotus was a gift to my older brother. I heard that it¡¯s related to several lives, as well as many other matters that have yet to be cleared up. I just wanted to ask if Yu Jing knows anything...¡±


    Director Lin took note of what Su Yunyao had said; whether it was true or false, a check would reveal all. But Su Yunyao¡¯s reasoning did make sense. Their earlier reaction was just instinctive, and afterward, they also knew that this might not be a secret code for a meeting. But of course, they couldn¡¯t take it lightly either.


    Standing in front of the Big White Building, Su Yunyao looked up at the September sky, which was still quite bright. This year¡¯s wind wasn¡¯t as strong as in previous years, but the air was still very dry. Surprisingly, the marigolds in front of the Big White Building were still in bloom.


    Grass lawns surrounded the area, and even though the grass was now yellow and withering, she remembered how lush and green it had been in the summer.


    Su Yunyao looked up at the azure sky, her right hand at her chest, clutching her clothes. Who in the world wrote that letter?


    The sunlight was very bright, but her face was overcast.


    ...


    On Saturday afternoon, He Xiuyu came with Rongrong to pick up Qiao Qingyu.


    Both the young and the little one standing at the school gate attracted many glances. Rongrong excitedly asked, ¡°Uncle, will little aunt be happy to see us coming to pick her up?¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s eyes softened, ¡°Mhm, your little aunt will definitely be happy.¡±


    ¡°Should I hide and surprise her?¡±


    He Xiuyu shook his head, ¡°No need, just stand here is fine.¡±


    Indeed, He Xuerong stood motionless, also staring unblinkingly at the school gate.


    ...


    In the dormitory of Xichuan Agricultural College, Qiao Qingyu packed all her homework into her backpack, getting ready to leave the dormitory.


    Li Bo, who lived in the lower bunk across from her, called out to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, wait a moment.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stood at the doorway, turned her head to look at Li Bo, and asked with a smile, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    Li Bo hurried over and grabbed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s arm with warmth, ¡°I heard you have a lab at the Tenghai Research Base, when can you take us to see it?¡±


    Li Bo was a young woman actively seeking ideological advancement, seizing every opportunity head-on.


    She was determined to make a name for herself, and naturally, Qiao Qingyu was her first opportunity.


    Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t opposed to this; after all, everyone has a desire to advance. Especially students at the agricultural college didn¡¯t come here to end up living mediocre lives after graduation.


    If a country wants to advance its technology, it is naturally the primary productive force, but the prerequisite is that everyone needs to have enough to eat.


    Only when the standard of living improves will the market become active. Once the market is active, the economy will get a boost, and with an economy on the upswing, more money will be invested in technological development.


    So, never underestimate agriculture, nor disregard it. This is a matter of great importance for ages to come.


    Qiao Qingyu nodded readily and said, ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll talk to Professor Feng and see who else wants to go. Let¡¯s have a group visit to the lab currently overseen by Professor Feng and the experimental fields.¡±


    Professor Feng¡¯s place was much more formal than her Zone 5 Laboratory.


    Even He Xiuyu joked from the bottom of his heart that Qiao Qingyu¡¯s Zone 5 Laboratory was like selling dog meat under the guise of lamb.


    Li Bo did not expect Qiao Qingyu to agree so readily and shook her arm happily several times, ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect you to be such a straightforward person. So, I¡¯ll organize it and see how many people are willing, okay?¡±


    ¡°Sure, let me know once you¡¯ve organized it and check the list. Also, we¡¯re classmates as well as comrades-in-arms, we¡¯re going to spend several years together here, right? Aside from our families, we spend the most time with each other over these years,¡± Qiao Qingyu said with a smile.


    Liu Hong quickly nodded in agreement, ¡°Exactly, besides summer and winter breaks, we¡¯re always together at other times, so we¡¯re naturally the closest.¡±


    The other students were naturally interested in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s laboratory, as their majors were related to seed cultivation and soil analysis.


    At that time, there was no weekend off, only Sundays, but there were fewer classes in the afternoon. There were many locals from Xichuan, as well as people from surrounding counties. Those from other provinces who had come for their studies couldn¡¯t go back home, but they still formed groups ready to go to the city¡¯s department store to buy some daily necessities.


    He Xuerong had a particularly sharp eye and spotted Qiao Qingyu in the crowd in an instant. Like a little butterfly, the young girl fluttered over to Qiao Qingyu and then threw herself into her arms. Several people around stopped and looked at He Xuerong with surprised eyes.


    Du Xiaonian, a classmate of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s from the local area, was pushing his bicycle. He had stopped to walk with Qiao Qingyu just now, but at the time, he did not know that Qiao Qingyu was already married.


    All youngsters are infatuated at the sight of a pretty girl, aren¡¯t they?


    It was almost like love at first sight for him.


    He was very attentive towards her, and had been somewhat shyly conversing with Qiao Qingyu just now.


    Then Qiao Qingyu stopped, and naturally, so did he.


    Looking back and forth between Qiao Qingyu and He Xuerong with a mix of surprise and uncertainty in his eyes.


    He Xuerong was sharp and crafty, instinctively sensing that this tall, slender uncle pushing his bike had ulterior motives.


    Just like how Chu Ying once fancied her dad.


    He Xuerong clung to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s legs, lifted her head, her voice soft and sticky, sweetly cooing, ¡°Mommy, I missed you so much.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was stunned for a moment, and He Xiuyu¡¯s footsteps also paused as he caught up.


    Before they could react, He Xuerong looked at He Xiuyu who was coming up, ¡°Daddy missed you too, he took time off specifically to pick you up. We¡¯ve been waiting here for over an hour now.¡±


    He Xiuyu fell silent, of course, he had also seen the tall, thin boy walking by Qiao Qingyu¡¯s side, pushing his bike and talking to Qiao Qingyu, his bashful and hesitant demeanor clear as day. How could He Xiuyu be clueless about what was on the boy¡¯s mind?


    So, his silence was as good as consent.


    Du Xiaonian¡¯s mouth fell open in shock, and another classmate coming up beside him even nudged him, ¡°Du Xiaonian, what are you standing here for? Aren¡¯t you going home?¡±


    Du Xiaonian asked Qiao Qingyu in a daze, ¡°You... you¡¯re married?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu laughed and blinked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear this little girl calling me ¡®mom¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Qiao... Qiao Qingyu, I have something else to do, I have to go first...¡±


    As he spoke, Du Xiaonian pushed his bicycle, picked up his fallen heart, and quickly left.


    However, his figure was somewhat unsteady, and the silhouette of him riding the bike was lopsided. Fortunately, he quickly regained normalcy.

 Chapter 283 - 283 283 Indeed Hateful

    ?Chapter 283: Chapter 283 Indeed Hateful Chapter 283: Chapter 283 Indeed Hateful Qiao Qingyu picked up He Xuerong and affectionately rubbed her nose with her own, then gave the little girl a kiss. ¡°You¡¯re quite the little devil, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    He Xiuyu asked indifferently beside her, ¡°So, Rongrong calling you ¡®Mom¡¯ is just in time, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu laughed. It was the first time she had heard He Xiuyu speak so sourly.


    A faint melancholy lay deep in He Xiuyu¡¯s heart. He had been standing there for quite a while, not because he found Qiao Qingyu agreeable, but because his wife was truly outstanding.


    In the crowd, she was the most dazzling one.


    The one that involuntarily drew people¡¯s gazes.


    He Xiuyu was driving Director Lin¡¯s jeep¡ªhis own car was still being repaired, but this time he planned to upgrade it significantly, at least to include shockproof and bulletproof capabilities.


    Just like the tractor he had modified for Qiao Qingyu.


    The family of three got into the car, and Qiao Qingyu asked He Xiuyu to drive to Xichuan¡¯s grocery store.


    They still needed to use food coupons and meat coupons there.


    At the counter, they bought three pounds of meat. Unexpectedly, they found that there was negotiable grain available, but there wasn¡¯t much rice or flour. With food stamps, each person could only buy five pounds of rice and five pounds of flour per month, and it had to be from Xichuan itself.


    Qiao Qingyu gave up. She turned to He Xiuyu and He Xuerong at her side and said, ¡°My wheat field also yielded a good harvest this year. Let¡¯s keep a thousand pounds for ourselves to eat as much as we want.¡±


    ¡°Wow, a thousand pounds! Little aunt, does that mean we¡¯ll eat big white buns every day?¡±


    ¡°Sure, no problem.¡± Qiao Qingyu generously agreed, and then bought some soybean oil and sesame oil, followed by some spices from another counter.


    Since the jeep could be driven right up to their front door, Qiao Qingyu decided to make it a big shopping trip. She went to the department store and bought several pounds of wool. He Xuerong was still able to wear the sweaters and trousers knitted last year, but Qiao Qingyu thought it was time to knit a sweater for He Xiuyu.


    She had been very busy and hadn¡¯t had time to knit a nice sweater for He Xiuyu. Besides, adult sweaters are different from children¡¯s; the size of children¡¯s sweaters can vary, but He Xiuyu¡¯s needed to fit well.


    Qiao Qingyu chose dark blue wool. He Xiuyu had fair skin, and a dark blue sweater would look especially handsome on him¡ªit made her want to pull him close and kiss him.


    The family returned home fully loaded, and upon arrival, Qiao Qingyu started to cook.


    Meanwhile, He Xiuyu began to clean the room, as he and Rongrong hadn¡¯t been home for two days.


    Dinner was sumptuous with stewed double rice, string beans stir-fried with vermicelli, pork belly fried with red peppers, an egg soup, and two kinds of pickles.


    After dinner, He Xiuyu started fiddling with a Spring Rain Tape Recorder that hadn¡¯t yet been officially released to the market. It wasn¡¯t very big, resembling a briefcase that could be carried in hand. With cassette slots flanked by speakers and a row of buttons on top, it was the weapon of choice for trendy youths wearing horn-rimmed glasses and bell-bottoms in the early 1980s.


    It was certainly one of the most striking features of the early ¡¯80s.


    Their home had quite a few cassette tapes, and He Xiuyu inserted one containing children¡¯s songs, pressed a button, and the sound, though not loud, began to fill his study as he started a test listening.


    Mainly, he tested whether the tape player would jam during playback, which was a common issue with some recorders where the tape could bunch up unexpectedly.


    These issues were unacceptable in the new model of the Spring Rain Tape Recorder. He Xiuyu was determined to expand and strengthen the Spring Rain brand to support part of the base¡¯s operations.


    Moreover, we must improve the accommodation conditions for the employees.


    Last year, heating wasn¡¯t provided in a timely manner, resulting in many employees suffering from frostbite.


    Thus, this has become the base¡¯s most crucial task, expanding the boiler room; however, installing heating isn¡¯t that simple, it¡¯s also quite a big project.


    Even Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t offer any criticism regarding this¡ªfor constructing facilities supporting the boiler room, manpower is one aspect, but the safety of the boiler room is also important.


    As they talked, the topic drifted, but what currently needed to be done was to make the Spring Rain Tape Recorder famous, especially now, as the demand for tape recorders was extremely high.


    However, it was mostly electronic products from Nangang City in Huaxia, and some foreign electronic products too, that were popular. Nowadays, smuggling color television sets was reportedly quite common, because the profits were enormous.


    Isn¡¯t the reason simply that domestic production is lacking?


    The tape recorder played a children¡¯s song: ¡°I found a penny by the roadside...¡±


    If listened to carefully, the sound seemed slightly distorted, the speaker hummed and buzzed, but Qiao Qingyu knew it wasn¡¯t because of the cassette; the tape recorder itself must have some issues.


    But considering everything, it was actually quite good, yet this wasn¡¯t what He Xiuyu wanted.


    Beside him, He Xuerong frowned and said, ¡°Little uncle, stop it, shall I sing one for you instead?¡±


    This intermittent buzzing was quite uncomfortable.


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but smile, and He Xiuyu looked at his niece amused.


    Qiao Qingyu encouraged He Xiuyu, ¡°To create something from nothing to this extent is already quite remarkable.¡±


    Yet He Xiuyu had a frown on his forehead, listening and noting something down.


    Afterwards, he turned off the tape recorder and said to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Compared to the current domestically produced tape recorders, this sample still falls short, so we still need to improve further.¡±


    These technical matters were beyond Qiao Qingyu¡¯s understanding. After dinner, He Xiuyu quietly shared with Qiao Qingyu his and Director Lin¡¯s plan, and Qiao Qingyu did not decline and went to find Zhu Guizhi with Rongrong.


    Daji and Dashun were playing with Xiao Xiao. Rongrong joined them, and Daji went to call Xiao Hu saying they should play war games; it still wasn¡¯t dark, so they could play for half an hour more.


    Qiao Qingyu followed Zhu Guizhi into the house, with just the two of them. Qiao Qingyu mentioned Director Lin¡¯s request.


    Then Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this matter will be conducted in secret and no one else will know.¡±


    It wouldn¡¯t matter even if others knew.


    It was a time for Zhu Guizhi to try her best to perform. She secretly pondered this might accidentally lead to her accomplishing something notable, yet she still felt somewhat guilty, ¡°If these things I say turn out to be true, can Yu Jing really handle it?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu lightly responded, ¡°Sister Zhu, you¡¯re overthinking it. Others might not be able to handle it, but Yu Jing can.¡±


    Zhu Guizhi thought of the things Yu Jing had done and felt embarrassed.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled again, ¡°Sister Zhu, don¡¯t overthink it. I actually don¡¯t believe Yu Jing would do such vicious things, but she did indeed do them. She has been brainwashed by those people, losing all sense of right and justice.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is indeed hateful!¡± Zhu Guizhi quickly adjusted her stance¡ªif the victim had been her, her husband, and her children, she would¡¯ve torn out her heart with anger.

 Chapter 284 - 284 284 Bolt from the Blue

    ?Chapter 284: Chapter 284: Bolt from the Blue Chapter 284: Chapter 284: Bolt from the Blue ¡°So, one doesn¡¯t feel the pain unless the knife is stabbed into oneself,¡± she hurriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will ensure this task is handled perfectly. When are we going? Right now?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to rush. I¡¯ll go back and talk to He Xiuyu from my family, and once everything is arranged, Director Lin will come to find you.¡±


    After completing the task, when they got home, Qiao Qingyu told He Xiuyu that Zhu Guizhi had agreed. He Xiuyu then went to see Director Lin, and the two discussed the specific timing just as the sky had turned dark.


    He Xuerong, sweaty from playing, cleaned up and immediately fell asleep after lying down.


    He Xiuyu recorded a few minor issues with the tape recorders before returning to the bedroom.


    Qiao Qingyu was doing her homework with her hair down.


    He Xiuyu sat beside her, watching her.


    As he watched, he became increasingly restless and approached to embrace her, mumbling, ¡°We can do the homework tomorrow morning...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t get a chance to argue, as her mouth was quickly silenced.


    With such beauty before him, she couldn¡¯t remain indifferent, missing him dearly even though it had only been a few days.


    Her hands mischievously began to knead on his waist, igniting a fire in He Xiuyu¡¯s heart. He reached out and took a condom from the small cabinet beside them.


    The light went out, and moonlight streamed through the cracks of the curtains. Although the temperature outside was low, the room was bursting with the warmth of spring.


    ...


    They didn¡¯t wake up particularly early, but He Xiuyu had already made breakfast and gone to work. With no real Sundays for him, Rongrong had also gone out to play. Qingyu quickly ate a bite and hurried off on her tractor to her fields.


    Corn, wheat, and millet were nearly ready to be harvested.


    Due to the soil quality, the yield couldn¡¯t compare with that of the Qiao Family Team, but it was still twice as much as the local yield.


    That meant her three thousand mu of crops matched the output of six thousand mu of land in Xiaxi Commune.


    This was when a substantial amount of manpower, material resources, and financial resources were needed.


    Especially during the autumn harvest when every household was busy, and spare labor was scarce, since everyone harvested around the same time.


    Fortunately, Qiao Qingyu had prepared in advance and, after all, she had money. It wasn¡¯t necessary to rely on workers from Xiaxi Commune alone; other communes could also contribute. Although there was no place for cooking at work, lunch money was provided at one yuan per meal.


    Don¡¯t underestimate one yuan, back in ¡¯81, steamed dumplings sold for just five cents each at the grain store.


    And a steamed bun cost only ten cents each.


    Price hikes were still a decade or so away.


    These favorable conditions attracted many members from other communes.


    Wang Laogen was a competent man who knew how to seize opportunities. He didn¡¯t believe that being an honest farmer was his only path, so when Qiao Qingyu extended an olive branch, he firmly grasped it. He had many relatives and friends, but he wouldn¡¯t allow any random people to follow him. He was familiar with the farmwork, and with Fang Xiaomei and Mr. Qian helping, even in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s absence, the autumn harvest proceeded smoothly.


    Including her own piece of Barley Grassland, it had produced quite a lot of grass seeds this year.


    By the way, the word ¡°Vice¡± had already been removed from Vice Director Qian¡¯s title. The old director had retired early due to illness, and he had become the director.


    This year, Xiaxi Commune was doing better than last year. Though it could not be described as perfect weather, there were no disasters either.


    With the household contract responsibility system, everyone was motivated, and part of the seeds came from the Space Laboratory, naturally resulting in high yields. Then, Mr. Qian encouraged everyone to plant cabbages, radishes, and pumpkins in their own vegetable gardens and promised to help sell them if they couldn¡¯t consume all.


    The commune had a pig farm and also raised more than a hundred sheep. The Barley Grass on the wasteland was still collective property, not to be disturbed by the members. After all, ecological greening was just beginning, and it would be a waste to destroy it now.


    Even the number of sheep raised by the commune was according to the Tenghai Research Base¡¯s recommendations.


    However, the members were hardworking. The cabbage and radish seeds were provided by the Xichuan Seed Breeding Center, so the yield was high and resistant to diseases and cold.


    Except for the lazy ones, almost every household had enough vegetables to eat. Those that were surplus could be taken to the commune, and if the quality met standards, they were immediately paid in cash according to the purchase price. Some diligent families had even cleared a lot of wasteland in their backyards and made over fifty dollars from selling the vegetables they grew.


    Such earnings were once unimaginable.


    Qiao Qingyu was busy for a while, then picked up a notebook and wrote down quite a few things. She told Wang Laogen to seek Mr. Qian if he encountered any unsolvable problems, and Wang Laogen readily agreed before going back to his tasks. The weather was good these days, so it was crucial to expedite the harvest.


    Everywhere was bustling with activity. Seeing that it was getting late, Qiao Qingyu quickly drove the tractor back to the base.


    At the same time, Zhu Guizhi went to the place where Yu Jing was guarded, holding a letter from Xiao Xiao to Yu Jing. She used that as a pretext to see Yu Jing.


    Zhu Guizhi herself was fond of gossiping; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have disclosed those private matters of patients in the past, and it was only after learning her lesson that she had somewhat curtailed her talkativeness.


    But she was especially skilled in the art of gossip, knowing how to switch topics and effortlessly start gossip with others without arousing suspicion.


    Thus, Yu Jing unsuspectingly heard the shocking news. She looked incredulously at Zhu Guizhi, who sat opposite her, looking both guilty and filled with righteous indignation.


    Yu Jing¡¯s breathing became unsteady. ¡°Zhu Guizhi, did you really see it with your own eyes?¡±


    ¡°Why would I lie to you? I don¡¯t know what exactly you¡¯re involved in. I don¡¯t care about this Old Mountain Eagle either; I¡¯m just a regular official. But I¡¯m also a mother, and a few days ago, I saw Tian Li talking to your in-laws. Those old people favor boys over girls, and if the child in her womb is a boy, your Xiao Xiao will suffer in the future. I think that belly is definitely carrying a boy.¡±


    Tears streamed down Yu Jing¡¯s face, and she never imagined that her husband, whom she still felt guilty about, had already betrayed her without her knowledge.


    Her hands, which were handcuffed, clenched tightly. Yu Jing felt she couldn¡¯t breathe properly, but having worked in intelligence for many years and undergone special training, she soon calmed down, her eyes narrowing slightly.


    Tian Li was her superior contact, codenamed Huang Sha, under whom she operated. Tian Li had been at the base for quite some time, so she had kept an eye on herself for a while. Could it be that her husband had also been involved in something?


    ¡°...Yu Jing, I¡¯m not just making small talk. I didn¡¯t know how to tell you while it was happening. If that child really turns out to be your Wang Feng¡¯s, what will happen to your two families? It might be better to just let Old Zhao be the father!¡±

 Chapter 285 - 285 285 Stop Talking Shut Up

    ?Chapter 285: Chapter 285: Stop Talking, Shut Up! Chapter 285: Chapter 285: Stop Talking, Shut Up! Zhu Guizhi looked at Yu Jing, feeling a sigh in her heart while her back also felt cold¡ªit really is true that you can know someone¡¯s face but not their heart.


    Qiao Qingyu was really nice, always good to her Xiao Xiao. When Qiao Qingyu went to Nangang City, she even bought Xiao Xiao a pair of sandals, and often enjoyed delicious meals at the He Family.


    And Rongrong too, always sweetly calling her Aunt Yu.


    But Yu Jing was capable of doing the unspeakable.


    At the moment, Yu Jing¡¯s face was ashen, and she stared at Zhu Guizhi unblinkingly, as if to see whether she was lying.


    Maybe she was sent by Director Lin to deliberately sow discord.


    Yet Zhu Guizhi continued, ¡°Yu Jing, it¡¯s not one hundred percent certain, after all, it¡¯s not just your Wang Feng she¡¯s been with. If it turned out not to be Wang Feng¡¯s, that¡¯d be even better. But I never expected your Wang Feng to be gone just like that. Now I really can¡¯t say anything for sure, but I worry that Tian Li might have other intentions.¡±


    Her words were a slap in the face, and Yu Jing replied sarcastically with a raspy voice, ¡°What plans could she have? The man is gone. Is Tian Li going to the underworld to be his wife?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that extreme. Didn¡¯t the base give you quite a bit of compensation? That woman is from the countryside; long hair but short on smarts, only cares about money. If she gets those ideas, your Xiao Xiao will really be left with no one to care for her.¡±


    Yu Jing felt her suspicions dissipate after hearing Zhu Guizhi¡¯s words.


    As for Zhu Guizhi¡¯s character, she knew it all too well. The reason she had been dealt with by Qingyu was exactly because she liked to gossip. If it had been before, she would have blown this matter up so that everyone knew. But after being put in her place, she understood the trouble that comes from speaking without thinking. Thus her reactions now were all genuine.


    ¡°Zhu Guizhi, we usually don¡¯t have much to do with each other. Now I¡¯ve fallen on hard times and everyone¡¯s keeping their distance, yet you¡¯re the only one who came to see me and talk to me about all this. I¡¯m really moved,¡± Yu Jing said, feeling her own words were meaningless.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be moved about? Actually, I¡¯m here also for my own sake,¡± Zhu Guizhi said, her words edged with gritted teeth.


    Yu Jing gave a cursory glance at the two members of the special case team sitting beside her, but hadn¡¯t thought that, despite being locked up, she¡¯d still frequently see people from the outside.


    Perhaps they were hoping to sift something from the conversations.


    Yu Jing asked Zhu Guizhi, ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying. How is this for your own sake?¡±


    ¡°You see how shameless Tian Li is. Just yesterday, she and my Old Wang were having a chat at the gate, looking all cozy. I came off work and they were still there chatting.


    I was in a bad mood, so I shooed her off, but as she was leaving, she turned and said: ¡®Zhu Guizhi, your Old Wang says he likes daughters, why don¡¯t you have one for him?''¡±


    Then Tian Li, with her belly sticking out, left. That made me remember what I heard at the Weis¡¯ door: the things she and Wang Feng were saying while they were...¡± Zhu Guizhi paused, tugging at the corner of her mouth, looking cautiously at Yu Jing¡¯s gloomy expression and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to hear it, I¡¯ll stop.¡±


    Yu Jing could no longer remain calm.


    Ever since the day she and her husband Wang Feng got married until the day he died, he never spoke during their intimate moments.


    Yu Jing clenched her teeth, ¡°You said I could endure it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you have no idea what the two of them were like back then... Forget it, I won¡¯t go into the details, it¡¯s too disgusting. But that shameless bitch, for some reason, just liked to seduce men with the surname Wang. She told your Old Wang, ¡®Secretary Wang, if you want a son, I can just give birth to one for you.''¡±


    Yu Jing was shackled to the chair, unable to hold back any longer, her eyes splitting with rage, her heart ablaze with fury. If her husband were seated before her, she would have certainly killed him.


    Unfortunately, she was shackled to the chair, unable to stand up. But because of her struggle, a guard standing next to her stepped forward to restrain Yu Jing, whispering a warning, ¡°Don¡¯t mess around, behave yourself.¡±


    Zhu Guizhi seemed to be influenced by Yu Jing¡¯s fury and also stood up, her hands clenched tightly, ¡°...Your Old Wang is also shameless. Panting heavily, he said, ¡®Okay, give birth to... give birth to two sons for me... and then a daughter. I¡¯ll give you half of the money I earn...''¡±


    ¡°Stop talking, shut your mouth!¡±


    Yu Jing, already driven to a frenzy by these provocations, stared fixedly at Zhu Guizhi with bloodshot eyes.


    Her voice carried a venomous hatred and piercing anguish, ¡°Zhu Guizhi, why are you telling me this now? Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier? What exactly are you trying to do?¡±


    Zhu Guizhi clearly had some regrets; she took several steps back, ¡°Yu Jing, you can¡¯t blame me for this. Back then, everyone was fine. If I had spoken up, what would you have done? Could you have divorced him and left Xiao Xiao without a father? Besides, Mr. Zhao¡¯s child wasn¡¯t even born yet, what if it wasn¡¯t... his?


    Moreover, if I hadn¡¯t said anything, Xiao Xiao would still have a father and mother, and your family would still be whole. But now, what¡¯s the use of keeping it secret? Xiao Xiao¡¯s father is gone, and with what you¡¯ve done now, you¡¯re definitely going to get the death penalty.


    Xiao Xiao has nothing now, but she should at least have the money her father left behind, or what will she do in the future? Can her grandparents take care of her for the rest of their lives? When she grows up and gets married, if she has no dowry, people will look down on her.¡±


    ¡°But I can¡¯t get out now, so what¡¯s the use of telling me all this?¡± Yu Jing was practically roaring her questions at Zhu Guizhi.


    ¡°How is it useless? You are still Xiao Xiao¡¯s mother, and you have the final say over that money. You should talk to Director Lin and ask him to transfer all the money to Xiao Xiao¡¯s account. That¡¯s the least you can do for her as her mother right now.¡±


    Zhu Guizhi was genuinely sincere as she spoke, her voice choked with emotion, tinged with hatred and disdain, ¡°Look at you, why couldn¡¯t you live a good life? Why get involved in all these messy things? You weren¡¯t starving or lacking clothes; at the base, you were the envy of many. How could you not cherish that? You¡¯re so foolish, I always thought you were clever, but now I see you¡¯re utterly stupid. Someone like you doesn¡¯t deserve to be married or to have children!¡±


    After finishing, Zhu Guizhi wiped away tears and turned to leave.


    Yu Jing was left sitting in the chair, dispirited and motionless.


    The members of the special case team watched Yu Jing with solemn gazes, and slowly, Yu Jing raised her head, her voice hoarse, ¡°Call Director Lin for me, I have something to say to him.¡±


    ...


    After spending a week at school, Qiao Qingyu returned home only to find that a lot had happened in just one week. Yu Jing had confessed; she was Old Mountain Eagle, responsible for many of the previous cases. Her superior was Huang Sha, the wife of Zhao Gong, Tian Li. Tian Li reported to someone higher up, someone who always proclaimed himself a patriot, the son of Wu Xiujie, Wu Peng.

 Chapter 286 - 286 286 The Net of Heaven Has Large Meshes But

    ?Chapter 286: Chapter 286 The Net of Heaven Has Large Meshes, But It Lets Nothing Through Chapter 286: Chapter 286 The Net of Heaven Has Large Meshes, But It Lets Nothing Through However, it was only because of the child in her womb that Tian Li¡¯s life was temporarily saved.


    At first, Tian Li kept complaining about stomach pains, and as a result, two gynecologists were always by her side. Now, whether she would confess was no longer a big concern, since Yu Jing knew much more than everyone had imagined.


    A large net slowly and quietly cast a year ago was now gradually tightening.


    Wu Xiujie finally couldn¡¯t resist making a move against the Buddha Tower. His actions were indeed very cunning, creating an exact replica of the Buddha Tower and a Shariputra, but he was still caught on the spot. If it hadn¡¯t been for the surveillance that had been placed on him in advance, it really wouldn¡¯t have been possible to catch him red-handed.


    From Wu Xiujie¡¯s residence in Xichuan, equipment such as a radio transmitter, surveying instruments, as well as Tom¡¯s diary and maps were discovered as evidence.


    Wu Xiujie, Wu Peng, and other personnel were all detained.


    This case was beyond the jurisdiction of the local police in Xichuan, so someone from the higher authorities came and took them away. Moreover, Doctor Lu, who had infiltrated the enemy¡¯s ranks, also revealed all the ongoing experiments and the laboratories.


    Mr. Shi, the rightful owner of the twelve national treasures, finally saw the light of day again.


    Because of these twelve national treasures, Mr. Shi and his son were targeted by a terrorist organization. Fortunately, our comrades discovered them in time and brought them to a safe place for protection, but his property had long been looted.


    The main culprits were Wu Xiujie and an almost worldwide international anti-China organization backing him.


    This organization was very mysterious; no one knew who was in charge, but they did know that this organization had a powerful base in every aspect.


    Wu Xiujie was just one of their minor leaders.


    Pulling up a radish did not bring out much dirt, and the path to development was arduous and long, but as long as we were strong, these issues would fade away on their own.


    Wu Xiucai could finally appear openly in front of his daughter.


    By this time, the National Day had arrived. Wu Xiucai had originally planned to go to the Qiao Family Team, but after thinking it over, he decided to contact He Xiuyu and He Shan first, planning to explain the situation to Qiao Qingyu and then bring her to the Qiao Family Team.


    When Qiao Qingyu heard about this, she immediately stood up from her chair.


    Looking at He Xiuyu standing in front of her, she furrowed her brows and asked, ¡°Is everything you said true?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s all true,¡± He Xiuyu said in a grave voice. ¡°It¡¯s just that because of Wu Xiujie, this matter has been kept secret for a while. I also just found out.¡±


    The two went over the causes and consequences together, and Qiao Qingyu clenched her teeth in anger. ¡°This Wu Xiujie is just too detestable.¡±


    Not to mention the past, just recently, in an attempt to obtain her blood, he had Zhao Gang push her out of the car, which must have taken a lot of effort. Furthermore, Zhao Gang did not commit suicide; his wife pushed him down the stairs. His wife was the one developed by Wu Xiujie, and her lover was her superior, so all of these people have been arrested.


    Each one of them was a natural actor; it was truly a waste they weren¡¯t on the stage.


    This time, from Beijing to Xichuan, and even to Yun City and other places, a total of over a hundred people were arrested.


    It really was a major operation.


    But catching so many people was a good thing, especially the base.


    Without these obstacles, certain tasks would no longer be hindered.


    He Xiuyu quietly watched Qiao Qingyu, and only when she calmed down did he speak again, ¡°Mr. Wu Xiucai has had it hard. He knew where his long-lost daughter of nearly fifty years was yet didn¡¯t dare to acknowledge her.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was silent for a moment. She had a good impression of Wu Xiucai, and though she had only met him once, she now believed in the blood ties and affection. He had even brought her many tasty treats.


    ¡°When is Mr. Wu arriving?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s taking a chartered flight and should arrive directly at the base tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll call home now.¡±


    He Xiuyu checked the time; someone would be at the team at this time, and notifications were sent out morning and evening, ¡°Go ahead and make the call. Tell your mother the whole story yourself. This is good news; everyone should be happy.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu slowly curved her lips into a smile. ¡°Yes, of course, this is great news.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t because of the man¡¯s status or wealth but because the old man was indeed her biological grandfather and her mother¡¯s biological father.


    Her mother¡¯s family finally had someone.


    Qiao Qingyu went to make the call, and Accountant Zhang answered. He hadn¡¯t gone to work in the fields. Harvest time was nearly finished, and he was in the middle of doing accounts. Upon hearing it was Qiao Qingyu, he went on excitedly...


    He talked about how high this year¡¯s yields were, how since production quotas were allocated to each household, besides handing in the public grain, personal granaries would be filled to the brim. This year, quite a few families also grew dandelions; after drying, along with the medicinal herbs grown by the team, were all bought by the provincial medicinal herb factory, and almost every family earned about ten yuan.


    He also mentioned admiringly, ¡°Qingyu, many people are learning Qiao Genbao¡¯s technique for setting up greenhouses, and our county plans to promote it vigorously this year. Furthermore, your dad, Old Qiao, and Qiao Shengbao even turned waste into treasure. The name of your Old Qiao Family really fits; everything is a treasure...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu patiently waited for Accountant Zhang to finish talking, then she asked him to call her parents over, as she had something very important to tell them. Accountant Zhang hurriedly said, ¡°Oh my, you should have said so earlier. Okay, I¡¯ll go right now.¡±


    After he hung up, he locked the office door and ran towards the Old Qiao Family¡¯s home. He didn¡¯t know what it was about and regretted his earlier chatter. However, he assumed it was nothing too serious, or Qiao Qingyu would not have listened so patiently.


    With that thought, he felt reassured but quickened his pace.


    At this time, He Xiuyu was cooking dinner outside, while Qiao Qingyu sat on a chair, suddenly reflecting on what Wu Xiucai might feel upon arriving at the poor and backward Qiao Family Team.


    He would probably be upset.


    She also wondered if he would look down on her father.


    Perhaps... he would.


    Although life at home had improved significantly, such living conditions, in Wu Xiucai¡¯s eyes, were probably like what their servants lived before the liberation.


    Qiao Qingyu sighed secretly.


    Just then, there was the sound of conversation from the kitchen. It was Zhu Guizhi coming in with a basin of white steamed buns with pork and radish filling.


    She called out to Qiao Qingyu, who hurried over and took the buns with a beaming smile, ¡°These are pork and radish buns I made as an extra dish for your family.¡±


    Zhu Guizhi was delighted; she had made a contribution. Although there was no official commendation, she had returned to her former position, and her salary had even been increased by a level. After all, she had indeed exerted great effort in this special operation.


    The base even awarded her a bonus of one hundred yuan.

 Chapter 287 - 287 287 Too Sudden

    ?Chapter 287: Chapter 287 Too Sudden Chapter 287: Chapter 287 Too Sudden So, Zhu Guizhi, having just received her bonus, immediately went to the base shop to buy pork. Unsuccessful there, she ran to Xiaxi Commune, and eventually ended up at the county¡¯s grocery store where she bought five pounds of pork and made a large number of dumplings to give to friendly neighbors.


    She had brought nearly a potful to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house.


    Qiao Qingyu thanked her, but her ears were tuned to the noises in the study, not too far away. She guessed her parents would be arriving soon.


    He Xiuyu was cooking. Zhu Guizhi definitely couldn¡¯t pull Qiao Qingyu aside to chat idly, but she trusted Qiao Qingyu exceptionally and was always ready to gossip with her.


    Seizing the right moment, she told Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Tian Li had a baby, it was premature, a girl. This child is related by blood to Xiao Xiao, so the father must be Wang Feng. Old Zhao was cuckolded, but Tian Li got arrested too. They were both forced to divorce. Perhaps due to the shock, the child is not very healthy and it looks like she won¡¯t live very long...¡±


    Zhu Guizhi also told Qiao Qingyu that fortunately it was a girl. Had it been a boy, Xiao Xiao¡¯s grandparents might actually have taken him in.


    Who knows what would have happened then.


    Old Lady Zhao had a stroke and was now bedridden, unable to move. Mr. Zhao had to return to work after a review, fortunately not implicated, but he had to endure the disgrace this incident brought.


    He worked even harder because he couldn¡¯t afford to lose his job. If he lost it, his life was truly over.


    He had even approached Huang Ling a few times. Huang Ling already despised the old lady, so how could she consider taking care of her? Mr. Zhao must really think all women are fools.


    Having no choice, Mr. Zhao brought his brother and sister-in-law over, along with their child, and got them temporary jobs at the farm. This actually wasn¡¯t a problem, as the farm was short-staffed, and even though it was the end of the harvest season, there was still a lot of work to be done.


    Zhu Guizhi rambled on for quite a while.


    Then the phone in the study rang, and Qiao Qingyu hurriedly said, ¡°Sister Zhu, I need to answer the phone. I need to discuss something with my family.¡±


    ¡°Then you better go, I¡¯m heading home too.¡± After saying that, Zhu Guizhi turned around with her empty basin and left.


    But before leaving, she couldn¡¯t help but envy, ¡°Chief Engineer He can actually cook too, Jade is so lucky.¡±


    He Xiuyu was indeed impressed with this woman¡¯s knack for gossip. She really rattled off a bunch of news, some of which he hadn¡¯t even known.


    Qiao Qingyu answered the call, and sure enough, it was Qiao Zhicai, with Han Xianglan standing next to him. They seemed to have run over, panting as they asked Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Jade, at this hour, did you call because something happened?¡±


    Their voices were somewhat trembling, as their daughter was too far to see and care for¡ªhow could they not be terrified at even the slightest hint of trouble?


    Qiao Qingyu quickly said, ¡°No, no, there¡¯s no issue here, it¡¯s just my mom¡¯s situation.¡±


    She then informed Han Xianglan that Wu Xiucai was her biological father, confirmed by two separate verifications, even though the examiner was different each time, the results were the same.


    On the other end of the phone, Han Xianglan was silent for a long while, as was Qiao Zhicai.


    They were too shocked, completely dumbfounded.


    Qiao Qingyu continued, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t overthink it, this is good news. At the very least you know your parents loved you. Especially your biological father, Wu Xiucai¡ªsince the day you were lost, he has never stopped searching for you, he has sacrificed so much... He will come to Xichuan tomorrow, and then we will together return to North City. I¡¯ll call you then...¡±


    After a pause, Han Xianglan began to cry.


    The microphone was left on the table as Qiao Zhicai comforted her with a sense of helplessness.


    He Xiuyu stood by Qiao Qingyu¡¯s side, both of them also silent. Thankfully, Han Xianglan quickly recovered. When the knotted bracelet was found, Qiao Qingyu had called and told her about it, so Han Xianglan, with a choked voice, said, ¡°Qingyu, when... when he comes to find you, give him the knotted bracelet too...¡±


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, I know what to do.¡±


    On the other end, Han Xianglan felt her mind in disarray with this tangible news, losing the mood to instruct Qiao Qingyu further on the matters of daily life. She hurriedly hung up the phone, and Qiao Zhicai left with his wife.


    The journey was marked by silence.


    Of course, this matter couldn¡¯t be kept secret, but they wouldn¡¯t tell too many people; the family needed to be informed since Wu Xiucai would be arriving in a few days.


    And it was good news, after all; how could they hide it?


    In her youth, Han Xianglan hadn¡¯t suffered any less for this reason.


    Qiao Qingyu placed the receiver back, wondering what name Han Xianglan would use in the future¡ªwould she change it to Wu Qianyun or keep Han Xianglan?


    She shared her question with He Xiuyu, who smiled, ¡°Mr. Wu has been searching for half his life; naturally, it is about recognizing his ancestors and returning to his roots.¡±


    He then instructed Qiao Qingyu, ¡°You can¡¯t slack off either. Even though you are on leave, you mustn¡¯t neglect the classes you need to attend, the homework you need to do, or the exams you must take. Do you hear me?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu pouted, ¡°I hear you. With you supervising me, how could anything be missed?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you should be thankful that I play so many roles in your life,¡± He Xiuyu boasted playfully.


    Qiao Qingyu burst into laughter, then threw herself into his arms, pulling down his handsome face to kiss him, ¡°Thank you, my friend, my husband, my teacher, okay?¡±


    He Xiuyu smiled, his eyes curving joyfully.


    ...


    Wu Xiucai¡¯s visit to Xichuan was his second, but unlike the first, his mood was completely different¡ªhe could openly visit his granddaughter, he could openly take his granddaughter to see his daughter.


    The old man had regained some health, albeit still frail, but his spirit was exceptionally good¡ªit must be the joy of the occasion uplifting him.


    He Xiuyu picked him up from the temporary airport and brought him home, where Qiao Qingyu had prepared breakfast¡ªa hot batch of buns, cooked millet porridge, and a couple of stir-fried dishes.


    Wu Xiucai¡¯s eyes were somewhat moist as he choked up, ¡°I never thought I¡¯d live to eat a meal cooked by my granddaughter.¡±


    This time Wu Xiucai came to the family compound accompanied by Wu Tai and Secretary Chang.


    Secretary Chang had once been in charge of the newly established chemical plant in Xichuan. Now that the plant was gradually getting on track, he was essentially the secretary of the group company but was temporarily in charge. Now with an official plant manager in place, he had returned to Wu Xiucai¡¯s side.


    Qiao Qingyu also helped Qiao Genbao secure an order of plastic film at the chemical plant.


    Having tasted success last year, they continued today. However, lacking the energy to start a fourth building, these three were enough to keep the family busy.

 Chapter 288 - 288 288 The Poor and Backward Village

    ?Chapter 288: Chapter 288: The Poor and Backward Village Chapter 288: Chapter 288: The Poor and Backward Village This certainly was not an easy physical task; waking up early and working late were extremely exhausting, yet the rewards were very generous.


    Qiao Qingyu thought deeply and extensively, drifting into contemplation, but soon she remembered something she had forgotten¡ª the knot, the one Han Xianglan had repeatedly instructed her about yesterday.


    Everyone had finished breakfast and was drinking tea in the living room.


    Qiao Qingyu brought out the knot. Before she could even speak, Wu Xiucai¡¯s face changed dramatically, his eyes fixated on the knot. Without waiting for Qiao Qingyu to hand it to him, he somewhat ungracefully snatched it from her hands.


    Tears streamed down Wu Xiucai¡¯s cheeks.


    ¡°This is the Longevity and Peace Knot that my wife made for our daughter, Qian Yun.¡±


    ¡°She learned this weaving method from an old palace maid who had come from the palace.¡±


    ¡°Every knot carries a story, carries a significance.¡±


    ¡°This thread isn¡¯t ordinary, it¡¯s made from golden silk.¡±


    Silence fell upon the room.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes also reddened as she discerned the suppressed sorrow in Mr. Wu¡¯s words.


    Secretary Chang hurriedly passed a handkerchief, but Mr. Wu pushed it away gently, wiping his tears with his hand instead, and cursed openly, ¡°That son of a bitch.¡±


    Wu Tai¡¯s expression changed, and he felt sorrow too. Having severed all father-son ties with one swing of his leg, he felt even more remorse.


    Wu Xiucai had arrived on a chartered flight, preparing to fly directly to North City with Qiao Qingyu; he simply couldn¡¯t wait any longer.


    Qiao Qingyu took half a month¡¯s leave.


    However, Qiao Qingyu had many things to handle. This May, she had planted a hundred acres of potatoes near her family¡¯s ancestral home, which yielded a sizable crop. She kept half as seeds, storing them in Warehouse 5 at the Seed Laboratory, closing any gaps there. She left the rest to be managed by Wang Laogen.


    Wang Laogen was now truly a wealthy man, with his home granary filled to the brim and, for the first time in his life, boasting three bags of white flour.


    There were also matters involving payments of public grain and contract fees to the authorities which she entrusted to Mr. Qian and Fang Xiaomei.


    But even so, there was still much to be done.


    Nevertheless, after calculating her costs and earnings, Qiao Qingyu found herself holding over 300,000 yuan.


    In this era, that surely made her a very wealthy woman.


    Of course, in a few years, that amount would no longer be surprising.


    ...


    Rongrong knew her little aunt was about to leave again, and she held back tears, pouting. If it had been just a week, she would have taken her along, but half a month was too much¡ªit would disrupt the child¡¯s schooling.


    The staff at the base were unaware of the real situation; He Xiuyu felt a subtle sadness¡ªalas, it was distressing that he still couldn¡¯t accompany his wife back to her maternal home.


    The responsibilities were vast, and he knew he needed to strive even harder.


    ...


    The Qiao Family Team¡¯s autumn harvest had just concluded.


    The day was just like any other; the sun rose, and a slight breeze made it feel a bit cold. Many students went to the fields to dig up corn roots, planning to use them for heating during winter.


    Back then, there was no heating, and the local elementary school was very rudimentary. In winter, it used a clay stove for warmth, with each student bringing a bag of firewood from home as a heating fee.


    Some people drove horse carts carrying grains to the county, and then they saw three small cars driving toward them.


    The old man driving the horse cart quickly shouted to make way for the cars ahead, exclaiming, ¡°Those in the small cars must be high-ranking officials; they are here for an inspection, we mustn¡¯t delay them.¡±


    However, the cars stopped. The road was narrow, so they waited till the horse cart had passed before the cars continued driving forward.


    The old man driving the horse-cart turned to look as they passed; the cars didn¡¯t head to the commune but instead turned towards the Qiao Family Team.


    This old man is from another village, and he¡¯s a bit envious; now the people of Qiao Family Team are quite wealthy.


    Good days just pop up, leaving you no time to react.


    So, he decided that next year he would definitely plant high-yield corn.


    As he thought about it, those three cars had already vanished.


    When Han Xianglan received the phone call, she was restless; her face was somewhat pale, pacing back and forth in the yard. She didn¡¯t know what she was trying to do by walking around, but if she didn¡¯t walk, her heart would have no place to settle.


    Han Xianglan kept looking outside; she knew her biological father would arrive soon.


    Suddenly, she heard a group of children outside shouting, ¡°Cars, cars, the small cars with four wheels...¡±


    To be honest, these children had truly never seen cars entering their village before.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t understand either; why did her maternal grandfather insist on driving the car into the village?


    Could it be that he wanted everyone to know that Han Xianglan was his daughter?


    To let them know that Han Xianglan had a father like him, that Han Xianglan was not without support¡ªit was probably this idea.


    Qiao Qingyu pointed ahead, she had already changed her form of address, ¡°Grandpa, we are here...¡±


    She shouted it quite smoothly.


    Every time Qiao Qingyu called him ¡®grandpa,¡¯ Wu Xiucai felt very pleased, but at the moment, his body felt somewhat stiff.


    Suddenly he yelled to stop the car.


    The car came to a halt, and Qiao Qingyu helped him get out, while Secretary Chang was pushing Wu Tai out as well.


    Wu Xiucai looked around at his surroundings.


    He frowned slightly.


    This was the countryside in North City; to tell the truth, he had indeed never been here, not even before the liberation when he was in the Southern regions.


    His family owned a shop, they were capitalists, they owned many estates, and they could be considered major landlords. This place was almost like one of his family¡¯s run-down estates back in the day.


    Only now, these people were all managing on their own.


    People passing by kept looking at them. In Qiao Qingyu¡¯s view, it had improved a lot since last year, but for Wu Xiucai, it was startling and hard to accept.


    Farmers wearing patched grey cotton-padded jackets, faces marked by time, rough skin, thatched cottages, muddy roads, uneven and rutted paths, children with runny noses, and the distant sound that seemed to be a donkey braying...


    He was very upset; his daughter had grown up in such an environment.


    His daughter had been bought and sold like merchandise in this environment.


    His heart was wracked with pain!


    There were some things he dared not think about deeply. Often, he was numbing himself.


    The psychological pressure was immense, an endless guilt, tormenting him at all times.


    If he had been a qualified father, when the Wu family left the harbor, he should have looked after his own children. He was a man, taking care of his wife and daughter was his responsibility.


    But right under his watch, he had lost his daughter.


    Wu Xiucai stood in place, his face pale and motionless.


    Yet, many children didn¡¯t know what the old man was thinking.


    Curious, they opened their eyes wide, circling around the car parked on the road.


    Some children wanted to touch it but didn¡¯t dare...

 Chapter 289 - 289 289 Father and Daughter Recognition

    ?Chapter 289: Chapter 289: Father and Daughter Recognition Chapter 289: Chapter 289: Father and Daughter Recognition In the North of 1981, the countryside was still undoubtedly poor and backward.


    Especially the rural children, they were raised freely and were very resilient.


    These kids, bareheaded, wore old cotton-padded jackets on the outside, and homemade shoes on their feet.


    Some wore their older brothers¡¯ hand-me-downs.


    One little boy was even wearing a floral cotton-padded jacket, which belonged to his sister.


    Of course, they recognized Qiao Qingyu, some calling her ¡°Auntie¡±, others ¡°Aunt¡±.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at Wu Xiucai, who stood there lost in thought, and opened her backpack to distribute candy to the children before she said to him, ¡°Grandpa, let¡¯s go, our home is just ahead.¡±


    Wu Xiucai, as if he heard nothing, had a somewhat stern expression on his face.


    Qiao Qingyu knew that it was the living environment of her home that made him emotional.


    But that was the reality, nothing could be done.


    Even by the old man¡¯s standards, he might not be satisfied living in the provincial city.


    He knew that, but even with mental preparation, when he actually faced it, he couldn¡¯t accept it.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t rush him, and fell silent along with him.


    Qiao Genbao and Qiao Mubao caught up from behind; they were originally waiting at the village entrance, but after all, it was October, and the North¡¯s October had already entered winter.


    The north wind howled, with a light snow having fallen just yesterday, so the wind carrying the snow particles was especially cold.


    Especially standing at the village entrance.


    Both of them had runny noses from the cold.


    So they had no choice but to warm up at Uncle Five¡¯s house nearby, and then were held up by the people there inquiring this and that, all of them wildly envious.


    A rich tycoon from America, in their eyes, was no less astonishing than modern people learning about aliens coming to Earth.


    Naturally, in just a few moments¡¯ conversation, Wu Xiucai and the others had entered the village, so they missed out.


    By the time they realized, the car had already arrived in the village.


    They saw Qiao Qingyu standing behind a thin old man, saw that the old man was standing motionless, and after exchanging glances, Qiao Genbao felt hesitant, while Qiao Mubao wanted to go forward but was pulled back by his older brother.


    ¡°Big brother, why are you pulling me?¡±


    ¡°Mu Bao, wait, we¡¯ll go over in a bit.¡± Qiao Genbao, being older, was not timid, but felt it was not the right time to approach.


    So Qiao Mubao stood still.


    At that moment, Han Xianglan couldn¡¯t wait any longer; if this man truly was her biological father, she couldn¡¯t just stand here waiting, everyone in the yard was looking at her.


    Han Xianglan seemed to be oblivious to everyone¡¯s stares.


    Putting on a scarf and the thick woolen coat her daughter had bought her, she quickly left the yard.


    From a distance, towards the direction of the village entrance, she saw several cars parked, and then instantly her eyes landed on her daughter; her heart started thumping wildly.


    Standing beside her daughter was a tall, gaunt old man.


    She couldn¡¯t make out his features clearly, but she felt a great discomfort in her heart. She walked toward him, followed by Qiao Zhicai, Qiao Zhiyuan, and others.


    Then Han Xianglan walked faster and faster, eventually almost breaking into a jog.


    Wu Xiucai naturally saw the crowd running toward him.


    He also saw the middle-aged woman at the front.


    She was a stranger, truly a stranger, a stranger who made his heart palpitate.


    But when Han Xianglan stood before him, perhaps it was the innate bond between father and daughter, that tears involuntarily began to flow from both their eyes.


    Over forty years had passed, nearly half a century!


    At this moment, the surroundings fell silent, everyone remained speechless, quietly watching the father-daughter reunion.


    Wu Tai could no longer find a trace of his little cousin in Han Xianglan¡¯s face; to him, she was just a rural woman weathered by hard life.


    But in her, he saw a temperament that mirrored his little aunt¡¯s.


    Especially those eyes; they were so alike.


    Wu Tai himself didn¡¯t realize that tears were streaming down his face.


    Wu Xiucai¡¯s trembling hands took out a knotted bracelet from his pocket, his voice trembling and choked, he said, ¡°This bracelet is called the ¡®Longevity and Peace Knot.¡¯ It was made by an old goldsmith in the west of the city, who spent a whole month crafting it.¡±


    ¡°This golden silk is difficult to work with, it took thirty gold bars to perfect it.¡±


    ¡°The old goldsmith said he¡¯s been making jewelry his entire life, and it took so much effort to make something that looks like an ordinary silk cord, but he said he was pleased.¡±


    He handed the knot to Han Xianglan, and her trembling hands took it. It was something she had worn her entire life, never knowing it was anything but ordinary thread.


    She was somewhat bewildered, even a little at a loss. She didn¡¯t understand, and neither did those around her; no one could see it for what it was. She herself hadn¡¯t noticed either, thinking it was just regular silk.


    Her tears fell drop by drop, and she finally believed that, before she was separated from her parents, her father and mother had loved her, very, very much.


    ¡°You should also have had a Jade Pendant, a longevity lock, a warm jade bracelet, but those must have been stolen by thieves.¡±


    Finally, Han Xianglan spoke, her voice hoarse and strained, ¡°Since I can remember, I¡¯ve always worn this string on my wrist. It can be adjusted for size, and I¡¯ve never taken it off.¡±


    Meanwhile, Qiao Family¡¯s second son and Second Aunt hung their guilty heads low; they didn¡¯t dare look at the distinguished-looking old man not far from them.


    Especially Second Aunt Qiao, who had been envious of Han Xianglan in the past, sometimes even disdainful and contemptuous. After all, Han Xianglan didn¡¯t have a decent family of her own and had been bought and sold like property, which in the past would have made her nothing more than a servant.


    Which is just not how people are referred to anymore.


    But for some reason, standing behind her, looking at Han Xianglan¡¯s back, she still seemed like her sister-in-law, and they had lived together for over thirty years. Yet, suddenly, Han Xianglan seemed very far away from her, so much so, that in her eyes, Han Xianglan seemed to rise up, unapproachably high.


    When a person close to you suddenly becomes so empowered in background and status that it¡¯s beyond your imagination, you won¡¯t even have the heart to envy them.


    All you can do is look up.


    No one cared for Qiao Erniang¡¯s thoughts.


    All eyes were on Wu Xiucai and Han Xianglan, with Qiao Zhicai standing behind her, feeling both anxious and helpless.


    His mind was in a complete mess.


    It felt like everything happening in front of him was so unreal, like a dream.


    Wu Xiucai said to Wu Tai behind him, ¡°Tai, bring out the family register...¡±


    Wu Tai hastily grabbed the family register from his briefcase and Secretary Chang passed it to Wu Xiucai.


    It was still somewhat cold outside, but these people seemed not to notice, and no one suggested they go inside to talk, including Qiao Qingyu, who stood just as silent, watching everything unraveling before her eyes.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes were also moist.

 Chapter 290 - 290 290 Blind to the Value of Gold-Inlaid Jade

    ?Chapter 290: Chapter 290: Blind to the Value of Gold-Inlaid Jade Chapter 290: Chapter 290: Blind to the Value of Gold-Inlaid Jade ¡°Perhaps this is just the nature of father and daughter,¡± no excessive introductions needed, no requirements of this or that proof. ¡°I know you are my father; I know you are my daughter,¡± that was enough.


    Wu Xiucai struggled to calm his emotions, and at that moment, the morning breeze that had been blowing from the north suddenly stopped, and the sunlight became warm and comforting, giving the sensation that spring had arrived.


    Wu Xiucai opened the family genealogy and flipped to a page towards the back, pointing at the characters there and said softly, ¡°Look, this is your name, Wu Qianyun...¡±


    Han Xianglan repeated in a whisper, ¡°Wu Qianyun?¡±


    ¡°Yes, your name is Wu Qianyun, not Han Xianglan.¡± Wu Xiucai¡¯s voice was choked with emotion, ¡°Change your name back, return to Yun City, and kowtow to your mother. She¡¯s been going mad missing you...¡±


    Han Xianglan could no longer hold back.


    She threw herself in front of Wu Xiucai, kneeling before him, crying her heart out, ¡°Father, I always thought you didn¡¯t want me, that¡¯s why you sold me...¡±


    ...


    The news of Han Xianglan¡¯s biological father coming to acknowledge her spread like a bird with wings throughout the Qiao Family Team and the entire Harvest Commune in no time.


    It was an event that sent shockwaves through the whole commune, the like of which had never been heard of before.


    Old Lady He sat in the courtyard of Hejia Village, her eyes narrowing slightly.


    This winter, they could not stay here to endure the cold; they were too old, they had to go to Beijing.


    They started packing some belongings now, as their son would come personally to fetch them. The old house would be left unsold, as He Shan said he would occasionally come to stay there after his retirement.


    At that moment, sitting in front of Granny He and speaking with unrestrained enthusiasm was Mrs. Xu of the village, who did not get along with her.


    ¡°Aiyo, I must say, Old Lady He, you really can¡¯t recognize a gem even when it¡¯s in front of you. Just think, if you had known that Han Xianglan was actually the daughter of a rich magnate from the M country, and moreover an only daughter, do you think you could have sold her? For just a bag of coarse rice, how could you be so short-sighted?¡±


    The words struck her to the core, and Granny He pursed her lips, remaining silent.


    Over the years, she had heard such remarks aplenty. She had fallen out with Meng Siqi and, even if she kept it a secret, the fact was that Meng Siqi had never once come to visit her, and many people ridiculed her.


    They said she couldn¡¯t recognize a jewel even if she had it, and couldn¡¯t keep a treasure even if she tried.


    She had only one son, He Shan, who was taken by the passing Guo Party as a conscript one year, leaving without a word for several years, and with no news from him, the family was without a single grain of rice, her husband fell ill, and the three of them faced starvation. What could she do but steel her heart and sell Xianglan?


    At that time, she also thought her son would never return.


    Who could have foreseen that a few years later, having succeeded in the revolution, her son would come back to Hejia Village riding a tall horse, accompanied by two guards?


    Her son had made a name for himself. As he entered the yard, he knelt before her, and when he stood up, his bright, shining eyes searched everywhere for the shadow of Han Xianglan.


    At that moment, she regretted her decision; her heart ached and her liver throbbed.


    Had she only endured a bit longer, persisted a bit more, could they have reunited as a family?


    Her son had grown taller, stronger, and even more handsome, his eyes bright with spirit, searching inside and outside the yard for his sister Xianglan.


    She didn¡¯t dare to speak, and neither did her husband.


    It was Mrs. Xu from the Xu family who heartlessly pushed open the door and cruelly said, ¡°Shanzi, are you looking for your little wife? A couple of years ago, your mother sold her to Qiao Zhi of Qiao Village in exchange for a bag of coarse rice. Right across the river, your sister Xianglan even bore Old Qiao a big, fat baby boy...¡±


    She watched with wide eyes as her son¡¯s face turned deathly pale in an instant, as the light in her son¡¯s eyes extinguished, as she watched him run madly out of the yard.


    He had forgotten that he still owned tall horses, and he had forgotten he had two guards with guns on their backs.


    The weather in August was so cool, so cool indeed, and her heart had also turned ice-cold.


    Her son hadn¡¯t taken the official¡¯s path but had instead jumped directly into the river and swum across. He stood, dripping wet, at the Old Qiao Family¡¯s doorstep, while Han Xianglan led her eldest son, quietly watching him.


    It was the first time the two children had seen each other after many years of separation, but it would also be their last.


    After returning, her son fell ill, an illness that nearly took his life.


    Later, he married and had children. She visited a few times, only to find Meng Siqi looking down on her from the bottom of her heart, acting differently in public than in private, and truly, she couldn¡¯t face He Shan.


    Just like that, almost forty years had flashed by in an instant.


    Time flies indeed. She had aged, could barely walk anymore, and had to live with her son for her elder care. Her daughter-in-law might still despise her, but there was nothing she could do. No matter what she endured, as long as she wasn¡¯t dead, she had no choice but to keep living.


    Mrs. Xu was still talking nonstop.


    ¡°...I heard that Han Xianglan¡¯s real name was Wu Qianyun, a rich young lady from the prominent Yun City family. It¡¯s just a shame she got separated from her parents and was bought by you.¡±


    ¡°The old Wu Family has become very wealthy, and all of their family property now belongs to Han Xianglan. It¡¯s said that Han Xianglan is now the richest woman in the world. My heavens, just how rich must she be? Does she eat meat every day or what...¡±


    ¡°Older sister, I know you¡¯ve stayed here for so many years as a form of penance. You¡¯ve wronged Shanzi as well as Han Xianglan, and I know you often sneak treats to little Qiao Qingyu. I also know you¡¯re full of regret, but we have to accept our fate. You were not fortunate enough to be Han Xianglan¡¯s mother-in-law, so I won¡¯t provoke you further. Go to Beijing; Han Xianglan has her real father now, and with so much wealth, there¡¯s nothing to worry about...¡±


    Old Lady He suddenly burst into tears.


    Back then, there was really no other choice. She couldn¡¯t bear it either, but it was better than the two elders dying and leaving Han Xianglan behind. That child was so beautiful, and in that cruel age, in that era when girls suffered so much, she couldn¡¯t just abandon her.


    The Qiao Family was flourishing with good people known for their integrity, and Qiao Zhicai was also a handsome young man, famous in the eight villages around. Most importantly, the Old Qiao Family had agreed; with a marriage proposal, six matchmakers, and a red flower bridal sedan, they would absolutely not mistreat Han Xianglan.


    She had agreed, but Han Xianglan hadn¡¯t.


    That night, Han Xianglan knelt and begged her. She said she would go to the city to work and earn money, saying she could read and find plenty of jobs.


    She cried so hard she was disfigured, saying she wanted to wait for Brother Shanzi to return.


    She coldly said harsh and heartless words.


    Could she let her go to the city? With Xianglan¡¯s looks, going to the city would mean walking into a wolf¡¯s den.


    She remained adamant and unforgiving, and so, the child gave up hope.


    Finally, Han Xianglan agreed to marry.


    She received a bag of coarse rice, and she and her husband survived.


    But no matter what, it couldn¡¯t change the fact that she had sold Han Xianglan for grain.


    She had wronged her son, wronged Xianglan.


    But who knew the bitterness in her heart?


    Granny He pounded on her chest, crying so hard she was gasping for air, as if her heart was being torn apart...


    Mrs. Xu hugged her and also began to wipe away tears.

 Chapter 291 - 291 291 He Will Be Scolded for Despising the

    ?Chapter 291: Chapter 291: He Will Be Scolded for Despising the Poor and Loving the Rich Chapter 291: Chapter 291: He Will Be Scolded for Despising the Poor and Loving the Rich Lianjiang Village, under meticulous medical treatment, Han Liuya returned to the village and naturally, Han Lishi followed.


    Han Liuya still couldn¡¯t walk, but she could now sit up and turn over.


    This time, the Qiao Family and the Han Family completely ceased their interactions.


    The Qiao Family had never liked the Han Family, and this time their wish was seemingly fulfilled.


    When they said they would cease interactions, they truly left no traces of their past connections.


    Not to mention during the holidays, even if they met on the streets on normal days, they wouldn¡¯t speak a word.


    Some people in the Han Family didn¡¯t know what was going on, while others were clearly aware; but to be honest, throughout the years, besides giving Han Xianglan a family name, the Han Family had not provided any other help, what they occasionally offered was so insignificant compared to what the Qiao Family provided.


    Perhaps one could say that the medical team truly cared for the common people, considering that even Han Liuya¡¯s illness had improved; hence, upon her return to the village, everyone praised how great the country¡¯s policies and society were.


    Naturally, Han Lishi joined in the praises, as she wouldn¡¯t want to do anything shameful that people could criticize.


    Though Han Lishi refrained from treating serious ailments, she was competent in handling minor illnesses like headaches and fevers, which she had now resumed.


    Consequently, more people visited her home, and almost immediately, she learned that Han Xianglan had found her biological father.


    Not just Han Lishi, but even Han Liuya was stunned; she was shocked for a long time and then nearly collapsed.


    She felt intense hatred.


    How could this happen?


    Why didn¡¯t recognition come sooner?


    If recognition had come earlier, would she also have acquired a different identity, or maybe she wouldn¡¯t have ended up failure?


    Han Liuya¡¯s memory was impaired, and Han Lishi didn¡¯t know what had happened back then; everything had been fine for many years, almost fused with her being, so why had it been forcefully extracted?


    Han Lishi certainly knew the original owner had returned.


    But Han Liuya didn¡¯t think so; she believed it was a homeless ghost from some other place, occupying Qiao Qingyu¡¯s body.


    She told Han Lishi that when Qiao Qingyu was in that big river back then, her soul had already become a water ghost, and she had no clue where it had gone now; how could it possibly return?


    She insisted on this belief because she thought that since Qiao Qingyu was fixed in time at the age of twelve, then the current Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t possibly be the same twelve-year-old Qiao Qingyu.


    Han Lishi was persuaded, finding it logical.


    After all, Qiao Qingyu had become the top scholar in humanities.


    For that, the Old Qiao Family had even set off fireworks to celebrate.


    So perhaps it really wasn¡¯t her.


    Hence, no matter what they did, there might not be any significant karma involved.


    Of course, these discussions were secretly held between just the two of them, not to be heard by a third person.


    Yet with such incidents occurring, Han Liuya, already persistent, began to rethink seriously with Han Lishi.


    This time it wasn¡¯t for He Xiuyu, although He Xiuyu was important too; that man was not only good-looking but also fortunate¡ªwell handled, one could gain immense benefits.


    Not to mention, as long as Han Liuya could remember, she had always coveted everything Qiao Qingyu had.


    It had become her obsession.


    Now there was an added reason: that rich Mr. Wu.


    It was said that he could buy a whole county town with just a bit of money shown from his fingers.


    Even if Han Lishi and Han Liuya thought differently and possessed unique abilities to communicate with another world, in any world, money was still paramount.


    Money makes the ghost push the mill, this saying is definitely not unfounded.


    When Han Lishi treated external illnesses, she also needed money to communicate with the underworld, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be able to ask the questions she wanted or meet the people she wanted to see.


    This shows just how important money is in this world.


    Such a great opportunity really shouldn¡¯t be missed.


    But now Qiao Qingyu hardly ever returns to the Qiao Family Team, and if things go wrong, Han Xianglan would surely go live the good life with her wealthy father.


    She wouldn¡¯t possibly leave her family behind; she¡¯d probably take them all with her.


    So, it was becoming increasingly difficult to manage the situation.


    However, Han Lishi and Han Liuya had their own ways.


    This time they were also leaving Lianjiang Village, and it seemed they might never come back.


    So, Han Lishi and Han Liuya quietly made their preparations.


    They felt no real attachment to this place; to be honest, Han Lishi was not like ordinary old ladies¡ªshe could indeed see a world others couldn¡¯t and communicate with things others couldn¡¯t see.


    With such abilities, she naturally felt that the world was not what other people perceived it to be.


    Even when being unassuming, there was a feeling of supremacy over others in her heart.


    Because the feng shui of Lianjiang Village was good and it was a place of scenic beauty and strategic importance, it was more suitable for her development; otherwise, she would have left this place long ago.


    It was just that she hadn¡¯t saved much money over the years, though she had accumulated quite a lot of gold and jewelry.


    Han Lishi pondered what excuse to use to leave Lianjiang Village and then leave some of these gold and jewels to her children, fulfilling a mother¡¯s duty to her children.


    Han Liuya didn¡¯t care about it.


    She and Han Lishi decided to go to Xichuan.


    Although the feng shui wasn¡¯t good there, making it unsuitable for her survival, fortune favors the bold, and to have more, one always needed to give up something.


    This time, Han Liuya also learned from her experiences and started studying reluctantly.


    ...


    Wu Xiucai truly was dissatisfied with Qiao Zhicai, not satisfied at all; how could a real man let his wife suffer with him eating simple meals for decades and still have the face to say he treated his wife well?


    If it wasn¡¯t for his granddaughter having some skills, his daughter would still be suffering now.


    A man¡¯s love for a woman isn¡¯t just talk; it shows in actions. If you love your woman, you must let her live a good life, you must let her wear beautiful clothes, let her wear lovely jewelry, you must make her the envy of everyone when she steps out.


    In none of these aspects had Qiao Zhicai succeeded; instead, it was his daughter who suffered hardships with him.


    But what could he do? He had no solution at all.


    His son and son-in-law were both over fifty years old, both grandparents now; how could he force them to divorce?


    If this were in the US, he really would dare do it.


    But here, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it.


    If he forced his daughter and son-in-law to divorce, he would be criticized for despising the poor and loving the rich.


    Unless he took all his relatives and left this country, never to return, but clearly, that was impossible; not to mention anything else, his little granddaughter wouldn¡¯t even go abroad with him.


    He valued Qiao Qingyu and had investigated her; she was the most suitable heir in his mind.


    Oh well, oh well, all these were fate, and also beyond anyone¡¯s control.


    Hadn¡¯t he also prayed to the heavens before, asking only that his daughter live, and that he would ask for nothing else? Why was he asking for so much now?

 Chapter 292 - 292 292 Disdain

    ?Chapter 292: Chapter 292 Disdain Chapter 292: Chapter 292 Disdain Time passed by three days in a state of Wu Xiucai¡¯s ceaseless regret, self-persuasion, more regret, and further self-persuasion.


    Qiao Qingyu was well aware of her Grandpa Wu Xiucai¡¯s feelings at this moment¡ªher maternal grandfather¡¯s emotions.


    She took her grandpa around the village, went fishing with him by the unfrozen river, and set up a big pot in the courtyard to cook potatoes and corn together, filling the air with the sweet aroma of corn.


    Even their meals were around a table set upon the heated brick bed. It all looked lively and warm, but Wu Xiucai truly wasn¡¯t accustomed to it.


    Even during the war-torn years, he had never lived like this, and despite being adrift overseas, he had never suffered this much.


    Yet his daughter felt perfectly at home here. He was neither pleased nor happy, just uncomfortable.


    So it was said, old Wu Xiucai was like the weather¡ªchanging from sunny to cloudy, good to bad, laughing one moment and crying the next, upsetting everyone¡¯s hearts.


    Qiao Qingyu knew that it wasn¡¯t realistic to expect Wu Xiucai to accept everything right away.


    Moreover, the environment Wu Xiucai came from was indeed not comparable to their current rural setting; even if you had the best life in the countryside, it wouldn¡¯t be strange to only have a three-room brick house with furniture and perhaps a bicycle.


    But for Wu Xiucai, he was a tycoon with corporate groups, large factories, vast estates, and even his own private hospitals.


    His standard of living was extraordinarily high¡ªa level so high that even Qiao Qingyu, who was considered wealthy, had to look up to it.


    In the words favored by future generations, ¡°You can¡¯t imagine the life of the rich.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu understood that because of this stark contrast, there were a million possibilities in Wu Xiucai¡¯s mind that couldn¡¯t compare to the shock of reality.


    Even if Qiao Zhicai¡¯s house was nice, it was still half-brick, half-mud. The inside of the house might be clean, but the ground was just a black earth floor polished by wear.


    A sweeping would raise dust all over the place.


    The cabinets had been used for decades, and so had the mirrors. Basins and towels were communal, and the house lacked even a decent set of teaware.


    The walls were papered with newspapers, and although the bed coverings were relatively clean, they clearly weren¡¯t new.


    It was said that life was better now, so what kind of life had his daughter lived back then...?


    What was supposed to be a joyous reunion left everyone feeling uneasy.


    With his age¡ªover seventy¡ªwhat can you say? You have no choice but to listen to whatever he says.


    Luckily, Qiao Qingyu was by his side.


    These past few days, Wu Xiucai did not express many opinions. Most of what he talked about was sharing stories about Lin Wanjun with Han Xianglan, recounting the few happy years when they were a family of three.


    Other times, he would just chat with Qiao Mubao or his two little great-grandchildren.


    Qiao Genbao, who looked too much like Qiao Zhicai, angered Wu Xiucai just by appearing before him.


    All of Qiao Genbao¡¯s beautiful fantasies about his grandfather were shattered by the cruel reality; he didn¡¯t even dare to approach the old man.


    For instance, Qiao Genbao had a habit of smoking dry tobacco. Using the squared paper that his son finished his homework on, he¡¯d cut strips to wrap around tobacco leaves, roll them up, light up for a draw, and squat by the corner of a wall to bask in the sun while smoking, thoroughly enjoying himself.


    This was the basic routine for any cigarette smoker in the countryside.


    It was so commonplace, no one thought there was a problem or fault with it.


    But when he squatted in the corner, hardly taking a couple of puffs, the old man appeared before him like a ghost, watching him calmly without even a frown.


    Yet he knew the old man despised his squatting by the wall.


    The old man scorned him for smoking low-quality dry tobacco.


    The old man even disapproved of the way he smacked his lips while smoking...


    But he enjoyed smoking his dry tobacco. Those fancy cigarettes that the old man brought, with filters¡ªwhere was the flavor in those?


    Fortunately, his elder father really liked his son and daughter, which brought him some balance in his heart.


    Alas, when the old man was suffering, so was he and his own father.


    Now, there was no one who did not envy or try to curry favor with him, yet deep down he knew that his family¡¯s life was definitely not the same as before.


    According to Uncle Wu Tai, the old man¡¯s assets were counted in the billions.


    Billions, he could not even imagine how much that was.


    Anyway, it was a lot, so much that you could eat meat and drink wine every day and not run out for a lifetime.


    But he missed the past when times were hard yet unrestrained.


    Alas, talking too much about it only brought tears, and he didn¡¯t dare show it, because if people found out, he would be scolded as shameless.


    After resting for a few days, Wu Xiucai prepared to take Han Xianglan and his children back to Yun City.


    He didn¡¯t want to bring Qiao Zhicai, and he even thought about taking Han Xianglan straight back to the M country.


    Fifty-something, old?


    Not old, very young!


    He could even find his daughter a handsome young man.


    Finding a son-in-law to take care of them in their old age would work too, wouldn¡¯t there be countless people rushing forward eagerly?


    Of course, these dark thoughts were just passing notions in old man Wu Xiucai¡¯s heart; he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do something so tasteless, especially with Qiao Qingyu, the girl who seemed to see right through his thoughts, making him feel embarrassed at times. His preference for wealth over poverty was too obvious.


    In fact, he also knew that, no matter what, the Qiao Family had given his daughter a home, a place to shelter from the wind and rain.


    And indeed, the Qiao Family treated his daughter well.


    But then again, his daughter was literate, sensible, and filial. To not treat such a good woman well would be inhuman.


    Thinking this, Wu Xiucai also thought of the He Family and was surprised that the He Family had let his daughter study with He Shan.


    Only later did too many things happen.


    He had met He Shan a few times, and He Shan had shown him much respect.


    But He Shan...


    What could have been and the past were not to be dwelled on; one could only say that perhaps everything was predestined.


    So, before leaving, Wu Xiucai also wanted to find out what kind of person it was who sold his daughter to the He Family back then.


    Old Lady He knew this day would come and had been waiting for it.


    Wu Xiucai had found his biological daughter, and she was the person who bought his daughter.


    How could he not come and ask what the situation was back then?


    But in reality, she had already forgotten many details, yet she tried hard to remember, tried hard to think, preparing for when Wu Xiucai arrived so she would know what to say.


    This was the fifth day since Wu Xiucai acknowledged his daughter.


    After eating breakfast, Qiao Qingyu accompanied Wu Xiucai to Hejia Village.


    This time they were more low-key; the car stopped at the entrance of the village.


    Of course, that was also because the roads in the village were simply too narrow for cars to enter.


    If one were to measure the level of poverty, the Qiao Family Team from before and Hejia Village were similar.


    But now, in just over a short year, the difference had become quite significant.

 Chapter 293 - 293 293 The Old Lady Who Wreaked Havoc

    ?Chapter 293: Chapter 293: The Old Lady Who Wreaked Havoc Chapter 293: Chapter 293: The Old Lady Who Wreaked Havoc Most people in the Qiao Family Team were brimming with energy, some no longer wore clothes full of patches but had made new clothes from fabric to wear for the New Year. Their shoes no longer exposed their toes, but were now warm cotton shoes.


    The cold weather no longer left their heads bare, some even stylishly purchased cotton hats to wear.


    Hejia Village had also contracted joint production, but because they didn¡¯t get many high-yielding corn seeds, although this year¡¯s harvest was better than last year¡¯s, it still fell far short of the Qiao Family Team¡¯s.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know where He Xiuyu¡¯s grandmother¡¯s house was; she had come brazenly, understanding that with the currently awkward relationship between the two families, it was improper to visit before relations were mended.


    But there was no other suitable person besides her.


    Not to mention Wu Xiucai, who barely approved of anyone, it was almost the same.


    What could she say?


    Though Wu Xiucai had lived a transient life, the environment he grew up in from childhood was indeed beyond what she and the Qiao Family could imagine, even for her who had traversed from the real world of the future and endured over twenty years of hard times.


    To gather tuition fees, she had even collected garbage and sold cardboard.


    However, Qiao Qingyu was also waiting, waiting for the old man to adjust his mood, otherwise, he would still be a lone and solitary person.


    Even though Han Xianglan was his biological daughter, she couldn¡¯t bear her biological father looking at her husband and children with disdain.


    Fortunately, the old man still had some cultivation; he kept his thoughts to himself, and what he mostly disapproved of were their living habits.


    But the good thing about him was, disapproval was just disapproval, but he wouldn¡¯t do anything to hurt their pride.


    He ate whatever they gave him, he didn¡¯t deliberately buy beautiful clothes or gold and silver jewelry for his daughter to embarrass Qiao Zhicai, nor did he conspicuously bring a cartload of chickens, ducks, fish, and meat to show contempt for their food.


    But the necessary courtesies were not lacking; the two elders of the Qiao Family were a bit older than him, and he personally visited them with gifts.


    And this time, he naturally came bearing generous gifts.


    After all, Old Lady He had also saved Wu Qianyun.


    So it can be said that this old man was truly a gentleman, a cultured, modest gentleman.


    At that moment, as they walked, they arrived.


    Qiao Qingyu pointed to the gate in front of them, ¡°Grandpa, this is He Xiuyu¡¯s grandfather¡¯s house.¡±


    Standing at the gate, Wu Xiucai glanced sideways at his beautiful little granddaughter, who really resembled his late wife.


    Just not in temperament.


    It was said that this girl was also a village bully when she was little.


    His tone softened unintentionally, yet it was somewhat humorous, ¡°You¡¯ve never been here before?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu quickly shook her head, ¡°I¡¯ve never been here, not even once.¡±


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re embarrassed to come; I just don¡¯t understand, given the awkward relationship between the Qiao Family and the He Family, why must you insist on He Xiuyu?¡±


    Saying this, he was a bit angry and glared at Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Your mother had pride, what you did then really embarrassed her.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    It never ends, does it? If it were her, she certainly wouldn¡¯t go to see He Xiuyu.


    Even though he was very good.


    But then again, if time could turn back and she still had her memories, would she still marry He Xiuyu?


    The answer was ambiguous.


    Just thinking about a man as good as He Xiuyu marrying someone else made her heart ache terribly.


    Qiao Qingyu was also wide-eyed, ¡°Grandpa...¡± she didn¡¯t even call him granddad anymore, ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, don¡¯t bring up the past.¡±


    Seeing his granddaughter getting angry, Wu Xiucai decided to let it go, ¡°Alright, alright, grandpa won¡¯t mention it anymore, I was just joking with you. Speaking of which, you¡¯re not at a loss. He Xiuyu is a talented man, the most outstanding young man I¡¯ve ever met, you have good taste!¡±


    Only then did Qiao Qingyu break into a smile, and then she knocked on the He Family¡¯s big door.


    Speaking of which, she was not unfamiliar with Old Lady He, who often used to slip her tasty treats when she was little.


    The look in her eyes was incredibly tender.


    It was only later, as she grew up and stopped roaming around, that she seldom saw Old Lady He, but whenever she did, Old Lady He would gaze at her intently, sometimes even making small talk out of the blue.


    But all these memories were getting blurry, they used to be vivid when she thought about them before; however, recently, when she recalled them, they seemed like smoke, as if a gust of wind could blow them away.


    Old Lady He already knew they would come, and at the moment, she was standing in the courtyard, alongside a chair on which sat an old man with white hair and a wrinkled face¡ªthat was He Xiuyu¡¯s grandfather.


    These two people were about the same age as Wu Xiucai but looked more than a decade older.


    ¡°Come in and sit.¡±


    Old Lady He, with a hoarse voice, invited them in, smiling at Qiao Qingyu. This time, she could finally smile at the child without any burden.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled naturally.


    Smiling, it could resolve many awkward atmospheres.


    Hejia Village wasn¡¯t big, so if something happened in one family, the entire village knew.


    So it wasn¡¯t long before a large crowd gathered outside the courtyard. Now that the autumn harvest was over, the grain was stored away, and a portion of the public grain was already paid; the money from selling the village grain was already in each person¡¯s hands.


    Having been busy for nearly a year, it was now time to ¡°cat winter,¡± naturally during the broad daylight, everyone was idle at home.


    No sooner had the news that the wealthy Mr. Wu, along with Qiao Qingyu, came looking for Old Lady He spread than people swarmed toward it.


    The first to come in was Mrs. Xu with her bound feet.


    She struggled to peer through her cloudy eyes at Wu Xiucai, thinking how different the wealthy man was from the elderly villagers.


    But she still stood in front of Old Lady He.


    This old lady was always quick with words, ¡°Hey old man, are you coming here to place blame? That¡¯s not fair, you know. Back then, the He Family had no choice but to sell Xianglan to the Qiao Family. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be a great benefit for the Old Qiao Family...¡±


    Old Lady He¡¯s face darkened, and Wu Xiucai¡¯s expression also soured.


    Qiao Qingyu pulled Mrs. Xu over.


    This old lady clearly came to cause trouble. Qiao Qingyu, not knowing her, simply said, ¡°My grandpa has some business with Grandma He, you¡¯d best not interfere.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not interfering; I¡¯m just worried you¡¯ll bully Old Sister He, her life hasn¡¯t been easy...¡±


    This old lady wasn¡¯t shy either, smiling cheerfully at Mr. Wu, ¡°Then I¡¯ll just add my two cents. Maybe you¡¯re also not satisfied with Qingyu¡¯s dad, right? Ah, it was a messy thing Mrs. He did back then. If she had insisted a little longer and waited for Shanzi to return, imagine this young couple getting together, having children¡ªwhat a good family that would be. Xianglan is sensible and filial, and He Shan is promising, a perfect match for your Xianglan...¡±

 Chapter 294 - 294 294 If

    ?Chapter 294: Chapter 294: If ... Chapter 294: Chapter 294: If ... Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression had already darkened.


    However, Old Lady He remained silent, though she disliked Mrs. Xu, she genuinely enjoyed hearing what came next.


    These two children, when they were young, matched each other like golden boy and jade girl.


    Wu Xiucai spoke calmly, his voice gentle, ¡°Qiao Zhicai is my son-in-law, and he treats my daughter very well. The two of them are very happy together, and I am quite satisfied.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression then brightened.


    No matter what, Qiao Zhicai was her biological father, and she would never let anyone harm her own father in the slightest, or else what kind of daughter would she be? She would be nothing but an animal.


    Such a person, Mr. Wu would also look down upon.


    Mrs. Xu curled her lips, muttering indifferently, ¡°What¡¯s the use of regretting now? It¡¯s already too late, everyone should just live their own lives well...¡±


    She looked up and scolded the onlookers, ¡°Hurry up and go home, go and do what you¡¯re supposed to do. What¡¯s there to see?¡±


    In the village, Mrs. Xu held some prestige as she was a midwife. Reportedly, from those aged fifty to those in their teens in nearby areas, many were delivered by her.


    Mrs. Xu also knew some traditional Chinese medicine; she could prescribe remedies for common ailments, so nobody would refute what she said.


    They also felt that the dignified demeanor of the elder in the yard was somewhat formidable.


    So, they all dispersed.


    Wu Xiucai remained gentle, ¡°Old Lady He, don¡¯t be nervous. I just want to ask about the two people who sold my daughter years ago. What were they wearing? What did they look like? What accent did they have? Where did they come from? Did they have any distinctive features?¡±


    Wu Xiucai had come prepared and asked everything he wanted to know, and Old Lady He, also prepared, told Wu Xiucai all that she knew, accurately and thoroughly.


    Wu Xiucai listened intently, asking many details in between. It really did unearth some things buried in memory.


    But the time was too far gone.


    Wu Xiucai now understood what had happened back then; the involved parties were either dead or disabled, and even if knowing that those two were sent by that damned woman, what could really be done?


    So now, he couldn¡¯t let that damned woman die; he was determined to bring his daughter to her, to let her know that Wu Xiucai had finally found his daughter.


    After a while longer of conversation, Wu Xiucai took his leave.


    At the doorway, Old Lady He¡¯s voice was hoarse as she looked at Qiao Qingyu, her eyes filled with kindness, ¡°Jade, you are a good girl. Have a good life with Xiu Yu, don¡¯t worry about adult matters, and no need to rush. Once things start in this world, they always develop their own course, right?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu just thought it over and understood what Old Lady He meant, and she smiled, ¡°Grandma He, take care of yourself.¡±


    Old Lady He did not say much, there was nothing she was particularly reluctant or anxious about.


    The relationship between the two families would soften sooner or later.


    Meng Siqi would have to acknowledge it eventually!


    ...


    In Beijing, He Shan had completed his task and returned.


    Almost a year had passed, and Meng Siqi hadn¡¯t expected He Shan to bring her such explosive news.


    Her second daughter-in-law, Qiao Qingyu, turned out to be the granddaughter of M country¡¯s wealthiest man Wu Xiucai, which meant Han Xianglan was Wu Xiucai¡¯s biological daughter.


    It is said that Mr. Wu had been searching for her for over forty years.


    Han Xianglan¡¯s real name was not Han Xianglan, but Wu Qianyun.


    For a moment, Meng Siqi sat on the couch, not knowing what to say, blankly staring at He Shan. Just as she was about to speak, He Shan stood up seriously and said, ¡°Comrade Meng Siqi, say whatever you want, but don¡¯t deal in ¡®what-ifs¡¯!¡±


    ¡°If only, if only what?¡± Meng Siqi asked blankly, not understanding herself at once.


    He Shan replied irritably, ¡°You should know what you¡¯re imagining. But I advise you, never speak these thoughts aloud. Nothing has changed between now and then. Whether she is Han Xianglan or Wu Qianyun, she is Qiao Qingyu¡¯s biological mother, the mother-in-law to your beloved youngest son.¡±


    Meng Siqi¡¯s expression shifted uncertainly, on one hand marveling at the mysterious twists of fate, and on the other hand finding it all quite unbelievable.


    She indeed had been contemplating ¡®what if.¡¯


    Yes, anyone would ponder ¡®what if.¡¯


    What if in those earlier years the Old Lady He hadn¡¯t sold Han Xianglan to Qiao Zhicai to be his bride, today He Shan would be Mr. Wu Xiucai¡¯s son-in-law.


    Meng Siqi, ¡°...¡±


    Indeed, it¡¯s useless to speculate. When one starts, it only leaves a sour taste.


    But just as He Shan said, one mustn¡¯t dwell on what-ifs.


    Regardless of who Wu Qianyun is, her current role as the mother-in-law to her son cannot change.


    Unless Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu divorce.


    But from what she knew, those two were very much in love; her son had visited her naturally on his last business trip to Beijing.


    Her son was also very filial, bringing her the things she liked.


    And then she keenly noticed a change in her son. He was no longer so serious or unsmiling. His brows were not furrowed.


    His steps were light, his eyes and brows were smiling.


    The whole atmosphere about him was incredibly gentle. He even played the accordion in his room and hummed while helping with chores.


    Whenever he was home, he would almost invariably call Qiao Qingyu each evening.


    She accidentally overheard some of the conversation. Oh, how tenderly he spoke¡ªit gave her goosebumps.


    He Xiuyu ah, I had no idea you could be this kind of He Xiuyu!


    She had lived through her youth; she knew very well what her son¡¯s actions meant.


    What could she do with the discomfort in her heart?


    Now it seemed that Qiao Qingyu was someone her son treasured above all else. If she spoke badly, her son would truly turn against her.


    She wasn¡¯t foolish enough to dampen his spirits at this time.


    However, despite her reluctance, what could Meng Siqi do? She had only three children, yet now none were by her side.


    And she hadn¡¯t expected that Liu Ge¡¯s lowly daughter would end up living with her little uncle and little aunt for so long.


    As for Rongrong, she had regrets too.


    She did not like He Xuerong because the child looked too much like her mother. Every time she saw her, she was reminded of the disgrace Liu Ge had brought upon her son and the mockery he faced from everyone.


    Her eldest son was so outstanding; he was the kind of man many girls would want to marry.


    Back when Liu Ge married her son, it was the Liu Family who had reached above their station.


    Yet, she could not believe how shameless and vile that woman could be.


    But she swore to heaven, she had never laid a hand on He Xuerong.


    However, seeing those bruises on the child had startled her; undoubtedly, they were the work of her own daughter, Juanjuan.

 Chapter 295 - 295 295 Outrageously Provocative

    ?Chapter 295: Chapter 295: Outrageously Provocative Chapter 295: Chapter 295: Outrageously Provocative ¡°That girl is becoming more and more outrageous,¡± she thought, ¡°but what can she do?¡±


    If it were revealed that He Juanjuan was the culprit, she guessed that He Xiuyu and He Xiuwen would completely despise their only sister.


    She couldn¡¯t let the siblings of the He family turn against each other.


    So, she had to take the responsibility herself.


    Children are debts; her success in life also meant her failure.


    Meng Siqi was clearly upset, sitting there with her head lowered in silence.


    He Shan didn¡¯t know what his wife was thinking. He thought she was again lost in her thoughts, imagining things. He walked over, sat beside Meng Siqi, stretched out his hand to pat her shoulder, and whispered, ¡°What¡¯s done is done. The kids are still doing well, isn¡¯t that what we, as parents, want for our children¡ªto see them happy? Besides, Qiao Qingyu is a fine girl, and she doesn¡¯t come around to bother you anymore. Let¡¯s just leave it be for now...¡±


    Meng Siqi felt miserable but also warmed. In the end, the person she could rely on was him, this husband whom she had always resented.


    Now she thought, what was she resenting him for?


    Even if he had a past relationship with Han Xianglan, since Han Xianglan got married, the two families had lost touch.


    Why was she still trying to bring up something irrelevant!


    ...


    Su Yunyao also knew that news about Qiao Qingyu¡¯s biological grandfather being Wu Xiucai.


    Recently, Su Yunyao had been hit by many shocks, and she hadn¡¯t digested them all when another big piece of news arrived.


    However, it wasn¡¯t someone from the base who told her; it was her own elder brother who called to tell her.


    Wu Xiucai wouldn¡¯t hide such news.


    He would wish he could proclaim it to the world.


    He returned, not mentioning Yun City, only hinting that naturally, in this exclusive circle, they would happily welcome him in.


    So, the news was genuinely solid.


    Thus, Su Yunyao was utterly flustered.


    She remembered her previous life, Su Yunyao holding her head, squatting ungracefully in a corner.


    Her eyes were lifeless and vacant.


    How did Qiao Qingyu end up with such a wealthy grandfather?


    How could Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mother be the millionaire¡¯s daughter who had been missing for over forty years?


    Such a thing never happened in her previous life.


    Even if she had a poor memory, she wouldn¡¯t forget such a significant event, and with Qiao Qingyu being such a vain woman, if she really had such a status, she would have been outrageously arrogant.


    So, definitely, this did not happen in her previous life.


    So, where exactly did the problem lie?


    Su Yunyao squatted in the corner, thinking back little by little...


    She traced from the present back to when Wu Tai brought the inspection team to Yushu County, to Xiaxi Commune.


    In her previous life, Wu Tai never saw Qiao Qingyu!


    So, that was where the problem lay.


    Su Yunyao understood now.


    She had been at the scene, previously unobservant, but recalling it now, Wu Tai was incredibly shocked.


    It even caused him to faint on the spot because of his overwhelming emotions.


    Thus, Qiao Qingyu must resemble Wu Tai¡¯s little aunt significantly.


    Don¡¯t they always say there¡¯s such a thing as skipping a generation in genetics?


    They had been searching for so many years without a single clue; seeing someone so similar, how could they ignore it?


    Naturally, the next step was to investigate and gather evidence.


    I didn¡¯t expect that after such a long time.


    Now that Qiao Qingyu had gained such an identity, peeling off her disguise wasn¡¯t going to be easy anymore.


    Su Yunyao felt as if all her strength had been drained, she squatted on the ground with a bitter smile at the corners of her mouth. Heaven had begrudgingly given her a chance to be reborn, perhaps she was the only one among billions in the world to have such an honor.


    But she had wasted it, truly wasted it, and now she was almost completely deserted by everyone.


    If she didn¡¯t have this A-04 in her hands, would she be nothing?


    So, should she bring out another thing that could shock the world?


    Su Yunyao¡¯s eyes slowly regained their sparkle.


    But suddenly, it felt like a bucket of cold water was poured over her, because she remembered that letter and she wanted to scream out loud.


    Now it was clear, the person who wrote the letter wasn¡¯t the Old Mountain Eagle, so who was it?


    As long as this person wasn¡¯t found, as long as they still existed, she had to walk forward step by step honestly.


    Su Yunyao clenched her teeth, she couldn¡¯t afford to waste any more time, she decided to take a risk and conduct an experiment.


    Of course, this time she wouldn¡¯t use the results of He Xiuyu, nor would she use the future scientific achievements of Tenghai Research Base, could she use some concepts from abroad?


    Like computers.


    That was a good thing.


    Although she hadn¡¯t seen the far future, during her time back, computers weren¡¯t yet in every household, but those who could afford it often bought one.


    The internet was also gradually taking shape, and internet cafes sprang up everywhere like bamboo shoots after the rain.


    Even if her thoughts had been misdirected, she had been influenced by the research base for decades.


    She could certainly guess that the future would belong to computers, and yes, mobile phones as well.


    What would it be like to get a jump on these two things?


    Which one should she develop first among the two?


    In her previous life, she had seen and touched on this material quite a bit, though she didn¡¯t know the core content, but just putting the concepts and ideas on the table with everyone¡¯s efforts, how could it not be developed?


    Thus, Su Yunyao was again invigorated, her eyes sparkling, her body as if injected with a boost of energy.


    An arduous rebirth, she couldn¡¯t just waste it like this, if she really managed to develop computers or mobile phones, she would indeed leave a bold stroke in history.


    And, Su Yunyao wanted to see if that person who wrote the letters to her would write again.


    This time she wasn¡¯t afraid.


    Even if she was accused of plagiarism, what could the real victims do from thousands of miles away?


    So Su Yunyao almost wanted to laugh out loud.


    Thinking this, she went ahead and did it.


    Then she saw Shen Haoze in front of her, staring at her dumbfounded.


    Shen Haoze was indeed stunned; Su Yunyao, with her wildly dishevelled hair, looked like a madwoman. She stood with her hands on her hips, looked up at the sky, and let out a bizarre ha-ha laughter.


    After coming to his senses, Shen Haoze turned and ran.


    And he deeply felt how wise it was that he no longer liked this woman.


    Unexpectedly, Shen Haoze thought he was quite fast, but Su Yunyao was even faster.


    Now Su Yunyao had a very strange feeling towards Shen Haoze, she couldn¡¯t quite say what it was herself; just that every time she saw him, she wanted to see him grit his teeth yet feel helpless towards her.


    You dislike me, don¡¯t you?


    You¡¯re sick of me, aren¡¯t you?


    You think I¡¯m morally flawed, don¡¯t you?


    Well, I¡¯ll just stand right in front of you!


    So, Su Yunyao took a step forward, and with a quick move, grabbed Shen Haoze¡¯s wool overcoat.

 Chapter 296 - 296 296 Im begging you please let me go

    ?Chapter 296: Chapter 296: I¡¯m begging you, please let me go! Chapter 296: Chapter 296: I¡¯m begging you, please let me go! She certainly didn¡¯t know what she must have looked like, but the corners of her mouth appeared to smile in a not entirely genuine manner, ¡°Shen Haoze, am I some kind of monster or beast? I¡¯m your colleague, your comrade ¨C why do you run every time you see me? If you keep this up, I¡¯ll have to have a talk with our superiors.¡±


    Shen Haoze hadn¡¯t expected to be caught, and he hurriedly explained, ¡°I have something to do, who says I ran away when I saw you?¡±


    At the same time, Shen Haoze was also pulling at his own clothes, trying to extricate them from Su Yunyao¡¯s grip.


    He was wearing a black coat, and Su Yunyao¡¯s hand was quite attractive and very white, so the stark black against white contrast was especially pronounced.


    For a moment, Shen Haoze was somewhat distracted.


    Seeing him desperately trying to pull his coat away, Su Yunyao simply used her other hand to grip tighter and pull him, ¡°Next time you see me, will you run or not?¡±


    Shen Haoze was struggling hard to break free.


    He didn¡¯t feel good about grabbing Su Yunyao¡¯s hand, but this pull and tug really looked too ugly, and he was so frustrated his face turned red, ¡°Su Yunyao, why are you so shameless now? You weren¡¯t like this before.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me about the past. You weren¡¯t like this before either,¡± Su Yunyao retorted without a hint of politeness.


    ¡°...People are going to come soon, and you will be criticized if they see us like this.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯ve been criticized before, I¡¯ve even criticized myself,¡± Su Yunyao said with self-deprecation in her voice.


    ¡°Su Yunyao, can¡¯t you stop this? I¡¯m begging you, please let me go!¡±


    Su Yunyao was stunned for a moment, then suddenly laughed.


    She hadn¡¯t anticipated that one day Shen Haoze would say such words to her.


    Suddenly, Su Yunyao felt a bit sad.


    How had she come to be so detested by everyone, to the point where a person she had once looked down upon was begging her to let go?


    She pulled ferociously at Shen Haoze¡¯s woolen coat.


    Shen Haoze had no choice but to retreat forcefully, trying to yank the hem of the coat from Su Yunyao¡¯s hands. However, he didn¡¯t expect Su Yunyao to suddenly stop pulling, and when she let go, the momentum made Shen Haoze plop down on the ground.


    He looked at Su Yunyao in shock.


    Su Yunyao left without any expression on her face.


    But Su Yunyao¡¯s eyes were hot; she was very upset. She felt like such a failure in life, as if there was not a single good man in the world.


    Where exactly was Su Yunyao lacking?


    Why did everyone dislike her so much, treating her as some kind of disaster?


    Su Yunyao fiercely wiped away the tears on her face and strode away, disappearing behind the laboratory¡¯s doors.


    Shen Haoze, still sitting on the ground, remained there ¨C so, he hadn¡¯t been mistaken, had he? Su Yunyao had been wiping away tears?


    Su Yunyao had cried.


    For whom did she weep?


    For He Xiuyu, or for herself?


    Had his words just now been too harsh?


    Shen Haoze covered his face with his hands and sighed deeply.


    For some reason, he suddenly felt very uncomfortable as well.


    ...


    Chu Ying stood at the gate of the base¡¯s elementary school when she saw He Xuerong, backpack on, leaving school, and she rushed up excitedly, ¡°Rongrong, you¡¯re done with school!¡±


    He Xuerong gave her a cold look and pointed at the gate and then her backpack, ¡°Not done with school? Then what, am I going to school?¡±


    Chu Ying didn¡¯t mind and shook open the scarf in her hand, smilingly saying, ¡°Rongrong, Aunt Chu has knitted a scarf for you with rainbow yarn. Do you like it?¡±


    He Xuerong glanced at it. The rainbow yarn was very pretty, being a single thread dyed in seven colors that created a vibrant, multicolored scarf.


    The little girl tilted her head back, imperiously ordering, ¡°Unfold it so I can see...¡±


    Chu Ying hurriedly spread the scarf out, and He Xuerong looked at it from end to end with a frown, ¡°Why is it wider on one side?¡±


    The towel that little aunt had knitted for her had been perfectly even.


    How come this one starts off wide and then narrows down towards the bottom?


    Chu Ying said embarrassingly, ¡°Rongrong, this is the first scarf I¡¯ve knitted. It seems like I dropped a few stitches, so it ended up looking like this.¡±


    He Xuerong was not pleased, ¡°It turns out Aunt Chu, you were using me for practice.¡±


    ¡°Aunt originally wanted to unravel it and re-knit it, but the yarn is wool, and once it¡¯s unraveled, it gets all curly and won¡¯t look nice if I knit it again. I also didn¡¯t have time to go buy new wool. Just bear with it for now, and I¡¯ll knit you a new one when I have time, okay?¡±


    He Xuerong didn¡¯t really want it, but she remembered the little aunt¡¯s assessment of Chu Ying, and being naturally sensitive, she could feel whether a person was good or bad, just like a little animal.


    For instance, she could instantly tell that Su Yunyao didn¡¯t like her.


    But this Chu Ying truly liked her.


    So, holding the scarf awkwardly in her hand, she grudgingly accepted, ¡°Even though it¡¯s very ugly, seeing that you made such an effort, I suppose I¡¯ll reluctantly take it.¡±


    At that moment, He Xuerong was wearing a scarf that Qiao Qingyu had knitted for her. Chu Ying rolled up the scarf she¡¯d made and stuffed it into her backpack, then happily picked up her backpack and said, ¡°Come on, Aunt Chu will take you to the canteen for lunch.¡±


    He Xuerong called over Li Mingguang, who had run over, and then the three of them headed towards the base¡¯s canteen.


    Thus, although Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t around, He Xuerong was still living a rather nourishing life.


    But He Xiuyu missed Qiao Qingyu very much.


    And he had also learned that Wu Xiucai had taken Han Xianglan¡¯s family, including the two school-aged children and Qiao Mubao, to Yun City.


    Recognizing one¡¯s ancestry was a big deal, so naturally, no one could be left behind.


    Therefore, once this matter was settled, Qiao Qingyu should be returning to the base.


    She still had to study here, and there were many things she hadn¡¯t done yet.


    But knowing that his wife would soon be back, He Xiuyu was still delighted. So, when he saw Chu Ying taking He Xuerong and Li Mingguang to the canteen for a meal, he didn¡¯t say anything and just let them go.


    ...


    Qiao Zhicai initially didn¡¯t want to go to Yun City, but he knew that even if he felt uncomfortable and resistant, he had to go.


    It was about giving face to his wife and to his children; he couldn¡¯t afford any impropriety with his prestige-laden father-in-law.


    But the sorrow he felt was greatly suppressed. He wasn¡¯t foolish; how could he not notice that Wu Xiucai was dissatisfied with him at every turn?


    Yet he was also moved by Wu Xiucai¡¯s protection of him in public.


    So, it was quite complicated.


    Qiao Zhicai, who had experienced little emotional fluctuation or great ambition in his life, suddenly felt as though he had grown up overnight.


    This feeling was both strange and embarrassing.


    So one¡¯s growth might not be limited by age after all.


    Qiao Qingyu thought to herself, noticing the changes in her father.


    However, she soon stopped pondering these thoughts, as they had already arrived at Yun City, at the Wu Family ancestral home. She really hadn¡¯t expected that in the future, where every inch of land in Yun City would be worth a fortune, they would have such a large house, almost a small manor.


    Decades from now, this place might well be worth billions...

 Chapter 297 - 297 297 Out of Place

    ?Chapter 297: Chapter 297 Out of Place Chapter 297: Chapter 297 Out of Place At this time of year, Yun City was in the season of clear autumn skies and lush, blooming flowers.


    The weather was neither cold nor hot, and the wind was gentle, whereas when they left the Qiao Family Team, the second snow had already started to drift down in North City.


    It really lived up to the saying, ¡°a thousand miles frozen, ten thousand miles of drifting snow.¡±


    It was as if they had suddenly transitioned from winter to summer.


    Although everyone felt unsettled, as if they were dreaming, they were also very excited.


    Qiao Zhicai, Han Xianglan, Niu Guili, along with Doudou and Feifei, had never been anywhere besides a few trips to the county town.


    Qiao Mubao had once been to the Southern region, and Qiao Genbao had visited Xichuan, but he headed north, where it got colder and more desolate with each step; of course, this didn¡¯t include Qiao Qingyu.


    Thus, to these people, Yun City, with its southern water town ambiance, small bridges over flowing water, refreshing breezes, weeping willows along the river, and countless hibiscus flowers, seemed like a painting come to life, overwhelming their senses, giving them the feeling of Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden.


    Here in Yun City, not only did the Wu Family have an old residence, but they also had their enterprises. Although it was a mere fraction of what it used to be, it was still at the pyramid¡¯s peak by current standards.


    The Wu Family¡¯s old residence was a typical southern home, with a tall gate and a large courtyard, flanked by two large stone lions. The steps climbed progressively up to the main door, which had a high threshold. On the other side, there was a dedicated passageway for horse-drawn carriages and automobiles.


    According to the southern architectural layout, this was supposed to be a courtyard with five sections.


    Whether it was or not, Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t entirely sure.


    The big vermilion gate was freshly lacquered, and the courtyard walls had been whitewashed, with green ivy and vines hanging from the eaves above.


    These people felt somewhat restrained standing in the yard, but they were soon greeted by others who took their bags and luggage and arranged their rooms, before all heading to the main hall.


    This so-called main hall was situated in the central courtyard. However, the windows were of old-style carved frames, which allowed for less bright light.


    The interior of the room was decorated with an antiquated charm, yet it also exuded a sense of modernity.


    These people were still reserved. Had they gone to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house, it wouldn¡¯t have been like this. But it felt like moving from a thatched hut into a skyscraper in an instant. Understandably, they were unable to adapt immediately.


    The children, however, were unconcerned with such matters.


    Led by Qiao Mubao, Doudou and Feifei began to explore.


    Rock gardens, flowing water under bridges, pavilions, towers, and galleries. Qiao Mubao thought to himself, goodness gracious, is this an old prince¡¯s residence?


    Qiao Zhicai quietly sat next to his wife, demure, but his tightly clenched hands betrayed how out of place he felt with everything here.


    Even though he was dressed from head to toe in new clothes and shoes, his weathered face and rough hands seemed to constantly remind Wu Xiucai that his son-in-law was a bona fide old farmer.


    He didn¡¯t know how to interact with him, but he knew he was a good person, an upright and kind-hearted man who treated his daughter extremely well.


    However, he would never allow his daughter to live the way she had before.


    So change it must be; a transformation was destined. These people were bound to live a different life.


    They most certainly had to adapt.


    Look how well his granddaughter, his grandson, and his two great-grandchildren were adjusting.


    And so was his daughter.


    The only constraint was my eldest grandson and his wife.


    Wu Xiucai made an effort to soften his expression, ¡°The room is already arranged for you guys, go and rest for a while, and then come here to eat.¡±


    Then, turning to Han Xianglan, he said, ¡°You need to get used to your own name, you were originally called Wu Qianyun.¡±


    ¡°I understand, Dad, I¡¯ll try my best to get used to it,¡± Han Xianglan promised, no, from now on she was Wu Qianyun.


    ¡°You stay here for a while, your mother left quite a few things for you, I¡¯ll take you to see them...¡± Wu Xiucai said with a slightly melancholic voice.


    He had wanted to invite Qiao Qingyu to stay as well.


    Because Wu Xiucai particularly liked this little granddaughter.


    But Qiao Qingyu quickly moved forward and took hold of her father Qiao Zhicai¡¯s arm. She felt a bit sorry for her old dad, if it were not for Wu Xiucai, her dad would probably be full of enthusiasm for life by now, he had saved quite a bit of money for her, saying it was to supplement her dowry. He even told her that he would only keep ten percent of future earnings for those two boys, and ninety percent would be hers.


    However, in front of Wu Xiucai now, it seemed that all his efforts couldn¡¯t stand up to a single word from the old man.


    Qiao Qingyu said with a smiling face, ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯ll take my dad out for a walk first, we¡¯re leaving now...¡±


    After eating, she pulled Qiao Zhicai towards the outside.


    Followed by Qiao Genbao and Niu Guili, who quickly stood up.


    Qiao Qingyu seemed to hear the sighs of relief from these three people.


    She said with a smile, ¡°Big brother, sister-in-law, Little brother, along with Doudou and Feifei seem to be in the backyard garden. You better go check on them quick. I heard that this season might have snakes and such, don¡¯t scare the kids, okay...¡±


    Right, this is the Southern region after all. This season might indeed have snakes and such, especially in such a large yard with so many gardens and not many people around.


    Niu Guili went pale immediately, and Qiao Genbao also became anxious. All sorts of disordered emotions about being in a grand house, about the place being splendid and magnificent, scattered; the two hurried towards the back garden.


    Qiao Qingyu gave a slight smile, arm in arm with her old dad, they went to the pavilion in front.


    The pavilion was on top of a small bridge.


    All the chairs in the pavilion were wooden, clean and tidy.


    Standing in the pavilion, one could see more than half of the courtyard.


    Calling it a lake would be an exaggeration; it was more like a small lotus pond.


    The lotus leaves had already turned brown, the lotus flowers were long past their blooming season, and there was a small bridge above them.


    Even in real life, when Qiao Qingyu visited Yun City, she had never heard about such tourist spots. Perhaps this wasn¡¯t a tourist spot at all, but rather still a private estate.


    Qiao Zhicai had no interest in the scenery. Sitting in the chair, he felt relaxed only in front of his daughter, yet he was somewhat lost. He couldn¡¯t help asking Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Jade, what do you think your grandpa means? Does he not want your mom to go back to Qiao Family Team?¡±


    ¡°Dad, what do you think?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I...¡± Qiao Zhicai hesitated, his eyes flashing with conflict and helplessness, ¡°Jade, even if your dad isn¡¯t very cultured or world-wise, I still know your grandpa is no ordinary person, otherwise, he couldn¡¯t have even our North City¡¯s bigwigs inviting him to dinner.¡±


    That was one of North City¡¯s bigwigs, who, during his stay in North City, had invited him, this father-in-law, for meals, always with a smiling face, courteous, and respectful.


    In Qiao Zhicai¡¯s eyes, being able to have a meal with the head of Harvest Commune was already impressive.


    ¡°It¡¯s normal, Grandpa is indeed no ordinary person. He has done a lot for our country over the years, and his contribution has been significant,¡± Qiao Qingyu explained.

 Chapter 298 - 298 298 The Ingrate

    ?Chapter 298: Chapter 298: The Ingrate Chapter 298: Chapter 298: The Ingrate ¡°I know your grandpa only has your mom as a daughter, and your grandma is no longer with us,¡± said Qiao Qingyu. ¡°Even though we¡¯ve lived in the Qiao Family Team for so many years, we can¡¯t escape the truth¡ªit¡¯s still a rural community. Your grandpa won¡¯t let your mom return to the Qiao Family Team.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded. ¡°Dad, that¡¯s for sure. Let¡¯s put ourselves in their shoes for a moment...¡± Qiao Qingyu said with a smile, as if she hadn¡¯t noticed Qiao Zhicai¡¯s conflict, helplessness, and a hint of deep pain.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make an analogy,¡± she continued. ¡°You and my mom were workers in Ning¡¯an County, right? And when I was little, I got kidnapped...¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about!¡± Qiao Zhicai¡¯s face changed. He couldn¡¯t stand such talk; his daughter was the apple of his eye.


    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m just making an analogy. Listen to me.¡±


    Qiao Zhicai snorted through his nose, but his mood seemed to improve.


    Qiao Qingyu went on, ¡°...then, after over a decade, you found me in a tiny, dilapidated village deep in the mountains. Even if I was married with kids by then, life was so hard that we were going meal to meal without proper clothes. Could you bear to abandon me there and not care?¡±


    Qiao Zhicai wasn¡¯t a fool; he understood perfectly well what his daughter meant. He grumbled through his nose, ¡°Although life with your mom has been hard, I¡¯ve never let her go hungry or wear clothes patched on top of patches...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu fell silent and just looked at Qiao Zhicai quietly.


    After a moment of silence, Qiao Zhicai finally said in a low voice, ¡°Qingyu, I understand what you mean. If you really were in that situation, I¡¯d risk my old life to bring you back to the city. I wouldn¡¯t let you suffer a bit more.¡±


    Qingyu clapped her hands. ¡°So, Dad, think about what my grandpa must feel, as a father too. He went through so much to find my mom, so how could he possibly let her go back to the Qiao Family Team?¡±


    Qiao Zhicai fell silent, looking around after quite a while.


    In the past, this place could have been for the Emperor¡¯s son or perhaps high-ranking officials.


    Now such residences are assigned to individuals, something he was aware of. Yet the mansion was still here, which meant his father-in-law¡¯s status was certainly not just about wealth.


    The Qiao Family Team may be nice, but it¡¯s still rural. His house might have been top-tier in the village with its brick facade, but the rest was made of yellow mud. He was planning to save up this year to build a five-room brick house next.


    But even if you built a mansion in the Qiao Family Team, it couldn¡¯t compare to this place.


    Here, even using the bathroom was upscale, with some kind of toilet that made him feel constipated because he couldn¡¯t relax.


    When you think about it, it¡¯s all tears.


    ¡°...Qingyu, if I stay here, wouldn¡¯t it mean I¡¯m living off someone else? How could I let your grandpa support me?¡±


    Then he added, ¡°There are still so many relatives back at the Qiao Family Team, and your grandparents are in poor health. Even though your uncle and others are looking after them, I have my responsibilities and obligations.


    I can¡¯t just abandon them and ignore them. You know as well as I do, Qingyubao, how they¡¯ve been to our family, right?¡±


    ¡°Dad, I know.¡± Qingyu nodded quickly.


    ¡°...Despite our poverty, we have our dignity. No matter how rich your grandpa is, your grandparents would never move here. Yun City and North City are too far apart. Qingyubao, Dad is really worried, I have no idea what to do.¡±


    Qingyu was silent for a moment, then laughed, ¡°Dad, if this were happening to someone else, they¡¯d be over the moon and praising their ancestors¡¯ graves. But why do you look so worried?¡±


    ¡°Qingyubao, you don¡¯t understand,¡± Qiao Zhicai sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t settle down here. No matter how big the house, how nice the place, how beautiful the city, your dad¡ªI don¡¯t own anything here, how can I feel at ease? But I can¡¯t bear to see your grandma and mom separated, logically, your mom and I should be by your grandpa¡¯s side to show filial respect.¡±


    ¡°Dad, you¡¯re right to think that way. At this time, you should consider it from my mom¡¯s perspective. After being apart from my grandpa for so many years, they¡¯ve finally reunited. Grandpa¡¯s getting older, and you can¡¯t put mom in a difficult position.¡±


    ¡°I know, you don¡¯t have to tell me, I¡¯m not a beast. How could I deny your mom the chance to show filial piety? It¡¯s what children are supposed to do.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯ll have to stay with mom and grandpa for a while.¡±


    Qiao Zhicai nodded.


    Qingyu continued, ¡°My little brother absolutely has to go back. He has his college entrance exams next year and can¡¯t fall behind. Then there¡¯s Doudou and Feifei. Even though the Qiao Family Team¡¯s primary school isn¡¯t the best, they still need to finish this semester before making a decision for next year. With those two kids going back, my older brother and sister-in-law just can¡¯t stay here...¡±


    ¡°What about my corn husk crafts?¡±


    ¡°You can keep weaving them here, proudly continue your work. You come from a farming background, there¡¯s no shame in that. Plenty at the Xichuan Base talk behind my back, calling me a country girl, but I became the humanities top scholar went to university. Now all they can do is praise me. I¡¯ve never been ashamed of being from a rural area; without farmers, what would people eat?¡±


    The father and daughter chatted on and on, with Qiao Zhicai¡¯s mood gradually shifting from gloomy to brighter. He¡¯d tackle the unresolved issues slowly, but most he could accept by looking at things from a different perspective.


    He really learned a lot of new terms from his daughter.


    And those two rascals! No wonder he was less affectionate toward them. Seeing their father distressed, they didn¡¯t even bother to check on him.


    His daughter was more thoughtful.


    So when everyone sat down for dinner, Qiao Zhicai¡¯s expression was considerably brighter, and Wu Xiucai noticed the change instantly.


    Thinking back to what his daughter had said, he sighed.


    What could he do? He couldn¡¯t let his daughter be torn.


    She was right. If she had acknowledged a wealthy father and abandoned her husband and children, what good would such a daughter be?


    That would be nothing but an ungrateful beast.


    In any case, he had no plans to return to the United States. The important assets had been quietly moved back, though he still had companies in the United States with special significance. Now, he entrusted them to Tai¡¯s children and his nieces and nephews, feeling very assured.


    Wu Tai had things to take care of and left with Secretary Chang pushing his wheelchair.

 Chapter 299 - 299 299 The Mysterious Letter

    ?Chapter 299: Chapter 299: The Mysterious Letter Chapter 299: Chapter 299: The Mysterious Letter In the hall, there were only Wu Xiucai, his daughter Wu Qianyun, her husband, and their children.


    If his wife was still here, would they also enjoy the happiness of family togetherness?


    Wu Xiucai thought with some sadness.


    ...


    Recognizing ancestors and returning to one¡¯s roots could be both complicated and simple. Wu Xiucai brought back a few old clan members, along with some elderly members of the Wu Family who had initially refused to leave.


    Then they opened the ancestral hall and formally recognized their ancestors.


    Following old traditions, they offered incense and kowtowed.


    When writing the family genealogy, Wu Xiucai included his daughter¡¯s husband and children, as well as two great-grandchildren.


    With that, everything was settled.


    But Qiao Qingyu was preparing to return to Xichuan. It was already mid-October, and school had just started for the first semester. Even though she was exceptionally talented, she couldn¡¯t miss so much school.


    Wu Xiucai and Qiao Zhicai¡¯s interactions, though still somewhat awkward, had improved as both tried to step into each other¡¯s shoes and understand each other¡¯s emotions and feelings.


    Things were much better than at the beginning.


    Wu Xiucai was also in a good mood.


    It wasn¡¯t that his nephew Tai was not good; it¡¯s just that, after all, a nephew and a daughter are different.


    Their perspectives of concern were also different.


    His daughter would worry if he was warm enough, if his feet were cold, she wouldn¡¯t let him drink too much, or eat cold things, or anything spicy and stimulating. She took meticulous care of him three meals a day, chatted with him gently, and patiently listened to his old stories¡ªsuch father-daughter affection and familial joy were impossible to find in his nephew.


    Wu Xiucai¡¯s heart was also set, how wonderful it was to find his daughter; he would never have to leave this world alone and full of resentment.


    At night, the mother and daughter slept together, and Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry about home. My younger brother has my sister-in-law and they¡¯re taking care of things, and there are my grandparents. Just stay here and take care of grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Your grandpa is getting older, and his health hasn¡¯t been great these past years. I won¡¯t leave him to return to the Qiao Family Team; it has nothing to do with whether grandpa has money or not.¡±


    ¡°Of course I know, I¡¯ve also talked to Dad about this. You guys just stay here comfortably.¡±


    ¡°Alright, take good care of yourself when you go back.¡±


    As they talked, Wu Qianyun paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°Qingyu, although it¡¯s only October in the solar calendar now, the days will quickly pass and soon it¡¯ll be the twelfth lunar month. I¡¯m planning to take grandpa back to the Qiao Family Team for the New Year, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°Does grandpa agree?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I was thinking. The customs in the South are different from the North; celebrating New Year in the South is not as lively as back home. It¡¯s the first reunion year; if we could spend it together, I hope you and Xiu Yu can bring Rongrong back too.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu thought for a moment, ¡°Okay, whether you celebrate in Yun City or the Qiao Family Team, He Xiuyu and I will come.¡±


    After getting Qiao Qingyu¡¯s agreement, Wu Qianyun felt relieved.


    When leaving, Qiao Zhicai gave his daughter 500 yuan. Qiao Qingyu only took one hundred, pushing the rest back, ¡°Dad, I know you¡¯re saving this money for me, just keep it there. I know you haven¡¯t withdrawn all your money; it¡¯s not convenient for you if you don¡¯t have money on hand.¡±


    Next to them, Wu Qianyun smilingly said, ¡°Qingyu, your dad and I have money, and we don¡¯t have many expenses here. Just take it.¡±


    Qiao Zhicai proudly arched his eyebrows, ¡°Look, even your mom agrees.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu thought for a moment, then accepted it.


    Although Wu Xiucai liked Qiao Qingyu, he couldn¡¯t stop her from going home. However, he wrote a letter to He Xiuyu and whispered to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°You must take good care of this letter and not lose it.¡±


    Mysterious. What could be so important inside the letter?


    ¡°Grandpa, wouldn¡¯t it be easier to just call instead?¡± Qiao Qingyu suggested tentatively.


    ¡°Phones now are too troublesome, always having to be transferred. The operators can hear everything you say, how is that convenient?¡±


    He then added nonchalantly, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that abroad they are starting to research a communication tool that doesn¡¯t need an operator for direct calling.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu raised an eyebrow. Ha, she knew that. Wasn¡¯t that the earliest form of mobile phone?


    Calculating the time, if the book hadn¡¯t deliberately changed the timeline, it should be appearing soon.


    But she didn¡¯t know the exact time.


    Nevertheless, Qiao Qingyu placed the letter in her pocket and, when no one was around, put it into the Space Device.


    Actually, there was no need to put it in the Space Device because this time Qiao Qingyu was traveling back to Xichuan on a special train, which was smooth and highly secure.


    He Xiuyu and Rongrong were there to pick her up, a big and a small hand in hand, standing on a platform in the cold wind.


    Even though He Xiuyu was dressed similarly to the people around him, his handsome and standout demeanor naturally caught everyone¡¯s attention.


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu with loads of baggage getting off the special train, Rongrong happily ran forward but was held back by He Xiuyu. There was a security line, and only passengers and station staff were allowed to linger.


    He waited for Qiao Qingyu to come over and eagerly took her belongings, checking them carefully. My wife has become even more beautiful, but she has also lost some weight.


    Oh, it really breaks my heart.


    I need to get her some goat milk to nourish her properly.


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu had been gone for over half a month and by the time she returned, the autumn harvest had long ended. The public grain contributions, contract fees, and other miscellaneous things had been handled before her return.


    After deducting costs, the money left from selling grains and seeds was Qiao Qingyu¡¯s earnings for the year.


    Unexpectedly, there was an extra 50,000 yuan, meaning this year Qiao Qingyu had made a profit of over 200,000 yuan. Adding her savings, she deposited 400,000 yuan into the bank, keeping around 10,000 yuan in cash as working capital.


    It was like rolling a snowball, from the initial few tens of yuan to now 400,000 yuan. But also, it had to be said that the investment was big; not many people had that kind of cash on hand, daring to do what she did.


    Furthermore, she had a ¡°golden finger,¡± which helped her accumulate capital so quickly.


    On the day she returned, Qiao Qingyu solemnly handed the letter to He Xiuyu. He Xiuyu didn¡¯t seem surprised, but Qiao Qingyu still didn¡¯t quite understand.


    He Xiuyu and her grandfather had met long ago and had the chance to meet alone. What could they not discuss that they needed to go through the trouble of sending a letter?


    So, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know what was written in the letter.


    After handing the letter to He Xiuyu, she visited her own land. After a quick check, she started driving the tractor around the land not far from the base.


    Qiao Qingyu had many ideas, but whether they would work, that would have to wait until next spring.

 Chapter 300 - 300 300 True Love Innocent

    ?Chapter 300: Chapter 300: True Love Innocent? Chapter 300: Chapter 300: True Love Innocent? Qiao Qingyu passed on the subsequent work to Wang Laogen.


    Mr. Qian even found Wang Laogen a temporary office in the commune; Wang Laogen couldn¡¯t have dreamed that he would reach this point today.


    So, Wang Laogen felt that Qiao Qingyu was his benefactor.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t tell Qiao Qingyu what the letter was about. It was not that he didn¡¯t trust her, but that the fewer people who knew about those matters, the better.


    Qiao Qingyu went to school, missed quite a few classes, and didn¡¯t have time to chat with her classmates. So, she really had to study from dawn till dusk. Fortunately, after a week, she finally caught up with the other students and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.


    But then it was already Friday.


    Liu Hong and the others then talked about going to visit Professor Feng¡¯s laboratory and experimental field at the base. It was initially agreed upon, but due to one thing or another, it was delayed until now.


    This time, Qiao Qingyu readily agreed, ¡°Count the students who will be going for the visit.¡±


    Unexpectedly, there were twenty-nine, which was really not few.


    The base had a guesthouse and a cafeteria nearby; as long as they didn¡¯t enter the core laboratory and the security zone, there would be no problem.


    The base wasn¡¯t isolated from the world.


    Moreover, she had spoken to Professor Feng about this, and Professor Feng had agreed long ago.


    Li Bo, her roommate, was a girl who loved organizing things and volunteered eagerly to be the small team leader.


    Then everyone gathered at the door, waiting for the truck from the Xichuan Office to come pick them up. There were too many people, so they could only take a big truck, but everyone was excited.


    Xichuan was already very cold, with the first snow having fallen at the beginning of the month, but when the temperature rose, the snow melted completely.


    However, the climate was still cold, but the students¡¯ enthusiasm was high.


    Qiao Qingyu was also infected. She was supposed to go back yesterday, but there was too much homework, and she missed quite a few classes. Moreover, she planned to go to the base¡¯s laboratory with these students.


    So, she waited with everyone at the door for the vehicle from the base to arrive. Checking the time, there were still fifteen minutes. Qiao Qingyu said to her classmates behind her, ¡°It¡¯s a bit cold, move around so you don¡¯t freeze...¡±


    Some students started doing radio exercises, others stamped their feet in place, some laughed out loud, while others even expressed their feelings, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of the bone-chilling cold, my passion is higher than the sky...¡±


    Some people spouted nonsense, while others were quite rhyming.


    At that moment, from the right side of the main gate, a middle-aged woman came walking, wearing a plaid padded jacket and a scarf, then she stood at the gate and looked over at them.


    Suddenly, her eyes brightened, and just as she was about to call out someone, Li Bo, who stood next to Qiao Qingyu, changed her expression suddenly and urgently said to Qiao Qingyu next to her, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I have something to take care of over there; you guys have to wait for me...¡±


    Saying this, she hurriedly ran towards the middle-aged woman.


    When the middle-aged woman saw her, she opened her mouth in surprise, wanting to say something, but Li Bo pulled her by the hand and headed toward the right side of the gate, toward the big wall.


    Li Bo walked too fast, and the woman obviously couldn¡¯t keep up with her pace, which made her appear somewhat staggering.


    Qiao Qingyu frowned slightly, and Liu Hong, who was beside her, leaned in. She had always been at odds with Li Bo and said with a sneer, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, do you know who that woman is?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu asked, ¡°Do you know who she is?¡±


    ¡°Of course I know. That¡¯s Li Bo¡¯s mother, her real mother.¡±


    Next to them, Liu Min lowered her voice and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s Li Bo¡¯s real mother, but her mother is unreasonable, and Li Bo can¡¯t help it.¡±


    Liu Hong snorted coldly, ¡°What do you mean she can¡¯t help it? No matter what, that¡¯s her real mother. I¡¯ve never heard of a daughter siding with a home-wrecker instead of her own mother.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a home-wrecker. Li Bo said that her Aunt Shao and her dad were childhood sweethearts who were supposed to get married. But her mom used despicable means to cling to her dad and ruthlessly broke them apart.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was confused by what she heard.


    But she didn¡¯t understand the situation, so naturally, she didn¡¯t feel it was her place to comment randomly.


    ¡°...Even if that¡¯s the case, Li Bo is still going too far. Last time, I heard her say to her mom, ¡®Mom, this is immoral, it¡¯s cruel and heartless. Your marriage to my dad was forced, there¡¯s no love. Now you should let go. Aunt Shao and my dad truly love each other, you should be bringing them together, not going to the workplace to cause trouble and try to stop them...''¡±


    Liu Min quietly said to Liu Hong beside her, ¡°Liu Hong, don¡¯t talk nonsense, it wouldn¡¯t be good if other people knew...¡±


    ¡°Why should I be afraid when she dares to talk to her mom like that?¡± Liu Hong snapped, her face turning iron blue with anger.


    Qiao Qingyu hurriedly intervened, ¡°You two, stop arguing. By the way, what did she say to her mom that you overheard?¡±


    With a cold smile, Liu Hong looked toward the distant mother and daughter who were talking about something, ¡°I just happened to overhear our comrade Li Bo righteously telling her own mother, ¡®Mom, this is unethical, and cruel and heartless. Your marriage to my father was forced, there¡¯s no love involved. Now you should let go. Aunt Shao and my father truly love each other. You should support them instead of going to the unit to create obstacles...''¡±


    Liu Hong sneered, ¡°Listen to that, is this something someone should say? No matter how her mom is, didn¡¯t she give birth to her, didn¡¯t she raise her? What does Aunt Shao have to do with her?¡±


    Liu Min also frowned and added, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t quite understand Li Bo either, why she seems to have a better relationship with this so-called Aunt Shao than with her own mother.¡±


    Still with a mocking tone, Liu Hong added meaningfully, ¡°I now actually hope her dad and mom get divorced and let her Aunt Shao become her stepmom, and then the two have children. I want to see if Li Bo can still be as carefree as she is now.¡±


    Just then, it seemed that Li Bo had grown impatient, turned around, and tried to walk away, but the middle-aged woman clung tightly to Li Bo. When Li Bo shook her off, the woman fell and sat on the ground, then broke into tears, unable to hold back any longer.


    Startled, Li Bo turned around hastily, seemingly trying to cover her mother¡¯s mouth to stop her from crying.


    Before Qiao Qingyu could speak, Liu Hong, like a sudden gust of wind, swept by them. Qiao Qingyu frowned and felt compelled to follow, then said to the other classmates, ¡°Don¡¯t get involved. Wait here for the base¡¯s truck; we¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    Once Qiao Qingyu said this, the classmates who wanted to watch the commotion stopped in their tracks.


    After a short distance, Qiao Qingyu and the Lius reached the struggling women.


    Seeing people approaching, the middle-aged woman seemed to feel even more aggrieved and cried even louder.

 Chapter 301 - 301 301 The Dog Catches the Mouse and Meddles

    ?Chapter 301: Chapter 301: The Dog Catches the Mouse and Meddles in Affairs Chapter 301: Chapter 301: The Dog Catches the Mouse and Meddles in Affairs Qiao Qingyu quickly grabbed her, whispering, ¡°Auntie, this is just outside the school, there are so many of Li Bo¡¯s classmates over there, please don¡¯t cry, it¡¯s not good for her, let¡¯s talk this over calmly.¡±


    The middle-aged woman still wanted to cry, but when she met Qiao Qingyu¡¯s clear, piercing eyes, she suddenly realized that she was indeed embarrassing her daughter. She hastily wiped her tears and stood up.


    A few of them stood under the shelter of the wall, avoiding the wind.


    Li Bo¡¯s complexion was terrible, completely lacking her usual vigor. She even looked at her mother with disdain, thinking of her as nothing but a hindrance, offering no help¡ªjust a source of embarrassment.


    ¡°...Mom, just go back, you and dad have been out of love for so long, dragging it out is just hurting each other. Aunt Shao is getting older, she can¡¯t wait much longer, really...¡±


    ¡°Xiao Bo, what nonsense are you talking about? Who persuades their own parents to divorce? If we divorce, you¡¯ll have no home,¡± Li Bo¡¯s mother watched her in disbelief.


    And Qiao Qingyu looked at Li Bo with disbelief too. Was this something a child should say?


    Regardless, she shouldn¡¯t talk like this.


    ¡°Mom, do you think this is still a home? Every day it¡¯s nothing but fighting and causing trouble, or crying and yelling. I¡¯d rather not have such a home.¡±


    The middle-aged woman couldn¡¯t believe her daughter could be so heartless. Standing there in the cold wind, she became somewhat stunned, obviously at a loss for words.


    Then she cried again, tears streaming down, truly heart-wrenching to watch.


    Li Bo was about to speak again.


    Qiao Qingyu frowned and said, ¡°Li Bo.¡± Her voice was more serious than ever, and her expression matched.


    Li Bo looked at Qiao Qingyu in surprise and then, remembering something, awkwardly said, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, this is my family¡¯s business, there are things you don¡¯t know, it¡¯s really not my fault.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening in your family, and as a classmate, I don¡¯t have the right to interfere, but I seriously don¡¯t approve of your attitude.¡±


    Li Bo was taken aback. Perhaps because Qiao Qingyu was usually smiling, it took her a moment to react.


    But Qiao Qingyu wouldn¡¯t elaborate much. Sometimes the world worked in strange ways; for example, if she rebuked this woman¡¯s daughter in front of her, the woman wouldn¡¯t feel pleased or relieved; she would feel hurt and upset, she would get defensive, thinking Qiao Qingyu was being unnecessarily meddlesome.


    That¡¯s what they say, every parent thinks their child is the best, nobody else should criticize.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t want to invite that kind of trouble, although she wasn¡¯t sure if this woman would react that way.


    Qiao Qingyu turned to Li Bo¡¯s mother, her voice gentle, ¡°Auntie, it¡¯s quite cold today, and we¡¯ll be visiting the base in a moment. Li Bo is the team leader and carries significant responsibilities. She can¡¯t spend much time with you. Look, the truck that¡¯s picking us up has already arrived, we really can¡¯t delay any longer. On your way home, please be careful, and when I find the time, I¡¯ll come visit you...¡±


    Li Bo¡¯s mood lightened visibly at her words, and the middle-aged woman felt a warm sensation in her heart. Liu Hong and Liu Min looked at Qiao Qingyu with exceptional admiration.


    Could this be the difference between being married and unmarried?


    Oh, perhaps it is.


    Li Bo also awkwardly said, ¡°Mom, you should go home first, we can talk about it when I get home.¡±


    Li Bo¡¯s mother glanced at her daughter and then at the three classmates next to her, sighed softly, and said weakly, ¡°I¡¯ll head back first, make sure to dress warmly, don¡¯t catch a cold.¡±


    Li Bo seemed used to such admonitions and said somewhat impatiently, ¡°Mom, just go.¡±


    The middle-aged woman finally dared not delay her daughter¡¯s matters any longer and hurriedly left.


    Then Qiao Qingyu and the others hurriedly ran towards the main gate.


    For young people, they easily forget what just happened and are quickly replaced by everything fresh and exciting before them.


    When the truck left Xichuan, their exclamations were continuous, with some saying, ¡°Oh my god, I heard that our Xichuan¡¯s greening work for windbreak and sand control achieved significant strategic results. I always wanted to come and see. I thought it was all an exaggeration, making a mountain out of a molehill, but I didn¡¯t expect there to be so much withered grass. Although it¡¯s yellow now, come next spring, it will be lush and green, just like Outer Jiangnan...¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, my uncle told me that after I graduate, I should go work at the Xichuan Greening Ecology Headquarters.¡±


    ¡°My uncle is really sharp. We can¡¯t do that, who knows where we¡¯ll end up after graduation, we might not even get a hot meal.¡±


    ¡°Yuck, what are you talking about? That¡¯s disgusting.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything wrong. You¡¯re like Hai, even the crap you eat is gourmet.¡±


    ¡°If you keep talking nonsense, you¡¯ll end up farming, dealing with piss and poop every day...¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that, after I graduate, I¡¯ll go and combat desertification, we¡¯ll make Xichuan a swath of green oasis...¡±


    The boys laughed and joked, not really getting angry, and quickly became enthusiastic again.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t sit in the cab, she stood in the back of the truck with her classmates, wearing a scarf and a hat, and didn¡¯t feel cold with the wind at her back, looking at the scenery on both sides, Qiao Qingyu thought, clever and opportunistic people exist everywhere; they see the grand prospects of the Greening Ecology Headquarters¡¯ development.


    Outer Jiangnan!


    These four words sound so pleasant.


    The visit went smoothly; the base hosted them for lunch in the cafeteria, and in the afternoon, they were ready to send them back. Naturally, Qiao Qingyu was to join them.


    However, she still found time to return to the base family quarters. Everything at home was clean. He Xiuyu was working in the study, He Xuerong and Li Mingguang were playing in the yard, dressed warmly and cleanly.


    Qiao Qingyu was relieved, He Xuerong ran up to her feeling aggrieved, ¡°Little aunt, why didn¡¯t you come home yesterday? I wanted to sleep with you.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait for next week, little aunt will come back early next week.¡±


    ¡°Little aunt, you have to keep your word.¡±


    ¡°Mhm, little aunt keeps her word.¡±


    Hearing the voices, He Xiuyu pushed open the door of the room. The cleanly handsome man stood at the doorway, his eyes soft as he looked at his wife, the affection in his eyes, although he tried hard to conceal it, still inadvertently overflowed.


    Qiao Qingyu entered the house, and then He Xuerong and Li Mingguang were called out by Dashun and Daji, and so the yard quieted down again.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t waste time, he pulled his wife close, scrutinizing her carefully. Although it had only been a week, whenever he came home his heart felt empty.

 Chapter 302 - 302 302 Travel to the Future

    ?Chapter 302: Chapter 302: Travel to the Future Chapter 302: Chapter 302: Travel to the Future Xiu Yu wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply before releasing her and asking, ¡°So, are you heading back now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m leaving right away. My classmates are waiting for me at the lab.¡±


    Reluctantly, Xiu Yu embraced her again. Then, as something came to mind, he excitedly said, ¡°Little Qiao, the Spring Rain Tape Recorder has finally solved all its problems and will go into production next month.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Qingyu was delighted as well. She looked up at Xiu Yu and sincerely praised, ¡°You guys are the best.¡±


    Xiu Yu, bubbling with enthusiasm, took his wife to the study and brought out a sample. Casually inserting a cassette and pressing a button, a melodious song began to play through the speaker, sounding quite pleasant, almost like it was coming from a sound system.


    Qingyu was completely clueless about these matters. Even if Xiu Yu explained it to her, she didn¡¯t quite grasp it.


    But her ignorance didn¡¯t prevent Qingyu from conducting various experiments, discovering that it was even more user-friendly than the foreign brands. She just wondered how long it would last. Would it turn out to be a flash in the pan?


    ¡°...We¡¯ve already tested it; there won¡¯t be that kind of problem. No new product is perfect, but we¡¯ve addressed the most critical issues, and the path forward should be easier now.¡±


    Qingyu nodded along. After some thought, Xiu Yu lowered his voice and said, ¡°Qingyu, how much longer can you stay at home?¡±


    Glancing at her watch, Qingyu replied, ¡°I can stay for another hour.¡±


    Xiu Yu then took his wife out of the study. The kitchen was a bit chilly, so they put on slippers and sat cross-legged on the heated kang bed, with Xiu Yu pouring Qingyu a glass of water. He then spoke softly, ¡°My grandfather wrote to me recently about something very important¡ªdevelopments in computer networking and communication tools.¡±


    Qingyu was somewhat shocked. After all, computers were one of the most advanced scientific inventions of the twentieth century.


    Foreign countries had already started, and the 1980s were a critical period for the development of computer network technology.


    But where was the foundation?


    This couldn¡¯t just be achieved with sheer enthusiasm; it required lots of technology and information. Then again, she thought, if an abacus can bring forth a mushroom cloud, what¡¯s this in comparison?


    ¡°Are you in charge of this? Do you have too much on your plate? Can you handle it all?¡± Qingyu asked with concern.


    It was always the competent who were burdened with more, her man was working too hard.


    ¡°I¡¯m not mainly talking about that. Su Yunyao has submitted a plan, which outlines the development of computer networking technology and communication tools.¡±


    Qingyu was stunned once again. Su Yunyao, oh, she had been reborn, and she was not unfamiliar with this field, certainly more knowledgeable than Qingyu who was an amateur.


    While she could operate them proficiently, her experience was merely in the financial sector. Qingyu didn¡¯t understand this technology, and with Su Yunyao present, she dared not speak.


    ¡°How could this be such a coincidence? Has she studied abroad?¡± Qingyu asked, puzzled.


    Xiu Yu nodded, ¡°She went abroad to study for a year, which explains her good command of foreign languages. What puzzles me is that even if she did go abroad, she wasn¡¯t exposed to this material. Also, her plan and research report are very detailed, logical, and persuasive, making a strong impact.¡±


    ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a problem?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Do you think Su Yunyao might have a Space Device like yours?¡± Xiu Yu mused for a moment before asking.


    Blinking, Qingyu replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. Even if she did, except for the closest people to her, she wouldn¡¯t tell, right?¡± She then moved closer and pinched Xiu Yu¡¯s chin playfully, ¡°Otherwise, why don¡¯t you sacrifice some of your charm? Who knows, if she really does have a Space Device, she might even take you into it.¡±


    Xiu Yu held Qingyu¡¯s hand, smiling helplessly, ¡°You little rascal, I¡¯m trying to discuss a serious matter with you. Don¡¯t tease me.¡±


    ¡°But in the end, only Su Yunyao herself knows what¡¯s going on.¡±


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been in your Space Device, I might not have made this connection. But after that experience, I thought about how all scientific theories ultimately point to a profound existence. The past, the present, the future¡ªif indeed there¡¯s a tool that could freely traverse and shuttle through time, it¡¯s not impossible to travel to the past or the future.¡±


    Qingyu watched Xiu Yu intently, though inside she had to admit, his guess was pretty close.


    It was just a matter of phrasing it differently.


    Xiu Yu weighed his words carefully, ¡°If things really are as I suspect, that gives a reasonable explanation for the A-04 research project.¡±


    ¡°You mean to say that Su Yunyao traveled to the future, stole your future scientific achievements, and then claimed them as her own?¡±


    This time, Qingyu was genuinely confused. She had been led down a twisted path, even doubting whether Su Yunyao was reborn at all; it seemed possible she could travel to the future.


    But if that were true, wouldn¡¯t that be dangerous? If she really could travel to the future, with her level of disdain for Qingyu, what if she were to kill her?


    Qingyu¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    Now, everything Qingyu was thinking was written on her face.


    Xiu Yu squeezed Qingyu¡¯s hand, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, don¡¯t be nervous. It was just a speculation, not necessarily the truth.¡±


    But in his heart, Xiu Yu knew: regardless of whether his speculation was correct, Su Yunyao was dangerous.


    If her intentions were twisted, the outcomes of many scenarios were too ominous to contemplate.


    ¡°I¡¯m not that worried. If she wanted to do something, if she really had that ability, how could I possibly be sitting here unharmed talking about her?¡± Qingyu remarked leisurely.


    Xiu Yu nodded, ¡°Indeed, Su Yunyao has the Su Family backing her, with seventy to eighty people. She has great respect for her older brother. Their family atmosphere is genuinely positive, and the siblings care for each other, so she won¡¯t do anything reckless.¡±


    Thinking about everything Su Yunyao had said from the beginning to now, Qingyu felt reassured; Su Yunyao truly was reborn. She couldn¡¯t traverse time to the future.


    Xiu Yu declared, ¡°So, I¡¯ve decided to put her in charge of this project.¡±


    Qingyu applauded, ¡°My man is really impressive. What a clever strategy.¡±


    With a smile on his face, Xiu Yu pulled Qingyu into his arms and kissed her for a long time before finally letting her go. He straightened her hair and her clothes, then filled a glass jar with pickles for Qingyu and saw his wife off on the truck. He stood at the base gate until the truck disappeared from view before turning back to the base.


    The male classmates who had harbored a little interest in Qingyu had long given up. If she had been at their level or seemed attainable, they might have vied for her attention, but clearly, she had risen far beyond what they could aspire to reach.

 Chapter 303 - 303 303 She Treats Wheat as Grass

    ?Chapter 303: Chapter 303: She Treats Wheat as Grass Chapter 303: Chapter 303: She Treats Wheat as Grass Everyone was genuinely happy for Qiao Qingyu; this was what they call a match made in heaven.


    They left with bubbling enthusiasm, and returned even more passionately excited.


    Old Xie even took them to visit the farm breeding base¡¯s greenhouse at the research base. These kids may seem like youngsters now, but give it another three years, and they would all be bonafide technical talents.


    What was lacking now?


    Talent, of course.


    Despite the base¡¯s large population, there was a conspicuous scarcity of talent in agriculture. Therefore, Old Xie was especially hospitable, warming everyone¡¯s hearts, and even prompting quite a few to decide that they must study harder, to improve their grades. That way, if they could get into Tenghai Research Base¡¯s farm, they too could have a chance to shine.


    Qiao Qingyu thought Li Bo would talk to her about his family matters, but it seemed he had long forgotten about it.


    So Qiao Qingyu pretended not to know anything about it either.


    However, she did think that since she had promised Li Bo¡¯s mother, she ought to find an opportunity to buy some canned pastries to visit her.


    Xichuan Agricultural College also had its own experimental fields and labs.


    Professor Feng had also set up a greenhouse in a secluded part of the school.


    The vegetables in the greenhouse had already sprouted.


    For students of the agricultural college, it was essential to connect theory with practice.


    It wouldn¡¯t do if after three years of study, one¡¯s knowledge was confined to books, spouting empty words and tall tales the moment they set foot in the fields.


    Thus, the existence of this greenhouse was crucial.


    On this particular day, they were in the middle of a lecture¡ªit was Professor Feng¡¯s class¡ªwhen the classroom door was violently pushed open by a student from another department, who urgently said to Professor Feng, ¡°Professor Feng, it¡¯s terrible, your greenhouse has been destroyed.¡±


    Professor Feng was stunned, then the thirty-something students from the Class of ¡¯81 majoring in agricultural sciences sprang to their feet.


    The field of agricultural sciences was broad, including, among other things, seed cultivation.


    Of course, even in an agricultural college, not everyone was there to learn how to deal with animals and plants. There were many majors¡ªfinance, foreign languages, water resources, civil engineering¡ªfor instance, Sun Xiuyuan, who always claimed to be the school beauty, was majoring in business administration.


    At that moment, she was sitting on what she considered her patch of grass, holding a rose, while a female classmate took photos of her and a male classmate stood by.


    They were right inside Professor Feng¡¯s greenhouse.


    Qiao Qingyu was shocked; she even wanted to give the audacious Sun Xiuyuan a thousand likes.


    She had never seen anyone so bold.


    Seeing so many people enter, led by an ashen-faced Professor Feng, Sun Xiuyuan finally got up from the small patch of wheat that Professor Feng had been carefully tending.


    She straightened her clothes, yet she remained standing amidst the wheat.


    Professor Feng, trembling, pointed at Sun Xiuyuan.


    This old man had devoted his entire life to agriculture, only knowing how to work tirelessly; now he was so angry he didn¡¯t even know what to say.


    Qingyu raised her voice, ¡°Sun Xiuyuan, those are wheat! You come out right now.¡±


    Wheat?


    That she knew.


    Sun Xiuyuan furrowed her brow but also quickly walked out of the wheat field, standing on the open space in the middle, turning her head to look around, and pouting, ¡°It¡¯s just wheat, huh? I thought it was grass.¡±


    Then she curled the end of her braid and said haughtily, ¡°I¡¯ve never been to the countryside before. How would I know whether these are wheat stalks or grass? They look so similar.¡±


    Professor Feng was so livid he didn¡¯t even want to look at her; he scolded Sun Xiuyuan and the other female classmate taking photos, ¡°Who allowed you to come in? Which department are you from?¡±


    Both students realized that they seemed to have caused trouble, but they didn¡¯t step on anything¡ªit was just Sun Xiuyuan wanting to take a few photos.


    Professor Feng told the class monitor beside him, ¡°Go and get their class teacher for me.¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan was taken aback. She wasn¡¯t unintelligent or unwise; it¡¯s just that, from childhood to adulthood, she really had been pampered and grew up enjoying the best resources no matter how difficult the times or how harsh the environment.


    People like her hadn¡¯t been tempered by society, always surrounded by a group that coddled and doted on her.


    She was here just to take a photo, not thinking it was a big deal.


    But if the class teacher found out, it wouldn¡¯t look good.


    Although the teacher definitely wouldn¡¯t criticize her, it would still be an embarrassment.


    Sun Xiuyuan hurried forward to stop the agricultural class monitor, speaking with sincerity to Professor Feng, ¡°Professor Feng, I¡¯m sorry, I was too careless. I¡¯ve never been to the countryside, so naturally, I didn¡¯t realize wheat and grass looked so similar. I just wanted to test out the camera quality my dad brought back from his overseas trip, I truly didn¡¯t mean to cause you this much trouble. How about I compensate for it?¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan was also quite skilled in speaking¡ªwhile apologizing and making amends, she emphasized her family¡¯s extraordinary status. Her dad had gone abroad on a research trip, after all.


    And who could go abroad for research at that time?


    Needless to say, everyone knew who her father was.


    He was Xichuan¡¯s second-in-command.


    Indeed, Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s attitude was quite humble by now, seeing the situation getting serious with the mention of fetching the class teacher, the other two classmates also felt uneasy and hurriedly followed, ¡°We¡¯re sorry, Professor Feng, we really didn¡¯t touch anything. Even for the photos, we stood on the bare ground; Sun Xiuyuan was just sitting there for a moment...¡±


    The professor held anger in his chest, but he wasn¡¯t someone easily swayed by others. He told the students nearby, ¡°Back to your classes, no need to gather around here.¡± Then he glared at the class monitor, ¡°Why are you still here? Do you expect this old man to make the trip himself?¡±


    The class monitor quickly turned and jogged away to find the head of the business management department.


    Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s face darkened, she stamped her foot, and said discontentedly, ¡°Professor Feng, I¡¯ve already apologized and offered compensation. Why can¡¯t you be reasonable?¡±


    Professor Feng said furiously, ¡°That¡¯s utterly unreasonable.¡±


    There¡¯s no way Qiao Qingyu could wait for others to back up Professor Feng; after all, both hailed from Tenghai Research Base.


    Qingyu looked at Sun Xiuyuan with a mocking smile, pointed to the greenhouse, and asked, ¡°Sun, do you know what this place is?¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan didn¡¯t expect Qingyu to speak up again; it had been her who called her out from the so-called wheat field. Biting her teeth, she wanted to say she didn¡¯t know, but her pride was too strong to lie, ¡°Of course, I know, this is Professor Feng¡¯s greenhouse experimental field.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you do know this is Professor Feng¡¯s greenhouse experimental field,¡± Qingyu said. ¡°Then the rest follows. I know you¡¯re a business management student, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can come to Professor Feng¡¯s research base and take photos at will. Do you know what is planted inside the greenhouse? Are there important research findings? Are there any research secrets that shouldn¡¯t be disclosed yet? Here you are, snapping away¡ªwhat exactly are you trying to do?¡±

 Chapter 304 - 304 304 Distorted Family Relationships

    ?Chapter 304: Chapter 304: Distorted Family Relationships Chapter 304: Chapter 304: Distorted Family Relationships Qiao Qingyu had a penchant for accusing others of grave offenses, and pointing her finger at Sun Xiuyuan, her voice was stern and earnest, ¡°I think this matter requires not only your class advisor but also the comrades from the security section to thoroughly investigate whether you have leaked any scientific research results from the greenhouse.¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s face turned pale with rage as she retorted, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, what right do you have to be so aggressive and confrontational?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m speaking the truth; how is that aggressive and confrontational?¡±


    Finally, Professor Feng spoke up, ¡°There¡¯s no one guarding here because I believe that contemporary college students should at least possess the basic common sense that this is not your private vegetable garden; this is Xichuan Agricultural College¡¯s experimental field. Not only did you enter without permission, but you also walked around taking photos with a camera. This has nothing to do with whether you have been to a rural area or not, first and foremost, your attitude and intentions are highly problematic.¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s face turned even paler; she dared not glare at Professor Feng, instead, she furiously bit her lip while staring daggers at Qiao Qingyu.


    Professor Feng asked another student to go and fetch someone from the security section.


    This was not a trivial matter. If they let it slide this time, his experimental field would really become someone¡¯s personal vegetable garden.


    It was like killing a chicken as a warning to the monkeys, serving a dual purpose.


    Sun Xiuyuan was criticized by the whole school, and the film from her camera was pulled out and destroyed.


    The initial plan was a public criticism but, as the vice president had good relations with the Sun family, a covert communication ensued, leading to an internal criticism. She went to Professor Feng to offer a profound self-criticism and wrote a letter of apology, only then was the issue considered to be resolved.


    Sun Xiuyuan was fuming with hatred for Qiao Qingyu, but upon learning who Qiao Qingyu was, she could only swallow her anger and curse silently countless times in her heart, powerless to do anything.


    No, it wasn¡¯t accurate to say she was entirely powerless; she thought to herself that revenge is a dish best served cold and there would always be an opportunity eventually.


    ...


    Su Yunyao had not expected her submitted report to be approved so swiftly, allowing her to hand over project A-04 to another engineer while she continued to be responsible for the new project.


    Su Yunyao spent a nerve-wracking week waiting, not receiving any letters. Although she did not completely let her guard down, she speculated that the person who knew her secret was either not at the base or did not take the matter seriously.


    So, she threw herself into the work.


    However, she was not solely in charge of the project, nor was she the main person responsible. The major responsibility still rested with He Xiuyu; such an important project would not be entrusted to Su Yunyao alone.


    Next in line was Shen Haoze, followed by an older comrade, and then her.


    ...


    Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was November. Qiao Qingyu found some time to buy pastries and canned food, and together with Liu Hong and Liu Min, she went to visit her mother at Li Bo¡¯s house.


    She had not informed Li Bo in advance. It was a Sunday afternoon, and Qiao Qingyu had just returned.


    Li Bo¡¯s house was located in Xichuan, and she usually went directly back to the college in the morning.


    After all, her home was not too far from the college; otherwise, her mother could not have come to the school gate to find her.


    They took a bus, passed four stops, and then boarded another bus, reaching Li Bo¡¯s home after three stops.


    Liu Hong had been to her home before and, knowing the way, knocked confidently on her door.


    This was a typical tube-shaped apartment building of the era, where the corridors were cluttered with all sorts of belongings, and everyone¡¯s kitchens were outside, making the walkways extremely narrow.


    Li Bo¡¯s family lived in the innermost room on the third floor, and after the door was knocked open, Li Bo herself was stunned for a moment before letting the three visitors in as she recognized them to be Qiao Qingyu and the others.


    Upon entering, they heard a gentle voice, ¡°Xiao Bo, do we have guests?¡±


    The voice didn¡¯t belong to Li Bo¡¯s mother, and then a middle-aged woman with a refined face and glasses came into view.


    Qiao Qingyu exchanged glances with Liu Hong and Liu Min. Liu Hong signaled with her eyes, and Qiao Qingyu guessed in her heart that this woman was probably the Aunt Shao that Li Bo had mentioned.


    Since it was Sunday, Li Bo¡¯s father was also at home. Qiao Qingyu held pastries in her hands, and Liu Hong placed canned goods on the table inside the room.


    Aunt Shao did not expect Li Bo¡¯s classmates to bring gifts and visit, standing to the side, she felt somewhat uncomfortable.


    At the same time, she felt a mix of shame and annoyance.


    Then they heard Qiao Qingyu cheerfully say, ¡°Li Bo, I told your mom last time that I¡¯d come to visit her. We¡¯ve been busy and haven¡¯t found the time. Is Auntie at home?¡±


    Li Bo didn¡¯t answer, and her expression turned awkward.


    Qiao Qingyu saw her hands nervously twisting together, ¡°Is Auntie at home?¡±


    Liu Hong, always blunt, said, ¡°Li Bo, why are you stammering? Is your aunt at home or not?¡±


    At that moment, Li Bo¡¯s father, Li Chengming, frowned. He was a man with a respectable appearance but not very tall; a hint of guilt flashed between his brows, and he exchanged glances with Aunt Shao.


    Li Chengming looked at Li Bo, unprepared for the unexpected visit; he didn¡¯t dare to risk lying and kept making signals to Li Bo with his eyes.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s brow involuntarily furrowed.


    It seemed like the three of them shouldn¡¯t have come.


    There was something wrong with this household.


    After all, Li Bo was still young and couldn¡¯t lie as blatantly as the older two. She opened a north-facing room door nearby, pointing inside, ¡°My mom is at home, but she¡¯s fallen ill.¡±


    When the room was opened, an odor wafted out.


    Liu Hong stepped aside, blurting out, ¡°Yikes, why does this room smell so strong? Li Bo, you¡¯re too lazy, your mom¡¯s sick and you don¡¯t even tidy up the room for her.¡±


    All the while, Liu Hong entered the room.


    A frail-looking woman was lying in the bed, who, with difficulty, opened her eyes to look at the three visitors, knitting her brows as if trying hard to recall who they were.


    Then the woman sat up, her complexion sallow, her hair somewhat grey, she looked much older than the last time they¡¯d seen her.


    Qiao Qingyu stepped forward and said, ¡°Auntie, I promised to visit you last time. Sadly, we¡¯ve been so busy, and it¡¯s only today that we found the time. How did you fall ill? Have you been to the hospital? What did the doctors say?¡±


    Lan Ju coughed a few times but then looked outside the door with a complicated gaze, one even Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t decipher. Then she turned her eyes back and spoke softly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, just the old ailment. It¡¯s really a bother for you to come to see me. The air isn¡¯t good in here, let¡¯s go sit outside.¡±


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go. We can talk outside for a bit.¡± Li Bo seemed not to want her classmates to stay with her mother at all.


    Moreover, she felt humiliated and secretly resented these three for coming to her house uninvited, as if they really had nothing better to do.


    So her expression bore a hint of impatience.


    The three visitors also felt quite awkward. If they had known it would be like this, who would have come? There was no telephone in the household; if there had been, a simple phone call could have spared them this trouble, right?

 Chapter 305 - 305 305 She Really Was Brainwashed

    ?Chapter 305: Chapter 305: She Really Was Brainwashed Chapter 305: Chapter 305: She Really Was Brainwashed Liu Hong acted quickly, going out to the living room and gathering everything from the table. She glanced at Li Bo¡¯s father, who was reading the newspaper on the sofa, but didn¡¯t see that woman. Curling her lips, she took the items and went into the room.


    She placed everything on the table before speaking, ¡°Auntie, take good care of yourself. This is a little token from the three of us.¡±


    ¡°...Take it back, I can¡¯t eat much now that I¡¯m sick. It¡¯s just causing you to spend money unnecessarily. You¡¯re all students; it can¡¯t be easy.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no reason to take back something that¡¯s been brought to your door, Auntie. Don¡¯t overthink it, just focus on getting well,¡± said Liu Hong, her speech as straightforward as her demeanor.


    Qiao Qingyu looked at the frowning Li Bo, ¡°Li Bo, are you going back with us now, or are you returning to school tomorrow morning?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go back to school tomorrow morning; it¡¯s just over half an hour by bicycle.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then we¡¯ll be going first.¡±


    Li Bo felt a sense of relief upon hearing that they were leaving.


    Li Chengming smiled and exchanged a few words with these classmates, but he didn¡¯t see Aunt Shao, whom Li Bo mentioned, come out to greet them.


    A hint of coldness flashed across Qiao Qingyu¡¯s lips, and she gave Li Bo a cool look before leaving the Li family¡¯s house. Naturally, Li Bo had to see them out.


    No one spoke in the hallway; perhaps Li Bo also felt embarrassed. As they went downstairs in the stairwell, Qiao Qingyu suddenly stopped and looked at Li Bo with a stern gaze.


    ¡°Li Bo, we are just classmates. It¡¯s not my place to meddle in your family affairs, nor do I want to know who is right or wrong, but I hope you¡¯re not someone whose sense of morality is so twisted that you can¡¯t discern right from wrong.¡±


    ¡°When have I ever been unable to discern right from wrong, or had twisted morals?¡±


    Li Bo retorted to Qiao Qingyu, nearly frantic.


    ¡°Li Bo, we haven¡¯t been classmates for very long, and honestly, we don¡¯t really know each other. I overestimated your character,¡± Qiao Qingyu said coldly.


    Then she spoke to Liu Hong and Liu Min standing beside her, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Li Bo stopped Qiao Qingyu; she was eager to improve herself and didn¡¯t want others to think she lacked moral integrity or discernment. ¡°Qiao Qingyu, make it clear, how have I failed to discern right from wrong? What bad thing have I done?¡±


    ¡°Li Bo, I, Qiao Qingyu, don¡¯t dare claim I¡¯m exceedingly filial, but I would absolutely never let my mother lie alone in a decrepit, smelly little room while the rest of you dress sharply and sit around drinking tea and reading newspapers...¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Qiao Qingyu said firmly, truly not wanting to speak any further with Li Bo.


    The three of them left without looking back.


    Li Bo stomped his feet in anger behind them.


    Shao Hui followed after, guilt in her voice, ¡°Please go explain to your classmates; could there have been some misunderstanding?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t explain. They can think whatever they want. It¡¯s my family¡¯s business, and none of their concern!¡±


    Then Li Bo walked away, visibly upset.


    Shao Hui stood at the bend of the stairs, watching Li Bo¡¯s retreating figure with a complex expression.


    ...


    They were all roommates. It was impossible not to talk, but Qiao Qingyu truly ignored Li Bo from then on. Even if she, Qiao Qingyu, was an orphan, she would not bother with such a person.


    Li Bo was filled with both hate and regret. She clearly understood what kind of background Qiao Qingyu came from. If she could ingratiate herself with her, even if she didn¡¯t get into Tenghai Research Base after graduation, getting a good position in Xichuan would be a breeze.


    But she really didn¡¯t think it was that serious.


    Look, when mom opposed the divorce, dad gave up on insisting, didn¡¯t he? And although Aunt Shao moved in, she didn¡¯t get a marriage certificate, did she? Besides, Aunt Shao still had to take care of mom¡¯s health.


    She went to school every day, dad went to work, and she was the only child at home. When would she have time to look after mom?


    Therefore, the family should be thankful to Aunt Shao.


    So, she had to make Qiao Qingyu understand the truth. She didn¡¯t want Qiao Qingyu to misunderstand her.


    Li Bo was a doer, generally adamant about accomplishing what she set out to do. She didn¡¯t want to grow more distant from Qiao Qingyu over these years. Many people were trying to please Qiao Qingyu; it was like she had an advantage close at hand but couldn¡¯t benefit from it, which was utterly frustrating.


    So she took the opportunity to ask Qiao Qingyu where exactly she had gone wrong, why was she ignoring her?


    Li Bo also felt very wronged, ¡°It¡¯s all the adults¡¯ business. My mom didn¡¯t agree to the divorce, and my dad didn¡¯t insist.


    Qiao Qingyu really wanted to see what was in this woman¡¯s head, or perhaps, had she been brainwashed by that Shao Hui?


    She initially wanted to leave, but since Li Bo grabbed her, she felt very annoyed.


    But since she wanted to know, then let¡¯s talk about it.


    ¡°It¡¯s not about insisting, but now there is a second woman in your house, what¡¯s that supposed to mean? Does your dad want a harem like the ancient people had?¡± Qiao Qingyu was sharp-tongued, not holding back.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±


    Li Bo¡¯s face turned pale with fright.


    If others heard this, it would be big trouble.


    ¡°I¡¯m talking nonsense? Isn¡¯t it clear? You don¡¯t hide the fact that Aunt Shao is your dad¡¯s true love. Shouldn¡¯t she avoid suspicion at this time?¡±


    ¡°But my mom is sick and needs someone to take care of her.¡±


    ¡°Did you ever ask your mom if she needs her to take care of her?¡± Qiao Qingyu really didn¡¯t want to talk to her, ¡°Li Bo, am I talking nonsense? Liu Hong, Liu Min, and I have seen it with our own eyes. Tell me, Li Bo, do you have a conscience? Is that a room for a sick person? It¡¯s so cold now, and that room facing north has no heating equipment, the blankets are thin, and the air doesn¡¯t circulate; even a healthy person could get sick staying there...¡±


    ¡°...But my house only has two rooms that catch the morning sun,¡± Li Bo explained dryly.


    ¡°And then? You live in one room, and what about the other? Shouldn¡¯t your mom be living there? Who¡¯s living there now?¡±


    Li Bo¡¯s face suddenly became ugly, and after a long pause, she said, ¡°That room is where dad and... and Aunt Shao live. They love each other, isn¡¯t it right for them to live together?¡±


    ¡°Li Bo, I don¡¯t know who brainwashed you, but really, it¡¯s the first time in my life that I¡¯ve seen a girl as clueless as you. I just want to ask you, did your mom abuse you?¡±


    ¡°...No.¡±


    ¡°Your mom didn¡¯t abuse you, and she gave birth to you, which is surely a kindness, but now you join an outsider to mistreat her, are you even human?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t, don¡¯t talk nonsense,¡± Li Bo¡¯s face turned white.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t? The world has never seen a daughter like you. True love, what is true love? You can have true love, that¡¯s undeniable, but it must not break up someone else¡¯s family. No matter how your dad and mom came together, whether they have a marriage certificate or are legally married, I¡¯m telling you, Li Bo, I usually don¡¯t meddle in other people¡¯s affairs, but if I did, I could send your dad to jail!¡±


    By the end, Qiao Qingyu was speaking with righteous indignation.

 Chapter 306 - 306 306 Mom Do You Regret It Now

    ?Chapter 306: Chapter 306: Mom, Do You Regret It Now? Chapter 306: Chapter 306: Mom, Do You Regret It Now? ¡°Qiao Qingyu, don¡¯t go too far. No matter what, I¡¯m still my mom¡¯s daughter. If you send my dad to jail, my mom will hate you too.¡±


    ¡°You see, don¡¯t you get it? You know everything. You know that no matter what you do to your mom, she won¡¯t harm you. And you¡¯re also aware that your mom has feelings for your dad, that even if your dad is heartless and unfaithful, she wouldn¡¯t accuse him of messing around with other men and women.¡±


    Li Bo¡¯s complexion turned even uglier, pale as death without a hint of color.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, don¡¯t talk nonsense, my dad...didn¡¯t mess around with other men and women...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not a child anymore. You¡¯re an adult, so of course you know better than I do whether it happened or not. But I don¡¯t care, nor will I ask, because it¡¯s none of my business.¡±


    At this point, Qiao Qingyu paused for a moment, suppressing the irritation in her heart as she said, ¡°That¡¯s why I won¡¯t meddle in your family¡¯s private matters.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then why do you ignore me, why are you so cold to me?¡±


    ¡°Just because I don¡¯t meddle with your family¡¯s affairs doesn¡¯t mean I approve of you as a person, do you understand?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me? I strive for progress, I work hard at my studies,¡± Li Bo said, clearly aggrieved.


    ¡°But your moral character is seriously low, your values are extremely twisted. Li Bo, I don¡¯t like to be friends with someone like you. So, can we just leave each other alone?¡±


    Li Bo clenched her teeth, her face a terrible sight. She had come intending to repair their relationship, but never expected Qiao Qingyu to treat her this way.


    ¡°Li Bo, if you are a decent person, don¡¯t take out the frustration on your mother just because of what I said today. I think that woman, no matter what wrong she did in the past, is truly getting her comeuppance now!¡±


    Li Bo¡¯s face changed dramatically. For some reason, those words suddenly struck hard at her heart, making her feel not just uncomfortable, but truly awful.


    ¡°Li Bo, rest assured, I, Qiao Qingyu, am an open and upright person. I won¡¯t stop you from striving to improve just because you have a bad character. Just pretend you don¡¯t know me, okay?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not okay. Because of this, Liu Hong and Liu Min don¡¯t really interact with me, and you ignore me too. The other two are just opportunists, and now they¡¯ve all isolated me. I¡¯m not happy, I¡¯m uncomfortable.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s smile was extremely cold, her voice merciless, ¡°Each person is an independent individual. Everyone is responsible for themselves. What do your happiness or discomfort have to do with me?¡±


    Having said that, Qiao Qingyu turned and walked away, without any hesitation or dragging her feet.


    Li Bo stood there, her hands clenched tightly, carefully recalling everything, why did Qiao Qingyu always speak up for her own mother?


    Love is so pure, so beautiful.


    And it is also sacred and luminous.


    If there¡¯s no longer love, why stay together? Why continue to torment each other?


    If that¡¯s the case, then what was women¡¯s liberation for? Doesn¡¯t it lose all its meaning?


    As Li Bo felt baffled, she was even more filled with defiance.


    ...


    On Saturday night, she went home, where Aunt Shao had already prepared a table full of food, smiling and waiting for her return. Dad was sitting on the sofa reading the newspaper, and Shao Hui said with a laugh, ¡°I¡¯ve already taken the food to your mom¡¯s room. Go wash your hands and come eat. Everything prepared is what you like, oh, and there¡¯s lion¡¯s head meatballs too.¡±


    Shao Hui spoke softly again, ¡°I stood in line all morning to buy this, our state-run restaurant makes the best Lion¡¯s Head meatballs.¡±


    Under normal circumstances, Li Bo would have sat down at the table without a word and feasted, but not today. She put down her schoolbag and, without washing her hands, pushed open the door to the room where her mother was staying.


    The room was gloomy and dark, and an unpleasant smell hit her as she entered.


    There was a plate of cold dishes and rice on the table nearby.


    Her mother was lying in bed under a thick quilt, only her head and graying hair showing.


    Her eyes were closed. Li Bo turned on the light, and the room instantly brightened. Lan Ju slowly opened her eyes and saw her daughter had returned. A flicker of joy appeared in her eyes, but then it faded away, and she closed her eyes once more.


    Li Bo stood in front of the bed and suddenly asked, ¡°Mom, do you have any regrets now?¡±


    Lan Ju slowly opened her eyes with a hint of surprise in her hoarse voice, ¡°Xiao Bo, what do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Do you regret using despicable means to marry my dad back then?¡±


    Lan Ju¡¯s mouth twisted into a bitter smile, ¡°I¡¯ve told you I didn¡¯t use any despicable means. Why don¡¯t you believe me?¡±


    ¡°But you were just a village girl, and my dad was a college graduate from the city. Grandpa and Grandma were both former officials, and he was already engaged to my Aunt Shao. Because of you, their engagement ended.¡±


    At this moment, Li Chengming, who had heard the commotion, stood at the door and scolded in a low voice, ¡°Xiao Bo, how many times do I have to tell you? The past is our adults¡¯ business, it has nothing to do with you, stop asking and mentioning it.¡±


    Li Bo suddenly turned her head, ¡°Dad, how can I not ask, how can I not talk about it? How else can we make sense of what¡¯s going on in our family now?¡±


    Shao Hui suddenly froze, staring at Li Bo in disbelief. All these years, this child had shown no concern for her mother in her heart.


    Why was she saying such things now, as if to seek justice for her mother?


    Truly heartless and ungrateful, just as one might expect of a step-child.


    She hung her head quietly, looking very wronged.


    Li Chengming felt a pang of heartache when he saw her, reprimanding his daughter, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? What¡¯s wrong with our family now? I¡¯m busy working every day, you¡¯re still in school, and your mom doesn¡¯t have her own family. Your Aunt Shao even took leave to take care of her, you should be grateful.¡±


    Li Bo opened her mouth but didn¡¯t know what to say, because she felt that what her father said didn¡¯t seem wrong. It sounded reasonable.


    Lan Ju, lying on the bed, turned her head away and stopped looking at the man in the doorway, the one she had loved for a lifetime but could never have.


    She really regretted.


    But she knew her health was failing and didn¡¯t know how much longer she would live. She couldn¡¯t let Li Chengming¡¯s image be tarnished, so she took all the blame upon herself.


    She was all alone, with no one left in her maternal family. She had no job, no income, everyone said she was weak and incompetent, and she admitted it.


    As long as her daughter was all right, she could take anything.


    Seeing that Li Bo didn¡¯t speak, Li Chengming let out a sigh of relief and pointed to the dining room outside, ¡°Your Aunt Shao has cooked a table full of dishes, go eat.¡±


    Li Bo turned and glanced at the cold meal, then said in a low voice, ¡°Mom can¡¯t recover in this environment. Give my room to Mom, after all, I¡¯m not always here.¡±


    A look of embarrassment flashed across Li Chengming¡¯s face as he looked at the woman lying on the bed, who looked like an old woman, and his eyes were full of disgust.

 Chapter 307 - 307 307 Pregnant

    ?Chapter 307: Chapter 307: Pregnant Chapter 307: Chapter 307: Pregnant Li Bo was indeed a woman of action, and since she had considered it, she did it¡ªthus, over an hour later, she had helped Lan Ju, who was reluctant to enter her room, inside her own quarters.


    Then she took care of Lan Ju, feeding her and watching her fall asleep before heading back to the living room.


    These two were still waiting to eat with her. A touch of emotion crossed Li Bo¡¯s heart, and she whispered, ¡°Aunt Shao, I¡¯m sorry for the trouble.¡±


    Aunt Shao forced a smile, but she couldn¡¯t tell whether the words were meant to be pleasant or not.


    ¡°Dad, I know you feel wronged too, but times have changed, and it really isn¡¯t appropriate for Aunt Shao to stay here.¡±


    Li Chengming clenched his chopsticks, exchanged a look with Aunt Shao, and glanced at the firmly shut door of Lan Ju¡¯s room. After coughing, he said, ¡°Xiao Bo, this time, please help me and your Aunt Shao. I have to divorce your mom¡ªyour Aunt Shao... she¡¯s pregnant!¡±


    Li Bo was stunned. Her chopsticks fell onto the table as she shouted in disbelief, ¡°Say that again.¡±


    Frowning, Li Chengming lowered his voice and chided her, ¡°What are you shouting for, afraid others won¡¯t know? Xiao Bo, your Aunt Shao is pregnant. It¡¯s going to be your blood-related brother or sister. You¡¯ll be closest to each other in the future.¡±


    But what Li Chengming and Aunt Shao underestimated was how their only child would react to the news of having another sibling.


    They had always thought that Li Bo would be happy because it was a fruit of love.


    That was what Li Bo had always espoused and what they had always instilled in her.


    Li Bo¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°What about my mom?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why a divorce is necessary. Otherwise, your dad would be making a mistake, and the family would completely fall apart. You would have nothing, and people would mock you.¡±


    At that moment, the door to the south-facing bedroom was suddenly pushed open. A frail, white-haired Lan Ju, dragging her tattered body and grasping the door frame, stared incredulously at Li Chengming and Aunt Shao inside the room. Her husky voice demanded, ¡°Li Chengming, was what you just said true? Is Aunt Shao really pregnant?¡±


    Not expecting Lan Ju to have heard, Li Chengming and Aunt Shao hurriedly stood up from the dining table, both watching the skeletal woman at the doorway.


    In Li Bo¡¯s memory, Aunt Shao and her mother had never appeared together.


    For some reason, Li Bo always thought of her home as divided into separate segments, as if the four directions each existed independently. But their sudden appearance together made her feel like something was terribly wrong with the world in front of her.


    Her mouth opened and closed, her mind still in a daze.


    Making up his mind, Li Chengming said firmly, ¡°Xiao Bo, you are the most sensible and intelligent child. I believe you understand us best. You always say that only people in love should be together and that falling out of love is a crime, a cruel crime against humanity.¡±


    ¡°Li Chengming, stop spouting nonsense and pushing it too far. You¡¯ll face retribution, real retribution...¡± Lan Ju¡¯s voice choked, her words broken and incomprehensible.


    Her hands were also trembling, gripping the door frame tightly to keep from collapsing.


    Frowning, Li Chengming didn¡¯t bother to see if the woman could hold up. He anxiously looked at Aunt Shao¡¯s stomach, his eyes reflecting a trace of tenderness.


    Lan Ju¡¯s trembling voice then asked Li Chengming, ¡°Li Chengming, tell me the truth, was what you just said real?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Aunt Shao is pregnant, and we must divorce now to prevent our family from being incomplete. Lan Ju, you are such a kind-hearted person. You will surely understand and support my decision, right...¡± Li Chengming said, striving to remain patient.


    ¡°Li Chengming, didn¡¯t you tell me before that you would never want a second child in this life? Whether you and Aunt Shao are together or not, Li Bo was supposed to be your only child. Li Chengming, you can¡¯t go back on your word.¡±


    ¡°Lan Ju, there¡¯s nothing we can do,¡± they said. ¡°Ask your daughter, she supports us too, so just let it go.¡±


    ¡°You...you are being too oppressive,¡± she cried. ¡°You promised to remain childless, that¡¯s why I agreed to let this woman move in. But now you¡¯ve gone back on your word; you¡¯ll get your comeuppance...¡±


    After she finished speaking, Lan Ju¡¯s body collapsed to the ground and then lay there motionless.


    Li Bo¡¯s mind was consumed by the news of Shao Hui¡¯s pregnancy; it struck her, leaving her mind alternating between clarity and chaos.


    So, when she discovered that her mother¡¯s body was already ice-cold, it was too late.


    When the doctor declared the treatment ineffective, Li Chengming and Shao Hui exchanged looks and sighed in relief, struggling to contain their joy while pretending to be saddened.


    But whether they feigned sadness didn¡¯t matter¡ªLan Ju had no family, no close friends, she was illiterate and timid, truly alone; her only daughter wasn¡¯t even on her side.


    So, they weren¡¯t really worried.


    As for the neighbors, they were just whispering behind the backs¡ª who would dare to speak to their face?


    It¡¯s said that a middle-aged man¡¯s greatest joys are promotion, wealth, and the death of his wife.


    Li Chengming was certainly riding high.


    ...


    Li Bo took three days off. Her dormitory mates only found out about Li Bo¡¯s mother¡¯s death three days after it happened.


    Liu Hong and Liu Min simultaneously looked at Qiao Qingyu, who shook her head; she didn¡¯t know what had happened either.


    So, they all carefully observed Li Bo¡¯s expression.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced briefly and then looked away, indifferent to whether it was real or fake grief. Li Bo had been brainwashed since she was young; it was amazing she still had any ambition¡ª it wasn¡¯t easy.


    People like her wouldn¡¯t understand without experiencing a devastating shock.


    But that woman was just too pitiful, probably considering her husband and daughter until her death.


    Yet, neither her husband nor her daughter had her interests at heart; probably, they all felt relieved after her death.


    But such is life sometimes, unavoidably helpless.


    Pity for her misfortune, anger for her lack of resistance.


    That woman couldn¡¯t even bear to hurt her callous and ungrateful husband and daughter until her death.


    Had she hurt them, she might have been resented.


    Everyone has their own fate, perhaps, in death, she found her release.


    ...


    The previous Student Union President had already reported to his internship, so the school planned to elect the new President before the winter vacation started.


    There were still quite a few contestants.

 Chapter 308 - 308 308 Verbal and Written Denunciation

    ?Chapter 308: Chapter 308 Verbal and Written Denunciation Chapter 308: Chapter 308 Verbal and Written Denunciation ¡°Qiao Qingyu was elected as the Student Union President,¡± said the narrator.


    ¡°Then the election for the Vice President of the Student Union began.¡±


    ¡°After the first round of selections, five candidates were chosen, and from these five, one was selected¡ªa tall, skinny boy from the Civil Engineering Department, who was very sunny and liked to laugh. His connections and leadership abilities were quite good.¡±


    ¡°Next up were the other positions, such as the heads of the Public Relations and Life Departments.¡±


    ¡°Li Bo was impressive and got elected as the Public Relations Head.¡±


    ¡°Her talent was remarkable, and she was very good with the pen, so being the Public Relations Head was well-suited for her.¡±


    ¡°After these nominations were announced, there was a period for public notification and examination. During this month, if any issues were found with anyone nominated, all students were encouraged to report actively.¡±


    ¡°If after investigation it proved that the person was indeed unfit, their position would be withdrawn. So it was like a probation period.¡±


    ¡°But unexpectedly, the day after the list was announced, Li Bo, the Public Relations Head, was targeted with a large-character poster.¡±


    ¡°Wow, it had been many years since anyone had seen large-character posters.¡±


    ¡°Some from that era deeply detested them, while others saw them as a powerful weapon, much more useful than complaints and accusations. Whoever had issues, they would just put up a large-character poster at the unit¡¯s door, displaying their bad deeds for everyone to publicly criticize¡ªat the end of the day, it was quite effective.¡±


    ¡°But it was also extremely malicious, so nowadays people were not keen on large-character posters. However, this one managed to make everyone righteously indignant, almost driving them to pull Li Bo out from her dormitory or her class and beat her severely.¡±


    ¡°Li Bo also found out. She was in her class when the class teacher asked her to go out and take a look at the large-character poster and then respond to it. If it were true, her moral character was indeed too despicable. If it were not, and was slander, the school would hold the person who posted the large-character poster accountable, even if they were anonymous.¡±


    ¡°Li Bo couldn¡¯t help but turn to look at Qiao Qingyu.¡±


    ¡°Her gaze was full of suspicion.¡±


    ¡°Li Bo did not go out; she just stood there, staring fixedly at Qiao Qingyu.¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu had no idea what was written on the large-character poster. She was writing about the student union¡¯s planning; she did not want to just be a routine president. She always had to stir things up.¡±


    ¡°With so many students and people, igniting them could unleash great power; it could be a win-win situation. After all, the desert land of Xichuan was much in need of these passionate youths.¡±


    ¡°One could imagine, by next spring, the Student Union organizing voluntary tree planting and forestry¡ªa booming scene indeed.¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu even planned to specifically set aside a piece of barren sandy land for Xichuan Agricultural College.¡±


    ¡°Responsibility had to be assigned to individuals.¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu believed that ten years later, everyone would be thanking her.¡±


    ¡°It was self-study time, and she was really into her writing. Being stared at like this, of course, she was very angry.¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu suddenly stood up, looked at Li Bo standing there not moving, only staring hard at her, and suddenly reached out and slapped the desk, ¡®Li Bo, why are you staring at me like that? Do you suspect I posted the large-character poster?''¡±


    ¡°Li Bo¡¯s lips moved. Her mind was a mess, and though she tried hard to push forward, Qiao Qingyu was always ahead of her, and catching up was indeed too exhausting.¡±


    ¡°In the dorm, Li Bo was overshadowed, and in the classroom, she had the best grades. Yet entering the student union, she was still led by her.¡±


    ¡°Li Bo felt defeated and murmured, ¡®I didn¡¯t suspect you.''¡±


    ¡°If Qiao Qingyu had wanted to post a large-character poster, she would have definitely signed her own name. ¡®Li Bo, I really don¡¯t care what the large-character poster says. Naturally, someone will investigate. But your look made me curious. Let¡¯s go and see what this large-character poster says about you.''¡±


    ¡°Speaking, Qiao Qingyu walked towards Li Bo and passed by her with a cold glance. Then she scanned the class, ¡®Anyone else wants to come with me?''¡±


    ¡°All the classmates stood up.¡±


    ¡°At the entrance of the cafeteria, there were also many people gathered.¡±


    ¡°The large-character poster was posted at the cafeteria¡ªa very conspicuous location.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t there at breakfast, as those who post such posters generally choose the night, afraid of being discovered.¡±


    ¡°This time, however, it was chosen during the day. It seemed the person was not afraid of stirring up trouble.¡±


    ¡°As Qiao Qingyu and Li Bo appeared at the entrance, quite a few people saw them. Consequently, all eyes suddenly turned towards Li Bo.¡±


    ¡°These looks were of disdain, unintentional, questioning, and cold.¡±


    ¡°So the credibility of the content on the large-character poster was also very strong.¡±


    ¡°Li Bo looked unwell as she walked forward, and the crowd automatically made way for her. Then Qiao Qingyu also saw the contents of the large-character poster.¡±


    ¡°One had to say, whoever posted this large-character poster was skilled; the brushwork was sharp, and the tempo was lively.¡±


    ¡°The core content was about Li Bo colluding with her biological father and a mistress to drive her own mother to death.¡±


    ¡°The words below were even sharper, indicating that such an unfaithful, unfilial person with a lack of moral character and not a hint of shame did not deserve to be the Public Relations Head. Her sitting in that position was a disgrace to the office.¡±


    ¡°Li Bo stood amidst the crowd, somewhat at a loss, her heart pounding chaotically, and her back sweating profusely.¡±


    ¡°One female classmate, with a sharp gaze, asked Li Bo, ¡®Is what it says here true?''¡±


    ¡°¡®No... it¡¯s not true. I didn¡¯t drive my mom to death,¡¯ Li Bo said, shaking her head frantically.¡±


    ¡°If Li Bo had been furiously indignant, perhaps people wouldn¡¯t have believed the contents of the poster, but Li Bo¡¯s demeanor clearly showed guilt.¡±


    ¡°¡®Is the mistress moving into your house true?''¡±


    ¡°¡®Your mom was sick, and the mistress said she was taking care of your mom, but the neighbors heard beating and abuse.''¡±


    ¡°¡®Your mom had bruises all over her body, deep green and purple. Did you know that?''¡±


    ¡°¡®You go back every week, are you blind? Can¡¯t you see?''¡±


    ¡°¡®Li Bo, you¡¯re a beast!''¡±


    ¡°¡®People like you should be arrested, and you still have the face to attend school here.''¡±


    ¡°¡®Your mom died a week ago, and your dad and the mistress got a marriage certificate, and you even went to the restaurant to celebrate with them.''¡±


    ¡°¡®You¡¯re really inhuman, you¡¯re worse than a beast.''¡±


    ¡°Some things mentioned in the large-character poster were unknown to Qiao Qingyu and her classmates.¡±


    ¡°Liu Hong was furious, her voice even breaking as she shouted, ¡®Li Bo, you lied to me, you deceived me. Didn¡¯t you say they weren¡¯t married? Is what¡¯s written here true?''¡±


    ¡°Countless accusing voices swarmed towards Li Bo.¡±


    ¡°Li Bo had never experienced this before.¡±


    ¡°With all her might, she shouted, ¡®What does it matter to you? My dad and Aunt Shao are truly in love; they should be together.''¡±

 Chapter 309 - 309 309 Moral Corruption

    ?Chapter 309: Chapter 309: Moral Corruption Chapter 309: Chapter 309: Moral Corruption ¡°Li Bo, I¡¯ve never seen someone as shameless as you are. Don¡¯t you dare disgrace the words ¡®true love,''¡±


    ¡°Under the guise of true love, you¡¯ve engaged in despicable acts of moral treachery. Any honest, kind, and moral person wouldn¡¯t become a homewrecker and intrude on someone else¡¯s family.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu really didn¡¯t want to deal with this mess, but she had to.


    The big-character posters clearly aimed to take down Li Bo, though she had no idea whom she had offended, it definitely wasn¡¯t her roommates.


    The content of the big-character posters was mostly true, even if some parts might be exaggerated, it wasn¡¯t by much.


    Qiao Qingyu stepped forward, pulled Li Bo out of the crowd with Liu Hong and Liu Min.


    Standing outside the crowd, Qiao Qingyu raised her voice, ¡°Alright, everyone, please calm down. Whether or not this is true, please mind your words and actions, adhere to the law, and do not attack anyone. Everyone, go back to your classes now. The school and the Student Union will handle this matter.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s voice was clear, pleasant, and loud, and she was also the newly appointed Student Union President.


    Although she was just a freshman, she had already organized several activities with her classmates.


    And indeed, sometimes, a beautiful girl really can act with impunity.


    The students calmed down their emotions, but still looked at Li Bo with disdain before dispersing.


    Li Bo stood there in a mess, dumbfounded.


    She didn¡¯t think she had done anything wrong¡ªwhy were these people cursing her? How could they be so excessive? What did it have to do with them? Her mother hadn¡¯t blamed her, hadn¡¯t hated her, and had thought about her until her death.


    Yes, her mother had considered her. Hadn¡¯t her father promised her mother he wouldn¡¯t have more children? Yet, Aunt Shao was noticeably pregnant, wearing loose clothes to avoid talk.


    The neighbors¡ªshe hadn¡¯t noticed how they saw her, but now, reflecting on it, she suddenly understood what hypocrisy meant.


    In her heart, Qiao Qingyu thought if Old Lady Han were standing next to Li Bo right now, she¡¯d believe Old Lady Han had cursed Li Bo, cast spells on her, or brainwashed her.


    Otherwise, Li Bo couldn¡¯t be like this.


    ...


    After the school¡¯s investigation¡ªwhich didn¡¯t explicitly state whether the allegations were true or false¡ªLi Bo voluntarily resigned from her position as Director of Publicity because the school had spoken to her.


    As long as she held that position, the issue would keep being brought up. It wasn¡¯t illegal, yet it was enough to nail her to the pillory of moral judgment indefinitely.


    It also impacted her father¡¯s current job.


    It was said that the matter had spread to Li Chengming¡¯s workplace, and the leadership there spoke with him. Though he was due for a promotion, it was canceled. Not to speak of justice, but the issue was cause for censure.


    If an honest and hardworking person cannot be promoted, how could someone morally corrupt?


    It was similar to Li Bo being criticized through big-character posters.


    Li Chengming didn¡¯t dare approach his leaders or find out who was scheming behind his back. Now, he could only keep a low profile, suffering in silence.


    After resigning as Director of Publicity, Li Bo was like a beaten eggplant. She took an afternoon off to go home.


    She opened the door and unexpectedly found her father and Aunt Shao at home.


    Then she heard their conversation from the bedroom and, for some reason, tiptoed to the door.


    She heard her father say, ¡°Ah Hui, once our little baby is born, we must educate him well.¡±


    ¡°How should we educate him? I don¡¯t understand these things, you¡¯ll have to take care of it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll handle it. We can¡¯t afford to have another monster like Li Bo.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± Shao Hui giggled with disdain¡ªsomething Li Bo had never heard before, ¡°she¡¯s still your daughter.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to admit she¡¯s my daughter. She¡¯s from that wench, foolish, ignorant, arrogant, and heartless. She didn¡¯t even care about her own mother. How could you expect her to respect you or me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we can¡¯t rely on her. Chengming, how about I give birth to a son for you first, then a daughter?¡±


    ¡°Sure, no rush. Whatever you give birth to, I¡¯ll love...¡±


    Li Bo felt a cold shiver down her spine as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over her head.


    She burst through the door, tears streaming down her face, ¡°You... you... talk behind my back like this... Have you been lying and appeasing me all this time...¡±


    Li Chengming frowned instinctively, shielding Shao Hui behind him, ¡°Li Bo, what are you crying about? You didn¡¯t even cry this much when your mother died. So, stop your pretense now, you¡¯re no good either, and you have no right to accuse me. If you irritate me, I¡¯ll kick you out, and you¡¯ll have nothing. Now, go back to your room quietly, finish school, find a job, marry someone decent, and I¡¯ll have done my duty by you.¡±


    Li Bo, trembling, looked at Shao Hui hiding behind Li Cheng, ¡°Aunt Shao, I treated you even better than my own mother. Is this how you think of me?¡±


    Shao Hui pursed her lips, speaking softly, ¡°Xiao Bo, you¡¯re not young anymore, you should understand things now. From now on, you need to take care of the household chores after school since Aunt Shao is becoming less able.¡±


    Li Bo turned to leave, then heard Li Chengming¡¯s cold voice, ¡°If you dare step out of this house, you won¡¯t get a cent of your allowance next month.¡±


    Li Bo had to stop in her tracks.


    Had she awakened?


    Understood?


    Regretted?


    She didn¡¯t even know herself!


    And Qiao Qingyu cared even less. Seeing how Li Bo always looked like she wanted to confide in her, Qiao Qingyu really kept as much distance as possible. This was a person with some areas of her brain mushed.


    Don¡¯t think this is fabricated, don¡¯t think this is made up, don¡¯t think this is forced dumbing-down.


    There really are such people in the world.


    Reality is always more fantastical than fiction.


    With half a month until the winter break, Qiao Qingyu was particularly busy.


    She first arranged for her classmates to visit the vegetable greenhouses at Xiaxi Commune, then secured twenty internship positions at West River Chemical Factory, and preliminary discussions with Lu Ye led to planning to claim one hundred acres of windbreak forest in the name of Xichuan Agricultural College next spring.


    This idea inspired Lu Ye, who, with leadership support, initiated efforts, leading many organizations in Xichuan to claim different areas and sizes of barren sandy land in their own names.


    With this one action, she significantly alleviated the pressure on Xichuan Green Ecology Headquarters.


    Lu Ye personally came to Xichuan Agricultural College with the claiming certificate to find Qiao Qingyu.

 Chapter 310 - 310 310 Claiming the Sandstorm Belt

    ?Chapter 310: Chapter 310: Claiming the Sandstorm Belt Chapter 310: Chapter 310: Claiming the Sandstorm Belt Qiao Qingyu took Lu Ye to find the Vice Principal in charge of this task.


    The Vice Principal hesitated a bit; he was a timid and cautious man, worried that if nothing grew, it would be embarrassing and could affect his work performance.


    Upon hearing the news, the Principal came rushing over, didn¡¯t say anything, just signed his name with a big flourish, and then said to Lu Ye, ¡°Xiao Lu, we will definitely complete this task, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    The Principal glanced at the Vice Principal and thought to himself, Vice Principal, oh Vice Principal, even if you have connections and backers, what use are they? Being afraid of both wolves and tigers before you act, you will stop right here.


    How could you not think about who is behind Qiao Qingyu?


    Haven¡¯t you heard of Thousand Silk Hemp, Willow Wood, or Barley Grass?


    Those excellent wild plant varieties were cultivated by Qiao Qingyu.


    What is a hundred acres of wind-blown sand to Qiao Qingyu?


    She is building a reputation for Xichuan Agricultural College. Just think, ten years from now, that hundred-acre stretch of sand will be transformed into a small oasis, whether retired or graduated. It would be a great place for them to reminisce about the demanding years.


    A hundred acres is a bit little, but there¡¯s no rush, Qiao Qingyu is only a freshman, she has to take it slow.


    Lu Ye smiled, handed out the claim documents one by one, also signed his name, put the copy that belonged to the college on the table, and put his own in his briefcase. Smiling, he said to the Principal, ¡°Principal Lu, I¡¯ll be heading back to the unit now, thank you all for your strong support.¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course, rest assured, by next spring when flowers bloom and it¡¯s time for tree planting, our teachers and students at Xichuan Agricultural College, thousands of them, will definitely not drag behind in our efforts to combat desertification and greenify.¡±


    Principal Lu¡¯s words were impactful; everyone in the room was moved, except for the regretful Vice Principal.


    Just hesitating for a moment had the Principal rushing over. The old man always pushed himself to the forefront; the more he thought about it, the angrier he became, yet he still had to put on a smile...


    Qiao Qingyu sent Lu Ye off; the accumulated snow had already been swept to both sides of the sidewalk. This year¡¯s snow seemed a bit heavier than usual, but there weren¡¯t any major climate changes. Qiao Qingyu was wrapped in a plain scarf, wearing a khaki down-filled jacket.


    On her feet were sheepskin boots.


    Her eyes looked misty, and she herself appeared brisk, serene, and beautiful.


    Lu Ye¡¯s gaze dimmed, deeply staring at Qiao Qingyu, then discreetly withdrew it.


    At the school gate, Lu Ye smiled and said, ¡°You go back, it¡¯s quite cold.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll head back now, we can connect by phone if anything comes up.¡±


    Lu Ye hummed softly, and smiled gently, his eyes warm, ¡°It¡¯s getting windy, hurry back.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu also smiled, turned around, and briskly walked away along the road she came by.


    Lu Ye stood at the door, his eyes intensely fixed.


    Until Qiao Qingyu¡¯s figure disappeared from sight, only then did he slowly retract his gaze.


    He curved the corners of his mouth, concealing all his emotions, and turned, walking step by step in the direction from which the wind was blowing.


    The north wind howled, the weather gloomy, seemingly about to snow again.


    Snow was good, as auspicious snow indicates a prosperous year; his green ecological work would progress more smoothly.


    Han Lishi took care of matters in Lianjiang Village and then moved with her granddaughter, telling her family it was to seek medical treatment. The girl was still young, but she could finally sit up now, which was both excellent and hopeful. Previously, there had been no treatment because it seemed impossible, but now there could be no delay.


    She intended to find a renowned doctor, willing to spend all her resources to cure her granddaughter, enabling her to get out of bed, to walk, run, and jump, and then to marry and have children, so she too could rest in peace...


    Han Lishi¡¯s words were highly credible; no one doubted them, especially since Sixth Girl indeed showed improvement.


    It was said there was an old Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner in the South, and Han Lishi planned to move there with Sixth Girl.


    The current household registration system was very strict, but relocating to the countryside was still advantageous.


    When going to the brigade to get proof, it indeed involved a Southern village. Afterwards, there was nothing else to arrange. The belongings they carried were their worshipped deities; everything else could be replenished locally. Unusable items were discarded, and anything usable was left for the Han Family. Then Han Lishi secretly left three golden bracelets and five gold rings, along with a bracelet for her son. This time, Han Dazhu said nothing, only kneeling on the ground gratefully and bowing thrice to his mother.


    The mother had the capability and the means; after all, it was really her sons and family who had held her back. Besides, the Han Family also breathed a sigh of relief.


    Sixth Girl was a troublemaker in the family, bound to cause problems sooner or later, and because of her, the household was restless. Han Dazhu was now too worn out and scared to stir trouble again, resigned to live honestly and, if possible, find another partner in life, and that would be life.


    The other members of the Han Family were relieved when the old lady took Sixth Girl away. With their departure, two rooms were freed up, and two fewer mouths to feed. Although most of the family expenses were indeed covered by Han Lishi, everyone selectively ignored this fact, especially since Sixth Girl earned nothing yet spent the most.


    Han Lishi left quietly, with few knowing. She indeed went to the South but later spent money to change her route and head to the Northwest, specifically aiming for Xichuan.


    The old lady naturally had her own connections and means, and she easily found out that Qiao Qingyu now had a capable person under her, Wang Laogen from Panquan Village.


    Han Lishi didn¡¯t settle in Panquan Village with her granddaughter but in a nearby village called Xiwatun, which was very close.


    Settling there was not difficult. Han Lishi¡¯s story was pitiful ¨C her family thought the granddaughter was a burden, always wanting to kill her quietly because she was paralyzed and couldn¡¯t even marry, thus being a nuisance. Out of options, the grandmother had to split from the family and bring her granddaughter to hide in the Northwest.


    It was peaceful here, with no one wanting to harm her granddaughter. She taught herself medical skills and now could finally care for her granddaughter peacefully.


    Han Lishi¡¯s story touched people¡¯s hearts, and with a letter of introduction from a Southern village along with other related documents, the relocation process went smoothly. It was the early 1980s; twenty years earlier, one could have settled without a letter of introduction.


    Thus, Han Lishi and Sixth Girl were officially registered in Xiwatun. Although the village was small, Han Lishi bought a thatched hut, raised a large dog, and thus officially settled down here.


    Of course, since the land here was precious, she had no allocation of farmland, but Han Lishi didn¡¯t care.


    After showing her capabilities, if people in the village had minor illnesses like headache or fever, they would seek her out.

 Chapter 311 - 311 311 The Beautiful Facade of So-Called True

    ?Chapter 311: Chapter 311: The Beautiful Facade of So-Called True Love Chapter 311: Chapter 311: The Beautiful Facade of So-Called True Love After all, this place was far from the county hospital, and besides, rural people rarely went to big hospitals when they fell ill, preferring to solve it with their own traditional methods.


    Han Lishi was indeed skilled in traditional Chinese medicine, so everyone trusted her a lot.


    There were village rascals who went to steal from her house, but they didn¡¯t expect to be kicked out the door by Han Lishi.


    So no one dared to mess with her again.


    As for her granddaughter, almost no one had seen what she looked like, as she was always lying inside the house. It was said she was ill, so people also didn¡¯t insist on entering the house to check on her.


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu had nearly completed several major plans for the semester. She had also secured a sum of money for the student council, funding students from impoverished families. Of course, she couldn¡¯t always pull in funds¡ªshe needed to generate income too.


    As for how to make money, Qiao Qingyu had plenty of ideas.


    Also, the winter vacation was coming soon, which was great¡ªshe could sleep in and cuddle with her boyfriend He Xiuyu every day.


    Lost in thought, Qiao Qingyu nearly bumped into someone coming her way; she got startled, realizing it was Li Bo, then her expression softened.


    They weren¡¯t strangers after all, so Qiao Qingyu smiled casually and asked, ¡°Where are you heading?¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I need you. I want to talk to you for a moment.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m busy, though,¡± Qiao Qingyu expressed, showing no interest in talking to him.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, it won¡¯t take more than a few minutes,¡± pleaded Li Bo with a sorrowful expression. ¡°Qiao Qingyu, please, I just want to talk to you for a moment.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    Was he relying on her sympathy for her mother, or did he think she was soft-hearted?


    Qiao Qingyu helplessly led Li Bo to the student council meeting room. Here, it was just the two of them. After closing the door, Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°What do you want to talk about? But let me tell you, we are about the same age, I might not know much more than you.¡±


    Li Bo shook his head. He didn¡¯t see it that way. From the time he started school until now, which had only been a few months, no one dared to underestimate Qiao Qingyu anymore.


    The reason no one dared to look down on her wasn¡¯t about who she had behind her. It was because her abilities were truly exceptional, and everyone almost unanimously respected her.


    Plus, talking to her clarified things in a way that felt enlightening.


    Not wanting to waste Qiao Qingyu¡¯s time, Li Bo told her everything he had experienced from his mother¡¯s death up to now.


    At the end, he cried and stretched out his hands for Qiao Qingyu to see, ¡°I can¡¯t cook. My hands are covered with cuts, and I still have to wash their clothes.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at Li Bo. She had been too busy lately; she hadn¡¯t had the time to pay him any attention. Even living in the same dormitory, they sometimes didn¡¯t speak for an entire day. She couldn¡¯t even spare time for her beloved husband and niece, let alone Li Bo.


    ¡°Your father is busy with work, your stepmother is pregnant, and you do the laundry and cook on Saturdays when you go home. Isn¡¯t that normal? They don¡¯t hit you or scold you, they don¡¯t abuse you, and nothing they do is illegal. Who can you complain to...¡±


    ¡°But they lied to me, they¡¯ve always lied to me since I was little. Now that I understand, what should I do, Qiao Qingyu? How am I supposed to treat them from now on? What would you do if you were me?¡±


    ¡°Since you were little, did you know your stepmother when you were a child?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she used to come to our house all the time since I can remember.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Li Bo¡¯s biological mother also didn¡¯t know why she maintained such an unbearable marriage.


    Perhaps because she truly had nowhere to go.


    Or maybe, she was willing to endure it all.


    After all, although she had only met her twice, Qiao Qingyu knew that the woman did not seek help from others, instead, she went to great lengths to cover for them.


    This reminded Qiao Qingyu that there actually was a lot of surplus labor.


    Many women in families were housewives.


    Without their own financial resources, the more powerful ones held status, the weaker ones had to depend on others¡¯ faces to get by.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s thoughts stirred.


    The housewives in Xichuan were not a small number, they were also potential labor forces, and if handled well, why wouldn¡¯t it be a win-win situation?


    However, facing Li Bo, she truly wanted to advise her a bit.


    ¡°Li Bo, each person has their thoughts, I can¡¯t put myself in your familial life, so even if I were you, I might not be able to create a perfect ending.¡±


    Li Bo¡¯s eyes brightened, and she murmured, ¡°So it¡¯s not entirely my fault, right? Even someone as capable as you can¡¯t handle it.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu laughed out of frustration, ¡°I can¡¯t handle it, but I would never conspire with a woman who destroys families to bully my own mother.¡±


    ¡°I would do everything possible to get her away from that heartless, unfaithful man. Then, I would demand that the man pay a high financial price¡ªdemanding the house, money, and living expenses. I would tell my mom that there are many ways to live a life. I would make her proud of me, and I would make her life happy.¡±


    Li Bo cried, ¡°But my mom likes my dad too much, she refuses to divorce him no matter what.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at Li Bo disdainfully, such a hypocrite.


    ¡°Though you speak these words to lessen your own guilt, since it¡¯s come to this, I¡¯ll say a bit more. Even so, I would absolutely not let that woman enter our home officially, nor would I let their thieving acts get dressed up in the so-called beautiful guise of true love.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at Li Bo¡¯s changing expression with a cold laugh, so why did this person come to tell her all this? Was it an attempt at self-justification?


    See, in a situation like this, you, Qiao Qingyu, are also helpless, aren¡¯t I also helpless? It¡¯s not my fault, really not my fault...


    Maybe this is what Li Bo was thinking now.


    But for a person like Li Bo, having even a shred of remorse and guilt was really not easy, considering she was someone who could be thoroughly manipulated by others.


    Qiao Qingyu stood up, glanced at her watch, oh, nearly an hour had passed, and she still needed to review as her exams were tomorrow, and then it would be winter break.


    Qiao Qingyu finally said earnestly, ¡°Li Bo, for the sake of your pitiful mother, I will share some final words with you.¡±


    Li Bo stood up, though she was slightly taller than Qiao Qingyu, she felt much shorter in her presence.


    It was just like what Qiao Qingyu had said one day, in life, one must walk straight and stand tall, which means having a clear conscience allows one to embrace the world freely. In simpler terms, those who do not commit wrongful deeds do not fear the knocking on their door at midnight.


    Thus, Qiao Qingyu was always so open and honorable, clearly just a beautiful student, yet she seemed like a knight from ancient times.


    No wonder so many people liked her.

 Chapter 312 - 312 312 Advancing Talent Reserves

    ?Chapter 312: Chapter 312: Advancing Talent Reserves Chapter 312: Chapter 312: Advancing Talent Reserves Li Bo looked at Qiao Qingyu without blinking, his voice carrying a sobbing tone, ¡°I know I was wrong, I hate it too, sometimes I just want to destroy those two people.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu raised her eyebrows and spoke slowly, ¡°Li Bo, you are now a university student. Our generation of university students are the most precious talents of our country. You should study hard, make progress, and focus on your academics. Your future will be bright and increasingly broad.


    If you do well, your mother will also be at ease. If you truly can make a name for yourself in the future, you will have a say in your family. Moreover, never try to foolishly seek revenge. Any action without a clever plan is just a crime. Your mother has endured disgrace to ensure that you could grow up safely and have a happy future. Don¡¯t let her sacrifices be in vain...¡±


    Li Bo gazed blankly at Qiao Qingyu, tears streaming down his face unnoticed.


    ...


    Finally, after the exams were over, Qiao Qingyu could not leave immediately. She had already confirmed twenty internship positions and she needed to send the people over.


    All came from families in urgent need of money, and their majors were a perfect match for the West River Chemical Factory. After careful examination and verification, their character, temperament, and talents were all commendable.


    Thus, Qiao Qingyu took twenty people to the West River Chemical Factory.


    The director of the West River Wulong Chemical Factory, surnamed Tang, was commonly referred to as Director Tang.


    He was a man in his forties, who, upon seeing Qiao Qingyu, was all smiles and hurried footsteps.


    This Qiao Qingyu was no ordinary person; she was the chairperson¡¯s beloved grandniece.


    Her capabilities were not small, Secretary Chang told him privately that Qiao Qingyu might well be Wu Xiucai¡¯s successor.


    Naturally, he was more than willing to help, and it also came as an easy favor.


    These twenty individuals that Qiao Qingyu had brought, he had reviewed their files ¨C truly excellent in both character and learning. If properly used, they could become great assets in the future.


    What is currently scarce? It¡¯s talent. Not just in Huaxia, but overseas too, talent is a treasure everywhere.


    If he could retain all these twenty individuals at their factory, Wulong Chemical Factory would be immensely strengthened.


    He personally received them, arranged everything himself, took the students on a tour around the entire plant, and then assigned them dormitories. The Wulong Chemical Factory had very good conditions; despite being a privately-owned enterprise, often looked down upon, it still boasted a foreign-funded sign.


    Getting in was not so easy either, the internship salary was even higher than a regular staff salary.


    During the nearly two-month holiday, these people would earn their entire semester¡¯s living expenses.


    Not to mention, they would learn many things not taught in school.


    Director Tang was very pleased, as were the factory¡¯s engineering and technical staff, and these twenty vibrant university students were even more delighted.


    By this time, Director Tang had great admiration for Qiao Qingyu. Look at that, this was what it meant to be both capable in dealing with people and handling matters.


    He thanked Qiao Qingyu for bringing in the talent. These twenty university students were especially grateful to Qiao Qingyu for painstakingly finding this opportunity for them.


    While these twenty university students might not all succeed, if even half of them did, they would all be valuable connections for Qiao Qingyu in the future.


    Indeed, just as the saying goes, dragons beget dragons and phoenixes, phoenixes; the son of a mouse can only dig holes.


    Qiao Qingyu was very satisfied with the spiritual state of these university students and the environment of the factory. She felt relieved and spent several hours wandering around Xichuan. In the afternoon, she hitched a ride back home with two large handbags.


    He Xiuyu wasn¡¯t home. The house was toasty warm with Rongrong and Xiao Hu doing their homework and Sister-in-law Li cooking for Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu placed the items she bought for Sister-in-law Li on the kang bed. Then, feeling truly famished, she devoured a large bowl of hot noodle soup topped with a poached egg, accompanied by a plate of pickled vegetables.


    After finishing her meal, she remarked, ¡°Ah, there¡¯s really nothing like the food at home.¡±


    ¡°Now that¡¯s great, with such a long holiday, you can finally rest up and eat well.¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law, Rongrong has been quite a handful for you.¡±


    Sister-in-law Li glanced at Qiao Qingyu, pretending to scowl, ¡°Qingyu, I¡¯d be really upset if you say that. Xiao Hu is practically your half-son. Everyone at the base knows that.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu burst into laughter, recalling when Xiao Hu had once wanted to be her son just to play with Rongrong.


    Of course, it was a secret meant to be kept and not disclosed to Sister-in-law Li.


    He Xiuyu was busy with something. No response from his office phone meant he had probably holed up in some workshop, laboratory, or another clandestine location.


    Although Rongrong wanted to sleep with Qiao Qingyu, she changed her mind right before bedtime, claiming her resolve to be a disciplined child. Thus, she returned to her room with her pillow and slippers clattering along the floor.


    Qiao Qingyu had redecorated the little girl¡¯s room once again, adorning the walls with cartoon wallpapers bought from Nangang City.


    However, this wallpaper was not like those found decades later¡ªit was merely a thin sheet with printed patterns, which required a paste made of flour to be applied on its back before it could be affixed to the wall.


    Thus, the little girl¡¯s room ended up being the prettiest among all the girls¡¯ rooms in the residential complex.


    After Rongrong fell asleep, Qiao Qingyu turned off the light and left her bedroom.


    She went around each room, tidied up by He Xiuyu a couple of days ago. He had washed the bed sheets, replaced the pillowcases, and cleaned the curtains and reed mats on the kang bed thoroughly.


    He also watered the flowers and the tea plant had grown a bit more. Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t sure whether the leaves could be picked and dried for tea.


    Yet, they were not short of tea leaves at home, so it stayed as a mere ornamental plant.


    The house was warmed daily; otherwise, these plants would have long succumbed to the cold.


    The plants were only in her bedroom and He Xuerong¡¯s, never daring to place them elsewhere.


    She wondered when the base would implement central heating. Perhaps it could transition directly to geothermal heating.


    Qiao Qingyu thought it might just be feasible.


    Later, she called her grandpa and parents in Yun City, happy to hear they were all well.


    Wu Qianyun told Qiao Qingyu that with winter setting in, Wu Xiucai¡¯s health had deteriorated. He suffered from chronic insomnia and often couldn¡¯t sleep all night, making it impossible for them to visit the Qiao Family Team during the New Year as planned.


    Wu Qianyun prioritized Wu Xiucai¡¯s health over his wealth and status. She acknowledged that her father had aged and his health was deteriorating significantly, necessitating her caring attention.


    As for her own health, the doctors found nothing serious upon examination, only minor issues that would recover with proper care.


    After a long discussion, Qiao Qingyu uncertainly said, ¡°During the winter break, our school has two events, but I¡¯ll schedule them appropriately. If I can make it to Yun City for the New Year, I definitely will.¡±

 Chapter 313 - 313 313 Successful Test Flight

    ?Chapter 313: Chapter 313 Successful Test Flight Chapter 313: Chapter 313 Successful Test Flight ¡°Fine, I know you¡¯re busy, but if you can come, please do. Your grandpa really misses you, too. If it weren¡¯t for his poor health, he might have even gone to Xichuan by now.¡±


    At that moment, the phone was snatched away by Wu Xiucai. Although his voice was somewhat hoarse and his energy was not at its best, he was still very happy, ¡°Qingyu, you are amazing, truly amazing. You¡¯re now even thinking about staffing Wulong Chemical Factory with talent.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, this is called ¡®keeping the good stuff within the family.''¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, Qingyu, you indeed have your grandpa¡¯s spirit from back in the day. I can rest easy now, no longer worried about having no one to follow in my footsteps.¡±


    Standing beside them, Qiao Zhicai proudly straightened his back: Qiao Qingyu was his daughter, his very own cherished daughter!


    Wu Xiucai found his demeanor quite amusing.


    After spending a lot of time together, they had come to like this simple farmer, a straightforward man with no ulterior motives, and what¡¯s most rare, he did not favor sons over daughters.


    You must know that in China, favoring sons over daughters is prevalent, whether in the past, present, and likely ingrained in the future too.


    So, for Qiao Zhicai to achieve this equity, Wu Xiucai gave him a big thumbs up.


    Look how splendidly he doted on his little granddaughter.


    And indeed, Wu Xiucai really did consider handing over all his business to Qiao Qingyu.


    From nothing, in just two years, she had earned hundreds of thousands. Wu Xiucai felt very proud.


    Of course, not now, they would have to wait until everything was on the right track and sorted out.


    And he needed to observe her a bit longer.


    They chatted for a long while before reluctantly hanging up the phone.


    Although Qiao Qingyu was both tired and sleepy, she remembered her mother¡¯s words about her grandpa¡¯s insomnia, how he couldn¡¯t sleep all night. This wouldn¡¯t do; poor rest could lead to serious problems.


    She immediately went to the Space Device.


    In the lab, there was a plant called Soothing Grass, a new variety, whose leaves and flowers exuded a scent that aided sleep and had an exceptionally good effect.


    Qiao Qingyu took dozens of the seeds, cleared a flowerpot, and planted the Soothing Grass. The plant grew quickly; it would bloom in three months, but even before it flowered, once it sprouted more than a dozen leaves, the effect on sleeping well was significant.


    By the time she would go to Yun City, the calming grass might be a palm¡¯s height.


    It would be perfect for her grandpa.


    Much better than taking sleeping pills.


    After taking care of this, Qiao Qingyu finally went to rest with peace of mind.


    ...


    At a newly established secret base of Tenghai Research Base, today¡¯s sky was exceptionally blue.


    It was as though a gigantic sapphire hung overhead.


    At the heavily guarded airstrip stood a group of people, their eyes glued to Huaxia¡¯s finest pilot as he started up an armed helicopter. The rotors stirred the air around them, and nobody dared to blink, not wanting to miss any detail or this moment in history.


    Everyone looked up as the armed helicopter took off.


    They watched the aircraft perform the prearranged flights, the designated maneuvers, and then the actions that exceeded expectations. They didn¡¯t know how long they had been looking up, just that their necks felt so stiff they seemed no longer their own, including He Xiuyu.


    When the distant Fei Ying released its onboard weapons toward the designated target, and bursts of fire bloomed in the distance, and when the Fei Ying proudly flew back to its designated spot.


    Tears streamed down everyone¡¯s faces!


    They had succeeded; they had really succeeded!


    The new generation of autonomously developed armed helicopters had successfully completed their test flight!


    The elderly aerospace engineer, now over sixty years old, recalled the humiliations of these past years: the refusals from others to sell aircraft, the inability to master the technology, the cold mockery, and even the claims that Huaxia people wouldn¡¯t be able to research and develop it even in another hundred years.


    They were like beggars, waiting for someone in a good mood to toss them a bowl of rice.


    But starting from today, there would be no more such experiences.


    Future generations would no longer suffer such indignities.


    They had thought that even by the end of this century, they still wouldn¡¯t be able to independently develop armed helicopters, but now, on January 9th, 1982, the test flight had been a success.


    This was a special day, an unforgettable one.


    How could these individuals not be moved to tears, not feel their hearts surge with emotion?


    Telegrams were sent to Beijing like falling snowflakes, the phones at the Tenghai Base headquarters for Mr. Qi and Old Wei rang incessantly.


    Because of secrecy reasons, the news wasn¡¯t publicized yet, but those who were in the know were moved to tears.


    The old aerospace engineer couldn¡¯t let go of He Xiuyu¡¯s hand for a long time.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for Chief Engineer He leading his research team and providing materials and technology that even developed nations hadn¡¯t yet managed to produce, the new generation of armed helicopters wouldn¡¯t have emerged so quickly, let alone have had such a swift successful test flight.


    And as for materials, they were leading the world!


    He Xiuyu, too, was deeply moved. The substances separated from the mycelium in the Space Device were truly invaluable.


    With it, they had a special material only Huaxia possessed.


    Yet, through it all, they had faced so many difficulties and dangers, but ultimately, they had succeeded.


    He thought, perhaps this was heaven¡¯s blessing on Huaxia.


    He Xiuyu glanced at the time. He really should get home. Qiao Qingyu was on winter break, and he suddenly missed his wife terribly. What to do?


    Then hasten home.


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu was unaware that there was another secret base within the compound, one not smaller than the Tenghai Base, and she also didn¡¯t know of the new generation¡¯s successful armed helicopter test flight, so Qiao Qingyu just assumed He Xiuyu was incredibly busy, too busy even, and she would not disturb him since she had plenty to do herself.


    But unexpectedly, just after she finished preparing dinner, He Xiuyu pushed the door open and came in.


    Qiao Qingyu was startled. She hadn¡¯t thought he would come home for dinner tonight, so she hadn¡¯t made a portion for him. Qiao Qingyu smiled brightly, ¡°Go wash your hands, look at you; it¡¯s been days since you shaved. You look so haggard. Hang on, I¡¯ll go make a couple more pancakes...¡±


    Nowadays, aside from lacking rice, the He Family really wasn¡¯t short on white flour anymore.


    Though it wasn¡¯t snow-white, the flour had a particularly appealing scent.


    Qiao Qingyu decided against any special processing, feeling the original wheat aroma was particularly nice, and besides, it wasn¡¯t necessary.


    Qiao Qingyu had planted a thousand acres of wheat, and due to the poor soil quality, the yield was half of what was expected, but even so, one acre of wheat could still produce over five hundred jin.


    The purchase price for wheat was not low.


    Initially, Qiao Qingyu had planted these crops primarily to improve the living situation of her own family.


    After that, most of this batch of white flour was sold to the Tenghai Research Base.


    So now, every so often, each family within the Tenghai Research Base could enjoy a meal made with white flour, all thanks to Qiao Qingyu.


    Naturally, several tens of thousands of jin of seed were set aside once again.


    Some were retained by the base, Qiao Qingyu reserved some for herself, and the rest was taken away by the Xichuan Seed Breeding Center.

 Chapter 314 - 314 314 The Beginning of a New Era

    ?Chapter 314: Chapter 314: The Beginning of a New Era Chapter 314: Chapter 314: The Beginning of a New Era Qiao Qingyu opened the door to the storage room.


    The room was adorned with a cement floor and wooden shelves, now filled with cotton cloth bags of flour.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s storage room held fifteen bags of flour.


    She kept plenty because anything extra could be given away.


    Against the north wall was the millet she had grown, amounting to five bags.


    Cornmeal, corn cobs, and kernels were piled on the shelves to the west.


    The quantities were considerable; with sufficient food at home, there was no panic, and Qiao Qingyu felt happy just looking at her storage room, with the only pitiful sight being the rice.


    It weighed only five or six pounds, contained in a small cloth bag, placed off to the side.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced over and thought that in the future, rice would be nothing special, and millet would be much more expensive than rice.


    Qiao Qingyu scooped two bowls of flour.


    She poured hot water over the flour, adding a bit of soybean oil, sprinkled with Sichuan pepper, green onions, and salt before spreading it on the rolled-out dough, then rolling it up.


    Cut into pieces and then rolled into circles, this was how she made the fragrant scallion pancakes.


    The quartermaster had brought in quite a lot of soybean oil this year.


    In fact, oil could also be extracted from corn and even rice.


    But the technology was not yet mature.


    And at this time, He Xiuyu had already cleaned himself up, and Qiao Qingyu took a glance¡ªoh, he had lost quite a bit of weight.


    Despite his weight loss, he was clearly elated and in high spirits as if he had encountered some great news, and the smile in the corner of his eyes and brows couldn¡¯t be hidden.


    Unable to contain her curiosity, Qiao Qingyu asked, ¡°You¡¯re in such a good mood, why is that?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember that test tube you gave me?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded, ¡°I remember, did it yield any results?¡±


    ¡°It yielded results long ago, and then it was applied in practice, just today...¡±


    At this point, He Xiuyu paused, tapping his fingers on the kang table as they both sat cross-legged on either side of it, a warm yellow light above their heads. Qiao Qingyu thought He Xiuyu seemed mysteriously excited, a look she had never before noticed on his face.


    Qiao Qingyu considerately said, ¡°If it¡¯s not convenient to talk about it, then don¡¯t. I¡¯m happy just knowing it¡¯s good news, and I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re happy.¡±


    He Xiuyu just smiled at Qiao Qingyu, shaking his head. She deserved to know; she was the greatest contributor, even though she was bound to remain unmentioned, destined not even to be an unsung hero. Her name would not appear in any documents or even reports.


    But He Xiuyu felt that was for the best in protecting Qiao Qingyu.


    Perhaps this was also his selfishness.


    But though such matters were classified, he could tell Qiao Qingyu. In a voice low enough for only her to hear, he said, ¡°Just today, January 9, 1982, our country¡¯s new generation of independently developed armed helicopters has successfully completed its test flight!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Qiao Qingyu exclaimed excitedly, her eyes wide.


    Although she wasn¡¯t a military enthusiast, she knew that independently developing armed helicopters was a task for the next century, with the current trend leaning more towards purchases or collaborative development, always beholden to others.


    She hadn¡¯t expected it to happen so soon.


    ¡°It¡¯s true, and that¡¯s all you need to know.¡±


    Now that he had mentioned it, He Xiuyu continued, ¡°Right now, everyone is working overtime in an effort to quickly develop a fleet of armed helicopters to deploy into battle.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu hummed softly in acknowledgment, then with a worried notion remembered Rongrong¡¯s father, ¡°How is my big brother doing over there?¡±


    ¡°We got in touch a few days ago, he¡¯s enduring some hardships.¡±


    Which meant no serious issues, but certain hardships were inevitable.


    ¡°Can we help in any way?¡±


    ¡°You have already been of great help,¡± He Xiuyu said meaningfully. ¡°It¡¯s hard to get a winter break, so rest well at home, eat some good food; you¡¯ve lost weight...¡±


    While speaking, He Xiuyu reached out to touch his wife¡¯s cheek. Although still fair and tender, her cheeks did indeed seem less full.


    But he was changing the subject.


    Some things simply had to be touched upon lightly, not suitable for further discussion.


    Space Devices, laboratories, seed cultivators, energy sources, and various biological type test tubes¡ªhe knew that the emergence of the armed helicopters signified the beginning of a new era.


    The future was truly unpredictable.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at He Xiuyu, ¡°Look who¡¯s talking, you¡¯ve lost weight too. Work is important, but so is your health.¡± She pointed to the ceiling, ¡°You haven¡¯t unraveled the secrets of the Space Device yet. On our Earth alone, we¡¯ve got over three hundred thousand plant seeds, but there, there are over seven hundred thousand, twice as much, including extinct and new hybrid mutant species. There are so many projects waiting for your research.¡±


    ¡°I know, and not just for any reason, but for you, I will take good care of myself.¡±


    This was He Xiuyu¡¯s heartfelt truth. He didn¡¯t favor pushing his engineers to exhaust themselves unnecessarily; the future was long, and the country was continually producing more talent, allowing them breathing room.


    It turned out the couple hadn¡¯t seen each other for more than ten days. Oh, they had missed each other intensely, and their longing, tenderness, and passion were clearly visible in each other¡¯s eyes.


    While the adjectives might be plenteous, they perfectly described their current state.


    The moon had ascended to the zenith, and the north wind howled as it swept past the house, warming with spring.


    Not lingering, it quickly receded into the distance.


    Leaving only the tranquil night and the silver moonlight behind.


    ...


    The workers at Tenghai Base Farm could finally take a break, but even though it was winter, there was still plenty to do, such as slaughtering some of the base¡¯s sheep.


    It was said each household would get half a pound of mutton.


    No helping it; this was the classic case of ¡°more wolves than meat.¡±


    But this year, the quartermaster brought in a train car full of frozen pork.


    Now they were doing the final tally, and of course, it couldn¡¯t be divided equally; it had to be allocated according to the level of contribution.


    Like the most senior engineers and the quartermaster staff of the same age.


    Even if all revolutionary work is noble, true egalitarianism just isn¡¯t feasible.


    Though the senior engineers genuinely didn¡¯t care, the treatment they deserved had to be provided. Otherwise, who would bother striving and inventing?


    And the frontline workers were also among the hardest working, as important mechanical parts and materials passed through their hands; naturally, they would receive more than the officials who sat around drinking tea and reading newspapers.


    Regardless, this year was shaping up to be better than the last.


    Qiao Qingyu discussed the Chinese New Year arrangements with He Xiuyu, and he would have a little over a week of rest.


    So the couple decided to head to Yun City for the New Year first, then after the fifth day, travel from Yun City to Beijing, stay there for three days, and then return to the base.


    That was pretty much the plan.

 Chapter 315 - 315 315 Every Man Wants to Have Women on Both

    ?Chapter 315: Chapter 315: Every Man Wants to Have Women on Both Sides Chapter 315: Chapter 315: Every Man Wants to Have Women on Both Sides He Xiuyu had some important matters to discuss with Wu Xiucai, and Qiao Qingyu also had to go. Her calming grass had already sprouted, and to prevent it from affecting the growth, she transplanted the sprouts into another pot. So when they left, they would have to take two pots.


    Qiao Qingyu went to the big market to find an experienced craftsman to weave two baskets for her.


    She asked him to weave double-layered small baskets, planning to stuff some wheat straw in the middle.


    Of course, the ceramic pots could not be taken as they were too heavy. Luckily, they had plastic sheets at home, so the pots could be wrapped with the plastic sheets along with the soil and plant roots.


    Fortunately, the plants wouldn¡¯t grow too tall by the time they left, so as long as they weren¡¯t frozen, it would be fine, and in Yun City, there would be even less cause for concern.


    Now, the chemical factory had officially started production. They were mainly producing plastic films because the winter greenhouse trials had been successful. Plastic films had become a sought-after commodity, and no matter how much they produced, there was always a shortage.


    That said, they hadn¡¯t yet developed other related products, such as the convenient yet highly detrimental plastic bags.


    Qiao Qingyu knew she couldn¡¯t stop it. As chemical plants were being built one after another and the mass production of plastic goods and raw materials increased, plastic bags and products would soon become widespread, virtually overnight filling every corner.


    So Qiao Qingyu told Lu Ye that it was essential to vigorously develop the thousand silk hemp.


    For Xichuan¡¯s agriculture, using one-tenth of the land to plant thousand silk hemp and the rest for other crops would be very profitable.


    Although it was January, it meant that spring plowing for agriculture would start soon.


    Of course, this would happen after the New Year had passed.


    Early in the morning, He Xiuyu prepared breakfast. After he ate, he kept it warm in the pot, then went to work. Qiao Qingyu and Rongrong were students on winter vacation and naturally had the right to sleep in.


    However, Qiao Qingyu woke up early too as she had to meet a group at the entrance of the Tenghai Research Base.


    They were her classmates.


    This had been arranged before the vacation. Not everyone could come ¨C some had already gone back to their hometowns. Those who came were from Xichuan and a few from Yushu County.


    This time, the visit was still for observation and learning. The base had added two new greenhouses this year, so there wasn¡¯t really an off-season for the farm workers.


    Fortunately, Zhou Xiaoqin, the deputy director, was straightforward and fair in her dealings. She was also capable and always led by example. Although she was now officially a cadre and didn¡¯t have to work with everyone else, she still took the lead as before. Her subordinates were also hardworking. The new greenhouses were lush and green, providing the scientists engaged in national construction with a rich supply of nutrition and vitamins.


    But the greenhouse cultivation wasn¡¯t something casual. It required as much precision as scientific farming, if not more, than traditional agriculture.


    After the visit, they went to Professor Feng¡¯s experimental fields, and by then it was noon. Qiao Qingyu led a group of about a dozen classmates to the base canteen.


    In those days, college students were highly respected and welcome wherever they went. This was true even into the nineties and the beginning of the next century; being a college student was highly regarded, regardless of their field of study. For the Tenghai Research Base, whatever your field, they could find a use for you.


    They were warmly welcomed; they could visit whatever they wanted unless it was a restricted area, and any engineer could be summoned to teach these college students, leaving them awestruck.


    In short, each visit to the base made the agricultural college students feel as if they¡¯d gained more knowledge than the last time.


    Old Xie was not to be outdone. These college students¡¯ fields of study were in line with his advocacy for green ecological projects, so he naturally seized the opportunity. He accompanied them throughout the entire visit until the satisfied students left.


    Of course, they had come by carpool, and they returned the same way.


    Before leaving, Li Bo had a chat with Qiao Qingyu, and she noticed that his previously muddled mind seemed to be clearing up a bit.


    In fact, if Lan Ju were still around, a family relationship like theirs, if left without external interference, could possibly maintain until the end.


    Because there were indeed similar cases.


    Before Qiao Qingyu entered this book world, in the real world, one of her colleagues at the company came from a complicated family.


    Her father was from a rural area. In the nineties, he organized a group of people to form a construction team. Initially doing odd jobs, they progressed to building houses and eventually established a construction company. They became larger and stronger, but he had three wives.


    Shockingly, all three wives lived together with him, and he had a total of seven children.


    The colleague was the eldest daughter of the first wife.


    Oh, if this were ancient times, she would be considered the legitimate daughter.


    They lived in a relatively beautiful part of the county town, in a villa.


    The second wife met him after he moved to the city, and the third was a college girl he had supported and later brought into the household after she gave birth to his son.


    It was beyond the matter of divorce. Even if he divorced the first wife, who would he marry? The second and third wives were none too easy, and then, the first wife also bore him a son, the younger brother of his workmate.


    So this contractor really had a household full of wives and concubines.


    Their children, who were of similar ages, went to school and left school together.


    It was a situation where ¡°if the people do not raise a fuss, the officials do not interfere.¡±


    Hearing about such affairs could be infuriating to outsiders, but to those involved, there seemed to be no empathy.


    At least that was the case for his female colleague. She was happy every day and didn¡¯t seem to feel any injustice on her mother¡¯s behalf. She spent much money and her father was generous with her; thus, her life went on.


    Of course, she couldn¡¯t share such personal matters with others. Even if her values were skewed, she at least had a sense of shame, for ¡°family shame should not be spread abroad.¡±


    It was during a gathering of people from the same place that someone inadvertently let slip about her family situation, and the word spread quickly, with a single message in the WeChat group making everyone aware.


    Before Qiao Qingyu entered into the book world, she heard that the contractor had encountered problems with a building project, which turned into an unfinished construction. He reportedly started incurring debt, and it was uncertain whether the harmonious scene of his household with multiple wives could continue.


    After all, without love, there needed to be money.


    Regardless of the era, men inherently wanted to be surrounded by women. When men wrote books and created harems, they did so prolifically.


    Of course, that was digressing quite far from the subject.

 Chapter 316 - 316 316 Regret

    ?Chapter 316: Chapter 316: Regret Chapter 316: Chapter 316: Regret Qiao Qingyu reined in her chaotic thoughts and said to Li Bo, ¡°Li Bo, you¡¯re in a good state right now. Don¡¯t be too anxious, graduation is still two years away. I can¡¯t promise that you¡¯ll be able to join the Tenghai Research Base after you graduate. Maybe by that time, you¡¯ll have even better opportunities.¡±


    But Li Bo was very eager, and that was exactly what she had been talking about. ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I¡¯m not asking you to give me a definite answer, even a vague one would do. I will have to explain this to my father and that woman.¡±


    ¡°What does it have to do with them?¡±


    ¡°My father said if I don¡¯t obey, he¡¯ll pull some strings to send me off to some remote village to work as an agricultural technician.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu fell silent. She hadn¡¯t expected Li Bo¡¯s father to be so ruthless, either to prevent his daughter from seeking revenge on Shao Hui or to keep her from having a brighter future.


    ¡°I¡¯m speechless about your father. If you are doing well, he should be happy.¡±


    Li Bo let out a cold laugh. For her, she had indeed understood much overnight. Sometimes she wished she were still as naive as before, living in a beautiful world woven with lies. Wouldn¡¯t that be nice?


    To remain blissfully unaware for a lifetime would at least spare her the psychological torment.


    But there was no helping it, she thought. Even if she hadn¡¯t overheard her father¡¯s conversation with that woman that day, they both would have found her an eyesore. Fortunately, she had already been admitted to university. If she were still in middle school, she might not even have been able to finish her studies.


    Li Bo was filled with regret. She regretted not listening to Liu Hong¡¯s advice and disregarded Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words.


    But it was too late for regrets now.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I¡¯m really out of options. Just don¡¯t expose me, and I¡¯ll tell my father that the Tenghai Base farm has offered me a job after I graduate.¡±


    ¡°Alright, no problem.¡±


    It¡¯s not about going to the research center, only the farm. To Old Xie and Zhou Xiaoqin, that would be welcomed wholeheartedly as Li Bo was a very good student.


    However, her spirits had been dampened by the blow, and she wasn¡¯t as proactive or ambitious as before. Now she was more silent and reclusive, not keen on interacting with others.


    It seemed to be the effect of that big-character poster.


    ¡°...I¡¯m off then, Qiao Qingyu. Thanks for everything.¡± No matter what, Li Bo was truly grateful to Qiao Qingyu.


    Then Li Bo climbed onto the truck and left the Tenghai Research Base with the others.


    And so the winter holiday activities came to an end, and next up was preparing to go to Yun City to celebrate the New Year.


    ...


    Rongrong was in high spirits; after all, she could be considered a little girl who had traveled north and south, having been to many places.


    Li Mingguang was outside with He Xuerong, Dashun, and Daji, having a snowball fight.


    Kids never feel tired when they play games, and when they do get tired, it¡¯s usually time to eat. As the hunger set in, it was time to head home for a meal. Li Mingguang grabbed He Xuerong with a frown and his round, dark eyes fixed on her, ¡°Rongrong, if I tell Aunt Qiao that I want to go to Yun City with you, do you think she would agree?¡±


    ¡°Even if my little aunt agrees, shouldn¡¯t you be at home with Uncle Li and Aunt Li, and your young aunt, celebrating the New Year?¡±


    ¡°But I really want to go to Yun City with you,¡± he said. ¡°I heard there¡¯s also a zoo there, with elephants that have really long trunks, and huge pythons as thick as water buckets.¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯ll visit the zoo,¡± she replied. ¡°How about I draw them for you?¡±


    ¡°Your drawing skills aren¡¯t that great,¡± he teased. ¡°What if you draw something completely unrecognizable and skew my perception?¡±


    He Xuerong¡¯s voice was like that of a lark; not even the current child stars could sing as well as her. But, unfortunately, her drawing skills were just a bit lacking. Li Mingguang, on the other hand, was brilliant at drawing, as if he was self-taught among the best of the best.


    He Xuerong got upset. She stretched out her hand and pushed Li Mingguang in the chest, knocking him into the snowy ground with a smack. She wanted to step on him, but Li Mingguang rolled away and got up, sniffed his nose, and said with a grin, ¡°Rongrong, why don¡¯t you take photos instead? Not just for me to see, but Dashun and Daji can look at them too.¡±


    He Xuerong glared at him fiercely, then huffed away with her head held high.


    Li Mingguang naturally jogged behind her, pulling faces and doing somersaults, until he managed to cheer her up. Then the two children ran home hand in hand.


    On the way, they met Chu Ying. Li Mingguang and He Xuerong stopped to politely greet her.


    Chu Ying asked He Xuerong, ¡°I heard you¡¯re going south for the New Year?¡±


    He Xuerong rolled her eyes. ¡°How do you always get your news so fast? You even know about that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a secret,¡± said Chu Ying. ¡°Aunt Chu obviously knows. Rongrong, I didn¡¯t tell you, my grandmother¡¯s house is also in Yun City.¡±


    He Xuerong¡¯s eyes widened, and then she laughed, ¡°So what if your grandmother lives in Yun City? My dad is not in Yun City, you know.¡±


    Chu Ying was long used to He Xuerong¡¯s sharp tongue, so she laughed it off, ¡°I¡¯m not going specifically for you. I truly have business in Yun City over the New Year. Can you tell me where your house is? When the time comes, I can take you out. I grew up in Yun City and know lots of fun places...¡±


    He Xuerong blinked her eyes, tempted, but then she remembered she only had a few days and she needed to spend them with her little uncle and aunt.


    Plus, she truly had no idea where her little aunt¡¯s house was.


    Chu Ying pursed her lips in disappointment. Nowadays, people liked to clip a pen to their clothing and carry a small diary in their pocket. So, Chu Ying wrote down her family¡¯s address in Yun City and handed it to He Xuerong. Once she saw the paper safely tucked into her pocket, she said with relief, ¡°If you have time, come find me here. I¡¯ve got half a month off this time.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± He Xuerong replied very readily, knowing she wasn¡¯t likely to go.


    Chu Ying turned and left.


    Li Mingguang blinked and said to her, ¡°Rongrong, actually Aunt Chu does have her strong points.¡±


    ¡°What strong points?¡± He Xuerong asked with wide eyes.


    Li Mingguang pursed his lips and pretended to be profound, ¡°Does having thick skin count?¡±


    He Xuerong giggled, and Li Mingguang chuckled along, then added, ¡°Actually, Aunt Chu is just thick-skinned with you. I¡¯ve heard my dad say she¡¯s really strict at work and quite capable.¡±


    ¡°Alright, enough about her. You should go home. I need to get back for dinner too.¡±


    With that, the two friends parted ways at the crossroads.


    He Xuerong thought about what Li Mingguang just said and felt a strange sensation inside. It seemed like Aunt Chu had split into two different people. Oh, how weird indeed.


    Qiao Qingyu had already packed everything needed for the three of them to go out, and then she went to the market to pick up the baskets she had ordered.

 Chapter 317 - 317 317 Iron Rice Bowl and Clay Rice Bowl

    ?Chapter 317: Chapter 317: Iron Rice Bowl and Clay Rice Bowl Chapter 317: Chapter 317: Iron Rice Bowl and Clay Rice Bowl When passing by the commune, Qiao Qingyu visited Xiaxi Commune again. She gave Mr. Qian a red envelope because his daughter had given birth to a healthy baby boy a few days ago.


    The red envelope was quite thick, making Mr. Qian squint with happiness.


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful. If it weren¡¯t for Qiao Qingyu, and if he hadn¡¯t wholeheartedly followed her, the path to prosperity for him and the members of Xiaxi Commune wouldn¡¯t have been so smooth.


    Qiao Qingyu placed her basket at the door and went to find Fang Xiaomei, who was reportedly busy arranging her wedding.


    As expected, Fang Xiaomei¡¯s face was lit up with the joy of her upcoming marriage. Qiao Qingyu felt it wasn¡¯t the right moment to say much, so she just offered her best wishes.


    However, Qiao Qingyu trusted Fang Xiaomei and had always had an idea in mind, which she expressed then. If handled well, it could provide Fang Xiaomei with security in the future.


    After all, Fang Xiaomei had helped her out a lot in the past.


    The question was whether Fang Xiaomei could let go of her stable job.


    Even though she was currently just a cadre in the commune, Fang Xiaomei was officially employed and received a salary every month.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t beat around the bush, and straightforwardly shared her thoughts, leaving Fang Xiaomei startled. Fang Xiaomei then picked up her tea mug and gulped down a whole cup of water.


    Fang Xiaomei wasn¡¯t one to follow convention, as seen when she had previously accompanied Qiao Qingyu to Nangang City, where she took out her private savings and even borrowed quite a bit, secretly making over one thousand yuan.


    She still had that money saved, making her richer than any other girl her age, which gave her confidence.


    Ever since Wang Laogen started working with Qiao Qingyu, his household had improved significantly; his children were not only well-fed but also attended school, dressed neatly, and even his parents were reportedly healthier, affording medical care. Moreover, his wife walked with a straighter back, and they had even rebuilt their house¡ªa splendid five-room tiled structure.


    Thus, within just a year, Wang Laogen had experienced a significant qualitative leap.


    But Wang Laogen was a farmer who didn¡¯t have a stable job; he managed a fragile ¡°clay bowl,¡± which could shatter easily¡ªnot the same situation as hers.


    Yet, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s proposal was truly tempting.


    With pursed lips, Fang Xiaomei said, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, you¡¯re too cunning, luring me with such a big opportunity.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about tempting you,¡± Qiao Qingyu replied. ¡°It¡¯s just that some opportunities should be seized early. Otherwise, you might not get such a good position in the future, right?¡±


    ¡°I know that,¡± said Fang Xiaomei. ¡°Working with you now is like the novels say¡ªfighting battles side by side with you, right?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled and nodded. ¡°You got the gist of it.¡±


    ¡°I need to think about it.¡±


    ¡°Take your time to think,¡± Qiao Qingyu said. ¡°If you decide to join, you¡¯ll take care of human resources and finance here.¡±


    At the commune, Fang Xiaomei was in charge of human resources. As for finance, she had studied it for a year and was particularly talented in this area. Even now, she was formidable when it came to managing accounts. Initially, she hadn¡¯t been placed in finance because the department was adequately staffed, and despite being the commune chief¡¯s distant niece, she couldn¡¯t just push people out.


    However, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s accounts for the year had been managed with her help.


    ¡°I¡¯m planning to clear out the vacant offices next to my Zone 5 Laboratory after spring,¡± Qiao Qingyu mentioned.


    Fang Xiaomei¡¯s eyes lit up¡ªoh my gosh, her biggest dream was to work at the base! Even though, strictly speaking, the Zone 5 Laboratory was peripherally affiliated with the base, it was still essentially part of it, connected in some way after all.


    ¡°Really, are you going to set up your office next to your laboratory?¡± Fang Xiaomei asked again.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu simply told Fang Xiaomei the truth, ¡°After the development of seed cultivation and agricultural planting, an agricultural base will be established based on the Tenghai Research Base. It¡¯s hard to say what the staffing will look like now. Who knows what it will be like in five or ten years, but I can guarantee that this job will definitely be more secure than your iron rice bowl.¡±


    Fang Xiaomei¡¯s eyes brightened the more she listened; she was truly moved.


    Not having a staffing plan wasn¡¯t scary at all, as long as she could work at Tenghai Research Base and enter through that gate, her life would be worthwhile.


    Neither Chen Sheng nor his family members would dare to look down on her.


    Especially now, Qiao Qingyu was no ordinary person.


    Qiao Qingyu having invited her like this, and even proactively, if she hesitated or made excuses, she would really not know what¡¯s good for her. She knew that anyone would be thrilled by such an opportunity.


    And Fang Xiaomei believed that Qiao Qingyu would definitely achieve something remarkable. Following Qiao Qingyu, she wouldn¡¯t suffer.


    Actually, Qiao Qingyu really wouldn¡¯t let her suffer.


    Coming from the future, she of course knew the development trajectory and the issues that would be encountered along the way, such as the difficulties state-owned factories and other enterprises would soon face, not being able to pay workers¡¯ salaries, product overstock, factory operations grinding to a halt, and consecutive years of losses.


    Then, naturally, layoffs would follow.


    Factories had to maintain operations, but without sufficient funds, so they would have to downsize.


    In the 1980s and 90s, unpaid leave, layoffs, and staff reduction were common occurrences.


    Xiaxi Commune would encounter this situation too; the commune wouldn¡¯t have ample funds and wouldn¡¯t be able to support many people like now.


    Preparation in advance was beneficial.


    Qiao Qingyu patted Fang Xiaomei on the shoulder and smilingly said, ¡°Of course, this is my suggestion, not a compulsory one. You need to consider it carefully to avoid regretting later and don¡¯t blindly believe that following me means living the high life¡ªthat¡¯s hard to predict. Maybe by working with me, you might end up not getting paid at all.¡±


    Fang Xiaomei stared at Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, are you trying to scare me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to scare you, I¡¯m discussing possible scenarios with you.¡±


    Fang Xiaomei didn¡¯t mind, ¡°I understand, it¡¯s like doing business; it¡¯s normal to have losses and gains. Don¡¯t worry, if I decide, no matter what happens, I won¡¯t regret it. Give me a few days to think it over, okay?¡±


    ¡°Alright, discuss it with your family... right, and your partner as well.¡±


    Then Qiao Qingyu added, ¡°No rush, these are things we need to do next spring.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Fang Xiaomei wasn¡¯t naive; she wouldn¡¯t expect everything to be perfectly arranged before she would consider joining. The world didn¡¯t work that way.


    ¡°Alright, how many more days until you leave by train?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu checked the time, ¡°Five days from now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a call tomorrow.¡±


    The two of them chatted casually for a bit, and Qiao Qingyu asked Fang Xiaomei where she would live after getting married. It wasn¡¯t until they talked about applying for dormitory housing that Qiao Qingyu remembered, the base didn¡¯t have enough houses, and many employees were married and applying for dormitories.

 Chapter 318 - 318 318 The Illegitimate Child

    ?Chapter 318: Chapter 318: The Illegitimate Child Chapter 318: Chapter 318: The Illegitimate Child Typically, dormitories like these weren¡¯t large, but they were still adequate for a couple to live in.


    You have to understand that many factories are solving their housing problems this way nowadays.


    Agriculture has developed, technology has developed, so what¡¯s next to develop?


    Roads, housing, commerce, schools, medical care, etc...


    Not to mention other places, just look at the base alone, there are many urgent matters at hand.


    Qiao Qingyu left Xiaxi Commune.


    Fang Xiaomei was tempted, to tell the truth, even if she worked at the commune, it just didn¡¯t sound as good as working at Tenghai Research Base.


    It¡¯s not a matter of vanity, it¡¯s a matter of capability.


    Qiao Qingyu was He Xiuyu¡¯s wife, and He Xiuyu wouldn¡¯t let his wife suffer, and given Qiao Qingyu¡¯s personality, she wouldn¡¯t do anything unsuitable.


    Actually, she had wanted to agree right away, but she still had to discuss it with her family first. Wouldn¡¯t it be better if they all agreed?


    The very next morning, Qiao Qingyu received a phone call from Fang Xiaomei, who jubilantly told her that her family had all agreed, including her partner Chen Sheng.


    However, she was worried that her job transfer might be canceled, which could affect retirement and pension issues in the future.


    ¡°Your job can be temporarily placed at the Zone 5 Original Seed Laboratory.¡± It was a unit with complete official procedures.


    Fang Xiaomei was even more delighted, saying she could start work after the New Year.


    Then, Qiao Qingyu made a trip and also hired Wang Laogen as a temporary worker at the Zone 5 Laboratory.


    She took responsibility for both of their job situations.


    As for Wang Laogen, he was fine with anything. Whether temporary or not, he didn¡¯t care. As long as he had work to do, money to make, and could provide for his wife and children, he was very content.


    Obviously, he wouldn¡¯t stop there.


    Some jobs can¡¯t be filled immediately as they become available.


    Qiao Qingyu had her own considerations for using these two people. One was Wang Laogen, a genuine farmer through and through, very intelligent, with extensive experience in agricultural cultivation.


    He had worked and toiled in different places, could say he¡¯s been busy for decades, and his village also had many of his clan members.


    They were all his reliable supporters.


    As for Fang Xiaomei, it wasn¡¯t about Qiao Qingyu¡¯s influence, but because Fang Xiaomei also represented Xiaxi Commune.


    Mr. Qian was not old either, just over fifty.


    He could still work for at least ten more years, and if his work performance was outstanding in the next few years, he might even advance further.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s business blueprint centered on the area surrounding Xiaxi Commune, which housed Tenghai Research Base, aiming to extend coverage to the surrounding areas.


    Naturally, the people she used had her deep intentions, and indeed, both of them were quite good.


    With two deputies officially in place, next came the arrangement of staff below them.


    Plans for spring plowing and the seedling phase of her agricultural planting base were essentially settled.


    Next, she could prepare for her trip with peace of mind.


    Unexpectedly, two days before they were scheduled to depart, a car drove into the base and stopped at the entrance.


    He Xiuyu wasn¡¯t in the workshop because he was busy working, sorting out a lot of documents and materials that needed to be dealt with urgently before they left.


    Unexpectedly, the phone on his desk rang. After picking it up and listening to the other party, he was stunned for a moment before saying, ¡°I¡¯ll be at the gatehouse shortly, wait for me.¡±


    Afterwards, He Xiuyu hung up the phone, quickly donned his coat, his brow furrowed tightly. He hadn¡¯t expected that his former sister-in-law, He Xuerong¡¯s biological mother Liu Ge, had actually returned to the country, and had come to Tenghai Research Base, specifically asking to see him.


    Was she here to take He Xuerong away?


    How could that be possible? He Xiuyu simply couldn¡¯t trust her, that woman¡¯s character was too deplorable¡ªplacing He Xuerong in her care would ruin the child.


    But he couldn¡¯t just let her stand at the entrance indefinitely, regardless of anything else, Liu Ge was He Xuerong¡¯s biological mother.


    He Xiuyu did not bring Liu Ge and her current husband to his home, but took the two of them to an administrative office in the logistics department.


    After closing the door, He Xiuyu rubbed his forehead and poured a cup of water for both guests. Liu Ge felt guilty; she really dared not look into He Xiuyu¡¯s eyes.


    This time she was here to take her daughter away, and what was rare was that her husband had been supportive and agreeable all along.


    Sitting beside her was a handsome man of about twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old, smiling with light dancing in his eyes.


    This was the man for whom Liu Ge had abandoned everything to be with.


    He Xiuyu hadn¡¯t expected that this man would dare to show his face in front of the He Family so brazenly.


    But soon he felt helpless; what could he do about his appearance now¡ªstrike him, or scold him?


    None of this was realistic.


    Liu Ge knew that she would have to face this eventually, especially since she was divorced from He Xiuwen, and now her marriage with her current husband was legally registered.


    Still in embarrassment, she introduced to He Xiuyu, ¡°Xiu Yu, this is my husband Wu Hong.¡±


    He Xiuyu raised his eyebrows slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing his mind, Wu, from M Country, was he related to Wu Xiucai or Wu Xiujie?


    Unexpectedly, the man spoke up proactively with a smile, ¡°If it were the past, there¡¯d be no need for introductions, but I never thought that my little uncle would actually find my cousin.¡±


    He Xiuyu cast a dispassionate glance at him, already knowing whose son he was, then still asked, ¡°Your father is...¡±


    ¡°Ah, my father is Wu Xiujie, but we have no relationship, I¡¯ve lived with my mother since I was born; there¡¯s nothing to hide. I¡¯m the illegitimate child of Wu Xiujie.¡±


    This man was indeed clever, openly admitting his awkward status, then Liu Ge¡¯s eyes flashed with a twinge of pity.


    He Xiuyu asked Liu Ge with an intense gaze, ¡°What are your intentions?¡±


    ¡°I want to take Rongrong away, to M Country. The education there and other conditions are much better than in China. I will ensure my daughter receives the best education, attends the best schools, and enjoys the best resources.¡±


    ¡°I disagree,¡± He Xiuyu rejected without a second thought.


    Liu Ge grew anxious, her eyes reddening, ¡°Xiu Yu, no matter what, we used to be a family, and Rongrong is my biological daughter. Both legally and morally, I have the right to live with my daughter.¡±


    ¡°Indeed so, but right now I don¡¯t trust you,¡± He Xiuyu was utterly unmoved.


    ¡°I am now a member of the ballet corps in M Country. I have a respectable job, a villa. Ah Hong has his own company and estate; we can surely offer Rongrong a beautiful and happy future.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s still not acceptable!¡± He Xiuyu definitively refused.


    ¡°Why not, Xiu Yu? You¡¯re a smart man; you understand. If we take this matter to court, the court will award custody of Rongrong to me, you know?¡±

 Chapter 319 - 319 319 Have You Forgotten Mom

    ?Chapter 319: Chapter 319: Have You Forgotten Mom? Chapter 319: Chapter 319: Have You Forgotten Mom? Liu Ge hadn¡¯t expected He Xiuyu to be so stubborn, ¡°Xiuyu, everyone knows that Rongrong¡¯s father simply doesn¡¯t have the time to look after her, and as her biological mother, I have the right to have her by my side. No one can stop that, not even you.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I can.¡±


    ¡°On what grounds? Do you think just because Rongrong has lived with you for so long, she no longer needs me, her mother?¡±


    Liu Ge became somewhat distraught, standing up swiftly as tears streamed down her face, ¡°Xiuyu, I know you all hate me, but I was helpless at the time, I truly had no choice, I never thought of abandoning her, I always wanted to come back for her, and now that I¡¯ve finally returned, what reason or right do you have to prevent me from doing so?¡±


    ¡°I certainly have a reason.¡± He Xiuyu pointed at Wu Hong, ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t have contact with his father, Wu Xiujie, you¡¯re still his son, and Wu Xiujie currently has too many issues. With my special status, even if I agreed, the Organization would not approve of you taking He Xuerong away, do you understand?¡±


    Liu Ge¡¯s face turned ashen, clearly aware of the trouble Wu Xiujie had stirred up in China. Wu Hong looked awkward, seemingly upset, and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s my fault. I didn¡¯t realize it would be so complicated.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wu Hong, I hope you can understand,¡± said He Xiuyu calmly.


    Liu Ge had prepared a myriad of excuses, even brought a lawyer¡¯s letter, but what was the use now? According to He Xiuyu, she truly couldn¡¯t take He Xuerong away.


    Liu Ge was grinding her teeth in anger, ¡°He Xiuyu, I didn¡¯t expect you to be such a heartless and ungrateful person.¡±


    He Xiuyu laughed silently, raising his eyebrows as he looked at Liu Ge. He truly didn¡¯t understand how this woman had the audacity to say such things.


    His laugh was cold, with a tinge of mockery, changing Liu Ge¡¯s complexion from pale to flushed and back again.


    Wu Hong watched Liu Ge with a pained expression, whispering, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, I didn¡¯t expect my situation to cause such trouble.¡±


    Liu Ge, choking back tears, said, ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself, it¡¯s not your fault, it¡¯s all my fault.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault; it¡¯s mine. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    He Xiuyu suddenly felt a wave of nausea.


    And yet, these two remained oblivious.


    He Xiuyu cleared his throat gently, a reminder to these two people apologizing and blurring their eyes with tears.


    ¡°I have other matters to attend to, and this isn¡¯t a place for you to stay long.¡±


    Tears blurred Liu Ge¡¯s vision as she looked at He Xiuyu, ¡°Xiuyu, I want to see Rongrong.¡±


    He Xiuyu frowned, according to his own wishes, he wouldn¡¯t let He Xuerong meet Liu Ge, according to his wishes, it would be best if she never saw this woman in her lifetime.


    But regardless, Rongrong was Liu Ge¡¯s biological daughter, and the bond of blood was mysterious, sometimes beyond reason.


    Just like Wu Xiucai and Wu Qianyun, even if they hadn¡¯t met for half a century, the affection between father and daughter was now very deep.


    The words Liu Ge had just spoken were also true; he indeed didn¡¯t have the qualification or right to prevent He Xuerong from seeing Liu Ge.


    If after seeing Liu Ge, He Xuerong decided to leave with her mother, then he would have no choice but to accept it.


    Then, he couldn¡¯t help but admit, no matter how well Qiao Qingyu treats Rongrong, could she ever truly replace the position of a mother?


    He Xiuyu nodded, ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll bring Rongrong over.¡±


    Liu Ge breathed a sigh of relief. She was pleased just to be allowed to see her; she had thought He Xiuyu to be so heartless as to not even permit a meeting.


    She was Rongrong¡¯s biological mother. The natural bond between mother and daughter is something that no one can sever, not even Liu Ge. Despite her love, she couldn¡¯t abandon the maternal bond.


    Unexpectedly, Wu Hong stopped He Xiuyu. He moved swiftly to open the leather bag he was carrying and took out a box. Opening the box, inside was a brilliant green jade bracelet.


    Wu Hong¡¯s voice carried a plea and a deep sense of guilt, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I am not an open-hearted person. I have my own selfish reasons for accompanying Liu Ge on this trip. The name engraved on this jade bracelet belongs to my cousin. I don¡¯t know how my father came to possess this bracelet, but he gave it to my mother, who then passed it on to me.


    When I found out that my uncle had located my cousin, I also learned my cousin¡¯s name is Wu Qianyun and then I retrieved this jade bracelet. I didn¡¯t dare to meet my uncle.¡±


    At this point, Wu Hong let out a bitter laugh, ¡°Although Wu Xiujie is my biological father, we have no relationship. Naturally, my uncle looks down on me, he may not even be aware of my existence. So, I wanted to meet Qiao Qingyu and return this jade bracelet to her personally.¡±


    He Xiuyu looked deeply at Wu Hong, then reached out to take the box, lifted the jade bracelet, and looked inside at the engraving. Indeed, three characters were etched there: Wu Qianyun.


    However, they were in seal script, which could be mistaken for three decorative patterns if one wasn¡¯t paying attention.


    He Xiuyu thought for a moment, then nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you to my place.¡±


    Liu Ge and Wu Hong¡¯s eyes flashed with surprise; they hadn¡¯t expected He Xiuyu to agree so readily.


    He Xiuyu handed the box back to Wu Hong, who carefully put it back into the leather bag.


    As if he feared that a careless mistake might shatter it.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s gaze flickered slightly, but he said nothing and led the two of them towards the base¡¯s family compound. At this time, Qiao Qingyu would be at home.


    Rongrong happened to be outside the front gate, running around and playing with Li Mingguang, Dashun, and Daji.


    The little girl¡¯s eyes sparkled brightly, her cheeks rosy, wearing a fuzzy hat and a scarf of the same color, with red gloves matching her hat, and dressed in white lambskin boots, she looked just like a little princess.


    Liu Ge was frozen for a moment, then staggered over. Reaching He Xuerong, she knelt down to look her daughter in the eyes. Her lips quivered, her vision blurred with tears, then she enveloped a shocked He Xuerong in her arms, bursting into loud sobs.


    Her crying startled the nearby children. Li Mingguang was the first to rush forward, grabbing Liu Ge¡¯s arm, frowning and shouting, ¡°Who are you, let go of Rongrong, you¡¯re scaring her!¡±


    Daji also charged forward, trying hard to push Liu Ge away.


    He Xuerong seemed petrified, motionless, just staring at the face that was both strange and familiar to her.


    Have you forgotten your mother?


    No!


    She has photos of her mother. She remembered everything when her mother left her. It¡¯s only been two years; she couldn¡¯t have truly forgotten her.


    But she rarely, very rarely, thought of her father, let alone this mother.

 Chapter 320 - 320 320 Every Elopement Requires Capital

    ?Chapter 320: Chapter 320: Every Elopement Requires Capital Chapter 320: Chapter 320: Every Elopement Requires Capital But when that face appeared before her, He Xuerong, the young girl, couldn¡¯t possibly maintain a cool, dismissive sneer and push her away.


    So, she also cried.


    The tears of He Xuerong fell like pearls cut loose from a string.


    He Xiuyu said, ¡°Let¡¯s go inside, it¡¯s too cold out here.¡± He then busily took out a handkerchief to wipe Rongrong¡¯s tears and said to the child beside her, ¡°You all should go home, this auntie is Rongrong¡¯s mother.¡±


    It¡¯s only then that Liu Ge realized what was happening. She was also carrying a handbag, and hurriedly opened it to take out several beautifully packaged bags of snacks, all of which were evidently imported, then she handed out one bag to each family.


    Li Mingguang, holding a snack he had never seen before, glanced at He Xuerong, then said to Dashun and Daji, ¡°Let¡¯s go home, we shouldn¡¯t disturb them.¡±


    As the three children left, Qiao Qingyu had already heard the noise and naturally guessed who it was.


    She opened the door, and there stood a foreign-looking, very beautiful woman dressed in a mink coat and black high-heeled leather boots at the front door, her eyes and brows indeed resembling He Xuerong¡¯s.


    Qiao Qingyu had also just overheard what He Xiuyu had said.


    She smiled and beckoned them to hurry inside.


    She did, however, glance at the man next to Liu Ge, pondering whether this could be the man that Liu Ge had eloped with?


    Indeed, running away always requires some capital.


    This man clearly appeared to be raised in a superior environment, carrying himself with an indescribable air of wealth and nobility.


    He Xiuyu closed the main door, and they all entered the house.


    The living room did not have central heating despite the winter¡¯s chill, but a small stove was lit.


    Inside, there were coal bricks, and the stove¡¯s pipe extended out the window.


    The house in winter seemed rather shabby, far removed from its tidy cleanliness in summer.


    In Liu Ge¡¯s view, the conditions were dreadfully poor.


    She said nothing, just sat on the sofa, her gaze fixed intently on He Xuerong standing not far away.


    Qiao Qingyu took off her hat and scarf, removed her gloves, and then switched her footwear to thick cotton slippers for indoor use.


    The harsh cold from outside gave way as she took off her cotton-padded jacket and put on a woolen coat meant for indoor wear for He Xuerong.


    Liu Ge was somewhat dazed; she of course knew who this woman was.


    But the ease and naturalness of her actions¡ªshe almost never treated Rongrong like that herself.


    Liu Ge felt her face grow warm and a deep discomfort within her heart.


    He Xiuyu added a few more coal bricks to the stove.


    Unavoidably, when he opened the stove lid, some flames and ash burst out.


    For the family of He Xiuyu, Qiao Qingyu, and He Xuerong, this was commonplace, but for Wu Hong, it was his first time witnessing this.


    He found it both novel and pitiable.


    He looked at the young woman who, true to form, looked very much like his little aunt. Born later, he certainly hadn¡¯t had the chance to meet Lin Wanjun, but he had seen photographs of her.


    He Xiuyu introduced everyone, and Qiao Qingyu poured two cups of tea and placed them on the coffee table.


    Liu Ge was good with words; she had noticed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s unforced, practiced movements just now¡ªactions that were evidently routine¡ªand she could see that her daughter had been well taken care of, growing taller and becoming healthier and more lively.


    Even though she felt uncomfortable, Qiao Qingyu still showed significant goodwill towards Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu also found out that this man was actually Wu Xiujie¡¯s son.


    To be precise, he was an illegitimate child.


    Qiao Qingyu had long heard from her grandfather about Wu Xiujie¡¯s scandalous affairs; it was said that even he didn¡¯t know how many children he had.


    But each of his mistresses was beautiful, and Wu Xiujie himself wasn¡¯t bad-looking, so his illegitimate sons and daughters all inherited decent looks.


    Liu Ge¡¯s voice was hoarse as she wiped away tears and reached out her hand, ¡°Rongrong, come to mom.¡±


    He Xuerong naturally didn¡¯t move, even though she knew this was her mother, she didn¡¯t know what to do. She looked up at Qiao Qingyu, her gaze pleading for help.


    Qiao Qingyu spoke gently, ¡°Liu Ge, go to my room. You should have a private talk with Rongrong now...¡±


    Liu Ge nodded hurriedly.


    So Qiao Qingyu took Rongrong¡¯s hand, with Liu Ge following them to the western room.


    Qiao Qingyu reached out to ruffle He Xuerong¡¯s hair softly, saying, ¡°Rongrong, your little aunt will step out first, you talk to mom.¡±


    As Qiao Qingyu left the western bedroom, Liu Ge threw herself at He Xuerong.


    He Xuerong let her mother embrace her but furrowed her brows slightly. The embrace didn¡¯t feel the same; her mother used to smell nice too but never this overwhelming and stifling.


    He Xuerong felt a bit resistant and pushed Liu Ge away with her little fingers, saying, ¡°Okay, no need for all this hugging, let me go first.¡±


    Liu Ge was stunned for a moment, but she knew her daughter was precocious and also knew that after she left, her daughter became autistic. Filled with guilt that was eating her alive, she couldn¡¯t help but cry again.


    He Xuerong sat upright on the edge of the kang, ¡°Mom, if you¡¯re so sad, why don¡¯t you stay and live with me?¡±


    Liu Ge was stunned for a moment, then earnestly said, ¡°Rongrong, mom wants to take you with her.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t go with you. This is my home, but if you stay, maybe I will live with you.¡±


    Liu Ge, ¡°...¡±


    Make a choice?


    For the sake of leaving, she had already become estranged from everyone; how could she possibly come back?


    Wouldn¡¯t she then become a laughingstock?


    Liu Ge explained with difficulty, ¡°Mom can¡¯t stay, I have to go back to M country, mom has a home there too. You could come with us, that¡¯s also your home; there¡¯s a beautiful, big villa, there¡¯s...¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡± He Xuerong interrupted her mercilessly, puzzled, ¡°Mom, if you have to go back to M country, you shouldn¡¯t be crying all the time. You can¡¯t bear to leave me, but you¡¯re leaving again, what exactly do you want to do?¡±


    He Xuerong stared with her watery eyes, looking seriously at Liu Ge.


    Liu Ge was taken aback, looking at her daughter¡¯s soft little face, her own face turning red.


    ...


    In the living room, Wu Hong placed a red sandalwood jewelry box on the coffee table and repeated exactly what he had just said to He Xiuyu to Qiao Qingyu.


    Then he handed over the bracelet to Qiao Qingyu, who carefully examined it. Ha ha, forgive her, she didn¡¯t recognize those three characters. She glanced at He Xiuyu, and he nodded affirmatively, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s Wu Qianyun¡¯s.¡±


    How had it come into their possession?


    Oh, the matter was understood without words.


    Qiao Qingyu asked Wu Hong, ¡°Has anyone of you worn this bracelet?¡±


    Wu Hong waved his hands hastily, politely saying, ¡°We never wore it, as you know, people in M country aren¡¯t that interested in jade, and besides, it has a name engraved on it. At the time, we had it looked at, and they told us these three characters are ¡®Wu Qianyun.¡¯ We didn¡¯t know at that time our older cousin was named that because no one had told us, but we got this from Wu Xiujie¡¯s hand. We guessed it might be related to an uncle, so we just put it away.¡±

 Chapter 321 - 321 321 I Perceived the Scent of My Kind

    ?Chapter 321: Chapter 321: I Perceived the Scent of My Kind Chapter 321: Chapter 321: I Perceived the Scent of My Kind Qiao Qingyu looked at Wu Hong. If one were to speak in terms of blood relations, she and Wu Hong were indeed relatives.


    This person either spoke the truth or had an ulterior motive; anyone associated with Wu Xiujie invariably inspired unease.


    Whether it was truly her mother¡¯s item, her grandfather would probably be able to tell at a glance.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t refuse it either; this could very well be something Wu Xiujie had stolen from his little uncle, that old man being someone who knew no bounds and capable of anything.


    If it really belonged to her mother, then it would be a return to its rightful owner, but she had no idea if the item held any significance.


    Or could it possibly be poisoned?


    A strange thought crossed Qiao Qingy¡¯s mind; however, when she opened the box, Wu Hong had personally handed over the Jade Bracelet to her.


    If there really was poison, Wu Hong would have been affected too; she must have been watching too many dramas and reading too many novels. Still, she would have He Xiuyu check it.


    Qiao Qingyu placed the bracelet in the red sandalwood box and said with a smile, ¡°Regardless, I need to thank you on behalf of my mother.¡±


    ¡°No need to be so formal,¡± he replied, his voice tinged with shame, ¡°I really am sorry to everyone.¡± Then, glancing towards the western bedroom, he whispered, ¡°I couldn¡¯t help myself, I¡¯m sorry, Mr. He.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu had certainly gained some perspective.


    This man really had a knack for stirring up trouble, and why was he even apologizing to He Xiuyu?


    Qiao Qingyu unapologetically said, ¡°Mr. Wu Hong, we have no interest in your romantic complications and have no desire to hear any pointless explanations.¡±


    Wu Hong still appeared very remorseful; his hands were clasped together. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I will definitely treat Liu Ge and Rongrong better in the future.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wu, you¡¯re thinking too far ahead.¡± Then Qiao Qingyu shifted the topic, ¡°Are you and Liu Ge planning to visit your father while you¡¯re here?¡±


    Wu Hong hesitated and replied, ¡°We had thought about it, but he might not even recognize me. If it¡¯s possible, we¡¯ll see him; if not, we won¡¯t force it. After all, the main purpose was to accompany Liu Ge to see her daughter.¡±


    Wu Hong¡¯s eyes were clear, showing no evident scheming or ulterior motives; he simply expressed his thoughts and feelings straightforwardly.


    He was also visually appealing and neat, the type commonly liked by girls.


    But considering his own standing and the words he had just spoken, it somehow seemed incredible.


    Moreover, you could tell he was always glancing inadvertently towards the western bedroom, and his crossed hands expressed his inner restlessness and anxiety. Thus it was clear Wu Hong deeply cared about Liu Ge.


    Sometimes, the emotions between these two people were inexplicably unreasonable.


    However, one must adhere to basic moral principles, otherwise, what order would remain in society? It would become utterly chaotic.


    Finally, Liu Ge emerged from the western bedroom, her eyes red.


    And beside her was He Xuerong.


    He Xuerong hadn¡¯t changed, remaining quietly by her side. When she saw Qiao Qingyu, she sprinted over and hugged Qiao Qingyu¡¯s legs, ¡°Little aunt, I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    ¡°He then totally stopped interacting with Liu Ge, let alone Wu Hong.¡±


    ¡°So Liu Ge and Wu Hong left the base¡¯s family compound.¡±


    ¡°As she walked, Liu Ge cried, while Wu Hong, with his hand on her shoulder, comforted her,¡± Qiao Qingyu took one glance then averted her gaze. Immediately, she had He Xiuyu take the bracelet to the base¡¯s laboratory to thoroughly check if it was genuine or fake, or whether there were any poisons or anything on it; the box was checked too.¡±


    ¡°Of course, this was all to ensure safety.¡±


    ¡°It seemed like a futile effort, but it was necessary nonetheless.¡±


    ¡°Yet objects made of jade could not possibly retain any strongly corrosive liquids.¡±


    ¡°After dinner, He Xiuyu took the bracelet, and he also needed Director Lin to discreetly investigate the immigration records of Liu Ge and Wu Hong, mainly to probe into Wu Hong¡¯s background.¡±


    ¡°Rongrong seemed unaffected by any of this. Perhaps she was already used to it, or maybe she felt less attached to her mother. Moreover, being a clever girl, she could sense that if there were a conflict, her mom would surely desert her to side with someone else. Since she wasn¡¯t that important in her mother¡¯s heart, why bother going with her mom and that stranger to such a distant country?¡±


    ¡°Why not just ask her little uncle and little aunt to take her if she wanted to travel?¡±


    ¡°Rongrong shared her thoughts with Qiao Qingyu, who felt helpless but was glad that the child had her own opinions. As for her relationship with Liu Ge, the adults didn¡¯t interfere, leaving her to handle it herself.¡±


    ¡°If you wanted to meet, no one would stop you, but taking you away was out of the question; that was the bare minimum boundary.¡±


    ¡°Wu Hong had actually driven himself.¡±


    ¡°Because he was unfamiliar with the route and it was icy and snowy, he didn¡¯t drive fast. After all, the road conditions were poor, full of potholes, deep in one step and shallow in another. It was easy for the car to get stuck in a snowdrift if not handled properly.¡±


    ¡°Liu Ge¡¯s brow was furrowed. Coming here had already been difficult, but she had persevered out of a desire to see her daughter. Now that she¡¯d seen her and couldn¡¯t take her with, she was filled with resentment towards this wretched place.¡±


    ¡°Then, somehow, the car broke down at the crossroads, immobile in a snow nest.¡±


    ¡°Liu Ge was feeling utterly miserable and dejected.¡±


    ¡°However, Wu Hong was coaxing her with gentle and soft words, softly saying, ¡®We¡¯re not far from the base, and not far from Xiaxi Commune either. Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t be trapped here.''¡±


    ¡°How can I not worry when the car won¡¯t even start?¡±


    ¡°¡®Perhaps a car will pass by soon. Don¡¯t be anxious,¡¯ Wu Hong continued to soothe patiently.¡±


    ¡°¡®Oh, it¡¯s all my fault. I worried that having a driver might not be a good idea and left him in the town. I wish we had brought the driver along.''¡±


    ¡°¡®It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t worry.''¡±


    ¡°Wu Hong kept comforting her with a good temper, his gentle words significantly improving Liu Ge¡¯s mood.¡±


    ¡°Suddenly, Wu Hong, sitting in the car, furrowed his brow. A sharp glimmer flickered in his eyes, fleeting but not unnoticed by Liu Ge.¡±


    ¡°She grabbed his hand, ¡®Ah Hong, did you sense something?''¡±


    ¡°Without hiding anything, Wu Hong replied, ¡®Liu Ge, I sensed the presence of a kindred spirit.''¡±


    ¡°¡®What, you mean there are people here with abilities like yours?¡¯ Liu Ge asked, shocked.¡±


    ¡°Wu Hong looked serious, not immediately responding to Liu Ge¡¯s question, but rather sensing meticulously again.¡±

 Chapter 322 - 322 322 Seized Her Body

    ?Chapter 322: Chapter 322: Seized Her Body Chapter 322: Chapter 322: Seized Her Body Moments later, Wu Hong said, ¡°There definitely are some. In this world, there¡¯s always that group of people who are different from ordinary ones, possessing abilities that the ordinary do not.


    They can see things that others cannot. I am one of them, and so are you. It¡¯s hard to say; there might be a third person because this aura is too familiar.¡±


    ¡°But this dilapidated little mountain village, whose name we don¡¯t even know, really has the person we are looking for?¡± This time, Liu Ge was completely different from before, even her expression had changed.


    ¡°Liu Ge, finding this person is crucial. You know my mother¡¯s family has been preparing for this for hundreds of years, but we never managed to find the right candidate. The aura is strong and powerful; perhaps finding her will enable us to open the gateway to another higher-dimensional world.¡±


    ¡°You go and check it out then, I¡¯ll wait for you here,¡± Liu Ge said without hesitation, her eyes filled with admiration and trust.


    She had fallen in love with him not only for his status but also for his extraordinary abilities, and because, only Wu Hong could protect her.


    The sky gradually darkened, and Wu Hong trudged towards the little mountain village, dimly lit in the distance.


    He could feel that aura lingering around the village.


    Others couldn¡¯t sense it, but he could, though he had not expected the journey to be so challenging, with heavy snow as if it were deep in the wild mountains.


    Nevertheless, the aura seemed to be getting closer. The village had no electricity, only a few homes were lit by dim oil lamps, likely lacking electric lights. And as he stepped on the snow, crunching sounds triggered a big yellow dog to start barking loudly.


    He estimated the village had over a hundred households.


    With no electricity, no television, and no other forms of entertainment, the villagers typically turned off their lights early to save oil.


    Of course, there weren¡¯t any guards around. Treading on the crunching snow, Wu Hong stood at the village gate, his gaze turning towards the edge of the village.


    There was a household, a thatched cottage, with an oil lamp lit inside. He walked towards it and finally confirmed the unusual aura he had sensed¡ªit indeed came from that cottage. His vision was excellent, and he could see a blurred figure through the window; it seemed to be an old lady.


    Wu Hong frowned, looked around, and at that moment, many household dogs had started barking again. He turned around and walked back the way he came without delay.


    Unexpectedly, just after he left, Han Lishi opened the door of the thatched cottage, cloaked in a padded jacket, and looked toward the direction Wu Hong had disappeared, her gaze dark and brooding. After a moment, she turned and went back inside.


    She told Han Liuya, ¡°Your instincts were right; someone like us did come, but he left again.¡±


    Han Liuya furrowed her brow, ¡°What does this person want?¡±


    ¡°Who knows, he might have sensed our aura, just like you did; it¡¯s hard to say...¡±


    Han Liuya leaned against the Kang bed, flipping through a book in her hand, which she threw aside irritably after a while.


    Han Lishi picked up the book and handed it back to her, whispering, ¡°Wait a couple of days, and I¡¯ll buy you some more books to read. If worse comes to worst, you can start school, learn something. Qiao Qingyu...went to college. She even became the top student in liberal arts, and also served as student council president. Now that you¡¯ve taken over her body, it¡¯s too easy for people to notice.¡±


    ¡°Can I just say I forgot everything?¡± Han Liuya responded impatiently. ¡°It¡¯s not possible to get it all at once; besides, I particularly hate this stuff. I¡¯m not interested in it at all. It would be better to let me draw a few talismans; that would make me happy.¡±


    Han Lishi also felt a headache coming on, helplessly saying, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this later.¡±


    At that moment, when Wu Hong reached the spot where the car had gotten stuck, he found that another vehicle had already stopped there. He quickly sped up towards it.


    It was a vehicle coming from the base, planning to head to Xichuan.


    Their car wasn¡¯t damaged; it was just stuck in the snow. The management system was slack, and they hadn¡¯t encountered a single traffic officer on the way. If this were decades later, Wu Hong wouldn¡¯t have been allowed on the road.


    As such, the truck driver and his assistant helped push their car out of the snow and told them that just this stretch of the road was difficult. He led the way, and half an hour later, the road became much easier to navigate.


    Wu Hong whispered to Liu Ge, ¡°I don¡¯t know where my father is being kept, and also, we can¡¯t go back to M country right now.¡±


    Liu Ge, of course, was happy. This way, she could see her daughter more often. But thinking of her daughter made her feel guilty.


    At the same time, she started to resent He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu.


    Her child was now so unreasonable, confrontational¡ªit was all because of these two. If this continued, in a few years, the child surely wouldn¡¯t recognize her own mother.


    This meant she had to find a way to have her child stay by her side.


    If only she and Wu Hong could have their own child, how much easier would that be?


    Liu Ge¡¯s thoughts drifted aimlessly.


    Meanwhile, Wu Hong was considering how clean his background was, absent of anything inappropriate. So, taking advantage of the country¡¯s current efforts to attract investments, maybe it was time to set down roots on this land.


    Even if he hadn¡¯t traveled the entire country, he had gathered a lot of information, and the project he wanted to undertake could only be accomplished here.


    Thus, walking this land of Huaxia as a businessman would not only allow him to make a lot of money but also, especially in their toughest times, to extend a helping hand. How could the people of this country not be grateful to him?


    In this world, it¡¯s easy to add a decoration to the brocade, but what really matters is providing help in the snow.


    This is an immutable truth.


    ...


    Across the ocean in an estate, Zhang Xuanzi, having received a secret call from Wu Hong, started preparing to return to Huaxia.


    It was time to go back; he had been away too long.


    Additionally, there was nothing here that the Zhang Family wanted.


    They were running out of time and had to act quickly.


    Of course, not everyone would return.


    Everyone knows the importance of holding some cards back; you shouldn¡¯t put all your eggs in one basket.


    Some of the elders, who were indeed very old, were willing to go back, so he would take them. As for what might happen along the way, they could only leave it to fate.


    Those who didn¡¯t want to return could stay here and enjoy their old age. The environment here was, in many ways, better than that of Huaxia.


    But unexpectedly, apart from one who chose to stay, the other dozen or so elders all decided to return with him. Perhaps as one ages, they value the idea of returning to their roots more, especially for families like theirs with special abilities.


    When they reached that age, they felt they couldn¡¯t leave their souls in a foreign land, as that would mean not finding the path to reincarnation.

 Chapter 323 - 323 323 The Biggest Variable

    ?Chapter 323: Chapter 323: The Biggest Variable Chapter 323: Chapter 323: The Biggest Variable No matter how many people there were, the Zhang Family had the capacity to bring them all back.


    After all, Huaxia was no longer as closed-off as it used to be; it had gradually opened its doors, facilitating communication in all aspects, including trade.


    And Zhang Xuanzi, after having struggled abroad for so long, had to admit that to achieve greater heights, they needed to return to their birthplace.


    It was just unclear whether the places recorded in the Zhang family genealogy were still around.


    Furthermore, with the enemies gone, the agreements made in those days were automatically nullified.


    Originally, it might have been decades or even a lifetime before the people of the Zhang Family, including the chairman of the Wulong Group who had found his daughter, would return to Huaxia. However, the vast networks involved were now eagerly headed to the land of Huaxia.


    Thus, change was an inevitable rule.


    Moreover, this change could be startlingly profound.


    But regardless, under the push of so many people and with Qiao Qingyu being the biggest variable, the wheels of history had sped up, rolling forward relentlessly.


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu ended up calling Wu Xiucai to find out if there was a bastard child named Wu Hong among Wu Xiujie¡¯s children.


    Wu Xiucai hesitated for a moment, as if recalling, and after a minute spoke, ¡°Indeed, there is a Wu Hong who has always lived with his mother and, it seems, has never met that son of a bitch.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk too much over the phone. If there¡¯s nothing wrong with the bracelet, we¡¯ll bring it with us to Yun City.¡±


    Wu Xiucai nodded, ¡°Bring it over for me to see. It might or might not be, but if it is, this was part of the dowry your grandma and I had saved for your mother.¡±


    The bracelet was clearly for an adult¡¯s wear. In families as prominent as theirs, preparing a girl¡¯s dowry wasn¡¯t something done the year she married. Generally, it started when the girl was around four or five years old, or sometimes even as soon as she was born.


    ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t overthink, have you not been resting well lately?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just an old problem. As people age, they naturally sleep less; don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t mention her Soothing Grass, although her grandpa was fond of her; he didn¡¯t really believe in the effects of these herbs and plants.


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t exactly experiment either; the Soothing Grass was doing well, having sprouted several leaves, but neither she nor He Xiuyu had problems with insomnia.


    Not to mention Rongrong, the little pig, who would fall asleep as soon as she lay down after playing hard.


    So, they could only wait to bring it to Yun City to see its effects.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t come home that evening either; he was working overtime for the holiday season and also needed to check the bracelet for any issues and wait for the information from Director Lin¡¯s investigation.


    Therefore, the next morning, He Xiuyu brought the box back, telling Qiao Qingyu to put it away; there was nothing wrong with it¡ªit was a jade bracelet of exceptionally fine quality.


    Preliminary investigation data showed that Wu Hong had a clean personal and family background. His maternal clan was also ethnic Chinese, having settled in the M country over a hundred years ago; they had no spotted records, though this was only what had been found on the surface.


    ¡°I called grandpa last night, and grandpa said he knows this person.¡±


    He Xiuyu nodded, and both refrained from discussing the matter further, instead starting to pack up because they were set to leave for Yun City tomorrow.


    They didn¡¯t need to worry about home security, but they still had to maintain the daily routine; otherwise, the flower pots on the windowsill and the tea plants would freeze to death.


    This task was entrusted to Zhou Xiaoqin, who was also given a key to the house.


    Some important things and documents at home were properly arranged; carrying several large leather bags, the family boarded the train.


    As they were approaching Yun City, He Xuerong suddenly remembered something, took out a piece of paper from her small backpack, and handed it to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°little aunt, this is from Aunt Chu. She said her home is also in Yun City and asked me to visit her if I had time, saying she would take me out to have fun.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu took the paper and then passed it to He Xiuyu since she was unfamiliar with Yun City. He Xiuyu glanced at it, raised his eyebrows slightly, and said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s only a ten-minute walk from the Wu Family¡¯s mansion.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s so close.¡± He Xuerong was somewhat surprised. The young girl was not at all influenced by Liu Ge and had long forgotten about her.


    That¡¯s why He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu wouldn¡¯t mention Liu Ge in front of her.


    Qiao Qingyu rubbed her little head, ¡°I thought you might throw away Aunt Chu¡¯s note.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t throw it away. Xiao Hu said Aunt Chu also has her merits.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was curious about how these little ones talked about Chu Ying behind her back, so she asked, ¡°What merits does Aunt Chu have in your eyes?¡±


    ¡°Thick-skinned.¡±


    He Xuerong crisply spoke these three words and then giggled merrily, not knowing whether the little girl understood or not, but she seemed very happy, leaving He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu exchanging helplessly resigned looks.


    Moreover, one couldn¡¯t help but admire Chu Ying¡¯s persistence.


    The journey was smooth and safe, and by the time they reached Yun city, it was the day before New Year¡¯s Eve.


    Secretary Chang received them.


    When they arrived home, to their surprise, the eldest brother, sister-in-law, and younger brother had already arrived with their nieces and nephews.


    It seemed that they had adapted well to being here.


    The people who saw He Xiuyu didn¡¯t find it awkward, given the different environments, and this was Yun City; besides, both Qiao Genbao and Qiao Mubao were familiar with He Xiuyu.


    When He Xiuyu initially took Qiao Qingyu away, he brought many gifts to Qiao Family Team, but Qiao Mubao and some cousins had stopped him.


    Moreover, Wu Xiucai had already instructed them in advance, so the meeting was all smiles.


    He Xiuyu naturally responded with a smile as well.


    Of course, the most important people here weren¡¯t Wu Xiucai or the others.


    It was Qiao Zhicai and Wu Qianyun.


    Despite having mentally prepared extensively, both of them still felt somewhat awkward when they saw He Xiuyu.


    Especially Qiao Zhicai.


    To speak frankly, he was nitpicking everything; in terms of work, knowledge, appearance, stature, speech, and behavior, He Xiuyu was flawlessly fit¡ªhe knew that finding such a son-in-law was incredibly difficult.


    And seeing his daughter stand next to the young man, both exchanging smiles, even though he found it irksome, being experienced, he knew the children were deeply fond of each other but still, he felt uneasy and his expression remained stiff.


    As for Wu Qianyun, she wasn¡¯t feeling much better. She had seen He Xiuyu once when he was younger, but since he became her son-in-law, she hadn¡¯t seen him at all.

 Chapter 324 - 324 324 Soothing Grass

    ?Chapter 324: Chapter 324 Soothing Grass Chapter 324: Chapter 324 Soothing Grass Even then, she had thought that maybe, after having a child, the relationship might improve, but she never expected this day to come so soon.


    Xiu Yu was the son of Brother Shanzi and Meng Siqi.


    She couldn¡¯t pick out any flaws in him, but just the thought of one day meeting Meng Siqi and He Shan always felt awkward.


    However, all of this tension was alleviated by Wu Xiucai in just a few words.


    Then, with a smile in his eyes, Xiu Yu naturally called out, ¡°Mom and Dad.¡±


    Luckily, Wu Xiucai had prepped them in advance, so Qiao Zhicai stiffly took out a red envelope from his pocket and handed it to Xiu Yu; in the North, this was known as ¡°acknowledgement money.¡± Once you¡¯ve changed your address to ¡°Dad and Mom,¡± then you¡¯re truly family. Xiu Yu took the red envelope and put it in his pocket, finally feeling at ease.


    However, deep down, he still had some worries about going back to Beijing in a few days. Would his mother give Qiao Qingyu a hard time?


    That couldn¡¯t happen; he didn¡¯t want Qiao Qingyu to be wronged.


    Qiao Qingyu handed the box containing the bracelet to Wu Xiucai.


    Taking it and glancing inside, Wu Xiucai¡¯s expression turned angry, but he suppressed it, scoffing coldly, ¡°That damned woman is still a thief, even stealing the box.¡±


    As he said this, he opened the box, pulled out the Jade Bracelet, and after a long look, he sighed, his face tinged with sadness, yet he quickly masked it, handing both the box and the Jade Bracelet to Wu Qianyun, ¡°Ah Yun, this is a piece of jade your mother came across when you were two. She said the jade was good and wanted it to be part of the dowry for my family¡¯s Ah Yun. From that piece of jade, two bracelets and a Jade Pendant were made...¡±


    Wu Qianyun had no recollection of her mother.


    Yet, she felt her mother¡¯s love for her at all times.


    She looked at the bracelet and lowered her head.


    Wu Xiucai hastily burst into laughter again, ¡°Keep it, you see, what¡¯s yours will come back to you, hasn¡¯t it returned now? That damned woman managed to produce a clever son.¡±


    After saying this, he shifted the topic and pointed at the basket Qiao Qingyu was carrying, ¡°So this is the ¡®Soothing Grass¡¯ you mentioned.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Qiao Qingyu replied, opening the basket. Secretary Chang quickly took two flowerpots and opened the plastic wrap, transferring the Soothing Grass and soil into the pots.


    The pots were delicate, made of porcelain, adorned with blue peonies.


    Qiao Qingyu placed the pots on the nightstand in Wu Xiucai¡¯s bedroom and, turning to Wu Xiucai standing behind her, spoke, ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s worth a shot, either way, it won¡¯t harm you.¡±


    Wu Xiucai smiled warmly. He wasn¡¯t too concerned, but his granddaughter had brought him two pots of Soothing Grass all the way from afar, which, of course, touched him deeply.


    What Wu Xiucai couldn¡¯t fathom was that he, who had suffered from months of consecutive insomnia, slept very well that night.


    Those who sleep well can never understand the agony of insomnia.


    In severe cases, one¡¯s eyes just refuse to close, and the inability to sleep is so distressing that one almost wishes to go mad.


    Although Wu Xiucai wasn¡¯t that bad, his decades of insomnia had tormented him for a long time. It was a long-standing ailment that began the year they lost Qianyun. He had managed to endure thanks to divine intervention and sheer determination.


    Plus, some medical treatment. However, the effects weren¡¯t great. Eventually, he developed a resistance to sleeping pills.


    When Wu Xiucai woke up it was seven in the morning. He thought about it¡ªthe time he went to sleep last night must have been around ten.


    Reflecting carefully, he didn¡¯t toss and turn. He read for a while, then rested with closed eyes, and next thing he knew, it was the current time.


    He stared blankly at the two pots of verdant Soothing Grass on the nightstand.


    The old man also had a personal secretary by his side, who came with him from the United States; in his thirties, a composed individual, much like Secretary Chang.


    Usually, the old man would start stirring around two in the morning.


    But he wouldn¡¯t get up, just turn on the bedside lamp to read some books or look over documents.


    And he would bring the old man a cup of warm Calming Soup.


    So he could rest a bit more before dawn.


    But from the time the old man fell asleep yesterday to six o¡¯clock this morning, the bedroom lights never turned on, and he even peeked in to find the old man still fast asleep.


    That¡¯s why Secretary Liang was very shocked and surprised.


    But at the same time, he was happy.


    At this moment, hearing some noise from inside the room, he quickly went in, and Wu Xiucai muttered, ¡°Xiao Liang, I actually fell asleep last night.¡±


    ¡°Old man, it really is great; your complexion looks very good this morning.¡±


    ¡°Good, good, good,¡± the old man repeated several times, then happily added, ¡°Today is the New Year¡¯s Eve, our family¡¯s first reunion festival.¡±


    The old man stood up with joy, then Wu Qianyun also walked in.


    Pointing at the Soothing Grass by the bedside, Wu Xiucai said, ¡°Take good care of it, Ah Yun, this is really good stuff. Last night I slept through till now, sigh, I haven¡¯t had this feeling for so many years, it¡¯s truly blissful.¡±


    So, these two pots of Soothing Grass became treasures.


    Qiao Zhicai was carefree; his heart wasn¡¯t deep, shallow indeed, holding his wife and daughter almost filled it to the brim, so Qiao Zhicai didn¡¯t know what insomnia was.


    Han Xianglan had been preoccupied with many thoughts recently, so a few stalks were transplanted from those pots and placed by her bedside.


    Out of the fifty or more plants of Soothing Grass that Qiao Qingyu had grown, once they got a bit larger, they would be moved out.


    Qiao Qingyu was also very pleased.


    The seeds from the lab were indeed extraordinary.


    And these pots of Soothing Grass became the Wu Family¡¯s most important possessions, no exaggeration to say, since then, Wu Xiucai never suffered from insomnia again.


    ...


    It was Qiao Qingyu¡¯s second Spring Festival in this world.


    The festive atmosphere in Yun City was also intense. Red lanterns hung in streets and alleys, and every household had red couplets and fortune characters plastered on.


    The popping sounds of fireworks and firecrackers were continuous since they hadn¡¯t been banned.


    But some customs were different from those in the north, yet Wu Xiucai followed the northern traditions anyway, which delighted the old man. Since Wu Qianyun went missing and Lin Wanjun died, he hadn¡¯t had a truly happy moment.


    Now he felt it was complete.


    After eating the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner, Doudou and Feifei took Rongrong out to see the lanterns.


    They wouldn¡¯t go far, just out front of their own home. Then Secretary Chang and Wu Tai were also outside like children, following them and setting off firecrackers. Last year they also had New Year¡¯s here, but it was quiet and cold, not even firecrackers were lit, so this year the Wu Family¡¯s door was particularly lively.


    Taking advantage of the break, He Xiuyu checked on Qiao Shengbao¡¯s studies.


    Qiao Qingyu was busy kneading dough and preparing dumpling filling, ready to make dumplings in the evening.


    By eight o¡¯clock in the evening, the sky was completely dark, and a car stopped at the door.

 Chapter 325 - 325 325 The Spring Festival Gala of the 1980s

    ?Chapter 325: Chapter 325: The Spring Festival Gala of the 1980s Chapter 325: Chapter 325: The Spring Festival Gala of the 1980s Someone moved a large box off the truck.


    Qiao Qingyu also looked curiously and, lo and behold, it was a color television.


    So the color television was placed on the TV stand in the living room.


    It took quite an effort to purchase this color television, over two months of time, visiting several places before it finally arrived in Yun City.


    Once the power was connected and the antenna adjusted, Qiao Qingyu watched the Spring Festival Gala of the 1980s.


    Thus, Rongrong, Doudou, and Feifei didn¡¯t go anywhere, sitting on the sofa, their eyes almost glued to the screen. Rongrong had seen television before, but it was black and white, and not very large, so the impression wasn¡¯t vivid. By the time she arrived at the base, the power supply was insufficient, often leading to outages, especially at night, and even more so in winter. Radios and cassette players were one thing, but television sets were easily damaged.


    Moreover, due to being so remote, the signal reception was much weaker, which is why no one at the base bought televisions.


    Naturally, even Rongrong, who thought she had seen much of the world, couldn¡¯t tear her eyes away from the TV.


    Wu Xiucai called He Xiuyu into his study, opened a wooden box, and said, ¡°Here are the books and some documents you need. I¡¯ve gotten them for you.¡±


    He Xiuyu took out the books and documents from the box and glanced over them quickly, a hint of surprise flashing across his forehead.


    He said with genuine gratitude, ¡°Grandfather-in-law, I really can¡¯t thank you enough.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to thank me for?¡± Wu Xiucai responded, ¡°You¡¯re my granddaughter¡¯s husband; isn¡¯t it natural for me to help out a little?¡± Then, pointing to the books and documents on the table, he said, ¡°Xiu Yu, theoretically speaking, our country already had related documents more than a thousand years ago. Myths and legends, achieving immortality, gathering herbs, refining elixirs¡ªthey all boil down to venturing to another world. But to this day, although the theory keeps expanding, no real results have been achieved.¡±


    He Xiuyu nodded and said, ¡°The times are evolving, and so is science. Furthermore, the goal of science is not necessarily to find the existence of another space. However, if we can unlock the code of time, we will welcome a new era.¡±


    Wu Xiucai was very interested in this topic and after discussing it with He Xiuyu for a while, he continued, ¡°Some say that the end of science is theology, and I think there¡¯s some truth to that. By the way, do you know the surname of Wu Hong¡¯s maternal grandfather?¡±


    He Xiuyu had done his research and replied, ¡°Zhang, with a long bow¡ªZhang.¡±


    ¡°Right, the Long Bow Zhangs. Naturally, they also originated from our Huaxia. I just remembered the other day that old Master Zhang Xuanzi¡¯s ancestors are said to be related to the renowned celestial masters of Taoism.¡±


    He Xiuyu put down the book in his hand, sat opposite old Master Wu Xiucai, knowing he wouldn¡¯t mention this out of the blue.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if Wu Hong¡¯s gesture is a simple act of goodwill or if there¡¯s a conspiracy behind it, but I¡¯ve heard that their family knows some Taoist practices and possesses some secret techniques. Apparently, they didn¡¯t leave Huaxia due to the chaos of war but because they had offended someone and had to leave. Now that their enemies are gone, they¡¯re preparing to return to Huaxia.¡±


    Wu Xiucai had his sources of intelligence, and they were all the latest.


    ¡°Are they all coming back?¡± asked He Xiuyu, frowning slightly. If Wu Hong were to return, then Liu Ge would naturally come back as well.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that,¡± replied Wu Xiucai. ¡°I suppose if they have the capabilities, they will return to this land.¡±


    Then, leaning forward, Wu Xiucai lowered his voice and said, ¡°Xiu Yu, I¡¯ve heard that the Old Zhang Family¡¯s ancestors had a Transmission Array that required a significant amount of Energy Stones to activate and needed eighteen powerful individuals to operate. It¡¯s said that this Transmission Array could transport people to another world.¡±


    ¡°Another world? What kind of world would that be?¡± asked He Xiuyu, truly astonished by how much the old man knew.


    Seeing He Xiuyu¡¯s expression, Wu Xiucai curled his lips smugly and said, ¡°I know you¡¯re a scientist and you don¡¯t believe in these things, but you can think of it this way¡ªas if the Transmission Array, like these books and documents you wanted, could be understood as a gateway through space and time. Perhaps it has already deciphered the code of time you mentioned, opening the gates to a higher-dimensional world. As for what the Immortal Realm or Divine Realm is, I¡¯m not so sure, but I believe in the existence of higher intelligences. We humans are not alone in this universe, so despite the different terminologies, the ultimate paths might converge.¡±


    He Xiuyu pondered these thoughts, actually working on deciphering the secrets of the Space Device at the moment.


    Wu Xiucai took out a document and whispered, ¡°This is a so-called secret document from Country M. Of course, whether it¡¯s real or fake remains to be seen. But look at these photos; if higher intelligences truly exist, they have indeed visited Earth before.¡±


    He Xiuyu scrutinized the document and said somberly, ¡°This is indeed a classified file, but with a nation like Country M that blurs truth and fiction, you never know what they¡¯re up to. Sometimes, they deliberately release such misinformation to deceive other countries, allowing them to reap greater benefits.¡±


    Wu Xiucai nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Grandfather-in-law, this information can hardly be called top secret, as I¡¯ve also happened to see it. It¡¯s likely a sham designed to mislead, and from the perspective of cytology and biology, such life forms wouldn¡¯t possess high intelligence.¡±


    The old man nodded, ¡°You make sense, but I¡¯m telling you all this so that you and Qingyu can be careful. Those with such abilities always consider themselves superior. While they appear to value cause and effect in their dealings, they are ruthless in pursuing their own benefits.¡±


    He Xiuyu nodded solemnly; gathering this information and documents could take Director Lin some time and would not be easy.


    He hadn¡¯t expected the old man to have already considered this.


    He Xiuyu placed the items back in the box, not very large, so when leaving, he could simply put all the books and documents into a leather bag.


    Then, he helped the old man into the living room, from quite a distance away, and heard the laughter emanating from there.


    It seemed the entertainment programs on TV were indeed serving their purpose to the fullest.


    Everything sounded lovely, and every program was worth watching.


    Wu Qianyun decided to bring the noodle board to the living room and started making dumplings with her daughter-in-law and daughter.


    After watching TV for a while, the old man saw that the dumpling-making was lively, so he rolled up his sleeves and joined in.

 Chapter 326 - 326 326 The Money Belongs to the Wu Family Not

    ?Chapter 326: Chapter 326: The Money Belongs to the Wu Family, Not the Qiao! Chapter 326: Chapter 326: The Money Belongs to the Wu Family, Not the Qiao! Sister-in-law Qiao was about to put coins in some dumplings, but the old man stopped her, and Niu Guili hurriedly put the coins back. The old man said, ¡°No, there are too many bacteria on these. Instead, let¡¯s put a peanut in there.¡±


    Speaking of this, the old man grinned and pulled out a purse from his pocket.


    After opening it, he took out a shiny golden bean.


    The old man beamed with joy, ¡°There are eight of these in total. Qingyu, go and get eight small peanuts and put them in the dumplings. Whoever finds one will get a golden bean from me.¡±


    Qiao Zhicai pulled at the corner of his mouth, thinking how generous the old man was.


    Then, this proposal made the three children clap their hands in excitement.


    Qiao Qingyu found three relatively small peanuts.


    She wrapped the peanuts into the dumplings, and from the outside, you couldn¡¯t tell. He Xuerong stood by, her eyes spinning around, seemingly deep in thought.


    Doudou was about to mark a dumpling that just got a peanut, but Feifei grabbed his small hand and glared, ¡°No cheating.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to cheat, I just wanted to feel it.¡±


    Doudou explained with a reddened cheek and lifted head.


    Then he looked at Wu Xiucai, ¡°Great-grandpa, my name is Doudou, whether it¡¯s peanuts or golden beans, they are all closest to me, so I wanted to feel them.¡±


    Wu Xiucai chuckled, very fond of his tiger-headed great-grandson, ¡°Doudou, it depends on whether they feel close to you tonight.¡±


    During the dumpling meal, those with peanuts were up for grabs, whoever got them, got them. Even if He Xuerong carefully counted how many pleats and what shape the peanut dumplings were, once they were cooked and scooped out onto the plate...


    Well, they all looked exactly the same.


    Rongrong was lucky, being the first to find a peanut. She was so delighted, holding up the dumpling to show the great-grandpa.


    Wu Xiucai kept his word, giving out one for every find.


    Then, seven golden beans had been given out, meaning there was only one dumpling with a peanut left. Doudou stared at the dumplings, his dad had even got one, along with a golden bean.


    Rongrong got two, but she was also full. However, she noticed one of the dumplings on her plate had an obvious peanut shape.


    So she picked it up, and everyone saw it. The last dumpling was grabbed by Rongrong again, but unexpectedly, she twisted her chopsticks and lifted the dumpling towards Doudou, smiling, ¡°Brother Doudou, can you still eat?¡±


    Doudou rubbed his little stomach, ¡°I¡¯m too full, it¡¯s almost up to my throat.¡±


    Rongrong encouraged him, ¡°Persevering to the end is victory, see if there¡¯s a peanut in this dumpling.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Doudou¡¯s eyes lit up.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if there is, but you have to eat it to find out.¡±


    Doudou was also a clever child; his eyes were fixed on the dumpling. Ha-ha, he discovered that the dumpling had a secret.


    He took his small bowl and asked Rongrong to put the dumpling inside. The little guy took a big bite and then found the peanut inside.


    That really made him happy.


    So, Wu Xiucai gave the last golden bean from his purse to Doudou.


    After finishing the dumplings, they began the New Year¡¯s vigil. Wu Qianyun looked at everything in front of her, her thoughts similar to Wu Xiucai¡¯s. Sometimes, it felt like everything was just a dream.


    For these two, they sometimes really worried that it was all a dream, and when they opened their eyes, they would find out it was all fake.


    The Wu Family¡¯s New Year¡¯s Eve was lively, constantly filled with joyful laughter.


    Meanwhile, far away in North City, the Qiao Family Team was also bustling due to its large population, and it didn¡¯t seem quiet even without Qiao Zhicai and his family.


    There were three tables set up just for dinner.


    However, during the meal, Wang Mei suddenly spoke up, ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know what the third brother and his family are eating in Yun City, definitely delicacies we¡¯ve never seen before. I guess they wouldn¡¯t even glance at the food we have on our table.¡±


    ¡°Eat your food, what are you blabbering about?¡± Qiao Family¡¯s second son, Qiao Zhihai, scolded.


    ¡°I¡¯m not blabbering. Why are you scolding me? I¡¯m just stating the obvious truth. Mr. Wu is so rich, he wouldn¡¯t eat the dishes on our table. I¡¯m just wondering aloud; I¡¯ve never been out of this county in my life.¡±


    Wang Guihua gave Wang Mei a glare but didn¡¯t really say anything. As the eldest sister-in-law, she just hurried the daughters-in-law to quickly set the dishes that hadn¡¯t been served yet. Honestly, since she had married into the Qiao Family, she thought last year had already been a good year, but this year turned out even better than the last.


    She was satisfied, very satisfied.


    There was money in the passbook, vegetables in the greenhouse, and the youngest son was earning well. Moreover, before the New Year, Qiao Zhicai even mailed five hundred dollars to Old Man Qiao and Old Lady Qiao. She should be content.


    Unexpectedly, Wang Mei spoke again, her lips curled, ¡°I heard that Mr. Wu¡¯s rice bowl for meals costs tens of thousands of dollars each. I can¡¯t believe the third brother only mailed you five hundred dollars. Shouldn¡¯t he have given you at least three thousand or five thousand?¡±


    Old Lady Qiao gave her daughter-in-law a cool look, ¡°Wang Mei, what does it concern you how much money my son mails me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it concerns me too, since we haven¡¯t separated and are living together. Look, the vegetables Zhihai grows, don¡¯t you eat them? The money earned, mom, I contribute to you too, right? Can¡¯t I even talk about it?¡± Wang Mei said confidently.


    Old Man Qiao frowned, ¡°What¡¯s the use of arguing and getting angry during the New Year? You all grow the greenhouse vegetables, but didn¡¯t Genbao work as well? Now, he hasn¡¯t even taken any of the money he¡¯s earned, what more do you want?¡±


    ¡°Also, no matter how rich Mr. Wu is, that wealth belongs to the Wu Family, not the Qiao Family, understand?¡± the old man tapped on the table. ¡°In life, walk straight, stand upright, keep your spine straight, and don¡¯t always covet what¡¯s in other people¡¯s bowls. Focusing on living your own life well is what truly matters.¡±


    Qiao Zhihai remained silent throughout; actually, his wife¡¯s words were exactly what he wanted to say. His younger sister-in-law had married into a very wealthy family and was rumored to now be the richest woman in the world.


    He naturally couldn¡¯t imagine what that level of wealth looked like, but it was definitely very, very wealthy.


    Over the years, the Qiao Family, from top to bottom, had sincerely treated the youngest brother¡¯s family well.


    Although Han Xianglan and Qiao Zhicai treated them well in return, deep down he still felt they had given more. But now suddenly, the youngest had married into a wealthy family and was successful, yet he seemed to have forgotten his brothers.


    These days, people in the village kept asking how much money Qiao Zhicai had mailed them. In reality, so far, he hadn¡¯t received a cent, which inevitably stirred some resentment in his heart.

 Chapter 327 - 327 327 When One Achieves Tao Must Even the

    ?Chapter 327: Chapter 327: When One Achieves Tao, Must Even the Chickens and Dogs Ascend to Heaven? Chapter 327: Chapter 327: When One Achieves Tao, Must Even the Chickens and Dogs Ascend to Heaven? Qiao Zhihai felt that given Mr. Wu¡¯s wealth, Qiao Zhicai should, at the very least, have given his older brothers tens of thousands of dollars each.


    But no, he didn¡¯t part with a single cent, leaving him with no face at all.


    He said sarcastically, ¡°Just yesterday, Great-Uncle asked me if the youngest had given any New Year¡¯s money to the nephews and nieces in the family. What was I supposed to say? The youngest didn¡¯t give a dime. My sister has been so good to their family, wasn¡¯t it right to expect some money for the New Year? Yet, they gave absolutely nothing.¡±


    The faces of Old Man Qiao and Old Lady Qiao darkened even more.


    Qiao Zhiyuan, after all, was an official. He didn¡¯t let his parents speak, but looked at Qiao Zhihai instead. Lately, he had been full of grievances, and he had not been very diligent with the vegetable greenhouse. The chores had been handled by his own third son and nephew. It seemed that Qiao Zhihai probably wouldn¡¯t work in the greenhouse next year.


    He then glanced around the room at the dozens of people with varying expressions: some didn¡¯t take it seriously, and some wore looks of agreement.


    Especially Tianbao¡¯s city wife, who wore a smirk on her face.


    And then there were the few sons of the second brother; all of them worked in farming within the village. Yet, now their ambitions were growing.


    Just yesterday, the youngest son of the second brother even asked if he could get a job in the city.


    Because when Mr. Wu had first visited, even the county leaders had specially come to pay their respects.


    According to these people, it was natural for one¡¯s success to lift all those associated. But why didn¡¯t they consider whether Qiao Zhicai was in a difficult situation?


    Others might not realize it, but he could see that Old Man Qiao was not at all satisfied with the Qiao Family.


    In truth, he also had some criticisms.


    Things had to be taken in stride, didn¡¯t they?


    If Han Xianglan were Wu Qianyun, they wouldn¡¯t have had any relationship with the Wu Family at all.


    Could they be blamed for that?


    Yet, he couldn¡¯t say this. There were too many people in the family, with too many thoughts going around. If he said it, their relations would only become more strained in the future.


    Qiao Zhiyuan sighed helplessly in his heart but still asked gently, ¡°Second brother, what you said does make sense.¡±


    Qiao Zhihai¡¯s eyes lit up as he looked at his parents, ¡°See, Dad, Mom? Even big brother agrees that I¡¯m making sense. That means the third brother¡¯s family is just a bunch of ungrateful white-eyed wolves. The third brother used to say that when he got rich, he would do this and that. But what happened? Once he got money, he turned his back on us.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan sighed, then said very gently, ¡°Second brother, how much money do you think our third brother should give us, then?¡±


    Qiao Zhihai didn¡¯t catch the underlying tone in his big brother¡¯s words. He started counting on his fingers, ¡°Our parents have always treated those two the best, with the most favoritism. For the New Year, they should at least give ten thousand dollars each as a start. And it goes without saying for you, big brother; for all these years everyone has seen your goodness, you should get at least five thousand dollars. Then there¡¯s my older sister ¨C she¡¯s married, so giving her a thousand would suffice.¡±


    ¡°And I, I¡¯ve been nothing but good to them over the years. He really should¡¯ve sent me five thousand dollars, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan clenched his hands, ¡°Oh, let me do the math. Ah, that adds up to more than twenty thousand dollars from the third brother to us.¡±


    Wang Guihua pursed her lips, but didn¡¯t speak with her husband present.


    ¡°More than twenty thousand dollars isn¡¯t a lot, have you not heard that even a bowl of food at Mr. Wu¡¯s can cost tens of thousands of dollars?¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan said thoughtfully, ¡°I know exactly how much money Qiao Zhicai has. After paying off his debts and adding what his daughter gave him, he¡¯s got about six thousand and some.¡±


    Wang Guihua was aware of it too, after all, her younger brother-in-law was doing the handicraft business with his son, and now there were more than five thousand dollars in their passbook, too.


    She kept her head down and said nothing, while Wang Mei beside her had reddened eyes, ¡°Qiao Zhicai actually has so much money and didn¡¯t share any with us. He¡¯s really ungrateful and cruel...¡±


    The Old Lady Qiao wanted to throw her bowl, grinding her teeth, ¡°Wang Mei, that¡¯s my son you¡¯re talking about. Mind your language, or I¡¯ll expose your shortcomings. Ungrateful and cruel, I wonder who you¡¯re really referring to. Looks to me like you¡¯re describing yourself.¡±


    Uncle Qiao said, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t get angry. Let¡¯s not argue. The math is simple: the third brother has six thousand dollars, but according to what everyone¡¯s asking for, we¡¯re still short sixteen thousand. What do we do? Our third brother will have to ask his father-in-law for it.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no shame in asking. Just a simple ask, and a few thousand dollars are in hand, isn¡¯t that nice?¡± said Wang Mei, justifying brazenly.


    Old Man Qiao was so angry he banged the table, ¡°Qiao Zhihai, Wang Mei, you two heartless creatures, have you no shame? Qiao Zhihai, go ask your father-in-law for money right now.¡± Then he looked at Wang Mei, teeth clenched, ¡°Wang Mei, you¡¯ve taken plenty from our Old Qiao Family to your Old Wang Family. You come from a family too, with your own mother and father. What have you ever given our Old Qiao Family, even a thread or a penny?¡±


    The Old Lady Qiao continued coldly, ¡°That¡¯s the truth of the matter. Why should Han Xianglan give you thousands or tens of thousands of dollars? Besides, even if she did, it would be for us old bones, not for you people at all.¡±


    Finally, Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s face turned, ¡°One must not be insatiable. You were the one who stole Han Xianglan¡¯s knotted bracelet and sold it, and up to this day, you haven¡¯t shown an ounce of remorse. Yet you two still have the nerve to ask her for things?¡±


    Qiao Zhihai¡¯s face reddened and he said nothing.


    The issue with the bracelet indeed didn¡¯t look good, and it was something hard to raise one¡¯s head over; after all, the bracelet belonged to Han Xianglan, and his wife had secretly sold it. In any case, it wasn¡¯t a nice story.


    But aside from that, they say when one man attains the Dao, his poultry and dogs ascend to heaven too. Although the Old Man¡¯s words seemed to make sense at first, they really didn¡¯t upon closer scrutiny.


    If Qiao Zhicai¡¯s house managed to connect with rich and noble relatives, why shouldn¡¯t the rest of the family be able to benefit from it?


    And then, here they are, stuck living in a rundown house, eating substandard meals, yet thinking life is just fine. Doesn¡¯t he ever think about what kind of life Qiao Zhicai is living in Yun City? That¡¯s the life of a wealthy young master, rumored to have even a television and a telephone.


    However, today was after all New Year¡¯s Eve, so under the suppression of the Old Man Qiao, everyone finally stopped the fiery argument.


    But obviously, many in the Qiao Family shared the same sentiments as Qiao Zhihai.


    Qiao Shengbao felt exhausted. Back when the family was poor, being able to eat an extra piece of meat made everyone incredibly happy. But now, just look at the table, chicken stew with mushrooms, braised carp, in northern vernacular, a huge pot of ¡°gan bu leng zi¡± pork ribs, and ¡°gan bu leng¡± fried meat. In all the meat dishes, aside from a sprinkle of green onions, not even a cabbage leaf or a radish piece was added.


    And then there was the fresh spinach and tender cucumbers, which could be eaten directly from the large soybean paste jar in the past. But now, they were even fried into minced meat sauce.

 Chapter 328 - 328 328 Really Rich Now But Straying from

    ?Chapter 328: Chapter 328: Really Rich Now, But Straying from Heart and Virtue Chapter 328: Chapter 328: Really Rich Now, But Straying from Heart and Virtue Old Qiao Family¡¯s father divided five jin of rice. He was reluctant to eat it on normal days, but today he stewed all of it into rice, adding just a little bit of millet.


    There was also a big pile of New Year¡¯s goods in the kitchen, and plenty more frozen outside.


    Everyone wore new clothes, from inside out, all new. But why didn¡¯t they seem happy?


    The Qiao Family, with dozens of members, expected support from Mr. Wu. How much money would that take?


    And wouldn¡¯t it be shameful?


    Without the Wu Family, could the Qiao Family starve or something?


    Such thoughts made the third uncle unable to lift his head.


    During his two trips to Yun City, the third uncle, although well-fed, had lost a lot of weight. He confided in me secretly that he was uncomfortable everywhere.


    And there was Mr. Wu, an imposing figure even when not visibly angry.


    Whenever I saw him, I would mostly just walk around him.


    After staying up late on New Year¡¯s Eve, the old man and old lady had a covert talk. ¡°Otherwise, let¡¯s split the family. Look, when we had no money, we could live happily together. Now that we have money, it¡¯s only made us more distant.¡±


    ¡°The eldest is good. We should split off the second son. His large family, and those two sons of his, are no easy task either. They haven¡¯t refrained from sowing discord with their parents.¡±


    ¡°Would that crafty second son agree? He didn¡¯t even agree when we were poor. Now that he sees the family getting richer, and he¡¯s envious of the youngest, he¡¯d be restless unless he takes a few bites out of the youngest¡¯s share.¡±


    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t he think about how the youngest is feeling in his father-in-law¡¯s house? Surely our youngest son is also stifled, depending on his father-in-law for food and accommodation. Can he stand tall then? And they even have the nerve to want my son to ask his father-in-law for money to spend on them.¡± Old Lady Qiao had tears in her eyes from anger.


    Old Qiao sighed, tapping his tobacco pipe. ¡°Don¡¯t blame them for this; people in the village have also fueled the discord from behind. After all, it¡¯s natural in a family for those who have money to help those who don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°But Mr. Wu is no ordinary person. It¡¯s impossible to take advantage of him. It¡¯s already good enough that they acknowledge our marriage.¡±


    Old Lady Qiao had always been clear-headed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s drop it. It¡¯s the New Year, no need to talk about these disheartening matters. We¡¯ll discuss it after the holidays. But, this year the second son¡¯s family won¡¯t work in the greenhouse again.¡±


    ¡°What will they do if not work? Just wait for the youngest to give them money? That¡¯s a dream!¡± Old Lady Qiao was so angry her face turned ashen.


    Dream or not, after staying up late for the New Year, everyone went to sleep.


    After the festivity, Qiao Family Team also settled into a peaceful silence.


    ...


    When I opened my eyes, it was the morning of the first day of the New Year.


    Then, the children paid their respects to the adults, and each received a thick red envelope of cash. This year, everyone¡¯s lives were good. Not to mention Qiao Qingyu, Qiao Zhicai also had ample money in hand.


    He had not been idle here either. Southern corn leaves were also in abundance, and after speaking to Secretary Chang, he got a large truckload delivered right to their courtyard, neatly stacked in the storeroom.


    The family had a telephone and often maintained contact with Qiao Shengbao.


    Qiao Shengbao had also visited twice. Yun City was not far from Nangang City, and after securing two orders, Qiao Shengbao started hiring people back home. Now, he had even become a teacher, bringing along several family relatives.


    Qiao Zhicai¡¯s situation here was not the same. Wu Xiucai enjoyed the quiet, and though he didn¡¯t exactly clash with the locals, communication was strenuous, since almost no one of his age here spoke Mandarin. Therefore, the items Qiao Zhicai made were not many.


    However, Yun City was, after all, a big city, bustling from ancient times to the present, and rich in history. After visiting a few ancient alleys, the things he crafted became increasingly exquisite.


    However, he had already signed a contract with a boss from Nangang City, and the goods he wove could not be sold privately, so Qiao Shengbao took them all to Nangang City. But because of this, the prices had gone up considerably, so when New Year¡¯s came around, he had several thousand yuan in hand.


    Distributing New Year¡¯s money didn¡¯t feel like a burden.


    Mr. Wu didn¡¯t show off too much, mainly considering what these people could accept.


    But he had secretly purchased funds for his daughter, her children, and even Qiao Zhicai, and had also invested in shares of his company on their behalf. Of course, he hadn¡¯t told them, only his daughter.


    Wu Qianyun, however, sneakily told Qiao Qingyu, who knew her grandfather handled things generously. It was fine whether she had the benefit or not; she could earn it herself soon enough.


    Moreover, regarding the Qiao Family Team and the Qiao Family, Qiao Qingyu told Wu Qianyun and Qiao Zhicai not to worry; she had her own plans.


    Wu Qianyun trusted her daughter¡¯s abilities. Even though she had recognized her birth father and had money in hand, she deeply understood a truth: giving rice as a kindness could lead to resentment when carrying rice as a burden.


    There was no need to analyze it. Just look at Qiao Zhihai and Wang Mei from the Qiao Family Team, who were always petty and eager to take advantage of others. Even if they gave them ten thousand yuan a year, they would never be content.


    This money could not be given; this precedent could not be set.


    It was not that she was cold-hearted and unfeeling; it was that this matter could not be handled that way.


    There were several dozen mouths to feed; even if she had the money, she couldn¡¯t support them all.


    The key was what standard of support you offered.


    Not to mention her in-laws, they should honor the elderly, and she was aware of that.


    But what about the others?


    If you mailed them one thousand yuan, they would say it¡¯s too little, it should be at least five thousand. If you mailed them ten thousand, they would say, is that all? It should be at least fifty thousand.


    People are always greedy, never satisfied.


    She admitted, her in-laws and her brother and his wife had indeed been good to them over the years. But she did everything she could to repay them. If it came down to quibbling over every little thing, Wu Qianyun truly owed them nothing.


    Let alone Qiao Family¡¯s second son.


    She truly hadn¡¯t received any help from him. Instead, during the year when her health was poor and her eyesight was failing, Wang Mei still had the nerve to ask her to make shoes for her children.


    Her husband was so angry that he threw everything out.


    However, Wang Mei was not only unapologetic but also bad-mouthed her behind her back.


    She never considered how many pairs of shoes she had made for her children.


    Not to exaggerate, but for the children of the Old Qiao Family, including her older brother¡¯s, half of the shoes they wore in previous years were made by her.


    Was she tired? Yes, she was tired. Did she feel wronged? Very much so.


    That¡¯s why she listened to her daughter.


    And her husband also understood this principle; he listened to her in everything.


    Now that her father was old, the only thing she could do was to take good care of his health, not to leave the slightest regret for herself.


    The jewelry that Lin Wanjun had left behind had all been brought back by Wu Xiucai. There was a lot, and five rosewood boxes were packed full.


    Wu Qianyun told Qiao Qingyu that most of it was for her. According to the Wu Family¡¯s rules, that was indeed the case. If all these were her dowry, then her mother¡¯s dowry would also have to be passed on to her own daughter in the future.

 Chapter 329 - 329 329 When Utterly Impoverished All is Fair

    ?Chapter 329: Chapter 329: When Utterly Impoverished, All is Fair Chapter 329: Chapter 329: When Utterly Impoverished, All is Fair Wu Qianyun couldn¡¯t give everything to her.


    She couldn¡¯t shortchange her own daughter-in-law or granddaughter.


    Right, there was also the future daughter-in-law and granddaughter-in-law.


    But according to Qiao Zhicai¡¯s ideas, aside from leaving a bit for his granddaughter, everything else in these several chests belonged to his Qingyubao.


    Of course, Wu Xiucai expressed wholehearted approval of Qiao Zhicai¡¯s idea, but Wu Qianyun disagreed. If that were the case, rifts would emerge in the family. Niu Guili, no matter how magnanimous, couldn¡¯t possibly disregard it.


    And what about the eldest son, Qiao Genbao? Could he not desire the same?


    After all, they were his wife and daughter.


    Except maybe Qiao Mubao wouldn¡¯t take it to heart.


    So this matter couldn¡¯t be handled in that way.


    It could be said that when the family was impoverished, things were quite fair, but once money was involved, maintaining absolute equality was certainly not possible.


    Of course, to Wu Xiucai, these weren¡¯t issues. With his properties, his daughter and descendants would enjoy endless benefits.


    Qiao Qingyu was also fond of these splendid items and was tempted by them.


    Some couldn¡¯t even be bought with money.


    But she knew that she couldn¡¯t monopolize them.


    She didn¡¯t mind, leaving the arrangements to her mother, ensuring she wouldn¡¯t end up at a disadvantage.


    Qiao Qingyu took a liking to a Purple Flower Smoke Jade Bracelet and chose a few other trinkets, though she didn¡¯t ask for a Jade Pendant because the protective Buddha she currently wore around her neck was irreplaceable.


    However, she did pick out an exceptionally fine, lustrous green Jade Pendant for Rongrong, tying it around the little girl¡¯s neck with a silk cord.


    Jade nurtures the person, and the person nurtures the jade; such Jade was beneficial for the little girl¡¯s health.


    Of course, Feifei was already wearing her Jade Pendant, and Niu Guili had a set of jewelry, all Jade, but she dared not wear them, fearing they would get knocked or damaged. Instead, she very much cherished the gold ring her husband had bought for her.


    Wu Qianyun was very thorough in these aspects, and there was no need for Qiao Qingyu to remind her.


    Qiao Qingyu just needed to take good care of herself.


    On the morning of the first day of the lunar month, several members of the Wu Family staying in Yun City came over to give their New Year¡¯s greetings.


    Most of these people had been met before when they returned to the clan.


    Wu Xiucai had means, and some elderly in the clan, relying on their age and seniority, attempted to gain his favor to move in. However, Wu Xiucai managed to dissuade them with just a few words, to the point where they never dared bring it up again.


    Thus, their visit this time was merely as guests, daring not to covet the beautiful house.


    That¡¯s because this compound had always been the home of Wu Xiucai and Lin Wanjun; the Wu Family¡¯s ancestral home had been sold long ago by the old clan head for fifty thousand silver coins.


    After he¡¯d become clan head, there was no possibility of him separating from the old clan head¡¯s household. But he had purchased his own separate residence, and when leaving, entrusted the house to a friend.


    He let his friend live here for free, and then, well, there were conditions. As long as the descendants of the Wu Family returned, of course, these descendants didn¡¯t refer to Wu Xiujie¡¯s line or the Old Master¡¯s line but his, Wu Xiucai¡¯s, own line.


    Holding his personal letter and seal, or perhaps he would return in person, they were to take back the house. After taking it back, however, they would pay his friend a large sum of compensation.


    It would be based on the price of the day the property was reclaimed.


    However, no one had expected that his daughter would go missing before she even had a chance to go abroad, so he often came back here himself.


    If judged by the standards of that time, this courtyard would not have been able to be preserved. But his contributions were truly significant, so after much wrangling, the house eventually came back into his hands officially.


    From then on, there would be no more unexpected changes unless he himself chose to sell it.


    This was also why Wu Xiucai could live here so openly and guilt-free.


    Sure, the clan¡¯s elders¡¯ descendants envied the house, but they could only suppress their envy. They knew that as long as they followed Wu Xiucai closely, their days would not be bad.


    So in Wu Xiucai¡¯s circle, there were none of those underhand power struggles. When they sat together, their harmony was genuine, and their happiness was real.


    Of course, Wu Xiujie, who was in a secret detention center on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital, was not so pleased.


    He never expected to meet his youngest son here.


    He was over fifty when his son was born.


    It was a case of old age bringing vigor.


    Of course, while this son was the youngest, he had three daughters even younger than Wu Hong.


    He hardly remembered that woman, but he had given this son a name that implied good fortune was upon him.


    He just didn¡¯t expect the child to actually come visit him.


    Of course, there were no emotional scenes, just a plain interaction. With so many children, he had long since become numb, but he was surprised to find that Wu Hong had an excellent temperament, was handsome, and could speak well. Then he learned from Wu Hong¡¯s mouth the purpose of his visit.


    Enraged, he burst into curses, ¡°You idiot, just like your foolish mother! Every item I have given away I dare say is priceless and extremely rare. What grounds do you have to return it? Do you think your uncle will think kindly of you for this, that he would acknowledge you? You fool, keep dreaming! If I don¡¯t recognize you, how could he possibly recognize you, or bestow upon you a surname? That has already been the greatest favor.¡±


    At first, Wu Hong was stunned, then became a little sad. Although he lacked feelings for him, being scolded and berated in this way, especially by his own biological father, made him feel quite uncomfortable.


    Of course, for someone like him, these things were fleeting. He looked at Wu Xiujie with some pity and said with a light smile, ¡°I¡¯ve always known that we had no fate as father and son, but you did give birth to me, and you gave my mother only this bracelet. Now that I¡¯m returning the item to its rightful owner, it¡¯s only right, both emotionally and logically, to inform you.¡±


    Wu Xiujie glared fiercely at Wu Hong, then slumped into a chair, his current living conditions tolerable given his age. It was a small suite, not large, but lacking nothing.


    But he had no freedom, and that was the most painful thing for Wu Xiujie.


    Now, he only hoped that his last move would be successful. Then he could leave this prison peacefully, and perhaps even this country.


    He had been a powerful figure all his life, not exactly dominating the world, but close to it. Yet in his old age, he was duped by someone, by people of this country he had always looked down upon, by those raised by that particular woman he never cared for.


    Han Xianglan, indeed just like the daughters raised by that woman, Qiao Qingyu certainly had a connection with their Wu Family.


    Hatefully, he had only just found out, and it was the woman herself who deliberately told him.


    She called to gloat over him, speaking harshly and bitterly. But he didn¡¯t take it to heart, believing in the adage that as long as the green hills last, there will be no lack of firewood. Although he was old, he wasn¡¯t worried; he would soon destroy everything Wu Xiucai had.


    But sometimes, talking about such things was pointless; what was important was right in front of him.

 Chapter 330 - 330 330 Causal Cycle Things Will Naturally

    ?Chapter 330: Chapter 330: Causal Cycle, Things Will Naturally Fall Into Place Chapter 330: Chapter 330: Causal Cycle, Things Will Naturally Fall Into Place Wu Xiujie looked at Wu Hong and fell silent for a moment before speaking, ¡°Thank you for coming to see me. I have not provided you with the grace of upbringing, but I acknowledge your kindness.¡±


    Wu Hong was stunned, then his voice became somewhat choked up, ¡°Father may not have the grace of upbringing, but he gave me the grace of birth. Without you, there wouldn¡¯t be me. If a person forgets their own roots, then they are less than an animal.¡±


    Wu Xiujie looked at Wu Hong in surprise, a slight smile hooked at the corner of his mouth, though it was unclear what that smile signified. He waved his hand and said, ¡°Alright, I know you¡¯ve come to see me. Hurry up and leave, don¡¯t get dragged down by me.¡±


    After he finished speaking, he turned around and paid no more attention to Wu Hong.


    Wu Hong stood outside for a long time and then turned to leave.


    Their actions and conversation, of course, were relayed word for word to the higher-ups.


    But since everything was normal, Wu Hong left the mysterious detention center. It was not until he reached the main gate that Wu Hong began to ponder in his heart¡ªhow could he have entered such a heavily guarded place so easily?


    Surely it wasn¡¯t that simple. There had to be reasons he didn¡¯t know, but he was not in a hurry. The things of this world go in circles of cause and effect, unfold naturally, like a flower that will inevitably bloom when it is time.


    Anyway, he believed he had never done anything against heaven or reason, so he naturally wasn¡¯t afraid.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in Yun City, Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu took a few children to the zoo, amusement park, and then for a boat ride along the river. The kids¡¯ favorite was still the zoo. He Xiuyu slung a camera around his neck and took a lot of photos for everyone.


    Before leaving, they found a photo studio and paid double the price to rush the development of the photos.


    Then Qiao Qingyu suddenly thought that she, He Xiuyu, Rongrong, and their family should take pictures every year as a memento for the future.


    She and He Xiuyu took quite a few photos, as did Rongrong and other family members.


    Of course, the family photo taken on New Year¡¯s Eve was also essential; it had already been developed and was hanging on the wall of their living room at home.


    They made extra prints of the photos with animal attractions, which He Xuerong specifically packed in her small suitcase.


    These were for Li Mingguang.


    He Xuerong was playing at the doorway when she happened to be seen by Chu Ying, who was passing by. Chu Ying was pleasantly surprised and, after getting a nod of approval from Qiao Qingyu, took Feifei and Doudou out to play with the three children.


    However, the time flew by in less than a week.


    Chu Ying had returned to Beijing, and Qiao Qingyu, He Xiuyu, and Rongrong were also going to spend a few days in Beijing.


    On the evening before they left, Wu Qianyun stayed in the same room with her daughter.


    The mother and daughter lay together under the same quilt as in the past, whispering softly to each other. Wu Qianyun spoke in a gentle voice, ¡°Xiuyu is a good boy. Although it has only been a few days, Mum can see that he treats you exceptionally well. His eyes and heart are filled with only you. Plus, this child¡¯s character, learning, and looks are truly impeccable. I can¡¯t lie against my conscience, so what Mum wants to say is, for the sake of He Xiuyu, please tolerate his mother, Meng Siqi.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu furrowed her brow slightly. In fact, she did not want to meet Meng Siqi so soon, but she couldn¡¯t tell her mother that, so she vaguely said, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not a fool, I won¡¯t embarrass Uncle He or He Xiuyu.¡±


    If it came down to it, she would stay at the guesthouse and let He Xiuyu take Rongrong home.


    After all, her situation with He Xiuyu was different. The level of acceptance Meng Siqi had for her, Qiao Qingyu, was far less than the acceptance her mother had for He Xiuyu. It could be said that in such situations, it is always the mother on the woman¡¯s side who compromises first.


    There¡¯s no helping it, after all, it¡¯s about the daughter getting married off. In the countryside, when some old folks find that their daughters are mistreated by their in-laws, even if they want to give support, they dare not make too much of a scene. There¡¯s a saying commonly uttered by rural folks, unpleasant as it may be, yet it holds some truth ¨C ¡°The donkey is tied to someone else¡¯s trough.¡±


    Wu Qianyun, of course, did not want her daughter to suffer such indignity.


    But if a confrontation did happen upon meeting, they couldn¡¯t just start a fight on the spot.


    After hearing Qiao Qingyu¡¯s assurance, Wu Qianyun already had a vague idea of what her daughter was planning to do, and that was good. Her daughter was becoming increasingly independent and methodical in her actions, which put her at ease.


    ¡°Since you have a plan in mind, I won¡¯t nag anymore. After you get back to Xichuan, take good care of yourself. When I have time, I will visit you in Xichuan. My daughter has gone to university, and not just any university, but as the top scorer. I must see your school. In the old days, you would have been paraded through the streets on horseback wearing a red flower.¡±


    ¡°Mom, grandpa mentioned he¡¯s planning to visit Xichuan this summer. When the time comes, you should come along. Even though grandpa has people to look after him, he¡¯s clearly happier with you by his side. Then you and dad can see the land I¡¯ve contracted ¨C the Barley Grass and Willow Wood I¡¯m growing.¡±


    Wu Qianyun nodded vigorously, determined to go and see for herself.


    Where there are gatherings, there are farewells; everyone has their own life, their own career. Thus, He Xiuyu left Yun City with Qiao Qingyu and Rongrong, boarding a train bound for Beijing.


    This time, there was no need to change trains; they would arrive directly at the Imperial Capital Railway Station. They hadn¡¯t called home, but, unexpectedly, Xiao Wu was waiting at the station.


    He approached to take the luggage, smiling and saying, ¡°The old master started missing you all a few days ago, and we couldn¡¯t very well call to disturb you. But he said you always stick to your plan, and if you said you¡¯d arrive today, then it would be today. Look, he was right, the old master knows you well.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked over at He Xiuyu, her eyes questioning ¨C was she to stay at the guesthouse, or go home with him?


    He Xiuyu hesitated for just an instant before smiling and saying, ¡°I have some materials and data that I need to hand over to our headquarters in Beijing, and I also need to stop by the office...¡±


    Xiao Wu was taken aback before promptly smiling and saying, ¡°That¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll take you first to the office of the research base.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu breathed a sigh of relief. She still did not know what Meng Siqi¡¯s attitude would be, so she could not rashly visit her.


    Moreover, it was obvious that He Xuerong did not like her either. Throughout the journey, it had been clear, as she clung to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s sleeve without letting go.


    This put Qiao Qingyu and her together in the same camp.


    He Xiuyu rubbed his forehead, looking troubled, but his gaze was actually somewhat cold.


    Even if those bruises on Rongrong were caused by his sister, could his own mother really be completely unaware?


    On this matter, he had his grievances with his mother.


    Not merely because of Qiao Qingyu.


    But he indeed had to return, for his grandparents had also come.


    Without another word, they quickly arrived at the Tenghai Research Base¡¯s office located in the Western Imperial Capital, and not far from there was the headquarters of Tenghai Research.

 Chapter 331 - 331 331 Go to Beijing

    ?Chapter 331: Chapter 331: Go to Beijing Chapter 331: Chapter 331: Go to Beijing He Xiuyu¡¯s visit wasn¡¯t just a trip home this time; he also had part of his work to report; furthermore, he needed to leave some materials and books for the people at the headquarters, and the rest had to be taken back to the Xichuan Research Base. There were other very important matters as well.


    Even during the New Year, the office still had staff on duty while the guesthouse was a lot quieter, with no one staying from the first to the third floor.


    Not waiting for anyone else to speak, He Xuerong, carrying her floral backpack and pulling a child¡¯s trolley suitcase that Wu Xiucai had brought from abroad, struggled towards the stairs, climbing one step at a time before turning back to He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu,¡± little uncle, little aunt, can we stay in our old room, please?¡±


    He Xiuyu looked at the office worker and smiled, ¡°Please open room 301 for us.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± The registration was quickly completed, and the worker, smiling broadly, handed the key to He Xiuyu.


    The worker was a young girl, her eyes sparkled brightly from the moment she walked in. Of course, she wasn¡¯t just looking at the family of three. Oh, no, Rongrong called these two people little uncle and little aunt, obviously their niece.


    But the attractiveness of these three was so high, they were really good-looking.


    He Xiuyu walked over to He Xuerong with the key in a few steps and effortlessly picked up her small child¡¯s trolley suitcase, while He Xuerong chattered, ¡°Little uncle, be very careful, don¡¯t knock off the wheels on the bottom.¡±


    This child¡¯s trolley suitcase would still be beautiful decades later, let alone now; it had become He Xuerong¡¯s treasure.


    Feifei had one too.


    Once the winter break was over and she was back home, she could naturally use it too.


    Seeing He Xuerong¡¯s chatty excitement, He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu exchanged a smiling glance.


    They had arrived in the morning, and Xiao Wu had already gone back because He Xiuyu did indeed have very important work that he had to report to the headquarters immediately, so he wouldn¡¯t be able to return home until tomorrow afternoon.


    While Xiao Wu might not know the He Family situation like the back of his hand, he at least understood the basic family relationships, such as the past relationship between He Shan and Wu Qianyun, and now Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu had become a couple.


    Meng Siqi always harbored some resentment, and He Juanjuan looked down on Qiao Qingyu.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t about looking down anymore, after all, even if Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t have her famous grandfather Wu Xiucai, she herself had topped the arts college entrance exams last year and had gone to university. Could anyone dare say she was a foolish and ignorant village girl who was illiterate?


    That would simply be telling barefaced lies.


    But the atmosphere in the He Family was really not great. If He Xiuyu didn¡¯t return, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t bring Rongrong home, Xiao Wu was actually relieved, but he couldn¡¯t say it outright.


    Although Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know exactly what the He Family was like now, she could faintly guess; the prejudice and grudges Meng Siqi held against her weren¡¯t going to be let go anytime soon, so she didn¡¯t want to invite trouble.


    He Xiuyu opened the room, glanced around, and it was clean and tidy. Since it was winter, there was heating, so as soon as he opened it, the room was warm and cozy.


    He Xuerong seemed to like it very much; after all, the winters were very cold in Yun City, even though it was already spring and flowers were blooming by the time they arrived, the indoor temperature was not very high.


    Rongrong entered the room, quickly took off her coat, and after walking a round inside and outside the room, she happily said, ¡°It¡¯s still the room we used to stay in; nothing has changed.¡±


    He Xiuyu put down their things, and then took some items out and put them in another bag, shouldering his briefcase, he rushed to the Tenghai Research Base headquarters.


    Qiao Qingyu and Rongrong began organizing their things; they wouldn¡¯t go to He¡¯s house, but He Xiuyu would also be staying in Beijing these days.


    So the two of them, one adult and one child, simply took out all their toiletries and other items.


    After tidying up, Qiao Qingyu heard the sound of firecrackers outside and watched groups of fireworks in the distance. She also saw some children holding sparklers, walking and setting them off as they went. Unable to contain her excitement any longer, Qiao Qingyu simply took Rongrong downstairs.


    The guesthouse was quiet and peaceful.


    The attendant, seated in a chair reading a book, hurriedly greeted Qiao Qingyu as she descended.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled and said, ¡°We¡¯re going out for a walk.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, go ahead, it¡¯s very lively outside now. As you leave this street, yes, just follow it, turn right at the intersection and walk three hundred meters. It¡¯s filled with lanterns and looks most beautiful right now. You can go and see, there are also snack vendors nearby.¡±


    ¡°Little aunt, I want to go see the lanterns.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded and said to the attendant, ¡°When Chief Engineer He returns, please tell him I¡¯ve taken Rongrong to see the lanterns and have dinner at the place you mentioned.¡±


    ¡°Of course, rest assured, I will relay the message.¡±


    After thanking the attendant, Qiao Qingyu led Rongrong in the direction the attendant had indicated, and sure enough, as soon as they turned the corner, they saw it.


    Ahead was simply a sea of lights.


    Thus, it must be said, Beijing during the New Year was the liveliest.


    Even though it was technically the sixth day after the traditional northern saying of breaking the fifth, the festive atmosphere was still in full swing.


    However, there were no firecrackers here, perhaps because there were simply too many lanterns. Uniformed police were seen patrolling, quickly stopping any children who attempted to set off firecrackers, also asking those holding sparklers to hold on to them properly.


    They even prohibited smoking.


    The street was packed with people, yet the order was meticulously maintained. There were vendors selling candied hawthorn, sugar figurines, pottery, paintings, pastries, and even sweet dumplings ¡ª nearly everything imaginable.


    This made the street vibrant and bustling.


    The hanging lanterns were very pretty ¡ª rabbit lanterns, watermelon lanterns, palace lanterns, moving horse lanterns...


    Qiao Qingyu reminisced about her childhood, when Qiao Zhicai used wire to make palace lanterns for them. To be honest, the ones in front of her didn¡¯t compare in beauty to those her father made.


    Her father was indeed skilled with his hands; the two palace lanterns he made still hung beside the Wu Family¡¯s main gate. Therefore, Wu Xiucai and his rustic son-in-law got along rather harmoniously.


    There was just one thing Wu Xiucai always found amusing: it was a bit cold now, and Qiao Zhicai liked to keep his hands in his sleeves, a habit colloquially termed ¡°peasant tuck.¡±


    Not only he, but Qiao Genbao did it too.


    After the old man mentioned it a few times, they didn¡¯t change the habit and he eventually stopped nagging.


    Once, he secretly tried it himself and found it surprisingly warm.


    Thinking of this, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    At the end of Lantern Street was a three-story restaurant that looked newly opened, decorated lavishly and grandly.


    Even though the street food was appealing, Qiao Qingyu had no intention of letting Rongrong eat outside in the cold wind. Firstly, it was indeed unhealthy; secondly, it might upset her stomach. Since the child was rather young, Qiao Qingyu led He Xuerong into the higher-end restaurant that seemed more suitable.

 Chapter 332 - 332 332 Blind Date

    ?Chapter 332: Chapter 332 Blind Date Chapter 332: Chapter 332 Blind Date By this time, it had reached mealtime, and both the third and second floors were packed with people, leaving only two empty tables on the first floor. Qiao Qingyu, accompanied by Rongrong, sat at a small table and ordered two of Rongrong¡¯s favorite dishes, along with two bowls of rice and a bowl of soup.


    It¡¯s worth mentioning that the environment here was quite elegant, with a recorder playing soft music that wasn¡¯t too loud.


    The floor was made of marble, wiped clean, and in the corner stood a lush and prosperous money tree.


    The patrons dining here had to be somewhat well-off, as the food was quite pricey. The items Qiao Qingyu ordered nearly amounted to an ordinary worker¡¯s monthly salary.


    Her gaze happened to fall on the table in front of them.


    After watching for a while, she realized, oh, that table was set for a blind date.


    She hadn¡¯t expected the girl to be so beautiful, sitting right across from her, with arched eyebrows, eyes like water, black hair, a delicate nose, and rosy lips. If she were dressed in ancient attire, she would certainly be a classical beauty.


    And her voice was gentle.


    Then, in front of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s gaze, was the back of a man.


    He was tall and straight-backed, sitting upright and dressed in a police uniform.


    She couldn¡¯t see his face clearly, nor could she tell what he looked like, but Qiao Qingyu thought that such a blind date candidate would surely satisfy any normal man.


    Then she saw the man stand up and walk towards the bar. Qiao Qingyu took a glance at him; although he couldn¡¯t be described as extremely handsome, he had a well-proportioned face, a resolute expression, and importantly, a smile on his lips.


    He seemed quite content with his blind date.


    Beside them were two middle-aged women and a middle-aged man.


    The atmosphere was harmonious and peaceful.


    They had arrived early and were already finished with their meal. She heard the woman suggest they should take a stroll to Lantern Street up front, and then the three of them, feeling tired, were ready to go home.


    But as it turned out, the man from the blind date had actually gone to pay the bill.


    By this time, the food for Qiao Qingyu and Rongrong had also been served. Rongrong, who was famished, started eating immediately with her chopsticks.


    Seeing her eating in haste, Qiao Qingyu spoke gently, ¡°Rongrong, don¡¯t rush. Eat slowly. Maybe your uncle Jade will come here looking for us.¡±


    As soon as she heard that her uncle Jade might come, Rongrong slowed down her pace.


    They just heard an argument coming from the bar, about someone already having paid the bill and how utterly nonsensical it was. They hoped that the waiter could reveal who it was...


    The voices were still a bit loud, and then the people at the table unanimously stood up and went to the bar.


    The bar wasn¡¯t far from Qiao Qingyu¡¯s spot. With a turn of her head, she could see the waiter still explaining that their table didn¡¯t need to pay because someone had already settled their bill.


    Determined not to disclose who had paid, the man from the blind date furrowed his brows and, after some thought and having no alternative, took out his police badge. His uniform had already been proof enough, but the waiter still wouldn¡¯t say.


    And he looked quite embarrassed, his gaze repeatedly flicking upstairs.


    Qiao Qingyu followed his gaze upward and then saw a man in his twenties descend from upstairs.


    He was tall, wearing a suit and sporting gold-rimmed glasses. He stepped down the stairs and walked steadily toward the girl on the blind date, finally standing before her.


    His voice was somewhat hoarse but deliberate, ¡°I own this restaurant, and I¡¯ve taken care of the bill for you.¡±


    The girl on the blind date turned deathly pale, retreating a few steps involuntarily, her disbelieving eyes fixed on the man before her¡ªher lips moved a few times, but she quickly regained her composure.


    The man in the suit gave a wry smile as he looked at her, ¡°Bai Zhi, just because we haven¡¯t seen each other for two years, you don¡¯t recognize me?¡±


    Bai Zhi tightly clutched her handbag, then relaxed her grip, her voice calm, ¡°Lan Jianqing, business isn¡¯t easy for you, our table shouldn¡¯t need a free meal.¡±


    Then she turned to the man on the blind date, her voice tender, ¡°Did you ask the waiter how much our table owes?¡±


    The man on the blind date shot a sharp glance between Bai Zhi and Lan Jianqing.


    Given a blink, he¡¯d already pinned down the relationship between the two.


    He took out his wallet, counted the money onto the counter, then stood beside the girl with a smile, ¡°Bai Zhi, is this a friend of yours?¡±


    Bai Zhi was about to nod, but unexpectedly, Lan Jianqing suddenly spoke, ¡°I am her friend, but more precisely, her ex-boyfriend.¡±


    The two middle-aged women¡¯s expressions changed instantly, still unclear about what was happening, though one of them, obviously a relative of Bai Zhi, grabbed her urgently, ¡°What is all this? Why haven¡¯t I heard about it?¡±


    Lan Jianqing¡¯s voice carried a chill, ¡°Of course you wouldn¡¯t have heard, as we met during a work program in North City.¡±


    Bai Zhi lifted her head, her hands trembling slightly, her eyes reflecting a complex emotion, ¡°Lan Jianqing, it¡¯s all in the past. Please, don¡¯t disrupt my life anymore.¡±


    ¡°Heh, what a joke. When have I ever disrupted your life? Isn¡¯t it you who chose to dine at this restaurant? Out of respect for our past, I waived your bill. What did I do wrong?¡±


    ¡°Lan Jianqing, don¡¯t go too far.¡±


    Tears suddenly brimmed in Bai Zhi¡¯s eyes, and she clenched the strap of her handbag tightly. After her words, she turned to leave.


    But unexpectedly, Lan Jianqing stepped forward to block her, and then, the blind date man, with swift action, grabbed his hand and pulled Bai Zhi to his side, instantly widening the distance between them.


    Qiao Qingyu watched with gusto, ¡°My goodness, this is the action of someone trained, so fast, and the angle so well managed.¡±


    Lan Jianqing didn¡¯t try to advance further; after all, this was a public space and his own restaurant. His lips curled in scorn, ¡°Officer, it seems you¡¯ve taken a fancy to Bai Zhi. However, let me warn you, this woman is no simple character.¡±


    ¡°How dare you, in broad daylight! Even if you are the owner, you can¡¯t just talk nonsense; if you keep this up, I will report you!¡±


    The middle-aged woman spoke in a shrill, indignant tone.


    Bai Zhi¡¯s tears flowed freely. She had never imagined that in her lifetime she would encounter this man again. She thought he had left Huaxia and would never return.


    Watching Bai Zhi¡¯s tears, Lan Jianqing¡¯s eyes reddened inexplicably. As if no one else was present, his voice choked up, ¡°Bai Zhi, you are so heartless. I explained so many times, I never had feelings for Qiao Qingyu. She¡¯s still a young girl, and when she clung to me, it was just her idea of fun, and even her talk of marriage was just a joke...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu abruptly stood up, staring uncertainly at the group of people not far away.

 Chapter 333 - 333 333 She Really Doesnt Remember Him

    ?Chapter 333: Chapter 333 She Really Doesn¡¯t Remember Him Chapter 333: Chapter 333 She Really Doesn¡¯t Remember Him However, just as Lan Jianqing was saying this, the door was pushed open. A handsome figure stood at the entrance, his brows furrowed as he stared at the people in front of him.


    Lan Jianqing¡¯s last few words were clearly heard by him.


    The man whom they had arranged to meet hesitated for a moment before exclaiming joyfully, ¡°He Xiuyu, it¡¯s actually you! When did you come back to Beijing? Why didn¡¯t you call me?¡±


    He then rushed over and hugged He Xiuyu.


    The entrance of He Xiuyu interrupted the conversation of the people there.


    Then, He Xiuyu¡¯s gaze met Qiao Qingyu¡¯s.


    Qiao Qingyu whispered to Rongrong, ¡°Rongrong, sit here for a while, little aunt has something to take care of.¡±


    Rongrong, who was sensible, nodded her head. She had just heard her aunt¡¯s name mentioned and had stared in that direction several times, but unfortunately, she didn¡¯t recognize any of those people. Then she saw her uncle walk in.


    In such situations, a child like her was only suited to watch the excitement from the sidelines.


    Qiao Qingyu quickly walked forward, first looking at the man called Lan Jianqing, who had mentioned her name, and searched her memory carefully, but regretfully found no impression of him at all.


    And this woman, she had just seen her, still very unfamiliar.


    It could just be a coincidence of names.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled at He Xiuyu, ¡°We just finished eating, let me order a couple of your favorite dishes.¡±


    ¡°Qiaoqiao... Qiao Qingyu?¡±


    A surprised voice rose from behind Qiao Qingyu, that of the restaurant owner Lan Jianqing.


    Qiao Qingyu stiffly turned around and sized up this man. Whether it was memories from earlier in this body or even now, she had none of him.


    Qiao Qingyu wondered if he might be a character mentioned in a book, but still found nothing.


    Even though she thought about a lot in a blink of an eye, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s brows furrowed.


    Lan Jianqing stepped forward, clearly somewhat pleased, sized her up, glanced at He Xiuyu, hesitated a bit, then walked forward and stood beside Qiao Qingyu.


    Bai Zhi¡¯s face grew even paler, her face carrying anger. She dabbed her tears with a handkerchief, her expression complex as she glanced at Qiao Qingyu, but she remained silent, saying nothing.


    Qiao Qingyu looked at Lan Jianqing again, ¡°Who are you? Do you know me?¡±


    ¡°Young lady, of course, I know you. You are the precious jewel of Qiao Zhicai of the Qiao Family Team, the King Qiao of the Qiao Family Team. Even though you have grown up now, I still recognize you.¡±


    Well, indeed a familiar face.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t know you,¡± Qiao Qingyu bluntly stated.


    ¡°How can you not know me? Haven¡¯t you always called me Brother Lan? Right, I joined your family team for five years. Speaking of which, because of you, this young lady, my engagement was broken off, and I¡¯ve been looking for her for two years until today when I finally ran into her.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu did not respond to Lan Jianqing¡¯s words, but looked at He Xiuyu, who simply nodded slightly at her. The two seemed to understand, a tacit understanding quietly forming between them during those years when Han Liuya controlled her body.


    Regarding Han Liuya, about the incident that happened in Lianjiang Village, and Qiao Qingyu¡¯s analysis and guesses about the role the amulet played on her, she later told He Xiuyu when she returned to Xichuan, which also indirectly explained the reason for her differing personalities before and after, not to mention, she had already told He Xiuyu the secret of the Space Device, hence their relationship at this moment was very close.


    Naturally encountering such a situation, He Xiuyu would know right away what was going on.


    It was definitely memory confusion, not everything carried over.


    This matter wasn¡¯t difficult, it was just a matter of asking Qiao Zhicai for details, but clearly, what Lan Jianqing said couldn¡¯t be false.


    He Xiuyu smiled, ¡°You are called Lan Jianqing?¡±


    Lan Jianqing looked at the man before him, having run a restaurant for almost two years, he honed his skill at reading people. The man before him was no ordinary person, especially since he was standing next to Qiao Qingyu in a protective manner, along with the intimate eye contact between the two a moment ago.


    Then, he carefully looked at Qiao Qingyu and was shocked to find that the young girl, though grown up and still beautiful as in her childhood, now had a different air about her.


    ¡°Yes, I am called Lan Jianqing.¡±


    He Xiuyu took the initiative, ¡°I am Qiao Qingyu¡¯s husband, my name is He Xiuyu, you are the owner of the restaurant, Mr. Lan, what year did you go to the Qiao Family Team to work as an educated youth?¡±


    ¡°I went to the Qiao Family Team in ¡¯72 to work as a youth volunteer, and stayed for five years.¡±


    Then, as if he saw no one else around except Bai Zhi, he said urgently, ¡°Bai Zhi, you see you misunderstood for four years, today you finally see Qiao Qingyu, she is already married, and I told you this young girl was too immature to understand, now she doesn¡¯t even recognise me, isn¡¯t that unjust for me?¡±


    Just now maintaining a cool and elite demeanor, now he became a total chatterbox.


    Bai Zhi seemed quite embarrassed, she glanced at Qiao Qingyu, her expression complex, it was unclear what she was thinking, then she quickly walked towards the door.


    Outside the crowd stood a silent man, the one in police uniform, that blind date man.


    Lan Jianqing chased after Bai Zhi, but to his surprise, Bai Zhi suddenly grabbed onto the blind date man¡¯s arm, her voice choked as she said, ¡°I have nothing to do with Lan Jianqing anymore, can you take me away?¡±


    The blind date man silently looked at the small hand grasping his arm, then glanced at Bai Zhi¡¯s face again, he was very pleased with Bai Zhi, having such a beautiful blind date was like a pie falling from the sky.


    But obviously, the girl still had feelings for Lan Jianqing.


    Clearly using him as a shield, but he couldn¡¯t bear to embarrass the girl, he looked at He Xiuyu, ¡°He Xiuyu, I will take Bai Zhi home, I¡¯ll call you tonight.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t take her away, Bai Zhi, stop right there, even if we can¡¯t be together, you need to listen to my explanation, I can¡¯t let you misunderstand me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been so many years, let¡¯s not bring up the past, didn¡¯t you say yourself, if you talk to me then you are a dog.¡±


    Lan Jianqing, ¡°...¡±


    Everyone looked at him, Qiao Qingyu felt that he should probably bark now.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s brow furrowed, the scene before him was not looking good, Bai Zhi was pulling on his friend¡¯s arm without concern for appearances, and although Lan Jianqing didn¡¯t dare pull Bai Zhi, he blocked her way.


    He Xiuyu smiled, ¡°Mr. Bai, please hold on for a moment.¡±


    Then, he introduced Qiao Qingyu to his friend, ¡°Jade, this is my good friend, Yuan Hengzhi, Yuan Hengzhi, this is my wife, Qiao Qingyu.¡±

 Chapter 334 - 334 334 You Have to Take Responsibility for

    ?Chapter 334: Chapter 334 You Have to Take Responsibility for This Chapter 334: Chapter 334 You Have to Take Responsibility for This Qiao Qingyu suddenly remembered, Yuan Hengzhi, this name was not unfamiliar to her at all. Last time she was in Beijing, hadn¡¯t she been pushed off the bus? And then He Xiuyu had looked for him.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled at him, knowing that Yuan Hengzhi was older than He Xiuyu, ¡°Brother Yuan, hello.¡±


    ¡°Hello, hello, I really didn¡¯t expect you all to come to Beijing. How about this, I have some personal business to take care of today, but let¡¯s get together at noon tomorrow.¡±


    He Xiuyu nodded, ¡°I have a meeting tomorrow morning, but I can make time at noon. I¡¯ll give you a call then.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡± Then Yuan Hengzhi nodded at Qiao Qingyu. For some reason, at that moment, Bai Zhi¡¯s hand was still clutching Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s arm, and Yuan Hengzhi, unable to shake her off, said somewhat awkwardly, ¡°Bai Zhi, I¡¯ll take you home. Don¡¯t worry, I will safely escort you home.¡±


    Lan Jianqing wanted to say something, but He Xiuyu spoke up lightly, ¡°Boss Lan, still in business, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Lan Jianqing glanced at He Xiuyu, and by then Bai Zhi and Yuan Hengzhi had disappeared at the door, so it wasn¡¯t good for him to chase after them.


    He smiled, recovering his earlier demeanor, ¡°Of course, business must be done.¡±


    Then He Xiuyu followed Qiao Qingyu to Rongrong¡¯s seat.


    Rongrong sat obediently there, and upon seeing He Xiuyu come over, she sweetly said, ¡°Uncle.¡±


    ¡°Rongrong, are you full?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am. Their food is really tasty.¡±


    She stretched out her finger and pointed to Lan Jianqing, who followed behind with a menu.


    ¡°Wow, sweet little girl, uncle will have the waiter bring you a plate of fruit jelly.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, uncle.¡± He Xuerong smiled sweetly, the name sounding very appetizing.


    Qiao Qingyu ordered two dishes for He Xiuyu and asked for two bowls of rice, then asked the waiter to reheat the soup on the table. At that point, Lan Jianqing sat down uninvited.


    He looked at Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, my potential relationship failed because of you, you have to take responsibility for that.¡±


    A crisp sound startled Lan Jianqing.


    He Xiuyu swept over Lan Jianqing with an indifferent gaze and placed the soup spoon back in the bowl.


    ¡°Boss Lan, as a businessman and a man of the world, you can¡¯t just say things like that.


    ¡°Mr. He, don¡¯t misunderstand me; I didn¡¯t mean anything by it. I just wanted Qiao Qingyu to explain things for me.¡±


    ¡°Boss Lan, there¡¯s nothing to explain. I¡¯ve completely forgotten, I don¡¯t even know who you are, nor do I remember you joining the Qiao Family Team. Besides, as you said, I was just a child back then. If I go to explain now, wouldn¡¯t that be unnecessary?¡±


    Lan Jianqing looked at Qiao Qingyu, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but felt that it was not right to speak with He Xiuyu sitting next to him.


    No matter what, Qiao Qingyu was married. Saying in front of her husband that this young lady had desperately wanted to marry him, along with many embarrassing words, what would her husband think?


    He couldn¡¯t do something like that anyway.


    But he really couldn¡¯t let go of Bai Zhi.


    Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have given up the opportunity to go abroad and abandon his job, to become a sole proprietor that many looked down on, even though he now already had assets, even though he had now bought these three floors.


    ¡°But in the eyes of many, he still didn¡¯t compare to that man in the police uniform.¡±


    ¡°People regarded him as someone with a proper job, holding a golden rice bowl.¡±


    His brow furrowed slightly, then smoothed out again, and he laughed, ¡°Since you¡¯ve forgotten, then let it be.¡±


    After speaking, he got up, and the waiter brought their ordered dishes and rice, followed by another waiter with a plate of colorful fruit jelly that looked particularly appetizing, served in a delicate porcelain bowl, topped with a pretty little spoon.


    ¡°Go ahead and eat, there¡¯s no coloring, it¡¯s all made from fruit,¡± Lan Jianqing explained before saying, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t disturb your meal anymore.¡±


    And then he quickly left.


    Only after watching him leave did Qiao Qingyu lower her voice and say to He Xiuyu, ¡°Strange, why don¡¯t I remember him at all?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, it¡¯s all insignificant details,¡± said He Xiuyu indifferently.


    Then the two of them began to eat. After finishing the meal, He Xiuyu left with Qiao Qingyu and Rongrong. Of course, waiving the bill was unnecessary, and Lan Jianqing didn¡¯t insist and accepted the money.


    But he thoughtfully took out a paper box from behind the counter; clearly, it was a complimentary gift, with cute animal patterns printed on the outside, containing fruit candies.


    They didn¡¯t refuse this gesture; after all, their bill wasn¡¯t small.


    The night in Beijing during the new month was still somewhat chilly, but the streets were bustling with life, far more people out than when they had arrived.


    Considering Rongrong looked sleepy, He Xiuyu picked up the child and the two walked through narrow alleys, avoiding the busy crowds, and returned to the base office guesthouse. Only after Rongrong had fallen asleep did Qiao Qingyu say, ¡°Uncle He¡¯s family already knows we¡¯re back in Beijing. What do you plan to do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already called home. Tomorrow afternoon, the three of us will go back together.¡±


    ¡°Your mother doesn¡¯t have a problem with it?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s question was not particularly cautious, but in He Xiuyu¡¯s eyes, it was painfully tender.


    The girl was inherently bright and flamboyant; it was only because of him that she had these cautious thoughts.


    He Xiuyu suddenly felt a wave of affection, hugged Qiao Qingyu close, and kissed her forehead gently, whispering, ¡°Grandpa and Grandma are here too. They miss Rongrong and want to see you. My mother said that since we¡¯ve been married for so long, it¡¯s time you officially joined the family.¡±


    ¡°Then okay,¡± Qiao Qingyu said softly in his arms.


    ¡°Qingyu, you are the one I cherish most. I would never let you suffer even the slightest grievance.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, of course, believed He Xiuyu would keep his word.


    He Xiuyu was not a man who spoiled his wife unconditionally, so his every action was justified, and Qiao Qingyu was not one to be unreasonable. She wouldn¡¯t put herself in a position to be criticized. Naturally, if she said she felt wronged, then she truly was, and He Xiuyu would naturally stand by her side.


    His soft and fragrant wife was in his arms, and in the bed, there were only the two of them, with Rongrong asleep in another room. Therefore, it was natural for He Xiuyu¡¯s mind to wander.


    It had been over a week since they had made love.


    He turned over and kissed her, a young, attractive body exuding an enthralling tension.


    Beneath the night sky, filled with stirring passion.


    Only halfway through their intimate embrace did they remember they had forgotten protection.


    He calculated the dates; it was Qiao Qingyu¡¯s dangerous period. He Xiuyu let out a long breath, lay back on the bed, and stretched out his long legs...

 Chapter 335 - 335 335 Where is there no grass at the ends of

    ?Chapter 335: Chapter 335: Where is there no grass at the ends of the Earth? Chapter 335: Chapter 335: Where is there no grass at the ends of the Earth? He Xiuyu then pulled his blushing wife into his arms, gently patted her back, and said huskily, ¡°Forget it, you¡¯re tired too. Let¡¯s rest early.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu reluctantly pinched his waist, then whispered something into his ear, which made He Xiuyu¡¯s eyes brighten and his breathing immediately became uneven...


    The next day, by the time Qiao Qingyu woke up, He Xiuyu had already left for a meeting.


    There was a note left on the table, telling her that the base¡¯s cafeteria had saved breakfast for them, and she could go down and ask the waiter for it.


    Remembering last night, Qiao Qingyu squinted her eyes.


    It had to be said that she and He Xiuyu were incredibly in sync in every aspect.


    Thus, it was good luck that she hadn¡¯t insisted on divorce, or else where would she find such a catch?


    After getting ready with Rongrong, Qiao Qingyu went downstairs for breakfast. The breakfast was simple¡ªtwo bowls of soy milk, a plate of buns, and a dish of pickles. However, the base office¡¯s master chef was very skilled, especially the sauce for dipping the buns, which Qiao Qingyu on a normal day could eat only one.


    Today she ate two, and even He Xuerong ate a large bun.


    After breakfast, what to do? Take Rongrong shopping.


    And buy some stuff along the way.


    They couldn¡¯t go to the He Family house empty-handed in the evening.


    When they returned, they had a lot to carry. At noon, He Xiuyu came back to take her and Rongrong out to dinner. The guest was Yuan Hengzhi from the previous evening. After some thought, Qiao Qingyu declined, ¡°I promised Rongrong I¡¯d take her to eat freshly baked cake. Besides, I¡¯m not very familiar with Yuan Hengzhi, and secondly, regarding last night¡¯s matter, it would be more convenient for you two to talk alone; I¡¯d be too awkward in between.¡±


    He Xiuyu laughed, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go, then don¡¯t. No need to make a list of reasons.¡±


    He then said, ¡°I don¡¯t have many friends in Beijing, just a few. How about this, we¡¯ll invite them for a meal before we leave.¡±


    ¡°That could work.¡±


    Although he wasn¡¯t often in Beijing, He Xiuyu wanted to use this opportunity to introduce his wife Qiao Qingyu to his good friends.


    However, it was just as well that Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t go today. He wanted to ask Yuan Hengzhi what he really thought. It seemed that Yuan Hengzhi was quite pleased with Bai Zhi, but Bai Zhi evidently hadn¡¯t completely severed ties with Lan Jianqing.


    Lan Jianqing had no intention of giving up on Bai Zhi, Bai Zhi still had feelings for Lan Jianqing, but she was using Yuan Hengzhi as a shield. This displeased He Xiuyu.


    Therefore, he thought it was better to have a talk with Yuan Hengzhi alone.


    Thus, the couple split up; He Xiuyu went to the banquet, while Qiao Qingyu took a delighted Rongrong to a patisserie to eat cake.


    It was newly opened, serving Western-style cakes topped with real whipped cream and fruit, along with ice cream for sale. The temperature inside was very warm and the place was nearly full of adults accompanied by children.


    Qiao Qingyu joined in on the feast, indulging in the authentic cream cakes which were exceptionally fragrant. The two of them also shared a bucket of ice cream.


    ¡°The two of them had a great meal, one big and one small.¡±


    He Xiuyu and Yuan Hengzhi were drinking together at another restaurant.


    The two men hadn¡¯t met for a long time and shared some heartfelt thoughts, then He Xiuyu finally asked him what he thought about what happened yesterday.


    However, he explained, ¡°What Lan Jianqing said, I don¡¯t know whether it¡¯s true or not. I¡¯ll call home when I have the chance, and ask what exactly happened back then. But doing the math on their ages, my wife was ten when Lan Jianqing was sent down to the countryside and only fifteen when he left. She was just a little girl, and she¡¯s long forgotten him and whatever she said back then.¡±


    Yuan Hengzhi gave an awkward smile, ¡°Xiu Yu, you don¡¯t need to explain these things to me. It has nothing to do with your wife.¡±


    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s not talk about it. I just want to ask you, do you see a future with Bai Zhi?¡±


    Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s gaze darkened, he drank the wine in his cup, and then he said in a deep voice, ¡°Xiu Yu, I won¡¯t lie to you, Bai Zhi really is the type of girlfriend and wife I¡¯ve always wanted, and she¡¯s the first girl I¡¯ve felt this way about.¡±


    ¡°She and Lan Jianqing have a misunderstanding, obviously. Those two seem to have feelings for each other,¡± stated He Xiuyu bluntly.


    ¡°But she told me last night that it¡¯s all over between her and Lan Jianqing. They broke up a year ago and haven¡¯t had contact for over two years. There¡¯s no chance for them, and she can¡¯t be with him.¡±


    ¡°Does she want to be with you?¡± He Xiuyu arched an eyebrow and asked softly.


    Yuan Hengzhi laughed, ¡°If she has to choose between me and Lan Jianqing, any smart girl would choose me, right?¡±


    If Qiao Qingyu were here, she would definitely scoff at that. It¡¯s just like girls nowadays. In a few decades, it¡¯s going to be Lan Jianqing, the dream son-in-law for many girls.


    But in this era, it is really as Yuan Hengzhi said, especially given Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s impressive family background¡ªhis great-uncle is a founding general, a very solid backing indeed.


    He Xiuyu poured beer into his cup, poured one for himself too, and they both took a sip, set down their cups, and He Xiuyu remarked, ¡°Forget it, this is your private matter, and you¡¯ll handle it well.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Yuan Hengzhi burst out laughing, very heartily, ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m just a romantic fool?¡±


    After downing the beer in his cup and boldly wiping his mouth, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve already made it clear and rejected Bai Zhi. She¡¯s a good girl, but she has no feelings for me. She¡¯s only interested in my family background. But what I really want is a girl who likes me, and whom I like as well.¡±


    Then he said with a smile, ¡°Although we only met briefly yesterday, I could see that you and your wife get along very well.¡±


    He Xiuyu smiled, reassured. This was his good friend Yuan Hengzhi, a man who knows when to hold on and when to let go.


    ¡°For what you just said, I respect you and wish you find a good girl who matches your heart.¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t forget to introduce me to someone suitable if you come across anyone.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry. But my job is in the Northwest, even if there is someone suitable, it might not work out,¡± mused He Xiuyu seriously.


    Yuan Hengzhi replied, ¡°Forget it, you don¡¯t need to worry. I was just saying it in passing. It¡¯s not easy to find a good girl.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, a surprised voice came from not far off, ¡°Huh, Chief Engineer He? Where¡¯s Qiao Qingyu and Rongrong? Aren¡¯t you together?¡±


    A series of voices arose in the distance. He Xiuyu looked up and saw, haha, an old acquaintance. They had just parted in Yun City, and unexpectedly met again in Beijing. It¡¯s true that Chu Ying was supposed to be in Beijing, but he hadn¡¯t expected to run into her so coincidentally.


    Before He Xiuyu could make introductions, he heard Yuan Hengzhi say nonchalantly, ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t that Chu Ying? I remember you always wanted to be He Xiuyu¡¯s big sister-in-law.¡±

 Chapter 336 - 336 336 The Heart Belongs

    ?Chapter 336: Chapter 336: The Heart Belongs Chapter 336: Chapter 336: The Heart Belongs He Xiuyu was stunned. What did she just say? He didn¡¯t know these two knew each other?


    Chu Ying, however, wasn¡¯t upset and looked at He Xiuyu and Yuan Hengzhi, ¡°So you two know each other as well?¡±


    He Xiuyu looked at Yuan Hengzhi, ¡°Then you know each other too.¡±


    An affirmative statement, not a question.


    It was obvious; did it even need to be said?


    And clearly, these two were quite familiar with each other.


    Chu Ying only became careful around Rongrong; otherwise, she was like a completely different person.


    Without restraint, she sat down with ease, ¡°Since we¡¯ve met, let¡¯s join tables.¡±


    She ordered another dish and a bowl of rice. Then He Xiuyu found out how these two had met, surprised to learn it was during a blind date last Spring Festival.


    He Xiuyu looked at his old friend with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile, wondering just how many times this guy had been set up on blind dates.


    Chu Ying had a good impression of Yuan Hengzhi. The family-arranged blind dates were a last resort; she had to go with a hardened expression, and when left with just the two of them, she spoke to him directly.


    She said she liked a man and told Yuan Hengzhi that the man¡¯s name was He Xiuwen, whose family was also in Beijing, but with a special profession that kept him away from home all year.


    It was then that Chu Ying finally realized a serious problem, gripping her chopsticks tightly as she stared at Yuan Hengzhi, who wore a semi-smiling expression.


    ¡°Yuan Hengzhi, you... you are simply too deceitful! You¡¯re so familiar with Chief Engineer He, it¡¯s impossible you didn¡¯t know He Xiuwen is his older brother. But why didn¡¯t you tell me at the time? I had always thought you were a bright and upright noble gentleman, only to find you¡¯re quite the sneaky one...¡±


    That was quite a delay in her reaction; didn¡¯t Yuan Hengzhi just say it when they walked in the door? She hadn¡¯t realized it until this moment after sitting down and ordering, with her chopsticks in hand.


    Yuan Hengzhi didn¡¯t argue but simply smiled.


    However, He Xiuyu remembered Rongrong¡¯s evaluation of Chu Ying and smiled to himself as well.


    Since a third person joined, the conversation between He Xiuyu and Yuan Hengzhi had to stop, but what had to be said was already said, and Yuan Hengzhi had his own ideas about it.


    Chu Ying was a straightforward and decisive girl. Dining with these two, she didn¡¯t play coy; she ate and drank freely, then they learned she was out for business and planned to return to Xichuan the next day.


    However, during the meal, He Xiuyu keenly noticed Yuan Hengzhi sizing up Chu Ying several times.


    He Xiuyu sighed to himself; what was going on with Yuan Hengzhi?


    Why did he fall for girls who were already spoken for?


    After finishing the meal, Chu Ying prepared to leave. Unexpectedly, Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s workplace wasn¡¯t too far from the Chu Family residence; otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have been introduced for the blind date.


    He Xiuyu went back to the guesthouse, while Chu Ying boldly sat on the rear seat of Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s bicycle and got a ride home from him.


    Upon reaching the guesthouse, to his surprise, Qiao Qingyu was just seeing Lan Jianqing off. It turned out that Lan Jianqing saw Qiao Qingyu and Rongrong when they arrived and took them to the guesthouse.


    Lan Jianqing now almost belonged to the first group in Beijing to own a car.


    The brand? It was no longer seen in later years, but at the time, this car was absolutely top-notch.


    He Xiuyu stood not far away, his brows furrowed slightly. There was always a hint of unease in He Xiuyu¡¯s heart towards the people who did not appear in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s memories.


    After all, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s experiences were truly extraordinary.


    The encounters she had, and the things she possessed, were beyond the imagination of others.


    Naturally, how could He Xiuyu not worry if there was something wrong with her?


    But how could she remember nothing at all? Logically, she had been sent down to the countryside to learn from the farmers for five years, and at the age of fifteen, Qiao Qingyu once wanted to marry Lan Jianqing.


    That should have been a major event, but there was not the slightest impression left in her memory, just like there was no memory of her near-drowning at the age of twelve.


    He Xiuyu did not know where the problem lay, but he faintly felt that all of this was inexplicably related to the Space Device.


    At this time, Lan Jianqing looked at Qiao Qingyu with some emotion. It was said that a young girl could change significantly as she grows, and he had not expected that the once indescribable little girl would grow into this. ¡°I never imagined you would pick up books again, and I certainly didn¡¯t expect you to become the top scholar in the liberal arts exam. You are really amazing.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu raised her eyebrows. She also saw He Xiuyu, who was standing not far away and walking towards them. She looked at Lan Jianqing, ¡°Who told you I was the top liberal arts scholar?¡±


    ¡°Just asking around. Some things in this circle aren¡¯t secrets at all, and besides, it¡¯s not a bad thing.¡±


    Lan Jianqing did not tell Qiao Qingyu where he had gotten his information from.


    He just smiled at Qiao Qingyu and then nodded towards He Xiuyu, who was approaching. After that, Lan Jianqing quickly walked towards the parking lot.


    After he left, He Xiuyu also approached Qiao Qingyu, took a glance at the smoky little car, and asked, ¡°You two just happened to meet, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, how did you know?¡±


    He Xiuyu smiled and did not reply.


    However, he turned his head, looking in the direction where Lan Jianqing had disappeared, hoping some things were merely his own overthinking.


    He entered the guesthouse¡¯s entrance together with Qiao Qingyu.


    Outside was cold, so Rongrong sat by herself in the warm lobby, where a waiter was playing with her, catching pocket mice.


    Seeing He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu come in, He Xuerong put down the pocket mouse and quickly flung herself into He Xiuyu¡¯s arms, saying sweetly, ¡°Little uncle, are we going to see grandpa later?¡±


    He Xiuyu hummed in agreement, ¡°Little uncle and little aunt will take Rongrong home to see grandpa. Let¡¯s go up and get ready. We¡¯ll leave in a bit.¡±


    He Xuerong blinked her eyes but didn¡¯t follow them upstairs. Instead, biting her lip, she mustered the courage to say, ¡°If grandma and little aunt don¡¯t like me, can I come back with little aunt?¡±


    He Xiuyu was somewhat helpless, ¡°Rongrong, don¡¯t worry. You haven¡¯t seen grandpa for a long time as well. Don¡¯t you miss him?¡±


    He Xuerong nodded, ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Since you miss him, little uncle will take you and little aunt back home to see grandpa. Right, and also great-grandpa and great-grandma, they have also come to Beijing.¡±


    He Xuerong had a faint memory of great-grandpa and great-grandma, but the child¡¯s memory was not very clear anymore.


    Regardless of any dawdling, ultimately, after an hour, packed neatly with cans of cakes, canned goods, and a net bag of apples, He Xiuyu, with Qiao Qingyu and Rongrong in tow, entered the courtyard.


    At that moment, the sun had not yet set, and the sky was a fading white.


    Although it was winter and the Lantern Festival had not passed yet, so in the eyes of many, the new year had not completely ended, which meant that there were still children setting off firecrackers in the evening, and the children were also running around, given that it was still the winter holiday.

 Chapter 337 - 337 337 Shut Up

    ?Chapter 337: Chapter 337 Shut Up! Chapter 337: Chapter 337 Shut Up! He Xiuyu was greeting familiar people while constantly introducing his wife.


    Many people were curious about Qiao Qingyu, but all being dignitaries, none would approach uninvited.


    At that time, the He Family was bustling with activity.


    He Juanjuan had returned from Nangang City before the new year because her company was reportedly opening a branch in Beijing.


    However, this was just an external statement; only Meng Siqi knew that this darn girl had been swindled out of a large sum of money.


    She had secretly moved funds that she and her eldest son had given her, filling the deficit.


    The He Family also had a maid. The Old Lady He and the Old Man resided in a sunlit room on the first floor, which was very nice and clean. However, the Old Lady couldn¡¯t stay put and was preparing to enter the kitchen to help pluck vegetables because her grandson and Qiao Qingyu would soon be arriving home with their great-granddaughter.


    This meeting was of great importance.


    It directly signified whether Qiao Qingyu would ever enter this home again or acknowledge these people as her family.


    Unexpectedly, when He Juanjuan saw the Old Lady entering, she frowned and quickly followed, stopping her as she reached for the vegetables, ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t bother, look how dirty your fingernails are. Didn¡¯t dad clean them up before New Year¡¯s? They should be trimmed when they grow.¡±


    Old Lady He¡¯s face turned red instantly, and she hid her hands behind her back, ¡°You can¡¯t trim nails during the New Year.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only you people who are superstitious, all dirty, what will you do when we eat?¡±


    He Juanjuan looked disgusted.


    As Meng Siqi placed candy on the coffee table¡ªcandies that Rongrong loved, along with seeds and peanuts¡ªshe heard her daughter¡¯s words. Before she could respond, He Shan sternly scolded, ¡°He Juanjuan, shut your mouth!¡±


    His voice harsh, almost inhuman in its severity.


    He Juanjuan was startled and looked back at He Shan unbelievably, ¡°Dad, why are you yelling at me?¡±


    Old Lady He quickly glared at He Shan, ¡°Lower your voice, what are you shouting about during New Year?¡±


    He Shan snorted, feeling utterly helpless. This was his only daughter; he couldn¡¯t hit or scold her. If it were his sons, he might have already taken out his belt¡ªa tough lesson for foolish sons.


    His face flushed with anger, but he said no more as He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu were about to arrive.


    Unexpectedly, He Juanjuan glared at Old Lady He. She genuinely despised this grandmother. Growing up, her grandmother had neither cared for nor paid attention to her, not even buying her a piece of candy. There was no affection. Upon visiting, before anyone could criticize her, she would criticize others.


    She complained her mother was too picky, wasteful, a spendthrift, and even bragged about working women with maids, fearing criticism...


    Such petty talk was plentiful.


    Her mother disliked grandma, and she equally disliked her. He Juanjuan snorted, ¡°It¡¯s all because of you I¡¯m being scolded, what are you pretending to be good for?¡±


    Meng Siqi frowned, ¡°Juanjuan, calm down for a bit, how can you talk to grandma like that?¡±


    He Juanjuan snorted again and stormed off to her room.


    Meng Siqi looked at her attitude and felt a headache too, rubbing her forehead with her hand. These days, her head really did hurt. Her husband was the only son of his parents and had already left them in their hometown for so many years. Now, as these two were getting older, especially since the old man¡¯s legs weren¡¯t good, further neglecting them would lead to He Shan being criticized.


    Moreover, He Shan had already planned on bringing them over.


    But she was used to being in charge; from young to over fifty years old, for half her lifetime. Now, suddenly having her in-laws around, she was not used to it at all, not to mention their hygiene habits which were a headache in every aspect, especially since she was a clean freak.


    She said to He Shan, ¡°Alright, Juanjuan is just a stubborn child. The more you yell at her, the more spirited she gets. I¡¯ll go check on her in the room.¡±


    Then, looking at the old lady, she guiltily said, ¡°Mom, the child is ignorant. Please don¡¯t take her seriously.¡±


    Old Lady He smiled, ¡°At my age, can I really act like a child?¡±


    He Shan glared at Meng Siqi, ¡°You¡¯ve spoiled her.¡±


    Old Man He sat in his bedroom and sighed.


    He patted his leg; if only his legs were reliable, could he still stay in the countryside? He even thought of returning to his hometown when spring came.


    There wasn¡¯t a single familiar face here; no one to talk to when he went out, not to mention playing cards, chatting, or smoking dry tobacco.


    And his daughter-in-law firmly forbade them from smoking.


    At this moment, Meng Siqi was scolding He Juanjuan in a low voice, ¡°You were young and ignorant before, but now you are grown up. No matter what, Grandma is your elder, your father¡¯s biological mother. By showing disdain for her in front of him, your father didn¡¯t hit you because he didn¡¯t want to give your second brother and that woman a chance to laugh at us.¡±


    He Juanjuan snorted coldly through her nose; she didn¡¯t care. Her dad could hit her two brothers, but he dared not hit her.


    But He Juanjuan¡¯s eyes shifted, and she leaned close to Meng Siqi, whispering, ¡°Mom, if I get on good terms with that woman, do you think she could persuade her grandfather to invest in me?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it; our family strictly forbids any involvement with the Wu Family, do you hear me?¡± Meng Siqi¡¯s face changed as she scolded sternly.


    He Juanjuan pouted, ¡°Mom, why are you so nervous? We¡¯re all family now; does it really matter that much?¡±


    Meng Siqi glared at her, ¡°Regardless, don¡¯t even think about those ideas, and don¡¯t try to get involved with any company either. You don¡¯t have the capability or the brains for it. In this regard, you truly can¡¯t compare to Qiao Qingyu.¡±


    Perhaps the inherited genes really are powerful; the strength of blood cannot be underestimated. Her husband said that their second daughter-in-law, Qiao Qingyu, was a natural-born businesswoman.


    She was now stubbornly determined about the land. If she started a company, the money she¡¯d earn from business would surpass what she garnered now.


    Meng Siqi didn¡¯t look down on doing business like others did with disdain.


    Their family had some reputation in Beijing early on.


    Almost like a family of scholars.


    But even a family of scholars couldn¡¯t just read books for a living; they also had shops and did business, with their own land in the countryside.


    It¡¯s just that all of that was gone now.


    However, this doesn¡¯t mean that Meng Siqi¡¯s thoughts were unified with those others who desperately hoped their children would secure stable, government jobs.


    She had no particular talent, but she had heard and seen enough in her childhood. With her daughter at this level, it was a pointless endeavor, while Qiao Qingyu, on the other hand, would surely become a significant figure.


    Not to mention that she had now found such a wealthy supporter, which was truly like adding wings to a tiger.

 Chapter 338 - 338 338 Meng Siqis Associations

    ?Chapter 338: Chapter 338: Meng Siqi¡¯s Associations Chapter 338: Chapter 338: Meng Siqi¡¯s Associations He Juanjuan shouldn¡¯t have used those little tricks either, for she didn¡¯t want her daughter to be the laughing stock.


    At that moment, Old Lady He¡¯s excited voice was heard from the entrance, ¡°Xiu Yu, Jade, both of you are here, and Rongrong too, come, let Grandma give you a kiss...¡±


    Meng Siqi and He Juanjuan exchanged glances before quickly stepping out of the room.


    Then Meng Siqi saw Qiao Qingyu.


    Despite it being winter, despite Qiao Qingyu wearing the currently fashionable beige puffy jacket that obscured her waist, her legs were straight, and she stood there in a pair of white sheepskin boots, graceful and poised.


    Her brows curved, her eyes moist, her fair skin was like a peeled egg.


    Her flushed lips involuntarily tilted upwards.


    A standard melon-seed face.


    Meng Siqi had seen many girls, but she had to admit, Qiao Qingyu, standing there, was truly beautiful.


    She was the kind of person you couldn¡¯t help but stare at just by her standing there.


    Meng Siqi couldn¡¯t think of more adjectives, yet she remembered how people used to talk about how pretty Liu Ge, her former daughter-in-law, was. Now, compared to Qiao Qingyu, Liu Ge was far behind.


    Especially those eyes, clear as lakes in the Heavenly Mountains.


    Meng Siqi clenched her fists tightly; she began to develop a headache, finding the Qiao Qingyu before her a bit dazzling.


    She had never seen Han Xianglan, no, she should now say Wu Qianyun.


    People said they didn¡¯t quite resemble each other, but there was a five-point similarity.


    Meng Siqi forced herself not to think about Wu Qianyun.


    If she were to say or do something now, it wouldn¡¯t only embarrass the He Family, but it would also make the respected Mr. Wu, whom even she respected, look down on her.


    Yet, Meng Siqi couldn¡¯t help imagining Wu Qianyun as a young girl, wondering if she was like Qiao Qingyu.


    She even imagined what kind of emotions He Shan had when he visited the Qiao Family Team to see Wu Qianyun.


    Meng Siqi stood motionless in the living room.


    The room suddenly quieted down. Qiao Qingyu looked at Meng Siqi ¡ª they had never met or communicated before, but she had long heard of her, and remarkably, she looked almost as Meng Siqi had imagined, well-maintained, and because of He Shan¡¯s status, she lived a rather privileged life.


    However, her gaze made Qiao Qingyu somewhat uncomfortable.


    He Xiuyu immediately broke the awkward silence, ¡°Mom, we¡¯re back.¡±


    Although He Xuerong was quite unhappy, she sensed that it was her time to make an impact.


    The little girl¡¯s eyes shifted before she began respectfully addressing everyone, including her least favorite aunt, in a soft, sweet voice, ¡°Great-grandpa, great-grandma, grandpa, grandma...¡±


    Old Lady He, delighted, took He Xuerong¡¯s hand and then reached for Qiao Qingyu, lovingly saying, ¡°There are many dishes cooked in the kitchen, so many delicious things we¡¯ve been reluctant to eat; your parents have been waiting for you.¡±


    Finally, Meng Siqi snapped back to reality, her mouth twitching into a gentle smile.


    As an elder, as her son¡¯s mother, her son¡¯s gaze was intensely fixed on her.


    Her son hadn¡¯t looked at her like this for many years.


    Moreover, eerily, everyone in the room was looking at her.


    Meng Siqi took a deep breath. It didn¡¯t matter who stood behind Qiao Qingyu, the current Qiao Qingyu was, in every aspect, a perfect match for her son.


    Especially in temperament.


    Just by seeing how much He Xuerong was attached to her, one could tell how this girl, not yet twenty, treated He Xuerong.


    For that alone, this was a girl worthy of praise and a thumbs up.


    Now, even if she had to lie through her teeth, Meng Siqi couldn¡¯t find a fault with Qiao Qingyu.


    Meng Siqi stepped forward with a smile, and Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes watched her clearly and directly.


    There was no sycophancy, no unease.


    But there was also no provocation or contempt.


    Just like that, her gaze was calm and warm.


    Such a gaze had no aggression, making it exceptionally comforting.


    However, Meng Siqi knew deep down that if she remained the same as before, the girl would turn and walk away without a second thought¡ªand it wouldn¡¯t be a tentative departure, but one without any dragging of feet.


    All these emotions flickered by in a flash. Meng Siqi smiled, her voice tender. ¡°Qingyu, you...¡±


    Unfortunately, the words that were to follow remained unsaid. Suddenly, a bout of dizziness struck, and her vision darkened as she fell toward the floor.


    He Shan, who was closest to her because he had been worried all along¡ªdespite having coordinated well beforehand, he still feared that Meng Siqi would embarrass everyone, making this long-awaited meeting awkward.


    So he had been keeping an eye on Meng Siqi and naturally surged forward in one quick step, catching Meng Siqi in his arms.


    The room fell silent in an instant, and the next second, He Xiuyu rushed forward.


    He Shan was about to shake Meng Siqi, his voice urgent, ¡°Old Meng, Old Meng, what¡¯s wrong with you? Wake up...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu wondered if it was a heart attack or something like a stroke. In such a case, one should neither shake the victim nor move them carelessly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move her, don¡¯t shake her...¡± Qiao Qingyu cautioned sharply from the side.


    He Xuerong was frightened and immediately reached out to grasp Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand.


    While Qiao Qingyu quickly placed her hand on Rongrong¡¯s shoulder. How could this be, suddenly fainting like this¡ªcould it be that she, Qiao Qingyu, has a conflict with the He family?


    Indeed, it seemed like last time too, but she hadn¡¯t come then. Yet because of her, Meng Siqi ended up in the hospital. If it¡¯s the same this time, Qiao Qingyu might well become notorious in this family courtyard.


    Quickly regaining calm, He Shan and He Xiuyu carefully placed Meng Siqi on the sofa.


    Normally, He Juanjuan would have pointed at Qiao Qingyu and cursed her out, but today, unexpectedly, she remained silent, examining Qiao Qingyu from head to toe, and sometimes her gaze even fell on He Xuerong, probably thinking that the clothes they wore must have been bought from abroad.


    Then, spacing out a bit, He Juanjuan heard He Shan shout loudly, ¡°Stop daydreaming, go next door and get Aunt Sun.¡±


    Next door¡¯s Aunt Sun was the chief physician at the hospital, specializing in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases¡ªa very impressive figure.


    Snap out of it, He Juanjuan hurried next door on a quick trot and brought Aunt Sun, who was cooking at the time.


    After a thorough examination, Dr. Sun said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, maybe she hasn¡¯t been resting well these past few days?¡±


    Her heart rate and blood pressure were normal, and there were no signs of a stroke.


    He Shan nodded, ¡°Indeed, she hasn¡¯t been resting well these past few months, but it¡¯s been much better recently.¡±

 Chapter 339 - 339 339 Show of Force

    ?Chapter 339: Chapter 339: Show of Force Chapter 339: Chapter 339: Show of Force ¡°Dean Meng seemed troubled lately, weighed down by concerns, and coupled with poor rest, her eating was irregular and nutrition was lacking, so you family members must take extra care of her.¡±


    Dr. Sun had little else to say, then she added, ¡°It would be best to have a thorough check-up at the hospital tomorrow.¡±


    When Dr. Sun left, she couldn¡¯t help but take several curious glances at Qiao Qingyu, guessing that this must be He Xiuyu¡¯s wife. And indeed, she was strikingly beautiful.


    He Xiuyu escorted Dr. Sun to the door and exchanged a few words before returning to find Meng Siqi had opened her eyes and, with He Shan¡¯s assistance, had sat up on the couch.


    Old Lady He was actually resentful in her heart.


    Meng Siqi was far too delicate, spoiled by her son to an unreasonable extent¡ªshe hardly did any household chores at all. With Xiao Wu handling the trivial matters and a maid to cook and clean, she only washed her own clothes.


    She had been washing her own clothes ever since she arrived here.


    Her son was busy every day, and Meng Siqi almost never took care of her son.


    Meng Siqi¡¯s life was what countless women dreamed of.


    Yet she was never satisfied, always drenched in sorrowful reflections, with a cold, distant expression, as if everyone owed her money.


    Such a blessed life, but with these irritating habits; if she were in the countryside, a month of farm labor would cure all, no more brooding or malnourishment. To Old Lady He, this was merely being picky and choosy.


    And all this talk of irregular eating¡ªit was often just an excuse to avoid joining her and the old man for meals, wasn¡¯t it?


    She was somewhat educated too, couldn¡¯t she understand what the doctor had said?


    Don¡¯t think she didn¡¯t know anything just because she was from the countryside. If she had really been ignorant, she wouldn¡¯t have left Beijing after just one week of her first visit, firmly deciding to take her husband back home.


    She glanced at her spouse, who was standing not far away, leaning on a walking stick.


    She wondered whether it was time to go back.


    This ¡®weighed down by concerns¡¯ must mean a big knot in the heart, and who was this knot? It was surely her and the old man being a nuisance, right?


    What was most infuriating was that Meng Siqi always acted as if the world owed her something, and He Juanjuan, raised to be completely out of touch, unaware of life¡¯s hardships, squandering her son¡¯s hard-earned money frivolously.


    In her opinion, her son was also a fool at home¡ªunable to keep any affairs in check.


    And Meng Siqi, it was just her good fortune to have two considerate sons.


    She married her son and enjoyed a lifetime of comfort, yet at over fifty, she still played coy, simply frittering away time with nothing better to do.


    Old Lady He looked at Qiao Qingyu and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ve tidied up Xiu Yu¡¯s room, and Rongrong has her room here too. You should go to your room and get settled first.¡±


    Meng Siqi was, of course, aware of Dr. Sun¡¯s diagnosis. She knew exactly why she was feeling so weighed down¡ªit was all because of the trouble caused by He Juanjuan, that little ancestor.


    Her diet was irregular and she was now adjusting. There was no helping it; without He Shan at home, she had to eat with the two elderly, which was really uncomfortable.


    It wasn¡¯t that she was unteachable; it was more that she was selective in her listening.


    She could put up with the lip-smacking during meals, but when it came to eating vegetables, it was not enough to just pick what she wanted to eat¡ªinstead, they had to turn the dishes upside down with their chopsticks.


    Every time she used the bathroom, she never flushed.


    Wait, wait, wait, the problems were simply too many, and she had no choice but to endure. The consequence of enduring was that she developed problems herself, and Meng Siqi also felt uncomfortable.


    And then there was today, when Qiao Qingyu made her first formal visit, and Qiao Qingyu¡¯s fainting seemed like it was intentional to put her in her place.


    Originally, she wanted to explain to Qiao Qingyu, but unexpectedly, when Old Lady He saw her faint and then wake up, she didn¡¯t even glance at her, let alone ask how she was, only busy talking to Qiao Qingyu. Meng Siqi¡¯s face sank again.


    However, He Xiuyu didn¡¯t know what was really going on with his mother. With a slight frown on his face, he surmised that during his absence from home, his mother must have had conflicts not just with his grandparents, but likely other issues as well.


    But he felt it was not the right time to ask and simply said, ¡°Mom, how are you feeling now? Do we need to go to the hospital right now?¡±


    Hearing her son¡¯s voice, Meng Siqi suddenly froze and then just as suddenly remembered a dream she had while she was unconscious.


    She hugged He Xiuyu and choked with emotion, ¡°Xiuyu, my son.¡±


    But at the same time, she wondered why she would have such a dream. If it weren¡¯t for her son speaking to her, she would have already forgotten it, but strangely, as soon as her son spoke, it all came flooding back to her.


    In the dream, it was like she had watched a movie.


    Meng Siqi couldn¡¯t help but raise her head and glance at He Shan. In her dream, when He Shan returned home, Han Xianglan was still in the He Family, and they ended up getting married. They were very happy, and He Shan was always smiling with a gentle look in his eyes.


    And Han Xianglan became the mistress of this house.


    They had three sons and two daughters.


    The youngest daughter looked exactly like Qiao Qingyu, only with a different name.


    And she, in her dream, did not know He Shan; she was married to a scientist who had returned from abroad.


    They were also very happy, but her health was not good, and she had only one son.


    Her son looked exactly like her current second son, He Xiuyu.


    And likewise, had a different name.


    Then, her son married He Shan¡¯s youngest daughter.


    So in this absurd dream, she and Han Xianglan were still related by marriage.


    It was truly preposterous, preposterous to the point of being unimaginable.


    Old Lady He glanced at the affected Meng Siqi and then took Qiao Qingyu and Rongrong to He Xiuyu¡¯s room.


    Speaking of which, it was truly Qiao Qingyu¡¯s first time entering He Xiuyu¡¯s room. It could be considered a boy¡¯s private bedroom. She scanned the room, which was clean and tidy, very much like his style, including the color scheme. The room was warm, and the bed linens looked fresh and crisp. Right, the bed linens, including the pillowcases, were all red.


    Rongrong pounced on the bed, giggling, ¡°Little aunt, little aunt, we have another set of bed linens just like this at home.¡±


    Old Lady He smiled warmly, ¡°Qingyu, these were prepared by Grandma for you.¡±


    Then she asked, ¡°Do you like them?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t be cold towards such kindness and smiled brightly, ¡°Thank you, Grandma.¡±


    Old Lady He¡¯s eyes immediately moistened, and she hurriedly took out a red envelope from her pocket that she had prepared in advance and handed it to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°This is from Grandma for you.¡±

 Chapter 340 - 340 340 Accordion Katyusha

    ?Chapter 340: Chapter 340: Accordion, Katyusha. Chapter 340: Chapter 340: Accordion, Katyusha. Other than that, there wasn¡¯t much to say. Then, the Old Lady He took out a red envelope and handed it to He Xuerong, who was eagerly watching.


    It was the first time He Xuerong had met her, and she sweetly said, ¡°Great Grandma, thank you.¡±


    ¡°My dear, what a sweet mouth you have. Your little aunt has taught you well.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I am so clever and sensible, all thanks to my little aunt.¡±


    He Xuerong didn¡¯t hold back from flattering Qiao Qingyu.


    He Xuerong knew that this old lady truly liked her.


    Her aunt, however, truly detested her.


    Her grandma was indifferent toward her. Most of the time, it was just for show.


    So He Xuerong really liked this old woman in front of her, not to mention the generous red envelope she had given. Upon opening it, there were several ten-yuan notes, which made her even happier. She carefully placed the red envelope in her little backpack.


    Old Lady He asked Qiao Qingyu to pack things up, and then she took Rongrong to Rongrong¡¯s room.


    Mr. He, leaning on his cane, followed behind.


    Thus, these people formed a stark contrast to the ones sitting on the sofa.


    He Shan frowned, feeling for the first time that something about the atmosphere at home seemed off and abnormal.


    Fortunately, Xiao Wu appeared and asked caringly, ¡°Going to the hospital? I guess the ambulance should be back at the hospital by now...¡±


    The nearby hospital had only one ambulance, and it was out.


    What unfortunate timing.


    Meng Siqi waved her hands, ¡°No need, no need, I¡¯m fine, Xiao Wu, please call them...¡±


    Xiao Wu glanced at He Shan, who was lost in thought, but he soon snapped back to reality and nodded for Xiao Wu to make the call.


    After making the call, Xiao Wu returned to his workplace.


    Meanwhile, Meng Siqi kept thinking about the absurd dream she had just had.


    Was it really just a ridiculous dream she made up?


    Yet, in her dream and in reality, she and Han Xianglan had somehow become relatives by marriage.


    What kind of twisted fate was this?


    Meng Siqi¡¯s head started to hurt even more, but today was the first time Qiao Qingyu had visited, and going to the hospital would be embarrassing for her son.


    The old man and Old Lady He were already not pleased with her, and it would be embarrassing if others saw and laughed.


    Meng Siqi said to He Xiuyu, ¡°There is a bottle of medicine in my bedroom drawer labeled ¡®Nourishing Spirit Pills¡¯. Get one for me.¡±


    Of course, the medicine Meng Siqi kept was all good quality. He Xiuyu went upstairs to fetch it and poured her a glass of water. After Meng Siqi took the pill, she lay down on the sofa to rest.


    He Xiuyu glanced toward his bedroom and felt an indescribable sentiment. At that moment, Qiao Qingyu was in his room¡ªoh, who knew what that girl was up to?


    He was getting anxious. Meng Siqi could obviously see it, and she waved her hand, ¡°You should go freshen up as well, wash up a bit. The meal will be ready soon.¡±


    At this time, the nanny came over, smiling, ¡°Dean Meng, the meal will be ready soon. Should I set the table now?¡±


    Meng Siqi glanced in the direction He Xiuyu had gone and said, ¡°Go ahead and set it.¡±


    When He Xiuyu entered the room, he didn¡¯t go straight in but stood at the doorway, looking at Qiao Qingyu who was curiously eyeing an accordion on the bed. His eyes smiled as he then walked in and sat beside her, his voice soft, ¡°Tired, huh? Go wash up, we¡¯ll eat soon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I had a good rest yesterday.¡± Qiao Qingyu pointed to the accordion beside her, an old antique she had only seen in movies before. In her world, it seemed very few people played the accordion anymore.


    ¡°You can play the accordion? How come I never knew?¡±


    ¡°It was a hobby when I was younger, but it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve touched one.¡±


    Saying this, He Xiuyu picked up the accordion, positioned it at his chest, and skillfully, with a lively spirit, played ¡°Katyusha¡± for Qiao Qingyu.


    He Shan¡¯s house was also allocated according to rank, with three floors in total; the first floor comprised a living room, kitchen, study, dining room, and a sunlit bedroom currently occupied by Mr. He and Old Lady He. The second floor was for He Shan and Meng Siqi.


    On the other side of the staircase was He Juanjuan¡¯s room, and the innermost bedroom on this floor belonged to He Xuerong, while the third floor housed He Xiuwen and He Xiuyu.


    He Xiuwen also had his own house, allocated by the special forces team, not small in size, and now vacant, about ten miles away from here.


    Meanwhile, He Xuerong had walked around her room once and then clattered up the stairs.


    Because she heard the sound of her uncle playing the accordion.


    She heard it, and faintly, from downstairs, the sound of the accordion music reached Meng Siqi, who twitched the corner of her mouth. Old Man He and Old Lady He were indeed very pleased, reassured that Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu were doing well. As for He Shan, it was not a surprise; he knew best how these two got along.


    He Juanjuan frowned as she also went upstairs, immediately spotting He Xuerong climbing toward the third floor.


    She grabbed He Xuerong¡¯s hand which startled her, and then she started to struggle fiercely.


    He Juanjuan said angrily, ¡°You naughty child, why do you run when you see me? You don¡¯t even say hello to your aunt.¡±


    A wise man does not fight when the odds are against him; suddenly, He Xuerong stopped struggling and revealed a fake smile, ¡°Aunt.¡±


    Then, like a slippery loach, she slipped from her grasp and ran upstairs.


    He Juanjuan was somewhat stunned; in the past, that little brat wouldn¡¯t have dared. Her guts have certainly grown.


    In the living room, Old Lady He, delighted, said to He Shan, ¡°Jade really is a good child, and despite her young age, she really treats Rongrong as her own daughter.¡±


    As she said this, her eyes briefly met Meng Siqi¡¯s. It was strange; even when He Shan was home, she felt like an outsider. Yet when Qiao Qingyu came, she suddenly felt emboldened.


    She was truly dissatisfied with Meng Siqi, even after all these years, their conversation as mother and daughter-in-law was sparse.


    She felt guilty towards her own son, so she never really acted authoritative in front of Meng Siqi, but unexpectedly, Meng Siqi turned out to be quite the ¡®city daughter-in-law.¡¯


    And that had been going on for decades now.


    She wouldn¡¯t mention the past, only what¡¯s happening now. Rongrong was her actual granddaughter. Even if her daughter-in-law wasn¡¯t good, the child wasn¡¯t to blame; she was their son¡¯s blood. With their eldest grandson not often home, and this child without a mother, shouldn¡¯t she be treated like the apple of their eye?


    Yet, what happened? She didn¡¯t quite understand, but even with her limited experience and lack of higher education, she couldn¡¯t understand leaving the grandchild of their eldest son to be raised by the newly married youngest son.


    Is there any sense in that?


    Is there such an absurd thing in this world?


    Yet, improbably, it did happen, and right in their He Family!

 Chapter 341 - 341 341 Utterly Ashamed

    ?Chapter 341: Chapter 341: Utterly Ashamed Chapter 341: Chapter 341: Utterly Ashamed So, her words were meant for Meng Siqi, and indeed Meng Siqi¡¯s complexion grew even worse. She reached out to rub her forehead, and her expression darkened.


    He Shan didn¡¯t understand these roundabout ways between women. He nodded, indeed very satisfied. Not to mention his own son, the way Qiao Qingyu treated He Xuerong was simply impeccable.


    His voice was gentle, ¡°Yes, Qingyu is truly a good child, Rongrong is especially fond of her.¡±


    ¡°Hearts are made of flesh, after all, goodwill is exchanged with goodwill. What do children know? They are just like little animals; if you¡¯re truly kind to them, they¡¯ll return the affection.¡±


    Meng Siqi didn¡¯t know if these words were meant for her, she couldn¡¯t tell, but she always felt something was off. Her brows furrowed, yet regarding Rongrong¡¯s matter, she really didn¡¯t know what to say.


    However, He Shan said guiltily, ¡°Our He family has truly troubled Qingyu.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the truth. The young couple has only been married for a short while and they haven¡¯t had children yet, all because they¡¯ve devoted themselves entirely to Rongrong.¡±


    He Shan, however, was stunned. He knew the two children were close, and they had consummated their marriage, but could it be because of Rongrong that they didn¡¯t have children?


    He asked uncertainly.


    Meng Siqi quickly replied, ¡°It¡¯s all up to the young people. Qingyu is now in university, and she surely can¡¯t have children.¡±


    ¡°Even if she can¡¯t have them now, she¡¯ll want them once she graduates, right?¡± Old Lady He didn¡¯t beat around the bush anymore; she figured it out, Meng Siqi was feigning ignorance.


    ¡°You two mustn¡¯t blame me for speaking out of turn, but matters concerning Rongrong should be settled. The child can¡¯t always stay in your youngest son¡¯s home. What will you do when they have their own children?¡±


    He Shan nodded, his expression very serious, ¡°When the time comes, I will take the child back.¡±


    ¡°Why wait for the time to come? We should take Rongrong back now. I¡¯m at home and can lend a hand.¡± After saying this, she glanced at Meng Siqi and spoke indifferently, ¡°Dean Meng is busy with official duties and has no time to care for children. Even if you are now high-ranking and wealthy, hiring one nanny is enough, but surely you don¡¯t want to hire a second one. It¡¯s not ideal. So, while I¡¯m still capable, I can help raise Rongrong and let the young couple live their lives peacefully. Isn¡¯t this a good thing?¡±


    He Shan paused, his thoughts surging.


    He had not considered it before, and perhaps there was no solution, so he had deliberately blurred the issue.


    Having lived half a lifetime, He Shan couldn¡¯t afford to speak of regrets anymore.


    In reality, it was he who had married above his station. The Meng family was also considered an illustrious clan. At that time, he had no intention of marrying, truly. He had resolved to live a solitary life, and because of what his own mother had done, no one pressured him. He felt dedicating his life to his most cherished career was not such a bad choice.


    In the deepest, most hidden corner of his heart, a place so concealed he himself was unaware of it,


    there was only a little girl carrying a schoolbag and going to school with him.


    He didn¡¯t even dare to touch the name of that little girl.


    He felt that living a life deep in memories and guilt was the best choice for himself, but who would have thought he¡¯d end up injured and hospitalized? At that time, Meng Siqi was a nurse.


    The area where he was injured was somewhat private, certainly not the groin, but not far from it.


    Meng Siqi took care of him.


    A month later, he was discharged, and then he brought this nurse into the He family.


    Even though he later realized that it was part of a nurse¡¯s job, at the time he had been spoken to by his superiors, and he heard because of this incident Meng Siqi had been isolated, so he agreed to it.


    Over time, he had naturally come to understand that he was her best choice at the time.


    He knew that Meng Siqi was fond of him and devoted her thoughts to him, but she was too delicate, a true lady of leisure with fingers that never touched spring water, so he submitted a report to his superiors, trading his merits for a nanny.


    And for the tolerance that the organization had granted him, he could only work even harder, thus his mind was wholly on his work.


    Moreover, the situation at the time was very complex.


    He had tossed the entire burden of the household onto Meng Siqi, and he felt guilty about it.


    Even when his mother came and went, he could only pretend not to see.


    Meng Siqi bore him three children, and aside from Juanjuan, who was as fragile as her, the two sons were truly his pride, and his greatest accomplishment in life.


    But he never mentioned this to anyone else.


    However, now, hearing his old mother¡¯s words, He Shan was struck with enlightenment, his face even flushed with red.


    Right, was he not knowingly feigning ignorance?


    He was a grandfather, Meng Siqi was a grandmother, the two of them had ample time to take care of their granddaughter, yet they had thrown the child onto their daughter-in-law.


    Did Qiao Qingyu have this responsibility?


    No.


    Did Qiao Qingyu have this obligation?


    Likewise, no.


    Even if he didn¡¯t have the time, Meng Siqi did, she truly had nothing else to do every day aside from her work.


    He even extended the thought further: what about Han Xianglan? What about Qiao Zhicai? And what about Qiao Qingyu¡¯s maternal grandfather, Mr. Wu? What did they all think of him?


    Did they all see He Shan as brazen and shameless?


    He Shan couldn¡¯t help but sit up straight, glancing at the pale-faced Meng Siqi beside him, and yet his tone remained soft, ¡°Old Meng, let¡¯s not let Rongrong go this time, keep her at home.¡±


    Meng Siqi bit her lip but nodded and said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    He Shan expressed his satisfaction and continued, ¡°I¡¯ve overlooked this in the past as well. I stayed in Xichuan for a while, but now that I think about it, our son has worked hard, and our daughter-in-law has worked even harder. They¡¯ve taken very good care of Rongrong, and I¡¯ve been confused, not thinking about this aspect. Today, we¡¯re fortunate that our mother reminded us.¡±


    Old Lady He felt a bit smug, giving Meng Siqi an almost imperceptible huff, and then she went on, ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about who Qiao Qingyu¡¯s family is, whether they are poor or rich. Just speaking of the girl alone, she is hard to come by, like searching for a needle in a haystack. Today when I was changing Rongrong¡¯s clothes, I noticed the child was wearing a jade pendant made of jadeite. Rongrong said it was from her little aunt.¡±


    Meng Siqi¡¯s brow furrowed, and she couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Did Qiao Qingyu buy it for her?¡±


    ¡°No, Rongrong said, it was brought back from abroad by her great-grandpa.¡±


    Great-grandpa, Meng Siqi was initially confused, but a moment later she remembered it referred to Mr. Wu.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t good,¡± Meng Siqi hurriedly looked at He Shan, she didn¡¯t want to accept even a thread or a needle from the Wu Family, which to her was truly a humiliation, ¡°Rongrong shouldn¡¯t have accepted such a valuable gift.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the little aunt¡¯s kind intention, and don¡¯t assume I¡¯m uneducated; before the liberation, your father and I worked in a jade store in the city for a long time. That jade pendant¡¯s quality is exceptionally good, such rare imperial green jade. Wearing this type of jadeite has benefits for the child.¡±

 Chapter 342 - 342 342 Little Drama Queen

    ?Chapter 342: Chapter 342: Little Drama Queen Chapter 342: Chapter 342: Little Drama Queen Meng Siqi looked toward He Shan and reached up to massage her forehead with a sigh. A headache, a real headache¡ªshe couldn¡¯t accept anything from the Wu Family, not even if it was Imperial Green. It¡¯s not like Meng Siqi had never seen such things before; it was just that after the family¡¯s decline, all the good items had been sold by her opium-addicted elder brother.


    Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have fallen to the point of marrying a man with muddy legs.


    Even though he had an impressive military service record and a bit of culture, it couldn¡¯t change the fact that he came from a rural background.


    Of course, she had never regretted marrying He Shan.


    She had fallen in love with this man at first sight, and deep down, she still harbored feelings for him, which is why she still dwelt on his past to this day.


    ¡°Dean Meng, what do you know? Jade Pendant has worn that jade pendant for quite some time now, and it can¡¯t be separated from her anymore. Haven¡¯t you noticed how rosy her little cheeks are? Don¡¯t dismiss the power of old things; they have a spiritual essence.¡±


    ¡°Mom, that¡¯s all feudal superstition. You shouldn¡¯t talk nonsense,¡± Meng Siqi argued with a frown.


    Old Lady He knew when to stop and then, seeing the nanny bustling about, she stood up. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat, what time is it already? The kids must be starving.¡±


    In any case, since this matter had been settled, having Rongrong at home meant she at least had something to do.


    And not feel so utterly alone.


    And it meant she wouldn¡¯t feel like she was just freeloading.


    Meng Siqi¡¯s opposition was useless; her son still had the final say in this house.


    Old Lady He huffed through her nose and briskly made her way to the kitchen.


    Then she saw He Juanjuan, who was peeling candy in the living room, and gave her a disdainful glance. The old lady extended her hand without wanting her son to hear, so she lowered her voice, ¡°Juanjuan, Granny¡¯s hands are washed clean, can I go into the kitchen now?¡±


    What she didn¡¯t expect was that this conversation wasn¡¯t heard by He Shan and Meng Siqi, but it was overheard by He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu coming down the stairs.


    And by the mischievously quick Rongrong.


    Thump, thump, thump, she ran forward, grabbed Old Lady He¡¯s rough hand, and glared at He Juanjuan, ¡°Little aunt, the teacher told us we should respect and cherish the young and the old. How can you dislike Granny¡¯s hands and not let her into the kitchen?¡±


    He Juanjuan, ¡°...¡±


    She felt her luck was particularly bad, glaring furiously at the little brat and reaching out her hand to pinch her as she usually did.


    Qiao Qingyu had already approached, and without thinking, stepped in to stop her.


    She didn¡¯t say anything but gave He Xiuyu a look. This was your own sister; you deal with it.


    Rongrong, the little drama queen, holding Old Lady He¡¯s rough hand and speaking with emotion, ¡°Great-Granny¡¯s hands are the hands of a hardworking person, the most beautiful hands. Whether they are clean or covered with soil, they are deserving of respect...¡±


    Old Lady He felt warmth welling up in her eyes.


    The voices of the people talking caught He Shan¡¯s attention, and he walked over. Old Man He was an honest person, and hadn¡¯t been in good health, so the decisions at home were made by Old Lady He. He rarely spoke up, but at this moment, he looked at He Xuerong with a beaming and loving gaze, ¡°Rongrong is truly a sensible and good child who doesn¡¯t look down on us country folks at all.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t look down at all. When my little aunt drove the tractor with me racing across the endless fields, it felt so cool. Li Mingguang and I have decided that when we grow up, we want to go and develop the deserted Xichuan and turn all of the yellow sand into beautiful oases.¡±


    He Xuerong, who was now attending school, had learned many new terms, and she was a precocious child, especially with He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu teaching her¡ªso you really couldn¡¯t treat her as an ordinary kid.


    Before He Shan even had the chance to praise her, He Juanjuan blurted out, ¡°He Xuerong, you aimless girl, you¡¯re from the He Family, how could you possibly grow up to farm the land? You should become a scientist just like your little uncle.¡±


    He Xuerong looked at He Juanjuan, this woman whose face and heart were equally marked with disdain for her.


    Taking a quiet step back, He Xuerong spoke seriously, ¡°Little aunt, what you¡¯re saying isn¡¯t right. If not for the uncles who are farmers, what would we eat? Without food, everyone would go hungry, and how can hungry people conduct scientific research? Could they be workers? They couldn¡¯t even drive cars.¡±


    ¡°Rongrong is right, He Juanjuan, your attitude is wrong,¡± He Shan glared at his daughter and then cast a glance at Meng Siqi, who was frowning and observing them from a distance.


    For the first time, he found these two people to be arrogantly dismissive of others.


    Old Lady He glanced at He Shan and said in a low voice, ¡°We need to give a red envelope to Qingyu; she still hasn¡¯t changed her way of addressing us.¡±


    This was indeed a serious matter.


    He and Dean Meng had long been prepared.


    After all, she couldn¡¯t just keep calling him Uncle He forever.


    Thus, he and Dean Meng took their places on the sofa very formally, alongside Mr. He and Old Lady He, the latter having just given her the red envelope.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t put on any airs; after all, she and He Xiuyu had been rolling around in bed for quite some time now. A mere title was nothing, so she took the red envelope and called out one by one, ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, Mom.¡±


    He Xiuyu felt a warm glow in his chest.


    A strange look flashed across Meng Siqi¡¯s face, unclear about the mix of feelings within¡ªsome relief, some discomfort¡ªbut overall, simply complicated.


    The nanny poked her head out with a smile and asked, ¡°Can we start dinner now?¡±


    With that, the somewhat eerie atmosphere was dissipated.


    Dining in the dining room, the house was warm and cozy, the sun had not yet set, and its rays fell upon the windows and the family gathered around the large round table. Except for regretting that his eldest son wasn¡¯t there, He Shan felt utterly content.


    With wine glasses necessarily present on the table, a few words were exchanged, and then the meal began.


    Meng Siqi couldn¡¯t help but observe Qiao Qingyu, which was likely an instinctive behavior for any mother-in-law.


    Watching intently, she had to admit that not only was Qiao Qingyu good-looking, even her manner of eating was pleasant to the eye.


    She considered her own daughter to be extremely outstanding, but in terms of demeanor alone, Qiao Qingyu was someone you could take a liking to at first glance, whereas her own daughter came off as rather domineering.


    Especially now at the dining table, she ended up in a heated argument with He Xuerong, her brows twisted into a tight knot, and she was even a year older than Qiao Qingyu.


    Meng Siqi felt uncomfortable and began rubbing her forehead as she set down her chopsticks.


    Old Lady He was not at all pleased; it was rare to have a family meal together, and there was Meng Siqi, frowning again; Heaven knows she didn¡¯t dare say a word to her son, fearing a quarrel between the couple. It was the same with the old man, just not looking up or opening his eyes; but could she pretend not to notice?


    That meal felt as if an iron lump was lodged in her chest, utterly indigestible.


    Their son was home now; she had hoped things would get better and, moreover, they also had their little grandson and granddaughter-in-law present.

 Chapter 343 - 343 343 Beyond Description

    ?Chapter 343: Chapter 343: Beyond Description Chapter 343: Chapter 343: Beyond Description ¡°How could you not pay attention? Who are you trying to imitate with all this pretense and affectation?


    Pretending to be some noble lady from a play script?


    Don¡¯t think she doesn¡¯t know that her own family doesn¡¯t have many respectable people, yet she always comes to our He Family looking for benefits.¡±


    ¡°Dean Meng, if you¡¯re feeling unwell, please go back to your room and rest. Look at you, rubbing your forehead and sighing.¡±


    Old Lady He couldn¡¯t hold back her words.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s just an old problem.¡±


    He Xuerong suddenly looked up, puzzled, and asked, ¡°Great-grandma, why do you still call Grandma ¡®Dean Meng¡¯ even at home?¡±


    In an instant, silence fell upon the table as Qiao Qingyu¡¯s gaze shifted towards He Shan and his wife.


    Then she glanced at Old Lady He. Of course, she knew that Old Lady He wasn¡¯t someone easy to handle, but was Meng Siqi still living in her youthful past without moving on?


    She slightly lowered her head. After all, the day after tomorrow, she and He Xiuyu would take Rongrong back to Xichuan, so there was no need to involve herself in these He Family matters.


    He Shan¡¯s brows had been relaxed, as the head of the family naturally felt happy for the family reunion, but now his brows furrowed. Some things are distressing enough without having to think carefully about them. And once understood, they made his heart uncomfortable.


    He Xiuyu also had to smooth things over for his mother¡ªsometimes his mother could be quite troublesome.


    But after all, she was his mother. His voice carried a hint of laughter, ¡°Rongrong, it¡¯s just a form of address. A few years back, your little uncle often called your grandma ¡®Dean Meng¡¯ too.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    He Juanjuan also chimed in from the side, ¡°When I was little, I would follow the kids in the yard calling your grandpa ¡®Mr. He¡¯ and your grandma ¡®Nurse Meng.''¡±


    He Xuerong blinked her eyes and continued to spoon rice onto her plate.


    The meals cooked by the nanny were delicious indeed, a familiar taste.


    With this change of topic, the matter was put to rest. Oddly enough, Meng Siqi felt her headache subsiding a lot, and so the meal finished without further incident.


    However, unexpectedly, after dinner, when He Shan discussed leaving Rongrong in Beijing and not taking her to Xichuan with them, Rongrong¡¯s little face turned deathly pale. With a cry, she burst into tears and then flung herself into He Xiuyu¡¯s arms, weeping miserably, ¡°Little uncle, little uncle, are you abandoning me? Why are you leaving me in Beijing? I want to be with you; I don¡¯t want to stay here.¡±


    He Xiuyu was taken by surprise too, and he looked at Qiao Qingyu, who was also oblivious to the situation.


    Qiao Qingyu quickly extended her hand to pat He Xuerong, ¡°Alright, alright, stop crying. Crying like this after a meal is bad for your health. No one would dare to despise you, darling. When the time comes, we¡¯ll all head back to Xichuan together, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Are you really telling the truth?¡± He Xuerong sobbed.


    ¡°Little aunt promises, wherever Rongrong wants to be, you can be there. You call the shots.¡±


    ¡°I only like being with little aunt and little uncle.¡±


    Old Lady He furrowed her brows slightly and coaxed softly, ¡°Your little aunt and your uncle are both very busy, you know that, don¡¯t you also feel sorry for them?¡±


    ¡°I do feel sorry for them, so I¡¯ve been very good. When they¡¯re busy, I go to eat in the cafeteria.¡±


    Then she quickly added another sentence, ¡°I go to eat at the base¡¯s cafeteria with Li Mingguang. The meals there are so delicious and in winter, there are even green vegetables and fruits.¡±


    The dietary standards of the Xichuan Tenghai Research Base had undergone a qualitative improvement in the past two years, so He Shan was well aware of it.


    Old Lady He exchanged a glance with her old man. If the child truly did not want to stay in Beijing, then there really was no solution. She said to He Shan, ¡°You decide.¡±


    He Shan felt somewhat embarrassed. To let Rongrong continue to follow Qingyu back didn¡¯t seem right. Taking care of children was not easy; he wasn¡¯t ignorant of that. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have felt so guilty towards Meng Siqi all these years. Even though the three kids had nannies to help, it was indeed Meng Siqi who had raised them from babyhood.


    Before, with no thoughts on the matter, it was fine. But now that everything was out in the open, he really couldn¡¯t let Rongrong go back to Xichuan. He softly said, ¡°Rongrong, come to grandpa.¡±


    He Xuerong wanted to shake her head, but after thinking for a moment, she hesitantly made her way over.


    ¡°Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Rongrong, grandpa is no longer as busy as before, and your grandma too. Now, we also have your great-grandmother at home. We can all take care of you. Your little uncle and aunt have it tough with one working and the other studying. Why don¡¯t you stay in Beijing, and when school starts, grandpa will take you to school, okay?¡±


    ¡°Not good, grandpa, not good at all. I don¡¯t like Beijing, I like Xichuan.¡± The little girl began to speak, and tears started falling, ¡°I¡¯ve grown up. I can fold my blanket by myself. I can do many things on my own. I promise not to be a burden to my uncle and aunt. Please grandpa, let me go with my little aunt and the others.¡±


    Before He Xiuyu could speak, Qingyu couldn¡¯t bear it. All of Rongrong¡¯s growth and changes had happened right before her eyes. She didn¡¯t know what it felt like to raise a child, but Rongrong was very important to her heart.


    Qingyu stepped forward and took He Xuerong¡¯s hand, speaking softly, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Rongrong. Your little aunt will take you back to Xichuan. You have so many friends there, and you haven¡¯t finished your winter break homework, right? Oh yes, the peanuts you and Xiao Hu planted in Grandpa Feng¡¯s experimental fields are probably sprouting by now...¡±


    ¡°Right, right, I have so many things to do. I¡¯m also very busy,¡± Rongrong said, her eyes brimming with tears.


    ¡°Qingyu, I know you¡¯re good to Rongrong, but you have school, and Xiu Yu has work. It¡¯s really tough.¡±


    ¡°Dad, Rongrong is a self-disciplined good kid. She can take care of herself. Besides, when Xiu Yu brought Rongrong to Xichuan, he was prepared to take care of her himself.¡±


    He Xuerong had always been a self-disciplined good kid. After recovering from her illness, she washed her own intimates under He Xiuyu¡¯s insistence.


    Including washing her own feet and socks, which she had first struggled with but now managed quite skillfully.


    It was fair to say her self-care abilities were stronger than some adults¡¯.


    It was definitely tough, after all, she was just a child, and there were so many things to worry about. But with feelings this deep, and her crying so heartbreakingly, Qingyu couldn¡¯t possibly agree to leave Rongrong in Beijing.


    ¡°Rongrong, grandpa thinks it¡¯s better for you to stay in Beijing. After a while, your dad will come home, and it¡¯s been a long time since the two of you saw each other.¡±


    ¡°My mom came to see me before the Spring Festival and wanted me to go with her, but I didn¡¯t agree.¡±


    He Shan, of course, knew about this; He Xiuyu wouldn¡¯t have kept it from him.


    ¡°You could try staying here for a few months. If you really can¡¯t get used to it, grandpa will personally take you back to Xichuan, okay?¡±


    He Xuerong didn¡¯t think it was okay. She didn¡¯t want to stay here for a single day.


    He Xuerong felt it was time to pull out her trump card.

 Chapter 344 - 344 344 No One Can Give Her Fairness

    ?Chapter 344: Chapter 344 No One Can Give Her Fairness Chapter 344: Chapter 344 No One Can Give Her Fairness Her tears instantly filled her eyes, and with a pout, she said in a grievous tone, ¡°Grandpa, if you really want me to stay here, can you kick Auntie out of the house?¡±


    Everyone in the room was stunned. What kind of thing was that to say?


    ¡°You little brat, what nonsense are you spouting? What have I ever done to you?¡±


    He Juanjuan, who had been enjoying the spectacle, had not expected the fire to suddenly be directed at her, and she was so angry she was hopping mad.


    He Xuerong, frightened, grabbed He Shan¡¯s arm, pointing at He Juanjuan with eyes wide with terror, ¡°Grandpa, Auntie doesn¡¯t like me. When it¡¯s just the two of us at home, she pinches me...¡± Then she pointed to the insides of her own arms and thighs, then to her belly, ¡°She uses both hands to violently grab my belly and doesn¡¯t allow me to cry. She said if I did, she¡¯d throw me into the big ditch outside and drown me.¡±


    ¡°He Xuerong, you little wretch, just like your mother, what nonsense are you spewing?¡±


    He Juanjuan admitted she had pinched her, but she had never said those words.


    He Shan¡¯s brow was tightly furrowed, his hands clenched, as his piercing gaze turned towards He Juanjuan, ¡°Juanjuan, did you pinch Rongrong?¡±


    ¡°I... I didn¡¯t, she¡¯s lying.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying, Grandpa, I¡¯m really not lying. I was five years old when I left Beijing with Uncle, I couldn¡¯t speak, but I remember everything. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Uncle.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s gaze shifted back and forth between his mother and his sister a few times; he understood now that it wasn¡¯t his mother who had caused those bruises on Rongrong, but this sister of his.


    He Xiuyu looked at He Juanjuan, his voice icy and his expression dark, ¡°He Juanjuan, don¡¯t you always disdain lying and shirking responsibility? You always believe that if you do something, you should own up to it. So, did you pinch Rongrong?¡±


    He Juanjuan¡¯s face turned green and then pale, then green again. With so many eyes on her, she was so angry she stamped her foot, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with pinching her a few times? I did it because I like her.¡±


    But He Shan turned to He Xiuyu, his voice stern, ¡°He Xiuyu, tell me, did Rongrong have any injuries when you took her in?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a lot.¡±


    ¡°Why have you never said anything?¡± He Shan¡¯s face turned the color of iron, and suddenly he bellowed, ¡°So, the whole family has been deceiving me, keeping things from me. Such a vile act, and you were prepared to just downplay it?¡±


    The thing he hated most was exactly this.


    He Xiuyu silently glanced at He Shan, then turned to He Juanjuan, ¡°He Juanjuan, apologize to Rongrong.¡±


    He Xuerong became a bit frightened, her small body trembling. She had not expected that merely mentioning this incident would so dramatically change the atmosphere of the home.


    Finally, Old Lady He understood as well and stood up, her trembling hand pointing at He Juanjuan, ¡°You girl, your heart is too malicious. That¡¯s your niece, your elder brother¡¯s biological daughter. You should at least consider the face of the monks if not the Buddha. There¡¯s still a saying in the countryside, ¡®When you beat a dog, you should look at its owner.¡¯ How could you be so cruel? Do you think she won¡¯t tell on you because she¡¯s mute?¡±


    Then, turning to Meng Siqi, she said in anguish, ¡°Dean Meng, you¡¯ve had a hard time managing the household and taking care of the children over the years. I haven¡¯t been any help, so I didn¡¯t dare to say anything. But Juanjuan¡¯s behavior is unacceptable. You must discipline her. With such a malicious heart, she will cause serious trouble in the future.¡±


    He Shan advanced towards He Juanjuan, who looked at her father with a frightened expression. She had always been afraid of him, but because she was rarely at home, she seldom felt this emotion.


    But now she was truly scared, her body rigid. She thought, if not for the many people in the room, her father would surely hit her.


    He Shan¡¯s hand moved slightly as he raised it, Meng Siqi biting her lip awkwardly but not daring to speak.


    He Shan, looking at He Juanjuan¡¯s pale face, retracted his raised hand. Suppressing his anger, he scolded, ¡°You disgraceful thing, apologize to Rongrong!¡±


    Meng Siqi wanted to say something, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak.


    The headache became more and more severe, pain churning in her stomach and a dreadful nausea overwhelming her as she clutched tightly at her chest.


    He Juanjuan looked at He Xuerong, hiding behind her grandmother, and gritted her teeth as she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, He Xuerong, I shouldn¡¯t have pinched you...¡±


    Then she burst into tears, covered her face, and dashed up to her own room.


    Before He Shan could react, Meng Siqi simply couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer, her stomach churning tumultuously, and she also retched out loud.


    After a period of chaos, it settled down only to be past ten o¡¯clock.


    Since she had already come, she couldn¡¯t leave with Rongrong that evening; doing so would indeed put He Shan in a very awkward position.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t harbor any ill feelings towards Meng Siqi, considering the awkwardness of their relationship initially, no one could expect Meng Siqi to willingly accept Qiao Qingyu as her daughter-in-law.


    So much time had passed, and she and He Xiuyu had been leading a contented and flavorful life. Some things would inevitably fade over time, especially with the contact that day, from the perspective of an observer, Meng Siqi¡¯s thoughts seemed rather superficial.


    This person, indeed, was not someone adept at being all things to all people and with a deep sense of cunning.


    But she was not exactly an overwhelmingly kind and upright person either.


    She had her own worldview and values, she lived in her own circle, and she looked down on many people.


    But at the end of the day, she was not a bad person.


    Only, He Juanjuan indeed had been a bit too malicious.


    But this could never be spoken of, for should others learn of it, the He family would be shamed.


    Particularly now that she had no partner and was not yet married.


    But Qiao Qingyu did not want to get involved.


    She had observed and felt that He Juanjuan actually had some psychological issues.


    And another point that was very frustrating, Rongrong was still the one who was wronged.


    No one could give her justice.


    After all, this was the He family¡¯s internal affair!


    Rongrong still slept in her own little room, which was the warmest and most beautifully decorated here.


    After seeing Rongrong fast asleep, Qiao Qingyu then comfortably returned to He Xiuyu¡¯s room.


    She snuggled into the cozy bed, took a comfortable sigh, oh, there¡¯s no place like her own man¡¯s room, clean and refreshing.


    Even the scent was the most pleasant.


    Meanwhile, Meng Siqi, who had just taken her medication and received an injection, seemed to have aged several years all at once. She held on to He Shan with a hoarse voice and said, ¡°Juanjuan is still young and doesn¡¯t understand, I have scolded her severely after that incident, let it be, don¡¯t mention it anymore, it would ruin Juanjuan¡¯s reputation if others found out.¡±


    Meng Siqi was truly ill, she wasn¡¯t faking it.


    Even though she had her faults and still acted so spoiled at her age, He Shan couldn¡¯t bring himself to be too harsh, and said resentfully, ¡°It¡¯s because you spoil her too much.¡±


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s wrong for you to indulge her like that.¡±


    ¡°Xiuyu, Mom has no choice. Your elder brother is naturally indifferent, and if he finds out, he won¡¯t acknowledge Juanjuan. In the future when we are old, Juanjuan will need her maternal brothers to support her.¡±

 Chapter 345 - 345 345 I Will Change I Promise to Change

    ?Chapter 345: Chapter 345: I Will Change, I Promise to Change Chapter 345: Chapter 345: I Will Change, I Promise to Change ¡°So you¡¯re taking all the blame upon yourself, then expecting our son to think it was you who did it?¡± He Shan pointed at Meng Siqi with his finger, at a loss for words.


    ¡°Not anymore, she learned her lesson today. Give her a chance, see? She¡¯s already apologized to Rongrong.¡±


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t think too much about it. Tomorrow, I will have a proper talk with He Juanjuan.¡±


    After much talking, He Xiuyu finally said what Meng Siqi had been longing to hear, and now, Meng Siqi, because of that strange dream, was truly enamored with He Xiuyu.


    She grasped He Xiuyu¡¯s hand, tears splashing down, ¡°Xiuyu, mom¡¯s little son, don¡¯t scorn your sister. She¡¯s naive, but we can teach her bit by bit. Rest assured, mom won¡¯t meddle in your affairs at all. I¡¯m not trying to please you, I¡¯m speaking the truth¡ªyou and Qiao Qingyu make such a good match.¡±


    He Shan couldn¡¯t help but crack a slight smile. Hearing Meng Siqi say all this brought him relief.


    ¡°Mom, I never realized your health was suffering so much. Take good care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°Xiuyu, you must have a good talk with your sister tomorrow. She¡¯s afraid of your big brother, but she¡¯s always liked you. Whatever you say, Juanjuan is sure to listen,¡± Meng Siqi implored.


    He Xiuyu nodded, ¡°Rest well, I¡¯ll talk to her tomorrow.¡±


    The medicine had taken effect, and He Xiuyu could tell that Meng Siqi was forcing herself to stay awake.


    Meng Siqi looked over at He Shan again, insistent about it.


    He Shan felt compelled to say, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t hit her or scold her. After all, she¡¯s our only daughter, and my love for her is no less than yours.¡±


    Meng Siqi finally heard the words she wanted to hear. She felt relieved, her body noticeably relaxed, and she was overwhelmed by drowsiness. Before falling asleep, though, she struggled to say, ¡°Old He, I have my faults too, especially towards your parents. Don¡¯t be mad at me. I¡¯ll change, I¡¯ll definitely change.¡±


    After uttering those words, Meng Siqi finally fell into a deep sleep, her brow smoothing out.


    He Shan tucked her hand under the covers, only then realizing how much weight his wife had lost in these two months.


    He Xiuyu left his parents¡¯ room and ascended the stairs. Upon pushing open the door to his room, he discovered a beautiful young wife nestled in the bed.


    He took off his outer clothes, rubbed his hands together, closed the door, and then climbed in beside her, noting that it was already past eleven.


    With the lights out, he embraced Qiao Qingyu in his arms, as he did every night.


    There was a moment of silence before He Xiuyu, who had become accustomed to sharing everything with Qiao Qingyu, said, ¡°I think mom¡¯s troubles aren¡¯t just because of grandpa and grandma¡¯s visit; it must be something else with He Juanjuan.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu thought for a moment. ¡°Now that you mention it, the last time we were in Nangang City, Sui Jun told me your sister had gone to see him. She even started a company that seemed to be doing well, opening another branch in Beijing. But why has there been no news this time?¡¯


    He Xiuyu frowned and sighed. Indeed, he had overlooked many things. It seemed even his father was unaware. It was possible that his sister¡¯s bag company was in trouble.


    He reached out to tuck in the blankets and drew the person in his arms closer.


    His voice was a bit muffled as he said, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to her tomorrow. Alright, after a long day, let¡¯s get some rest.¡±


    As the night deepened, the warmth of the heating system kept the room cozy. The couple didn¡¯t stir any longer but embraced and quickly drifted off to sleep.


    The next morning, after breakfast, He Shan went for a walk with his father and Rongrong. The day was sunny and warm, and the snow in the city had melted clean away. Though the green leaves were yet unseen, the poplar trees were quietly budding¡ªwaiting for a spring breeze to burst open with enchanting greenery.


    This is different from the south.


    Especially further north, where spring always seems to arrive overnight.


    But during the winter in He Shan, a small greenhouse had been set up in the storage room.


    Inside were the vegetables Qiao Qingyu had given him.


    They had grown quite well, though most had already been eaten.


    However, the Chinese leeks and garlic shoots were still verdant and flourishing.


    After breakfast, Meng Siqi had another injection from the hospital nurse and then fell into a deep sleep again.


    He Xiuyu went to talk with He Juanjuan.


    Then Qiao Qingyu followed Granny He to the storage room.


    She had many seeds of calming grass in her hands, and there were four elderly people in the He Family over the age of fifty.


    He Xiuyu hadn¡¯t mentioned it, but Qiao Qingyu felt it was just the right thing to do as a courtesy.


    She mysteriously said to Old Lady He, ¡°Grandma, this Soothing Grass is really wonderful. My Grandpa had insomnia for almost decades, and it was cured by the Soothing Grass. If we plant it now, it will sprout in a week, and it¡¯s very easy to take care of. Once it has green leaves, we can put a couple of pots in your room, and the rest in my parents¡¯ room. It¡¯s good for the health.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that Granny He was superstitious, but after meeting Mr. Wu once, she knew he was not an ordinary person. Then, anything that could cure the old gentleman¡¯s illness must be a treasure. She knew that Qiao Qingyu was good-hearted and also concerned about her aging bones.


    She had already planted the seeds with Qiao Qingyu, carefully placing them in the most suitable temperature.


    Tending to these things was nothing difficult for Grandma He.


    ¡°Grandma, this plant is very resilient. Once it grows, it becomes lushly green. Whether it¡¯s the leaves or the scent of the flowers, it makes one feel extremely comfortable.¡±


    ¡°What a treasure. Even if it¡¯s easy to care for, I still need to tend to it carefully. Now, Grandma has something to keep herself busy.¡±


    It might seem like Qiao Qingyu¡¯s livelihood was farming, but to speak honestly, she couldn¡¯t compare to the old lady in front of her when it came to nurturing these things.


    It was just that the seeds were good, and there were plenty of people to do the work.


    With Old Lady He taking care of them, the Soothing Grass would surely thrive.


    When leaving Yun City, Qiao Qingyu gave a jin of Soothing Grass seeds to Qiao Zhicai.


    She told him to find a suitable place to plant them. Not to speak of selling them, if they grow well in the future, the old gentleman could give them away as valuable gifts.


    It¡¯s an item you don¡¯t realize the value of until you use it and it takes you by surprise.


    And it also has no side effects whatsoever.


    However, Qiao Qingyu did not leave any seeds for Old Lady He, as the north is not like the south. She left the seeds with Qiao Zhicai, who could plant them the next day, while here they could only be planted in a greenhouse. If not placed correctly, the seeds wouldn¡¯t germinate. So she and Old Lady He cleared out a wooden trough and five flowerpots, and planted over a hundred more.


    Now they had enough to use.


    She also watered the garlic shoots, and the little Chinese cabbages look fresh and dewy, while the little bocai was lush and green.

 Chapter 346 - 346 346 We are all despicable including myself

    ?Chapter 346: Chapter 346: We are all despicable, including myself Chapter 346: Chapter 346: We are all despicable, including myself The storage room had been converted to have underfloor heating, and there was a wicker chair and a tea table made from wicker in the room. It seemed that the old man often came here to sit when he had nothing to do.


    Several pots of flowers were placed on the windowsill, and it had to be said that Meng Siqi was indeed good at gardening. Although it was winter, the potted peonies on the windowsill were blooming beautifully.


    Qiao Qingyu and Old Lady He took a break and then went out.


    Seeing that Old Lady He was heading to the kitchen without washing her hands, Qiao Qingyu quickly pulled her to the bathroom, ran hot water for her, and grabbed some soap before gently saying, ¡°Grandma, the soil contains quite a lot of bacteria. Next time you come from the greenhouse, don¡¯t forget to wash your hands with soap, okay?¡±


    If Meng Siqi had said this, it would have come off as condescending, but coming from Qiao Qingyu with a smile, Old Lady He especially loved to hear it.


    She quickly nodded, ¡°I understand, I understand. Keeping clean is beneficial; your dad also always tells me that being hygienic can prolong life.¡±


    ¡°Right, right, Grandma, you are amazing, you know so much.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was never stingy with her kind words.


    After the two had washed their hands, Qiao Qingyu took out some moisturizing cream for Old Lady He to apply. Old Lady He didn¡¯t want to apply it, but Qiao Qingyu grabbed her hand and explained, ¡°Spring is coming, and your hands can get very dry. Look, they are already cracking. My own grandma had the same issue, but then I left her several boxes of this cream, and now her hands are really smooth.¡±


    As she spoke, she had already finished applying the cream on Old Lady He¡¯s hands. Old Lady He smelled it; it was indeed fragrant. She usually felt her hands tightening, but after applying the cream, they really felt more comfortable.


    She glanced at her granddaughter-in-law¡¯s beautiful face, as pretty as a flower, and her fair, delicate skin. Especially her small hands, they were very good-looking, slender and long, exquisite, just like carved white jade. She subtly checked out Qiao Qingyu¡¯s figure, smacking her lips internally. Her grandson was indeed a lucky fellow.


    At this time, He Xiuyu called his sister out of her room. After all, they were all adults now, and as her older brother, it wasn¡¯t appropriate for him to enter her boudoir, so he called her to the study room.


    After pondering a bit, he pulled out a book from the top shelf.


    Then he handed it to He Juanjuan, who was looking down with a gloomy expression.


    ¡°Take a look, I remember you read this book when you were in third grade. You even wrote a lot of reading reflections on it.¡±


    He Juanjuan suddenly looked up. How could she not remember this?


    Reading books¡ªshe hadn¡¯t touched a book since graduating, let alone in the third grade. Her older brother was seldom at home; how could he remember this? He Juanjuan took the book with suspicion.


    It was a book of extracurricular reading.


    It contained stories of war eras, those that stirred one¡¯s blood or touched one¡¯s heart, revolving around revolutionary tales.


    She sneered dismissively, but seeing her brother standing calmly before her, she didn¡¯t dare to toss the book aside and could only absentmindedly start flipping through it.


    The title page of the first chapter had her name written stroke by stroke¡ªHe Juanjuan.


    The childish handwriting looked a bit familiar; it was undoubtedly hers.


    He Juanjuan continued to read absentmindedly.


    But as she read, her expression changed, indescribably complex. She hadn¡¯t expected that her third-grade self had such a passionate, upwardly striving, upright, and kind heart.


    He Xiuyu glanced at her quietly, and after a long while said, ¡°When you were born, your oldest brother was seven years old and already in school, I was four years old, attending kindergarten. When I came home, our family had gained a beautiful little baby.¡±


    It was the winter of 1961, times were hard. Early in the morning, big brother got up and took his tea jar to line up at the milk station. The year you were born the winter was very cold, and there were many people in line. By the time it was big brother¡¯s turn, his hands had turned red from the cold; when he got home, he was so frozen he couldn¡¯t speak.


    He placed the tea jar on the stove and waited until the milk boiled, then poured it into a cup. He put it into the bottle only when it was the right temperature...


    He Juanjuan looked up with trembling lips, staring blankly at her second brother whose tone and expression remained calm.


    Her hand, resting on the page of the book, unconsciously tightened.


    ¡°...Big brother was a persistent person. He never missed a day and braved the weather for two years. He got frostbite on his hands and feet, but he said that seeing his sister smile made him extremely happy...¡±


    He Juanjuan suddenly stood up, her eyes red with emotion. Frustrated, she exclaimed, ¡°Stop talking!¡±


    Then, dejectedly, she sat back down and covered her face with her hands, sobbing.


    From childhood, both her elder and second brothers doted on her, giving her the best food and toys, and her big brother would pick her up from school.


    On the way home, big brother carried her while the second brother carried three people¡¯s school bags.


    Later, big brother joined the special forces and the second brother went to a youth class.


    Then why did the siblings grow apart?


    He Juanjuan cried even harder, while He Xiuyu sat in his chair, watching his sister with a calm face.


    His look was one of understanding mixed with anger.


    He never used to think about it, but now, reflecting deeply, he realized the relationship between his mother and sister was probably just as intense as Qiao Qingyu had described, finding warmth and alliance.


    The two of them stood united, while he, his big brother, and father each stood alone.


    Hence, the situation had turned out this way.


    Suddenly, He Xiuyu found himself missing Qiao Qingyu deeply, even though they were just in the same building.


    Qiao Qingyu, his wife, his love, with whom he had learned about love and growth.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s gaze softened slightly; he reached out and gently ruffled his sister¡¯s hair, but his tone was stern, ¡°Juanjuan, although you have grown up, you still need to learn how to be a decent person, how to handle things. The road ahead is long, but in the eyes of me and big brother, you should always be that sweet and sensible little girl.¡±


    He Juanjuan remained silent, continuing to sob, unsure whether it was out of anger or shame.


    However, it was undeniable that her sobs grew louder after He Xiuyu spoke those words.


    He Xiuyu glanced at her, then suddenly changed the topic, ¡°He Juanjuan, Rongrong might not hold grudges, but she has a clear sense of love and hate. What happened yesterday was truly unfair to her. All we did was offer her a meaningless apology, and yet you faced no consequence.¡±


    He Juanjuan was stunned, a wave of unease suddenly rising inside her.


    Her second brother was never truly a gentle person.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s voice was calm, stating a fact, ¡°We are bullying a child, a child without parents to stand up for her. We are all despicable, including myself.¡±


    ¡°Yet everyone knows this truth. Father was furious, but he didn¡¯t go through with the slap. Mother knew that Rongrong¡¯s injuries were your doing, yet she didn¡¯t speak a word of justice for the child.¡±

 Chapter 347 - 347 347 You Took Fairness Away from This

    ?Chapter 347: Chapter 347: You Took Fairness Away from This Family Chapter 347: Chapter 347: You Took Fairness Away from This Family The study was enveloped in silence.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s expression was very cold.


    At first, he thought his mother had hurt Rongrong, and selfishly, he took his mother¡¯s side and forgave her for Rongrong.


    But even after knowing it was He Juanjuan¡¯s doing, he was still helpless.


    His voice carried heartache and self-blame, as well as restrained disappointment towards He Juanjuan.


    ¡°Everyone selectively ignored Rongrong¡¯s feelings, thinking she was just a child and thus, it didn¡¯t matter how much they neglected her.¡±


    ¡°But you, you are an adult. Don¡¯t you think your actions are extremely shameful?¡±


    ¡°He Juanjuan, you have put everyone in a difficult situation, you have deprived this family of fairness.¡±


    ¡°I will tell my elder brother about this, about Rongrong¡¯s scars, about her autism.¡±


    ¡°Juanjuan, tell your second brother, do you truly feel guilty?¡± He Xiuyu¡¯s words were sharp, his eyes stern.


    He Juanjuan looked at He Xiuyu in panic, her mind in complete disarray.


    She could not utter a single word for a long time.


    He Xiuyu was not adept at this so-called ideological work, and He Juanjuan was no longer a child, and had an extreme temperament; it wasn¡¯t a problem that could be solved with just one conversation.


    He didn¡¯t want to say more, and stood up to leave.


    Leaving the space to He Juanjuan, who was so stunned she even forgot to cry.


    Upon leaving the study, he immediately saw Qiao Qingyu talking with his grandmother.


    Upon seeing him, Qiao Qingyu looked up and He Xiuyu¡¯s eyes softened, smiling at her as gently as spring water.


    Old Lady He¡¯s eyes squinted into a slit and said, ¡°...I¡¯ll go to the kitchen to see what delicious food we¡¯re making for lunch today?¡±


    The old lady happily headed to the kitchen, leaving the space to the two young people.


    But before Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu could speak, the front door was pushed open, and Rongrong rushed in with a chill, followed by He Shan and Mr. He.


    The room suddenly became lively again.


    Sitting in the study, He Juanjuan could already hear the noise coming from the living room, including He Xuerong¡¯s clear laughter.


    If it had been before, she would have blurted out, either aloud or in her heart, ¡°That cheap girl.¡±


    Because of Liu Ge, she was mocked by many people at work.


    Because of this promiscuous woman, their He Family had become a laughingstock in many circles.


    She hated Liu Ge the most.


    She hated that woman, yet she feared her too; deep down, she was actually relieved when that woman eloped with someone.


    Liu Ge was very ominous.


    She had just graduated from elementary school when Liu Ge married into the family.


    She had played pranks on her, but she always ended up on the losing side.


    Whenever Liu Ge came to their house, she would always end up so angry that she couldn¡¯t even eat her meal.


    If Dad had been home, she would have been scolded as well.


    But these were minor issues.


    However, there was one time when Liu Ge took the initiative to take her to the family courtyard entrance to buy candied haws. She was very happy at the time, thinking that Liu Ge had finally compromised, so she happily followed along.


    The candied haws seller was right at the entrance of the grocery store, next to the crossroads. It was winter, and the night was quite cold, so there weren¡¯t many people on the streets.


    There was no one else around the old man selling candied haws; He Juanjuan was overjoyed and wanted to buy several, since the money her older brother earned was all in this woman¡¯s hands, and she hadn¡¯t eaten any of it.


    But just as she was holding the candied haws, she heard Liu Ge scream in alarm. Startled, she turned back to look at her sister-in-law, only to see her staring in terror at the old man selling the candied haws. She turned and ran forward. For some unknown reason, a thick fog had risen that evening, and her sister-in-law disappeared from sight in the blink of an eye.


    She was terrified too. But she hadn¡¯t paid for the candied haws yet. The old man grabbed her arm with a sinister tone, ¡°Your adult ran away; hurry up and give me the money for the candied haws.¡±


    She did have money as it was just after New Year¡¯s and she had plenty of new year¡¯s money in her pocket; she didn¡¯t have time to think of anything else and was too frightened, so she pulled out a ten-yuan note and handed it to the old man.


    A skewer of candied haws cost fifty cents, and the total for several was only two yuan fifty. She was already in junior high, not a little kid, so she could do the math.


    But unexpectedly, the old man refused the money. His expression suddenly turned very ferocious and horrifyingly sinister. He shrieked, ¡°You girl, daring to fool me with such stuff!¡±


    Then, grabbing her hand, he headed toward an alley, muttering viciously as they walked, ¡°I need to find a place to talk this over.¡±


    At that moment, she was terrified out of her wits.


    Her mind went blank; she didn¡¯t even know how to react and just let the old man selling candied haws drag her into a dark corner.


    However, suddenly, a loud burst of firecrackers went off right next to her ear. Frightened, she closed her eyes and when she opened them, she found herself standing at the entrance of the grocery store, with her sister-in-law Liu Ge also standing before her. Blinking her eyes, her sister-in-law surprisingly said, ¡°Juanjuan, there¡¯s no one selling candied haws here. Tomorrow I¡¯ll take you to the mall to buy some. Let¡¯s go home now.¡±


    Her mind was still in a daze. She looked around; there was no old man selling candied haws, not even the candied haws themselves. But her hands weren¡¯t empty; she was holding several sticks of grass, which frightened her so much that she immediately threw them on the ground.


    After getting home, she shivering spoke of what had happened to her mother.


    Her mother, half believing and half doubting, went to ask Liu Ge.


    Liu Ge actually found it funny. She said, ¡°What¡¯s gotten into Juanjuan? Has she had a nightmare or hallucination? I took Juanjuan to the grocery store; she wanted to eat candied haws, but the old man selling them had already gone home. Then I brought her back. I didn¡¯t see anyone else.¡±


    It just so happened that Aunt Sun from the family courtyard was also on the roadside, so Liu Ge told her mother to go and confront Aunt Sun.


    Aunt Sun¡¯s story matched Liu Ge¡¯s.


    They naturally didn¡¯t dare tell Dad about it, especially at a time when the situation was most severe. Even if they asked Aunt Sun a bit, they couldn¡¯t speak of what she had seen.


    Later, this matter was left unresolved.


    But she still remembers it vividly to this day; it was all too real, it truly happened.


    Liu Ge definitely knew something, but she had run away and left her.


    Later, she thought, if not for the firecrackers, she wouldn¡¯t even know what might have happened.


    She hated this woman to death.


    At home, she was almost irreconcilable with Liu Ge, and naturally, she also hated the children Liu Ge had given birth to.


    She didn¡¯t dare take revenge on Liu Ge, so she bullied He Xuerong instead.


    But the words her second brother had just spoken hit her head like a heavy hammer.


    She also remembered what her grandmother had said.


    No matter how much she hated Liu Ge, it had nothing to do with He Xuerong.


    He Juanjuan gritted her teeth as she stood at the door of the study, not having the courage to open the door.


    Yet at the same time, a trace of anger appeared on her face.

 Chapter 348 - 348 348 Has the Conversation Turned Dark

    ?Chapter 348: Chapter 348: Has the Conversation Turned Dark? Chapter 348: Chapter 348: Has the Conversation Turned Dark? What was Qiao Qing saying that made her feel guilty, embarrassed, uncomfortable, and self-blaming?


    He had achieved that, indeed he had, and now this was exactly how she felt. But what else could she do?


    Should she turn herself in?


    The police station wouldn¡¯t care about this matter; it would only bring more shame to the He Family.


    If Qiao Qing said apologies were meaningless, what could she do then? Repay He Xuerong with her life?


    The more He Juanjuan thought about it, the more stifled she felt, the more extreme her thoughts became; suddenly, she flung open the door to the study.


    The sound was loud; the living room was just outside, where several people had been chatting and laughing. But suddenly, they all fell silent and unanimously turned their gazes towards her.


    She saw He Xuerong¡¯s small figure hiding behind Qiao Qingyu.


    He Juanjuan saw her father frowning, his eyes filled with repressed anger, his hands clenched. Was he still thinking of beating her?


    Let him beat her, why not?


    Qiao Qingyu knew something was wrong as soon as she saw He Juanjuan¡¯s expression; why did it feel like she was ready to go down fighting with everyone?


    She quickly turned to look at He Xiuyu, her eyes questioning. You¡¯re the great scientist, the genius; didn¡¯t you just go to have a heart-to-heart with your sister?


    How did it turn out like this?


    In terms of future terminology, how did this conversation turn so twisted?


    He Juanjuan was never a deep thinker; all of her emotions were plainly visible on her face.


    The first to grow angry was He Shan, because of his wife¡¯s illness, her pleas, and more so because He Juanjuan was his daughter, He Xuerong his granddaughter; they were all He Family.


    So, what could he do?


    He had scolded and lectured, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to physically punish her.


    She was, after all, a girl.


    But besides that, he truly didn¡¯t know how to make her learn her lesson.


    So, he was simmering with rage inside, but to his surprise, He Juanjuan looked at everyone with resentful eyes, as if everyone had wronged her.


    He Shan¡¯s face turned iron blue as he coldly interrogated, ¡°Comrade He Juanjuan, I want to ask you, who are you hating?¡±


    He Juanjuan¡¯s face was pale; she stood at the study¡¯s doorway, lips clenched. Did she hate? Her mind was a little foggy; she didn¡¯t even know if she hated, just that everything in front of her was very jarring.


    In their presence, she felt like an outsider, completely out of place.


    He Shan was nearly heartbroken, ¡°I see you as beyond help now.¡±


    He Xiuyu actually wasn¡¯t disappointed; you couldn¡¯t expect that this talk would make He Juanjuan understand everything all at once¡ªfrom her personality issues to her mother¡¯s indulgence, and thirdly, the family¡¯s neglect.


    But she was an adult now; she had the responsibility to bear all the consequences of her wrongdoings.


    From any perspective, He Juanjuan had no right to hurt He Xuerong.


    He pursed his lips and then kept silent.


    Old Lady He had never really liked He Juanjuan, and seeing her son finally show a rare stern attitude, she was pleased and would not interfere.


    He Shan held back, but ultimately left He Juanjuan some dignity, just like last night when he hadn¡¯t followed through with one or maybe even two slaps, he sternly rebuked, ¡°He Juanjuan, go to your room and reflect.¡±


    He Juanjuan¡¯s lips moved slightly.


    Then, without looking at anyone, she ran upstairs; seconds later, everyone heard the sound of her room door slamming shut overhead.


    He Shan looked down at his little granddaughter by his side and guiltily said, ¡°Rongrong, grandpa is sorry to you, and to your dad.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, why do you need to say sorry to me!¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s all Grandpa¡¯s fault.¡±


    ¡°Aunt is also an adult now. If she¡¯s made mistakes, she should have the courage to take responsibility. Why do all of you have to apologize for her?¡± He Xuerong asked, puzzled.


    He Shan was at a loss for words.


    The reason adults had to apologize on behalf of He Juanjuan was that He Juanjuan hadn¡¯t realized her mistake yet.


    If she had realized it, she wouldn¡¯t have looked that way just earlier; if she had realized it, she shouldn¡¯t have looked at Rongrong the way she did.


    Then He Xuerong smiled, ¡°So, Grandpa, you shouldn¡¯t say sorry to me anymore because I won¡¯t forgive Aunt.¡±


    Everyone was stunned, even Old Lady He hurriedly said, ¡°Rongrong, we¡¯re all family after all. Don¡¯t hold a grudge.¡±


    ¡°Granny, I¡¯m not holding a grudge. I don¡¯t forgive her, but I haven¡¯t said I hate her. I don¡¯t even hate my mother, let alone Aunt.¡±


    He Shan looked at He Xuerong with a complicated expression.


    He thought about what his son had told him this morning.


    Though it was a trivial matter, it was definitely not insignificant for the He Family.


    Nobody could find a good solution.


    He Juanjuan was radical and stubborn, while He Xuerong had a good memory and was clever and quick-witted.


    So it had to stay this way.


    He Shan rubbed his face. His heart was tired.


    After all, he had been too neglectful in his role as the head of the family, and he had failed miserably.


    When his eldest son came back, he truly had no words.


    He told He Xiuyu, ¡°Don¡¯t talk to your older brother about this matter. I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    He Xuerong quickly said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell my dad, he¡¯ll worry. I don¡¯t forgive Aunt, but I don¡¯t hate her either.¡±


    So, this young lady somehow made the situation very contradictory yet seemingly appropriate.


    Qiao Qingyu followed Granny He to the kitchen to help.


    Unexpectedly, before she could even lend a hand, He Xiuyu stood at the doorway and said, ¡°Qingyu, mom is calling you upstairs.¡±


    Granny He didn¡¯t expect Meng Siqi to cause trouble at this time. She smiled, ¡°Go upstairs, your mom must need something.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu followed He Xiuyu upstairs, but as they passed He Juanjuan¡¯s room, faint crying sounds could be heard.


    He Xiuyu frowned slightly and glanced in the direction of his sister¡¯s room.


    However, he promptly led Qiao Qingyu into the room without delay.


    Meng Siqi looked fine, the glass window was very bright, and the warm sunlight streamed in, making her pale face seem much softer.


    She saw her son come in as well and smiled, guessing that he must be worried she would make things difficult for Qiao Qingyu.


    How could she possibly make it difficult for her?


    The house was already chaotic enough.


    Her head started to ache again.


    But it was much better than yesterday.


    Meng Siqi smiled and opened a box that was sitting nearby.


    The sun shone just right, illuminating a collection of gold jewelry, dazzling to the eyes.


    ¡°Qingyu, this jewelry is for you. Each of my sons has a set. Actually, I should have given it to you earlier. I¡¯m sorry it¡¯s late, don¡¯t be upset with mom.¡±


    He Xiuyu reached out, took the box, and let Qiao Qingyu look inside, saying, ¡°I knew about this. There are also two rings here, but let¡¯s set them aside for now.¡±


    Meng Siqi glanced at the hands of the two, only then noticing that although the rings they wore were different sizes, the material and design were surprisingly identical.

 Chapter 349 - 349 349 Neurotic

    ?Chapter 349: Chapter 349: Neurotic Chapter 349: Chapter 349: Neurotic Meng Si had not expected her youngest son to be so romantic.


    ¡°You can do as you please, it¡¯s something given to you guys, it¡¯s a complete set, and it¡¯s also the only two sets of gold jewelry left from my maternal home. The quality is superb, the patterns are also very nice, just that the style is a bit old-fashioned.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu generously took a look, and it really was beautiful, with necklaces, bracelets, and even two gold hairpins.


    ¡°Mom, this style is very pretty. A lot of gold shops nowadays cannot produce such beautiful jewelry anymore.¡±


    ¡°Right, that¡¯s exactly the point. Some craftsmanship has been lost.¡±


    The two of them chatted easily, and He Xiuyu¡¯s heart felt securely settled; he felt his mother and wife had accepted each other.


    This was naturally a good thing for him.


    When leaving Meng Siqi¡¯s room, He Xiuyu reached out and pinched his wife¡¯s cheek playfully, teasing, ¡°How come you just make everyone like you so much? You have no idea how hard to please my mom is. If she didn¡¯t like you, there¡¯s no way she could pretend, at most she would just ignore people.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu giggled, neither objecting nor nodding, but she tiptoed and stealthily pecked He Xiuyu on the face.


    Then she just smiled, refraining from expressing any opinions.


    He Xiuyu did not insist on having Qiao Qingyu say anything.


    He knew that regarding the Rongrong incident, whether or not it was done by his mother, Qiao Qingyu had her thoughts but was not in a position to voice them.


    Then, as they both looked up, they saw He Juanjuan standing not far from the door.


    The two hastily composed themselves and walked toward the staircase.


    He Juanjuan¡¯s room was on the other side of the stairs, next to He Xuerong¡¯s room.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s brow furrowed imperceptibly, surmising that this proximity must be the reason why He Juanjuan¡¯s bullying of Rongrong went unnoticed, it really was too close. Fortunately, they would be departing for Xichuan the day after tomorrow.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression remained calm as she prepared to go downstairs.


    He Xiuyu frowned as he looked at He Juanjuan but spoke up, ¡°Go check on our mom, she¡¯s been thinking about you.¡±


    He Juanjuan¡¯s eyes reddened again, truly only her mother in this house cared for her.


    But suddenly she felt that such a thought was not quite right, as her father cared for her, and neither her eldest nor second brother had abandoned her.


    He Juanjuan bowed her head, biting her lip, her hands entwined, but she did not speak, though her earlier hostility had obviously lessened considerably.


    He Xiuyu was ready to head downstairs with Qiao Qingyu.


    But unexpectedly, He Juanjuan suddenly spoke, however, she called out to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Can I have a word with you?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu had already reached the third section of the staircase but stopped. Since her arrival at the He Family, she and this He Juanjuan hadn¡¯t had a proper conversation, and then so much had happened.


    Last time they met at the mall was very unpleasant, and to be honest, Qingyu was content to have spent these days without incident.


    After all, she had hit her.


    So she didn¡¯t want to engage in much conversation with her.


    But clearly, He Juanjuan had something to say to her, so she told He Xiuyu, ¡°Go downstairs first.¡±


    He Xiuyu did not insist, not that he felt indifferent, but rather he felt very confident; ten He Juanjuans in front of Qiao Qingyu were not even a match, and it wasn¡¯t that he was belittling his sister.


    He Xiuyu gracefully descended the stairs, without looking back or worrying, He Juanjuan found this strange but did not think much of it.


    She opened the door and said in a low mutter, ¡°Come in. I... I have something to say to you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu entered He Juanjuan¡¯s room.


    The room was decorated almost the same as Rongrong¡¯s. In terms of material things, the He Family did not shortchange either of the girls.


    It¡¯s just that He Xuerong¡¯s room had more childlike whimsy, while He Juanjuan¡¯s was clearly a young girl¡¯s boudoir.


    With a voice somewhat hoarse, He Juanjuan spoke in a defeated tone, ¡°You know all about it, so I won¡¯t explain. The incident at the mall last time... I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°That¡¯s long in the past. Don¡¯t mention it.¡±


    She hadn¡¯t suffered any loss after all.


    He Juanjuan seemed embarrassed, ¡°Rongrong... She must really hate me, right?¡±


    ¡°Rongrong just said she doesn¡¯t forgive you, but she doesn¡¯t hate you. She said she doesn¡¯t even hate her own mother,¡± Qiao Qingyu felt it necessary to clarify He Xuerong¡¯s stance, lest anyone think that being a child meant He Xuerong should be overlooked.


    Unexpectedly, He Juanjuan suddenly lifted her head, with a flicker of shock in her eyes and even a trace of panic, ¡°Liu... Liu Ge... When did she return to the country?¡±


    ¡°Just before the Spring Festival. Hasn¡¯t she come to Beijing?¡± Qiao Qingyu replied, then noticed that He Juanjuan¡¯s hands were clenched together, her previously straight posture had slumped, and her body tensed up suddenly.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. It seemed there was an irreconcilable conflict between He Juanjuan and Liu Ge,


    She was somewhat headache-ridden. What¡¯s wrong with this girl? Is she determined to alienate everyone in this house?


    ¡°Did... did you see Liu Ge?¡± He Juanjuan eventually asked.


    ¡°Yes, she even visited my home. She wanted to take Rongrong with her, but Rongrong didn¡¯t go with her.¡±


    She then continued, ¡°Rongrong is a sensible and independent child. She has her own ideas, and as long as they¡¯re sound, both your second brother and I listen to her.¡±


    ¡°...Did Liu Ge... Has she gone back to her country?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that.¡±


    He Juanjuan seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.


    Qiao Qingyu curled the corner of her mouth. For Rongrong, both these people were part of her less than pleasant memories.


    ¡°What did you want to talk to me about? If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be going downstairs.¡±


    ¡°I do have something. I just want you to tell Rongrong that I¡¯ll never treat her like that again. I know I am not a good aunt, and it doesn¡¯t matter whether she hates me or not, but her grandmother loves her too. After learning what I did, she gave me a beating.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu remained silent, watching He Juanjuan without a word.


    He Juanjuan continued, ¡°Your second brother said so much to me, every word cutting like a knife. I honestly don¡¯t know what to do, but after all, the child just calls me aunt in words; in her heart, she won¡¯t think of me as family.¡±


    ¡°So what do you want?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked flatly, ¡°As far as I know, you and Rongrong have always had a bad relationship. Is it because of Rongrong¡¯s mother?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that woman. She is so hateful, so vile. The way I am now, sometimes having nightmares at night, it¡¯s all her fault.¡±


    ¡°Even if it is her fault, Rongrong is just a young child. How can you treat her like that, does your conscience not hurt?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu asked frankly.


    He Juanjuan bit her lip and frowned at Qiao Qingyu. Normally, she would have retorted with harsh words, but today, she truly didn¡¯t dare.


    Indeed, she felt very guilty.

 Chapter 350 - 350 350 The Old Man Who Sells Sugar-Coated

    ?Chapter 350: Chapter 350: The Old Man Who Sells Sugar-Coated Haws Chapter 350: Chapter 350: The Old Man Who Sells Sugar-Coated Haws ¡°What can I do? Since time cannot be rewound, what else is left for me? Either send me to the police station for a year or let me commit suicide to atone.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was so angered she laughed, ¡°You¡¯re not a child anymore. Who exactly do you think you¡¯re talking to?¡±


    He Juanjuan felt embarrassed as well, biting her teeth and saying, ¡°It¡¯s all Liu Ge¡¯s fault.¡±


    ¡°Even if you blame Liu Ge, your character is still questionable.¡±


    He Juanjuan looked up glaring at Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu spoke slowly and deliberately, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I am merely discussing the matter. We¡¯re not close friends. According to what I think, had you not called out to me today, we could have peacefully remained just acquaintances, which is fine by me because I truly don¡¯t like you.¡±


    He Juanjuan, ¡°...¡±


    But she didn¡¯t retort, instead, she accepted it.


    So Qiao Qingyu inquired further, ¡°What exactly did Liu Ge do to make you hate her so much that you take your anger out on He Xuerong, venting your own indignation?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t wanted to ask, but perhaps this was the crux of the issue.


    Although she didn¡¯t want to know the messy affairs of Liu Ge and He Juanjuan, it involved He Xuerong after all. Rongrong was growing up day by day, and maternal instincts in these regards are something no one can let go of¡ªotherwise, Rongrong wouldn¡¯t cry at the sight of Liu Ge.


    He Juanjuan looked at Qiao Qingyu.


    People might say she¡¯s opportunistic, compromising, or spineless, but right now, she didn¡¯t feel superior in front of Qiao Qingyu at all.


    Just like her mother said, she wasn¡¯t as good as Qiao Qingyu in studies, nor in doing business.


    Let alone now that Qiao Qingyu had Mr. Wu standing behind her.


    She deluded herself into thinking that the slaps Qiao Qingyu had given her were, in a way, for He Xuerong¡¯s sake.


    Moreover, compelled by some unfathomable force while facing Qiao Qingyu¡¯s clear, penetrating eyes, He Juanjuan blurted out the deeply suppressed memories¡ªmemories that no one would believe after all these years.


    Their room door was closed, the curtains were open, and sunlight streamed through, warming the room with a pleasant light. Yet, even so, Qiao Qingyu felt a chill down her spine as He Juanjuan spoke.


    He Juanjuan hadn¡¯t expected such a reaction from Qiao Qingyu and was surprised. Letting go of all concerns, she grabbed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hands, her voice trembling, ¡°Qiao... Qiao Qingyu, do you believe me? Do you think what I am saying is true? Liu Ge is a bad woman. If it weren¡¯t for those firecrackers, I might have been gone; she must have conspired with that that... Liu Ge, she¡¯s just that that...¡±


    He Juanjuan was nearly talking gibberish by now.


    After much hesitation, she still didn¡¯t say those four words: a demon in disguise.


    Even in the privacy of her home but especially in the early 1980s, one must be cautious about such matters; the saying ¡°calamity comes from the mouth¡± was something everyone had learned deeply just a decade ago.


    Qiao Qingyu quickly withdrew her hand, glancing at the doorway before frowning and asking, ¡°He Juanjuan, have you talked about this with anyone else?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve only told my mom. I didn¡¯t dare tell my dad. My eldest brother was away on business, and my second brother wasn¡¯t home at that time, after that, I didn¡¯t dare speak of it again.¡± But as she said this, He Juanjuan suddenly stood up straight, her hand still trembling, yet she raised her hand, ¡°I swear, I swear to heaven, what I¡¯m saying is the truth, absolutely not a dream!¡±


    She then murmured, ¡°It was late at night, I wasn¡¯t at home¡ªwe were at the grocery store entrance. Why would I possibly be dreaming standing in the cold wind for no reason?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu scrutinized He Juanjuan¡¯s expression carefully and nodded to herself. She felt that He Juanjuan wasn¡¯t lying, it must have been just as she described.


    If it had been before, Qiao Qingyu truly wouldn¡¯t have believed her.


    After all, all demons and ghosts were just spoken about, written in novels, and portrayed on television. Who had ever really seen one?


    It seemed like there was no one around who had witnessed these things firsthand.


    At most, it was perhaps ambiguously true, mixed with one¡¯s own imagination.


    But ever since she had transmigrated into this book, after encountering Han Lishi and Han Liuya, especially since she had a Space Device in her hand.


    Thus, now Qiao Qingyu just didn¡¯t speak. Even though she kept silent, in her heart she believed more in these mysterious things than anyone else.


    It had been a long time since there was any news of these two people.


    But Qiao Qingyu knew that as long as Han Liuya was alive, she would not give up on coveting her body.


    Mysterious, indeed it was so.


    Liu Ge and Han Lishi were just as mysterious.


    Then there was the enigmatic Zhang Family behind Wu Hong.


    Why was Liu Ge with Wu Hong? Was it merely a secret elopement, or was there some secret they both didn¡¯t know?


    Furthermore, having met Lan Jianqing yesterday, he had been in the Qiao Family Team for five years, yet she had no recollection of him whatsoever, including the year she fell into the water at twelve...


    Actually, Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t keen on recalling Lan Jianqing. After seeing the expression on his face yesterday, Qiao Qingyu knew that Han Liuya, who had possessed her body, must have done or said something extremely shameful.


    Where exactly did her memory go wrong?


    Qiao Qingyu was zoning out for quite some time, but He Juanjuan seemed to see a savior. Just now, Qiao Qingyu had freed her hands, and she tugged at her sleeves, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, do you believe me too?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu finally snapped back to reality and gave He Juanjuan a cold glance, saying without any courtesy, ¡°He Juanjuan, even if I believe you, what does that have to do with you hurting Rongrong?¡±


    ¡°I... I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have treated Rongrong that way, but Liu Ge must have been trying to kill me then.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu remained silent.


    ¡°Really, I am not thinking irrationally, I am already in the first year of middle school. How could I possibly forget this? Over the years, I have been thinking about why she was so kind that day, saying she wanted to take me to buy candied haws. She had passed by that place with my older brother when they came to our house. She should have known whether there were candied haws there. I think she did it on purpose...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu felt that this possibility could not be ruled out.


    Liu Ge from back then, if she truly could see energy bodies different from humans, that is, energy bodies existing in another world, then what exactly did she want to do?


    If she had no ill intentions, why would she turn and run, then blatantly lie about it?


    If it weren¡¯t for the firecrackers that scared off the sinister candied haw vendor, He Juanjuan being dragged into the dark alley, who knows where she would have been dragged to.


    The whole incident seemed like Liu Ge intentionally delivered He Juanjuan into the hands of the old candied haw vendor.


    But why would Liu Ge do such a thing?


    What was her objective?


    What benefit could she possibly gain from this?

 Chapter 351 - 351 351 She Actually Believed It

    ?Chapter 351: Chapter 351 She Actually Believed It Chapter 351: Chapter 351 She Actually Believed It After all, she had taken He Juanjuan out with her, and if anything happened to He Juanjuan, she couldn¡¯t escape responsibility, or maybe she was just using her abilities to simply scare He Juanjuan?


    That would make some sense.


    She had indeed succeeded


    in making He Juanjuan as neurotic as can be.


    It¡¯s just that Liu Ge probably didn¡¯t expect He Juanjuan to take her hatred out on He Xuerong.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, what are you thinking? Say something, will you?¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to say?¡±


    ¡°Say you believe me, that I¡¯m not just talking nonsense, that I¡¯m not crazy, and I haven¡¯t been having nightmares.¡±


    ¡°Would it help if I said that?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked indifferently.


    Tears suddenly streamed down He Juanjuan¡¯s face, ¡°Of course it would help. You¡¯re not me; you don¡¯t understand. As long as one person believes me, I¡¯ll know I¡¯m not crazy.¡±


    ¡°...Please don¡¯t cry; if your mom hears, she¡¯ll think I¡¯m bullying you,¡± Qiao Qingyu said helplessly.


    ¡°My mom doesn¡¯t believe me either,¡± He Juanjuan said with grievance.


    ¡°It¡¯s been so long; whether or not she believes doesn¡¯t really matter anymore.¡±


    ¡°I know it doesn¡¯t matter, but as long as one person believes, I¡¯m not afraid anymore.¡±


    As she spoke, He Juanjuan suddenly yanked open the collar of her turtleneck sweater and took out several amulets, ¡°I don¡¯t have nightmares as frequently as before. It used to be every two or three days, but now, not even once in a couple of months.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was somewhat at a loss watching her wear so many amulets around her neck. It was probably just for a sense of security, but what could she say? Wearing them for so long, they naturally come to carry a sense of spirit.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, Liu Ge is definitely no good, she¡¯s too evil. You must never let her into your house.¡±


    ¡°Given what you¡¯ve said, I really do need to be more cautious.¡±


    He Juanjuan¡¯s eyes brightened, and she clenched her fists, parading excitedly around the room, ¡°Yes, yes, yes, you have to be more cautious. That woman is ruthless.¡±


    This was something Qiao Qingyu could definitely agree with; despite Liu Ge¡¯s beautiful and gentle appearance and her soft-spoken manner, her heart was both cold and hard.


    When lunchtime came, Meng Siqi came downstairs, only to find that He Juanjuan had also come down.


    Meng Siqi sharply noticed something different about her daughter. How to put it? It was hard to describe.


    In any case, she had changed.


    She looked gratefully at her son, He Xiuyu.


    He Xiuyu, her youngest son, was the best gift heaven had given her.


    Regardless of what happened, it had to be acknowledged that He Juanjuan and He Xuerong shared a close blood relationship.


    So, with no psychological burden, He Juanjuan began to make various attempts to appease He Xuerong.


    Being able to bend or stand tall was indeed commendable.


    But no matter whether she felt guilty or not, she did still have a trace of humanity.


    It would be enough to get safely through these few days; after all, she wouldn¡¯t have much to do with He Xuerong in the future.


    In the afternoon, He Xiuyu took Qiao Qingyu to the best restaurant in the West District.


    The decor here was somewhat different from Lan Jianqing¡¯s restaurant.


    First of all, it was very quiet and not just anyone could come in, and there was no need for any membership card.


    Here, entrance was determined by one¡¯s face.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t facial recognition like in the future but more about the person themself.


    Those who come here to dine are all part of a small circle from the West District.


    Even though these people are smiling, they each maintain their own distinct aura.


    The enthusiastic server led the two to a private room, opened the door, and everyone inside was already there. Seeing He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu appear at the entrance, everyone seated at the table rose to their feet.


    A quick glance revealed that aside from Yuan Hengzhi, Qiao Qingyu naturally didn¡¯t recognize anyone else. There were a total of seven people, four men and two women.


    Along with the two of them, a large table was just filled.


    The table wasn¡¯t yet served with hot dishes; only beautifully arranged cold platters and pastries were present.


    The pastries were freshly baked, emitting a faint aroma of cake upon entering the room.


    This was also the first time He Xiuyu had introduced Qiao Qingyu to his closest friends.


    He was very proud, of course, but he was also very low-key, introducing his several good friends to Qiao Qingyu with a calm expression and a gentle voice.


    He briefly mentioned where they worked.


    Really, they were from all walks of life.


    One of them even worked for the Agricultural Department.


    Qiao Qingyu greeted this girl with particularly warm enthusiasm.


    Although the girl¡¯s emotions were somewhat delicate, she hid it very well.


    She also radiated tremendous goodwill towards Qiao Qingyu.


    There was no overt one-upmanship or face-slapping here; everyone who mixed in this circle was cunning. How could they possibly engage in such foolish antics?


    To put it crudely, even beating a dog requires looking at its owner.


    Furthermore, even though He Xiuyu was very understated, these people could see that Qiao Qingyu was someone He Xiuyu held in high regard.


    So everyone was all smiles, offering words that the other wanted to hear.


    Not to mention, even though Qiao Qingyu grew up in the countryside, she managed to pick up her studies through self-learning and became the top scholar in humanities in West City.


    Even in West City, where talent abounds, becoming a top scholar was no easy feat.


    Her scores could have gotten her into the best university in Beijing.


    But for Xichuan¡¯s sand control and afforestation efforts, she stayed in a humble local agricultural college. Not to mention anything else, just her vision alone was something they respected, let alone Qiao Qingyu¡¯s grandfather¡¯s formidable abilities.


    Thus, the meal was naturally filled with joy for both guests and host.


    The restaurant¡¯s food was also delicious, a taste Qiao Qingyu had never experienced before; she thought about whether to take Rongrong for a meal before leaving.


    Then, Qiao Qingyu exchanged contact information with Qin Duo, the lady from the Agricultural Department. As for the rest, He Xiuyu already had their details.


    On the way home that evening, Qiao Qingyu told He Xiuyu about Liu Ge¡¯s matter.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s motion of drinking water paused, and then he set the teacup down on the table beside him.


    ¡°Now that you mention it, two things seem to be connected,¡± he said softly after pondering for a moment.


    ¡°What things?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember when Liu Ge went to the base to visit Rongrong?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°When they left the base, their car got stuck in a snow pit, and a driver passing by the base found them¡ªalthough Wu Hong had been away for a while because when the base driver found him, he wasn¡¯t in the car.¡±


    ¡°Where did he go?¡±


    ¡°Not far from where their accident happened, there should be a small village called Xiwatun.¡±


    ¡°Xiwatun, have you been there?¡±


    He Xiuyu shook his head, ¡°I haven¡¯t been there, but I¡¯ll have Director Lin investigate it after we return.¡±

 Chapter 352 - 352 352 Meeting You

    ?Chapter 352: Chapter 352: Meeting You Chapter 352: Chapter 352: Meeting You Qiao Qingyu nudged He Xiuyu curiously and asked, ¡°Analyze with your big brain, why would Liu Ge do such a thing?¡±


    He Xiuyu couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    Analyzing these matters, he was no match for Qiao Qingyu.


    He simply said, ¡°I can¡¯t figure it out.¡± He Xiuyu then thought of his sister and mused, ¡°No wonder she was like that today.¡±


    ¡°Forget about what she looked like, just like what you told her, no matter what, it can¡¯t be fair to Rongrong. So, it¡¯s up to the people involved to make amends. But don¡¯t underestimate this little girl Rongrong, she has her own ideas,¡± Qiao Qingyu said leisurely.


    Although Rongrong was young, she had her own thoughts, and He Juanjuan¡¯s attempts to please her were futile.


    But in reality, He Juanjuan didn¡¯t take it to heart.


    This person was just selfish, seeking a noble excuse for her own appalling behavior.


    He Xiuyu rubbed his temples, ¡°I really don¡¯t want to admit she¡¯s my sister, but the fact remains, she is my biological sister, born of the same mother.¡±


    ¡°So, let the matter rest, and let your dad handle the affairs with your elder brother. You stay out of it.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu reminded him again, ¡°Don¡¯t keep bringing this up either. After all, for Rongrong, it¡¯s hardly a pleasant memory.¡±


    He Xiuyu of course understood this, but he still looked at Qiao Qingyu with gratitude, sighed softly, and tenderly wrapped her in his arms, saying in a gentle voice, ¡°What kind of good deeds must I have done in my last life to have met you in this one?¡±


    ¡°Let me think.¡± Qiao Qingyu blinked, ¡°They say that five hundred glances in a previous life earn you just one casual passing in this one. Considering we became husband and wife, how many hundreds of thousands of glances must you have taken back then?¡±


    ¡°Then I must definitely have a neck problem,¡± He Xiuyu said seriously.


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but chuckle softly in a low voice.


    Her laughter was then muted by He Xiuyu, leaving an atmosphere of spring warmth behind.


    ...


    The next day, the two of them got up rather late, and when they went downstairs, everyone had finished breakfast, and Rongrong was not at home, obviously taken out to play again by grandfather and great-grandfather.


    The housekeeper wasn¡¯t there either, but breakfast was still warmed up.


    After eating breakfast, they planned to head to a nearby department store to buy some things, as they had already bought the train tickets back to Xichuan, leaving the following afternoon.


    It seemed just a blink, and ten days had passed, fleeting like water.


    Just as they were about to leave, He Juanjuan, coming down from upstairs, eagerly called out to stop Qiao Qingyu.


    Then she pulled Qiao Qingyu aside to speak, and after some hemming and hawing, finally got to the point.


    Qiao Qingyu thought she was going to ask for a loan because she knew from He Xiuyu that He Juanjuan¡¯s handbag company was stripped of the last of its funds, a whole batch of ordered goods was lost, and she had incurred quite the loss of money.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m not asking you for money.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu raised her eyebrows, ¡°Even if you were asking me for money, I wouldn¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    Whether I lend it or not is up to me.


    He Juanjuan snorted, ¡°I know you¡¯re rich and confident.¡±


    Then she finally whispered, ¡°... I owe fifty thousand yuan in compensation, it¡¯s from big brother... of course, it¡¯s meant for Rongrong, I need to make that up...¡±


    As she spoke, her face turned a little red.


    ¡°And then?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked coolly.


    ¡°Can you teach me how to do business to make this money back? Don¡¯t tell me to get a job, that¡¯s not possible. If I go to work now, it¡¯d take me ten years to come up with fifty thousand yuan.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at her and asked, ¡°Then what do you want to do?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what I want to do; I¡¯ve tried fashion a few times but lost money every time.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you confront the partner you started the company with after they embezzled your money?¡±


    He Juanjuan said dejectedly, ¡°He¡¯s been arrested and sentenced to several years; he can¡¯t compensate me.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t have any good projects on hand right now.¡± Qiao Qingyu¡¯s business was all about land, and He Juanjuan knew nothing, so she couldn¡¯t use her.


    ¡°You¡¯re so smart, someone as proud as my mom praises you behind your back, saying you are really good at business and a true descendant of Mr. Wu.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu raised her eyebrows, not expecting Meng Siqi to praise her behind her back.


    It was quite surprising.


    Then Qiao Qingyu began to ponder, to be honest, with someone like He Juanjuan, what kind of business could she do?


    She wasn¡¯t even as capable as her cousin Qiao Shengbao.


    Not only did she lack any special skills, but she also didn¡¯t have the head for business.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes involuntarily fell in the direction of the greenhouse.


    She had some ideas already.


    Qiao Qingyu took her to the greenhouse, explained the effects of Soothing Grass, and then added, ¡°You help Granny look after it properly, and once it grows to the size of a palm, you can sell it.¡±


    ¡°Selling flowers and grass, how much money can that make?¡± He Juanjuan was quite disappointed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate this Soothing Grass, He Juanjuan. If you handle it well, I guarantee you can make fifty thousand yuan in one year.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s casual words had He Juanjuan¡¯s eyes wide open.


    But she didn¡¯t really believe it.


    An empty flowerpot with nothing in it, making fifty thousand yuan¡ªthat would need the sale of so many pots.


    Thinking this way, her expression showed a hint of disbelief.


    Granny He came out from the kitchen, saw people in the greenhouse, and hurriedly came in. She first smiled at the sight of Qiao Qingyu and He Juanjuan, then her face tightened.


    Of course, that smile was for Qiao Qingyu. Seeing He Juanjuan naturally reminded her of the latter¡¯s actions, so her expression hardened, then she seriously said, ¡°He Juanjuan, this isn¡¯t a place for you, be careful not to dirty your fancy clothes, now off you go...¡±


    He Juanjuan glared, ¡°I¡¯m not going, I want to stay with Qiao Qingyu.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t expected He Juanjuan¡¯s attitude to change so quickly.


    She thought about it¡ªit wasn¡¯t that she was so great, it was because she believed in her unusual experiences.


    And that had placed them on the same side.


    Otherwise, this girl might have held a grudge for being hit by her.


    The He Family were the type to hold grudges, after all.


    He Xuerong was just like that.


    At that moment, He Xiuyu, who had been waiting at the door, coughed a few times.


    Qiao Qingyu said to He Juanjuan, ¡°Since ancient times, no one gets a free lunch¡ªyou won¡¯t get money by doing nothing. However, when I say Soothing Grass can make money, it really can make money. You just need to believe...¡±


    He Juanjuan thought for a moment and then nodded vigorously, ¡°I believe.¡±


    She didn¡¯t believe in Soothing Grass but she believed in what Qiao Qingyu said.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t correct her; after all, it was pretty much the same.


    She then instructed, ¡°He Juanjuan, you have no experience in gardening, just help Granny with the chores, and do whatever Granny tells you to do.¡±


    He Juanjuan hesitated for a moment; she was not averse to the idea of growing flowers and grass, so she asked, ¡°How long will it take for them to grow?¡±

 Chapter 353 - 353 353 In poverty on the bustling streets no

    ?Chapter 353: Chapter 353: In poverty on the bustling streets, no one inquires; wealthy in the mountains, distant relatives appear Chapter 353: Chapter 353: In poverty on the bustling streets, no one inquires; wealthy in the mountains, distant relatives appear ¡°It¡¯s been about a month,¡± Qiao Qingyu declared.


    ¡°How do we sell them after they¡¯ve grown?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no rush, just call me when they¡¯re as tall as your palm.¡±


    He Juanjuan nodded doubtfully but agreed nonetheless.


    Granny He squinted her eyes. Wasn¡¯t this girl the one who complained about dirt being dirty, about soil under her nails being disgusting?


    Heh, looks like she¡¯ll have something to keep her occupied in the future.


    Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t at all worried that He Juanjuan would be idle and reap benefits without working. With Granny He overseeing everything, one shouldn¡¯t underestimate her; the old lady was formidable indeed.


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, He Xiuyu, along with Qiao Qingyu and Rongrong, boarded the train bound for Xichuan.


    Although He Xuerong knew that no one would leave her behind, the moment she sat down in the train sleeper and waited for the clattering train to speed away from Beijing¡¯s platform, heading northwest, only then did the little girl finally exhale a long breath. Without saying a word, she joyfully rolled around on the bunk and just smiled at Qiao Qingyu.


    The little girl was pretty and had a sweet smile.


    Qiao Qingyu pinched her little hand affectionately and said, ¡°You little elf, you¡¯ll have to have faith in your little uncle and little aunt in the future, hear me?¡±


    ¡°I hear you, I hear you. I like my little uncle and aunt the most, and I want to be with you both forever.¡± The little girl uttered her affectionate words without hesitation.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled and tapped her on the forehead.


    Suddenly, He Xuerong remembered what she had seen the day before and pouted somewhat unhappily, ¡°Little Aunt, Great-grandpa always said that Soothing Grass is a precious treasure that shouldn¡¯t be given away lightly. Why did you let Little Aunt sell it? She¡¯s clueless, what does she know?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu thought to herself, Little girl, isn¡¯t it all for your sake?


    He Juanjuan owes your father a large sum of money. That¡¯ll be your dowry one day, so we must figure out a way to get her to repay you.


    Besides, it¡¯s important to find something for her to do, especially something she looks down on, that she wouldn¡¯t want to do but has no choice and has to do cheerfully.


    ¡°Rongrong, your little aunt is too idle. Little Aunt is finding her something to do,¡± Qiao Qingyu explained to Rongrong.


    Rongrong blinked and suddenly clapped her little hands, ¡°I get it, I get it. Little Aunt, you¡¯re training her. She always looks down on rural folks, right? Now, by having her plant Soothing Grass, she¡¯ll come to know what it¡¯s like, right?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded and beamed, ¡°That¡¯s roughly the idea.¡±


    Thinking of her aunt eventually using her delicate hands to tend to the Soothing Grass, He Xuerong giggled.


    The little girl had been following Qiao Qingyu for two years. How could she not know what it¡¯s like to grow flowers, herbs, and vegetables?


    For instance, once the health grass sprouted, it needed to be carefully relocated to a spacious place. The soil had to be prepared in pots or wooden crates, or even a vegetable garden in advance. After planting, watering and fertilization were crucial. It was not so simple.


    Otherwise, the ancient poems would not have lamented that every grain was hard-earned.


    The idea of He Juanjuan doing something she previously scorned, even just a bit, delighted He Xuerong. She began organizing her photos, no longer caring about the matter.


    He Xiuyu glanced at the two of them, smiled, and continued with his own business.


    Qiao Qingyu also took out a notebook to organize her planting plans.


    To tell the truth, the land in Xichuan wasn¡¯t really suitable for her to develop agriculture.


    For her, North City was the most fitting.


    So, this year¡¯s focus would be on the Qiao Family Team in North City.


    There lies a whole host of the Qiao Family members.


    People often say that poverty on the streets doesn¡¯t prompt a question, but wealth amidst the mountains attracts distant relatives.


    In many people¡¯s eyes, including the eyes of the Qiao Family members, their own father had risen to great heights, having a father-in-law so wealthy, therefore those with ulterior motives were definitely increasing.


    Looking at a mountain of gold in front of them, even if it wasn¡¯t theirs, they would want to chip off a few pieces; this is human nature.


    There was no need to mention the paternal grandparents and the uncle, but among them, Brother Tianbao¡¯s wife of the uncle¡¯s family had the most scheming mind, and Brother Shui Bao and his wife were the most calculating.


    And there were the several children from the aunt¡¯s family.


    Especially the second uncle¡¯s family, truly too troublesome to deal with.


    Once they stepped outside, they were all members of the Qiao Family; even after they had separated, it couldn¡¯t change the fact that they were their own father¡¯s kin.


    Qiao Qingyu wrote down everything she had thought about into the plan for the Qiao Family Team.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in Yun City, Mr. Wu listened grim-faced to Secretary Chang reporting the recent state of the Qiao Family Team and the Qiao Family members.


    Only when he heard about the words spoken by Old Man Qiao and the granny at the dinner table on New Year¡¯s Eve did his expression lighten slightly.


    In a family, if the head of the family is sensible, then there aren¡¯t many big problems.


    The worry is if the head of the family is confused; then the family can¡¯t be in good shape.


    The events with the Qiao Family members on New Year¡¯s Eve could be clearly understood with a little inquiry.


    But one shouldn¡¯t underestimate Old Man Qiao¡¯s means.


    From the top to the bottom, the minute details, he would arrange everything clearly.


    Secretary Chang thought to himself, luckily that day Old Man Qiao, the granny, and Brother Qiao held the fort; otherwise, with Old Man Qiao¡¯s will, just the slightest bit, and he could keep the Qiao Family members from ever turning over a new leaf, forever under his control.


    Including Qiao Zhicai, from now on, dreaming of raising their heads before him.


    Old Man Qiao was ruthless.


    Like now, it was much better; Old Man Qiao was assessing the Qiao Family members and gradually marking them as his own people. Even if on the periphery, it was enough for these progeny of the Qiao Family to benefit immensely.


    Wu Xiucai¡¯s expression brightened bit by bit as he said, ¡°Let¡¯s keep watching them as before, make sure they don¡¯t cause any irreparable trouble, and don¡¯t let them do any foolish things. Leave the rest for Qiao Qingyu to handle.¡±


    Secretary Chang also smiled, ¡°Old Man, the young miss is very much like you, she will surely arrange them all clearly.¡±


    Wu Xiucai was naturally very much in agreement and also somewhat anticipative of how his little granddaughter would handle that group of people prepared to do nothing and lie on their kang, enjoying luxury and riches.


    That was a huge family, not just a few but many.


    Just at present, there were over seventy people.


    Recalling the words just said by Secretary Chang, his expression turned serious again as he asked Secretary Chang, ¡°Do you know the details? How much money has Qiao Zhihai lost?¡±


    Now, Qiao Zhihai was playing Pai Gow with the villagers, which was common knowledge.


    ¡°It varies between wins and losses, seems to be only tens of yuan.¡±


    ¡°Tell your informant to be careful and keep an eye on him, don¡¯t let others set him up.¡±


    Never underestimate anyone; give a willing person like Qiao Zhihai a pit to fall into, and he would dive right in without even looking back.


    Secretary Chang nodded and immediately went to arrange the tasks just instructed by the old man.

 Chapter 354 - 354 354 An Unexpected Encounter

    ?Chapter 354: Chapter 354: An Unexpected Encounter Chapter 354: Chapter 354: An Unexpected Encounter Wu Xiucai glanced at the lush Soothing Grass on the bedside cabinet, his eyes narrowed slightly, and his face was covered in a smile.


    He suspected his little granddaughter must have had some sort of serendipitous encounter.


    The old man laughed silently, mulling over the idea of giving a pot of the plant to a few old friends on an opportune occasion¡ªthey had all exhausted themselves and neglected sleep and rest for the prosperity and development of the country.


    ...


    Upon arriving in Xichuan, Qiao Qingyu started getting busy.


    Spring plowing was about to begin, and there were too many tasks to handle. Then Fang Xiaomei and Wang Laogen officially began working.


    They each received a pass; Fang Xiaomei wore hers around her neck, striding with an air of purpose.


    Two offices were cleared next to the Zone 5 Original Seed Laboratory¡ªone for Wang Laogen and another for Fang Xiaomei to use as a financial office.


    In reality, the staffing didn¡¯t conform to regulations at all, but there were no suitable candidates available. In many people¡¯s eyes, her Original Seed Laboratory seemed irregular.


    And if they were not trustworthy individuals, Qiao Qingyu did not want to employ them.


    She asked Wang Laogen to find a few assistants since they were for his own use, so Wang Laogen was bound to diligently search, not wanting the people he hired to hold him back.


    Once the staff was found, Qiao Qingyu took a look and had Fang Xiaomei include them in the Laboratory¡¯s organization.


    Everyone had a file.


    Old Xie had installed iron bars and a large iron door for the financial office of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s Original Seed Laboratory; a safe was also placed in the room.


    This setup was basically ready for operation.


    Qiao Qingyu knew that in this era, whatever was planted on the land did not lack sales channels.


    Because the country was in a time of much-needed restoration.


    There was a shortage of everything.


    During this period, she phoned her uncle, asking him to report to higher-ups, applying for Qiao Family Team to be designated as a seed-testing agricultural base.


    Just that the land had been contracted to individuals, which necessitated a second round of negotiation and communication with the members.


    But none of that was a problem.


    The same applied to the Xiaxi Commune.


    Qiao Qingyu had Wang Laogen disseminate news that this year the Tenghai Original Seed Agricultural Base was planning a large-scale contracting of land.


    This mainly targeted households with a shortage of labor who did not have the energy to farm. Contracting fees were one aspect, but the main attraction was hiring landowners as temporary workers, with monthly wages and year-end benefits.


    This news almost caused an uproar in the Xiaxi Commune.


    Though everyone was pleased the land had been allocated to individuals, not every family had the strength to work the land, with many being old, weak, sick, or disabled, and few fit for fieldwork.


    Thus, the first year was referred to as household responsibility system contracting.


    Had it not been for Qiao Qingyu¡¯s land contracting in Xichuan and the seeds from her laboratory, the household contracting would have just continued.


    But last year, the land contracted by Qiao Qingyu yielded an abundant harvest.


    Wang Laogen became the richest man in the surrounding ten miles.


    For a villager, their most genuine wishes were to have enough food and clothing, surplus grain, for their children to afford school, the sick elders to afford hospital visits, and to provide a red velvet dress for their daughters upon marriage...


    And Wang Laogen, in just one year, had achieved what they wished for in a lifetime.


    Many people had their eyes on him.


    Envious eyes turned red as they watched him cycle to the base for work.


    Seeing those who once looked down on him now flattering him, the taste of that in their hearts was peculiar.


    Thus, without even knowing the contract fees or how much the wages were, many people sought out Wang Laogen, some even blocking him at home if they couldn¡¯t catch him at the base.


    Wang Laogen¡¯s family was already prepared for this situation.


    Of course, they were not contracting just any land; it had to be connected tracts of land.


    The soil in Xichuan was quite suitable for growing crops, and where it was not, the land lay fallow.


    Mr. Qian was not involved; he simply watched from the sidelines, ready to step in if necessary.


    The area under his charge at the Xiaxi Commune had about ten thousand acres where Barley Grass and Willow Wood could be planted.


    He planned to complete at least two thousand acres this year.


    Poplar saplings were pre-ordered from the base.


    Once harvested, the Barley Grass was delivered directly to Xichuan¡¯s seed cultivation center.


    However, after the household contracting system, planting Barley Grass and Willow Wood in the sandy areas had become much more challenging than before.


    Everything was done together in the past; whether it was digging a trench, it was a collective effort, and then work points were calculated.


    Now that every family had their own land, one couldn¡¯t ask others to neglect their fields to work for the commune.


    Thus, an alternative solution was necessary.


    Of course, the commune still maintained the same rights as before.


    In terms of human resource allocation, Mr. Qian was not in a hurry.


    ...


    Within a week, over five hundred households had registered.


    Wang Laogen, born and raised in Xiaxi Commune, took full responsibility for this task as instructed by Qiao Qingyu. However, signing contracts and dealing with contract fees and other matters required Fang Xiaomei to step in.


    And when Fang Xiaomei handled these matters at the commune, she did whatever was most convenient.


    Before 1981, the Xiaxi Commune¡¯s arable land area had been decreasing every year.


    The amount of land reduction depended on the severity of the sand storms that year.


    However, after 1981, this phenomenon rarely occurred.


    Not only had the frequency decreased, but they had also gained over five thousand more acres of cultivable land.


    When the figures were laid out on the table, the commune¡¯s officials realized what challenges Xiaxi Commune was facing.


    Naturally, they provided great convenience for everything Qiao Qingyu did.


    So the various statutes were quickly negotiated and settled.


    In reality, Qiao Qingyu was also testing the waters.


    After all, her experience in agriculture was not extensive, but Qiao Qingyu knew that these farmers could not get rich by simply tending a few acres of land. However, crops are the foundation of a nation, and you could not expect these members to grow valuable commodities and neglect crops.


    So comprehensive planning and arrangement were necessary.


    Fortunately, with He Xiuyu¡¯s help, and after several phone calls with Qin Duo from the Agricultural Department to grasp the current national policies and information in this regard, she went ahead and put her plans into action.


    Not everyone was convinced by Qiao Qingyu.


    Some were very cunning, thinking that it was better to farm their land themselves, believing it was only secure while in their own hands, regardless of whether they could make money from it in the future.


    Therefore, Qiao Qingyu contracted one-fifth of Xiaxi Commune¡¯s land for herself.


    She decided not to manage the remaining four-fifths, but if someone wanted to buy seeds, she was willing to sell.


    Moreover, she was willing to extend credit to those in difficulty.


    However, that would require a guarantor.

 Chapter 355 - 355 355 The Dragon Raises its Head on the

    ?Chapter 355: Chapter 355: The Dragon Raises its Head on the Second Day of the Second Month Chapter 355: Chapter 355: The Dragon Raises its Head on the Second Day of the Second Month Xichuan¡¯s soil quality may not be ideal, but the millet grown here is golden and extremely fragrant.


    The wheat is also good, while the sorghum and corn are just so-so.


    Qiao Qingyu decided that from now on, the area would focus on wheat and millet.


    As for rice, it¡¯s not feasible at the moment.


    This year, Qiao Qingyu only planted a small portion of corn, using the remaining corn seeds to fill the shortage at the Space Laboratory and sold the rest to the Xichuan Seed Breeding Center.


    The land she contracted was planted with three thousand acres of thousand silk hemp.


    This was an economic crop, which also had a strong ability to improve the soil.


    The paper mill in Xichuan would take as much as they could supply.


    Qiao Qingyu was extremely busy.


    Once all this was done, it was almost time for school to start. The New Year came early this year, and before the start of school, there was the day of ¡®Dragon Raises Head¡¯ in February.


    This day was He Xiuyu¡¯s birthday.


    The two had not seen each other for over a week.


    Today was the first day of February, and Wang Laogen brought over a roasted pig¡¯s head, cleaned golden brown, to Qiao Qingyu.


    The second day of the second lunar month is known as ¡®Dragon Raises Head¡¯ to locals, symbolizing the earth¡¯s rejuvenation as spring returns and all things begin to revive, though the foods eaten on this day vary by region.


    Here in Xichuan, people eat spring pancakes and noodles, and some even eat beans.


    But in North City, the tradition is to eat pig¡¯s head meat.


    Wang Laogen knew about this North City custom and had prepared a pig¡¯s head in advance.


    Qiao Qingyu accepted it with a laugh.


    All three members of their family were from the north, and both He Xiuyu and He Xuerong were meat-lovers.


    Qiao Qingyu had already thought of over a dozen ways to prepare the pig¡¯s head meat.


    He Xiuyu returned home early in the morning on February 2nd.


    His face was covered in stubble, and his hair had grown a bit long.


    Ever since he returned from Beijing, he had been busier than Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu told him to wash his face first.


    He Xuerong had already prepared the wash water and placed the towel alongside, then hurried off to stoke the fire for Qiao Qingyu.


    In just the few days¡¯ time, He Xuerong had learned how to cook rice porridge.


    Qiao Qingyu wouldn¡¯t let her do it alone, but the little girl would help out when she cooked.


    It wasn¡¯t for fear that Qiao Qingyu would send her back to Beijing; she simply felt she had matured a year older and could help the adults more.


    Qiao Qingyu started rolling out noodles. Now it was early winter, and although a few snows had fallen in Xichuan, they were insignificant compared to the North.


    Therefore, by the time spring began, most of the snow had melted.


    The spring wind was strong, and although there were no sandstorms, the wind kicked up the soil and it was still covered in dust.


    She didn¡¯t know where He Xiuyu had gone, but he looked haggard and world-weary.


    Meanwhile, the pot of soup was bubbling away, and Qiao Qingyu poached five eggs.


    It was rather cold in early winter, so she made hot soup noodles, and when everything was served in bowls, He Xiuyu had also tidied himself up a bit.


    He Xuerong placed a poached egg in He Xiuyu¡¯s bowl and sweetly said, ¡°Little uncle, happy birthday.¡±


    He Xiuyu smiled. The child¡¯s birthday was in summer, months away.


    He and Qiao Qingyu had already planned to get an oven for her to bake a birthday cake.


    After the meal, Qiao Qingyu gave He Xiuyu a haircut. Her skills were average, but it was decent enough to look at.


    Today was the day for shaving the dragon¡¯s head, and they also symbolically trimmed Rongrong¡¯s bangs.


    Qingyu also sat there, letting He Xiuyu clumsily clip her bangs.


    The roasted pig¡¯s head had already been soaked in cold water, washed clean.


    Then, it was placed in a big pot with seasonings and began to simmer with a gurgle.


    He Xuerong ran out to play with Li Mingguang, while He Xiuyu watched the firewood and Qiao Qingyu sat beside him on a stool.


    The young couple whispered sweet nothings to each other.


    Every now and then, He Xiuyu would pinch Qiao Qingyu¡¯s little hand.


    She glanced at him, he really lost weight, and his voice was a bit hoarse. Qiao Qingyu poured him a cup of tea.


    He Xiuyu drank an entire cup of tea, thought for a moment, and then told Qiao Qingyu that they had finished investigating Xiwatun.


    An old lady came before Spring Festival with her granddaughter.


    The old lady was called Han Lishi, and her granddaughter was called Han Feng.


    The ages and other details all matched up.


    But for now, they were behaving themselves.


    The villagers even respected the old lady, as she became the barefoot doctor of the little village. The village wasn¡¯t large and lacked a health clinic; for illnesses, one had to go to the commune health center, so Han Lishi really helped them out with headaches, fevers, and other minor illnesses.


    ¡°...This grandmother and granddaughter pair are really vexing troublemakers.¡± Qiao Qingyu frowned as she spoke.


    There was no need to guess that they were coming for her and He Xiuyu.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Director Lin has already instructed the villagers to keep a discreet watch on her house.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was curious, ¡°I haven¡¯t heard you talk about that Xiwatun place before. How come there are your people over there?¡±


    He Xiuyu leaned in to kiss her, ¡°Special circumstances call for special arrangements.¡±


    Although he spoke vaguely, Qiao Qingyu pretty much understood.


    ¡°...There¡¯s one more thing I need to tell you. Wu Hong has already preliminarily negotiated with the Xichuan government. He plans to establish a bicycle factory in a joint venture with the local government here.¡±


    Bicycles?


    Even if cars become the main mode of transportation, there would still be a need for bicycles.


    ¡°It¡¯s said that they¡¯ll mainly focus on ladies¡¯ bicycles,¡± He Xiuyu added.


    ¡°Then he¡¯s got a good eye for the market.¡± Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes moved around, and she tugged at He Xiuyu¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Is this place some sort of feng shui treasure land? Why¡¯s everyone flocking here?¡±


    Indeed, tiny Xichuan, within a thousand miles, was becoming a place of hidden dragons and crouching tigers.


    He Xiuyu half-jokingly said, ¡°You never know, this might indeed be a feng shui treasure land.¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s a treasure land, it¡¯s not Xichuan; the terrain here doesn¡¯t qualify.¡±


    If there was such a place, it should be around Qiling.


    Qiao Qingyu asked He Xiuyu, ¡°With Wu Hong coming back to invest, what about Brother Liu? Always set on going abroad, will she come back?¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s lips curved into a cold smile, ¡°That¡¯s the thing about women, you can never fully understand them. She ended up staying as well.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean she¡¯ll come to see Rongrong frequently?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s currently in Spring City, which is the Zhang Family¡¯s stronghold. It¡¯s just uncertain if she will come here.¡±


    He Xiuyu said indifferently, ¡°Even if she comes, there¡¯s nothing we can do. After all, she is Rongrong¡¯s biological mother. Both morally and legally, we have no right to prevent her from seeing Rongrong.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded; He Xiuyu was making sense.


    As for the future, they would have to leave it to time. As a little uncle and aunt, their priority was to ensure Liu Ge wouldn¡¯t hurt Rongrong again.


    While they were talking, an enticing aroma began to waft from the big iron pot. After simmering on low heat for over an hour, the couple started dividing the pig¡¯s head meat.


    Giving a dish to each household was unrealistic, so they decided to give a small bowl to a few familiar households, a way to celebrate the occasion.


    Furthermore, the recipients were mostly Northerners as Southerners rarely ate pig¡¯s head meat during the second month¡¯s second day.

 Chapter 356 - 356 356 Pleasant Cooperation

    ?Chapter 356: Chapter 356: Pleasant Cooperation Chapter 356: Chapter 356: Pleasant Cooperation Qiao Qingyu made four dishes using pig¡¯s head meat: braised, steamed, stir-fried with red chili peppers, and also made a soup. Of course, this kind of soup is a Southern practice; people from the North don¡¯t make pig¡¯s head soup.


    Qiao Qingyu gave Rongrong the tastiest part, the bird¡¯s tongue.


    She generously cooked rice and made two plates of vegetarian dishes.


    There were still some vegetables in the base¡¯s greenhouse; Fang Xiaomei had brought over cucumbers and bok choy.


    She mixed the cucumber with dried tofu to make a cold dish.


    The bok choy was made into a soup with eggs.


    With both meat and vegetables, the birthday celebration was indeed wonderful.


    After the birthday, He Xiuyu took Qiao Qingyu to the experimental fields in Jiangbei.


    These were set up by Professor Feng and Professor Wang.


    They mainly focused on experiments with rice and other crops.


    Directly managed by the higher authorities, the experimental fields were large, and the staff was well-equipped, currently the best-conditioned experimental base in Huaxia.


    In this timeline, no mutant rice varieties had appeared, so they had to improve the strains using laboratory rice.


    Starting this year, original space rice was planted in the experimental fields, this time covering five hundred acres.


    He Xiuyu drove a truck there, loaded with more than a dozen types of seeds from the space laboratory.


    Over a thousand pounds of rice, as well as fifty pounds each of peanuts, sweet potatoes, canola, and sesame were brought along.


    All were handed over to Professor Wang and his team.


    On the way back, they loaded a truck full of alfalfa seeds.


    Two days before school started, the two of them cultivated nearly eight thousand pounds of alfalfa seeds.


    Then Qiao Qingyu went off to school, and when Saturday came, they hurried to the station; Professor Wang had arranged for fifty thousand pounds of rice seeds to be delivered to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s Original Seed Laboratory¡¯s large warehouse within a day.


    This was prepared for the Harvest Commune in North City.


    Since the Qiao Family Team was a seed base, they planted rice, wheat, soy, and potatoes from the space lab.


    This year, the Harvest Commune mainly promoted rice and soybeans.


    The Harvest Commune had over one hundred thousand acres of arable land.


    Vice Director Sun had contacted Qiao Qingyu before the Spring Festival.


    And right after the Spring Festival, the application submitted by Qiao Zhiyuan was quickly approved.


    The Qiao Family Team, located by mountains and rivers with fertile soil, was well-suited as a seed base.


    The Qiao Family Team¡¯s farmland area was nearly ten thousand acres, larger than Hejia Village.


    It had the most land in the Harvest Commune.


    Unable to replicate a high-tech seed cultivation machine like the Space Device, all fifty thousand pounds of rice seeds had to be transported to the space laboratory for cultivation.


    With He Xiuyu around, many things were easily solved.


    Qiao Qingyu was responsible for bringing the shipments into the Space Device, while He Xiuyu handled the operations; the two cooperated very well, yet it was also quite exhausting.


    The seed cultivator could cultivate up to three thousand pounds of seeds at a time, and within three days, they had fully cultivated fifty thousand pounds of rice.


    Having already called the Harvest Commune in advance, as soon as the cultivation was complete, Vice Director Sun and uncle Qiao Zhiyuan arrived at the Tenghai Research Base driving ten new Jiefang brand trucks.


    Vice Director Sun, along with an accountant and cashier, settled the accounts with Fang Xiaomei, who prepared all the necessary documents and bills.


    Then Fang Xiaomei transferred the funds untouched to the Jiangbei Seed Breeding Center.


    Qiao Qingyu smuggled some goods for her uncle¡ª1,000 pounds each of wheat, soybeans, potatoes, and rice.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t charge for these seeds; they would settle up after the harvest.


    As for how that would work or whether it would work, it was hard to say at the moment.


    ¡°Experimenting with experimentation is actually about these two words.¡±


    ¡°Vice Director Sun and Qiao Zhiyuan happily agreed to it.¡±


    ¡°Harvest Commune originally had paddy fields too, though only a small amount cultivated in some low-lying areas, but the farmers in North City also had rich experience in cultivating rice.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that the yield per acre was a bit low.¡±


    ¡°From the mid-1970s to the present, the yield per acre was only over 300 kilograms, a figure not even as high as what a great literati¡¯s relative in Suzhou¡¯s Weaving Institute during the 54th year of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty had achieved.¡±


    ¡°This must also be an issue with the seeds.¡±


    ¡°Vice Director Sun had arranged the matter of planting rice even before the Spring Festival.¡±


    ¡°Harvest Commune could plant rice on an area of about 10,000 acres.¡±


    ¡°The rice variety cultivated by Qiao Qingyu needed only five kilograms of seeds per acre.¡±


    ¡°Therefore, all these rice varieties could be completely absorbed solely by Harvest Commune.¡±


    ¡°However, it still required a lot of technical support, and at this time, contacts had already been made with the seed and agricultural stations in the county town, including their technicians and experts.¡±


    ¡°They would be stationed permanently at Harvest Commune.¡±


    ¡°Especially this year¡¯s corn seeds, which were already starting to be cultivated.¡±


    ¡°Besides being planted throughout the province and North City, a portion was transported to the area south of North City in Jiangbei.¡±


    ¡°The main cultivation units were North City Seed Breeding Center and its subordinate county towns.¡±


    ¡°So Qiao Qingyu could basically let go of cultivating corn seeds.¡±


    ¡°There was no need to keep working in the laboratory anymore.¡±


    ¡°The remaining tasks, such as how to remodel, how to optimize, how to increase output, etc., were left to the agricultural technicians to handle.¡±


    ¡°It was said that the seed stations and agricultural stations in Ning¡¯an County were vigorously developing new types of corn seeds on this basis.¡±


    ¡°This was wonderful news.¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu planned to take leave to return to Qiao Family Team in a month¡¯s time.¡±


    ¡°Of course, that could only happen after reforestation.¡±


    ¡°Other than the land she contracted, this was one of the major things Qiao Qingyu planned to do this year.¡±


    ¡°It was Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s first time coming to Tenghai, and there wasn¡¯t much to enjoy this season, so they drove around the desert, looking at the dry yellow grass and undulating hillsides, visited a few scenic spots, and then returned to the base.¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu prepared a big table of dishes, and after everyone had eaten their fill, they rested for a night in the guest house before the group, driving a big truck, hurriedly and grandly departed from Tenghai Research Base.¡±


    ¡°But before leaving, Qiao Qingyu had privately asked her uncle about the family¡¯s situation back home. Her uncle didn¡¯t tell the whole truth, but it seemed not to be very good. Since she couldn¡¯t get clear answers, she decided to go back and see for herself.¡±


    ¡°After the convoy disappeared, Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu standing at the doorway exchanged a glance and couldn¡¯t help but reach out to high-five in celebration.¡±


    ¡°The first item on their jointly formulated plan was completed.¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, smiling happily, said, ¡®It¡¯s a pleasure working together!''¡±


    ¡°He Xiuyu, ever so serious, replied, ¡®Looking forward to our continued collaboration.''¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu laughed heartily, and He Xiuyu also seemed in a good mood as he took his wife¡¯s hand and they headed home.¡±


    ¡°Their plan for this year¡¯s second project involved popularizing and planting sea buckthorn, alfalfa, barley grass, and willow wood.¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu¡¯s large warehouse was full of seeds that had already been cultivated.¡±


    ¡°This year was the third year for her cultivated sea buckthorn fruits.¡±


    ¡°The sea buckthorn trees planted around the vegetable garden were now two meters tall, it seemed like they would start producing flowers and fruits from this year.¡±


    ¡°Professor Feng, who was responsible for the breeding base, catered mainly to crops and plants that could survive in the desert regions of Xichuan.¡±


    ¡°The reasons for situating the seed base in Xichuan were to prepare for the nearby area and entire Xichuan as well as the cities bordering Xichuan, spanning thousands of miles of sandy belts.¡±


    ¡°The area of flowing sand there reached more than ten thousand square kilometers.¡±


    ¡°Therefore, the task of sand control was significant and long-term.¡±

 Chapter 357 - 357 357 Afforestation

    ?Chapter 357: Chapter 357: Afforestation Chapter 357: Chapter 357: Afforestation Soon, the tree-planting day arrived, and Qiao Qingyu had already prepared in advance, on behalf of the Student Union.


    Bring your own tools, and if you really don¡¯t have tools, bring buckets and watering cans.


    They borrowed more than a dozen large trucks from the transportation company to take the students and faculty members who could attend the tree-planting event to the hundred-acre strip of the sandbelt claimed by Xichuan Agricultural College.


    Both principals were there.


    Understanding the importance of making an appearance, the vice-principal naturally didn¡¯t want to fall behind, especially knowing there would be media interviews. Articles by the college¡¯s own publicity department had been prepared in advance.


    It was not only about form; substantial work had to be done too.


    The temperature in March in Xichuan was still a bit low, but the students¡¯ enthusiasm was incredibly high and excited. Principal Lu took a megaphone, said a few words to boost morale, and then praised the Student Union for their role in this event before he took the first shovel into the earth.


    And so, everyone got to work enthusiastically.


    The Xichuan Daily reporters took several close-up shots of Sun Xiuyuan holding a shovel and seedlings.


    Then, a jeep arrived to pick up Sun Xiuyuan and the reporters.


    In total, it was barely over an hour. It seemed the reporters came just for Sun Xiuyuan.


    And Sun Xiuyuan? She only waved the shovel a few times, not even digging out a bit of soil.


    Many students were extremely dissatisfied.


    Those who were easily excited were already cursing and complaining.


    Principal Lu and several people from logistics were so engrossed in their work that they didn¡¯t even notice.


    The vice-principal did notice, but he just smiled.


    Some students, unable to contain their anger, sought out Qiao Qingyu to complain. It was only then that Qiao Qingyu became aware of the situation, and after asking around, she found it to be true.


    Qiao Qingyu frowned slightly. Sun Xiuyuan had wanted to run for Student Union President but was not elected. She didn¡¯t care for the position of vice-president, so she turned to the youth league committee.


    Sun Xiuyuan was now the vice secretary of the youth league committee.


    It wasn¡¯t unreasonable for her to take the lead and make an appearance at such an event, but what did it mean to come and then just leave?


    Oh, right, there was also that reporter who was obviously dispatched by the Sun family.


    At this time, the inherent sense of superiority of certain privileged classes became evident.


    If we talk about the children of the big courtyards, He Xiuyu, Lu Ye, Shen Haoze, including Su Yunyao, any of them held a higher status than Sun Xiuyuan.


    What could Qiao Qingyu say? She didn¡¯t even know what Sun Xiuyuan had gone off to do.


    What if it wasn¡¯t to avoid labor after all?


    If she just charged up to confront her, she would be at a disadvantage.


    Sun Xiuyuan had always disliked her, first because of the Student Union President issue, and secondly because of that incident with Professor Feng¡¯s experimental greenhouse.


    After these two instances, Sun Xiuyuan truly held a grudge against her.


    Every time she saw her, her eyes were like little knives. On the usual days, if the Student Union and the youth league committee had joint activities, she would always come up with some underhanded tricks. Although Qiao Qingyu resolved them every time, such a person was really annoying.


    However, the two had not had a verbal conflict, so there were some things that were difficult to handle.


    Sun Xiuyuan was no fool; naturally, she wouldn¡¯t let Qiao Qingyu catch her in a weak position.


    So what exactly was Sun Xiuyuan doing by following the reporter back? She had to figure it out.


    Moreover, not everyone from Xichuan Agricultural College could possibly be swarming out to participate; some students had important matters, some were sick with poor health, or had other issues, which were all normal occurrences.


    As long as they had a sick leave note, the teachers had to approve it.


    So wasn¡¯t it a piece of cake for Sun Xiuyuan to get a sick leave note as well? She could just mention any ailment, dizziness, an uncomfortable heart ¨C could you still force her to come?


    If things didn¡¯t go well, another report could claim that she persisted in labor despite her illness¡ªwhat a way that would be to build her reputation.


    But still, Qiao Qingyu was unwilling.


    This time¡¯s activity was not only about the school leaders; she had put in a lot of hard work, as had Lu Ye, who also did a lot. The students had labored in the chilling wind.


    Why should Sun Xiuyuan, who had done nothing, get to reap the benefits?


    She wouldn¡¯t accept it!


    But now, she had to figure out whether the reporter was simply taking a few photos or truly planning to use this opportunity to promote Sun Xiuyuan.


    Qiao Qingyu thought to herself that when Lu Ye arrived, she had a few words to say to him.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Lu Ye showed up; he first met with the school leaders and sincerely expressed his gratitude, then he came looking for Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu suggested to him that since many units were planting trees today¡ªafter all, today was the day for afforestation¡ªhe should do a comprehensive report.


    If no reporter was accompanying him, then someone from his unit with good writing skills could write an article and submit it to the Xichuan Daily for publication.


    Lu Ye glanced at Qiao Qingyu and softly said, ¡°Do you have something else you want to tell me?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t hide anything and briefly explained to Lu Ye about Sun Xiuyuan and that reporter.


    Lu Ye frowned slightly. He knew about Sun Xiuyuan; the Sun family had approached his sister-in-law, intending to introduce Sun Xiuyuan to him. He had found an excuse to decline, but the Sun family wouldn¡¯t give up so easily; they indeed saw him as a suitable candidate.


    However, he was unwilling to deal with the Sun family and Sun Xiuyuan.


    On this point, his grandfather also supported him.


    But if things were as he suspected, and Sun Xiuyuan was using this opportunity to enhance her value in preparation for another path after graduation, that would be quite vexing.


    If it were Qiao Qingyu, that would be fine, but for Sun Xiuyuan to want such a big advantage?


    He felt a surge of anger, but his face remained calm. He told Qiao Qingyu, ¡°I need to visit a few other places. Nearly all units that could came out to plant trees today.¡±


    ¡°Then you should go, don¡¯t let us hold you up here.¡±


    Lu Ye nodded and looked at Qiao Qingyu laboring along; he felt a bit of heartache, but these two words of ¡®heartache¡¯ didn¡¯t suit him.


    Lu Ye hastily left, but first, he detoured back to his unit. His department was now fully staffed, with his secretary by his side. He had considered doing the reporting, but not in the way Qiao Qingyu was thinking, by combining them all into one report; after all, there were issues of ranking to consider.


    But Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words had given him a flash of insight. It was a simple matter of prioritizing by the area of land adopted. You couldn¡¯t just adopt one acre and expect to be the first in the report; what about the people who adopted a hundred acres?


    Then wouldn¡¯t the follow-up work suffer because of this issue, ending up being counterproductive?


    Lu Ye asked his secretary to wait and hastily went to see the senior leader.


    Ever since his arrival at Xichuan, from the moment he decided to make a real difference, the senior leader had been especially supportive of his work. He didn¡¯t mention the Sun family or Sun Xiuyuan, nor did he talk about the reporter from the Xichuan Daily, but he shared his ideas directly, ¡°... Senior leader, that¡¯s what I am thinking. Could you please talk to the Xichuan Daily and set up a special column for us to combat desertification and green Xichuan... I will be visiting every unit these next few days, and if you could loan me a reporter from the paper, plus my secretary, we could get this series of reports done quickly.¡±

 Chapter 358 - 358 358 A Superficial Look

    ?Chapter 358: Chapter 358: A Superficial Look? Chapter 358: Chapter 358: A Superficial Look? The old leader thought for a while and indeed it was a good idea, as Lu Ye was a hands-on person, so having him cover the story would definitely make it solid.


    After all, this was the main task that Lu Ye was currently focusing on.


    The old leader agreed with Lu Ye¡¯s idea, then he called the Xichuan Daily.


    The editor-in-chief also nodded his approval and assigned a journalist to find Lu Ye, who then drove a jeep and started visiting various units with two people.


    They had over two hundred claim forms in hand.


    With just this one initiative, the Xichuan Northern Wind Sand Belt secured over six thousand acres.


    Xichuan Agricultural College, having more people, claimed the highest number of acres.


    Some smaller units had just a few dozen people from top to bottom, and managing to claim even one acre was commendable.


    Next were a few factories ¨C the textile mill, steel mill, coal mine, and paper mill.


    Though they didn¡¯t have as many people as Xichuan Agricultural College, they still claimed dozens of acres.


    Publicity was definitely necessary and it needed to be done well and vigorously.


    Qiao Qingyu found two principals during her lunch break, but Sun Xiuyuan was still missing, as were many others.


    The newly appointed student union¡¯s minister of publicity came to find Qiao Qingyu.


    She really had nothing to do with the last posted big-character poster.


    But whether it was operated by her friends and classmates was unknown.


    However, she cooperated very well with Qiao Qingyu.


    Her name was Xiao Xia.


    She was also working while pondering over how to write the article.


    This article was also to be published internally at the school.


    When Qiao Qingyu went to see the principal, she brought her along.


    She mentioned that the publicity department also wanted to submit the article to Xichuan Daily, but Principal Lu didn¡¯t know the intricacies involved. He said, ¡°No need, the reporter from Xichuan Daily has already come. He greeted me and then went off to start his interviews. After he goes back, his article will be published soon.¡±


    Before Qiao Qingyu had a chance to speak, Xiao Xia bluntly said, ¡°Principal, the reporter from Xichuan Daily only interviewed Sun Xiuyuan. He ignored me when I wanted to talk to him, he didn¡¯t interview any other students or even the teaching and administrative staff. He just took a few special shots of Sun Xiuyuan, then the two of them drove off in a jeep...¡±


    After finishing, Xiao Xia checked the time, ¡°Principal, they have been gone for three hours now.¡±


    Now it was twelve o¡¯clock noon, and since the journey was quite long and they couldn¡¯t return for lunch, the cafeteria had steamed millet buns in advance, each serving with pieces of radish and pickles, and the porridge cooked in a large iron barrel was brought over by truck from the back kitchen.


    So, all these people were still in this area and hadn¡¯t left.


    Naturally, Principal Lu¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. If what Xiao Xia said was true, then the reporter and Sun Xiuyuan must have left less than an hour after arriving.


    What kind of interview was that?


    Were they just fooling around?


    Just getting a cursory look?


    Principal Lu¡¯s face suddenly turned stern, and he threw off the gloves in his hands aggressively onto the ground, ¡°It¡¯s simply preposterous!¡±


    He then asked Qiao Qingyu and Xiao Xia to take their student association and organize the midday meal.


    Then he called the school¡¯s Communist Youth League secretary.


    The Communist Youth League secretary was also a teacher at the school.


    The deputy secretary was elected by the students.


    Many schools have both positions appointed by the school.


    After all, this department was slightly different from the student union.


    The principal had spoken about the matter, then observed the reaction of the head of the student union, and felt more at ease¡ªit seemed this person was also aware.


    He then asked, ¡°Is she ill, or what is the issue? Regardless, Sun Xiuyuan is currently holding a position, and 80% of our students are union members.¡±


    The remark was pointed and clear¡ªneed anything more be said?


    The head of the student union looked somewhat embarrassed, but what could he do, stuck in the middle?


    He then went to find Qiao Qingyu. The two of them had naturally interacted and cooperated many times before.


    By this time, the students had finished their lunch and resumed their vigorous labor.


    Qiao Qingyu pointed to these people and began speaking, ¡°...some students¡¯ hands are blistered; some fetch water, their shoulders rubbed raw; some persist in labor despite illness... What are they doing this for, if not for the vision of turning our Xichuan into the envisioned Outer Jiangnan? If that day truly comes, I believe that everything our students experience today will be the most precious wealth of their lives!¡±


    The face of the head of the student union grew increasingly grave. He gave Qiao Qingyu a deep look, said nothing, asked nothing, and turned to leave.


    Qiao Qingyu was now somewhat seasoned too.


    This labor was tiring, yes, but not overwhelmingly so.


    Not many students here were used to luxury, most were accustomed to hardship.


    Wasn¡¯t the head of the student union also working?


    But still, things that needed to be said had to be said.


    See how the higher-ups would resolve this; she still had one last trump card.


    The vice principal¡¯s eyes darted around, then he whispered something to a teacher who had been hovering nearby, and this teacher took the opportunity of an unnoticed moment to return to school with the truck delivering steamed buns and water.


    What was Sun Xiuyuan doing?


    She sat on a chair in the college¡¯s long corridor, her back to the sun, eyes squinting¡ªif this were a normal scenario, it certainly would have been quite a delightful sight.


    But today, it was particularly glaring. A few male and female students were chatting beside her.


    The teacher sighed. He was merely a messenger. He told Sun Xiuyuan that the principal already knew about her return to school, and the head of the student union was looking to speak with her, asking what she planned to do?


    Sun Xiuyuan pouted angrily. What to do? Seriously, making a fuss over nothing. Why focus on her? With so many people working, would they miss just one person?


    The teacher couldn¡¯t help but remind her, ¡°...you are now in the student union, you need to lead by example. If you can¡¯t, you need a reason for not doing so. Oh, you look pale¡ªare you not feeling well?¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan blinked and her lips twitched slightly, quickly catching on, hmph, a sick note is nothing special.


    Her aunt was at a hospital.


    She could get a medical certificate easily.


    ...


    It took a day and a half, and one hundred acres of alfalfa, Willow Wood, and Barley Grass were all sown.


    Next, they would have to wait to see if it rained; if it didn¡¯t rain, they would have to organize people to water the plants.


    After returning to school, Qiao Qingyu mobilized all the student council members to write the names of all students and staff who participated in the tree-planting activity on big red papers.


    These were placed in the propaganda area, intended to remain there and to be updated later on.


    Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just a long list¡ªit was well organized.


    Every participant had already been assigned areas during the tree planting.


    For instance, from the Agricultural Department, how much Willow Wood, Barley Grass, and alfalfa were planted, how much land area was allocated, and where, all were included in a detailed plan report.


    Responsibility was thus individually assigned.


    This was a major matter, not just a formality, and they also needed to ensure the survival rate of the plants.


    Of course, the list was also checked by Qiao Qingyu with the student council members, one by one.


    Those who did not participate, even if they had a sick note, wouldn¡¯t suffice.


    If they wanted this honor, they could register to apply for replanting.


    You can¡¯t always be sick, after all.

 Chapter 359 - 359 359 Once the List Comes Out Things Change

    ?Chapter 359: Chapter 359: Once the List Comes Out, Things Change Chapter 359: Chapter 359: Once the List Comes Out, Things Change Many people had gathered in front of the propaganda field, everyone searching for their own names. It was easy to find since they were organized by department¡ªjust go to your department¡¯s section.


    The entire propaganda field featured one wall with handwritten name lists, neatly executed and adorned with borders.


    The students who wrote the names had impressive calligraphy skills.


    Naturally, finding names was easy for everyone.


    There were whispers, or perhaps remarks meant to be overheard.


    The voices were soft and frail, sounding innocent. Lost in the crowd, you wouldn¡¯t know who was speaking.


    ¡°How come the Deputy Secretary of the Youth League Branch¡¯s name isn¡¯t on there? Could she have been missed?¡±


    ¡°How could she have been missed? Sun Xiuyuan didn¡¯t go because she was sick, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad, missing such a meaningful event because of illness.¡±


    ¡°I heard you can apply to plant later.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s not the same; it doesn¡¯t carry the honor of participating in a group activity.¡±


    ¡°Some students who didn¡¯t go were truly sick; you can¡¯t blame them...¡±


    ¡°Then who do you blame? If you were sick and didn¡¯t go, should your name still be listed? What would the other students who did the labor think?¡±


    ¡°Right, if there are more activities like this, should everyone just get a sick note so no one goes and yet everyone still gets their names written down for the honor?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not just dishonest¡ªit¡¯s also really unfair!¡±


    There were those who spoke bluntly but thought quickly, jabbering like little cannons, blurting out their thoughts. No one noticed Sun Xiuyuan standing right behind them.


    Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s cheeks flushed red; she hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Qingyu to pull such a move.


    First angry, then pale, she turned and ran toward the school gates.


    She needed to call home urgently; the article about her interview shouldn¡¯t be published.


    Sun Xiuyuan quickly reached the office.


    The attendant at the office knew her well, as she often made calls there. He hurriedly allowed her to use the phone, and she whispered urgently to her Brother Sun, ¡°Brother, quickly call the daily newspaper and have them pull the article.¡±


    ¡°Why should the article be pulled?¡±


    Brother Sun furrowed his brows. His little sister¡¯s words seemed unreliable. Getting an article published or pulled wasn¡¯t that simple¡ªthere had to be a reason.


    Then he asked, ¡°Are you trying to do a good deed anonymously?¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan dared not tell Brother Sun the truth.


    If she told him that she hadn¡¯t done anything, just snapped a few photos before running back to school and obtaining a sick note, he would have been furious.


    But she hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Qingyu¡¯s move, posting the participants¡¯ list in such a prominent way. In Xichuan, the agricultural college was indeed large but was only a medium-sized institution in reality.


    So such a task wasn¡¯t very difficult for the student council.


    But once Qiao Qingyu released that list, things changed.


    Brother Sun was still busy on the other end, thinking his sister was being childish again, coercing patiently, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m busy here. We can talk when you come home during the holidays.¡± After that, he hung up.


    At that moment, another student ran towards the office because someone knew Sun Xiuyuan was there; he arrived out of breath, ¡°Sun, the Secretary of the Youth League Branch needs to see you.¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan wanted to call Brother Sun again, but that was now impossible.


    She followed the student to the Youth League Branch office.


    The matter discussed was also about the list, which the school leadership had agreed to in their meeting, and there was no reason to disagree.


    What grounds were there to object?


    If this issue were indeed obstructed and the students found out, wouldn¡¯t that lead to rebellion?


    Thus, no game was left for those students hoping to muddy the waters.


    The Branch Secretary wanted to inform Sun Xiuyuan about this matter; the Youth League Branch was planning to take action and contact a factory to process plaques to be placed in each designated forest area, truly assigning responsibility to individuals.


    Planting had been done en masse; some neglected it while others thrived. Then, people would vie for credit.


    He mentioned the factory matter to Sun Xiuyuan, ¡°You handle the liaison, the branch will cover the expenses.¡±


    The factory had connections with the Sun family, and with that relationship, processing the plaques could be done cheaper, especially since funds were tight.


    Sun Xiuyuan felt a bit dizzy but took this opportunity to return home.


    She called the reporter, who excitedly asked for credit, telling her it was already printed and would be distributed after midnight.


    Newspaper printing doesn¡¯t happen the same day¡ªit was a jest.


    So, the newspapers had been printed and mostly distributed already.


    If agricultural college students saw it, what would they think?


    Though it might not be very noticeable, it still featured her photo.


    Without the list, honestly speaking, among thousands of people, no one would know if they were included.


    But now with the list released, there was nowhere to hide.


    Sun Xiuyuan left the college gates, not bothering to contact the factory about the plaques but went straight to see Mr. Sun.


    Mr. Sun had just finished a meeting. Unexpectedly, it was his most beloved daughter, drenched in sweat¡ªcertainly, there was an issue. He instructed his secretary to bring her in.


    When he heard his daughter¡¯s request, he was taken aback, ¡°Why didn¡¯t I know about this?¡±


    ¡°This was handled by my brother. It was a minor issue, so I didn¡¯t mention it,¡± Sun Xiuyuan confessed hesitantly.


    Mr. Sun¡¯s brow furrowed. He disapproved of his daughter drawing attention at this time. The afforestation drive was in full vigor across Xichuan, a pivotal ongoing task as it also indicated the region¡¯s future direction.


    Combatting deserts, greening mountains and rivers¡ªnever underestimate this task; it was even monitored from above.


    His daughter, as Deputy Secretary of the Youth League Branch, leading students in tree planting was expected. Giving her sole coverage wasn¡¯t ideal¡ªit could lead to accusations of nepotism and special privileges...


    But the newspaper had already been published. Who would bear the losses if it was pulled now?


    He sighed deeply, massaging his temples. His son was usually so reliable, why had he mishandled this?


    Now, pulling it back was already too late, but he wanted to know what exactly was the reason.

 Chapter 360 - 360 360 More Than Enough to Ruin Things Not

    ?Chapter 360: Chapter 360: More Than Enough to Ruin Things, Not Enough to Succeed Chapter 360: Chapter 360: More Than Enough to Ruin Things, Not Enough to Succeed Sun Xiuyuan hurriedly reached for Mr. Sun¡¯s arm, ¡°Dad, please, just hurry up and call the newspaper. I don¡¯t want to be in the papers anymore, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future. I¡¯ll pass on this one, let another classmate have the chance.¡±


    Mr. Sun looked at his daughter with satisfaction, feeling she had grown up.


    Although she had not handled this situation well, things had already come to this point, and calling the newspaper to retrieve all the copies was out of the question; it would turn a minor issue into a massive one. He frowned and said, ¡°Let¡¯s just leave it as it is, it¡¯s impossible to take it back now; the newspaper has already been printed. Moreover, are you saying we can just cancel the distribution of hundreds of thousands of newspapers just like that?¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s face instantly turned ashen.


    Mr. Sun¡¯s sharp gaze revealed that he sensed there was more to the story than what his daughter was saying.


    He knew his daughter was spoiled but didn¡¯t have any significant faults, apart from being very vain and prideful, loving to show off.


    To him, these were not particularly alarming flaws for a girl.


    But it was clear that something was definitely amiss now, so his voice turned stern, ¡°What exactly happened?¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan bit her lip, stammering, ¡°Dad, I didn¡¯t participate in the labor work. I... I just took a few photos, posing for them. Then I went back to school...¡±


    Mr. Sun¡¯s expression changed in an instant.


    Wasn¡¯t this outright deception?


    And the person deceiving was his daughter?


    If it were a conflict with a classmate or even jealousy, it would be a relatively minor issue, but this was serious.


    It meant everything written in black and white was a lie.


    After Sun Xiuyuan finished speaking, her face flushed red and she lowered her head, which was as good as an admission.


    Mr. Sun¡¯s office fell into an awkward silence.


    After a while, Mr. Sun, holding back his anger, asked, ¡°How many people know you didn¡¯t participate in the labor?¡±


    ¡°Dad, yesterday not many people knew, but today the president of the student council, Qiao Qingyu, posted a list with more than a dozen names in the campus announcement area. She listed all the students who participated in the work. She did it on purpose; she¡¯s out to get me.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was He Xiuyu¡¯s partner.


    Mr. Sun naturally knew of a person called Qiao Qingyu, but he did not know if it was the same one.


    A flash of jealousy crossed Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s eyes, ¡°Yes, her, she¡¯s from the He family. This is all Qiao Qingyu¡¯s doing, she did it just to embarrass me.¡±


    Seeing Sun Xiuyuan still making excuses, Mr. Sun¡¯s anger surged and he stretched out his hand as if he wanted to slap her, but he still couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. His face turned a livid shade of purple, and with trembling fingers he pointed at Sun Xiuyuan, ¡°First tell me, does your brother know about your deception?¡±


    ¡°...No, he doesn¡¯t know. My brother doesn¡¯t know.¡±


    Mr. Sun felt somewhat relieved. If his son had known, it would have been truly disappointing because the mistake was so foolish and basic.


    Mr. Sun sat down, wondering if he could pull back almost nine hundred thousand copies of the newspaper with a single word?


    Even if he could afford the loss, what would he say?


    But if the newspaper was really distributed, then the Sun family¡¯s reputation would be severely tarnished.


    At his workplace, not everyone was a friend. He had quite a few enemies who were waiting for a chance to take him down.


    He really wanted to curse his daughter, this failure who messes up everything she touches, but those words ultimately remained unspoken.


    Then he discovered that his daughter¡¯s boastful arrogance had already crossed the line.


    It was their responsibility as parents.


    He sat in the chair with a sense of powerlessness, then said in a deep voice, ¡°Get back to school right away.¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan didn¡¯t know what her father was thinking, but from his looks, she felt things weren¡¯t good, and her hatred for Qiao Qingyu grew even more, ¡°Dad, what should we do about this mess?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, what should we do? Just let it be.¡±


    ¡°Dad, you have to help me. If I lose face, you¡¯ll lose face too,¡± Sun Xiuyuan blurted out without thinking.


    Mr. Sun, ¡°...¡±


    Now she was being clever, but it was only a petty cleverness.


    ¡°I have a meeting soon, and it¡¯s not good for you to be here,¡± Mr. Sun began to rush his daughter out.


    ¡°Dad, are you going to handle this or not? Give me a straight answer.¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan was so frantic that she stamped her feet on the spot.


    Mr. Sun got angry and reprimanded in a low voice, ¡°Leave immediately.¡±


    Even though he usually spoiled her, when Mr. Sun really got angry, Sun Xiuyuan was afraid. Her eyes welled up with tears, then she shot her father a resentful glance and ran out of the office.


    She couldn¡¯t return to school yet, as she still had to take care of the matter with the factory signboard. After dealing with that, it was already dark, and feeling uneasy, Sun Xiuyuan went home. Mr. Sun didn¡¯t return until after they had finished dinner. Seeing her sitting in the living room at home, his face darkened instantly, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you at school? What are you doing at home? Don¡¯t you want to study anymore?¡±


    ¡°Dad, how can I go back to school without a clear answer from you?¡±


    ¡°Sun Xiuyuan, you got into university, too. I¡¯ve always thought you weren¡¯t a foolish child, but how could you do something so stupid?¡±


    ¡°Dad, isn¡¯t it all Qiao Qingyu¡¯s fault? If she hadn¡¯t made the list, would anyone be talking about this?¡±


    Mr. Sun was almost amused by frustration. He had never met Qiao Qingyu but knew she was a capable person who got real work done. The greening of Xichuan, to be honest, was initiated by her. It was only because He Xiuyu didn¡¯t agree to make a big publicity out of it that the matter was downplayed, otherwise, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s achievements wouldn¡¯t be what they are now.


    He knew that several units in the province had already approached the university president, seeking to reserve Qiao Qingyu¡¯s post-graduation destination.


    But she was slated for a position at the research base, and even the provincial authorities didn¡¯t have much leverage compared to the research base.


    He asked his daughter, ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is, if the student council didn¡¯t make that list, your lie could have become true?¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s face turned ugly as she hung her head low.


    Sun Mama frowned at the side, ¡°How can you talk to the child like this? She¡¯s still young, there are things she doesn¡¯t understand, and you need to teach her slowly. Normally, you don¡¯t care about anything, but once there¡¯s an issue you scold her, how can she learn well?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not young anymore. Look at what kids her age are doing, then look at what she¡¯s doing¡ªblatantly faking it. Who gave her the audacity? Does she think her grandfather and her father can cover the sky with one hand?¡±


    Mr. Sun turned pale with rage.


    Without another glance at the mother and daughter, he stormed into the study, huffing.


    ...


    The next day, the Xichuan Daily wasn¡¯t distributed as usual in the morning but was delivered to the various units¡¯ guards and newsstands close to noon instead.


    Naturally, that false report never got the chance to meet with the public.

 Chapter 361 - 361 361 Its Not That I Look Down on You But

    ?Chapter 361: Chapter 361: It¡¯s Not That I Look Down on You, But You Really Don¡¯t Have That Brainpower Chapter 361: Chapter 361: It¡¯s Not That I Look Down on You, But You Really Don¡¯t Have That Brainpower Qiao Qingyu learned what she knew from Lu Ye.


    He told her that Mr. Sun had made a self-criticism at an internal meeting, saying that he had failed to discipline his children properly, among many other things, and then the issue was downplayed and passed.


    However, that reporter was said to have been transferred.


    Originally, the reporter was going to be fired, but he didn¡¯t care and directly went to Brother Sun¡¯s workplace, squatting at the entrance, insisting that if Brother Sun didn¡¯t help him, he¡¯d expose all of his affairs, since if he was going down, he wouldn¡¯t let Brother Sun have it easy either.


    That was quite a do-or-die attitude.


    So, the reporter was quietly transferred to another unit.


    It was said that Mr. Sun had severely scolded Brother Sun, who in turn scolded Sun Xiuyuan.


    Although it wasn¡¯t covered by the daily newspaper, Qiao Qingyu did not feel satisfied with such an outcome because Sun Xiuyuan did not suffer any real consequences, just a scolding by her father and brother.


    The reporter received a benefit, merely acknowledging a problem with his article, so it was left at that.


    But one day, Sun Xiuyuan and Qiao Qingyu crossed paths, and Qiao Qingyu glanced at her then continued walking forward, not expecting to be intercepted by Sun Xiuyuan stepping forward.


    Looking around at the quite surroundings, Sun Xiuyuan spoke with chilliness in her voice, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I¡¯ll remember this. A gentleman¡¯s revenge can wait ten years.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu raised an eyebrow and then chuckled, ¡°Sun Xiuyuan, I don¡¯t mean to belittle you, but you really don¡¯t have the brains. So I advise you to behave and not provoke me, otherwise you¡¯ll regret it for the rest of your life!¡±


    Then Qiao Qingyu strode away.


    Sun Xiuyuan was initially too stunned to react, but once she did, her face turned from green to white to green again in anger. She had never before suffered such a great insult and provocation. If it wasn¡¯t for some classmates passing by, she really wanted to catch up and fight Qiao Qingyu.


    But Qiao Qingyu had no time to deal with her.


    She hurried outside because Wu Hong had arrived.


    Wu Hong was currently in Xichuan, getting ready to build the third-largest bicycle factory in China.


    So his project in Xichuan was very important, and everyone treated him with the respect due a god of wealth.


    Although Xichuan was near the sandstorm belt, it was also close to the Central Plains, with convenient road and rail transport. The construction of the bicycle factory would signify a qualitative leap for the local economy and for the whole of West City.


    Qiao Qingyu just hadn¡¯t expected that Wu Hong would come to see her. When she arrived at the student union office, there he was, sitting in the conference room, leisurely sipping his tea.


    He smiled upon seeing Qiao Qingyu entering.


    He was a very polite gentleman; standing up, he was accompanied by a man in his twenties, looking like his secretary. After a brief introduction, he didn¡¯t address her as Comrade Qiao Qingyu, nor did he call her Qingyu.


    He smiled and said, ¡°You must be surprised that I came to find you at school.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, I am. I thought there would be no need to see each other after our last meeting.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was blunt and straightforward.


    In this matter, she stood firmly beside her grandpa.


    Wu Tai was certified and had been deemed reliable through decades of scrutiny; he was Wu Xiucai¡¯s relative. But aside from him, she didn¡¯t want any contact with anyone related to Wu Xiujie.


    Wu Hong smiled gently, ¡°Actually, this is our most normal interaction. However, I currently have a proposal in mind, and after much thought, I believe that discussing it with you might achieve a better outcome.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes roved as she asked, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The bicycle factory I am jointly investing in with Xichuan has already been approved. Everything is proceeding smoothly, and the production line has been arranged. Once the factory is built, it will be ready for testing and installation.¡±


    He paused there, and Qiao Qingyu did not interrupt him but waited quietly for what was to come.


    Wu Hong continued, ¡°The infrastructure in Xichuan is actually not very good. The roads in particular are in poor condition. I am planning to do something about the transportation routes.¡±


    ¡°...Then you should contact the infrastructure department of Xichuan, there¡¯s really no need to involve me, right?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t take on all the road construction myself, and there are certainly official regulations for infrastructure projects. I just want to do something practical.¡±


    He added, ¡°The proposed site for the joint venture bicycle factory is on the outskirts of Xichuan City, not far from Yushu County. I¡¯ve conducted field inspections and one of the main routes in poor condition leads to your Tenghai Research Base. That road project was shelved due to budget constraints. I was thinking, perhaps I could do something for your Agricultural Base.¡±


    At last, Wu Hong directly stated his intention.


    Of course, whether his motive was true or not, Wu Hong knew, and Qiao Qingyu could mostly guess that this was related to Han Lishi from Xiwatun.


    But road construction was something Qiao Qingyu had already considered last year, which was not a small matter requiring substantial funds.


    Wu Hong watched Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression and gave a nod inwardly, realizing his proposal had quickly moved her.


    ¡°...For this, I am planning to set up a cement factory. If the plan is feasible, we can start building the road after May.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu asked with some curiosity, ¡°Mr. Wu, why would you do this?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t dress it up; it¡¯s simply gratitude for taking care of Rongrong. It¡¯s not my idea, but Liu Ge¡¯s. Since she wants it, I will make it happen.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t sure whether to believe him or not, but merely curled her lips noncommittally and then said with a hint of regret, ¡°Road construction is no small matter; it¡¯s fundamental and very significant. Especially the road leading to Tenghai needs to be coordinated with Tenghai Base or go through Yushu County and even Xiaxi Commune. All this requires communication with local governments. But building a road is a good thing, and I guess there shouldn¡¯t be too many problems.¡±


    Wu Hong seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.


    He had his own ulterior motives. The Zhang Family had returned, with many tasks to accomplish, all intertwined with the law of cause and effect.


    Building roads and bridges are all about accumulating merit. He could build roads and bridges anywhere, but doing so at the Tenghai Research Base, Yushu County, and the transportation hub of Xichuan would be of great benefit to him.


    That road would pass through Xiwatun, and using the opportunity, he could see for himself what the situation was there.


    Whether it was worth the effort to deal with that old lady on behalf of the Zhang Family.


    Of course, that was just one aspect; the most crucial thing was to seize this chance to establish ties with both He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu, which was incredibly important.

 Chapter 362 - 362 362 The Ridiculously Priced Soothing Grass

    ?Chapter 362: Chapter 362: The Ridiculously Priced Soothing Grass Chapter 362: Chapter 362: The Ridiculously Priced Soothing Grass As for why he had to get involved with these two people, he wasn¡¯t very clear now; he was simply following his grandfather¡¯s orders.


    ¡°Well then, I won¡¯t bother you anymore. I just wanted to tell you, if it works out, wouldn¡¯t traveling be more convenient?¡±


    ¡°If it does work out, I¡¯ll truly have to thank you.¡±


    ¡°I have my own selfish reasons; don¡¯t mention thanks.¡± He added gently, ¡°Liu Ge will be coming over in a while. She wants to see the child.¡±


    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s no problem at all. Tell Liu Ge not to worry. Rongrong is her biological daughter. As her little uncle and aunt, as long as she doesn¡¯t harm the child and as long as Rongrong is willing, we will absolutely not stop her.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t happen, won¡¯t happen. She is her biological daughter; how could she possibly harm her?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu actually believed this. ¡°A tiger doesn¡¯t eat its cubs,¡± after all. She could harm someone else¡¯s daughter, but it was absolutely impossible for her to harm her own.


    At that moment, something flickered through Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mind, but it was too quick and vanished just as fast; she didn¡¯t have enough time to grasp it.


    Before she could figure it out, Wu Hong expressed his wish to leave.


    After Wu Hong left the school, Qiao Qingyu returned to her dormitory and tossed and turned over it for a while but couldn¡¯t recall what that fleeting thought in her mind had been, so she gave up.


    Instead, she started to consider the matter of taking leave from school.


    She wasn¡¯t worried about missing classes; even if she took a month off, she would catch up, and arranging her duties at school wouldn¡¯t pose a problem.


    What she was unsure about now was whether Tenghai Research Base would agree with Wu Hong¡¯s suggestion; after all, while it might seem beneficial, it wasn¡¯t necessarily so.


    Because it was a main thoroughfare with only one major road; if they were to repair it, traffic would definitely be disrupted, and this would impact the base as well.


    If they could overcome the difficulties and construct a cement road, it would certainly be a great benefit to both the nation and the people.


    When Qiao Qingyu got back, He Xiuyu told her that they were about to start installing heating in the residential buildings and the dorms.


    That was truly great news; having heating at home would make a big difference.


    In winter, one would only need to cook and heat normally, and the rest of the time, the home would stay warm and cozy.


    The residential area they were living in was divided into six sectors.


    The two sectors closer to the poplar forest were inhabited by mid-to-high-level management of the base.


    They each had separate standalone homes.


    This area housed Old Wei, Old Xie, Director Lin, and a few workshop directors.


    Plus, over a dozen older engineers and scientists who had made special contributions.


    The remaining four sectors consisted of connected residential housing, allocated based on family size; for example, a family of eight would be assigned roughly eighty square meters, and a family of three would have a smaller space.


    If central heating was installed throughout, that would be truly fantastic.


    Qiao Qingyu asked excitedly, ¡°When will it be installed?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve contracted this heating project to our base¡¯s engineering team. As long as we have the materials, it will just take a month or two.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu walked around the room. The floors were already cement. Excited, she said, ¡°In a few days, when I go back to the Qiao Family Team, I¡¯ll bring back some flooring material. Aside from the kitchen and bathroom, we¡¯ll cover the rest of the floors.¡±


    Then she pointed to the place where the heating unit would be installed, ¡°If the installation is successful, we won¡¯t need stoves this winter. But we could get a small charcoal burner, bake sweet potatoes, potatoes, peanuts in the room. Oh, and roasting scallions is also really tasty.¡±


    He Xiuyu just smiled, ¡°Let me handle the wood. Don¡¯t trouble your uncle over it. Everything else, as you wish.¡±


    ¡°After the installation is done, our house needs a new coat of paint.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll do the painting.¡±


    The house had been blackened by last winter.


    Qingyu was planning to widen the window sill so she could place flower pots. She was currently growing Soothing Grass, which had already sprouted. Since Soothing Grass was so effective, it had to be a staple in the house.


    ¡°The plumbing will definitely require some changes in the house, including widening the window sill, so laying down marble flooring shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    Qingyu was startled, ¡°Where will you get the marble from?¡±


    By then, tiles were already available, although they were hard to come by.


    ¡°There¡¯s a marble factory near the Jiangbei Experimental Field. Professor Feng has secured some vegetable seeds suitable for Xichuan, so we can bring them back together.¡±


    This would make living in this home much more comfortable.


    She started planning to change the curtains, bed sheets, and to buy a big sofa with sponge padding.


    He Xiuyu liked how Qingyu cared for their little home.


    At that moment, the phone in the study rang. He Xiuyu answered it, unexpectedly it was He Juanjuan looking for Qingyu.


    Qingyu calculated the time, it must be about the Soothing Grass.


    ¡°Qingyu, I measured the Soothing Grass today, it¡¯s reached the height of my palm, now almost twenty centimeters.¡±


    ¡°Okay, that height is good.¡±


    ¡°What should we do next to sell them?¡± She then added, ¡°I thought it would be simple, but it¡¯s quite tough. If we sold it for three or five yuan, it really wouldn¡¯t be worth it.¡±


    During this period, she had been ordered around by her grandmother, and had not been spared any hard work. Do not underestimate nurturing the Soothing Grass; it took a lot of effort.


    But, overall it was lush and green, giving a quite a sense of accomplishment. Despite her caution, her fingernails still ended up with dirt under them after each gardening effort.


    Thus, He Juanjuan could no longer scoff at Old Lady He.


    Yet, what worried her more was how to make money from the Soothing Grass.


    Over the phone, Qingyu said, ¡°Of course we can¡¯t sell it just for three or five yuan; our Soothing Grass must be priced higher.¡±


    He Juanjuan hastily asked, ¡°Then how much?¡±


    Qingyu had already made up her mind and directly said, ¡°Five thousand yuan per pot.¡±


    On the other end, He Juanjuan suddenly began to cough vigorously, clearly choked by her own saliva.


    Once she finally calmed down, an incredulous hoarse voice said, ¡°Qingyu, you¡¯re not joking with me, are you? Did you add two extra zeros?


    Five yuan can¡¯t sell, fifty is already quite high.


    Fifty yuan, that¡¯s almost an average worker¡¯s monthly salary in Beijing.


    ¡°I said five thousand and it will be five thousand, and we¡¯ll increase the price as the standard of living rises, but we can¡¯t just sell it to anyone.¡±


    ¡°Not only can we not just sell it randomly, but you can¡¯t set it that high! Who would buy it?¡±


    ¡°There will definitely be buyers. Let me ask you, are there many rich people in Beijing?¡±


    This was something others might not know, but He Juanjuan had the most say in it since she was always mixing in such circles. This was also the main reason why Qingyu had entrusted this task to her.


    The girl might have been a bit quirky, but she had many friends.

 Chapter 363 - 363 363 Cultivating Such a Tricky Thing

    ?Chapter 363: Chapter 363: Cultivating Such a Tricky Thing Chapter 363: Chapter 363: Cultivating Such a Tricky Thing Even though most of them are just fair-weather friends, handling things with the closer ones proved to be difficult; as long as you could get things done in that circle, it was all good.


    ¡°Of course there are quite a few,¡± He Juanjuan complained bitterly, ¡°You know, some rich people are so cunning. I¡¯ve told them to include me in any good projects, but while they agree to my face, they forget all about it as soon as I turn around.¡±


    ¡°Why would they think of you if they have a good project? Everyone knows to stash money in their own pockets unless they can¡¯t swallow any more and look for you, or unless they can get more benefits from you...¡± Qiao Qingyu said bluntly.


    He Juanjuan wasn¡¯t a fool; having worked for several years and hung around in society for a year, she clearly understood this issue.


    Then Qiao Qingyu explained to He Juanjuan how to sell the Soothing Grass.


    After muttering her instructions, He Juanjuan had an epiphany, and her eyes shone, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do it the way you said.¡±


    Then she thought of another issue and tentatively asked, ¡°If they all sell out... who gets the money?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Qiao Qingyu retorted with amusement.


    He Juanjuan, not having the audacity to claim it all for herself despite actually thinking just that, said, ¡°We split it between the two of us?¡±


    ¡°What about grandma, you forgot about her?¡±


    ¡°What does she need money for?¡± He Juanjuan blurted out.


    At home, she had food, drinks, and even pocket money; after all, isn¡¯t money that elderly people have meant to be left for their children?


    ¡°What sort of attitude is that? Grandma should have her share since she contributed; otherwise, do you want to manage all the Soothing Grass alone?¡±


    ¡°Then the three of us will split; your seeds are the most important, grandma did the most work, but I wasn¡¯t idle either...¡± He Juanjuan paused here and scratched her head, unsure of how to divide further.


    ¡°The sales depend on you, and there are many pitfalls to watch out for during operation, so you take forty percent, and grandma and I take thirty percent each.¡±


    He Juanjuan agreed without hesitation, not expecting to end up with the largest share.


    And that¡¯s how they decided on the money split.


    She did some calculations: if they sold each pot for five thousand yuan, she would earn two thousand yuan.


    That meant twenty thousand yuan for ten pots, and currently, they had over a hundred pots at home, oh my god, that would be quite a sum...


    She wanted to calculate how much that could be, but was a bit scared to do so, what if they didn¡¯t sell?


    Suddenly, she thought of a grave issue, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, our business won¡¯t last long, right? Once the Soothing Grass grows, couldn¡¯t others just cultivate it and then it¡¯s everywhere? Wouldn¡¯t we just be paving the way for others?¡±


    ¡°Soothing Grass is very special. You know about the rose, right? If you break off a branch and stick it in the soil, it can survive; that¡¯s called cuttage.¡±


    At this point, Qiao Qingyu paused, ¡°Because of its special efficacy, Soothing Grass also requires a special cultivation method. It doesn¡¯t graft or take cuttings; only the original or cultivated Soothing Grass seeds can be used...¡±


    He Juanjuan immediately understood; even if someone bought a pot of Soothing Grass, it would just remain a single pot, neither propagating nor bearing seeds.


    ¡°How long can it live?¡±


    ¡°Five years.¡±


    He Juanjuan marveled at Qiao Qingyu, ¡°How did you even come up with such a crafty thing? From now on, won¡¯t all the Soothing Grass be in your hands?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu slowly said, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my great-grandpa¡¯s chronic insomnia, if it weren¡¯t for the four elderly people in our family, my brother and I wouldn¡¯t have worked so hard to cultivate the seeds of Soothing Grass...¡±


    ¡°What if someone asks you for the seeds of Soothing Grass?¡± He Juanjuan was a bit worried.


    ¡°They can ask, but I really don¡¯t have any seeds of Soothing Grass on hand right now.¡±


    ¡°Could that cause any trouble for you in the future?¡± He Juanjuan was somewhat concerned, initially excited, but after calming down she could also understand some things.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I just tell you? It¡¯s only sold within a certain circle, to specific users, naturally, secrecy is required among each other.¡±


    He Juanjuan nodded on the other end, and the two talked for a while longer, adding some details, loopholes, and logic.


    For wealthy people, spending five thousand yuan on a pot of Soothing Grass wasn¡¯t expensive.


    Take those with poor sleep, chronic insomnia, restless and dream-plagued minds¡ªSoothing Grass could treat them.


    And its effects were remarkable, just like the spiritual herbs in the Immortal World.


    It was certainly better than staying in the hospital and taking sleeping pills or getting injections.


    For older people, poor sleep could impact lifespan, and this item, not just for personal use but also as a gift, was more appealing than fine cigarettes, fine liquor, or expensive watches.


    But it really couldn¡¯t be popularized.


    Initially, Qiao Qingyu had just randomly planted some, not expecting such good results. So, after the two returned, they immediately planted some Soothing Grass at home, and then gave some to Professor Feng.


    There were only one hundred kilograms of it in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s lab.


    And the deadly part was the label stated it couldn¡¯t produce seeds, and cuttings wouldn¡¯t survive.


    It was somewhat like a one-time-use product.


    And it also had a growth period and a lifespan.


    This was something neither Qiao Qingyu nor He Xiuyu had foreseen initially.


    After all, when the plant first grew, it just looked nice and neither of them, being young, thought it would have any impact on sleep.


    Even though He Xiuyu had many concerns, he was fundamentally healthy and often accompanied Qiao Qingyu to the lab, later his health even improved substantially, showing no signs of restlessness, insomnia, or troubled sleep.


    Naturally, during that time at home, the Soothing Grass almost showed no effect.


    Now, the most obvious results were at Wu Xiucai¡¯s place.


    Therefore, He Xiuyu handed one kilogram of seeds to Professor Feng. Even if they couldn¡¯t produce seeds, they could still study the components of the leaves, branches, and even flowers to understand why they had such effects.


    They could also provide the data derived from these studies to the biotech team, who might develop a new type of immune-boosting medication or a special cure for these symptoms.


    That would be the real way to popularize it, and also the safest and most appropriate method.


    This was the most genuine thought of He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu.


    He Juanjuan, having grown up in the circle, knew very well how to handle and operate this mysterious Soothing Grass.


    As for the old dad in Yun City, their own grandpa wouldn¡¯t use this to make money, but he would take it to give as a favor, and naturally, he wouldn¡¯t shortchange Qiao Zhicai, who looked after the Soothing Grass.


    On the other end, He Juanjuan asked quite a few more questions before she finally put down the phone feeling satisfied. Turning around, she saw Old Lady He eavesdropping at the door and said with a laugh, ¡°Grandma, are you afraid I won¡¯t give you a single penny?¡±

 Chapter 364 - 364 364 The New Sense of Big Collective

    ?Chapter 364: Chapter 364: The New Sense of Big Collective Chapter 364: Chapter 364: The New Sense of Big Collective Old Lady He patted the apron tied around her waist and hummed softly, ¡°It¡¯s all like taking care of my own children.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if this can be sold, I will get forty percent and you and Qiao Qingyu will each get thirty percent.¡±


    Old Lady He¡¯s eyes moved around in satisfaction, but why did she really need the money? The house now had food and drink, and her son also gave her pocket money, but after all, it was essential to have some money on hand.


    But she really didn¡¯t know how much one pot could sell for, and when the price was mentioned, Old Lady He got scared.


    ¡°How can it sell for so much?¡± Old Lady He¡¯s voice trembled as she spoke.


    ¡°It¡¯s precious because it¡¯s rare,¡± Qiao Qingyu had said, ¡°once these are sold, we won¡¯t sell them again.¡±


    The key issue was that there were no seeds left.


    So He Juanjuan hurriedly went to the greenhouse, where in her eyes each Soothing Grass now looked like a shiny golden baby.


    She counted again, a total of one hundred and eighty plants.


    He Juanjuan instructed Old Lady He, ¡°We need to keep a close eye on this room, no rats, cats, or thieves can come in.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for sure. I need to tell your mom to hurry up and give that cat away.¡±


    If the cat scratched at them, they¡¯d be gone in a flash.


    Ordinary grass was one thing, but this was golden grass.


    So Old Lady He and He Juanjuan went together to find Meng Siqi, united in their thought that Meng Siqi should get rid of her cat quickly.


    Meng Siqi looked perplexed.


    Since when were Old Lady He and Juanjuan on such good terms?


    ...


    After that, Qiao Qingyu made a call to Wu Xiucai to talk about this matter, and Wu Xiucai was of course in agreement.


    He had to give away some favors, but if he couldn¡¯t make some money off such good things, he¡¯d feel uncomfortable; businessmen are like that.


    And he wouldn¡¯t let down his son-in-law either.


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu handed over all the work at her Agricultural Base to Wang Laogen and Fang Xiaomei, and took leave from school to go to Qiao Family Team.


    The trip was smooth, but upon arriving at Qiao Family Team, Qiao Qingyu realized the situation was more serious than she had imagined.


    It was already afternoon when she reached Qiao Family Team.


    She hadn¡¯t called in advance.


    When she entered the village and met the people there, they were first shocked and then delighted. The aunts and grannies pulled her aside to ask her a barrage of questions, overwhelmingly enthusiastic.


    Of course, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s first stop had to be her own home; her elder brother and sister-in-law had already returned.


    However, they were also hesitating, considering moving to Yun City, which was a completely unfamiliar land to them.


    But if they considered the long term, not to mention other things, just the education of the children, it was a good place. The educational conditions in North City were relatively backward.


    Luckily, there was still one semester left, so they would take time to discuss this issue gradually, even if they had to stay another year before making a decision.


    Especially Qiao Genbao, living with his grandfather always seemed so uncomfortable.


    How comfortable it was to be home, where he could go ten days without washing his feet, just lying on the kang and no one would mind.


    Neither of the children had much reaction; after all, they would simply follow wherever their parents went.


    It was just Niu Guili who suddenly felt somewhat uncomfortable with the way of using the bathroom upon returning.


    But after a few days, she adjusted. Having grown up here, she couldn¡¯t be in a bathroom with flush toilets for a few days and start feeling disdainful everywhere else.


    But although returning to her hometown exuded a heartfelt warmth,


    she had to admit that the Qiao Family Team was indeed poor and backward.


    Yet in the Harvest Commune, the Qiao Family Team was the largest team, complete with its own distribution point and procurement station...


    Here, it was quite convenient for the members to buy and sell things.


    Along the way, the chatter of the aunties and grandmothers was filled with envy.


    Then, one by one, they scattered, engaged in spring farming; spring was the busiest time, no household had idle hands, but this year was different from the past.


    How should I put it, though the land was leased to individuals, it felt like a return to the communal dining era, yet it wasn¡¯t the same.


    This was a new form of collective.


    The land that was distributed to individuals remained in their hands, but what to plant and how to plant it was under a complete plan by the team.


    And this plan wasn¡¯t made by the team alone.


    It was said to be directly approved by the province.


    My goodness, such a connection was extraordinary, a small Qiao Family Team linked up with the provincial level, which changed their spirit significantly.


    However, this model had just started, and they still didn¡¯t know what the future held, but everyone was still deeply grateful to Qingyu.


    Wasn¡¯t it this girl who constantly kept the Qiao Family Team in her thoughts? Without her, would they have seen these days?


    Now, it was easy for the local girls and boys to talk about marriage; anyone from ten or eight villages away, as soon as they heard ¡°Qiao Family Team,¡± agreed without even meeting in person.


    Why would they agree?


    It was all because the Qiao Family Team had become a seed base.


    Now, a household registration in the Qiao Family Team was valuable; previously people were reluctant to come, but now, you might not even qualify.


    But there was no extra land to distribute to you.


    Though the days hadn¡¯t brightened yet, they were ultimately walking towards the light.


    Most people in the Qiao Family Team understood this well; they all knew it was Qingyu who had fought for this.


    But a few who had good relations with the Qiao Family quietly cautioned Qingyu, ¡°Qingyu, now your second uncle has changed, if he makes any unreasonable demands, don¡¯t agree and don¡¯t indulge him...¡±


    ¡°In the village, some people¡¯s intentions aren¡¯t good, if you hear something unpleasant, don¡¯t take it to heart, we all appreciate you...¡±


    Another aunt also said, ¡°Qingyu, not to be nosy, but let me tell you, that Wang Mei is no good; she just uses you, takes advantage of you, and then turns around and badmouths you to death...¡±


    ¡°Anyway, your grandparents are sick with stress...¡±


    Qingyu was listening, then hesitated. Her grandparents were sick, so instead of going home, she went straight to the old family house.


    There wasn¡¯t much change at home.


    But there were many red bricks and timber piled up by the wall, indicating plans for construction.


    Aunt Wang Guihua was adding water for the chicks at the chicken coop.


    Seeing Qingyu come in, she was truly stunned.


    It took her a moment to react.


    Once she did, she hurried over to take the bag from Qingyu¡¯s hands, saying, ¡°You child, when did you get off the bus? How did you get here? Why didn¡¯t you call ahead? There¡¯s always someone at the team office, or at the very least you could have called your elder cousin...¡±


    From the room to the west, another figure emerged, Qiao Shengbao.


    He was holding corn leaves in his hand.


    Seeing Qingyu had returned, his face lit up with joy, and then from inside the house came the feeble coughing of the old lady, ¡°Why does this voice sound so familiar? Qingyu, is it Qingyu who has come back?¡±

 Chapter 365 - 365 365 Qiao Familys Mess

    ?Chapter 365: Chapter 365 Qiao Family¡¯s Mess Chapter 365: Chapter 365 Qiao Family¡¯s Mess Qiao Qingyu quickly rushed into the house. Last year, both the old master and the old lady were able to come out with the help of a walking stick; why were they both now lying on the kang?


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s brows involuntarily furrowed.


    Their complexions were really bad.


    Especially Granny Qiao¡¯s face, it was sallow.


    But she didn¡¯t ask why they hadn¡¯t been sent to the hospital, assuming there must be a reason. Otherwise, given the temper of her aunt and uncle, it was impossible that they would neglect their grandparents.


    Wang Guihua quickly spoke up, ¡°It¡¯s heart trouble. They¡¯ve been to the hospital a few times, and they were just told to stay home and rest. There aren¡¯t any other major issues, just to watch the blood pressure and keep a relaxed mind...¡± she finished, then sighed deeply.


    ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, is there something going on at home?¡±


    The old master quickly waved his hands, ¡°Nothing, nothing at all, there¡¯s no trouble at home, we¡¯ll both be fine soon.¡±


    Granny Qiao didn¡¯t say anything, clearly agreeing.


    Wang Guihua¡¯s mouth moved but in the end, she didn¡¯t say anything, though Qiao Qingyu still noticed the resentment in her eyes.


    Qiao Qingyu just smiled and changed the subject, ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, looking at how tidy your room is, I can tell Aunt has been taking great care of you.¡±


    She then opened a tote bag and took out all the items inside, which she had specifically prepared for the old house.


    The Qiao Family had many members, and to buy something for each, she would have had to drive a small truck back.


    For the elders, she definitely had to buy something for each one, a sweater each for Grandpa and Grandma, Aunt and Uncle, and the same for the second aunt and second uncle.


    However, for Aunt, she also added an extra bottle of face cream and a scarf.


    Giving gifts, trying to make everything even, was never easy.


    For instance, with the sweaters, for someone like Wang Mei, you had to let her choose herself; otherwise, whatever you picked, she would forever say it was the worst, something no one else wanted, just scraps...


    But Qiao Qingyu wanted Wang Mei to know, whoever she liked more, she would give more to.


    Still angry?


    Well, there¡¯s nothing to be done about that!


    The old master and Granny Qiao also sat up from the kang, dressed neatly, but their brows were involuntarily furrowed, different from before.


    This was a matter weighing heavily on them.


    Remembering the words her aunt and others had said when she entered the village, Qiao Qingyu directly asked, ¡°Is there something going on at home, something you can¡¯t tell me?¡±


    Wang Guihua¡¯s lips moved, but she glanced at Granny Qiao.


    Old Lady Qiao then asked, ¡°The things you¡¯ve put on the kang, who did you buy all this for?¡±


    When Qiao Qingyu explained, Old Lady Qiao¡¯s face filled with anger, ¡°Don¡¯t give anything to your second uncle and second aunt, that ungrateful pair.¡±


    It looked like something really did happen at the second uncle¡¯s house.


    If Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t come back, they probably wouldn¡¯t have told her about it, but now that she was back, they really had to tell her.


    Granny Qiao then asked, ¡°Qingyu, have you eaten?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu shook her head, ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten since noon.¡±


    Qiao Shengbao quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll go make a fire.¡±


    Wang Guihua put the things in her hand on the kang, ¡°Qingyu, Aunt will roll out some noodles for you to eat.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu really was hungry.


    She told Granny Qiao about the contents of another bag, which were gifts for her elder brother and sister-in-law, Doudou and Feifei.


    There were also her personal items.


    Wang Guihua had taken Qiao Shengbao out to cook, and Old Lady Qiao asked with concern about Qingyu¡¯s situation in Xichuan.


    Thus, Qingyu didn¡¯t have time to inquire about what exactly happened to the Qiao Family, as the hot noodle soup was already prepared.


    The noodles had turned slightly yellow, topped with two poached eggs and sprinkled with chopped green onions, smelling very fragrant.


    Smelling the aroma made Qingyu even hungrier, and after she finished eating, Old Lady Qiao finally began to talk about what had happened at home before and after the New Year.


    The old lady spoke and started crying, lamenting that she was doomed to poverty; just when life got better and there was some money in hand, now it was all gone again.


    Not only was it gone, but they had also incurred several thousand yuan in external debt.


    Could it have been that she committed some terrible deeds in her past life? Was this life punishing her?


    Otherwise, why would she end up living like this?


    Qingyu, with a grave expression, sat cross-legged in front of the kang table, her jade-like white hands tapping on the table. She truly hadn¡¯t expected Uncle Qiao Zhihai to be so bold as to get involved with gambling.


    Here¡¯s what happened.


    During the slack farming season, everyone liked to play cards and push Pai Gow, winning a handful of sunflower seeds or popcorn.


    At most, they would drink a few sips of liquor.


    Now that gambling was illegal, no one dared to use real money.


    But, no matter the era, there would always be those who defy the law.


    Just as the criminal law stipulates that murder must be met with the death penalty, crimes have nevertheless occurred throughout history.


    It all really depends on the human heart.


    Thus, there was this group of people in the village who had secretly found a secluded thatched hut and started a gambling den.


    And lately, Qiao Zhihai had been quite a figure in the village.


    Someone had pulled him into this thatched hut.


    At first, it was just small-time play, and losing a few dozen yuan wasn¡¯t noticeable, but then one night, a group from another village came, and he played a big game with them and ended up losing over a thousand.


    That was all the savings his family had.


    In the middle of the night, consumed by the fever of his losses, he ran back home and took every last penny of the money Old Lady Qiao, like many old people, preferred not to keep money in banks but rather hid it in cloth bundles.


    He stole about several thousand yuan, and had he had access to Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s room, it¡¯s likely that money would have vanished too, but then he lost all of it before dawn.


    Before he could think of how to turn the tables, the police arrived and took them all away.


    The gambling money was confiscated, and they were detained for half a month and fined based on the severity of the situation.


    Qiao Zhihai was fined three thousand yuan.


    Since the incident had such a bad influence, Qiao Zhiyuan simply couldn¡¯t find anyone to pull strings for them, and he truly hated Zhihai so much that he didn¡¯t want to deal with him at all. But Wang Mei, leading several daughters-in-law and grandchildren, wailed and sobbed at home to the point of not being able to eat peacefully; the things they said were really ugly.


    Qiao Zhicai, living far away, was the subject of scolding in every other sentence they spoke.


    As the senior, others couldn¡¯t deal with Wang Mei, but the old lady grabbed a stick and went to hit Wang Mei, only to end up in a scuffle with her that resulted in Granny Qiao being pushed down and striking the back of her head.


    Though there were no serious issues when she was taken to the hospital, both the old man and Granny were already in poor health, and this incident left her lying on the kang unable to get up.


    Wang Mei made trouble every single day.


    No one could handle her.


    Those daughters-in-law were no easy characters either.


    If the three thousand yuan was due from the old properties, let them pay¡ªhow were they supposed to come up with the money? So they continued to press the elderly couple and would not let go.

 Chapter 366 - 366 366 Uncle Qiao Values Brotherly Affection

    ?Chapter 366: Chapter 366: Uncle Qiao Values Brotherly Affection Too Much Chapter 366: Chapter 366: Uncle Qiao Values Brotherly Affection Too Much Then someone came up with the idea, and Qiao Zhihai¡¯s eldest son called Qiao Zhicai.


    He asked him to speak to his father-in-law, urging him to get Qiao Zhihai released quickly. That was his own brother, after all, who was surely suffering inside. He also implored him to plead for a waiver of the money, considering Wu Xiucai was an influential figure and it could all be sorted with just a word from him.


    But Qiao Zhicai flatly refused.


    Qiao Zhicai was fuming with anger, too. It was too shameful. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to ask his father-in-law about such matters.


    Yet he couldn¡¯t just watch idly as his brother remained locked up.


    He sent them three thousand yuan.


    But the money was given to Qiao Zhiyuan.


    Qiao Zhiyuan then returned the money to Qiao Zhicai.


    He could afford three thousand yuan; he just didn¡¯t want to pay it.


    But unless the money was paid, they wouldn¡¯t release Qiao Zhihai. For some reason, this time they showed no consideration at all.


    Wang Mei was even more troublesome, suggesting that all her grandchildren stop going to school to beg their great-grandfather and great-grandmother at home.


    Originally, the old couple¡¯s health had improved a bit after returning from the hospital, but this stress made their illness flare up considerably.


    Old Lady Qiao honestly didn¡¯t have a single penny left.


    But this was her own son. The eldest had worried enough already; over the years, he finished helping the second and then the third, and he often looked after the eldest sister from Hejia Village as well.


    Being the eldest, sometimes he even took on the responsibilities of those two old fools.


    He never got the credit for the good, but whenever there was trouble, they thought of him.


    Her eldest was so unfortunate, burdened with incompetent parents.


    Old Lady Qiao was also feeling aggrieved.


    She forced Wang Mei to write an IOU.


    Wang Mei did write it, but as soon as she got her hands on it, she had her three daughters-in-law snatch it back and then tear it up and swallow it.


    They were really going for broke.


    Qiao Zhihai came back, and the Old Man Qiao and Old Lady Qiao drove both him and his wife out.


    Somehow, Qiao Zhihai ended up resenting Qiao Zhicai. Standing in the courtyard, he cursed Qiao Zhicai in front of the old lady and old man, accusing him of leaving him for dead with unspeakable vitriol.


    Qiao Genbao happened to overhear this. Brooding with anger these past days, he thought, why should the whole Qiao Family have to fret because of Qiao Zhihai¡¯s blunder?


    The most disgusting part was that his family felt it was their due.


    Not a trace of guilt, instead they cursed the old man and old lady for being heartless and cursed Qiao Zhicai for being utterly ruthless.


    Qiao Genbao couldn¡¯t tolerate this, especially hearing it firsthand. He flew into a rage and started fighting with his uncle.


    Qiao Zhihai ended up lying on the ground, unable to get up, and then someone went to find Wang Mei.


    Wang Guihua came with her son and daughters-in-law and took Qiao Zhi to the hospital, complaining of chest pain and a headache.


    These two ailments were difficult to diagnose definitively; the machines showed nothing wrong, and the doctors found no issues, but the patient complained of chest pain and headaches, agonizing over it. The doctors couldn¡¯t outright say there was nothing wrong if it was just an act, so they had no choice but to recommend hospital observation.


    Qiao Genbao realized that this was the result of his impulsive actions and resignedly handed over one thousand yuan.


    Qiao Zhicai and the others still didn¡¯t know about this incident.


    Nor did they tell them.


    If Mr. Wu ever found out, it would be utterly embarrassing.


    Last week, Qiao Zhihai was discharged from the hospital, having gained over ten pounds.


    Now they¡¯re staying at his eldest son¡¯s house.


    A few days ago, the villagers approached him, saying they had set up a construction team and wanted him to help manage it.


    Then, Qiao Zhihai went to the county town.


    Wang Mei acted as if the people at the old residence couldn¡¯t do anything to her.


    She¡¯d come over every few days to say some cutting remarks.


    She didn¡¯t hit anyone, didn¡¯t curse anyone, didn¡¯t cause a scene.


    She just disgusted people.


    What to do?


    Old Lady Qiao could neither hit her nor scold her anymore, and on top of that, her skin was thick; you could curse her to leave, and she¡¯d just giggle.


    If Wang Guihua steamed a pot of buns, she would unapologetically grab a few and leave.


    Never mentioning the three thousand yuan Qiao Zhiyuan borrowed or the coffin savings that the old man and old lady had lost.


    It¡¯s as if all of it was owed to her.


    So how could Old Lady Qiao and Old Man Qiao¡¯s illness get better?


    After finishing her tale, Old Lady Qiao cried, ¡°I must have sinned, having birthed such a scourge, married off to another scourge, and now they all band together. I didn¡¯t bring them up well.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu thought of Uncle Qiao Zhihai, who had three sons, and together with grandchildren, there were ten of them.


    The youngest was just learning to walk, the eldest granddaughter turned sixteen this year.


    Some were still in school.


    Even if her memory was clear, to be honest, she sometimes really couldn¡¯t tell who was who.


    Only her own household was simple because her own dad married late.


    There were sixteen grandkids from her eldest aunt¡¯s family and twelve from Uncle Qiao¡¯s family.


    Adding Uncle Qiao Zhihai¡¯s, that made thirty-eight people.


    She didn¡¯t even know the names of the little ones; if they ran around on the streets, Qiao Qingyu wouldn¡¯t know whose kids they were.


    Especially the newest additions in her eldest aunt¡¯s family; some, Qiao Qingyu had only seen once, and others, she saw maybe at three or four years old, then blinked, and they were off to primary school.


    If you say the Qiao Family is thriving with descendants, that¡¯s true.


    But troubles are greater, especially with Qiao Zhihai and Wang Mei as a couple.


    Indeed, it¡¯s worrisome, no family would find it easy to handle.


    It¡¯s not something you can just spend money to get rid of, nor can you sever the relationship with just a beating.


    So Qiao Qingyu really had no good solution at present.


    All she could do was to comfort Old Man Qiao and Old Lady Qiao, ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, you two must take good care of yourselves. Mom said, she¡¯ll take you both to Yun City in the autumn for a visit.¡±


    Old Lady Qiao smiled bitterly and waved her hand, ¡°Your mother mentioned it over the phone during New Year¡¯s. We couldn¡¯t possibly go. Going would just be a burden to your dad and your mom.¡±


    They couldn¡¯t go to Yun City; if they did, the second son¡¯s family would definitely clamor to follow, so they simply chose not to go.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°That¡¯s why you need to keep yourselves in good health. After a tour in Yun City, you can also go to Beijing, then you could even go to Xichuan...¡±


    They exchanged glances, not knowing if they would live to see that day, but they couldn¡¯t express this to Qiao Qingyu, lest they scare the child.


    So they smiled and agreed. Qiao Qingyu knew very well that these two couldn¡¯t just forget their worries in a few words. If that were the case, they wouldn¡¯t be considered elders or seniors.


    Qiao Qingyu chatted with Old Man Qiao and Old Lady Qiao for a while, then consoled Uncle Qiao¡¯s wife. Her heart also went out to Wang Guihua. To tell the truth, things were now the same with Uncle Qiao as with the other siblings¡¯ parents.


    The old were unwell and not up to the tasks required; everything fell on him, and it was an exhausting thankless job.


    So where exactly was the problem?


    The problem was that Uncle Qiao valued the bonds of brotherhood and blood too much.


    Qiao Zhihai, as well as Qiao Zhicai, always had the expectation that Qiao Zhiyuan could shield them from the wind and rain.


    Those who were grateful were fine, but the ungrateful ones, like the Qiao Family¡¯s second son, felt entitled or indebted, and if things weren¡¯t to their liking, they could harbor resentment for a lifetime.

 Chapter 367 - 367 367 Unbelievable Concept

    ?Chapter 367: Chapter 367: Unbelievable Concept Chapter 367: Chapter 367: Unbelievable Concept Moreover, Qiao Zhihai and Wang Mei, this couple, always spoke negatively at home, and their sons were inevitably influenced by it.


    Moreover, why did Qiao Family¡¯s second son dare to do so?


    It was because he was sure of himself, knowing that even if he were to poke a hole in the sky now, the Qiao Family would definitely help him patch it up.


    This included his father, Qiao Zhicai.


    And he was the main person involved.


    Qiao Qingyu stood in the courtyard. At this time, her uncle who had received the letter had already pushed the door open and entered. Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°Uncle, how come you are back? Isn¡¯t it very busy at harvest?¡±


    ¡°I heard that you had come home, and I had to come back to see you. Speaking of which, your Uncle Sun knows you are back too. He said he would come tomorrow to see you and has some matters to discuss with you in person.¡±


    Uncle Sun referred to Vice Director Sun. Qiao Qingyu guessed it was probably about the Qiao Family Team¡¯s seed base and the rice crops.


    She smiled and agreed, then pointed at the pile of red bricks and asked, ¡°Uncle, are these bricks for building a house?¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan nodded, ¡°Planning to renovate this house after the harvest this summer.¡±


    The east and west wing rooms were just left as they were.


    But the main house needed to be rebuilt.


    Shengbao wasn¡¯t young anymore. He was the youngest son and would be of age to get married in a couple of years. There were quite a few people proposing for him now. The money he earned himself was actually enough to build a house and marry a wife, but as parents, they could not just do nothing.


    So they decided to rebuild the main house, changing the roof from straw to tiles, which would lessen their suffering from wind and rain.


    And later, they planned to build a separate house for Qiao Shengbao.


    But Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°Uncle, if you trust me, don¡¯t build the house just yet.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan paused and asked, ¡°Why not build the house?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t be absolutely certain, but the basic trend was as she envisioned, unless it was the end of the world, which nobody could handle.


    ¡°Uncle, let me tell you, my initial idea is like this...¡±


    Soon, Qiao Qingyu shared her preliminary thoughts about the Qiao Family Team with Qiao Zhiyuan.


    As Qiao Qingyu spoke, Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes widened, and he looked at her in disbelief.


    After Qiao Qingyu finished, he took a long time to come back to reality and then murmured, ¡°Qingyu, is what you said really true? This sounds like something out of a movie. Is it feasible?¡±


    The village roads would be straight and wide, every household living in a two-story western-style building, centralized heating, and access to tap water...


    He even felt his niece was spouting nonsense with her eyes open.


    How could this be possible?


    Not to mention the Qiao Family Team or the Harvest Commune, even the entire Ning¡¯an County couldn¡¯t achieve it.


    ¡°Uncle, believe me, since I¡¯ve said this, we have a plan to follow, but it needs two to three years...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about two or three years, even if it could be done thirty years later, it would be a dream come true.¡±


    When Qiao Zhiyuan regained his senses, he sighed and said, ¡°Qingyu, I know you want what¡¯s best for the Qiao Family Team, but this isn¡¯t easy, it¡¯s tremendously difficult, nearly impossible.¡±


    First of all, where would the money come from?


    Building wide cement roads and then constructing a two-story building for each family, plus a central heating boiler room¡ªmy god, how much would that cost?


    Even if their seed base could now sell seeds at a high price, but still, he¡¯s a farmer, an old farmer who has worked with the land his whole life. He knew that seed prices couldn¡¯t go that high, how could they sell like gold?


    So, this was impractical.


    But the child had such beautiful ideas, he couldn¡¯t dampen her spirits.


    He continued, ¡°No hurry, let¡¯s take it slowly. Look at our last few New Years, we struggled to have a meal of dumplings, but look at this New Year, every household had not just dumplings but tables filled with chicken, duck, and fish.¡±


    On the side, the always quiet Qiao Shengbao shifted his eyes. He always felt his cousin wasn¡¯t speaking nonsense or bragging.


    But even he, who had seen the world, felt it was unlikely.


    He added, ¡°Indeed, life changes day by day. The first time I went to Nangang City and then the second time, and this last time I went, right next to the wholesale market, there were more than a dozen high-rise buildings...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu knew these two didn¡¯t believe her, and she also knew that after speaking out, no one would believe her.


    However, perhaps some people would believe, thinking this was money arranged by Wu Xiucai.


    But impossible, why would Wu Xiucai donate money for Qiao Family Team to fix roads and build villas? That¡¯s a joke.


    Qiao Qingyu just smiled and then shifted the topic to inquire about Qiao Zhihai¡¯s situation.


    ¡°Uncle, do you know the contracting team in the county city? How come they suddenly asked my second uncle to manage things?¡±


    ¡°The head of the contracting team came from our village, just established last year. They build houses in the city, it¡¯s Li Erguai¡¯s son, Li Tie.¡±


    The Qiao Family Team also had many non-Qiao surnames, with Qiaos now only making up a small half.


    To be frank, for the north, this number is already quite large; the north was originally settled by pioneers from various places, often with mixed surnames.


    There¡¯s also a part where an entire family migrated, just like the Qiao Family Team, their original home was indeed in Shanhai City.


    Qiao Qingyu thought about it, her second uncle didn¡¯t seem to have any special relation with Li Tie.


    ¡°Uncle, when did my second uncle become so close with Li Tie?¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan just scoffed, ¡°Close? It¡¯s all just opportunism.¡±


    Since the uncle saw clearly, Qiao Qingyu felt a bit relieved but still reminded her uncle, ¡°Uncle, be careful. There¡¯s no gain without reason. Why would Li Tie ask my second uncle to manage things for him out of the blue? My second uncle neither has the education nor the character, and he just got out. There¡¯s no reason to use him from any angle, honestly, it must be targeting either you or my grandfather.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan bitterly smiled, ¡°What could it be targeting me for? I¡¯m just a team leader. At the end of the day, it¡¯s definitely targeting your grandfather.¡±


    He then resentfully continued, ¡°Your second uncle has changed, just like a toad.¡±


    At this moment, a sharp voice suddenly echoed from outside the gate, ¡°Why are you bad-mouthing him behind his back, big brother, what did my man do to deserve this treatment from you?¡±


    It was Wang Mei.


    The few people in the courtyard simultaneously frowned.


    Then Wang Mei pushed the door and entered, strutting around the courtyard, her gaze finally landing on Qiao Qingyu.

 Chapter 368 - 368 368 Bullying the Weak Fearing the Strong

    ?Chapter 368: Chapter 368: Bullying the Weak, Fearing the Strong Chapter 368: Chapter 368: Bullying the Weak, Fearing the Strong ¡°But for some reason,¡± she didn¡¯t dare meet Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes and instead exaggeratedly exclaimed, ¡°Oh my, Qingyu is back! If it weren¡¯t for the villagers telling me, I wouldn¡¯t have known you had returned.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at her indifferently, a smile curling at the corner of her mouth before she spoke, ¡°Auntie, it¡¯s been only a few months, and you¡¯ve got a golden bracelet now?¡±


    As soon as Qiao Qingyu finished her sentence, several people in the courtyard looked at her wrist and saw it, indeed, glistening with gold, before she quickly tucked it inside her sleeve. Wang Mei pursed her lips and said nonchalantly, ¡°What, is it only permissible for you to wear gold and silver but forbidden for me to have a golden bracelet?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say it¡¯s forbidden. I was just wondering, Auntie, you seem different nowadays, have you struck it rich?¡± Qiao Qingyu continued with a beaming smile.


    Wang Guihua was seething with anger, her teeth practically grinding as she hissed, ¡°Wang Mei you heartless creature, you have money to buy a golden bracelet but no money to repay me? Did our money come from the wind?¡±


    ¡°This golden bracelet wasn¡¯t bought, it was gifted to me.¡±


    Rolling her eyes, Wang Mei said carelessly, ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not me who owes the debt, it¡¯s Qiao Zhihai. Qiao Zhihai is one of the Old Qiao Family, right? Wanting money from me, what are you thinking?¡±


    In truth, Wang Guihua was also a fierce woman. No one dared to provoke her when she was young and even now, in her fifties, she was much the same.


    But Wang Mei had angered her so much that she was left speechless.


    Old Lady Qiao thrust open the window and shouted with all her might, ¡°Wang Mei, get out, just get out of here!¡±


    Far from leaving, Wang Mei walked towards the house instead, saying, ¡°Qingyu has come back, what did you buy? There must be something for me, your Auntie, right?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu moved swiftly, blocking her path in an instant, her hand gripping Wang Mei¡¯s wrist. Smiling insincerely, she said, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m sorry, but there really is nothing for you. In fact, there¡¯s nothing for anyone from your family.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Wang Mei¡¯s face darkened, her shrill voice about to erupt...


    Disgusted, Qiao Qingyu sidestepped her, truly nauseated. How did the Old Qiao Family ever get saddled with such a piece of work?


    ¡°Just because there isn¡¯t. Try to take anything, and I¡¯ll call the police right away and accuse you of burglary.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare?¡± Wang Mei shouted, hands on hips.


    Qiao Qingyu opened the door, speaking leisurely, ¡°Auntie, before the law, everyone is equal. If you don¡¯t believe it, you¡¯re welcome to try, and see if I can get you thrown in jail. Of course, if my uncle gets locked up, someone will get him out, but if you get locked up, I doubt anyone would do the same for you.¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, what do you mean by that?¡±


    Wang Mei truly wanted to curse Qiao Qingyu out, but she didn¡¯t dare to use foul language.


    ¡°No particular meaning, Auntie. If you don¡¯t believe me, just try it. Let me tell you, I bought a lot of stuff for the family, just nothing for you, including your son and daughter-in-law, as well as your grandsons and granddaughters¡ªnothing at all!¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you buy anything for me?¡± Wang Mei, fuming, her face turned an ashen hue.


    Her expression chilling instantly, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s voice laced with sarcasm, ¡°Why? You know why. Don¡¯t assume just because you¡¯re Qiao Zhihai¡¯s wife, you can throw your weight around. Just try to provoke me and see, I won¡¯t indulge you like the others!¡±


    Wang Mei¡¯s eyes flickered. To be honest, it was the first time she had seen this side of Qiao Qingyu, who seemed cold through and through.


    She wasn¡¯t afraid when the Old Lady scolded her, nor when the old man did. Even when Uncle Qiao and his wife scolded her, she remained unafraid.


    Because she knew they were all from the same family, she could strut around without fear, for even if they disliked her, they still treated her like one of the Qiao Family.


    But Qiao Qingyu before her now didn¡¯t seem to regard her as family at all.


    Her icy look was startling, causing a twinge of fear.


    Subconsciously, she took a couple of steps back, her eyes greedily glancing outside the window at the goods piled on the kang inside.


    She opened her mouth, pointing at Qiao Qingyu...


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t give Wang Mei a chance to speak, ¡°Second Aunt, this is the first time I¡¯ve returned to the Qiao Family Team since I got married, and you probably know what has happened. I advise you not to let disaster come from your mouth.¡±


    ¡°You, you, you...¡± Wang Mei pointed her finger at Qiao Qingyu, and after three ¡°yous,¡± she glared at her fiercely, then turned around and walked towards the yard¡¯s exit. In the end, she didn¡¯t dare to utter the curse, mumbling something under her breath that no one else could make out.


    Qiao Shengbao¡¯s eyes shone brightly as he quickly darted in front of Qiao Qingyu, sizing her up, ¡°Qingyu, you¡¯re impressive. Second Aunt has become such a nuisance nowadays, and everybody avoids her because she¡¯s too much trouble. Yet you managed to scare her off, you¡¯re amazing!¡±


    He even gave her a thumbs-up as he spoke.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, but she didn¡¯t tell the people in front of her that Wang Mei was afraid of her because Wang Mei knew that Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t regard her as family and could turn against her at any moment.


    But these people in front of her, even if they all had the same nature, still believed in their hearts that they were family.


    Otherwise, given Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s capability, he would have dealt with Qiao Zhihai and Wang Mei long ago.


    That was their biggest flaw.


    Yet it was also the most precious quality they possessed.


    This was also the reason why Qiao Qingyu admired them so much.


    Take the original Qiao Qingyu, for instance, who also had a problematic past, but these people still treated her as one of the family, lovingly doting on her as the only girl in the generation.


    And with a single phone call from her, Uncle Qiao came to Xichuan without hesitation, bringing a car and people.


    They gave her money, brought her so much food, and when she said she needed black soil, they brought her five sacks.


    It was that start which led to everything that followed.


    Deep down, she was grateful to Qiao Zhiyuan and the whole family.


    ¡°... Second Aunt bullies the weak and fears the strong; your hearts are too soft,¡± said Qiao Qingyu, before she continued, ¡°I need to head back, my brother and sister-in-law still don¡¯t know I¡¯ve returned to the Qiao Family Team.¡±


    Then Qiao Shengbao, carrying the handbag, accompanied Qiao Qingyu back home.


    Uncle Qiao talked to his parents for a bit before telling his wife, ¡°What Qingyu said was out of anger, but instead of giving anything to those two, let¡¯s give some candy and cookies to the little ones.¡±


    Wang Guihua glared fiercely at her own husband; after a lifetime together, she knew exactly what he was like.


    To be honest, if she had known back then what kind of person he was, she wouldn¡¯t have married into this family.


    But then again, among her sisters, she had the most comfortable life.


    Kind in-laws, a considerate husband, a filial son...


    Life is such, always so helplessly imperfect, never completely flawless.


    By the time Qiao Qingyu and Qiao Shengbao arrived at their own front door, the elder sister-in-law was gasping for breath as she hurried back from afar with a hoe on her shoulder.


    Now that their household registration was with the Qiao Family Team, naturally, they had their own land.


    As long as they stayed, they had to work the land, and they couldn¡¯t afford the luxury of paying to lease it all out.


    But at least now, they worked the land for themselves.

 Chapter 369 - 369 369 Inviting Professor Wang

    ?Chapter 369: Chapter 369: Inviting Professor Wang Chapter 369: Chapter 369: Inviting Professor Wang Knowing that Qiao Qingyu had finished her meal, the Qiao Family¡¯s eldest sister-in-law began preparing for the evening meal.


    Qiao Qingyu opened her bag and placed the things she had bought on the bed, ¡°Eldest sister-in-law, this is the woolen sweater I bought for you; this one is for my eldest brother, and the rest are for Doudou and Feifei.¡±


    She then took out a jujube red sweater, ¡°This is for my Aunt Niu.¡±


    Although Aunt Niu somewhat favored boys over girls, overall, she was good to Niu Guili. When times were tough at home, the elder sister-in-law often helped out by bringing things from her family home.


    To tell the truth, buying something for her mother-in-law delighted her more than buying something for herself.


    Niu Guili rubbed her hands; when she had come back, her mother-in-law had brought her a big bag of things, including a red woolen sweater and red leather shoes for her sister.


    Since her sister was getting married in the fall.


    But she hadn¡¯t expected that Qiao Qingyu would also buy something for her mother, and she felt deeply moved and warm inside.


    ¡°Eldest sister-in-law, I¡¯m going out for a walk, and I¡¯ll pick up Doudou and Feifei when school lets out.¡±


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu first went to the team headquarters on her bicycle.


    Then Accountant Zhang enthusiastically took her to the big field.


    The Qiao Family Team was the largest team in the Harvest Commune, comprising eight smaller teams with nearly five hundred households and a population close to three thousand people.


    The Qiao Family Team¡¯s location was ideally situated near mountains and rivers.


    However, it wasn¡¯t mountainous; upstream by the riverbank was an endless expanse of fields.


    The land in the north was like that, unlike the Northwest with its gullies and slopes.


    The horizon was extraordinarily wide, visible in the distance.


    The soil color was dark, and clenching a handful felt almost oily.


    Along the way, Qiao Qingyu patiently listened as Accountant Zhang introduced the major crops cultivated by the Harvest Commune and Qiao Family Team this year.


    Now, Ning¡¯an County had already made corn its primary crop, and this year, North City had been designated as one of the main production areas for corn.


    The second economic crop was soybeans, this time using the most original soybean seeds from Qingyu¡¯s laboratory.


    The same went for rice and wheat.


    Since it was a seed base, it had significant advantages in this area.


    Although it was Qiao Qingyu¡¯s first time operating, she had He Xiuyu to analyze situations and plan for her; she basically knew people involved in agriculture and, supported by Tenghai Research, she managed to achieve more with less effort.


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu, the people in the village greeted her warmly and with smiles.


    It was now a combination of mechanization and manpower.


    Corn, wheat, and soybeans, for the Qiao Family Team, carried a wealth of planting experience.


    Qiao Qingyu stood by without pointing fingers; she was an outsider, mainly there to check on the rice.


    Accountant Zhang led Qiao Qingyu to this rice paddy, situated next to the third small team by a small mountain spring.


    There were several patches of unevenly sized puddles, surrounded by wild grass, harboring several wheat spike fish. When she was small, Qiao Qingyu and her elder brother often came here to catch fish.


    Wheat spike fish made into fish sauce, cornbread stuck around the edge of a big iron pot; it was incredibly fragrant, albeit lavish in oil and grain, and thus, not something frugal families would indulge in.


    Since this area was now used for experimental fields, there was no fishing.


    In previous years, when spring began, idlers would come here to catch small mixed fish, and even if there was less oil, adding more homemade soybean paste made it just as good.


    Now, this area encompassed five hundred acres.


    Currently, the rice was still in the seedling breeding stage, and transplanting required the local temperature to stabilize above 13 degrees Celsius, with the surface temperature reaching 14 degrees Celsius before beginning transplantation.


    The North in March still held the chill of early spring.


    The general temperature was still below zero.


    Planting rice would not commence until early May at the earliest.


    If there were no natural or man-made disasters, the rice produced in the laboratory could yield 1,000 kilograms per acre.


    This was the seed base, striving to make North City the highest rice-producing area in the nation within three years.


    In three years, it was estimated that rice would be as common in every household as corn.


    Qiao Qingyu had just turned around when Vice Director Sun arrived at Qiao Family Team on a tractor.


    He did not even wait until tomorrow.


    These days, he was constantly anxious, yet he dared not speak to anyone about it.


    He knew well how the commune¡¯s corn was doing this year; wheat and soybeans were not an issue, but rice was.


    Including Qiao Family Team¡¯s 500 acres, the Commune had planted nearly 10,000 acres of rice this year.


    If it succeeded, they would be transformed, but if it failed, he would be unable to continue as vice director.


    Many people in the commune suggested only experimenting with Qiao Family Team¡ªsucceeding would mean risk-free widespread adoption next year, and if it failed, wouldn¡¯t it also minimize the loss?


    But the rice seedlings had already been cultivated.


    The funds were even allocated by the county.


    It was a lot of money, an amount he had never seen in his lifetime; he couldn¡¯t atone for it even with his death if it didn¡¯t bring returns.


    So Qiao Qingyu saw that Uncle Sun, who should¡¯ve been vigorous, had become so thin.


    Uncle Sun couldn¡¯t share his worries with Qiao Qingyu, or else, next time a new variety came up, Qiao Qingyu certainly wouldn¡¯t think of him first.


    Experiments were inherently risky.


    Not wanting to achieve results, one might as well follow others and scrape by.


    To lead, risks must be taken; this was normal.


    Qiao Qingyu followed Vice Director Sun to the seedling cultivation base.


    The seedlings had sprouted, lush and promising.


    Qiao Qingyu was not worried, truly.


    The North was vast, with fertile land.


    There¡¯s a saying about the soil in the North, ¡°Stick a chopstick in the ground and it will sprout,¡± which speaks volumes about the fertility of the soil.


    Moreover, with seeds cultivated and improved in the Space Laboratory, unless there was a disaster, there was almost zero chance of a total crop failure.


    But clearly, once the groundwork had been laid, Uncle Sun couldn¡¯t help but worry.


    After some thought, Qiao Qingyu said to Vice Director Sun, ¡°I¡¯ll give Professor Wang a call and see if he has time to come guide us.¡±


    Vice Director Sun¡¯s eyes lit up immediately, and he clapped his hands together, ¡°Professor Wang is an expert on rice. It would be wonderful if he could come see our site, but... I wonder if he could make it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try,¡± Qiao Qingyu said without committing.


    She went to make the call, while Vice Director Sun nervously paced at the office doorway, hoping that if Professor Wang could come to guide them, part of the worry lodged in his throat would be alleviated.


    Unexpectedly, Professor Wang readily agreed, stating he would conveniently stop by North City tomorrow as there was a car headed that way.


    According to the travel itinerary, he would arrive early the day after tomorrow. Vice Director Sun happily made calls to the county.


    He then repeatedly thanked Qiao Qingyu.


    But inwardly, he couldn¡¯t help but admire her connections; despite Qiao Qingyu¡¯s young age, she had wide-reaching connections¡ªit really was as simple as making a call for her.

 Chapter 370 - 370 370 Seed Production Base Reward and

    ?Chapter 370: Chapter 370: Seed Production Base Reward and Support Chapter 370: Chapter 370: Seed Production Base Reward and Support Qiao Qingyu hurriedly said, ¡°Vice Director Sun, the main reason is that Professor Wang is very interested in your site. Even if I didn¡¯t make this call, as long as you have any requests, they would have come.¡±


    ¡°Still, we should be thankful, everyone must be thankful...¡± This time, Vice Director Sun¡¯s smile seemed much more relaxed.


    Then, Qiao Qingyu shared her plan with Vice Director Sun. Without proper operation, the Qiao Family Team, as a seed base, actually wouldn¡¯t have any significant advantages.


    Therefore, Qiao Qingyu was preparing to sign an original seed breeding cooperation agreement with the Qiao Family Team.


    In the name of Tenghai Research Agricultural Base, also including her Original Seed Laboratory.


    Within the range of feasibility, there could be a lot of vegetables and crops to be planted on this land, including even fruit trees and flowers...


    Nothing is set in stone, there is no must in anything.


    Science is always developing and making progress through continuous exploration.


    Hence, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s plan was also completed with the help of He Xiuyu and Professor Feng.


    The main purpose of this visit was also for this matter.


    Not to mention Vice Director Sun, even Uncle Qiao completely set his mind at ease, for those who spend their years in the fields all know that just a few types of seeds won¡¯t create any spectacle. Only by continuously leading can one maintain a competitive advantage.


    Qiao Qingyu brought along the introduction letter, contract agreement, and the official seal.


    Then she decisively signed the cooperation agreement, and what was left was to have the seed station of the provincial city and the county party committee, as well as the county Agricultural Department, to stamp it.


    These were all easy to handle, as everything Qiao Qingyu was doing here had the strong support of Old He from the provincial Agricultural Station.


    Qiao Qingyu would definitely go to the provincial city herself to pick up Professor Wang and before heading to the station, she also picked up Station Head Old He from the provincial Agricultural Station.


    Professor Wang brought two students and two technicians, and Old He had been wanting to visit Harvest Commune anyway. Upon hearing that Professor Wang was also coming, he naturally accompanied them to Harvest Commune.


    With so many people arriving at Harvest Commune and at the Qiao Family Team, followed by a large group of technicians who had already been providing guidance there.


    Thus, Vice Director Sun felt much more at ease in his heart. Of course, there were still worries. Sometimes, you depended on heaven for food; disasters, whether drought or pestilence, could ruin everything. All these factors had to be taken into account, but this year it should be fine.


    The conditions for natural disasters were not present.


    Last year¡¯s snow was heavy, and this year the spring winds were gentle, and the air was not dry.


    The Southern region was also enjoying favorable winds and rain.


    So this year should be a good year.


    Professor Wang stayed for three days, focusing only on rice. He provided thorough and meticulous guidance on the growth of the rice seedlings and left his phone number for further contact.


    With the planting arranged properly, Uncle Qiao smacked his lips and exchanged a glance with Vice Director Sun, then looked at Qiao Qingyu. Qiao Zhiyuan smiled contentedly, ¡°Qingyu, from now on, whatever we should do, you at Tenghai dictate that.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was shocked and widened her eyes, ¡°Uncle, surely you haven¡¯t just realized that, right? Ah, all the black and white signatures have been completed; if you think of backing out now, it¡¯s going to be very troublesome.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words were half-joking, half-serious.


    But to tell the truth, she was also somewhat worried that her uncle, due to his concern for her, had not taken things to heart.


    Vice Director Sun also understood in his heart; he was no fool. Everyone knew the value of relying on the Tenghai Research Base¡ªonly benefits, no disadvantages. Especially with Qiao Qingyu involved.


    If it were the old Qiao Qingyu, he would have had no trust in her.


    But now, he truly trusted her.


    If she said go east, they would go east. If she said head west, they would head west. If Qiao Qingyu said to plant rice, even if they were not fully confident internally, they decided to take the risk and plant the rice.


    This was a kind of valuable trust.


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu successfully signed the agreement with the Qiao Family Team, but now, there were even more things to be done.


    However, as Professor Wang was leaving, Qiao Qingyu went to the station to see him off. While waiting for the train, Professor Wang suddenly remembered something and thoughtfully said, ¡°Qingyu, I¡¯ve heard that the state also provides financial rewards and support for seed base development on a large scale.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was stunned for a moment; she really didn¡¯t know about this.


    After seeing off Professor Wang, she immediately called Qin Duo from the Agricultural Department.


    It was no surprise to Qin Duo. Nowadays, Qiao Qingyu was making rounds in the agricultural sector. She would have found out about this sooner or later, and she somewhat regretted not telling Qiao Qingyu earlier.


    But she didn¡¯t know about the agreement between Qiao Qingyu and the Qiao Family Team.


    After all, Xichuan did not have such conditions.


    But the North could, and the department was planning to allocate five seed breeding base quotas to the North.


    Especially this year, rice had been put on the main agenda.


    Qin Duo pondered for a moment and then said, ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary clerk in the department. If there is such support, it must have just been introduced. Let me find out for you.¡±


    ¡°Qin Duo, I can¡¯t thank you enough.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to thank me for? We¡¯re friends now, aren¡¯t we? Give me your phone number, and I¡¯ll call you when I get any solid news.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu gave Qin Duo the phone number for the Qiao Family Team.


    After hanging up, Qiao Qingyu quietly told Uncle Qiao Zhiyuan the news.


    Uncle Qiao Zhiyuan was thrilled.


    ¡°Qingyu, if this is true, could we possibly apply for it?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily. It depends on the specific regulations, and surely there will be requirements from above.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s normal to have requirements. We¡¯ve been busy on the land all our lives, and now with technicians and experts for guidance, focusing on scientific farming, we can surely meet them. Taking care of these crops, we¡¯ll do whatever we¡¯re told. Coupled with our own experience, as long as we don¡¯t encounter a major hail, we can definitely meet all the criteria from above.¡±


    Then he added proudly, ¡°Qingyu, in the five hundred acres of maize experimental fields, the seed survival rate from the Qiao Family Team currently ranks first in the whole province.¡±


    This was the testimony of their hard work.


    Naturally, Qiao Qingyu was aware. She was not worried at all about planting; her uncle was a man of action, and so was Uncle Sun.


    Therefore, she was also willing to provide them with an even better future.


    Still, she cautioned, ¡°Uncle, I¡¯ve only told you about this so far. Let¡¯s not tell Uncle Sun for now.¡±


    ¡°I understand, I understand. Although it¡¯s good news, we may not get a chance. We¡¯re quite remote here. It¡¯s not certain whether they will find us appealing.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true. Although North City is remote, it all depends on where it¡¯s located.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan nodded in agreement, ¡°Our family¡¯s land is fertile, which really is unique compared to other places.¡±

 Chapter 371 - 371 371 Confused

    ?Chapter 371: Chapter 371: Confused Chapter 371: Chapter 371: Confused ¡°Uncle, these past few days, someone has to stay at the team office during work hours,¡± Qiao Qingyu repeated her instructions.


    ¡°No problem,¡± Qiao Zhiyuan glanced at the time and hurriedly said, ¡°It¡¯s time for lunch, let¡¯s go home, your aunt said she made pickled cabbage dumplings for you.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, someone rushed in hastily. It was Qiao Shengbao, ¡°Dad, Qingyu, the dumplings are ready.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan arranged for the cashier to stay on duty, then headed home with Qiao Qingyu and Qiao Shengbao. Unexpectedly, they bumped into Qiao Zhihai halfway there.


    One should look at someone with new eyes after a mere three days¡¯ absence.


    Qiao Qingyu stopped in her tracks.


    He was clad in a cotton military coat with a wrinkled suit underneath, a cotton hat on his head, and a canvas bag tucked under his arm.


    He was even wearing sunglasses.


    Upon seeing Qiao Qingyu, he took off his sunglasses and said in a mocking tone, ¡°Well, well, isn¡¯t this the granddaughter of the rich man? Looks like someone¡¯s coming home in glory.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s face turned an angry steel blue. It was one thing for Qiao Zhihai to mock him, but to dare act sarcastic with the younger generation.


    What a despicable thing.


    Qiao Qingyu held back her uncle, who was about to kick Qiao Zhihai, and greeted him with a smile, ¡°Uncle, where have you come from?¡±


    Although Qiao Zhihai was over fifty, deep down he was still quite afraid of his big brother. He knew he was in the wrong, but he couldn¡¯t help it. He had lost money and had learned his lesson the hard way, and his elder brother and mother had worried and suffered enough because of it. But why were they so stubborn? If they had kept a tight hold on Qiao Zhicai, couldn¡¯t they have lived the good life?


    With these thoughts, Qiao Zhihai hurriedly put on a smile for Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qingyu, Uncle was just joking with you. Knowing you were coming home, I hurried back to see you...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled as well, ¡°I knew Uncle was just joking. Otherwise, why would you sarcastically pick on me out of the blue, right? Look, I¡¯ve done nothing to offend you. Every time I come back to the old house, I give candy to all the kids in your family, and every time I buy presents, I¡¯ve never missed your wife and my sisters-in-law.


    My mom¡¯s bracelet was stolen and sold by your wife, then it was divided with her own brother, and not a penny came to our family.


    The things my grandpa bought last time were enjoyed by your entire family, and the sweater your wife wears now was bought by my mom.


    So how could Uncle possibly be sarcastic with me?


    These past years, Uncle¡¯s family has helped us a lot, and I¡¯ve always remembered it well, so I also remember that growing up, I¡¯ve never eaten even a piece of candy from your wife. My mom has made so many pairs of shoes for your kids. We¡¯re not even talking about the effort involved, but your wife could at least have bought me a red hair tie, yet I haven¡¯t even received a piece of thread...¡±


    If these words were spoken by the elder or Qiao Zhiyuan, Qiao Zhihai would not have blushed. He would have been unconcerned. But when Qiao Qingyu, the junior, said them with a smile, Qiao Zhihai felt his face burning.


    Moreover, when Qiao Qingyu spoke, she usually didn¡¯t give people a chance to interrupt or rebut.


    Her delivery was neither too fast nor too slow, but you could only listen without any opportunity to interject.


    So, before Qiao Zhihai could say anything, Qiao Qingyu continued with feigned embarrassment, ¡°Uncle, please don¡¯t mention this conversation to my aunt or let my dad know. Although I think you¡¯re both selfish and stingy, what can I do? You¡¯re my uncle after all, and Wang Mei is my aunt...¡±


    Qiao Zhihai, ¡°...¡±


    You¡¯ve said all there is, good and bad. What more could I add?


    For the first time, he realized that his niece was quite formidable with words.


    ¡°By the way, I bought a lot of stuff this time, but I didn¡¯t get anything for you two. As for why, you¡¯re smart, Uncle; you surely understand, right?¡±


    ¡°...Qingyu, what are you trying to say?¡±


    Qiao Zhihai asked Qiao Qingyu, his face turning red with embarrassment.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled and gently changed the subject, ¡°Uncle, how come you¡¯re so clever, huh? Is it because you knew Qiao Family Team was going to build a concrete road and build villas for the villagers that you went to Uncle Li¡¯s construction crew?¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan narrowed his eyes.


    Qiao Zhihai¡¯s eyes widened in shock; he didn¡¯t think he heard clearly, ¡°...Qingyu...what did you just say? I didn¡¯t catch that...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu glanced to her front left, and then she stamped her foot in anger, ¡°Uncle, are you and Uncle Li working together to trap me into saying something?¡±


    This series of moves from Qiao Qingyu completely baffled Qiao Zhihai.


    Then, following the direction Qiao Qingyu had looked, he indeed saw Li Tie walking toward them.


    He was about to speak when Qiao Qingyu suddenly turned on him, rebuking him with a dark expression, ¡°Shut up!¡±


    This command startled Qiao Laoer.


    It left him feeling panicky.


    Afterwards, Qiao Qingyu softened her voice, ¡°Uncle, maybe Uncle Li is coming to see me.¡±


    Qiao Laoer did shut up, staring at Li Tie with an unusual look compared to his everyday demeanor.


    Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s gaze flickered, finding the situation both gratifying and amusing.


    He had always known his young niece was not one to be taken advantage of. She was smart as a child, did some foolish things during her rebellious phase when she grew a bit older, but now she had become quite formidable.


    Seeing her easily ridicule, mock and knock Qiao Zhihai down to the point where he wouldn¡¯t dare to make a peep made him feel a bit sorry for Qiao Zhihai. The man was foolish and dumb, always bullying his way around at home.


    Whoever indulged him, he would act like a rogue with them, just like a thankless wretch.


    So he really couldn¡¯t indulge him anymore.


    His niece had it right; if this continued unchecked, that family would end up being the greatest burden on the Qiao Family.


    This time, Qiao Zhiyuan had truly made up his mind.


    Soon after, Qiao Qingyu smiled as she watched Li Tie approaching quickly.


    Not far away, a young girl frowned as she looked their way.


    The weather in March was a bit cold. She wasn¡¯t wearing a hat, had her hair braided into two pigtails, and wore an ill-fitting cotton-padded jacket. Qiao Qingyu gave her a quick glance and then averted her eyes. She remembered, wasn¡¯t this Uncle¡¯s eldest granddaughter, Da Niu?


    Da Niu was coming from the direction of her home, probably out to look for her uncle.


    Then, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s attention returned to Li Tie.


    Since he was an elder, she had to greet him first, ¡°Uncle Li.¡±


    ¡°Ah, ah, Qingyu, when did you come back?¡± Li Tie asked with a tone of pleasant surprise.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been back for a few days. Uncle Li, did you just return from Ning¡¯an County?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, Qingyu, you¡¯re not an ordinary person now. Not just in Qiao Family Team, but even in the commune, in Ning¡¯an County, whenever your name comes up, everybody gives a thumbs up.¡±


    At this moment, Da Niu also lingered in her approach, standing not far from them, and happened to hear this comment. She curled her lips and huffed silently to herself.


    But at this moment, nobody paid her any attention.


    Before Qiao Qingyu could say anything, Li Tie continued enthusiastically, ¡°Qingyu, we all take pride in you. Nowadays, when someone mentions Qiao Family Team, we walk with our heads high outside. When doing business, people are willing to show us a friendly face.¡±

 Chapter 372 - 372 372 Losing Face in Public

    ?Chapter 372: Chapter 372: Losing Face in Public Chapter 372: Chapter 372: Losing Face in Public ¡°Uncle Li, you¡¯re being too polite now, don¡¯t sell yourself short, each person from our Qiao Family Team stands out wherever they go¡ªwho would dare look down on that?¡±


    ¡°Although you say that, without you, Qiao Qingyu, could our Qiao Family Team be where it is today?¡±


    ¡°Uncle Li, you keep throwing these high hats, is there something you need?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked, laughing.


    Li Tie¡¯s face was dark, and he was also wearing a military coat, which was pretty stylish those days.


    But standing in front of Qingyu, despite his tall stature, his smiling face couldn¡¯t help but look like he was trying to ingratiate someone.


    Qiao Zhihai couldn¡¯t help but feel uncomfortable.


    Normally, Old Li wasn¡¯t like this to him.


    His big brother was right; Li Tie came to him only because he had his eye on Qiao Qingyu and her grandfather.


    But he didn¡¯t think it was strange¡ªit was normal to curry favor with relatives in the eyes of others, right?


    Li Tie had a thick skin, perhaps his dark complexion concealed any blush.


    He spoke frankly, ¡°Qingyu, Uncle Li means every word. Nowadays, doing something outside isn¡¯t easy, it¡¯s so hard without someone to rely on.¡±


    Especially for country folks going into the city, the city dwellers look down on them; if you can¡¯t make a living with a skill, you might as well be begging.


    Qiao Zhiyuan interjected at the right moment, stomping his feet and asking, ¡°Old Li, have you had lunch?¡±


    Of course, Li Tie understood what the brigade leader meant and quickly replied, ¡°I won¡¯t hold you up any longer, I need to head home for lunch too.¡± Then he looked at Qiao Qingyu, ¡°I¡¯ve been in the village these past few days, Qingyu, when will you have time to come over to your uncle¡¯s house for a meal?¡±


    ¡°Uncle Li, I appreciate your kindness, but I¡¯m a bit busy recently, I¡¯ll come over when I have the time,¡± Qiao Qingyu declined with a smile.


    ¡°All right, all right,¡± Li Tie said, still grinning, then turned to Qiao Zhihai, ¡°Second brother, stay in the village for a few days; we¡¯ll go back together later.¡±


    Qiao Zhihai blinked and opened his mouth, mumbling and nodding, ¡°Sure... sure.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu walked home with her elder uncle, and Li Tie was, after all, an upfront person; he didn¡¯t hide his intention to please her.


    Her grandfather had once said, the world is full of people with insidious thoughts, but there was no need to draw a line against someone who honestly tells you they want to use your influence.


    But in reality, things aren¡¯t black and white, not every issue is clear-cut.


    And at this moment, Qiao Zhihai had shed his earlier sarcastic and pompous demeanor; his head was filled with what Qingyu told him about fixing roads and building villas.


    Even though he¡¯d been in this business for just over half a month, he really liked it and knew that it was lucrative when done right.


    So, he shamelessly followed Qiao Qingyu to the old house.


    He didn¡¯t expect to be chased out by Old Lady Qiao with a stick, who told him to come back when he repaid his debts.


    Naturally feeling guilty, Qiao Zhihai slunk away, and seeing Da Niu standing at the door, his irritation found its outlet as he snapped, ¡°Look at you, so timid, either go in or roll back home, don¡¯t stand here and disgrace me.¡±


    Da Niu had been sent by her grandmother to call her grandfather home for a meal and was unjustly scolded out of the blue. She felt so wronged and, without following him back, turned around the corner, crouched down, and began to sob softly.


    Qiao Qingyu happened to be standing in the courtyard when she heard someone crying to the west. She peered over the wall and, to her surprise, saw it was her second uncle¡¯s granddaughter Da Niu.


    It was quite cold outside, and the wind was blowing her tears, which hung on her face, making her cheeks a bright red as she rubbed them. Looking at her hands, they didn¡¯t resemble those of a sixteen-year-old girl at all. But to tell the truth, the hands of village girls who work in the fields rarely fare well; they¡¯re always cracked and extremely rough.


    Da Niu¡¯s hands were rough as well, rubbing her face red. When she saw Qiao Qingyu, she quickly stood up but then glared fiercely at her.


    Qiao Qingyu was puzzled. She and Da Niu hadn¡¯t played together much, and though she was a few years older, she was still an elder to her. Da Niu should be calling her ¡°little aunt.¡±


    ¡°You, child, why are you glaring at me? What have I done to provoke you? Also, this place is drafty. Why cry here? Do you not care about your face?¡±


    ¡°Why are you scolding me?¡±


    ¡°When did I scold you? Look at your face, it¡¯s all red. Hurry home and wash with warm water. Didn¡¯t I give your family a bottle of gallnut oil? Don¡¯t be reluctant to use it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your fake kindness here, and don¡¯t talk to me in that tone...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression grew somber, and she said coolly, ¡°Da Niu, don¡¯t be ungrateful!¡±


    Da Niu wiped her tears with her sleeve, quite forcefully, and still glared hard at Qiao Qingyu. Qiao Qingyu frowned and said, ¡°You¡¯re sixteen now. As the eldest granddaughter of your second uncle, you should start behaving like a proper young lady.¡±


    Da Niu¡¯s face turned red with anger, and she stomped her foot. ¡°Behaving? What kind of behavior? When you were sixteen, you were even worse than me. Don¡¯t think just because you have some clout now and everyone flatters you, you don¡¯t know what people say behind your back in the village?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression calmed, and she spoke gently, ¡°Da Niu, what do the villagers say about me?¡±


    ¡°What they say about you, you should know better than I do. Even when you were a year younger than me, you¡¯d run up to any good-looking educated youth, cling to their sleeves, and strike up a conversation. When they ignored you, you still pushed forward, and there was that Lan from Beijing. Despite him clearly having a partner, you just had to meddle...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was completely calm now, with a hint of contemplation in her brow. She didn¡¯t need to ask; she had already known about it.


    Da Niu was only sixteen after all; it must have been the villagers or her second uncle¡¯s wife who told her.


    That¡¯s how unpredictable people¡¯s hearts are!


    Qiao Qingyu sighed inwardly. She had been working so hard for the Qiao Family Team, preparing to apply for reward funds, planning to fix the concrete roads and build villas in the village, and then establish factories and seed breeding bases. She even wanted to make this village the first Xiao Kang (moderately prosperous) Village in Huaxia.


    And using this model, she planned to promote it across the country as a center.


    After all she had done, it still hadn¡¯t stopped the incessant gossiping.


    There was no help for it; Han Liuya, in her body, was hell-bent on rising from the ashes to become a Phoenix, aiming to marry into a good family with her beauty.


    If her mother hadn¡¯t been so strict, who knows what might have happened.


    She didn¡¯t have the memory of that time, but that didn¡¯t mean it didn¡¯t happen.


    Of course, the villagers only talked behind her back.


    So, in this matter, it was all about who had the thicker skin.


    After all, no one dared to confront her about it.


    Qiao Qingyu sighed again, ¡°Da Niu, you really can¡¯t always listen to your grandmother. You know what kind of person she is. You¡¯re not young anymore. I heard your second aunt talking about finding a match for you. You should be aware...¡±


    Da Niu was stunned for a moment. She hadn¡¯t expected her little aunt not to get angry or explode but to speak to her so sincerely and earnestly.

 Chapter 373 - 373 373 Youre Even More Sinister than I Am

    ?Chapter 373: Chapter 373: You¡¯re Even More Sinister than I Am Chapter 373: Chapter 373: You¡¯re Even More Sinister than I Am Da Niu¡¯s mood was suddenly indescribable.


    She felt extremely uncomfortable.


    At the same time, panic was also rising within her; she knew her grandmother was talking about arranging her marriage.


    For someone like her grandmother, arranging a marriage probably meant selling her off.


    She was the eldest in the family, and there were too many girls in her generation, which decreased their value.


    None of them received the treatment her younger paternal aunt did.


    No one took them seriously.


    Especially since her grandmother favored boys over girls, the sisters had a hard time at home.


    Da Niu couldn¡¯t even bring herself to say ¡°thank you.¡± She glanced at Qiao Qingyu, awkwardly said, ¡°My affairs are none of your business,¡±


    and then turned and ran away.


    Qiao Qingyu pursed her lips, dusted off her hands, and thought, well, she had said what needed to be said; there was no guilt on her part now.


    ...


    Wu Xiucai, all the way in Yun City, had also heard about the recent events at Qiao Family Team, especially those involving Qiao Zhihai.


    He had someone investigate whether Qiao Zhihai¡¯s capture was the result of falling into a trap someone had set up.


    It really was difficult to guard against.


    To say that Wu Xiujie had no hand in it, he truly couldn¡¯t believe that.


    But he had to admit that Wu Xiujie was somewhat capable. His team of lawyers was working for him; after all, he held dual citizenship.


    Moreover, Wu Xiucai had no idea what Wu Xiujie had traded to delay the punishment that hadn¡¯t come yet.


    Wu Xiucai took a flight to visit Wu Xiujie in his place of detention.


    He had intended to take his daughter with him to annoy Wu Xiujie, but upon reflection, considering Wu Xiujie¡¯s venomous tongue and the hardship his daughter already endured, marrying into such a worthless family that she couldn¡¯t get rid of, she would end up feeling embarrassed.


    Before he left, he made a specific call to Qiao Qingyu and then contacted Wu Hong.


    Wu Hong happily agreed to build a cement road for Qiao Family Team for free.


    He also planned to build a bridge over the river.


    However, Wu Xiucai didn¡¯t let him proceed with the bridge.


    He had his own plans for that.


    When he saw Wu Xiujie, he smiled and said, ¡°Son of a bitch, the apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree; both of your sons turned out quite well.¡±


    Wu Xiujie hadn¡¯t expected Wu Xiucai to visit again. He sat inside the reception room, lazily reclining in his chair, his glance dark and heavy on Wu Xiucai.


    ¡°The spawn of a whore, you deserve to die childless with no son to tend to your old age.¡±


    Wu Xiucai wasn¡¯t angry in the slightest, still smiling at Wu Xiujie, ¡°Son of a bitch, I should thank you for raising two good sons. They are both very capable now. Not to mention Tai, even Ah Hong, my little brother-in-law said he wanted to do something and he agreed cheerfully.¡±


    Wu Xiujie¡¯s expression finally darkened.


    Wu Peng, who was arrested with him, was there because Wu Xiucai disliked him. If Wu Xiucai wanted to acknowledge him, he would definitely turn around and fuss over Wu Xiucai eagerly.


    Truth be told, none of these sons really took him seriously.


    Through gritted teeth, he said, ¡°If you¡¯re so capable, why don¡¯t you adopt them?¡±


    ¡°Keep dreaming,¡± ¡°I have a daughter, so why would I adopt your son? But even if I don¡¯t adopt, they are still my favorite nephews, and I won¡¯t mistreat them.¡±


    Wu Xiujie¡¯s face turned grim, ¡°Those idiots have always taken you as a good person because of the little bitch you raised. In the end, you¡¯re even more sinister than me.¡±


    ¡°You son of a bitch, I will see what kind of end you¡¯ll meet!¡±


    Later, Wu Xiucai stood up and, in front of Wu Xiujie, unexpectedly performed a vigorous set of boxing maneuvers.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been hoping for my quick demise, haven¡¯t you? Look at my physique now.¡± Wu Xiucai then pointed to his hair, ¡°See, it¡¯s not dyed. My hair turned black on its own.¡±


    Then he stared at Wu Xiujie¡¯s somewhat graying temples, ¡°You son of a bitch, evil people will always get their just desserts.¡±


    After that, he walked away, paying no mind to Wu Xiujie inside, jumping with rage and cursing obscenities.


    The conversation between the two men was reported to their superiors by the guards inside and out, without omission.


    The superiors, knowing their grievances, simply smiled and said nothing.


    ...


    Upon returning, Wu Xiucai immediately called Qiao Qingyu and told her to leave the road construction in the village to Wu Hong, and that he would send someone to North City in a couple of days.


    Qiao Qingyu was thrilled, for she too had just received a call from Qin Duo; the Qiao Family Team could apply for seed production base subsidies.


    However, Qin Duo also mentioned to her that several countries had already sent delegates to talk about the corn seeds.


    Then someone from the M country arrived, claiming they had a new type of corn seed with very high yield and strong disease resistance, and even a variety of enhanced strains, like corn with several colors per ear, which could then be eaten as fruit.


    Qiao Qingyu also faintly understood that this might involve genetic manipulation, and she knew that decades later in the real world, the debate over genetically modified versus non-modified crops would be diverse, but the country had tight control over the issue.


    Still, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Can the corn they provide be used for seed production?¡±


    Qin Duo felt a sinking in her chest.


    Having worked in the Agricultural Department for two years, though not involved in core matters, she knew a lot due to her family connections.


    Sometimes her perception was exceedingly acute, and she immediately grasped the implications of the question, and what it meant for her personally.


    Between the two countries, negotiations on this matter had only just begun and had not yet touched on this aspect, but with so many skilled people involved, questions about the seeds would likely be raised soon.


    Qin Duo hurriedly said to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qingyu, once you have gathered all the information I¡¯ve told you about, come find me in Beijing. I have to go, so let¡¯s talk when we meet.¡±


    Her tone was somewhat different from before.


    Qiao Qingyu gave it a slight thought and understood the situation.


    Qin Duo hurriedly hung up the phone then rushed to her supervisor¡¯s office.


    Qiao Qingyu then sought her uncle and asked him to report to Vice Director Sun about Wu Hong repairing the road for the Qiao Family Team and mentioned it could be leaked.


    Qiao Zhiyuan left with great excitement.


    This was great news, and he always felt his niece was a benefactor, bringing significant change to the Qiao Family Team with each visit.


    This time was no different, and perhaps even more substantial than before.


    He rushed off to find Vice Director Sun.


    Vice Director Sun was naturally even happier, and the news quickly spread; everyone in the Qiao Family Team knew Wu Hong would repair the village road free of charge.


    Goodness gracious, a concrete road! That¡¯s concrete ground! No mud clinging to your feet on a rainy day, walking barefoot, or riding in a horse-drawn or ox-cart would no longer be bumpy on that concrete road.


    Even in the county, there were only a few such roads, while the surrounding streets were still Yellow Sand Road.


    The villagers instantly bubbled with excitement, and their work was now done with even more vigor.

 Chapter 374 - 374 374 Start Throwing Out the Meaty Bones

    ?Chapter 374: Chapter 374: Start Throwing Out the Meaty Bones Chapter 374: Chapter 374: Start Throwing Out the Meaty Bones However, Qiao Zhihai was the one who felt as if cats were scratching at his heart.


    Li Tie had looked for him several times.


    He steeled himself to confront Qiao Qingyu.


    The people of the Qiao Family Team were unaware of the conflict between Wu Xiujie and Wu Xiucai, so in their eyes, anyone with the surname Wu was part of the same family.


    So looking for Qiao Qingyu was definitely the right move.


    After blocking her several times, he finally managed to corner Qiao Qingyu.


    He hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Qingyu to turn against him this time.


    She struck first to gain the upper hand.


    Her tone was also full of frustration, ¡°Uncle, I¡¯ve finally found you. Where have you been hiding these past few days? I need to have a word with you. How could you do something so foolish? I thought you could be in charge of something, but now it seems you can¡¯t even be helped out of a rut.¡±


    ¡°...I...I haven¡¯t been avoiding you. I¡¯ve been looking for you several times and just couldn¡¯t find you...¡±


    He didn¡¯t even have time to get angry about Qiao Qingyu saying he was beyond help.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve done something wrong, you would definitely avoid me, and I don¡¯t blame you for that, but you can¡¯t just keep hiding. I¡¯m lucky I saw you today, or else I would have gone to your house. In front of your grandchildren, given my temper, you wouldn¡¯t be able to face them.¡±


    Qiao Zhihai was bewildered, ¡°...Qingyu...what¡¯s wrong, Uncle hasn¡¯t offended you, has he?¡±


    ¡°Uncle, who are my grandparents to you?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked coldly, her face stern.


    ¡°...They¡¯re your grandparents.¡±


    ¡°You know they¡¯re my grandparents, and you know I¡¯m the most filial. I¡¯m always concerned about the two old folks, but look at the fine mess you¡¯ve made. How could you upset them like that? I¡¯m really disappointed in you, so disappointed...¡±


    ¡°Not at all, not at all. Qingyu, make yourself clear, why...why are you disappointed in Uncle?¡±


    ¡°Uncle, I can forgive and understand your jealousy towards my dad. Everyone has a bit of envy; it¡¯s no big deal that my dad suddenly got a rich father-in-law and you¡¯re jealous. But that¡¯s got nothing to do with my grandma and grandpa. Why are you taking advantage of them?¡±


    ¡°...I...I...¡±


    ¡°Grandma and Grandpa worked hard their whole lives, sparing no luxury in eating or drinking, saving up tidily only for you to gamble it all away. Elder uncle had to put in money to cover your losses. My elder brother is such an honest guy, and you even extorted money from him. What kind of judgment do I have, thinking you could handle big responsibilities?¡±


    Right after, Qiao Qingyu, seething with anger, slammed the door of the old house shut.


    As she walked away laughing to herself, she thought, these words should give Qiao Zhihai enough to mull over for a few days.


    If she couldn¡¯t make this uncle follow her own path, then she was not Qiao Qingyu!


    Poor Qiao Zhihai was truly confused.


    Standing at the front door, his head was filled with speculations about the meaning of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words.


    What big responsibility did she want him to handle?


    He dared not underestimate his niece; this girl was formidable. Nowadays, people in the village revered her like a deity; everyone greeted her with smiles.


    Those who spoke ill behind her back¡ªeven if Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t hear them¡ªher family would slap those gossiping old women.


    Everyone was hoping for a better life, and they were all truly counting on Qiao Qingyu.


    She was like the god of wealth; who would dare to offend her!


    Especially with the big developments happening in the village these past few days.


    The entire Qiao Family Team was buzzing with excitement like boiling water.


    There was talk of a seed production base offering rewards, and if approved, each member could receive money.


    Even more money than city workers, and it would be a yearly thing.


    Better than city workers, even.


    There were plans to build a cement road in the village.


    Li Tie had approached him several times, asking if he could secure the contract for constructing the cement road for the village.


    ¡°They talked about the benefits they would get afterwards,¡±


    Li Tie even said that if he couldn¡¯t make it happen, then he should just quit the construction team.


    He really didn¡¯t want to leave now.


    Thinking over Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words from beginning to end, as well as what she said that day when he saw her in the village, Qiao Zhihai started to feel uneasy.


    The old man and old lady were his biological parents; no matter how he stirred up trouble, he was still their son.


    But Qiao Qingyu was different.


    First off, she was already married.


    And the current Qiao Qingyu was not the same as she used to be¡ªher tongue was sharp and her mind was quick. Who in the village dared not to take her seriously?


    This had nothing to do with her being his niece, quite the opposite; both the elder brother and Old Sun were basking in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s glow.


    Li Tie wanted to bask in it too.


    Otherwise, he couldn¡¯t have been the one in charge of the construction team.


    He reached out his hand, wanting to knock on the front door, but hesitated for a moment and decided to lower his hand instead.


    Turning around, he looked back three steps at a time as he left.


    Inside the house, Qiao Qingyu was listening to her aunt talk about Da Niu¡¯s situation.


    The faces of the old man and the old lady also looked displeased.


    Qiao Zhiyuan was holding a roll of tobacco, but he didn¡¯t smoke it because Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t like him smoking in the house.


    ¡°...Who knows what Wang Mei was thinking, it¡¯s not like they couldn¡¯t get by day by day, how could she betroth Da Niu to such a family?¡±


    The old lady scoffed coldly, ¡°Wang Mei is nothing but a troublemaker. I truly regret how I ever let her into our Qiao Family¡¯s door. Her whole family doesn¡¯t have a few good items.¡±


    ¡°Is her brother really more important than her own granddaughter?¡± Wang Guihua didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°The second son is also a fool,¡± the old man said bitterly.


    It turned out that Wang Mei¡¯s brother had been dealing in mountain goods with others and ended up not making a penny but instead ended up with a huge debt.


    People in the village gave him the mountain goods on credit, and then everyone would block his doorstep every day to collect debts.


    At that time, Qiao Zhihai was incidentally in prison, so the Wang family went to borrow usurious loans.


    With the interest piling up, the debt was almost ten thousand yuan now, and since they couldn¡¯t repay it, they had their sights set on Da Niu.


    The man was thirty-five years old this year, had a volatile temper, and his former wife had run off with someone after abandoning their two children.


    He left the two children with his elderly parents and went off to work last year, no one knew what he did, but he certainly had money now.


    Once he heard it was Qiao Zhihai¡¯s granddaughter from the Qiao Family Team, he agreed without hesitation, even saying that he would give 20,000 yuan as a betrothal gift.


    Then Wang Mei¡¯s sister-in-law and her mother went to find Wang Mei, and she agreed.


    This was what Da Niu had come crying and telling them, but afterward, she was dragged back home by Wang Mei who was beating and scolding her.


    The old lady tried to intervene then, but Wang Mei said that Da Niu was her granddaughter, and the old lady was separated by quite a few generations; it was not her place to interfere, but if she really wanted to, she could pull out ten thousand yuan to help her maiden family¡¯s brother pay off his debt.


    How infuriating that was.


    Why should they have to pay off the debt for her maiden family¡¯s brother!


    So the old lady drove both Wang Mei and Da Niu out.


    Qiao Qingyu then spoke, ¡°Uncle, Da Niu is only sixteen years old in nominal age, how can she marry? And the man is old enough to be her father, and he already has two children. This is clearly a transactional marriage. You are the head of the team, you should take care of this matter both publicly and privately.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Qingyu, I¡¯ve already sent Shengbao to Wangjia Village to inquire about it. Our Old Qiao Family, no matter how poor we are, we won¡¯t sell our daughters.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu felt that the words she had said to Qiao Zhihai at the door just now were too kind.


    But Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t surprised; both Qiao Zhihai and Wang Mei were very selfish people.


    Such people gave her a headache.

 Chapter 375 - 375 375 Nobody Believes

    ?Chapter 375: Chapter 375: Nobody Believes Chapter 375: Chapter 375: Nobody Believes If it had been before, Qiao Zhihai might have been a bit more reserved. But now that his own father had a wealthy father-in-law, they didn¡¯t care about anything.


    Just like this matter, Wang Mei might not really want her eldest granddaughter to marry into that family, after all, the guy was even older than her son.


    Having him as a son-in-law would be embarrassing for her.


    So this was just a show for the people of the old residence.


    Or perhaps for Qiao Qingyu to see?


    Or should we say, Wang Mei, even though a rural woman, had her own cunning. She had never suffered a loss since marrying into the Qiao family, unlike her own mother, who had such a strong sense of pride that she would rather endure hardship herself than owe anyone favors.


    But Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t have time to deal with this matter anymore, as people sent by Wu Hong had come to find her.


    A grand group of more than a dozen people entered the village, and they had even found a construction team ready to go.


    Wu Hong was the kind of person who managed things impeccably, let alone since it was Wu Xiucai who had requested it, he would certainly handle this matter beautifully in front of his younger uncle.


    Moreover, to Wu Hong, this was really no big deal.


    He wouldn¡¯t even furrow a brow.


    But for Qiao Zhiyuan, this was a major affair. Qiao Zhiyuan didn¡¯t plan to bask in the glory alone, he called Old Sun, and soon Vice Director Sun arrived at the Qiao Family Team by horse-drawn carriage.


    He was now full of vigor as well; since taking office, he had been handling one big affair after another.


    Making other directors envious, whether they were jealous or not, he didn¡¯t know, but he knew such significant affairs were unprecedented for them.


    Although it was just the Qiao Family Team, it would soon benefit the whole commune.


    At his age, he could still advance further.


    Then, these several people took a day to cover the whole village and also decided on the location of the future Qiao Family Team villa area.


    They also divided areas suitable for seed production.


    The area was vast, near mountains and water, with fertile soil.


    If the concrete road was built, the transportation would also be convenient.


    This time, two leaders from the county also came.


    They had no ulterior motives, everyone knows having connections in government makes an official¡¯s job easier.


    Qiao Qingyu was from Tenghai Research and knew a group of agricultural experts and professors, Wu Hong was from the Wu Family; naturally, they would think of the Qiao Family Team first for any projects.


    In the evening, they hosted the group at the team¡¯s canteen and served a genuine farmhouse meal.


    These people had driven over, and then drove back to the county city.


    Construction couldn¡¯t start immediately; first, they needed to conduct an engineering budget and get approvals, but the approval process would definitely be very fast.


    That day, the hearts of the people at the Qiao Family Team were stirring with excitement, not to mention road construction, why were they building houses again?


    And the location for building houses had already been preserved.


    They heard they were going to build small villas, the kind of two-story western-style houses that big city officials lived in.


    The idea of building roads was somewhat acceptable, but building houses... truth be told, no one believed it.


    Building such houses, individuals definitely didn¡¯t have that much money, who was going to fund it, the team headquarters? True, the headquarters had money, but did they have that much?


    That was nearly five hundred households¡¯ worth of houses.


    What a joke, it was just a joke.


    They didn¡¯t believe it, yet part of them wanted to believe.


    So, Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s house received a constant stream of visitors inquiring about the situation, and even Qiao Genbao, wherever he went, was pulled aside and questioned.


    However, they also didn¡¯t know, so they chose to tell the truth. The people only assumed they were hiding something but dared not blame them.


    If things worked out, they couldn¡¯t even imagine what the Qiao Family Team would become.


    But it must be said that their work became more diligent and earnest.


    Vice Director Sun and the team leader both said that as long as the crops were good this year, life would continue to get better.


    So did this so-called better life also include small western-style houses?


    ...


    Northwest, Xichuan, Tenghai Research Base.


    He Xiuwen came to see his daughter.


    It had been over a year since his last mission that he hadn¡¯t seen Rongrong.


    During the previous period, he and his special unit were trekking through the dense forests of Mishan, leaving no chance to call his brother; now that his mission was complete, he had a month to rest before another assignment awaited them.


    It was still the same region, but the war that was expected to last several years now seemed likely to end sooner, as our side had introduced a large amount of new weaponry and equipment within the year.


    They quickly gained the upper hand.


    And the logistical supplies were becoming more sufficient.


    It was tough initially, but now his special unit had a moment to breathe.


    Upon getting permission, he entered the school and stood outside his daughter¡¯s classroom, eavesdropping on the recitation inside, his handsome and stern face gradually softening a bit.


    Then the bell rang for the end of class and the children, like birds being let out of a cage, fluttered out of the classroom.


    The location of Tenghai was remote, but the school was well-built.


    Outside, a construction team was getting ready to install heating in the school.


    But the work was all scheduled around school dismissal and student vacations.


    He Xiuwen immediately spotted his daughter.


    The little girl had grown taller, her eyes sparkling like they were filled with stars, bursting with energy and vitality that radiated joy from the depths of one¡¯s heart.


    He felt a bit nervous, and his hands, held behind his back, were tightly clasped together.


    Standing upright, the resolute and handsome He Xiuwen looked as if he had an aura around him, attracting the gaze of school teachers and some parents.


    Nobody knew who he was, but the group of children curiously stared at He Xiuwen while Rongrong, running outwards, threw her backpack into Xiao Hu¡¯s arms, and like a little monkey, she leaped forward several steps.


    He Xiuwen watched a boy with thick eyebrows and big eyes carry one backpack on his back and hold another in his arms; still, he was smiling, running and shouting, ¡°Rongrong, wait for me, Rongrong, wait for me...¡±


    This was probably Li Zhiqiang¡¯s Xiao Hu.


    Then Rongrong abruptly stopped, looked up at the tall man against the sunlight, took a few steps back, and examined him several times before biting her lip in silence.


    Rushing up beside her, Xiao Hu took a step forward, frowning as he examined He Xiuwen.


    Li Mingguang, standing in front of Rongrong, then smiled and politely asked, ¡°Uncle, who are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°Are you called Xiao Hu, with the full name Li Mingguang?¡± He Xiuwen¡¯s voice was very gentle.


    Xiao Hu nodded, eyeing the tall man in front of him warily.


    For some reason, he glanced at Rongrong.


    Instantly, the little guy realized that this man looked a bit like Uncle He, so he must be Rongrong¡¯s dad.


    ¡°You are Uncle He, hello Uncle He.¡±


    Xiao Hu was exceedingly polite.

 Chapter 376 - 376 376 Beloved

    ?Chapter 376: Chapter 376: Beloved Chapter 376: Chapter 376: Beloved At that time, Zhu Mingli also walked out with the students, holding a stack of teaching plans in her hands.


    She naturally spotted He Xiuwen standing in front of He Xuerong and felt her heart start pounding.


    Such a handsome man, such a powerful aura.


    It was truly the first time she had seen him.


    She stood there, not moving forward, and the next moment, Zhu Mingli saw the man stretch out his hands. Looking at He Xuerong, his eyes seemed a bit moist, ¡°Rongrong, Daddy came to see you.¡±


    Oh, so this man is He Xuerong¡¯s father, the older brother of Chief Engineer He?


    No wonder, no wonder Zhu Mingli¡¯s face turned a bit pale.


    He Xuerong was like a little devil; she slipped away along the wall.


    Rongrong didn¡¯t notice this scene at all. The little girl¡¯s tears started falling plop plop, all she had wanted was her father.


    But she couldn¡¯t let little uncle and little aunt know she missed him, she couldn¡¯t make them worry.


    And she also knew her father was busy, longing for him was in vain, so she simply tried not to think about it.


    But seeing her father, all the longing and grievances surged up, He Xuerong stood there motionless, just looking at the bending figure of He Xiuwen, tears falling like pearls off a broken string...


    He Xiuwen, a tough man who wouldn¡¯t change his expression even if Mt. Tai crumbled, was also teary-eyed at that moment. He quickly stepped forward and lifted his daughter, holding her tightly to his chest with a voice slightly choked, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Rongrong, Daddy is sorry for you, so sorry...¡±


    He Xuerong clung to He Xiuwen¡¯s neck, sobbing uncontrollably.


    Xiao Hu stood aside, somewhat at a loss, still tightly holding He Xuerong¡¯s backpack.


    At this point, several teachers gathered around. He Xiuwen still held his daughter, smiling as he spoke a few words to the teachers, introduced himself, and then asked about his daughter¡¯s situation at school before he took He Xuerong¡¯s backpack from Li Mingguang¡¯s hands.


    They began walking towards the direction of the elementary school¡¯s main gate.


    At this time, Chu Ying had no idea He Xiuwen had arrived.


    She was someone very rigid in certain aspects. The school had regulations: one must wait at the gate to pick up children and not enter, but some parents liked to rush in. She never did, preferring just to wait at the gate.


    Then she saw a tall, lean man holding He Xuerong, with a backpack in hand and Li Mingguang walking slowly beside him from the inside of the school towards the direction of the main gate.


    At first, Chu Ying was stunned, and then her brain exploded all at once, like countless fireworks going off.


    She stood still, her eyes wide open, not blinking.


    This man was actually He Xiuwen!


    Chu Ying¡¯s heart began to frantically pound, her cheeks flushing involuntarily, feeling almost breathless.


    She had never thought she would meet He Xiuwen in this manner.


    She had even secretly thought that He Xiuwen had surely forgotten who she was.


    He Xuerong naturally also saw Chu Ying, her tears already wiped clean by He Xiuwen.


    He Xiuwen¡¯s eyebrows just moved slightly, he only felt this girl looked familiar; he was searching his memory when he also walked near her.


    Before he could recall who the girl was, He Xuerong pointed at Chu Ying, her voice crisp, ¡°Daddy, this is Aunt Chu; she has always wanted to be my stepmom, I think she¡¯s really nice, what do you think?¡±


    The scene instantly went dead silent.


    It was fortunate that there weren¡¯t any people at the gate, otherwise it would have surely caused a huge sensation.


    Chu Ying¡¯s mind went blank.


    She always knew He Xuerong often spoke shockingly, but those words shouldn¡¯t be said, especially not in front of her.


    Chu Ying was somewhat stammering, and extremely awkward, ¡°Rongrong, Rongrong...don¡¯t talk nonsense, what are you talking nonsense about...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking nonsense, isn¡¯t this what you think? Why don¡¯t you admit it?¡± He Xuerong innocently said.


    At that moment, He Xiuwen had already approached Chu Ying.


    He Xiuwen had finally remembered who this girl was.


    This was the engineer he had brought back from abroad after his last mission. This girl was impressive, having also brought back several shipbuilding engineers, who were now working in our largest shipyard.


    Her contributions were significant.


    And here she was, something he didn¡¯t know.


    He pretended not to hear his daughter¡¯s words and smiled, ¡°We¡¯ve met before, right? Your name is Chu Ying?¡±


    Chu Ying¡¯s face immediately blushed crimson.


    Her beloved smiled tenderly at her, her beloved still remembered her name.


    Her heart was in turmoil, she stuttered, ¡°Yes...yes, my name is Chu Ying, hello...Captain He.¡± After saying this, Chu Ying wished she could slap herself.


    How embarrassing, stuttering like that, now it¡¯s really shameful.


    ¡°Thank you for taking care of Rongrong.¡± He Xiuwen smiled, his gaze also very gentle.


    ¡°This...this is my duty...¡± Chu Ying didn¡¯t know what else to say, she waved her hands, ¡°I...I haven¡¯t even had the chance to thank you for saving my life yet.¡±


    He Xiuwen smiled again, quickly changing the topic, ¡°Mr. Chu, are you waiting here for Rongrong?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Dad, Aunt Chu is waiting for me and Xiao Hu, then she will take us to the cafeteria to eat.¡±


    Although Chu Ying was nervous, it did not affect her thinking; He Xiuwen, although not denying their previous acquaintance, preferred not to discuss it further.


    Chu Ying then wisely shut her mouth.


    Looking in the direction of the family compound, she knew He Xiuwen was definitely going to his brother¡¯s house.


    She hurriedly said, ¡°Then I won¡¯t bother you, I need to go to the cafeteria to eat...¡±


    She then turned and walked away hastily, not waiting for He Xiuwen to speak.


    He Xiuwen¡¯s mouth opened, but he swallowed back the words he wanted to say.


    However, he didn¡¯t expect Chu Ying, who had hurried a few steps away, to suddenly stop, turn back to Li Mingguang, ¡°Xiao Hu, will you come with me to the cafeteria to eat?¡±


    He Xiuwen curled his lips.


    How could he not remember this girl being so restless? In his memory, she was the fluent foreign language-speaking student, whose mind was filled only with professional knowledge, determined to build the nation.


    Xiao Hu then said to He Xiuyu, ¡°Uncle He, I¡¯ll go to the cafeteria with Aunt Chu to eat, and after eating I¡¯ll go do homework with Rongrong, okay?¡±


    Rongrong was still being held by He Xiuwen in his arms, then He Xiuwen said, ¡°Uncle isn¡¯t good at cooking, Uncle will make noodles for you, and if you don¡¯t mind, you can come home with us to eat.¡±


    Li Mingguang thought about it, but still shook his head, ¡°Then I will go do homework with Rongrong.¡±


    Rongrong hadn¡¯t seen her father for a long time, she certainly had a lot of things to tell her father.


    Li Mingguang, with his backpack on, ran towards Chu Ying.


    Chu Ying didn¡¯t dare to look at He Xiuwen¡¯s bright and profound eyes, she took Li Mingguang¡¯s hand, almost fleeing in panic.


    They quickly disappeared from the sight of the father and daughter duo.

 Chapter 377 - 377 377 Entanglement

    ?Chapter 377: Chapter 377: Entanglement Chapter 377: Chapter 377: Entanglement He Xiuwen held Rongrong as they walked home, speaking softly, ¡°Rongrong, don¡¯t talk like that in the future; your Aunt Chu will feel very awkward.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Chu has thick skin, and she actually likes when I talk like this, Dad,¡± He Xuerong whispered while hugging He Xiuwen¡¯s neck and pressing her cheek against his ear. ¡°Aunt Chu is really nice, she likes me a lot, and I like her too...¡±


    He Xiuwen shook his head helplessly; indeed, he had not seen any signs of anger on Chu Ying¡¯s face.


    Sometimes, even his brother and sister-in-law felt helpless with this child.


    At times, he wondered if she was truly influenced by Qiao Qingyu.


    He had once witnessed Qiao Qingyu dealing with someone.


    It happened at the Qiao Family Team.


    After he returned to his brother¡¯s home, He Xiuyu had also returned. The place was now under construction, looking busy but not chaotic. Qiao Qingyu had taken leave to go back to the Qiao Family Team, and the house seemed a bit empty.


    When the brothers met, they just shared a slight smile, as both were not good at expressing their feelings in front of others.


    He talked about seeing Chu Ying at the school gate.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even know she was also helping take care of Rongrong.¡±


    Meanwhile, Rongrong and Xiao Hu were in the study, doing their homework. He Xiuyu glanced at the study and then said with a smile, ¡°Rongrong was initially very resistant, but now she really likes her Aunt Chu.¡±


    He Xiuwen paused for a moment and then shook his head with a smile, not dwelling on the topic at all. He Xiuyu also left it at that and did not mention Chu Ying any further.


    ...


    Chu Ying had not slept well all night, and mustered up the courage the next afternoon to take leave and visit He Xiuwen.


    She wanted to explain herself, so as not to let He Xiuwen think she had bad intentions.


    Only then did she find out that He Xiuwen had already left; he had only stayed here for one night and had departed in the morning.


    Chu Ying was extremely disappointed and felt quite upset, her eyes even starting to moisten.


    Yet, for some reason, she also felt a sense of relief.


    She patted her chest and thought to herself, thankfully he had left. Otherwise, if she had come to see him in such a rush, what would she have said? If He Xiuwen had told her not to get close to Rongrong anymore, what would she do then?


    She wouldn¡¯t have any chance at all.


    Thankfully, thankfully.


    Finally no longer disappointed, Chu Ying left the family compound with light steps.


    ...


    North City, Qiao Family Team.


    That night, Li Tie invited Qiao Zhihai out for a drink, and then complained, ¡°Qiao Qingyu is your niece, did she ever talk to you about fixing the road and building villas?¡±


    If Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t talked to him about it, Qiao Zhihai would definitely be furious at this moment. Unfortunately for him, Qiao Qingyu had indeed discussed it with him, not just once, and the implication was that she even wanted him to manage some matters.


    What to manage? Definitely the construction of roads and houses.


    He, alone, couldn¡¯t handle it; naturally, it involved Li Tie too.


    ¡°If it really was given to him, you can imagine how Li Tie would treat him; they could become kowtowing brothers.¡±


    His complexion really was changing unpredictably.


    Li Tie suddenly felt a pang in his heart and asked loudly, somewhat losing his composure, ¡°Old Qiao, did your niece really mention this to you?¡±


    Qiao Zhihai found it difficult to nod. Under Li Tie¡¯s pressing questions, he had no choice but to explain how Qiao Qingyu initially brought it up to him and then why she became disappointed with him, telling everything in detail.


    Li Tie looked at Qiao Zhihai with a complex expression.


    His heart was also fluctuating. He had backed the wrong horse. He should not have approached him, but he couldn¡¯t summon Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s family, and finding other people was useless. Only Qiao Zhihai was most suitable.


    He had also considered that Qiao Zhiyuan was deeply loyal and the Qiao Family¡¯s elders were highly protective; no matter what antics the second son of the Qiao Family and his wife pulled, they would always choose to tolerate and forgive in the end.


    But he had forgotten about Qiao Qingyu¡¯s personality.


    Nowadays, you can¡¯t say that a married daughter is like spilled water.


    But if you provoke Qiao Qingyu, she won¡¯t recognize you when she turns her back, and nobody can persuade her otherwise.


    And even if they wanted to say something, no one dared, including him. Previously, he might have stirred trouble with a few words, but now he wouldn¡¯t dare mention a single word.


    Clearly, there were groundbreaking changes coming for the Qiao Family Team, changes that were unprecedented not just in the county but in the whole province.


    Li Tie was inherently sharp-witted, or else he couldn¡¯t have led a contracting team to work.


    He saw that the private economy was recovering now, and many people¡¯s living conditions had improved, making them want to build houses; thus, this opportunity had to be seized.


    Li Tie said with profound distress, ¡°Old Qiao, to tell you the truth, I¡¯ve been busy, and I really didn¡¯t know you would do such a scoundrel thing.¡±


    Qiao Zhihai wanted to say something in his own defense.


    Li Tie extended his hand, pointing at him, ¡°Your parents are the most protective, but even that depends on the situation. You¡¯re gambling, which was never right to begin with, and you even stole from the elders. You are of such an age now, your granddaughter is about to get married, and you still engage in such things?


    You caused the elders to fall ill; you don¡¯t even have anything to say for yourself, letting your wife cause trouble and framing Qiao Genbao. You¡¯re indebted to your elder brother, who spent money to bail you out, and now you have no money, no honest words...¡±


    ¡°But we are all family, isn¡¯t it right for them to do things for me?¡± Qiao Zhihai muttered discontentedly.


    At this point, Li Tie was desperate like ¡®cursing metal that wouldn¡¯t turn to steel¡¯, but deep down, he also felt envious and jealous.


    This man was foolish, yet it was his family that had spoiled him.


    He said earnestly, ¡°Even if it is expected, there¡¯s a way to do it, Old Qiao. I¡¯m telling you honestly, don¡¯t rely on being family to do whatever you want. Even the best of relationships can¡¯t withstand such strain. The elders don¡¯t only have you as a son.¡±


    ¡°I really had no other way. Where could I get the money? I really don¡¯t have a dime now. You know how much you pay me for working under you. I owe money to the elders and my elder brother. How could I possibly repay it? I can only play dumb. Besides, there¡¯s my younger brother. Isn¡¯t it easy for him to move a finger? Can my parents ever lack money to spend?¡±


    Li Tie stretched out his hand and tapped Qiao Zhihai, almost speechless.


    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want to repay the money, you should at least show some willingness.¡±


    ¡°What kind of willingness should I show?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you tell the elders that you¡¯ll definitely repay them when you have money? Don¡¯t you owe your elder brother an IOU?


    And bringing it back up, what does your brother-in-law¡¯s wealthy father have to do with you? Can¡¯t you be a bit more ambitious and build your own wealth? Living with integrity wouldn¡¯t it be honorable? You¡¯re not young anymore. Asking others for money, aren¡¯t you ashamed?¡±


    After this tirade, Qiao Zhihai¡¯s face resembled an eggplant.


    If his parents or elder brother had said these words, he would have exploded in rage, but since it was Li Tie who spoke, he could listen.

 Chapter 378 - 378 378 Wont You Have to Bend Down in the End

    ?Chapter 378: Chapter 378: Won¡¯t You Have to Bend Down in the End? Chapter 378: Chapter 378: Won¡¯t You Have to Bend Down in the End? Sometimes, that¡¯s just how it is, words from family don¡¯t work, but outsiders¡¯ words are very effective.


    ¡°What should I do now?¡±


    ¡°What to do, hurry up and mend your relationship with your parents. With them protecting and speaking up for you, Qingyu, that girl, is still respectful. She also holds your Qiao Family in her heart. Otherwise, why would she be bustling about?¡±


    He had always been tolerant of Qiao Zhihai, because although he had many faults, it was only after he entered the contracting team that he realized he was an old mason, his work was not bad, and his mind was sharp, naturally suited for construction.


    So he had also been putting up with some of his foolishness.


    But now it seemed this person was really hopeless¡ªbetter to kick him out and directly go find Qiao Qingyu to avoid his trouble.


    Seeing Li Tie¡¯s face turn somewhat cold, how could Qiao Zhihai, at his age, not know what Li Tie was thinking?


    He wiped his face, drank the wine from his cup, and then stood up, ¡°I¡¯ll go back to the ancestral home.¡±


    So he dragged Wang Mei along and knocked on the large doors of the old mansion¡ªby then it was already past nine at night, the old man and old woman were already asleep, yet they were woken up by his ruckus.


    With no way to send him away, screaming and howling at the door, it was fortunate that today the Qiao Family Team was very excited. At this time, there were quite a few people walking outside, chatting, with every household¡¯s lights on.


    Qiao Zhiyuan remembered what Qiao Qingyu had said, his face sullen as he let his younger brother and his wife in.


    Wang Mei was reluctant, her thick lips pouted high.


    But still, she was dragged by Qiao Zhihai to kneel down.


    The old grandfather and grandmother, dressed in their clothes, sat on the kang, looking uncertainly at the scene unfolding before them.


    What mischief is this again?


    Beside them, Qiao Zhiyuan understood everything. He gave his own father a look, signaling him not to worry and listen to what this scoundrel had to say.


    Then Qiao Zhihai swore an oath that he would definitely work hard to earn money, return every cent of the old couple¡¯s retirement money, and would continue to honor them.


    Then he took out a paper, and handed it to his older brother who was standing beside him, ¡°Big brother, this is the IOU I¡¯ve written. As long as I have money, I will definitely pay it back.¡±


    Wang Mei thought about it and kept quiet. At home, she had almost been slapped. When a man gets desperate, she had no choice but to listen, especially in front of their son and daughter-in-law. Fighting in their presence wouldn¡¯t look good.


    Besides, it¡¯s a good distraction; their family doesn¡¯t have a dime to their name.


    So, this debt was essentially unpayable.


    The old grandmother darkly began to speak, but what she asked about was something else, ¡°Daughter-in-law of my second son, what¡¯s this I hear about Da Niu¡¯s marriage?¡±


    Wang Mei responded indignantly, ¡°Da Niu is my granddaughter. Old lady, you have no say over her. Besides, a man should marry when he grows up, and a woman should get married. She¡¯s already sixteen, why wouldn¡¯t she marry? What¡¯s wrong with this marriage? The dowry they gave is so generous. Ask around, who in the neighboring ten villages could give twenty thousand yuan as a betrothal gift?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, in all the neighboring ten villages, I¡¯ve never heard of a grandmother using her granddaughter¡¯s marriage money to pay off her own brother¡¯s debts...¡±


    The more the old lady spoke, the angrier she became. She casually picked up a broom, rushed down, and started beating Wang Mei on her head and face while grabbing her hair, shouting, ¡°Our Old Qiao Family must have accumulated eight generations of bad luck to have married you, you heartless creature. Your brother has several daughters, why don¡¯t they get married? You¡¯re paying off your brother¡¯s debts by selling your own granddaughter, are you even human? You¡¯re nothing but a beast...¡±


    Instantly, the room descended into chaos. Normally, Qiao Zhihai would have leapt up to stop his mother, but today, his eyes flickered and he didn¡¯t dare move, knowing that lately his wife¡¯s antics had been a bit too much. Actually, he was pleased to see it end like this, but now was not the time. It was necessary to let the old couple have their say.


    Besides, Da Niu had only found out about this matter today, and many people in the village were laughing at him.


    He certainly couldn¡¯t say that Wang Mei was forcing the elderly couple to ask for ten thousand yuan from their youngest son.


    So, he had no choice but to begrudgingly accept it.


    Now, he dared not mention it at all.


    If Qiao Qingyu became infuriated, Li Tie would definitely turn against him and kick him out with a single blow.


    So, he cowered in the corner, silent.


    The old lady wasn¡¯t just someone who bullied her daughters-in-law; seeing the behavior of Qiao Zhihai made her angry. Since it was her own house, she simply started hitting him as well.


    As she hit him, she started to cry, cursing all the while...


    This time, Qiao Zhihai truly didn¡¯t resist. He covered his head and squatted on the ground without saying a word.


    Qiao Zhiyuan looked out the window at the dark night and felt reflective. Indeed, the saying was true: in the face of absolute power, nothing works.


    Qiao Zhihai remained stubborn,


    At this moment, Qiao Qingyu was speaking with her elder brother and sister-in-law, ¡°...you two are different from the other Qiao Family members.¡±


    Qiao Genbao and Niu Guili exchanged a glance and nodded in agreement; they weren¡¯t fools and knew, although one couldn¡¯t write the character ¡®Qiao¡¯ biographically twice, there were still differences.


    Mr. Wu was generous, but in his eyes, he only recognized Wu Qianyun¡¯s husband and children.


    So, these two didn¡¯t have any burdens now.


    Not to mention other things, Qiao Genbao knew the set of Jade jewelry his own mom gave his wife could sell for hundreds of thousands in Beijing.


    Hundreds of thousands, it was frightening; in the countryside, it could buy all the houses in the Qiao Family Team.


    Thus, Qiao Genbao knew he wasn¡¯t very capable, not fit to be a pioneer, so it was best to obediently follow his grandparents¡¯ and parents¡¯ arrangements.


    ¡°Qingyu, we understand, don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t cause any trouble or stir up issues for grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Big brother, you now have two paths before you,¡± continued Qiao Qingyu, ¡°One is to stay in the Qiao Family Team as a villager, which is beneficial as our Qiao Family Team is about to develop and you¡¯ll be among the first batch of new-era villagers. The second path is to move to Yun City, where you won¡¯t have to worry about Doudou and Feifei¡¯s education.¡±


    Qiao Genbao thought it over seriously. He still preferred his current life. In Yun City, even if there was a vegetable garden, frankly speaking, he didn¡¯t understand why ¨C the soil was yellow and sticky. It was odd; how could anything grow on it?


    Therefore, he still loved the black soil of his childhood home.


    Here, the four seasons were distinct, and even if it was cold in winter, the heated kang kept it warm.


    Not to mention his own father, his mother also couldn¡¯t get used to living in the Southern region, yet there she must reside. She was the grandpa¡¯s only daughter; even if grandpa now lived in a decrepit house, she would follow without complaint.


    He hesitated for a moment, then spoke, ¡°Qingyu, is there a way to have the best of both worlds? Your big brother and sister-in-law would still prefer to stay in the Qiao Family Team, but frankly, the education here is far behind compared to Yun City.¡±

 Chapter 379 - 379 379 The Ancestral Master Provides a Meal

    ?Chapter 379: Chapter 379: The Ancestral Master Provides a Meal Chapter 379: Chapter 379: The Ancestral Master Provides a Meal It wasn¡¯t just about education, other areas were likewise.


    Feifei had good body coordination and loved to dance, and Doudou, though mischievous, had learned to play the harmonica before even starting school, showing a great talent for music.


    In the countryside, this wasn¡¯t really a big deal, especially for Qiao Family Team; despite being a rural area, there were many who were skilled in playing drums, suona, flutes, and even the erhu.


    But what could that amount to? It was just entertainment within their own small land.


    Yet, Yun City actually had specialized schools.


    Coming from there, they were artists.


    Going to Yun City, was beneficial for the children¡¯s growth.


    Qiao Qingyu understood his elder brother¡¯s thinking, but if this place really turned into Xiao Kang Village, yet they lost their own father, mother, and elder brother¡¯s house, that wouldn¡¯t be interesting at all.


    ¡°Big brother, big sister-in-law, we Qiao Family Team must certainly become the first Xiao Kang model village in the province and even the whole country. Whatever others ask you, just say you don¡¯t know...¡±


    He then began to describe the future prospects of Qiao Family Team with them.


    This was the first time Qiao Genbao had heard his younger sister formally discussing this matter with them.


    Niu Guili even seemed to hold her breath beside them.


    If it really could become such a village, then they would be workers, they could live in two-story western-style buildings, why would they need to go to the city? The city wasn¡¯t as good as this place.


    Cement roads, schools, health clinics, shops, two-story western-style buildings, each home having warm kangs.


    They couldn¡¯t leave, they hadn¡¯t left even when they were poor; now that they were about to turn things around, they certainly couldn¡¯t leave!


    Qiao Qingyu gave some instructions and then said, ¡°Just discuss Doudou and Feifei¡¯s schooling with mom and dad.¡±


    Qiao Genbao nodded, ¡°Dad wants to send them to school in Yun City.¡±


    Niu Guili was somewhat reluctant to let go but didn¡¯t speak.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t interfere anymore, saying, ¡°You decide for yourself.¡±


    She then returned to her own room and started to formulate a more detailed plan.


    Of course, she couldn¡¯t take on everything; that would exhaust her.


    The seed breeding base application was left to the commune and the county. Once they prepared all the necessary materials, she personally would go to Beijing to submit them.


    After that, she went back to Xichuan to continue her studies.


    She had been away for several days and if she didn¡¯t return soon, she would fall behind in her courses.


    ...


    The next morning, Old Lady Qiao, looking refreshed, came to Qiao Genbao¡¯s house carrying a large basin of steamed buns.


    She then talked about the previous day¡¯s events.


    Old Lady Qiao asked Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qingyu, tell grandma the truth, you didn¡¯t promise your second uncle anything, did you?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu shook her head, ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good, don¡¯t agree too easily. It¡¯s not easy for you, being so young and handling such big responsibilities, still having to study and take care of the family. It¡¯s not easy at all; it makes grandma¡¯s heart ache, and she can¡¯t even help you much.¡±


    ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s not as hard as you say. Sometimes it¡¯s just about making plans, and others do the actual work.¡±


    ¡°Did Uncle Second talk to you about something?¡± he asked out of curiosity.


    Old Lady Qiao told Qiao Qingyu about the previous night when Qiao Zhihai and Wang Mei had knelt down to ask for their forgiveness, vowing to return the money and even writing an IOU.


    And she mentioned that Da Niu¡¯s marriage didn¡¯t count at all.


    Qiao Qingyu thought to herself that this must have been triggered by Wu Hong¡¯s people wanting to repair the road and bringing along the construction team.


    However, if the local construction team really had the capability, she wouldn¡¯t mind supporting them because there would definitely be no shortage of construction sites in the future.


    She then asked about the contractor team brought up by her grandmother and Li Tie.


    Old Lady Qiao didn¡¯t really know about it, but Qiao Genbao was well aware and interjected, ¡°Qingyu, Uncle Li¡¯s contractor team is quite skilled. I¡¯ve heard Brother Tianbao say that they have a good reputation in the county town for building houses quickly with good quality and without cheating the homeowners out of their money.¡±


    ¡°What about Uncle Second? What can he do?¡±


    Old Lady Qiao sighed, ¡°I¡¯m not speaking up for that bastard, but your Uncle Second learned masonry when he was young and even took on a master. His master was impressed with him, saying he was naturally talented with bricks and tiles, and destined to be fed by this trade. He even planned to marry his daughter to him. But, your Uncle¡¯s senior brother also fancied the old mason¡¯s daughter and framed your Uncle Second for stealing his master¡¯s money. Your Uncle was beaten by his master and then kicked out...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was taken aback; she hadn¡¯t expected to hear this.


    ¡°Grandma, how old was Uncle Second that year?¡±


    Old Lady Qiao thought for a moment, ¡°He was sixteen that year, and since then, he has never touched brick, tile, or wood again. When it comes to building houses, he avoids it if possible.¡±


    This made Old Lady Qiao feel uneasy too.


    To avoid this line of work all his life and then step back into it in his fifties probably made him feel like he had backing and support.


    Mr. Wu doesn¡¯t recognize him, but her second son really considers Mr. Wu as family.


    But he was just a hot-headed fool.


    Qiao Qingyu pondered for a moment; these past few days, Li Tie seemed to have something to say but hesitated, afraid to approach her, probably worried about annoying her.


    Qiao Qingyu then told her older brother, ¡°Big brother, bring Uncle Li here and tell him I need to talk to him.¡±


    Qiao Genbao didn¡¯t overthink it. His sister¡¯s mind was sharper than his, so he turned around and went to find Li Tie.


    Li Tie had been extremely anxious these past few days, and he was surprised when Qiao Genbao knocked on his door, saying Qiao Qingyu wanted to see him.


    Li Tie hesitated, then realizing what was said, he didn¡¯t even have time to put on his coat, just slipping on his shoes and heading to Qiao Genbao¡¯s house. It was his wife who caught up and helped him put on his coat.


    Once at Qiao Genbao¡¯s house, Qiao Qingyu handed him a piece of paper. Being a junior high school graduate, she said, ¡°Uncle Li, write down the basic information of your contractor team members, their years in the construction industry, how many houses you¡¯ve built since the team was formed, the size and quality of these houses¡ªmake it clear.¡±


    Li Tie looked at Qiao Qingyu with hopeful eyes, ¡°Qingyu, are you asking Uncle Li to write this because there is work for me?¡±


    ¡°Write it first, Uncle Li, and I¡¯ll discuss it with you after I read it.¡±


    Scheng then had Qiao Genbao stay with Li Tie at home, while she took her grandmother back to the old house.


    Upon returning to the old house, she clearly felt that the previously oppressive atmosphere had been swept away. So, despite Qiao Zhihai being such a scoundrel, in the hearts of the old master and Old Lady Qiao, he was still their second son.


    Unless he turned utterly inhuman, they would never give up on him.


    Qiao Qingyu went to the west wing room to look at Qiao Shengbao¡¯s handicrafts.


    Now that it was time for spring plowing, every household was busy. Only two young men were learning weaving with him.


    These items weren¡¯t mass-produced; meticulous work yields fine products, with an emphasis on quality and innovation.

 Chapter 380 - 380 380 Should we dig a well ourselves

    ?Chapter 380: Chapter 380: Should we dig a well ourselves? Chapter 380: Chapter 380: Should we dig a well ourselves? ¡°Pingyu no longer needed to worry.


    Qiao Shengbao had woven a shoulder bag for Qiao Qingyu, using fine barley straw and edges of corn leaves.


    He had sewn in a layer of labor cloth inside.


    And there were two layers, with a divider made of crushed corn leaves sandwiched between them.


    At the top was a white zipper, brought in from Nangang City.


    On the front, he had woven two additional leaves out of corn leaves, making a chic and petite design.


    ¡°Beautiful, truly beautiful!¡± Qiao Qingyu praised sincerely.


    Somehow, he had handled it so well that from a distance, it almost looked like a beige leather bag.


    ¡°Qingyu, if you¡¯re happy with it, that really pleases me so much.¡±


    ¡°No girl would dislike a pretty handbag, just don¡¯t make too many or they¡¯ll lose their value.¡±


    ¡°I know, if every girl had one, it wouldn¡¯t be interesting anymore. This is a unique one I¡¯ve made just for you, and I won¡¯t be making another like this for a few years.¡±


    Qiao Shengbao was well-educated and quick-witted, so naturally, he learned things quickly and was open to new ideas. Not to mention, during his train ride, He Xiuyu had shared quite a bit of economic theory with him and even gifted him a few books that turned out to be very useful upon his departure.


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary, Brother Shengbao. You could make a few and send them south with your goods, just change the design a bit. Set the price higher.¡±


    But Qiao Shengbao shook his head, ¡°The designs I have now are sufficient.¡± Then he took down a small leather bag from the wall, dainty and cute, shaped like a panda¡¯s head with two little ears on top¡ªthis was for Rongrong.


    It was equally small and exquisite.


    Qiao Shengbao was a thoughtful man.


    ¡°Brother Shengbao, then let me thank you on behalf of Rongrong.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to thank for? That child calls me uncle, and she even helped me out. These are things I should do.¡±


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t stand on ceremony with you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was smiling gleefully; being a girl, she naturally couldn¡¯t resist the charm of these little things, looking at them joyfully.


    Today the weather was good, and the aunt with a heavy heart was in a better mood as she aired out the quilts.


    Yesterday, the second brother and his wife finally conceded, and she felt a lot more relaxed.


    Moreover, last night her husband talked about the prospects of Qiao Family Team, and it felt like a dream to her.


    If that were truly the case, it would be wonderful.


    To live in a small building within her lifetime¡ªshe would die content.


    So now it was important to save money urgently, because the construction of houses wouldn¡¯t be free; each family would need to make contributions.


    The village would only cover part of it.


    Even if her own family couldn¡¯t get an extra house, having one with both an upstairs and downstairs would be spacious enough to bring in a daughter-in-law.


    It was just uncertain when this would happen.


    Her husband said it could be within the next two years. If it were before, she wouldn¡¯t have believed it.


    But now, she truly did.


    Before her niece came to the village, it had seen some hustle due to the seed base, but it wasn¡¯t as buzzing as it was now.


    So, her niece was truly a restless spirit.


    Impressive, truly impressive!


    Wang Guihua always looked at Qiao Qingyu with a gentle smile, then she raised her voice and called out, ¡°Qingyu, come to eat at your aunt¡¯s place at noon. Whatever you want to eat, I¡¯ll make it for you.¡±


    ¡°No thanks, Auntie, my sister-in-law said she¡¯d make me scallion pancakes and pickled cabbage soup for lunch.¡±


    ¡°Your sister-in-law makes a delicious pickled cabbage soup,¡± someone said.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s already this season. After this, we won¡¯t be able to eat pickled cabbage until this autumn,¡± another voice followed.


    Just as Wang Guihua was about to speak, the half-closed door was pushed open. Qiao Zhihai wiped the sweat off his forehead and noticed Qiao Qingyu with a beautiful crossbody bag, then called out urgently, ¡°Qingyu, did you go to see your Uncle Li at your house?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu answered with a smirk, ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re well-informed. Uncle Li is indeed at my place; how did you know?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask how your uncle knew. Qingyu, can I come over to see him?¡± he asked cautiously, devoid of any cheekiness.


    ¡°Sure, Uncle Li is currently writing up a report on your contractual labor team¡¯s situation. You could go and give him some additional information,¡± she replied helpfully.


    ¡°Right,¡± Qiao Zhihai agreed with a hurried nod and scampered off toward Qiao Genbao¡¯s house.


    Qiao Qingyu turned back to look at her aunt, whose facial expression hadn¡¯t changed much. However, the grandparents sitting by the window soaking up the sun clearly looked very contented.


    ...


    At the same time, in the hundred-acre green belt claim area of Xichuan Agricultural College.


    Today was Sunday, and Li Bo had organized a group of classmates to water the trees they had planted.


    In fact, nature was also testing them, challenging Xichuan with increasingly dry weather since the trees were planted¡ªthey hadn¡¯t experienced a single drop of rain.


    If this continued, the barley grass wouldn¡¯t sprout, and the planted willows wouldn¡¯t survive, rendering all their hard work futile.


    A kilometer away, there was a small river channel.


    This small channel was a tributary of West River, and now, its water level was low too.


    Li Bo, with a shoulder pole bearing two water buckets, led the way. The pole had chafed her shoulders raw, but she clenched her teeth and persevered.


    Before leaving, she had promised Qingyu that she would take responsibility for the Agricultural Department¡¯s green belt.


    Under her leadership, more and more of her classmates came to water the plants.


    Unexpectedly, however, this incited strong dissatisfaction among the nearby villagers.


    They relied on this water for farming. What was more important to them, their crops or some grass? Naturally, to these farmers, the immediate food was critical¡ªwithout food, they¡¯d go hungry, while the lack of grass would just mean more dust and sand.


    Li Bo and the others didn¡¯t engage in conflict with these people. The more than one hundred students, who were not allowed to fetch water from the small river, trudged back to the green belt, despondently carrying their empty buckets.


    A student from the Geological Exploration Department muttered, ¡°Looking at this region, there should be groundwater. Should we consider digging a well?¡±


    Suddenly, even the howling wind seemed to veer, and a hush fell over the place. Eager eyes then turned to the dozen or so students from the Geological Exploration Department.


    Action was taken swiftly, because university wasn¡¯t meant to be a wasted experience.


    But digging a well was not as simple as just talking about it, although now they had a goal.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Qiao Qingyu carefully reviewed from beginning to end the information Li Tie and Uncle Li had prepared about the contractual labor team.


    She trusted that the information was accurate.


    Although Li Tie was somewhat mercenary, he was conscientious at work. His team, including her Uncle, had good masonry skills.


    There were also several skilled veteran carpenters.


    Even within their labor team was someone who had a knack for Feng Shui.


    Qiao Qingyu was quite satisfied.


    However, the team was unlicensed, lacking official certification.


    Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°Uncle Li, Uncle, in a little while they will start building roads in our village. If you two are interested, would you like to learn from and observe the professional teams, to gain some experience?¡±


    The two men exchanged glances, and their eyes suddenly lit up!

 Chapter 381 - 381 381 Phoenix and Wild Chicken

    ?Chapter 381: Chapter 381: Phoenix and Wild Chicken Chapter 381: Chapter 381: Phoenix and Wild Chicken The people sent by Wu Hong were all dressed in work clothes, carrying instruments, and wearing safety helmets.


    Compared to them, the others were phoenixes, and their construction crew was mere wild fowl.


    If they could follow and learn, that would be truly great.


    ¡°...Can we go in and learn? Will they teach us?¡± Li Tie asked nervously.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get in touch with Wu Hong, and if they agree, you all must be humble. Even if they ask you to work voluntarily, don¡¯t complain. The skills you learn are your own. After the village roads are finished, you can go take a certification test and register a construction company. Won¡¯t your team be set up by then?¡±


    ¡°A... certification test, a... company?¡± Li Tie stuttered, nervously rubbing his hands. ¡°Is that possible? Who dares to set up a company? That¡¯s terrifying.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Li, you¡¯ve managed to start a construction crew and built so many houses, how could you not take one more step forward?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked with a beaming smile.


    ¡°Why not, how could we not?¡± Qiao Zhihai stretched out his hand and punched Li Tie lightly. ¡°Just listen to what my niece says; don¡¯t doubt yourself.¡±


    Finally, Li Tie smiled.


    ¡°Alright, alright. I won¡¯t go back to the county for now; I¡¯ll wait for your news.¡±


    They just rented a small house in the county. All these people were from their village, with a few from other villages. When there was work, they would call for people to organize. Normally when there was no work, they had to go work in the fields.


    Those left behind to watch the houses took on small jobs like building stoves and repairing chimneys in the county.


    The weather was cold now, and the houses couldn¡¯t be built immediately.


    Qiao Qingyu located Wu Hong¡¯s contact number and was about to go to the village office to make a call, when at that moment the cashier from the family team called out from the doorway, ¡°Qiao Genbao, is your sister at home? Chief Engineer He is calling.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s at home, she¡¯s at home,¡± hurried Qiao Genbao. ¡°Sis, hurry up, your brother-in-law is calling. Does he have something to do with you?¡±


    What else could it be? He just missed her and was urging her to come home.


    Half a month¡¯s time wasn¡¯t that long when she was in Xichuan, but now that she was at Qiao Family Team, time seemed to drag on.


    On the other end of the phone, He Xiuyu¡¯s voice was a little hoarse, ¡°Qingyu, when will you come back?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll need another three to five days,¡± Qiao Qingyu calculated.


    ¡°Is there no set date? Let me know when you¡¯re sure, and I¡¯ll come pick you up.¡±


    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll head to school first when I return. You and Rongrong don¡¯t have to bother.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m coming,¡± He Xiuyu insisted in a low voice. ¡°I miss you.¡±


    A layer of sweet and sour sensation rose in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart, lingering gently.


    Her voice softened unconsciously, ¡°I miss you too.¡±


    A gentle hum from the other end of the phone¡ªthe huskiness in his voice was palpable, but it was clear that he indeed missed her.


    Qiao Qingyu then asked, ¡°Your voice sounds hoarse. You haven¡¯t caught a cold, have you?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve been working overtime these days.¡±


    ¡°Take care of yourself, and the same goes for your researchers. Health is the capital of the revolution.¡±


    ¡°I know. Sales for the Light Industry Workshop¡¯s cassette players are good; we¡¯re planning to build a basketball court and a sports center for everyone.¡±


    As He Xiuyu mentioned this, a hint of pleasure could be heard in his voice.


    Qiao Qingyu felt happy for him and shared some updates about her side, ¡°He Xiuyu, I¡¯m going to Beijing and then straight back to Xichuan. Do you have anything to do in Beijing?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. But Juanjuan has already sold three pots of Soothing Grass. She told me she¡¯s made three bank books and deposited the money.¡±


    ¡°Tell her to keep a low profile.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already advised her when she called me.¡±


    Two people chatted softly and tenderly. Qiao Qingyu originally intended to call Wu Hong, but by now she had completely forgotten about it.


    ...


    During this time, Wu Hong wasn¡¯t at his company; he took someone from the Zhang Family to Xiwatun.


    Members of the same kind quickly caught each other¡¯s aura when meeting.


    A few glances were enough to roughly gauge each other¡¯s abilities.


    What Wu Hong hadn¡¯t expected was that the young girl lying on the kang was actually the most powerful.


    He directly said, ¡°...I¡¯d like to invite you both to join us. Together, we can break the barrier of this world, and we¡¯ll be able to enter a higher-level world...¡±


    Han Liuya stared intently at Wu Hong. ¡°Is what you¡¯re saying true?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to lie to you. To be honest, there are fewer and fewer humans with our abilities. We should really stick together.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what the higher-level world is like?¡± Han Liuya asked curiously.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But my ancestors did indeed go there; unfortunately, it¡¯s a one-way ticket. They can¡¯t come back or make contact.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about going to another world, but if you can help me with one thing, my grandmother and I will definitely agree to join you.¡±


    Han Lishi was about to speak, but after a moment¡¯s thought, she closed her mouth.


    Sometimes fate like this should not be obstructed, otherwise, it could lead to complications.


    Wu Hong smiled lightly and asked, ¡°Miss Han, what are your conditions?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen my condition. Even if I join you, I won¡¯t be of much use. I need a healthy body.¡±


    ¡°Do you want us to treat you? That we can do.¡±


    The person from the Zhang Family beside him said, ¡°Our medical level is the most advanced in this world. We will do our utmost to treat you.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be treated. This body is my burden. I need someone else¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°You want to possess a body?¡± Wu Hong asked in shock.


    Another person from the Zhang Family frowned. ¡°Possession is against the heavens¡¯ will.¡±


    Wu Hong saw Han Liuya coldly smiling. Her aura was indeed strong, but somewhat gloomy, and he asked, ¡°Whose body do you want?¡±


    ¡°Tenghai Research Base¡¯s Qiao Qingyu. Oh, she¡¯s related to your family, right?¡±


    ¡°You want her body?¡± This time Wu Hong was truly shocked, disbelieving as he looked at Han Liuya.


    His ancestor had calculated that for He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu, all they could do was befriend them, letting their great destinies slowly influence them, so perhaps some things could be achieved with less effort.


    But this young girl fancifully wished to take Qiao Qingyu¡¯s body.


    ¡°Miss Han, this is not right. Taking someone¡¯s body against their will is against the heavens, and even if you succeed, you will not live past forty, and it will end in disaster,¡± Wu Hong stated frankly.


    Han Lishi¡¯s pupils contracted; this was also her concern.


    She couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Can you read fortunes?¡±


    ¡°I know a little, not an expert, but this outcome is what our Zhang Family ancestors and I have directly told.¡±

 Chapter 382 - 382 382 Human Nature is the Most Capricious

    ?Chapter 382: Chapter 382: Human Nature is the Most Capricious Chapter 382: Chapter 382: Human Nature is the Most Capricious Han Liuya spoke very seriously, ¡°If this matter succeeds, there will be immense benefits for you. First is her identity, as Chief Engineer He¡¯s wife and Wu Xiucai¡¯s biological granddaughter, she might even become his heir. You also said they both have great fortunes. If you want to break through the barriers of this world without luck and opportunity, that¡¯s just dreaming!¡±


    Wu Hong and the people from the Zhang Family exchanged glances. Wu Hong calmly said, ¡°This isn¡¯t something I can decide on my own.¡±


    ¡°Then find someone who can decide,¡± Han Liuya said indifferently.


    After Wu Hong and the Zhang Family members left,


    Han Lishi frowned slightly in disapproval, ¡°How could you tell him about this? What if he tells Qiao Qingyu?¡±


    Han Liuya scoffed, ¡°Grandma, do you think we live here, and Qiao Qingyu and the others don¡¯t know?¡±


    Han Lishi was stunned, ¡°What, they know?¡±


    Han Liuya didn¡¯t immediately answer her question but turned to look out the window. The two people they were talking about had long since disappeared. Without turning her head, she said to Han Lishi, ¡°Grandma, I have mastered the Soul Separation Technique. The youngest son of the Old Qiu Family at the east end of the village is someone He Xiuyu sent to spy on us.¡±


    First confused, Han Lishi then replied with surprise, ¡°When did you master it?¡±


    Then, a complex feeling welled up inside her.


    Was Sixth Girl also keeping things from her?


    Han Liuya looked at Han Lishi, patiently explaining, ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to keep it from you. I¡¯ve only just mastered it. I was able to use it proficiently since yesterday. I was going to tell you. Besides, Grandma, I don¡¯t need to hide anything from you, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we only have each other.¡±


    ¡°Grandma, you need to have more confidence in both yourself and me. If we weren¡¯t capable, that man from the Wu Family and the Zhang Family members wouldn¡¯t have come to us.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully, he can help you,¡± Han Lishi said softly.


    ...


    In the afternoon, Qiao Qingyu finally got through to Wu Hong¡¯s office on the phone.


    Coincidentally, Wu Hong had also just returned.


    Several people from the Zhang Family were in his office, talking about family matters.


    Wu Hong gestured for others to be quiet, and he asked Qiao Qingyu cheerfully, ¡°Qingyu, what do you need calling me?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wu, I¡¯d like to talk to you about the Qiao Family Team building a concrete road.¡±


    According to their familial relationship, Qiao Qingyu should be calling him uncle, but Wu Hong was self-aware and said, ¡°Tell me, what do you need me to do?¡±


    Then he quickly added, ¡°As long as it¡¯s within my abilities, there¡¯s absolutely no problem.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu laughed, ¡°Mr. Wu, it¡¯s really not that big of a deal...¡±


    She then talked about her plans to have Li Tie¡¯s contracting crew work with the construction crew on building the road.


    After listening, Wu Hong readily nodded in agreement without hesitation, ¡°That¡¯s a trivial matter and easy to handle.¡±


    He continued, ¡°I¡¯ll call Captain Liang right now, don¡¯t worry. Learning skills is one thing, but we won¡¯t let everyone work for nothing.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t insist either. She had seen the people brought by Captain Liang that day, who were mainly responsible for design and other issues.


    They weren¡¯t the workers, so of course, there¡¯s no harm in using available labor ¨C but now, it¡¯s even better if one doesn¡¯t have to.


    Most of those people¡¯s families had modest means, including Li Tie¡¯s house.


    After hanging up, Qiao Qingyu turned around to see Li Tie and her second uncle standing far away at the door, looking eagerly in her direction.


    She could understand in her heart, such an opportunity was extremely rare for them.


    If this succeeded, they would be in a completely different situation.


    Just then, the phone at the team headquarters rang ¨C it was Captain Liang. He agreed to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s several requests without a second thought, informing her of a half-month probationary period. After half a month, they would be treated as official workers of the construction crew.


    But if they cut corners or violated any rules and regulations, they would be fired and never rehired.


    This was to discipline the builders who were otherwise lax in terms of discipline and mindset.


    As the saying goes, without rules, there is no square. There is some truth to it.


    Qiao Qingyu thought to herself that once the contracting crew¡¯s skills were mature, she could put out an open bid. If Li Tie could build the villas with his own hands, his crew would have a secure footing.


    But building houses was not a trivial matter; shoddy work could cost lives ¨C this was absolutely not something to take lightly, nor was it a matter of personal connections.


    So they had to proceed with caution.


    Li Tie certainly couldn¡¯t bite off more than he could chew or make promises about everything ¨C human nature is fickle, and he could only vouch for himself, he couldn¡¯t guarantee anyone else!


    ...


    When Qiao Qingyu was heading home, she saw a figure standing near a wall in the distance ¨C it was Da Niu.


    Da Niu hesitated upon seeing Qiao Qingyu coming, then ran towards her. Upon reaching her, she said, ¡°Auntie, can you take me home with you?¡±


    ¡°Do you want to go back to Xichuan with me?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked.


    Da Niu nodded vigorously.


    Qiao Qingyu weighed her words, then said, ¡°Da Niu, to tell you the truth, the place I live in isn¡¯t even as good as here. You know, over there I also work the land, deal with seeds and soil, and the sandstorms are intense, the air is dry...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about whether you¡¯re afraid or not, it¡¯s not necessary. You see, I often come to the Qiao Family Team as well. The land here is very important to me.¡±


    ¡°But I want to go with you, Auntie...¡± Da Niu suddenly grabbed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s sleeve and her tears started to fall, ¡°I didn¡¯t dare to be close to you before, because you looked down on us. But now, I think you¡¯re wonderful; you helped me get out of that marriage. Otherwise, I would have wanted to jump into the river and die.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? How could Grandpa and Grandma stand by and let you marry off so young, that¡¯s impossible, and there¡¯s also your uncle. You have to have confidence in your own family, no matter what you¡¯ve done. As long as you don¡¯t commit arson or murder, as long as you¡¯re not utterly without conscience, they won¡¯t give up on you.¡±


    ¡°I know, but Grandpa and Grandma are most afraid of you. Without you, how could this have gone so smoothly? Right now, the dowry money might already have been spent.¡±


    ¡°Going to Xichuan with me, your education isn¡¯t enough; you can¡¯t work in a factory, and working the land there isn¡¯t better than staying here. You also know that the Qiao Family Team is about to develop, and that would surpass Xichuan. You¡¯re better off here,¡± Qiao Qingyu persuaded.


    Da Niu was really hesitant, but then she thought of her own family¡¯s chaotic situation and gritted her teeth, ¡°Even so, with Grandma like that, I won¡¯t be any better off here.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, in Grandma¡¯s heart, there¡¯s only her own family and her brother. She doesn¡¯t pay any attention to us granddaughters. Sooner or later, she will trade us for money again.¡±

 Chapter 383 - 383 383 What If I Disgrace You

    ?Chapter 383: Chapter 383: What If I Disgrace You? Chapter 383: Chapter 383: What If I Disgrace You? Da Niu actually wanted to ask Qingyu for a loan to help Grandma pay off Great-Uncle¡¯s debt, but she dare not speak up.


    She feared that once she asked, the pretty young auntie in front of her would turn against her in an instant.


    Qingyu had no idea that Da Niu had such a thought. She said, ¡°Da Niu, you¡¯re the oldest in your generation at home, historically referred to as the eldest daughter. If you just leave, what about your younger sisters? What if they end up facing the same fate as you?¡±


    ¡°I... they...¡± Da Niu hesitated, thinking of her two younger sisters, who were growing up day by day, never knowing when Grandma might sell them off for money.


    It wasn¡¯t about whether they could survive or not; Grandma was just that kind of person.


    ¡°What should I do then?¡± Suddenly, Da Niu squatted on the ground, covering her face and sobbing.


    Impatiently, Qingyu stepped forward and kicked her, scolding, ¡°Get up, stop crying. It¡¯s as if I¡¯ve bullied you or something.¡±


    Da Niu sobbed uncontrollably, her tearful eyes looking up at Qingyu.


    Qingyu, feeling helpless, said, ¡°Come home with me first.¡±


    Then she turned and headed towards her own house.


    Da Niu wiped away her tears and quickly followed.


    Qingyu thought about her aunt, who had already spoiled several cousins; if these dozen nephews and nieces turned out to be useless, they would truly be a significant drag.


    Although Da Niu was not highly educated, the fact that she secretly visited and comforted her great-grandparents after her grandparents had made a scene proved her good nature.


    Most importantly, she thought to seek Qingyu¡¯s protection, intending to go with her to Xichuan, which showed she had her own thoughts.


    Qingyu looked back at Da Niu, who followed her every step. She thought, she needed to help Da Niu stand on her feet.


    ...


    Qingyu brought Da Niu home.


    She had her wash her hands and face properly. After washing her hands, she trimmed her nails and meticulously applied face cream to her hands and face.


    Smooth and fragrant.


    Da Niu had used these before, to tell the truth. The past two years had not seen a lack of vegetable oil or face cream at home, with Qingyu, Uncle Shengbao from Nangang City, and Aunt Genbao and Uncle Genbao from Yun City bringing some back too.


    But each time, she would only use a little, then Grandma would sneakily take it back to her natal home.


    Although Grandma used to live in the old house, she practically came to their house every day. Her mother was so honest that anyone dared to bully her, so no one took her seriously. Whatever Grandma wanted to take from their house, she would take. Second Aunt was fierce, and Third Aunt even more so, which only left their first branch of the family to suffer.


    As it approached noon, she knew she had to go back and cook, which made her feel uneasy.


    Da Niu withdrew her hand and looked at Qingyu.


    The little aunt from the past looked down on them, seldom visiting their home and never taking them out to play.


    In fact, the aunt¡¯s reputation wasn¡¯t very good, but because she was doted on by the family, no one dared to say anything.


    It was the first time she had observed her little aunt from such a close distance.


    And as she looked, her eyes just couldn¡¯t move away...


    The little aunt was truly beautiful.


    Her skin was both pale and delicate, so much that it seemed to glow when the sun shone on it.


    The young lady¡¯s fingers were dabbed with a bit of white face cream, carefully spreading it over her hand with great attention. The scent on the young lady was also pleasant, an indescribable light floral fragrance.


    Da Niu thought that if there really were fairies, they would probably be just like her young aunt.


    Suddenly, Da Niu felt somewhat embarrassed; she had been staring at her young aunt in a daze when she suddenly remembered something, her heart sinking. She quickly said, ¡°Young Aunt, don¡¯t apply it to me, I have to go home to make a fire and cook later.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have lunch at my house, they won¡¯t starve without you.¡±


    ¡°But my mum will get scolded.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu felt a headache coming on. The sons of her second uncle were all somewhat problematic.


    Wang Guihua¡¯s eldest daughter-in-law, who was also Da Niu¡¯s mother, was timid and compliant, always agreeing to whatever her mother-in-law said. The second and third brothers were cunning; they would jump at any benefit but turn tail at the first sign of hard work.


    Da Niu¡¯s father was also a simple, straightforward man, doing whatever his parents asked of him.


    Such people were pitiable yet infuriating.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, no one dares to trouble you when you¡¯re with your young aunt.¡± At this time, Niu Guili called out from the kitchen door, ¡°Da Niu, have lunch here. I¡¯ll cook you flatbreads with oil.¡±


    Da Niu was taken aback at first, then quickly replied, ¡°I got it, Auntie.¡±


    After lunch, Qiao Qingyu dressed her in her own old cotton clothes, a khaki color, and underneath was a wool sweater Qiao Qingyu had never worn. She felt the color was too bright, but it looked just right on a sixteen-year-old girl.


    Da Niu seemed a bit awkward after the makeover, but some things just couldn¡¯t be explained in a few words. Qiao Qingyu said to her, ¡°I¡¯ll be going back to Beijing in a few days, so just follow me around these days.¡±


    Da Niu was startled, ¡°Young Aunt... I... How can I follow you? Is there anything I need to do?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to do anything, just watch what I do, listen to what I say, and if there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand, you can ask me when it¡¯s just us two.¡±


    Da Niu¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. Despite the sour comments from some behind her back, to be honest, if it wasn¡¯t for jealousy, who would sourly gossip about Qiao Qingyu?


    Her young aunt Qiao Qingyu was the envy of all the young girls and brides in the village.


    The things she had come into contact with and experienced were unimaginable to them.


    ¡°Young Aunt... I... I don¡¯t understand anything, what if I embarrass you by being around you?¡± Da Niu said nervously.


    Qiao Qingyu pulled her over and said with a smile, ¡°Our Old Qiao Family has good genes; no one is ugly. Look at your curved eyebrows and bright eyes. Although your skin is a bit dark, you have lovely features, and this beautiful young girl won¡¯t embarrass anyone no matter where she goes.¡±


    Hearing her young aunt compliment her, Da Niu¡¯s eyes sparkled even more.


    Then she felt a bit shy.


    ...


    From that time, Qiao Qingyu always took Da Niu with her until her departure.


    Although there were only five days, Da Niu felt as if her world had been turned upside down.


    She had never imagined that the world outside her home, outside the Qiao Family Team, could be so exciting and magical, yet also so daunting.


    She followed her young aunt as they walked briskly, listening to her discuss the matters of the fields with the experts and professors and talk about the future changes of the new rural areas. When they went to the commune, the officials of the Harvest Commune came out to greet her, smiles on their faces. They had cleaned the tractor spotless and asked her young aunt to sit in the cleanest spot, inviting her to tour the entire Harvest Commune.


    When they visited the county, the leader in charge of agriculture cordially invited her young aunt to the government compound¡¯s canteen for a meal.


    No matter where she went to handle affairs, her young aunt never looked at people¡¯s faces, always wearing a smile, and no matter what the others said, she could engage in the discussion with them.

 Chapter 384 - 384 384 The Outside World is Truly Wonderful

    ?Chapter 384: Chapter 384 The Outside World is Truly Wonderful Chapter 384: Chapter 384 The Outside World is Truly Wonderful Da Niu could see that when her auntie spoke, those people were sincerely listening with looks of admiration on their faces.


    How old was her auntie this year?


    Her auntie was only three years older than herself. She had just turned nineteen this fall.


    In the past, when she heard her grandparents and eldest uncle praise Qiao Qingyu, she didn¡¯t believe it, since she rarely saw her auntie¡¯s demeanor outside, but this time, Da Niu finally truly realized that her auntie was indeed remarkable.


    Following by her auntie¡¯s side, those people also beamed cheerily at her.


    Time was still too short. She really wished she could stay by her auntie¡¯s side forever, even if it meant just doing her laundry and cooking in the future, as long as she could follow her.


    But her auntie wouldn¡¯t even take her to Xichuan.


    She wasn¡¯t afraid of hardship or toil; she would be happy to go there and farm.


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu had already bought her train ticket; she would leave tomorrow.


    She and Da Niu were walking back from Ning¡¯an County together, Da Niu leaning against the wall, her hands twisted together, looking at Qiao Qingyu with unsaid words on her lips.


    Of course, Qiao Qingyu knew what Da Niu wanted to do, Da Niu wanted to go back to Xichuan City with her, but she truly couldn¡¯t take her back. No matter the future developments in Xichuan, the current Xichuan and Qiao Family Team were no different, and Da Niu didn¡¯t need to develop there either.


    Qiao Qingyu said softly, ¡°Da Niu, your auntie is going to Beijing tomorrow, and your auntie hopes you can stay and help build our new rural village with your eldest uncle and the others...¡±


    Although these words sounded very inspiring, tears poured out of Da Niu¡¯s eyes instantly, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m not afraid of the hardships or the toil. I just don¡¯t want to stay here.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu thought for a moment, ¡°You don¡¯t want to stay at the Qiao Family Team; you don¡¯t want to stay at your home!¡±


    Da Niu, hit right where it hurt, hung her head silently as tears streamed down ceaselessly.


    Qiao Qingyu remained unmoved but still softened her voice, ¡°Da Niu, your auntie knows what¡¯s on your mind, but sometimes there are some people and things you just can¡¯t run from. You can ignore your grandparents, but what about your parents, your two younger sisters?¡±


    Da Niu looked up at Qiao Qingyu sitting across from her and wiped her tears, ¡°Auntie, I just don¡¯t want to see you go. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t leave, if I left, there¡¯d be even less care for my two sisters.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s gaze became even more gentle; Da Niu hadn¡¯t followed her for these few days in vain.


    ¡°It¡¯s really unfair to you, but there¡¯s no helping it. Your parents are just too honest. Being the oldest in the family, you have to shoulder more responsibility.¡±


    Da Niu had learned what responsibility meant these past few days. She pondered upon it, calming her emotions, before she bashfully smiled at Qiao Qingyu and then nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, auntie, I know what to do.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu held her hand and patted it, ¡°Da Niu, you can¡¯t bear everything alone. You have to learn to utilize the strength of others, like your great-grandparents. Most importantly, your grand uncle.¡±


    Da Niu¡¯s grand uncle was naturally Qiao Zhiyuan. It was inevitable; the Qiao Family had many members, even Qiao Qingyu herself would sometimes get them mixed up.


    Like so many of her male cousins, their wives, and their children.


    When the whole family gathered, it made her dizzy.


    Da Niu nodded vigorously, ¡°When my grandma bullies me, I¡¯ll go to them for help.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, as long as you¡¯re right, they will stand by your side.¡± Then, glancing around, Qiao Qingyu whispered to Da Niu how to deal with Wang Mei.


    Wang Mei was easy to handle, but it still required some thought.


    Especially since Wang Mei¡¯s character was truly awful; her actions often knew no bounds.


    Her grandma said that when her second uncle was young, he had faced setbacks and never recovered, becoming reticent and uninterested in marriage. But back then, though the Qiao Family weren¡¯t landlords, they got by well, and her uncles, especially her second uncle, were quite handsome, making him the most attractive, so there was no shortage of marriage proposals coming to their door.


    Matchmakers had found several suitable girls for him, and he picked haphazardly; Wang Mei ended up as his wife.


    So it had been for several decades.


    It remained to be seen if Da Niu could grasp her meaning.


    But the work here had basically ended.


    Li Tie and his second uncle, along with their construction crew, joined Captain Liang¡¯s team with great enthusiasm and were already measuring out the roads.


    Wu Hong¡¯s cement factory was taking over a state-owned cement factory in Xichuan that was on the verge of bankruptcy.


    All it lacked was capital and raw materials.


    As for personnel, there was not only no shortage, but an excess.


    In order to establish a good reputation, Wu Hong had also agreed with the local government to take over the factory and retain all the elderly staff members, vowing not to downsize a single one.


    Thus, naturally, the factory had to expand.


    Once the necessary materials and equipment arrived, cement production was already underway.


    Frankly speaking, the cement factory was also a business that was about to boom.


    Wu Hong had great foresight in this aspect.


    He had already arranged for a train carload of cement, which would soon arrive in Ning¡¯an County.


    And here in Ning¡¯an County, a cement branch factory would be opened.


    So, as long as the construction could proceed, the Qiao Family Team¡¯s cement roads would immediately begin to be built.


    This time, it wasn¡¯t just building a cement road within the village; the road would lead from the village to Harvest Commune, and then from Harvest Commune to the county town, adding more than twenty miles of road length.


    This road was contracted by the county.


    Wu Hong was generous, pledging that he would provide half of the cement for free.


    Furthermore, families in the village who had originally planned to build houses had all paused their plans.


    From now on, the household registration management of the Qiao Family Team would become strict.


    The cadres of the team were currently going door to door to verify the population, register it formally, and then record the area of the homesteads and houses each family owned.


    Spring plowing was still underway, and every family was working from dawn till dusk.


    Truth be told, the members had never worked so hard in all these years.


    Nor had they ever felt such a surge of excitement, feeling as if they had boundless energy.


    Because how this year turned out would represent whether the Qiao Family Team could truly become a well-off model village according to the plan.


    So, everyone was putting their full effort into it.


    Last year, a pig farm had been built at the edge of the village. It was now managed scientifically and with strict standards, to the point where the elderly commented enviously that the pigs lived in cleaner conditions than their own homes.


    This year, a total of five hundred pigs were being raised.


    With unified management and cultivation.


    The pig farm also paid monthly salaries, employing people from the village as well as technicians from the commune.


    The manure from the pig farm was also processed in a unified manner; at the foot of the mountain near the village, there were two large manure fermentation pools.


    In the Southern region, chemical fertilizers were already being produced, but they were used very sparingly here. The base fertilizer was all organic fertilizer produced by the team itself.


    The pesticides used were also carefully selected.


    The team had already set clear guidelines for these last year.


    To build a regular and qualified seed breeding base required the construction of laboratories, seedling nurseries, and some advanced equipment.


    These pieces of equipment were provided by Tenghai Research.

 Chapter 385 - 385 385 Who Are You Calling a Loss

    ?Chapter 385: Chapter 385: Who Are You Calling a Loss? Chapter 385: Chapter 385: Who Are You Calling a Loss? Qiao Qingyu estimated that there would be no problem with the grant support fund.


    After all, the first year¡¯s corn seeds for the entire county were provided by the Qiao Family Team.


    This year, the Qiao Family Team still provided the finest corn seeds.


    In terms of technology, they were mature.


    The corn seeds they cultivated also had the highest germination rate.


    Now, Qiao Qingyu needed to make a trip to Beijing to secure the documents.


    There were many such tasks, but there were also many people handling them.


    Qiao Qingyu gave Da Niu several instructions and then gave her some encouragement.


    She couldn¡¯t put too much pressure on her.


    It was rare for a child to have such a sense of responsibility nowadays.


    After discussing for a while, Da Niu remembered the few tasks her aunt had arranged for her and needed to make decisions now since her aunt would be leaving tomorrow afternoon.


    Da Niu said, ¡°Aunt, I¡¯ve decided to go to the village clinic to learn medicine from Dr. Jiang.¡±


    After saying this, she carefully observed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression and found that, although her aunt didn¡¯t show any particular emotion, she could feel her approval for this decision as her aunt had often mentioned that her hands were very skillful and she was smart and resilient.


    To be honest, not everyone in the Qiao Family was extraordinarily talented, but there were no clumsy ones either.


    As for other jobs, such as the elementary school and the seed production base laboratory, Qiao Qingyu did not approve of Da Niu undertaking them. However, if Da Niu wanted to, she would arrange it.


    But Qiao Qingyu still thought it was best for the young girl to learn medicine.


    Whether for her present or her future, the benefits of studying medicine were tremendous.


    Since Da Niu had decided to study medicine, Qiao Qingyu took her to the Qiao Family Team¡¯s clinic.


    She had already given a prior notice, and Dr. Jiang was not opposed to Da Niu learning medicine from her.


    When Qiao Qingyu arrived at the clinic, Dr. Jiang was treating a villager who had accidentally injured his foot with a hoe.


    Da Niu was capable and lively, and without needing Qiao Qingyu¡¯s prompting, she automatically and willingly helped out.


    After treating the injured foot, the villager paid the medical fee and left, supported by his family.


    Dr. Jiang was a middle-aged woman in her thirties.


    She and her husband were among the first batch of educated youths sent to the countryside.


    Although they were not from the same place, they had fallen in love.


    By their third year in the countryside, they had set up a family here, and the team had even built them a small house, but it was destroyed in a flood the following year. In an effort to rescue the team¡¯s accounts and valuables, her husband perished in the line of duty.


    Although his body was never found, survival was impossible in such a huge flood.


    They had no children. Later, when the village established a clinic, Jiang Xiu, who knew some medicine, became the only doctor here.


    Now that the educated youths were gradually returning to their own cities, Jiang Xiu did not wish to go back.


    No one knew why, nor had they seen her family come to visit her, but everyone respected her and didn¡¯t feel it was appropriate to pry into her private matters.


    Jiang Xiu was a very gentle woman and also very patient. She smiled at Qiao Qingyu and said, ¡°I really like Da Niu. One time, I was picking herbs on the mountain and accidentally twisted my ankle. This child was only about twelve years old at the time, yet she carried me down the mountain. Don¡¯t worry, I will teach her well.¡±


    Da Niu also quickly assured, ¡°Dr. Jiang, I will definitely study hard.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu then smiled and said, ¡°Dr. Jiang, during this year, you really need to put in effort to teach her well. Next year, the health center is planning to expand; the preliminary plans are already set. In the winter, you will go to a provincial hospital for further training.¡±


    Jiang Xiu was stunned for a moment.


    She was self-taught, without any formal qualifications. She hadn¡¯t even finished middle school when she went to the countryside. Her medical skills were self-developed, a barefoot doctor for a large team. She had never had the opportunity to train in a big hospital, let alone stayed in a county hospital for a few days.


    She hadn¡¯t expected to have the chance to go to a provincial hospital for further training.


    Qiao Qingyu was always straightforward in her dealings.


    Jiang Xiu was naturally very grateful.


    Da Niu¡¯s formal name was Qiao Ye.


    The name was actually quite pleasant, but it was chosen in a very simple manner during its time.


    It was when Wang Mei knew her daughter-in-law had given birth to a granddaughter, she just pursed her lips, didn¡¯t even go inside the house. It was autumn, the leaves from the poplar tree outside the gate were rustling down, and she casually said to her son, ¡°Just call her Qiao Ye.¡±


    This might have been the most correct thing Wang Mei ever did; Da Niu¡¯s name was quite elegant.


    Much nicer sounding than the later Qiao Cui and Qiao Hua.


    After Qiao Ye cleaned the health center, she set her work schedule for tomorrow and the future and then happily followed Qiao Qingyu back to her home.


    She helped Qiao Qingyu pack things. Despite being only sixteen, she was very skilled at cooking. She cooked a lot of sorghum rice and millet crispy rice in the big pot, specially prepared them, and packed them in kraft paper bags for Qiao Qingyu to eat on the road.


    The rice was picked very clean, not a grain of sand in sight; today¡¯s cereals were tasty, the golden crispy rice was exceptionally fragrant, crispy, and crunchy in the mouth.


    After everything was packed, Qiao Qingyu did not let Qiao Ye stay with her tonight but sent her back home.


    Qiao Zhihai now lived with his eldest son, Qiao Liangbao¡¯s family. Qiao Zhihai had three sons, the eldest being Qiao Ye¡¯s father, and there were three daughters in the family.


    The second son was Qiao Fengbao, who had the most children, three sons and two daughters.


    Qiao Zhihai¡¯s third son was Qiao Shubao, who was twenty-eight this year with a son and a daughter, living the best life among Qiao Zhihai¡¯s sons and having the most cleverness in the family.


    Before Qiao Qingyu even entered the yard, she heard Wang Mei scolding Liangbao¡¯s wife.


    Wang Mei was saying stuff like producing a bunch of money-losers, wanting to leave his family without descendants, being lazy and gluttonous, completely worthless, absolutely feeble, and so forth; she spared nothing in her insults.


    Qiao Qingyu felt that starting from now, the spirit of Qiao Family Team needed to be uplifted. She didn¡¯t want them to become affluent yet have the villagers¡¯ moral standards remain incredibly low, casting a shadow over Xiao Kang Village.


    People like Wang Mei were especially the key targets for reformation, particularly since such types were not uncommon in the Qiao Family Team.


    She stood at the front gate, and Qiao Ye, seeing her aunt muster the courage, pushed open the door and shouted loudly, ¡°Grandpa, grandma, my aunt has come.¡±


    In the Qiao family, only Qiao Qingyu could be called ¡°aunt¡± by these children.


    The cursing Wang Mei suddenly stopped as if someone had grabbed her by the throat, akin to a choked goose. She hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Qingyu to come.


    To be honest, she never dared to mess with this girl before, and now, even less so. Wang Mei stopped mid-sentence and put on a forced smile, ¡°Oh, Qingyu is here, come in quickly, have you eaten dinner?¡±


    ¡°I have,¡± Qiao Qingyu walked up with a smile, and directly asked, ¡°Aunt, who were you calling a money-loser?¡±

 Chapter 386 - 386 386 Troublemaker

    ?Chapter 386: Chapter 386: Troublemaker Chapter 386: Chapter 386: Troublemaker Wang Mei¡¯s face changed color, and with a casual gesture, she pointed to Qiao Cui and Qiao Hua cowering in the corner and then glared fiercely at Liangbao¡¯s wife, who shrank back without uttering a word, ¡°Aren¡¯t they just a waste of money.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu certainly disagreed, and with furrowed brows, she earnestly said, ¡°Second Aunt, who says girls are a waste of money? Look at you, for example. When the Wang Family had you, their ancestral graves must have emitted green smoke. From the moment you married into our Qiao Family, not to say your family¡¯s life mirrors exactly the life of the Old Qiao Family, it isn¡¯t far from it either. Having daughters is not a loss; you are the best example.¡±


    The crowd, ¡°...¡±


    Right, isn¡¯t that the truth?


    Qiao Cui and Qiao Hua exchanged glances, excitement blooming on their faces, but they dared not speak up because of Wang Mei. Yet they all looked eagerly at Qiao Qingyu and their eldest sister.


    Especially the eldest sister, who these days, by staying by her aunt¡¯s side, seemed so impressive. They were indeed envious.


    Wang Mei didn¡¯t catch on at first but after smacking her lips a few times, the meaning of the words hit her, ¡°Qingyu, you... what are you saying here?¡±


    ¡°Second Aunt, I¡¯m just speaking the truth. You¡¯ve set a great example! As the books say, ¡®the power of an example is limitless.¡¯ Nowadays, even your brother¡¯s family can run a little convenience store. Do you still claim that girls are a loss?¡±


    At this moment, Qiao Zhihai walked out from the house, his expression not much better. The words felt like a slap in his face. He glared fiercely at his wife, then smiled at Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qingyu, come inside quickly.¡±


    ¡°Uncle, no need, I need to get back too. It¡¯s getting dark.¡±


    Then her gaze fell on Qiao Ye standing beside her, ¡°Uncle, starting tomorrow, Qiao Ye will work at our team¡¯s clinic, learning medicine with Dr. Jiang...¡±


    Qiao Zhihai was initially stunned, but then he rubbed his hands together in delight, ¡°Oh, learning medicine with Dr. Jiang, that¡¯s really great. Da Niu, make sure you learn well and work hard.¡±


    How wonderful for a girl to learn medicine¡ªboth capable and respected.


    Wang Mei¡¯s face suddenly changed, and she blurted out, ¡°She can¡¯t go, she still has to get married.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face immediately darkened, her aura turning colder, ¡°Second Aunt, what do you mean by this? Da Niu has plenty of time to get married. Moreover, this is something I have arranged. If anyone dares to interfere, don¡¯t blame me for kicking them out of the Qiao Family Team.¡±


    Wang Mei, fuming and feeling threatened, which was humiliating for her, bit her teeth, ¡°What... what do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a smart person; you surely understand what I mean. Not to mention here, but anything I arrange within the team, the elders, including my uncle, are to carry it out. No one dares to contradict me.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was done beating around the bush with Wang Mei. This person just needed to be put in her place.


    She immediately looked at Qiao Zhihai, ¡°Uncle, what do you have to say?¡±


    Then she added, ¡°Uncle, if you think I¡¯m overstepping by meddling in your affairs, tell me now. From this point on, from the oldest to the youngest in your family, I won¡¯t spare a glance for any of you.¡±


    Qiao Liangbao grew anxious. When he and his wife heard the news, they were overjoyed; Da Niu going to learn medicine was a matter that brought honor to the family. It would reflect well on them too, and she could even marry into a good family.


    But they dared not speak, fearing Wang Mei, and could only look pleadingly at Qiao Zhihai for help.


    How could Qiao Zhihai dare to say Qiao Qingyu was overstepping?


    Nowadays, so many people are eager for Qiao Qingyu to reach out and manage their affairs; he must have had his brains struck by lightning to talk like that.


    Hastily, he explained, ¡°Qingyu, your second uncle didn¡¯t mean it that way, you are the most qualified, your second uncle is desperate for you to manage these people.¡±


    Then, he glared at Wang Mei with vicious eyes. Although, in the past, Wang Mei had done many things to his satisfaction, now for some reason, the more he looked at her, the more intolerable she seemed. He reprimanded her sharply, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Wang Mei, from now on, you¡¯re not allowed to meddle in the household affairs.¡±


    Then, without waiting for Wang Mei to retort, he said, ¡°We have our own house, and the eldest doesn¡¯t need your help with anything. Not only do you do nothing all day here, but you also have the eldest and his wife and children waiting on you. You have no shame, but I do; we¡¯ll move back to the old house tomorrow.¡±


    Liangbao¡¯s wife felt a surge of joy inside but dared not show it on her face. Qiao Liangbao also breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn¡¯t being unfilial, but he truly didn¡¯t want to be involved in his mother¡¯s reckless deeds anymore. Recently, people in the village had openly and secretly criticized him; a man nearly forty years old, perpetually involved in the silly affairs of his foolish mother.


    Especially the matter of Da Niu¡¯s arranged marriage, he was Da Niu¡¯s biological father, yet his mother had sold her off to settle her brother¡¯s debts. This issue alone had stirred the villagers to mock him countless times lately.


    His grandparents would scold him upon sight, and his eldest uncle and aunt did the same.


    Even Shengbao looked down on him, scorning him for not being able to protect his own daughter, a truly pathetic excuse for a man.


    Qiao Genbao had cursed him out several times as well.


    Only Qiao Qingyu had said nothing, yet her indifference tormented and embarrassed him even more than verbal abuse.


    But his mother was simply too fearsome and difficult to handle; no one could sort her out.


    Even the grandparents and his eldest uncle and aunt had no solution during that period. It wasn¡¯t until Qiao Qingyu returned that the household began to change for the better.


    Although he understood this in his heart, he never dared to voice it, having grown accustomed to bottling up his thoughts.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at him indifferently and simply said, ¡°Brother Liangbao, in principle I¡¯m much younger than you, and it¡¯s not my place to meddle in your household affairs. Whether you live well or poorly is none of my business. However, you are currently members of the Qiao Family Team, and you cannot become a stumbling block on the path forward for the team.¡±


    Qiao Liangbao didn¡¯t utter a word.


    But he clearly understood that Qiao Qingyu seemed to be helping him.


    Qiao Qingyu knew that Wang Mei was a troublemaker in the household. With her absence, the family might not be completely calm, but it would be harmonious enough, so it would be best to let her and the second uncle live alone in the old house. The Qiao Family didn¡¯t only have the old mansion, they also had another old house, which was given to the second uncle when they divided the property. However, Qiao Zhihai stubbornly refused to go, preferring to stay with the grandparents.


    But indeed, that house was under Qiao Zhihai¡¯s name.


    Qiao Zhihai then said, ¡°Eldest brother, sister-in-law, find some time tomorrow to tidy up the house for us, tomorrow afternoon we¡¯ll move there.¡±


    Liangbao eagerly nodded, ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll go first thing tomorrow morning.¡±


    Actually, with his usual temperament, he wouldn¡¯t dare to say that; he would have pleaded for them to stay, since, as the eldest son, filial piety was his duty.


    And the village rules had always been so, with the elderly generally living with the eldest son.


    Just like the great-grandfather¡¯s generation had done.

 Chapter 387 - 387 387 Brainwashing

    ?Chapter 387: Chapter 387: Brainwashing Chapter 387: Chapter 387: Brainwashing But today, Qiao Liangbao suddenly changed his mind, not wanting to continue with his usual approach. His father was fine, but if his mother kept living there, the family would sooner or later face problems.


    He was honest, and his wife was even more so.


    As for why Qiao Liangbao had such a sudden awakening, it was mainly due to a conversation he had with his grandpa.


    Wang Mei did not notice her eldest son¡¯s unusual behavior. Instinctively, she wanted to object, but Qingyu simply said, ¡°Second Aunt, the village is currently conducting a registration of household members. Houses that are vacant and unused for a long time won¡¯t be counted within the residential housing area.¡±


    After Qingyu¡¯s few sentences, the courtyard suddenly became eerily quiet.


    Especially Wang Mei, who stared at Qingyu, stunned for a moment before suddenly shouting in a piercing voice, ¡°Qingyu, are you telling the truth?¡±


    ¡°Second Aunt, why are you shouting?¡± Qingyu frowned in displeasure.


    ¡°I¡¯m just asking if what you said is true.¡±


    Qingyu coolly countered, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Now Qiao Zhihai was also anxious. How had he failed to consider this?


    If, because the house had been vacant for so long, they didn¡¯t lose the right to live there but also weren¡¯t allocated a house, wouldn¡¯t they miss out on a small western-style building for nothing?


    They were all living in the big brother¡¯s house right now. Even if the house they were allocated later were bigger, it couldn¡¯t compare to having an independent one¡ªit was an entirely different matter.


    Although this was just a village plan, once he joined the construction team, he deeply realized that this wasn¡¯t an ordinary plan but one that had to be implemented.


    It was a plan even supported by the provincial city.


    There would be no changes, no second thoughts; as long as the village didn¡¯t ruin itself by squandering all its seeds, the plan would proceed smoothly.


    Qiao Zhihai, pulling the still bewildered Wang Mei, shouted, ¡°What are you standing there stupidly for? Hurry up and pack, we¡¯re moving now...¡±


    He was truly in a hurry.


    He didn¡¯t even care about cleaning the house anymore.


    However, even so, Qiao Liangbao and his wife quickly got busy packing to move.


    Qingyu glanced over and saw his brother Liangbao and sister-in-law hurrying along, quickly turning the corner...


    Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    Such a speechless couple.


    However, Qingyu didn¡¯t mind that other villagers would learn about this matter. This was one of the rules, added later, to prevent the villagers from thinking they could trade a pigpen for a small western-style building¡ªsuch wishful thinking.


    Qingyu also wasn¡¯t afraid of what others would say because Qiao Zhihai¡¯s house met all the conditions. The old house was built on his allotted homestead land when they divided the family property. It was only left vacant because Qiao Zhihai and his wife wanted to live off his parents.


    Everything was legal and aboveboard.


    Villagers did not practice renting out their houses, so the house was just left empty.


    All the three rooms were built with yellow mud bricks, and although Wang Mei was lazy, she still grew plenty of vegetables in front of and behind the house every summer.


    Of course, she didn¡¯t do the planting herself; she always called up her eldest daughter-in-law to do the work, as she was honest. The other two daughters-in-law were tough, and she didn¡¯t dare boss them around.


    As for moving in now, as long as the fire was lit, there would be absolutely no problem with the house; naturally, it wasn¡¯t practical to move in tonight.


    Qiao Qingyu pulled Qiao Zhihai aside and whispered, ¡°Uncle, you are not allowed to meddle with Qiao Ye¡¯s marriage, I have other plans for her.¡±


    Qiao Zhihai nodded frantically, realizing that any arrangement by Qiao Qingyu would be promising. He was not foolish and, indeed, couldn¡¯t wait.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at Qiao Zhihai, ¡°Uncle, I have no objections to auntie helping her family; it¡¯s right to be filial to your parents. But there¡¯s a limit to everything. Auntie isn¡¯t very scheming, she¡¯s just been brainwashed by her family into stupidity. You have to steer things in the right direction, otherwise, your entire household, dozens of people, may end up working for the Wang Family to pay off your debts and earn their property.¡±


    Qiao Zhihai¡¯s face turned red, and at the same time, he broke out in a cold sweat.


    His family had always been poor, and it was only from last year to now that things had gotten a bit better, but he¡¯d gambled away the money earned from the greenhouse, so he hadn¡¯t thought about property.


    But now, he had joined the construction crew.


    Naturally, he¡¯d become more worldly and also knew that as long as he worked hard, he might be able to clear all his debts this year and improve their lives the next year.


    If a construction company was truly established as Qiao Qingyu said, making money would just be a matter of time.


    He found out later that Wang Mei had given money to her brothers, and he forced her to take the money back, of course. That money wasn¡¯t given to his younger brother, he stealthily kept it.


    Besides that, there was just the scarves and face cream he bought for his daughters-in-law and granddaughters, which he didn¡¯t take seriously.


    After all, he couldn¡¯t use that stuff himself.


    But what if he made big money?


    Qiao Zhihai looked toward the room where Wang Mei was frantically packing things.


    His expression grew dark and gloomy.


    Qiao Qingyu pressed on, ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m not being alarmist. Take Da Niu¡¯s marriage for example; anyone with a bit of sense would not agree to it, but you did, and that¡¯s plainly being brainwashed by the Wang Family. In the past, you would have been nothing but servants to others!¡±


    These words were even less pleasant.


    And Qiao Qingyu had harsher things to say.


    ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re working on the construction crew with Uncle Li. You know exactly what that experience is like. If you work hard to build up a family business and my aunt gave it all away to the Wang Family, I might as well send your whole family over there to work as maids or laborers.¡±


    She smiled gently, ¡°Uncle, am I right? If that¡¯s the result, why bother with all this trouble? It would be easier if you just handed over your commitments, and the Wang Family would at least remember your generosity.¡±


    At this point, Wang Mei certainly hadn¡¯t heard Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words.


    Qiao Qingyu continued, ¡°That¡¯s why I said earlier that auntie is a good person. She¡¯s the epitome of what a woman should be. Who says having a daughter is a losing proposition? If so, let them take auntie as a living example.¡±


    Qiao Zhihai broke out in a sweat, ¡°Qingyu, with your words, even I feel ashamed. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let her make these foolish mistakes again!¡±


    As he said this, his face twisted a bit.


    Qiao Qingyu suddenly got angry, her petite face stern as she looked at Qiao Zhihai, ¡°Uncle, what are you saying? What do you mean whether I mind or not? It¡¯s your, Qiao Zhihai¡¯s, family business; what does it have to do with me, Qiao Qingyu? You can give it to whoever you want, and if you don¡¯t want to give it to someone, that¡¯s up to you. I just mentioned it in passing, but then again, if I come back in the future, I won¡¯t buy things for you anymore. Why bother with the trouble? If I want to show favor, I could just give it straight to the Wang Family, why should I let my aunt go through such a big hassle.¡±

 Chapter 388 - 388 388 Fate is Just That Magical

    ?Chapter 388: Chapter 388 Fate is Just That Magical Chapter 388: Chapter 388 Fate is Just That Magical ¡°Just that, Grandpa, my auntie is right. Since last year, all the face cream, silk scarves, and clothes that Auntie Qingyu bought for us have been sent by my grandma to Wangjia Village,¡± Qiao Ye, who had been standing by the side, mustered up his courage to speak.


    The two girls behind him nodded in agreement.


    Qiao Zhihai, now a worldly man, was a man who didn¡¯t care much about these things and had never interfered with them. But hearing what Qiao Qingyu and Qiao Ye said made him feel his face burning with shame.


    He wiped his forehead and said fiercely, ¡°Da Niu, don¡¯t you worry, it won¡¯t happen again!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, however, didn¡¯t respond to him but instead said to Qiao Ye, ¡°Da Niu, don¡¯t be angry if your aunt doesn¡¯t buy you anything when she comes back.¡±


    Wang Mei¡¯s bad habit should not be indulged. If the Wang Family were good people, it would be fine, but Wang Mei¡¯s brother was a good-for-nothing. His despicable character and lack of gratitude, especially the bracelet incident, had already caused much resentment. Now he was even using Da Niu to settle his debts, showing no respect for the Qiao Family.


    If Qiao Zhihai, this self-righteous fool, wasn¡¯t awakened to the fact, there would be more worries in the future.


    ¡°We¡¯re not angry because even if you had bought something for us, we wouldn¡¯t have received it,¡± Qiao Ye hurriedly said.


    ¡°Qiao Ye, you do a good job at the health clinic. When you¡¯re a bit older, I¡¯ll send you out for training. When you¡¯re not busy, review your textbooks. Look, your aunt never went to junior high, but now I¡¯m in college. What your aunt has achieved, you can achieve too.¡±


    Then she turned to Qiao Cui and Qiao Hua. Now that both kids were in school, she instructed them to study hard and then returned home.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Zhihai began to seriously contemplate.


    Only then did he understand; his brother-in-law truly was worthless.


    The next day, Qiao Qingyu gathered all her materials, ready to take the horse-drawn carriage to Ning¡¯an County.


    She took some items and some money since she needed to visit her brother at Ning¡¯an County First Middle School.


    She hadn¡¯t seen the boy since she returned.


    The college entrance exam was approaching fast, and though he was under a lot of pressure with his studies, she was reassured because her elder brother and sister-in-law were looking after him.


    As the horse-drawn carriage was about to leave the village, two people, panting, caught up from behind.


    Qiao Qingyu looked back and saw that it was Grandpa Mu¡¯s daughter and son-in-law from the village.


    Grandpa Mu¡¯s daughter, Mu Xia, was very beautiful and was once known as the standout beauty of the Qiao Family Team.


    Mu Xia worked in farming in the village. A few years ago, her husband Zhao Han got into university and was graduating this year. He studied at the provincial Shifan University and then requested to come back to teach at the Qiao Family Team¡¯s primary school because he couldn¡¯t bear to part with his wife and their son and daughter.


    He was completely different from those two educated youths who had abandoned their wives and children.


    One of those youths got into university and divorced his wife; the other was Lin Wen from North City. His family lived in the provincial capital, and after going back to the city for a recruitment exam, he got a job at the Livestock Bureau. He swiftly kicked his wife to the curb.


    He didn¡¯t even want the two sons his wife had given birth to.


    Unexpectedly, the ordinarily compliant wife lashed out this time. She took her two kids to the city, causing a massive uproar, and successfully sabotaged his marriage plans. She nearly got him fired from his job, which reflected terribly on him.


    In the end, he agreed to send two-thirds of his salary to her every month without fail.


    He was left with only a third, barely more than a dozen yuan a month. Who would marry him, unless the woman was willing to support him willingly?


    He had given up, accepted his fate, and was somewhat intimidated by his ex-wife¡¯s determination to fight for her life, so he didn¡¯t dare to plan on starting a new family anymore.


    The dramatic part was, last fall, he was assigned by his superiors to the Qiao Family Team.


    He was a technician from the Animal Husbandry Bureau, and now he busied himself in the village from morning till night.


    After all the hardship he had gone through to leave, he was now back where he started, which made him feel quite stifled.


    Since he had returned, he wasn¡¯t truly heartless and cruel, so of course, he would often visit his two sons. His house was still there, and his ex-wife hadn¡¯t remarried, faithfully looking after their sons.


    Lin Wen would come over for meals every now and then, and once, after drinking a little alcohol, he and his ex-wife ended up... together...


    And then... it was like that...


    They weren¡¯t in a hurry to get remarried, but the current Lin Wen was busy every day and belonged to the type who was pained yet content.


    Yesterday morning, Qiao Qingyu even discussed the lab matters of the seed production base.


    Although Lin Wen had his issues, his work attitude was good. After experiencing so many setbacks, he especially cherished his current job and was particularly serious and responsible.


    He was someone who got things done.


    The commune was preparing to entrust the seed production base laboratory to his care.


    So it¡¯s true, fate is miraculous¡ªafter all the twists and turns, he had returned, but the current Qiao Family Team was nothing like the one he felt deeply disgusted with and wished to leave immediately.


    He saw the changes in the Qiao Family Team right before his eyes, and most importantly, his wife was a separate household, and they had a share in the villas built in the village.


    He told Qiao Qingyu that it was like a modern town from a foreign movie.


    Now, housing in the city was extremely tight; some families with over twenty members lived in rooms of just twenty square meters.


    Just yesterday, he joked with Qiao Qingyu that several of the educated youths who had fought desperately to return to the city now all wanted to come back, but it was a pity that their household registrations had been moved long ago, and there was no place for them if they returned.


    However, Qiao Qingyu still inquired about those educated youths¡¯ situations, as the Qiao Family Team was also in dire need of talent.


    And Zhao Han, who wanted to hitch a ride on a lucky trend, was not assigned to the Qiao Family Team¡¯s primary school because of his excellent grades. He was also the vice-president of the student union at school, so he was assigned to Ning¡¯an County¡¯s number one high school. He was currently in an internship phase and could not substitute teach.


    But as soon as his internship ended and he received his diploma, he would be a formal teacher at the high school.


    Although he didn¡¯t lead a class, he paid special attention to the students from the Qiao Family Team.


    He also regularly communicated with Qiao Genbao, which saved Qiao Genbao a lot of worry. Niu Guili even sent his wife a silk scarf as a gift.


    Teachers are indeed eloquent and good communicators, and he was also a very sociable person.


    But Qiao Qingyu had the best impression of him.


    He had been admitted to the university, his family background wasn¡¯t bad, and yet his wife was a genuine rural girl. Allegedly, after he got into university, there were people in his family who advised him to divorce his wife immediately. Then, according to his credentials, finding a female university student would be too easy.


    However, Zhao Han¡¯s parents had very positive values, and they liked Mu Xia as well as the twins she had given birth to, a boy and a girl.


    Only Mu Xia¡¯s older sister never agreed, and at that time, she even secretly introduced her brother to another prospect while he was still married, which led to Zhao Family¡¯s eldest daughter being scolded away by Zhao Han¡¯s parents.

 Chapter 389 - 389 389 Ganoderma

    ?Chapter 389: Chapter 389: Ganoderma? Chapter 389: Chapter 389: Ganoderma? But talking about Zhao Han getting into college, Mu Xia really faced a lot of pressure. However, Zhao Han was indeed a good person. He studied hard at school, and as soon as vacation started, he would rush back to the Qiao Family Team to help his wife with chores and take care of the children.


    After graduation, he even took the initiative to request to teach at the primary school of the Qiao Family Team.


    Considering this, in an era when countless educated youths abandoned their families and children just to return to the city, it was quite admirable indeed.


    Of course, there were many educated youths who were compelled by life¡¯s hardships and bore unspeakable sorrow and pain.


    On the road, they also encountered technical staff and workers from the county construction bureau measuring land on both sides of the highway.


    Looking back at the Qiao Family Team, now out of sight, Zhao Han¡¯s mouth held a faint smile.


    His parents were going to retire soon, and as their only son, he had already discussed with his wife to bring his parents, who were living in another province, to retire here once the villa construction was almost complete. His parents were overjoyed when they heard the plan.


    The Qiao Family Team¡¯s environment was picturesque, with clear mountains and waters, birdsong, and fragrant flowers, and at the same time, it was a modern scientific seed breeding base. If they didn¡¯t take the opportunity to come now, it would be much harder to do so in a few years.


    Luckily, their son married a daughter-in-law from the Qiao Family Team; otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have had this chance.


    ...


    The horse-drawn carriage went directly to the first high school in the county. Qiao Qingyu bought plenty of tasty treats for Qiao Mubao, and the canvas bag was brimming with them.


    Zhao Han was already at work, and he took Qiao Qingyu directly into the school. Today was Sunday, but Qiao Mubao was still in the classroom studying, so Zhao Han went to the classroom and called him out.


    Having interned here last winter, Qiao Mubao was delighted to see Zhao Han and called out, ¡°Brother Zhao.¡± Then, he quickly corrected himself, ¡°Teacher Zhao.¡±


    Zhao Han smiled warmly, ¡°Your sister has come to see you. She¡¯s waiting for you down at the dormitory building.¡±


    Qiao Mubao was so happy that he ran all the way to the dormitory building.


    Then, he brought his sister to the dorm.


    Several young boys were reading in the room; spotting Qiao Qingyu coming in, they looked at each other, nudged and pinched one another, and made faces, creating quite a lively scene.


    Qiao Mubao glared at them, secretly cursing in his heart that these little rascals were acting up just because they found his older sister pretty, but he still had to introduce her, ¡°This is my sister.¡± Then he told Qiao Qingyu the names of his classmates.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled and handed out candies to them. At that time, snacks were scarce, and the best thing to offer were milk candies and fruit candies.


    There was no need to bring out things like popped rice treats; these kids didn¡¯t lack those.


    Now, Qiao Mubao wasn¡¯t short of money.


    He was even less short of study materials. The set of study materials that He Xiuyu had gotten him was not kept secret; by now, every student in the third year of high school at the first middle school had been given a copy.


    Although they were in competition with each other, Qiao Mubao did not want to take the targeted admissions route. He had already promised his grandfather that he would get into Yun City Transportation University.


    It was this promise that put a lot of pressure on him, a lot indeed, causing him to lose a good deal of weight. Qiao Qingyu took the time to go over her own study experiences with him before it was time for her to leave.


    There was a small station in Ning¡¯an County, from where she needed to take a bus to the provincial capital, then transfer to another bus for Beijing.


    ...


    With little conversation on the way, when Qiao Qingyu arrived in Beijing, she went straight to find Qin Duo. Sure enough, just as she had anticipated, Qin Duo was very welcoming and promptly took her to visit various departments. They ran to all the necessary places, and now it was a matter of waiting for the approvals.


    Qiao Qingyu brought a lot of things to the He Family, but she could only stay for one day.


    To her surprise, in just over a month, Meng Siqi¡¯s mental state had improved a lot.


    Clearly, the effects of the Soothing Grass were tremendous.


    So it made sense that this plant couldn¡¯t be propagated by cuttings or allowed to seed and breed.


    She inquired further about He Juanjuan¡¯s method of selling, and He Juanjuan eagerly began to explain.


    Listening, Qiao Qingyu nodded her head.


    He Juanjuan was very smart, she even thought of signing a confidentiality agreement.


    He Juanjuan handed the bankbook to Qiao Qingyu, who did not take it, saying indifferently, ¡°Keep it with you for now.¡±


    He Juanjuan didn¡¯t think too much and just placed the bankbook in the drawer.


    After all, she wouldn¡¯t embezzle a penny.


    Actually, all of these were accounted for; five thousand was already the maximum. She didn¡¯t dare to sell more, she wasn¡¯t foolish. She had a pot of Soothing Grass on her bedside table, and there were two pots in her parents¡¯ room, as well as in her grandparents¡¯ room.


    The effects were evident long ago.


    Moreover, she initially let her best friend¡¯s grandfather use it for free.


    After a week¡¯s use, the results were apparent.


    The old man also had stubborn insomnia.


    But now he could sleep through the night.


    The miraculous effect made He Juanjuan feel this thing might be the Ganoderma from mythical stories.


    So, she dared not speak out and couldn¡¯t sell it openly; she only circulated it within her circle and also signed confidentiality agreements.


    In less than a year, just a few months, all this Soothing Grass would be sold out.


    He Juanjuan was somewhat nervous and whispered to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Although there is a confidentiality agreement, this circle has all sorts of people, and the Soothing Grass is too miraculous. I dare not sell more after these are sold out.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry too much; my grandfather has your back,¡± comforted Qiao Qingyu.


    He Juanjuan blinked, right, there was also Mr. Wu, and her nervous heart immediately settled down, but she whispered, ¡°Sister-in-law, our dad and mom also know a bit about this, but they¡¯re not asking, isn¡¯t that strange?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu also looked at He Juanjuan strangely, ¡°It is odd to hear you call me sister-in-law for the first time...¡±


    He Juanjuan also realized what she had said, that sister-in-law had just slipped out so naturally.


    Happily clinging to her arm, having such a sister-in-law was so cool.


    The next morning, Qiao Qingyu boarded the train to Xichuan.


    ...


    Wu Xiucai also learned of the many sensational things that Qiao Qingyu had done at the Qiao Family Team these days.


    Especially how she easily grabbed the whole Qiao Laoer¡¯s family with just one big bone stick.


    His granddaughter was a talent indeed.


    Even if his granddaughter was not at the Qiao Family Team, it seemed she could still remotely control the Qiao Family Team.


    He smiled happily, in an excellent mood, discussing with his daughter about when to go to Xichuan.


    And Wu Hong took a flight to Spring City. The Zhang Family¡¯s stronghold was here, but the old house had long been gone.


    The Zhang Family patriarch had donated a large sum of money to regain the land of the old house and then reconstructed it according to the original layout. Now it was under construction, and then Wu Hong talked to his great-grandfather about Han Liuya¡¯s request.


    Zhang Xuanzi frowned, ¡°We can¡¯t help with this; whatever she does is her own karma. If we interfere, we might face backlash.¡±


    ¡°Great Ancestor...¡± At home, Wu Hong didn¡¯t call him great-grandfather but Great Ancestor, as did his peers or those of higher seniority.


    Simple and clear.


    ¡°That was my thinking too, so I didn¡¯t agree to her request.¡±

 Chapter 390 - 390 390 The Little Animal that Declared

    ?Chapter 390: Chapter 390: The Little Animal that Declared Sovereignty Chapter 390: Chapter 390: The Little Animal that Declared Sovereignty Zhang Xuanzi furrowed his brow and asked about Han Liuya¡¯s condition, ¡°Can her illness be cured?¡±


    ¡°The problem isn¡¯t very big, she should be able to stand up in a year or two,¡± Wu Hong replied.


    ¡°Then what is she unsatisfied with herself?¡± Zhang Xuanzi could not understand.


    Having such a capable body was no ordinary matter.


    ¡°...I am not clear about that,¡± said Wu Hong, ashamed.


    Beside him, the old lady of the Zhang Family thought for a moment, ¡°Could it be that the girl is ugly?¡±


    Upon this mention, Wu Hong suddenly compared the two, saying, ¡°Qiao Qingyu is very beautiful, while Han Liuya is just average.¡±


    The old lady of the Zhang Family and Zhang Xuanzi looked at each other, and the old lady said, ¡°That¡¯s probably the reason.¡±


    ¡°Are we just going to stand by and watch?¡±


    Zhang Xuanzi glanced at Wu Hong, ¡°Do you still want to remind Qiao Qingyu?¡±


    Wu Hong smiled and said, ¡°Qiao Qingyu is particularly good to Liu Ge¡¯s daughter, she is a very kind person, but also very intelligent.¡± He added, ¡°And her capabilities are strong as well.¡±


    Upon mentioning Liu Ge, the expressions of the two darkened.


    They did not like Liu Ge.


    Yet Wu Hong desperately wanted to be with Liu Ge, and he wouldn¡¯t listen to anyone else.


    For now, Liu Ge seemed calm and controlled; she also had capabilities and could help the Zhang Family if necessary, so Zhang Xuanzi turned a blind eye.


    He waved his hand, his face returning to calm, and merely said, ¡°Let nature take its course.¡± Then he closed his eyes, no longer concerning himself with Wu Hong, and soon, he seemed to disconnect from the world...


    The old lady of the Zhang Family took Wu Hong and left.


    Standing in the courtyard, it was springtime in Spring City, a season of lush greenery and blooming flowers everywhere.


    It seemed like a different world from Xichuan.


    Even the wind blowing softly carried a hint of flower fragrance.


    The old lady looked at Wu Hong, a kindness shining in her eyes, and said, ¡°The old man says to let nature take its course, so let it be.¡±


    Simplistic yet complex, those words were.


    Wu Hong smiled and nodded, exchanging a few words with the old lady before he turned and left.


    Since it was to let nature take its course, then so be it.


    He still felt that Qiao Qingyu was the best as herself; he did not like that girl Han Liuya, her eyes were too cold, like a venomous snake slithering through a shadowy bamboo forest.


    Though powerful, he was not really interested in collaborating with such a person, but there was no choice, as those with special abilities were becoming scarcer, nearly impossible to find.


    In a few decades, they would probably be swallowed up in the vast river of history.


    So, if not now, it would really be too late.


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu had already called He Xiuyu in advance, this time without bringing Rongrong because she was in class.


    He Xiuyu drove his specially modified jeep on Yellow Sand Road, which would soon be paved with cement.


    From time to time, technical workers could be seen measuring the distance along the sides of the road.


    Meanwhile, farmers along the roadside were busy with spring plowing; some had finished while others were just starting. The land alongside the road didn¡¯t belong to Qiao Qingyu; hers was on the other side of the hill slope.


    As long as the funds were in place, everything was negotiable. This time, He Xiuyu had earmarked two hundred thousand yuan for her Agricultural Base, along with Qiao Qingyu¡¯s own funding, ensuring normal operations.


    Qiao Qingyu sat beside He Xiuyu, excitedly watching ahead, where she could already see a faint spread of green in the distance.


    He Xiuyu looked ahead, not needing to see to know how bright his wife¡¯s eyes were.


    He proudly said, ¡°You have a big hand in this, really.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled proudly.


    He Xiuyu never exaggerated, especially in matters like this.


    Xichuan¡¯s greenery indeed owed much to her efforts, and of course, even more to the hardworking greening armies who planted trees and forests.


    After the jeep entered the base, Qiao Qingyu saw workers busily clad in overalls.


    The heating installation had already begun.


    Qiao Qingyu stepped lightly as she opened the front door of her home.


    Her home¡¯s heating system had already been installed.


    Then, under the large wall in the courtyard, floors neatly piled up, already polished.


    Returning home after several days, noticing the changes in one¡¯s home always brought joy and excitement.


    Especially when He Xiuyu, holding his wife¡¯s hand, opened the doors to their bedrooms.


    Qiao Qingyu was somewhat shocked.


    The first thing that caught her eye was the wooden floor, emitting a wooden gloss.


    It wasn¡¯t painted, but was sanded very smoothly.


    Facing south was a heated brick bed with a small table beside it; on the west and north walls hung two sets of radiators.


    The radiators had already been painted with silver powder, and the pipes were clean and tidy.


    The walls of the room had been painted as well, and not to mention the curtains, brick bed mats, and luggage¡ªevery time she left and came back, He Xiuyu always made their little home very cozy, even if there was much work this time, but he had first tidied up the room they lived in with He Xuerong.


    Not only was it cozy, but it was also clean and bright.


    Especially on the small kiln table, there was a glass bottle with a few branches inserted, already sprouting tender green buds.


    The entire room appeared exceptionally elegant.


    The feeling of coming home was truly wonderful.


    Qiao Qingyu threw herself into He Xiuyu¡¯s arms, and He Xiuyu, unable to wait, leaned down to kiss her, then carried his wife onto the kiln...


    By the time they had finished their playful romp, it was already afternoon.


    After fetching water, cleaning up, and resting for a while, Qiao Qingyu went out to check the other rooms.


    He Xiuyu accompanied her, speaking softly, ¡°I cleaned this up a few days ago, but I¡¯ve been too busy these past few days. You don¡¯t need to touch these; I¡¯ll handle them when I have time.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu already knew that the flooring was laid by He Xiuyu himself, and he had also painted the house.


    Also, the small vegetable garden outside was already prepared with ridges, just waiting for her to decide what to plant.


    Now it was the end of the month, the sea buckthorn plants had grown over a meter tall, with light green leaf buds on their branches.


    Another spring had arrived.


    He Xiuyu was in the kitchen making noodles for his wife.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s handsome face wore a smile, his eyes and brows soft as water.


    He occasionally lifted his head to watch his wife, inside and outside, the courtyard, moving about like a little animal patrolling its territory and asserting its sovereignty.


    Utterly, utterly adorable!


    ...


    The next morning, the sky was dim.


    When He Xiuyu opened his eyes, Qiao Qingyu, with her black hair spread out, was lying on his chest, sleeping soundly.


    While she slept, she was soft and delicate, like a porcelain doll that could shatter at a touch, but he knew his wife. She was strong in a fight.


    This trip to the Qiao Family Team had been beautifully handled by her, both in official and personal matters.


    He was even thinking, why not have Tenghai Research Base build a related laboratory at Qiao Family Team?


    He was also quite looking forward to seeing what kind of scale Qiao Family Team could achieve under his wife¡¯s management.


    He Xiuyu reached out, gently touching her skin.


    It was thin and smooth, feeling like a baby¡¯s skin under his fingers; his fingers lingered, only intending a slight touch but nevertheless not wanting to leave, his heart already tenderly melting into a pool of spring water.

 Chapter 391 - 391 391 All Thunder and No Rain

    ?Chapter 391: Chapter 391: All Thunder and No Rain Chapter 391: Chapter 391: All Thunder and No Rain ¡°He should get up now, Rongrong still needs to go to school.¡±


    ¡°Rongrong will surely come to see her little aunt before going to school.¡±


    He Xiuyu lifted the quilt to take a glance inside and felt his mouth dry.


    With eyes closed, he hugged Qiao Qingyu closer, thinking, ¡°Two more minutes, I¡¯ll lie down for two more minutes and then get up,¡± but he hadn¡¯t thought that suddenly the outside brightened up instantly. The dim sky seemed to light up in an instant.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s pupils constricted, and he immediately placed his hand over Qiao Qingyu¡¯s ear, the next moment deafening thunder rang out across the sky. It seemed like the earth also trembled a few times.


    Even though her ears were covered, Qiao Qingyu suddenly opened her eyes, looked outside in surprise and thought, Is it going to rain after the thunder?


    The two exchanged glances and quickly thought of He Xuerong. The couple hurried to get dressed.


    He Xiuyu was incredibly fast, he spoke in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ll check on Rongrong, you can lie down a bit longer.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu still put on her nightgown.


    He Xiuyu went downstairs and soon, Qiao Qingyu heard Rongrong¡¯s impatient voice, ¡°I want to sleep five more minutes, I¡¯m not scared of the thunder, don¡¯t disturb me...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, they had both forgotten, this little girl was unlike other young girls, she wasn¡¯t scared of thunder at all.


    This was during the time she was incredibly sleepy; if it were daytime, she would definitely be excitedly looking outside.


    He Xiuyu smirked a bit and looked at the alarm clock, indeed, they could sleep a bit more, then He Xuerong sank back into dreams, while outside, the lightning and thunder enhanced each other, He Xiuyu remembered the shoes outside on the porch and ran out.


    The tarp covering the floor was waterproof, and there were a few wooden blocks underneath. He Xiuyu checked everything then went back inside, but his eyebrows were furrowed because the weather forecast hadn¡¯t mentioned it would rain.


    He went back into the room and looked outside, but Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°Could it be thunder without any rain?¡±


    Unexpectedly, Qiao Qingyu had guessed right.


    An hour later, the clouds dispersed, and not a single drop of rain had fallen.


    Qiao Qingyu blinked her eyes, she murmured while looking at the sky, ¡°Could this be someone undergoing a tribulation?¡±


    He Xiuyu had never been exposed to fantasy literature like Qiao Qingyu had, neither had he read any novels of that genre, but it didn¡¯t affect his understanding of the superficial meaning.


    Still, he seriously explained, ¡°This is because the water content in the clouds is too low, or perhaps we are on the edge of the rainfall area, which is why we hear the thunder but see no rain.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu lay giggling in the bed, laughing so hard that He Xiuyu had no choice but to stop her with a kiss.


    Feeling pretty much kissed enough, Qiao Qingyu ungratefully pushed He Xiuyu to cook, and she went back to sleep, waking up when Rongrong had already finished her breakfast, standing with her backpack at the edge of the kang and said sweetly, ¡°Little aunt, I¡¯ll come home early this afternoon.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu gently looked at her, asking, ¡°Rongrong, what do you want for lunch? Little aunt will cook it for you.¡±


    ¡°French fries, egg bubble pancake, and I also want braised pork...¡± He Xuerong promptly listed the dishes.


    ¡°Okay, go to school, little aunt will make them for you.¡±


    The school was outside the family yard, not too far from here.


    Rongrong had her backpack on her back, and in front also hung the unique panda backpack that her uncle Shengbao had given her.


    She was showing off to the school with it.


    Qiao Qingyu looked outside somewhat disappointedly, thinking how great it would be if there were a heavy rain, as this year¡¯s crops desperately needed a good spring rain, she leisurely began getting dressed.


    Hearing her moving about, He Xiuyu knew his wife had gotten up and took the rice porridge that was warming on the stove, placed the hot buns on a plate and brought them out to the living room table.


    Qiao Qingyu asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to work today?¡±


    ¡°I took a day off and will take you to school tomorrow morning.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu expressed her approval, as she didn¡¯t want her man to be a workaholic. His health was very important; she wanted to have a long, lasting journey with him and definitely didn¡¯t want him to die young.


    After dinner, Qiao Qingyu closed the door and brought He Xiuyu into their Space Laboratory. The air quality was good there, which was beneficial for the body, and He Xiuyu was also prepared to find some things that could play a role in biotechnology.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Qingyu was checking the seeds inside.


    Before leaving, she left plenty of green belts and some scenic areas for her elder brother, as well as flower seeds suitable for growing in the north.


    After the cement road was completed, it was time to work on the greening of both sides of the street.


    North City had fertile, dark soil everywhere. Just sprinkling some seeds casually would result in the most beautiful flowers blooming.


    If her elder brother didn¡¯t go to Yun City, Qiao Qingyu planned to let him and his sister-in-law be responsible for the village¡¯s greening and beautiful scenery.


    As for how to plant, she didn¡¯t need to say, Qiao Genbao knew it well in his heart. As long as he knew the living habits of these flower seeds, it was enough. Qiao Qingyu copied this information for him on two pieces of paper.


    However, the mostly used items in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s space laboratory were still crops and vegetables. Apart from the golden lotus, the other flowers weren¡¯t much used.


    This time, she indeed left quite a lot for her elder brother.


    Then, she directly told her elder brother that the seeds came from a boss in Nangang City who had mailed them to her.


    With just one sentence, she managed the source and route of the seeds.


    These flowers were also ordinary ones; it didn¡¯t matter how they were planted.


    However, she still left ten seeds of Soothing Grass for her elder brother.


    She specifically instructed him to keep the magical properties of this plant a secret from others.


    As for the seeds taken to Yun City, Mr. Wu knew about their good effects and had built a greenhouse specially for them, allowing only close confidants and Qiao Zhicai to handle it, and also instructed Qiao Genbao not to talk about it.


    Even Niu Guili was not clear about it.


    Qiao Genbao was tight-lipped, so no one else knew.


    Qiao Qingyu instructed her elder brother to send the sprouted Soothing Grass to their grandparents, and not to say much else, just to mention that it was from her and that nobody else should touch or give it away.


    Granny Qiao would definitely listen and execute it without compromise.


    The Soothing Grass was too miraculous, so, for now, it couldn¡¯t be given out.


    However, so far, she had only discovered that the Soothing Grass had such terrifying and magical effects.


    The reason she didn¡¯t give more was that it was something her elder brother couldn¡¯t sell and shouldn¡¯t sell. He and He Juanjuan were different.


    For her elder brother, a stable life was the best.


    He was not good at these things and it would easily bring him trouble.


    After staying inside for more than an hour, the two came out of the space.


    And by then, it was just after nine o¡¯clock.


    He Xiuyu brought in several stacks of flooring, wooden joists for laying the floor, and his toolbox, ready to start laying the floor in the study.


    Qiao Qingyu curiously followed him around. She felt that her man truly was an all-around player; except for giving birth, it seemed that anything he wanted to understand, he could manage very clearly.


    Indeed, this was not an exaggeration; there indeed were such people in the world.

 Chapter 392 - 392 392 As Simple as His Breathing

    ?Chapter 392: Chapter 392: As Simple as His Breathing Chapter 392: Chapter 392: As Simple as His Breathing Qiao Qingyu glanced at He Xiuyu, who was focused on measuring the distance.


    He Xiuyu could succeed because, firstly, he was indeed exceptionally intelligent, and secondly, he had a high level of education. He would devote 90% of his energy to scientific research and the remaining 10% to hobbies.


    For example, making jewelry, firing flower pots, or laying floors.


    These tasks had some technical content, but not particularly high. For him, these were things that could be briefly considered by his brain.


    As simple as breathing.


    Qiao Qingyu stared at him blankly. He Xiuyu had known for a long time that his wife was watching him. He felt delighted inside, but he still looked serious and kept busy on the surface.


    He had already measured the floor of the room. Now, the desks and chairs in the study had been moved out.


    The empty cement floor was flat; laying a layer of flooring would just make the floor a bit higher, with no real impact.


    However, he had prepared a basket of sand and wood plugs to shim certain areas.


    Before laying the floor, he needed to lay wooden frames, and then he could lay the floorboards on top of the frames.


    These frames were what carpenters refer to as the ¡°joists.¡±


    And since it was solid wood flooring, nails were definitely needed.


    Once the floor was leveled, he soon laid the joists. The study wasn¡¯t very large, and by around ten in the morning, he started laying the floorboards.


    Qiao Qingyu thought it looked fun watching He Xiuyu hammering nails and was eager to try.


    He Xiuyu, seeing Qiao Qingyu who followed him around like a little tail, smiled in amusement and handed the hammer to Qiao Qingyu, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll hold the nail; you hammer it.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu gleefully took the hammer, looked around, made a few gestures, and then seriously swung at the nail. Yet, halfway through, she suddenly veered off pretending to hammer He Xiuyu¡¯s hand.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t even blink or frown, and his hand remained still.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hammer landed just a centimeter away from his hand. It really wasn¡¯t fun.


    With a pout, Qiao Qingyu complained, ¡°You could at least pretend to be surprised, or retract your hand...¡±


    He Xiuyu, ¡°...¡±


    Oh, so that¡¯s what she meant.


    He thought for a moment and then indeed looked at Qiao Qingyu in surprise before pulling his hand back. The nail fell onto the floor.


    He glanced at Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression. His mind raced, but unfortunately, he still couldn¡¯t think of anything to say in such a situation.


    So, the room fell silent for dozens of seconds.


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t really want to hammer the nails; nails were expensive and tricky to handle. If she accidentally bent one, she would have to straighten it with pliers, but He Xiuyu¡¯s behavior made her feel it would be unfair not to give him a few taps.


    How could such a smart person act so dumb?


    So Qiao Qingyu took the hammer and went to hit He Xiuyu, but he caught her wrist, leaned in, and kissed the corner of her mouth with a voice soft as water, ¡°Be good, stop messing around.¡±


    That voice sent a shiver through Qiao Qingyu¡¯s body as if she had been electrocuted.


    It was a delightful tingle.


    Her eyes suddenly held a different meaning.


    He Xiuyu, of course, understood the implication in her eyes. He gently took the hammer from Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand and set it aside, then hugged his wife in his arms. He asked her seriously, ¡°Seeing how you¡¯re eyeing me like a hungry wolf, which part do you want to eat?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu lightly bit his lips.


    He Xiuyu asked, ¡°Is it tasty?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smacked her lips, ¡°Tasty.¡±


    ¡°What flavor?¡±


    ¡°Candied haws,¡± Qiao Qingyu honestly replied.


    She wasn¡¯t exaggerating at all; He Xiuyu¡¯s lips were quite attractive, and when he kissed, it felt cool and carried a hint of sweetness.


    Anyway, it was wonderful.


    He Xiuyu just chuckled, but he really liked his wife¡¯s descriptor.


    He wanted to carry his wife back to the bedroom, but it wasn¡¯t easy to have a day off, and he had to finish laying the floor in the study.


    He aimed to tidy up their home before the family courtyard¡¯s heating and water supply were connected.


    He slowly exhaled, sitting on the joists with a hammer and nails in hand, he lifted his gaze to his wife, who lay about lazily like a kitten, and steeled his heart, ¡°Go cook.¡±


    If she kept hanging around him like this, today¡¯s flooring in the study wouldn¡¯t get done.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at the time, oh, it was indeed time to cook.


    She quickly stood up, but instead of leaving, she approached He Xiuyu and naturally pinched his ears a few times. Just as she was about to speak, she heard He Xiuyu hiss...


    This time, he really hit his hand.


    Qiao Qingyu guiltily drew back her hand and then looked down, ¡°How is it, is it severe? Can you still work?¡±


    He Xiuyu glanced at Qiao Qingyu with a complex expression.


    Thankfully, he had pulled back his strength in time; otherwise, if the hammer had struck without being retrievable, even with his thick skin, he definitely would have been injured.


    Qiao Qingyu wanted to check his hand but was blocked by He Xiuyu, who ground his teeth, ¡°Qingyu, if you don¡¯t want me to deal with you right now, then go cook.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face turned red, and she quickly turned and left.


    As fast as a puff of smoke.


    No way, it was exhausting, alright.


    And it was almost eleven o¡¯clock; soon Rongrong would be out of school.


    In the blink of an eye, Qiao Qingyu vanished from He Xiuyu¡¯s sight.


    He Xiuyu looked down and smiled faintly before starting to lay the flooring seriously.


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s recent leave had been somewhat lengthy; by the time she returned to school, some classmates even thought she had dropped out.


    So, some were quite surprised to see her.


    This time, Qiao Qingyu returned to study from dawn till dusk, partly because she had to catch up on the courses she had missed, and there was also a lot of work to be done in the student council, although she had arranged for the vice-chairperson to take over before she left, but now that vice-chairperson needed to report everything to her upon her return.


    She was pleased to find that Li Bo and other students from the Agricultural Department had used their holiday time to water their assigned greening strip.


    And now, students from the Geology Department were measuring for the most accurate underground water source so they could start well-drilling, a job greatly supported by the Xichuan City Geological Survey Bureau.


    The plan to drill a well by the Geology Department received strong support from the school, with the school making the arrangements with the survey bureau.


    However, drilling a well here was no easy feat; Lu Ye had organized an attempt the year before last, which came to nothing in the end.


    Hopefully, this time they would manage to strike water.


    Qiao Qingyu was very happy to see that these students were taking their responsibility for the greening strip seriously.


    Also, spurred by the tree-planting register, many who feigned illness to skip the work were reluctantly applying for tree-replanting.


    Of course, even replanting had to be planned.


    And there were time constraints.


    After all, Barley Grass Seeds and Willow Wood saplings were in tight supply.


    There¡¯s not a moment to waste.

 Chapter 393 - 393 393 Want to Go Solo

    ?Chapter 393: Chapter 393: Want to Go Solo Chapter 393: Chapter 393: Want to Go Solo Whether it was Xichuan or North City, the spring planting had already finished completely.


    This time, Qiao Qingyu invested quite a bit, and she was also preparing to provide a complete demonstration for Yushu County.


    It turned out that the benefits derived from unified contract farming were somewhat higher than those of individual farming.


    The ultimate beneficiaries were the members of the Xiaxi Commune.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s initial purpose was to prevent and control desertification, and then to enable the members here to lead prosperous lives.


    If she could succeed again this year, then this path would prove to be feasible. She had already communicated with Mr. Qian from Xiaxi Commune beforehand, so this year the government was putting everything into supporting Qiao Qingyu. Otherwise, with Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hands-off approach, she simply couldn¡¯t manage so much land on her own.


    And Mr. Qian had found several helpers for Wang Laogen.


    Meanwhile, in the financial department, He Xiuyu had sent over a cashier, as having only Fang Xiaomei in finance was not in accordance with regulations.


    Now that it was already called an Agricultural Base and had signed a joint planting agreement with Qiao Family Team, everything had to be formalized.


    However, He Xiuyu still needed to communicate with Qiao Qingyu because deep down, he hoped Qiao Qingyu would incorporate this Agricultural Base into the Tenghai Research Base.


    But clearly, his wife still seemed interested in making money independently.


    His research base was burning through money, and many projects were stalled due to financial issues, though solutions were being sought but to little avail.


    However, he would respect all of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s choices.


    So, these were not urgent.


    Once decided, a report could be immediately filed, and the approval for his report was also very fast.


    Of course, the steps He Xiuyu intended to take had not yet been communicated with Qiao Qingyu, and she was unaware.


    At this moment, Qiao Qingyu was somewhat troubled as she faced Sun Xiuyuan blocking her path.


    She didn¡¯t understand, a girl who seemed so clever, why did she always do foolish things?


    Could it be that she was carrying a system that forcibly reduced intelligence?


    Then, Sun Xiuyuan spoke harshly, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I¡¯ll give you one hundred yuan to add my name to the list.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu rubbed her forehead, truly somewhat troubled.


    She said, ¡°Then you might as well hire someone directly with one hundred yuan to plant grass and trees for you, wouldn¡¯t that be better?¡±


    But unexpectedly, Sun Xiuyuan suddenly curled her lips, ¡°I was just saying it casually, did you really believe me?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t believe it. You were able to get into college, received so much education, naturally you wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to make such a statement.¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s face changed repeatedly, but how could she tell Qiao Qingyu that her statement was half true, half false?


    She felt a stifled sensation in her chest, unable to breathe in or out.


    Going to plant trees wasn¡¯t really a big deal; even if she had never done labor before, she knew it wouldn¡¯t kill her, and there were classmates who would willingly volunteer to help her.


    However, she dared not.


    Her father and elder brother had sternly warned her, not to engage in deception anymore or let others help, as the Sun family couldn¡¯t afford to lose face.


    In everyone¡¯s eyes, this was just a minor matter.


    ¡°Even if you were a princess, you could still manage to plant trees and grass while bending over.¡±


    But Sun Xiuyuan didn¡¯t quite see it that way; she felt that if she were to plant trees, it would mean bowing down to Qiao Qingyu. Could she ever hold her head up high in front of her after that?


    She bit her lip, reluctant, and said, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, when are you organizing the students to replant?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at her in surprise. ¡°Do you want to hire someone in advance?¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan, ¡°...¡±


    ...


    Qiao Family Team, Qiao Genbao¡¯s house.


    The Soothing Grass had sprouted and was now over ten centimeters tall.


    He moved the seedlings of Soothing Grass into two pots, then carried them to the old house.


    His grandparents were both at home. He placed the pots on the windowsill and repeated to them alone what Qiao Qingyu and he had discussed.


    He also told them that these plants were good for the elderly but insisted Old Qiao and Granny Qiao keep it a secret; otherwise, if everyone came asking for them, there wouldn¡¯t be enough to go around and it might offend people.


    Old Qiao and Granny Qiao were sharp and immediately grasped the intent conveyed by Qiao Qingyu.


    This was valuable stuff, but Qiao Qingyu was only providing it for their own family.


    There were many people in the family, so they couldn¡¯t leak any information.


    Thus, there were two pots of grass on the windowsill of their bedroom that nobody really paid attention to, and when others asked, he would say they were flowers Genbao had picked from the road in Southern China.


    And so, no one asked any further.


    At that time, the main concern was having enough food and warm clothes and some spare cash in hand, as for plants, no one would bother with that.


    However, though the grandparents were frail, they did not suffer from insomnia; they mainly needed better nutrition due to the hardships during their younger days to slowly improve their health.


    Therefore, the effects of the Soothing Grass weren¡¯t particularly notable for them.


    But that didn¡¯t stop them from treasuring these two pots of health grass as if they were precious jewels.


    Genbao also brought two pots to his father-in-law because the latter had always been good to them.


    Having something so beneficial, of course, he thought of them too.


    Of course, he used the same explanation, otherwise, it could lead to big trouble. In the countryside, to be frank, many secrets are not really secrets.


    In truth, almost everyone within ten miles had some sort of familial ties.


    Genbao didn¡¯t tell the truth; he didn¡¯t want to cause trouble for his sister, even though his father-in-law was good to their family, there were still children and grandchildren to consider. It was different from his own grandparents. He told them it was a flower species he had picked from the roadside in Yun City, capable of absorbing smoke and toxins in the house, beneficial for health, a rare find, and he asked them not to give it to anyone else, leaving it at that.


    His father-in-law privately asked Niu Guili, who didn¡¯t know much either, but she trusted her husband and told them just to keep it in their house, it would definitely be beneficial.


    Therefore, these two pots of Soothing Grass sat securely in Niu Guili¡¯s parents¡¯ bedroom.


    The value of these two pots was about ten thousand yuan, and in certain circles in Beijing, they were extremely sought after.


    Genbao was unaware; if he knew, he wouldn¡¯t dare take them out, even if threatened.


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu had finally completed all the academic subjects, and then, using the time on Sunday, she took some of the students to replant trees. However, the saplings were gone, only alfalfa was left. Sun Xiuyuan ultimately didn¡¯t hire anyone to do the work but joined everyone to replant together. Her name finally made the list, albeit towards the end. Unfortunately, that couldn¡¯t be helped; it¡¯s not like they could tear it up and rewrite it.


    The students had also prepared for the drilling of a well, preliminarily estimating the groundwater to be around twenty-one meters from the surface. This was the closest distance calculated after research by the Geological Survey, the Xichuan drilling team, and the school. They decided to drill near a depression that could serve as a reservoir.


    However, this location was not the center of the green belt but was very close to the nearby farmlands.

 Chapter 394 - 394 394 Blessings in Disguise

    ?Chapter 394: Chapter 394: Blessings in Disguise Chapter 394: Chapter 394: Blessings in Disguise The purpose of this was for the local farmers who owned land nearby.


    The small river ditch was really of minimal use.


    There was a dedicated person responsible for this job.


    Finally, Qiao Qingyu was able to go home.


    However, she had to take a detour because the main road was under construction. It was the end of April, the weather had been kind, and the dry thunderstorm without rain had only occurred once. After the spring plowing had completely ended, Yushu County had two rainfall events, and thus, some crops along the roadsides had already started sprouting.


    Especially the millet and corn, it was said that the sprouting rate was eighty-five percent, while the sprouting rate in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s contracted land was over ninety percent.


    Some hadn¡¯t sprouted yet and were currently in the process of reseeding and watering.


    At this time, unknown to Qiao Qingyu, she had been reported again.


    This time, the report accused her of exploiting farmers, trying to be a feudal landlord, and making these collective members work as long-term laborers for her...


    It was still an anonymous report, sent directly to the relevant departments in Beijing.


    Qin Duo, immediately after finding out, contacted He Xiuyu, while Qiao Qingyu was still at school, unaware of the notification. Then He Xiuyu called several people.


    Before the contracting, Qiao Qingyu and Qin Duo had already been in touch; however, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s method of contracting was still unique in the country.


    It was currently a time to encourage individual entrepreneurship.


    This sudden introduction of such a labor method might not be acceptable to everyone.


    Moreover, strictly speaking, was it contradicting the policies?


    That would be quite serious.


    However, there wasn¡¯t as much uproar as expected; the matter was suppressed, handled and resolved quietly, but someone was still sent to Xichuan for an investigation.


    Of course, this investigation was different from the last one, as it was conducted with the aim of learning and researching.


    If this method proved to be effective, it could be adopted in other places.


    Since it was all exploratory and beneficial for the people, it could also be included in the plans.


    This time, Qiao Qingyu knew about the investigation, but she went along as an observer, naturally sharing her thoughts and plans with the investigative team.


    This time, He Xiuyu was by her side.


    They reviewed the operational model of Xiaxi Commune, visited Professor Feng¡¯s laboratory and the Agricultural Base, as well as the greening belt and the tree-planting areas claimed by various units.


    It was quite a fruitful experience.


    A week later, the investigative team left Xichuan and returned to Beijing.


    Qiao Qingyu was naturally not affected and even received praises.


    However, the person who wrote the letter had not yet been identified.


    But the person certainly knew Qiao Qingyu and had an issue with her. Initially, Qiao Qingyu thought it was Sun Xiuyuan, but she was quickly ruled out.


    Thinking about it, Sun Xiuyuan would put on airs, behave capriciously, and display her unique family background ceremoniously, but she definitely wouldn¡¯t write a report letter against Qiao Qingyu.


    If it was someone else, it might be possible.


    But they wouldn¡¯t trouble Qiao Qingyu.


    Could it be Han Liuya?


    However, Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t really interested. It was said that Han Liuya had always remained honest and stayed in Xiwatun, and Wu Hong indeed went to see her, but there seemed to be no contact afterward.


    Thus, this matter could only be left unresolved for now.


    However, it inadvertently helped Qiao Qingyu, earning her contracting method official recognition.


    It turned out to be a blessing in disguise.


    ...


    Time flew by; it was already the end of May. On her return home this time, Qiao Qingyu found the cement road connecting Big White Building, Greening Farm, and Xiaxi Commune had been completed.


    However, it couldn¡¯t support heavy trucks and vehicles just yet, and it needed to be maintained for a while longer. Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t quite understand the details, but she still took a different road home.


    But, the plumbing in the residential area of the base had been installed and tested. Installing plumbing wasn¡¯t simple, requiring both professional skills and quality materials ¡ª neither could be compromised.


    The base¡¯s plumbing team was highly skilled. During the first test run, the entire residential area had only about twenty leak points.


    They reassembled the leak points, and at this time, the materials used to prevent leaks were primitive, mostly using hemp rope wrapped around the joints.


    The fine hemp rope used was made of thousand silk hemp, and its leak prevention effect was indeed very good.


    By the second experiment, there were no leaks, hence the plumbing project in the residential area was completed.


    Next was the installation in the dormitories and Big White Building.


    Qiao Qingyu had hitched a ride home this time and chatted with the driver for a while. Excitedly, the driver told Qiao Qingyu that this winter, the male and female staff or newlywed couples living in the dormitories wouldn¡¯t have to heat stoves for warmth anymore.


    This was a qualitative leap for them.


    Thinking about sleeping in a heated room in winter was blissful.


    Qiao Qingyu found the house and garden well tidied upon her return, having undergone a complete transformation.


    Now, except for being one story less, her current home was almost no different from a villa decades later.


    Moreover, this was the home she shared with He Xiuyu.


    She took three days off this time.


    Judging by the home¡¯s condition, He Xiuyu hadn¡¯t returned for two or three days by the time Qiao Qingyu got home in the afternoon.


    After cleaning both inside and out, Qiao Qingyu started tending the vegetable gardens on the south and north sides.


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t known what sea buckthorn fruit trees looked like before, but having been exposed to them more frequently now and having planted some around the house, and with the sea buckthorn planted in the green belt sprouting this year, she had recorded these details.


    If they bore fruit this year, it would be a success.


    Moreover, for her, the sea buckthorn was essentially in a free-range state without requiring extra efforts.


    The grapes should be edible today.


    The grape arbor was something she and Professor Feng had managed back in winter.


    Now, it had sprouted fresh green grape leaves.


    Grapes are perennial vine plants with a relatively long lifespan. Once established, they yield fruit for many years in a fixed location, thus requiring fertile soil for nutrient volume.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s home used a trellis pattern.


    She didn¡¯t have any specific purpose¡ªit was not a major grape-producing area; she simply wanted to add a feature to the garden, and the planting conditions here were not particularly suitable.


    But if the grapes bore fruit this year, it would also provide some data.


    This grape variety was also from the laboratory.


    Its name was quite appealing¡ªGreen Glaze.


    It was supposed to be green with a luster like glazed glass.


    Qiao Qingyu understood it this way without having seen the real thing.


    The soil in the yard was still very fertile, so they planted plenty of vegetables in the small garden this year.


    In Qiao Qingyu¡¯s absence, He Xiuyu tended to the garden.


    Now looking verdant and well-tended, it seemed He Xiuyu had been very diligent.


    Qiao Qingyu was in a good mood, bustling around without feeling tired, but for some reason, her heart suddenly clenched. She instinctively looked towards the eastern wall.


    A pair of cold eyes, just like those in her memory, were quietly watching her...

 Chapter 395 - 395 395 What is this thing

    ?Chapter 395: Chapter 395 What is this thing? Chapter 395: Chapter 395 What is this thing? These eyes were very familiar, as if she had seen them in her dreams.


    However, the owner of these eyes was now staring intensely at her.


    Unmoving, the eeriness raised the hairs on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s neck.


    Qiao Qingyu put down what she was holding and hurried toward the east.


    Her movements were quick, and she radiated an air of solemnity.


    In broad daylight, daring to play tricks in front of her, she wanted to see what this thing was.


    So, it was strange now, but Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t feel scared at all, practically in the blink of an eye, she had sprinted over.


    This time, she saw it clearly.


    These eyes belonged to a girl with a pale face and a sharp chin.


    Her hair was somewhat withered.


    She even had two braids and wore a gray stand-collar jacket.


    With bangs cut straight across her forehead.


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu approach, she even smiled at her.


    But the smile was filled with malice.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked, frowning.


    The other seemingly wanted to say something, but at that moment, her brows suddenly furrowed, and she looked somewhat terrified. She glanced at Qiao Qingyu¡¯s chest and then vanished in a flash.


    Under the bright sun, the brilliant sun hung in the western sky.


    The girl who had been lying on her home¡¯s wall suddenly disappeared without a trace, as if she was made of a puff of smoke that a breeze had dispersed.


    Qiao Qingyu was also quick, her hands thrust on the wall and, with a swoosh, she leaped out.


    The area around her home was quite open; opposite was the Poplar Forest, and even if the other party had the speed of light, she couldn¡¯t have reached the forest in an instant, so that direction was out, and left and right were empty.


    So, was it just her imagination?


    Qiao Qingyu knitted her brows tightly, inspected her surroundings carefully again, then crouched beneath the wall. Though it was all sandy soil with no footprints, if someone had been under this wall, there always should have been some traces.


    Unfortunately, she found nothing and returned to her house.


    To prove how mysterious this world was, she entered her Space Device. After entering, Qiao Qingyu took a deep breath. It was nothing extraordinary; she could enter another space, so the sudden appearance of an energy body was not strange.


    When He Xiuyu came back home, Qiao Qingyu shared the incident with him. He Xiuyu checked thoroughly the next morning, but he also didn¡¯t notice anything.


    He then took half a day off, waiting until He Xiuyu went off to school, then he had Qiao Qingyu take him into the Space Device.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know what he was busy with; anyhow, it didn¡¯t relate to what she was currently occupied with.


    Qiao Qingyu soon put the matter out of her mind.


    She received several phone calls, including ones from her grandfather and Qin Duo.


    Another call was from He Juanjuan.


    He Juanjuan told Qiao Qingyu that all the Soothing Grass had been sold out and that she wasn¡¯t planning to sell any more.


    After she had paid off the debt she owed to her brother, she still had some money left. She asked Qiao Qingyu what she should do now.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t immediately reply, only telling her that her temperament was somewhat whimsical, quite suited for making quick changes, like selling Soothing Grass, but to focus on one thing in one place, she couldn¡¯t persist.


    She just told her not to rush and to talk about it slowly.


    He Juanjuan still felt somewhat resentful, claiming that Old Lady He kept all the money earned in a passbook and wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to use even a penny, being extremely stingy.


    But she merely murmured a few words and quickly changed the subject.


    Wu Xiucai made a phone call to inform Qiao Qingyu that during the summer vacation, he planned to bring Wu Qianyun and Qiao Zhicai to Xichuan to stay for a while.


    One reason was to visit Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu, and another was because the Wulong Chemical Factory was expanding its scale and planning to build another branch.


    The location would be the same as before, where the environment was suitable, close to the barren sand area. The barren sand could not be greened, so the pollution was relatively less, and most importantly, the transportation was extremely convenient.


    Qiao Qingyu naturally welcomed this.


    As for where to stay, that would be decided upon arrival.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house was spacious, and living there would be quite comfortable.


    Qin Duo called to tell Qiao Qingyu that the support funds for the seed production base had been approved, and the documents would soon be sent out to the local area, believing that the Qiao Family Team would soon be calling her.


    Indeed, when Qiao Qingyu was about to leave, an excited Vice Director Sun from the commune called her to inform her that the documents had been sent down to him.


    Qiao Family Team had become a rewarded and supported seed production base.


    There was still a lot of work to be done, and the commune planned to incorporate Hejia Village, which was adjacent to the Qiao Family Team, under its jurisdiction.


    And mentioned that Wu Xiucai was planning to build a bridge over that river.


    The village¡¯s cement road had also been completed.


    Next, they planned to extend it from the commune towards the county town.


    Then Uncle came on the phone and talked to Qiao Qingyu about some matters regarding both Qiao Family Team and home.


    Qiao Zhihai had been following Captain Liang¡¯s construction team along with Li Tie.


    He indeed learned a lot.


    In terms of craftsmanship, there was no special distinction based on age.


    For someone of Qiao Zhihai¡¯s age, entering this field was not considered late.


    He had brought his eldest son along too; although his son was not naturally talented in this area, he excelled in being honest, loyal, and obedient.


    The village had specifically appointed two highly respected elders, responsible for the village¡¯s spiritual outlook.


    They were also called ¡°civilization inspectors.¡±


    Wearing red armbands, they managed major and minor matters concerning these aspects in the village.


    Such as favoring sons over daughters, mistreating the elderly, spousal abuse, domestic violence, scolding in the streets, and marriage trading, all fell under their supervision.


    Then Qiao Genbao¡¯s planted seedlings all sprouted and were growing very well.


    The brigade had unanimously passed the decision in a meeting that the cement roads must be well protected, planting flowers and willows on both sides of the roads.


    This was now Qiao Genbao¡¯s responsibility.


    Then Qiao Genbao no longer had to work in the fields with the other members, but no one had any objections, as Qiao Genbao was indeed very skilled in this area. The plants he handled were particularly likely to survive, and the village elders said he was destined for it since his life element was water, and his name contained the character for ¡°wood.¡±


    Now, the villagers really cherished the four cement roads in the village.


    Though it was now possible to use them, they decided to wait another two days for safety reasons.


    Especially just after successful laying, the elderly in the village spontaneously formed a monitoring group.


    They watched over the children and animals like cats, dogs, and chickens, making sure they did not run onto the newly laid cement road, as walking on it would leave footprints and damage the road, so each stretch was managed by an elder.


    And true enough, even Captain Liang himself was very satisfied with the road conditions in the village.

 Chapter 396 - 396 396 Asking Others for a Handout

    ?Chapter 396: Chapter 396: Asking Others for a Handout? Chapter 396: Chapter 396: Asking Others for a Handout? There are too many people in this world who act without thinking. You tell them not to walk on the new cement road, but some just don¡¯t believe in warnings and insist on stepping on it, only to get stuck. Not only do they ruin the road, but they also end up with their feet covered in cement. Such people have no sense of morality at all.


    Therefore, it¡¯s true to say the Qiao Family Team now looks quite different.


    Also, Qiao Ye has been able to handle some simple wounds and minor ailments like headaches and fevers on her own.


    Qiao Zhiyuan did not mention Wang Mei, thinking that if she ever aimed to cause trouble, she would quickly suppress her.


    As long as she isn¡¯t foolish to a certain degree, she won¡¯t do something to completely ruin her own prospects.


    Throughout the phone call that lasted over an hour, clearly, Uncle Sun was there the whole time too. All these matters were public and nothing was secret, so Uncle Sun took the phone and thanked Qiao Qingyu profusely before finally hanging up.


    Then, the sound of a jeep¡¯s horn came from outside; He Xiuyu had come to take her back to school, and this time they traveled by the cement road.


    Rongrong had just finished school, and with the new cement road, the journey took half an hour less than before, so they took Rongrong with them. Upon reaching the county town, they found a small restaurant, ate dinner, and continued driving to Xichuan Agricultural College.


    It was a cool season, and everywhere one looked there was a carpet of green.


    But Qiao Qingyu knew that in more remote and desolate areas, there were still places full of barren land and sand. It was because such places existed that, despite the good greening here, there were still many sandstorms. However, the meteorological department had made comparisons, and since last year, the precipitation had been increasing annually.


    This proved that the greening efforts had taken a significant step forward.


    As they passed that section of the cement road, they could see many children, curious and excited, running barefoot on it, and even the adults did the same.


    A cement road¡ªthat was considered a high-end road.


    Although there was no one managing it, people should still act conscientiously.


    When they were passing through the middle section, some cow droppings from an old man¡¯s cow ended up on the cement road, and the bystanders rushed him to clean it up, looking quite displeased.


    Just having a bare road wasn¡¯t aesthetically pleasing. The section of road was managed by Xiaxi Commune on one side, with the other half under the responsibility of Tenghai Research Base. On the drive, He Xiuyu casually mentioned that this matter should be discussed with Old Xie and Mr. Qian to consider planting poplars or sea buckthorn along the roadside.


    In short, they just needed to plant species that were conducive to survival and suitable for the soil here.


    By the time they arrived at Xichuan Agricultural College, the sun had just set behind the mountain.


    After talking at the entrance for a while, Qiao Qingyu kissed Rongrong¡¯s cheek and watched them leave before she turned and entered the school.


    The Student Union had a meeting that evening; they had encountered difficulties with well-drilling, and funds were running low, so the Student Union needed to raise some money.


    Everyone at the meeting was eager to speak up. For instance, if each student donated even one yuan, that would nearly cover the cost to complete the well.


    In fact, this was a good idea, but it had to be voluntary. Don¡¯t underestimate the value of one yuan; for students from financially strapped families, one yuan could be their food expenses for a week.


    This was no exaggeration. Now, in the year 1982, the prices were not much different from those in the parallel Huaxia.


    The buns at the school cost five cents each, so this was enough to buy twenty large buns.


    Actually, Qiao Qingyu herself could have provided the funds, and a call to the manager of the Wulong Chemical Factory would have quickly secured the money needed.


    But she had already dismissed these two ideas before they were even suggested.


    It was not because she was selfish but because such actions could easily lead others to develop a dependent mindset. Later, whenever there was a financial shortfall, they would instinctively turn to her for help.


    Therefore, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t even bring it up, and of course, no one else was foolish enough to ask.


    So the first method proposed was for students to voluntarily donate, with any amount being acceptable, starting from a penny.


    Liu Hong and Liu Min had now also joined the Student Union and, like Li Bo, they were all capable assistants to Qiao Qingyu.


    Liu Hong suggested, ¡°I think we could organize a charity sale...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes lit up, and the other students nodded in agreement. It was a good idea, so they started discussing it. Firstly, they decided to hold the charity sale on campus, setting this Sunday as the date.


    Although it might conflict with the idea of donations, this wasn¡¯t a major obstacle.


    The meeting, which lasted over an hour, quickly detailed the tasks at hand and distributed them. Then they would need to cooperate with the college¡¯s Youth League Branch.


    Sun Xiuyuan, who had eyed Qiao Qingyu, couldn¡¯t help but make a taunting comment, ¡°Isn¡¯t Wulong Chemical Factory owned by your family? If they could just allocate some funds, why go through all this hassle?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at her indifferently, not wishing to engage in conversation.


    At that moment, the Youth League Branch Secretary cleared his throat looking awkwardly at Sun Xiuyuan and said quietly, ¡°This is an activity organized by Xichuan Agricultural College, and it¡¯s very meaningful. If we can accomplish it on our own, why should we reach out to others?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at the Youth League Branch Secretary. She had always thought of him as a pushover and was surprised he could make such a statement. She nodded, ¡°You make a good point. This event is significant for the students of the agricultural college, so we must organize it well and leave no room for errors.¡±


    She then turned to Sun Xiuyuan, who stood aside, and said with a smile, ¡°Sun, I¡¯ll need to trouble you to inquire about any rules from the relevant authorities concerning our students holding a charity sale on campus.¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan was taken aback, not expecting Qiao Qingyu to address her so calmly.


    She lifted her chin slightly, wanting to say, ¡°Are you asking for my help?¡±


    But she swallowed those words.


    With some reluctance, she nodded and unhesitatingly said, ¡°My brother is in charge of this area, I¡¯ll give him a call right now.¡±


    After these words, she walked away quickly.


    The Youth League Branch Secretary smiled at Qiao Qingyu and said, ¡°She¡¯s been spoiled growing up, sometimes naive and arrogant. Don¡¯t take what she said to heart.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s smile belied her true feelings, ¡°She is the Deputy Secretary of the Youth League Branch, and we are discussing official matters in your office. How could I not take her words seriously?¡±


    The Youth League Branch Secretary suddenly felt awkward, knowing full well the circumstances surrounding Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s appointment.


    But he was helpless.


    However, Qiao Qingyu was just making a point, and she smiled again, her voice gentle, ¡°I¡¯m just joking with you. I know what she¡¯s like and won¡¯t actually hold it against her.¡±


    Hearing this, the Youth League Branch Secretary also felt relieved, and the two went on to discuss the details of the event.

 Chapter 397 - 397 397 Gifted

    ?Chapter 397: Chapter 397: Gifted Chapter 397: Chapter 397: Gifted This week, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t return to the family compound; she had already called He Xiuyu in advance. The school was organizing a fundraising event today, and all the income would be used for well-digging.


    The school also promised to try their best to apply for the remaining funds they needed and provide what they could.


    Unexpectedly, the fundraiser was very successful. Xichuan didn¡¯t have just this one agricultural college; there was also a normal university, a hydraulic engineering college, and other schools.


    The gates of the agricultural college were wide open, allowing students from these institutions to participate, so the event was very successful, and the necessary funds for well-digging were all in place after the accounts were settled...


    With the funds in place, the well could continue to be drilled.


    However, this fundraiser gave some students from financially struggling families a new idea, as they wanted to contribute to the event, but borrowing money or things from others wasn¡¯t the way.


    So, one student used the long grass from the school¡¯s backyard to craft some very cute grass-weaving handicrafts, which inspired other students.


    Of course, not everyone knew how to weave grass, but it was a path, and since it was a charity sale, it didn¡¯t matter what you brought to the table, as long as it was obtained through normal channels and was both reasonable and legal.


    And this student who could weave grass came from a farming family that had been doing this for generations; he wove a pair of straw shoes that were not only beautiful but also fitted well and were comfortable.


    It wasn¡¯t just one student who had this skill, so when students with these crafting skills joined together, the products they created were not only popular within the school but even caught the attention of local shop owners who came to place orders.


    Before, these students wouldn¡¯t have dared to engage in such activities, but now, after the fundraiser, it seemed quite natural.


    This turn of events was also a pleasant surprise for the youth league committee and the student¡¯s union, as the school had always been encouraging financially challenged students to engage in work-study programs.


    This time when Qiao Qingyu returned to the family compound, Xiao Xiao¡¯s grandparents were preparing to take Xiao Xiao back to their hometown.


    The reason for their stay was two-fold: first, Yu Jing¡¯s case outcome had not yet been decided; second, there had been complications with Xiao Xiao¡¯s father¡¯s pension issue,


    After all, he had been very close to Tian Li, and it remained to be seen whether he had leaked any core secrets about the base from him, which would only be confirmed after Tian Li¡¯s full confession.


    Tian Li¡¯s child had died early, so she wasn¡¯t concerned with any maternity leave, and following her complete confession, another secret roundup had captured another batch.


    This time, it resulted in a comprehensive crackdown on illegal organizations in Xichuan and even half of the Northwest.


    What awaited the two of them was certainly the most severe punishment.


    Fortunately, Wang Xiaoxiao¡¯s father still had a trace of conscience; he had merely succumbed to temptation, but he hadn¡¯t lost his life because of Yu Jing. Instead, he had begun to sense something was off about Tian Li. Not only did he sever ties with her, but he was also gathering evidence to report her, which led Tian Li to silence him permanently.


    What none of these men at the base could have predicted was that both of the women close to the earnest and talented Old Wang were sleeper agents with ulterior motives.


    It was uncertain whether to call him unlucky or to say that these bizarre odds had fallen on his head.


    Right, there was also Old Zhao, another person beyond words.


    But all that had passed, the dead were gone, and the living needed to carry on living well. Xiao Xiao¡¯s grandparents had already put their sadness behind them, feeling that it was fate¡ªperhaps this was destiny¡¯s arrangement. So, when the dust settled, they took Xiao Xiao back to their hometown.


    Qiao Qingyu entered the base¡¯s family courtyard and saw a large group of children gathering to see off Xiao Xiao.


    As soon as Xiao Xiao saw Qiao Qingyu approaching, her tears fell pitter-patter, but then she bravely wiped all the tears from her face.


    Rongrong was not aware of the antecedents and consequences, whereas Xiao Xiao had a vague inkling of the situation.


    She couldn¡¯t understand why her mother was so cruel to harm her favorite Aunt Qiao and best friend; hadn¡¯t her mother ever thought about her own feelings?


    Or perhaps her mother had never loved her and only said so in words.


    Otherwise, why would she do such things?


    The girl of the past wouldn¡¯t analyze things, but after so many sudden changes, she seemed to have grown up overnight. She didn¡¯t speak to Qiao Qingyu but stopped in the distance to give Qiao Qingyu a deep bow.


    She said nothing and didn¡¯t look back as her grandparents led her away from the Tenghai Research Base family courtyard, which had carried her childhood joys and sorrows.


    Perhaps she would never forget this place and all the people here for the rest of her life.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand reached out to He Xuerong¡¯s.


    Now He Xuerong was going to school, and they were not in the same class anymore. Ever since Xiao Xiao¡¯s mother was arrested, Xiao Xiao had hardly played with them anymore. Although He Xuerong felt saddened, all these feelings were quickly forgotten when she saw the delicious food in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand.


    Then she started chattering away, ¡°little aunt, my mom came to see me, but I made her so angry she left...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was unaware of this; she stopped and looked at He Xuerong with amusement, ¡°You¡¯re quite something, aren¡¯t you? It¡¯s not easy for your mother to come see you, how did you manage to make her leave in anger?¡±


    ¡°She was badmouthing you, of course I wasn¡¯t happy.¡±


    After inquiring further, she found out what had happened.


    He Xuerong hadn¡¯t come home last week, and then Wu Hong brought Liu Ge to see Rongrong. Rongrong was now a little expert in the kitchen; Qiao Qingyu never refused to let her do things there, perhaps worried that others would gossip.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t care about others¡¯ opinions; she was clear in her conscience. So, when Liu Ge entered the house, she saw her daughter standing on a stool, cooking rice porridge.


    Her tears gushed forth immediately, and she hurled herself towards her daughter so suddenly that if Wu Hong hadn¡¯t reacted quickly, the mother and daughter might have ended up in the large pot of rice porridge.


    Then Liu Ge broke down in hysterical weeping, and afterwards, Rongrong coldly scolded her without any politeness, leaving Liu Ge to skulk away with tears still on her face.


    Yet, she held a strong resentment towards Qiao Qingyu.


    After telling all this, He Xuerong said with a frown, ¡°little aunt, my mom is a bit strange.¡± Then she added, ¡°Actually, I should really hate Uncle Wu, but I just can¡¯t bring myself to do it.¡±


    The young girl had this innate ability to sense immediately whether others had good or bad intentions toward her; it was just a feeling, but she knew her mother genuinely loved her, even if she was unreliable and untrustworthy. Logically, she should hate Uncle Wu Hong as well.


    But Wu Hong radiated considerable goodwill towards her, so she couldn¡¯t bring herself to resent him either.

 Chapter 398 - 398 398 Thousands of Variations But Never

    ?Chapter 398: Chapter 398: Thousands of Variations But Never Departing from the Essence Chapter 398: Chapter 398: Thousands of Variations But Never Departing from the Essence The little grown-up He Xuerong just felt somewhat helpless.


    The little girl even said, ¡°With her being such an irresponsible mother, what kind of face does she have to call you, my little aunt, an irresponsible aunt?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu took He Xuerong¡¯s hand and walked forward, speaking softly, ¡°It¡¯s normal, she¡¯s your mother, and naturally, she can¡¯t bear to see you doing these things. In her first impression, you are suffering, wronged, abused, and of course, she feels terrible.¡±


    ¡°If she still has such feelings, why was she so heartless to abandon me in the first place?¡± The little girl lifted her head, her face unexpectedly cold, ¡°Little Aunt, actually, when it comes down to it, my mother and Xiao Xiao¡¯s mother are no different. They are both selfish villains, only thinking of themselves, never considering us children, treating us like objects, hugging us when they feel like it, and when they don¡¯t, discarding us like a broken bag...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    A bit worried, this child was too smart.


    She too fell silent, not intending to guide He Xuerong on this point, because what He Xuerong said was not wrong.


    These two people indeed didn¡¯t deserve to be mothers.


    People like them, one should carry on with their own covert enterprises without getting married or being with anyone, and the other should indulge in a romantic and carefree life, also not bringing harm to He Xiuwen.


    But then again, Qiao Qingyu said with a smile, ¡°But we should all thank your mother, for without her, there would be no one to bring a little fairy like you to the human world.¡±


    He Xuerong blinked, the cold expression on her face suddenly vanishing, her eyes sparkling, as if they were filled with light, she laughed, smiling like a little sun.


    She loved her little aunt, so very much...


    When He Xiuyu returned home, Qiao Qingyu asked about the incident, knowing Rongrong, no matter how smart, would have only learned one side of the story.


    Then Qiao Qingyu found out that He Xiuyu had also been at home, he had taken a phone call, and Rongrong had taken it upon herself to stand on a stool and prepare the porridge.


    This might seem dangerous, but it really wasn¡¯t.


    The porridge was warm, and the fire in the stove had long been extinguished, but in Liu Ge¡¯s eyes, it wasn¡¯t so, as she wailed and accused He Xiuyu, even saying Qiao Qingyu shouldn¡¯t be studying and should focus entirely on caring for the child. How could she do this?


    Yes, how could she say such things?


    Before He Xiuyu could lose his temper, the little firecracker He Xuerong sprang into action, bombarding Liu Ge who scurried off pale-faced.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at Rongrong playing with Xiao Hu in the courtyard, this child, with her sharp tongue but also deeply affectionate nature.


    She truly didn¡¯t regret doting on her.


    That evening, He Xiuyu entered the Space Device and stood before the seed cultivation machine, speaking in a low voice, ¡°I have deciphered all the principles, now only lacking one type of startup energy source.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes brightened, and she quickly asked, ¡°What kind of startup energy source?¡±


    He Xiuyu pondered for a moment and said leisurely, ¡°For now, let¡¯s call this energy source X substance, but as far as I know, such a material does not exist on the present Earth.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t shocked; to tell the truth, the seed cultivation machine looked very sci-fi, and the seeds it produced were still very sci-fi.


    It was beyond human comprehension.


    Qiao Qingyu even thought, could it be that during the Space Period, the seeds went through some black hole to another place, cultivated by people there, and then sent back again?


    Although this idea was somewhat fantastical, standing inside this Space Device, she couldn¡¯t help but think so.


    Because seeds cultivated in this way had a 100% germination rate.


    Ordinary seeds, once placed inside, would undergo a modification of their molecular structure, automatically retaining superior traits and enhancing them. Some drawbacks would be meticulously eliminated, although not perfectly, resulting in nearly exceptionally superior varieties.


    This naturally couldn¡¯t compare to the seed cultivation machines of the current world.


    Moreover, it was capable of mass production.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that this kind of seed cultivation machine can¡¯t be constructed anymore.¡± Qiao Qingyu was somewhat disappointed.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t respond, his gaze drifting to the edge of the Space Period, then he walked over there.


    The entire Space Device was encased in a frosted glass that rendered the outside invisible.


    Presumably, there was no life outside; otherwise, their location wouldn¡¯t be so tranquil.


    Yet He Xiuyu vaguely felt that what he needed, what he¡¯d dubbed ¡°X substance,¡± might be right outside the Space Device, and he also had an unsettling feeling that he wasn¡¯t unfamiliar with the area outside¡ªit was a place he might have visited before.


    But this sensation was profoundly eerie.


    How could it be possible for him to have been there?


    If it hadn¡¯t been for Qiao Qingyu, he wouldn¡¯t even have known the Space Device existed. However, that raised the question¡ªif he was entirely ignorant about the Space Device, then why did the letters in the test tube match the ones he frequently used?


    Perhaps Qiao Qingyu¡¯s reasoning had some merit. Could it be that a future version of himself crafted such a Space Device and then sent it back to Qiao Qingyu through time and space?


    This was the most reasonable explanation he could come up with at the moment.


    However, He Xiuyu was aware of his limitations. With the current state of development and his abilities, this explanation was utterly implausible.


    Qiao Qingyu followed and tapped on the glass wall, saying, ¡°When I first got it, I studied it for quite a while, and it seemed to be all of a piece.¡±


    He Xiuyu looked toward the glass, but no matter what, he couldn¡¯t see outside.


    ¡°Even though we can¡¯t find that substance, a machine like this would still greatly aid our current seed production process.¡±


    He looked at Qiao Qingyu and continued, ¡°You¡¯ll have to work hard for a few more years.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about working hard, I just think that you don¡¯t need to be in such a hurry. Even without the machine here, the seeds we¡¯ve cultivated are already on par with the seed production standards of developed countries,¡± Qiao Qingyu said.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s gaze was gentle. Indeed, that was the truth. It was because he didn¡¯t want Qiao Qingyu to become too entangled with the Space Device that he had rushed.


    Thus, he didn¡¯t continue the topic and instead told Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Yesterday, I installed a surveillance instrument near Xiwatun...¡±


    ¡°So you suspect that the mysterious energy body is some trick made by Han Liuya?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not ruled out,¡± He Xiuyu said gravely.


    At certain times, science and Mysticism don¡¯t actually repel each other; they should be categorized together.


    What lies at the end of science?


    And what lies at the end of Mysticism?


    When certain things develop to a particular stage, what was once considered Mysticism can now be explained with science, and some scientific definitions can also be classified under Mysticism.


    In reality, it¡¯s a complementary yet somewhat oppositional relationship.


    But there is a saying, ¡°The more things change, the more they stay the same,¡± which is roughly the point.

 Chapter 399 - 399 399 Dare Not See Her

    ?Chapter 399: Chapter 399: Dare Not See Her Chapter 399: Chapter 399: Dare Not See Her Han Liuya painfully discovered she could no longer go to Xiwatun; her so-called Soul Separation Technique had inexplicably failed.


    Han Lishi was even more anxious than she was, as the more powerful Han Liuya became, the more hopeful her pursuit of longevity would be.


    Taking advantage of collecting herbs, the old lady wandered in and out of the village, but she found nothing unusual¡ªnot a strange object or person. She even made a point of checking the house of their family¡¯s watchman.


    The young man wasn¡¯t home; he had gone to work in the fields.


    Thinking back carefully, everything had been normal from start to finish; nothing unusual had happened, and she couldn¡¯t venture any further away.


    Now, due to the excellent quality of the seeds here, the commune had increased the militia¡¯s patrols, which occasionally guarded the fields.


    They were all very serious. This year, thirty percent of the members had contracted their land to Qiao Qingyu, and aside from a few special cases, these members were employed by Qiao Qingyu to farm the land.


    No one was allowed to muddle through or cheat; specific individuals were responsible for supervising each group or small team.


    Therefore, as long as they were diligent and willing, their situation was now similar to that of urban workers, earning ten yuan each month.


    This was not for the full year, but by autumn, they would also receive their contracting fees, which could be exchanged for money or food, at their discretion.


    Starting from spring plowing, they would receive eight months¡¯ wages, plus a year¡¯s worth of contracting fees.


    A preliminary estimate showed that an adult labor force could earn eighty yuan in cash by year-end, effectively solidifying the amount.


    For families that normally had only a few coins left by year¡¯s end, this was a revolutionary change.


    Households with many workers could even earn nearly one hundred yuan a month.


    Of course, some argued that farming themselves was better as, beyond paying their public grain quota, all the remaining grain would be theirs. However, numerous people would immediately counter, asking if they had such superior seeds or such effective green fertilizers.


    There was even a point everyone liked; even if the harvest failed in the autumn, as long as they did their assigned tasks, their pay wouldn¡¯t be reduced by a cent, and the contracting fees would not be shorted. This was certified by the county city and was clearly written into the contracting agreement.


    Of course, those who were diligent and willing carried a deep love for this land regardless of the manner they were engaged with it.


    However, Han Lishi glanced at the militia patrolling near the wheat fields of Xiwatun and frowned as she returned to the village.


    Currently, Han Liuya couldn¡¯t travel far, just nearby, but she could actually go to the base residences. Yet, immediately after encountering Qiao Qingyu once, she was sent back.


    She was still working hard to find the reason and had consulted some ancient texts. She thought the most likely reason might be something to do with Qiao Qingyu, but she currently had no way of knowing and also had no reason to approach Qiao Qingyu, who despite knowing she lived here, never visited her.


    Maybe Qiao Qingyu simply didn¡¯t consider her important or dared not meet her.


    But whatever the reason, the tasks she wanted to accomplish were becoming increasingly difficult, especially since Qiao Qingyu was usually at the school, which was too far away unless she rented a house near the school.


    With this in mind, Han Liuya quietly said, ¡°Grandma, in just over a month, Qiao Qingyu will be on summer break. There¡¯s no point in us renting a house near the school. It might be better if I thoroughly master the Triple Soul Body this month.¡±


    Han Lishi looked at Han Liuya with complex emotions, ¡°Alright, Grandma can¡¯t help with this. You decide for yourself.¡±


    ...


    Despite it being a Wednesday, water began flowing from a well in the green belt of Xichuan Agricultural College.


    The school hadn¡¯t given the students a holiday, but the Student Union, certain school administrators, mentors, and class leaders, along with instructors from various departments, gathered around the well¡ªa few hundred people in total.


    The nearby commune members also hurried over.


    The well had been under construction for over two months, with occasional breaks, allegedly due to funding issues, after which work resumed. The adjacent pond had also been prepared in advance, but these community members felt the students were just messing around with the money.


    For countless years, no well had ever successfully delivered water here. Just the year before last, didn¡¯t a senior official named Lu bring a team here to attempt a well?


    After surveying the soil, they gave up and never mentioned it again.


    So, when they first spoke of constructing a well, everyone was very attentive, but the community members soon stopped taking it seriously.


    However, they greatly admired the students¡¯ perseverance since, in such a barren sandy area, they had managed to grow Barley Grass, alfalfa, and willows.


    As a result, when the fields later needed watering, they let the students draw water from a small stream. Unfortunately, due to the high water usage, after a few uses, the stream dried up, and after that, the students never came to water from it again¡ªmany had to bring water from home.


    The young people of today truly have high standards. Later, there was increased interest in it, but there was also a lot of work in the fields; everyone had their own plots to tend to, unlike the Xiaxi Commune, which had contracted their land for experimental purposes. These people had to manage on their own.


    When it became too busy, they failed to notice that the well had been completed and water had started flowing. Watching the slightly murky water being drawn up bucket by bucket and poured into the nearby pond, several community members, including an older gentleman, incredulously walked in circles and then peered into the well again, his eyes moistening as he murmured, ¡°Generation after generation said a well couldn¡¯t be made in this land... but who would have thought it actually came to be. And it¡¯s not even that far from the surface¡ªHeaven has finally provided us a way to survive...¡±


    Even though the well wasn¡¯t in the central area of Xichuan Agricultural College¡¯s green belt, it was still much closer than fetching water from the small stream or from home.


    Qiao Qingyu then asked a classmate from the Exploration Department, ¡°Have you checked the surrounding land?¡±


    The student from the Exploration Department nodded, ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve been preparing for a while. Only this area has groundwater close to the surface. Everywhere else is too far; without enough manpower and resources, it¡¯s not worth it...¡±

 Chapter 400 - 400 400

    ?Chapter 400: Chapter 400 Chapter 400: Chapter 400 But still, the existence of this well proves that there may be a second and a third well in the future.


    The need to change the environment was urgent.


    She hadn¡¯t seen Lu Ye for a long time. After a phone call with Lu Ye, she asked him to reach out to the Exploration Bureau to look around, as there might be underground water sources close to the surface.


    After all, this year¡¯s climate and rainfall in Xichuan were ten percent better than last year¡¯s.


    ...


    The Qiao Family Team¡¯s seed production base was under construction, and the cement roads were all completed. These roads connected the village¡¯s four main thoroughfares and extended from the village to the commune and then to the county.


    For this, the county even held a special ceremony. The first vehicle was Qiao Family Team¡¯s tractor, adorned with firecrackers and a large red flower, chugging along, followed by several horse-drawn carriages, with numerous barefoot commune members walking behind.


    Not just from the Qiao Family Team, but also people from other teams.


    They came specifically to experience what a cement road was.


    And now a bridge was being built over the river between Qiao Family Team and Hejia Village.


    Wu Xiucai didn¡¯t come to the Qiao Family Team; Qiao Zhicai didn¡¯t understand bridge construction, so Secretary Chang came to the Qiao Family Team and brought a provincial engineering team to build the bridge.


    After some exploration, they started working.


    Building bridges was different from constructing houses and roads. A somewhat inflated Qiao Zhihai wanted to join the engineering team but was fiercely scolded by Qiao Zhiyuan. Then, Li Tie gave him a talking-to, and he calmed down considerably.


    After the reward fund for the Qiao Family Team was approved, fortunately, it wasn¡¯t withheld under various pretexts. Almost all of it was received but not kept in the Qiao Family Team¡¯s account, as it was just a team but placed in a separate ledger at the commune.


    This reward money was mainly used for infrastructure, water conservancy, subsidies for mechanization, and technical training for the new era¡¯s farmers.


    After the funds were received and the roads were repaired, the commune members of the Qiao Family Team finally came back down to earth from the clouds.


    After all, having been poor for so long, it was normal not to be able to adapt immediately to the sudden massive changes in life.


    But it also must be said that human adaptability is incredibly strong.


    Lin Wen was now officially transferred to the seed production base¡¯s laboratory. The funds were in place, the personnel had arrived, and everyone from top to bottom fully supported it. Nobody dared to play politics with this matter, so everything was going smoothly.


    Looking at the blueprints, Lin Wen could never have imagined that he would work in such a place one day, but the pressure was enormous.


    And right now, the most lacking thing here was still talent. He went to find Captain Qiao Zhiyuan, ¡°I have two classmates who studied agriculture and they¡¯re graduating this year. They want to come to the Qiao Family Team for an internship during summer vacation.¡± After saying this, he added, ¡°If they like it here, they¡¯re planning to request to be assigned to our Qiao Family Team after graduation.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes lit up, and he stretched out his big fan-like hand to give Lin Wen a vigorous pat, praising, ¡°You¡¯re truly worthy of being a son-in-law of our Qiao Family Team, always thinking of us first. You get in touch with them. As long as they¡¯re willing to come, we¡¯ll welcome them with open doors.¡±


    Lin Wen, much like his name, was polite and scholarly, with a somewhat frail body. That¡¯s why, when he became a young intellectual here, because he couldn¡¯t handle the tough labor, he married a local girl, as his wife was capable, and there were many helpers at home.


    So when Qiao Zhiyuan slapped him, he almost fell to the ground, but he steadied himself, grinned, and cautiously added, ¡°Captain, about the two young intellectuals I told you about a while ago, they¡¯ve contacted me again¡ªthey want to come back.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan remembered the matter. Qiao Qingyu had mentioned it over the phone, asking him to assess their character. He didn¡¯t have a strong impression of them, as everything was relayed by Lin Wen. Naturally, they were welcome back if there were no issues, but the team didn¡¯t lack laborers, only skilled talents. In other words, without a specialty, there was little point in coming back.


    After all, it was not the same old Qiao Family Team where one¡¯s face was to the soil and back to the sky.


    ¡°Let them come, but they¡¯ll have to take an exam. If they pass, we welcome them back to the Qiao Family Team.¡±


    Lin Wen smiled; his two classmates were clever.


    Although they didn¡¯t make it into university, Han Shu worked in a factory after returning to the city and was quite familiar with machinery. The reason he wanted to come back to the team was that he had fallen out with his stepmother, and there was really no place for him at home. He was not young anymore and his attempts at romance were all sabotaged by his stepmother, so he wanted to leave his hometown. In the meantime, he contacted Lin Wen, learned about the great changes in the Qiao Family Team, and was moved. Whatever the case, this was a familiar place to him. As for the future, he would deal with leaving his family first.


    Han Shu was rather sincere, or to put it bluntly, somewhat timid. That was why he was like this.


    The other one¡¯s girlfriend had been taken by the son of a leader at his unit. He had landed the young master in the hospital, and after his parents pleaded desperately, they reached a private settlement. But he was also dismissed from his public position. Coincidentally, he had studied water conservation, a skill currently in high demand at the Qiao Family Team.


    Lin Wen breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said, ¡°Captain, then I¡¯ll give them a call.¡±


    ¡°All right, you let them know. If they want to come, have them come quickly; we have someone to test them.¡± Then Qiao Zhiyuan said, ¡°Come on, you¡¯re coming with me to pick up someone.¡±


    ¡°Who are we picking up?¡± Lin Wen asked curiously.


    ¡°People from the Agricultural Research Institute in the provincial city. They¡¯re coming for an on-site survey and probably won¡¯t leave until after the autumn harvest.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really great; I have so many questions to ask them.¡±


    Lin Wen was truly happy.


    He excitedly rode the tractor with Qiao Zhiyuan to the commune.


    The road was now so good¡ªtruly smooth and flat. With such a road to travel on, the mood was incredibly cheerful.


    Tree saplings and flowers had already been planted along the highway, and the most commonly planted golden lace in the north was budding, soon to bloom. In half a month, the roadside was set to become a beautiful scene.


    Surrounded by the boundless fields, the crops were growing robustly, indicating that as long as there were no natural disasters, this year¡¯s harvest would be plentiful.


    Lin Wen was immensely grateful to the leader who had assigned him here.


    He felt it was time to find an opportunity to visit him during the vacation.


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, summer vacation arrived.


    Qiao Qingyu achieved top marks in all her subjects, including electives. She tidied up her simple belongings and sat in her dormitory, waiting for He Xiuyu to pick her up in an hour.

 Chapter 401 - 401 401 Cant Look Straight

    ?Chapter 401: Chapter 401: Can¡¯t Look Straight Chapter 401: Chapter 401: Can¡¯t Look Straight He Xuerong also had a holiday, and their family of three could stroll around Xichuan and buy some things.


    Rongrong wanted a single Simmon¡¯s bed, and this time she wanted to see if they had one in stock. If so, they could just buy it and take it back, but she had to say that Simmon¡¯s beds are so expensive now, even a single bed costs two thousand yuan.


    This was no exaggeration¡ªit was the absolute truth.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know about the prices of Simmon¡¯s beds in her time, but she was shocked to learn that buying just one bed, if you were a worker, would take ten years of labor.


    But then again, these days a regular family, an ordinary worker wanting to buy a bicycle, would have to save nearly a year¡¯s wages without eating or drinking.


    Yet now, the temporary employees at the Agricultural Base could buy a bicycle with just two years of work.


    This was already a monumental progress, a milestone of its time, but from Qiao Qingyu¡¯s perspective, the gap was still too vast.


    Fortunately, the gap was gradually closing.


    Although the change was almost imperceptible, progress was still being made.


    She also needed to buy some things for Fang Xiaomei.


    Fang Xiaomei got married last month and was now pregnant, although she would only be three or four months along by harvest time. She needed to take extra care, so they needed to bring in two more people to the finance department.


    She had to discuss this with He Xiuyu first, and then she could go to Old Wei.


    Liu Hong and Liu Min had already packed their things and, after exchanging a few words with Qiao Qingyu, hurried off. Now, only Qiao Qingyu and Li Bo remained in the dormitory.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at Li Bo, who seemed to have something to say but hesitated, and knew she must have troubles.


    Li Bo now had a paternal half-brother.


    And she had lost a lot of weight.


    She had become even more silent than before.


    Clearly, life at home was not going well for her.


    The love between her suppose-father and Shao Hui, stripped of its beautiful fac?ade, was a dagger aimed straight at her.


    Even if she regretted it, it was too late.


    No one took care of her, so she had to make her own secret plans.


    Qiao Qingyu inquired with her eyes but didn¡¯t take any initiative.


    Sometimes, being overly proactive was not a good habit.


    Li Bo sat opposite Qiao Qingyu, hands intertwined and head lowered, her voice soft, ¡°Qingyu, my stepmother found me a match, but I don¡¯t like him... I¡¯m thinking of going to the Base to help out during the summer vacation...¡±


    This was a decision she had thought long and hard about, as it seemed that going to the Base was the only way to avoid her stepmother¡¯s malice. Shao Hui might be powerful within the confines of her home, because she could control her father, making her plans with ease, but if Li Bo went to work at the Base, that woman¡¯s reach couldn¡¯t extend that far, as she was not allowed to interfere there.


    But that seemed somewhat underhanded, as if he were shifting the risk to someone else. Therefore, after Li Bo finished speaking, his cheeks were flushed red with embarrassment.


    Unexpectedly, Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°I thought it was something serious. There¡¯s nothing wrong with going to the base to work. Right now, Sister-in-law Li¡¯s Greening Farm is really short-staffed. If you want to go, just give me a call. I¡¯ll ask Sister Li to arrange a place for you to stay. Don¡¯t worry about food; we have a big cafeteria.¡±


    Li Bo suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with shock as he stared at Qiao Qingyu.


    He hadn¡¯t expected that what seemed to him an incredibly difficult situation was resolved so easily by Qiao Qingyu. He couldn¡¯t quite describe the feeling in his heart; it was just very complex.


    Qiao Qingyu put the last organized notebook into her backpack and looked around the dormitory before asking Li Bo, ¡°Are you going home tomorrow?¡±


    Li Bo nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll stay in the dorm for one day. I¡¯ll give you a call tomorrow night. Can you help me contact them?¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    Li Bo looked at Qiao Qingyu with gratitude. She had her unspeakable hardships that she had not voiced, but Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t pry, and that eased her mind a bit. Although they were classmates, there were still some things she hoped they would not find out.


    Meanwhile, He Xiuyu had already arrived.


    It was the middle of the afternoon, the July sun was blisteringly bright, and He Xiuyu leaned lazily against the hood of the jeep, his deep gaze fixed on the direction of the school gate. Overhead filtered spotty sunlight through the tree canopy, his eyes brimming with luster, and his refined features all the more heart-stopping.


    In a white shirt and black pants, his tall figure was bathed in a subtle golden glow, as if a deity had inadvertently fallen into the mortal world. He had a beauty that made people glance and then hastily avert their eyes.


    The instigator was unaware, and the passing students would look over here and then quickly shift their gaze away.


    People who are too good-looking, whether men or women, sometimes intimidate others from looking directly at them.


    Standing under another tree, waiting for her family¡¯s car, Sun Xiuyuan took a glance at him and hurriedly looked away; yet, feeling unsatisfied, she cast her gaze back, subtly sizing up the man she had only met once. She knew he was Qiao Qingyu¡¯s husband, Chief Engineer He of Tenghai Research Base, and even her own father praised him highly.


    She had never thought much of it before, but for some reason, at this very moment, Sun Xiuyuan suddenly felt her heartbeat racing chaotically, experiencing a very unfamiliar emotion.


    She had never considered coveting someone else¡¯s husband before, nor did she have such thoughts.


    But right now, she knew she would never forget this scene in front of her for the rest of her life.


    She even wondered if he would glance at her tenderly, might she be willing to give up anything in return?


    But just at that moment, his brows softened, and his entire presence shifted. Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s heart pounded like thunder, her hands clenched tightly together; but then, she saw a familiar figure joyously walking toward that striking figure from the school gate.


    Then she saw a little shadow, like a small butterfly, flying towards Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu had come out, and Chief Engineer He had been watching his wife. It was said that their relationship was incredibly strong...


    Otherwise, this man would not have taken time out of his busy work schedule to pick up his wife from home.


    Her family had always wanted her to date Lu Ye, but she didn¡¯t feel much for Lu Ye. Actually, speaking of which, Lu Ye was no less impressive than Chief Engineer He.


    But now, looking at it, if Lu Ye were to stand beside He Xiuyu, in terms of presence, he would indeed be somewhat less.


    When Sun Xiuyuan noticed Qiao Qingyu looking in her direction, she took a deep breath and bravely waved to Qiao Qingyu. Despite the tumult in her heart, she still walked towards Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression was somewhat indifferent. Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s demeanor had been too obvious ¡ª looking at her man with such desire, as if she wanted to devour him.

 Chapter 402 - 402 402 Someone is Raising Cattle and Sheep

    ?Chapter 402: Chapter 402: Someone is Raising Cattle and Sheep Chapter 402: Chapter 402: Someone is Raising Cattle and Sheep ¡°Indeed, there¡¯s nothing to blame; my man¡¯s appearance is just too attractive. But what exactly does Sun Xiuyuan want to do? Could she be attempting to loosen up soil around He Xiuyu, who is already spoken for?¡±


    Curving her lips into a smile, Qiao Qingyu smiled at her and glanced behind her, ¡°Are you waiting for your family¡¯s car?¡±


    Instinctively, Sun Xiuyuan denied, ¡°No, how about I take your carpool ride instead?¡± Then quickly added, ¡°It¡¯s very quick, just on the way.¡±


    He Xuerong was displeased and, lifting her head, asked sweetly, ¡°Auntie, where is your home?¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan stated her address with a subtle pride, considering she lived in a government official¡¯s residence.


    He Xuerong turned to her uncle-in-law, ¡°Is it on the way, uncle?¡±


    He Xiuyu shook his head. But pointing toward the distance, he indicated a jeep slowly approaching from that direction.


    He knew that the jeep¡¯s number plate belonged to the government fleet.


    Laughing, Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°Sun Xiuyuan, is that your family¡¯s car to pick you up?¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s brow furrowed tightly, her complexion slightly upset.


    In her heart, she cursed the timing of the car¡¯s arrival; it had come too soon or too late, particularly when she wanted to hitch a ride in the car driven by Chief Engineer He.


    Besides, she was just seeking a ride, not scheming anything; she believed Qiao Qingyu wouldn¡¯t disagree, considering their relationship had been somewhat acceptable lately.


    But now, she couldn¡¯t get that ride, and Sun Xiuyuan secretly glared at the vehicle, biting her teeth before saying, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, there are a few activities organized by our Youth League during the summer break. Will you participate?¡±


    As for what the activities were, Qiao Qingyu was aware. She looked at Sun Xiuyuan, puzzled why she would suddenly invite her, since when she first learned about the events, Sun Xiuyuan didn¡¯t want her to participate. Over the summer, there were specific events for the student council and others for the Youth League.


    Aside from adopting a green belt, there was nothing they could do together.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t give a definite answer, keeping her official and personal life distinct, ¡°This summer I¡¯ll be busy. If I can make some time, I¡¯ll come.¡±


    A trace of disdain flashed across Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s eyes. What could she be busy with, except her contractual land?


    Indeed, there¡¯s a saying, ¡°a dog can¡¯t stop eating shit.¡± She came from the countryside, regardless of her family or whom she married, she couldn¡¯t change her rural nature.


    Sun Xiuyuan looked at Chief Engineer He with a bit of pity; how did such a glamorous, exceptional man end up marrying her?


    What¡¯s so great about that? Just because she¡¯s prettier?


    Forcing a smile, Sun Xiuyuan said, ¡°All right then,¡± and turned towards the jeep to pick her up.


    Only after starting the car did He Xiuyu ask Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Who was she?¡±


    ¡°That was Sun Xiuyuan I told you about.¡±


    Chief Engineer He frowned slightly but said nothing. His wife had a knack for handling people. However, after driving a distance, he said, ¡°She is somewhat shrewd, and rather nonsensical. Try to interact with her as little as possible.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu curled her lips, wanting to say that Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s gaze on him had been so intense, it seemed like she wanted to devour He Xiuyu alive.


    Yet, sitting next to her was the cute Rongrong; she merely nodded gracefully, ¡°Understood, I don¡¯t like her much either.¡±


    He Xuerong giggled.


    After spending two hours in Xichuan and purchasing quite a few items, the three of them got into the car. This time, He Xiuyu drove along the green belt on the edge.


    It would take a bit longer, but Qiao Qingyu had requested before to see how the greenery nearby was faring this year.


    The seed breeding base of Xichuan, Professor Feng¡¯s Seed Breeding Center, along with the barley grass and alfalfa she had cultivated, now occupied half of Xichuan¡¯s territory.


    Qiao Qingyu saw cows and sheep grazing on the Barley Grassland.


    The pasture was already two years old.


    It was completely usable.


    The poplar saplings weren¡¯t very tall but were thriving well.


    A recent heavy rain had relieved the urgent need of the crops and green belt.


    This place used to be an endless belt of wind-blown sand; now it was lush and green.


    Whether on the slopes or in the ravines, the barley grass and alfalfa were growing very well.


    It was now past four in the afternoon, and due to the recent heavy rain, the green grass looked even more lush and dewy.


    Along the way, although the road condition wasn¡¯t very good, one could see that the land, which should have been barren sand, had now turned into a green belt.


    The desolate Xichuan was gradually greening.


    Qiao Qingyu was deeply moved; nothing was more exhilarating than witnessing with her own eyes the gradual fulfillment of her ideals.


    When they reached the land where barley grass was first planted, they stopped the car on Yellow Sand Road and walked to the edge of the grassland. He Xuerong initially wanted to rush forward, but Qiao Qingyu stopped her.


    This grassland was now in its third year, and there were some small animals in the grass¡ªit would be worse if there were snakes or something.


    However, Qiao Qingyu, with sharp eyes, spotted mushrooms in the grass.


    He Xuerong noticed too, and she had a small basket in the corner of the trunk. She asked her uncle to open the trunk, took out the basket, and He Xiuyu, walking in front, carried a wooden stick¡ªthis was the so-called startling of the snakes, which would scare away any small animals, insects, snakes, or rodents.


    In any case, with the restoration of the ecosystem and the lush green grass, these little creatures would all come here to settle.


    Hadn¡¯t the number of nearby birds also increased substantially?


    There were many mushrooms, and it seemed no one nearby had gathered them, probably due to the busy farming season.


    After filling the small basket He Xuerong had brought, the three of them headed home.


    ...


    Although it wasn¡¯t exactly a reunion after a long separation, the two had been entwined in deep emotion for some time.


    It was very late at night, and as it was a cloudy day, no moonlight was visible, and the wind was strong, causing the leaves of the sea buckthorn tree to rustle loudly.


    It wasn¡¯t very hot, but unusually, He Xiuyu couldn¡¯t sleep, while Qiao Qingyu was extremely tired and had fallen asleep early.


    However, she was a bit away from He Xiuyu, and when he tried to embrace her, she pushed him away¡ªon such a hot day, lying close together felt like two furnaces. He Xiuyu wasn¡¯t a creature of warmth in summer and cold in winter, so it was indeed hot. But even so, as she slept, He Xiuyu quietly moved closer to her.


    It was already one o¡¯clock in the morning, and tomorrow¡ªno, it should be said today¡ªhe still had to go to work. He Xiuyu carefully turned over, then dared not move anymore, fearing that if he woke Qiao Qingyu, he would be pinched.

 Chapter 403 - 403 403 Entering the Exterior of the Space

    ?Chapter 403: Chapter 403: Entering the Exterior of the Space Device Chapter 403: Chapter 403: Entering the Exterior of the Space Device He Xiuyu closed his eyes, listening to the rustling leaves outside, remaining calm and composed, and indeed, swiftly fell asleep.


    But it seemed in the blink of an eye, he fell from darkness into another place.


    It was a boundless space shrouded in fog with no visible ground, yet he walked forward, and after some time, saw a building made of unknown materials ahead. There was no sunlight, yet the building glowed faintly through the mist.


    Instinctively, he walked towards the structure. As he did, he looked down, noticing the ground was uneven. Crouching down, he saw that the ground was covered with irregular black crystals.


    Following his instincts, he continued moving forward until he reached the building and found that it was surrounded by high walls made of an unknown substance. He looked up but the fog was so thick, he couldn¡¯t see the rooftop.


    The next moment, his eyes suddenly shot open.


    His hand was holding Qiao Qingyu¡¯s.


    Their hands were intimately intertwined, and his thumb was pressing on the red birthmark on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s finger.


    For a moment, He Xiuyu felt disoriented, but in the ten seconds of his confusion, his form flashed, and he appeared in a vaguely familiar space.


    During this time, Qiao Qingyu was still deep in sleep, completely unaware that He Xiuyu had suddenly disappeared from her side.


    If it had been earlier, He Xiuyu might have been astounded.


    But now, having entered and exited the Space Device many times, he was quite composed.


    However, he was worried that Qiao Qingyu would become anxious if she woke up and couldn¡¯t see him.


    He didn¡¯t even have time to determine whether the high wall hidden in the fog was real or false.


    But how to get out?


    He Xiuyu¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, yet with a thought, he left the space.


    He lay down again beside Qiao Qingyu.


    But it was evident that Qiao Qingyu was not sleeping peacefully. He carefully moved his hand away, looking at the pad of his forefinger, where his heart unusually skipped a few beats.


    Then, he calmed down.


    He closed his eyes, thinking that he had actually been able to enter the periphery of the Space Device.


    Truly bizarre.


    Yet unexpectedly, after such a startling event, he found himself falling back to sleep.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in a distant country, the main officials of the M country¡¯s Ministry of Agriculture were holding a meeting.


    They were discussing the new variety of corn from Huaxia, Huanong No. 1.


    Voices ebbed and flowed in the conference room, debating nonstop.


    The point of contention was the failure of their own corn seed sales, although prior discussions had taken place. M country wanted more benefits and had taken a haughty stance, and according to custom, Huaxia was expected to bow its head in the end, agreeing to give them many concessions.


    But the outcome was beyond everyone¡¯s expectations. The other party decided not to buy, claiming their own corn seeds were fully capable of supporting the nation¡¯s cultivation plans.


    This was infuriating.


    After all, the Huaxia people were numerous, with so many mouths to feed. The seeds they developed were mainly aimed at their own people. High-yield seeds were in demand by everyone, and without the capacity to produce seeds, they would eventually have to rely on their company.


    Now, the plan had failed.


    The main official looked at the documents in hand and said to his subordinates, ¡°How is the investigation going?¡±


    ¡°Today, twenty percent of Huaxia¡¯s land has been planted with this variety of corn...¡±


    ¡°That much...¡± the official mused to himself.


    It seemed the seeds were sufficient.


    ¡°Investigate, who developed it?¡±


    ¡°It was developed by He Xiuyu from Xichuan Tenghai Research Base, a scientist who could be called a genius.¡±


    ¡°Has he ever studied in our country?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    The person in charge contemplated for a moment, his expression inscrutable, ¡°We could try inviting him.¡±


    He believed the other party would happily agree.


    Because to study, live, and even work here, was the dream of every person from Huaxia.


    ...


    After He Xiuyu fell asleep, he never dreamt again, and when he opened his eyes, the sky was already bright.


    He saw Qiao Qingyu still deeply asleep beside him. He carefully got up, put on his clothes, and went to the next room, the study.


    Looking at his bookshelf, what used to seem adequate now appeared too sparse.


    He scanned the shelves, picked up a foreign book on wormhole theory, and stood in front of the bookshelf, starting to flip through it.


    After reading several dozen pages, He Xiuyu put down the book. It was hard to describe his feelings, but he felt there was still a huge gap between theory and practice.


    Yet, it was not unattainably so.


    Reading books was of no further use. He needed to do his own research.


    He went to make breakfast. After managing with difficulty to wake the two sleepyheads, and once they washed up and sat down at the table, Qiao Qingyu still yawned.


    However, He Xuerong was fully awake. She chattered, ¡°Uncle, little aunt, I¡¯m going on an adventure with Xiao Hu and Wang Ji later.¡±


    ¡°Where to?¡± He Xiuyu asked while serving Rongrong some porridge.


    ¡°Just behind the base store, to the hillside there.¡±


    He Xiuyu knew the place after a moment of thought in his head.


    It was a hillside covered with yellow sand, where many kids liked to play, and the adults were reassured because it was safe, being close to the base¡¯s surrounding walls.


    ¡°Eat first. After breakfast, finish your summer homework, and if you complete one piece, you can go play,¡± He Xiuyu declared.


    He Xuerong quickly grabbed a small steamed bun that the little aunt specially made for her last night and started eating voraciously.


    And Qiao Qingyu finally stopped yawning. She looked outside the window; it was still quite cool in the early morning, but once the sun rose, it would get hot. When working in the fields, one had to avoid the scorching sun to prevent heatstroke.


    She, too, began eating briskly.


    He Xiuyu, ¡°...¡±


    Was Qingyu also planning to go out?


    Then he would take the day off and spend it with her.


    The three of them headed out together, carrying straw hats. Not far from the main gate, Xiao Hu was waiting for He Xuerong. Seeing He Xuerong come out, Xiao Hu ran over and habitually tried to take her hand. He Xiuyu¡¯s brow slightly furrowed. Li Mingguang was nine this year by traditional age counting, and this year, the little fellow had put on weight without getting much taller. Rongrong was even a bit taller than him.


    From behind, they looked more like a sister and younger brother.


    Still, He Xiuyu didn¡¯t think it was appropriate for them to hold hands all the time, even if they were only playing.


    He coughed lightly, not going to be blunt about it and instead said, ¡°You two shouldn¡¯t hold hands. If one of you falls, wouldn¡¯t the other fall too?¡±


    Li Mingguang stopped in his tracks, releasing her hand and looking at He Xiuyu with a silly smile.


    His father had said the same thing, remarking that this was the new society, but in the past, boys and girls wouldn¡¯t sit together after seven years of age.


    Being friends with Rongrong didn¡¯t necessarily mean he had to hold her hand all the time.

 Chapter 404 - 404 404 Losing Life What Does it Mean

    ?Chapter 404: Chapter 404: Losing Life, What Does it Mean? Chapter 404: Chapter 404: Losing Life, What Does it Mean? Li Mingguang hurriedly nodded, ¡°Uncle He, I remember.¡±


    Xiao Hu was a bit chubby, and he looked cute when he smiled. He was also well-behaved and clever. He Xiuyu didn¡¯t say anything more and gestured for the two children to go play. He then sighed softly; time flew by so quickly. In the blink of an eye, it had been three years since Rongrong came here.


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t witnessed this scene, as they were passing by Old Li¡¯s house and were called into the yard by Old Li¡¯s wife to talk about sea buckthorn.


    Old Li was the chief engineer at Tenghang Base, and had been allocated a house long ago; it was just that Old Li¡¯s wife hadn¡¯t come until now, and Old Li often stayed in the dormitory at Tenghang Base.


    However, Old Li had since moved in too. Old Li¡¯s wife was a Southerner, unused to many things, and didn¡¯t talk much with the neighbors.


    But her relationship with Qiao Qingyu was still decent.


    Next to Old Li¡¯s house was the Xie family¡¯s home, which was locked, clearly indicating no one was at home.


    He Xiuyu waited by the roadside for Qiao Qingyu to come out, then he took her to the entrance where Driver Brother Sun had already driven the jeep to the side of the main road.


    Qiao Qingyu asked He Xiuyu to wait for her in the car while she went to the office to deliver some items to Fang Xiaomei.


    Fang Xiaomei had just become pregnant; she didn¡¯t look well, but her spirits were good. She naturally took the things Qiao Qingyu had bought for her, and then handed Qiao Qingyu the report from the last month, saying, ¡°The payment for the Barley Grass and alfalfa seeds purchased by Gelle State in March totaled seventy thousand yuan, which came in yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch that money yet, I need it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I understand,¡± replied Fang Xiaomei, who had become much more steadfast and skilled over more than half a year at this place, becoming an effective assistant to Qiao Qingyu.


    ¡°Xiao Mei, take care of yourself and don¡¯t overexert. I¡¯ll assign two assistants to you in a few days; make sure to train them well...¡±


    Fang Xiaomei paused for a moment, then hurriedly asked, ¡°What about me?¡±


    She wasn¡¯t insecure; she trusted Qiao Qingyu¡¯s integrity. It was merely a spontaneous question.


    ¡°You are pregnant now. It will become increasingly inconvenient for you, and you¡¯ll have to take some leave when it¡¯s time to have the baby. Train them well, and later on, you can be the finance manager.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu had wanted to say ¡®finance director¡¯, but such a title didn¡¯t yet exist here, so she replaced it with ¡®manager.¡¯


    Fang Xiaomei nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll train them well.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu enjoyed speaking and working with Fang Xiaomei because she was straightforward, didn¡¯t overthink, said what she was thinking, and was quite smart.


    After talking for a few more moments with Fang Xiaomei, Qiao Qingyu was about to leave the office in Zone 5 when Fang Xiaomei called out from behind her, ¡°Qingyu, I¡¯m taking a day off tomorrow.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask me what for?¡± Fang Xiaomei asked, watching Qiao Qingyu.


    ¡°If you want to say, say it; if not, don¡¯t.¡± Qiao Qingyu was very casual about it.


    She wasn¡¯t one to fret over small details.


    Fang Xiaomei thought for a moment but didn¡¯t say anything.


    Qiao Qingyu arranged a few tasks and then left the office. Wang Laogen¡¯s office was empty; he was obviously busy on the leased land.


    By the time they got into the car, the weather had warmed up, but it was quite comfortable driving on the cement road; there was much less dust and sand.


    Greenery was everywhere, making the scenery exceptionally pleasing to the eye.


    He Xiuyu looked ahead and made a direct arrangement, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Qiansi Hemp Field first. From there, we can head straight to Xiaxi Commune...¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Qiao Qingyu said energetically, looking at the roadside. She still remembered the dusty scene when she had first come here. Now, in just two years, places along the road that weren¡¯t farmland were all planted with Barley Grass. There were happy children herding their own geese or ducks or even leading a few sheep to graze.


    A leisurely scene.


    One by one, the trucks weren¡¯t driving very fast, as this stretch of road passed through several villages and thus had many children around. Despite repeated warnings by the commune and village, children still liked to dash across the road.


    Especially this part of the cement road, which they loved the most.


    Thus, Old Wei from the base specifically organized a big meeting for the drivers of the transport team mainly about safety issues.


    For now, there was no better solution than to remind the drivers repeatedly.


    Qiao Qingyu looked beside the road, ¡°Actually, we could add a wire fence. That would be safer.¡±


    ¡°No, the cost is too high, and besides, it might not necessarily keep those children out¡ªthey are too mischievous.¡± He Xiuyu¡¯s tone was one of helplessness.


    Actually, the past wasn¡¯t much different from the present.


    However, back then there were no paved roads or Barley Grassland, so fewer children came here.


    As they spoke, they passed the Barley Grassland to reach the crop fields. The village was some distance away, so there were hardly any children.


    He Xiuyu slightly sped up toward the nearest Qiansi Hemp Field.


    Meanwhile, at the Xiaxi Commune, Mr. Qian was at the entrance welcoming a visiting group from a neighboring province.


    Soon, several jeeps from the county town arrived, and about a dozen people stepped out, men and women, old and young. They all looked on curiously and with smiles.


    Only one tall, handsome young man had a tight expression, his indifference and calmness directed toward Mr. Qian.


    Mr. Qian didn¡¯t notice at first, but when he finished exchanging pleasantries with the visiting delegation¡¯s leader and began introducing everyone, he caught sight of the young man.


    Mr. Qian froze.


    The color drained from his face.


    He turned pale, his lips trembling, clearly recognizing who the young man was.


    ¡°...Chen Tianliang?¡± he squeezed out these three words through clenched teeth.


    Chen Tianliang nodded, his gaze fixed on Mr. Qian, he smiled faintly, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡±


    He then spoke before Mr. Qian could respond, his voice somewhat airy, ¡°Mr. Qian, didn¡¯t expect to see me again, did you? Thought I was long dead, didn¡¯t you...¡±


    The inspection team was also stunned.


    They all turned their gaze toward Mr. Qian and Chen Tianliang.


    The leader of the delegation, a senior official from the Ministry of Agriculture in the neighboring province, furrowed his brows. Chen Tianliang was the youngest son of his former superior and was now his secretary. He was diligent, competent, and a key individual being groomed for bigger roles.


    But he was unaware that he and Mr. Qian knew each other.


    Lu Ye, accompanying them, moved his brows but remained silent.


    An official from the county attempted to speak, but in the next moment, a fifty-something Mr. Qian, with unprecedented speed, surged toward Chen Tianliang and grabbed his jacket. His eyes blood-red and voice filled with hatred, ¡°Chen Tianliang, you beast, return my daughter to me, pay for her life with your own...¡±


    Then he grabbed Chen Tianliang¡¯s throat, as if he wanted to kill him on the spot.


    Chen Tianliang had been disdainful and aloof, but hearing these words, he was taken aback.


    Pay with his life, what did that mean?

 Chapter 405 - 405 405 Why Does He Hate Him

    ?Chapter 405: Chapter 405: Why Does He Hate Him? Chapter 405: Chapter 405: Why Does He Hate Him? Chen Tianliang was distracted, so Mr. Qian caught him off guard and crazily punched him.


    Unprepared, Chen Tianliang fell to the ground, and chaos erupted at the scene.


    Everyone finally reacted, rushing forward to stop it. Among the commune¡¯s staff, there was one about Mr. Qian¡¯s age, whom everyone called Old Zhao. He looked at Chen Tianliang, bewildered. Wasn¡¯t it said that he had long since died? How come he was still alive?


    Chen Tianliang, on the other hand, stared fiercely at Mr. Qian, his voice filled with outrage and hoarseness, ¡°What are you talking about? Whose life am I supposed to compensate you for?¡±


    Mr. Qian didn¡¯t respond. He continued to glare at Chen Tianliang, and as his rationality gradually returned, his gloomy eyes swept over Chen Tianliang. Yes, this was that smooth-talking scoundrel, Chen Tianliang...


    He clenched his teeth, about to say something, but the next moment, he felt the world spinning, and everything went black before his eyes. Mr. Qian fell straight back.


    Some were rushing to call for an ambulance, others were shouting not to move him until the doctor arrived, and Lu Ye didn¡¯t even know what had happened, but he was responsible for hosting the inspection team.


    He instructed the deputy head and several other staff members to take everyone to the meeting room while Mr. Qian was carried on a stretcher to the commune¡¯s health clinic.


    The health clinic was not far from the commune, and several people quickly disappeared around the corner of the large wall.


    The head of the inspection team stopped Chen Tianliang, who was about to follow them, frowning, ¡°Tianliang, be mindful of the impact, let¡¯s discuss whatever it is later.¡±


    Chen Tianliang stopped in his tracks, his mind still in disarray. He looked in the direction where Mr. Qian and the others had disappeared, his brows also deeply furrowed.


    However, he could no longer speak up. His behavior today had been somewhat rude, and he hadn¡¯t expected Mr. Qian¡¯s reaction upon seeing him would be so intense. He thought Mr. Qian would feel guilty, embarrassed, and unable to meet his eye.


    Instead, the situation had turned out like this, with Mr. Qian¡¯s eyes filled with hatred towards him.


    Why did he hate him?


    At that moment, he saw a familiar person approaching him. Chen Tianliang struggled to speak, ¡°Mr. Zhao...¡±


    Old Zhao looked somberly at Chen Tianliang and then turned to the team leader next to him with a smile, ¡°Secretary Xu, let¡¯s head to the meeting room first...¡±


    Secretary Xu also smiled and nodded, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Old Zhao glanced at Chen Tianliang again, his lips moved, wanting to say something, but considering the inappropriate situation, he swallowed his words and then, with various thoughts, they went to the commune¡¯s meeting room.


    However, with Mr. Qian, the head of Xiaxi Commune, not present, the atmosphere seemed somewhat downcast.


    The deputy head was a smooth talker and quickly smoothed things over.


    Xiaxi Commune had its plans ready, and so did the inspection team. After comparing notes, they were ready to set off to visit the thousand silk hemp experimental fields first, planning to finish touring Barley Grassland and alfalfa fields before dinner.


    At this time, Chen Tianliang also quickly adjusted his state, softly speaking to Secretary Xu, his expression returning to normal, while Old Zhao felt a rage brewing.


    However, he also tried to suppress it, knowing that making a scene would do no one any good, and some things were better left unsaid.


    Once the itinerary was set, everyone began to leave the meeting room gradually. Old Zhao packed up his notebook while watching Chen Tianliang, who was also organizing his documents.


    Chen Tianliang noticed Old Zhao¡¯s disconcerted expression and spoke softly to Secretary Xu, ¡°Uncle, I need to ask Mr. Zhao something.¡±


    Secretary Xu glanced discreetly at Chen Tianliang. The boy called him uncle, indicating a personal matter, so what could he do? He had no choice but to agree, though it really wasn¡¯t the right situation. However, he knew that Chen Tianliang had been a sent-down youth here, having spent three to four years in total.


    It was natural for him to have matters to deal with here, though he himself was unaware.


    ¡°Be mindful of your timing. We¡¯re setting off soon.¡±


    Secretary Xu ultimately agreed.


    Chen Tianliang gratefully looked at the leader and said softly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t cause any trouble for our inspection team.¡±


    Secretary Xu and Mr. Zhao smiled. Mr. Zhao also said warmly, ¡°I¡¯ll have a word with Tianliang, and then we¡¯ll head out.¡±


    Soon, only Mr. Zhao and Chen Tianliang were left in the meeting room, standing on opposite sides of the table, facing each other from a distance.


    Old Zhao thought for a moment and then decided to close the door.


    Chen Tianliang ultimately couldn¡¯t hold back and asked softly, ¡°Mr. Zhao, Mr. Qian said I owe his daughter¡¯s life... What is this about?¡±


    Chen Tianliang felt uneasy as he spoke, but he forcefully suppressed it, trying to convince himself that those were just the nonsensical, scolding words of the former head of the commune.


    Old Zhao sighed, ¡°Mr. Qian went to the health clinic, and actually, I don¡¯t know if I should tell you this, but since our inspection team will be passing through Sanliwa, I thought about it, and regardless, you should go see Xinghua...¡±


    Hearing Old Zhao¡¯s words, the heavy feeling in Chen Tianliang¡¯s throat eased, unaware that his back was breaking out in a cold sweat. His voice a bit hoarse, he said, ¡°Mr. Zhao, is Xinghua¡¯s home there?¡±


    Old Zhao looked curiously at Chen Tianliang and then suddenly furrowed his brow, a disbelieving thought arising in his mind.


    Could it be that Chen Tianliang knew nothing at all?


    Was that even possible?


    At that moment, Old Zhao¡¯s expression became unsteadier, but he quickly calmed himself. He sighed, ¡°Chen Tianliang, you were a sent-down youth here; you should know where Sanliwa is, right?¡±


    In that instant, Chen Tianliang¡¯s heart began to pound wildly. Having been a sent-down youth here, how could he not know? It was a cemetery.


    At that moment, Chen Tianliang¡¯s mind went blank. He stared blankly at Old Zhao and muttered, ¡°Mr. Zhao, what kind of joke are you making with me? Why would I go there to see Xinghua... Xinghua, wasn¡¯t she supposed to have gotten married?¡±


    Indeed, he didn¡¯t know.


    But Old Zhao looked at Chen Tianliang strangely, ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡±


    Chen Tianliang turned pale, his voice trembling, ¡°Mr. Zhao, what... What should I know?¡±


    Old Zhao¡¯s expression darkened, and suddenly, the room fell into an indescribable silence.


    He wondered whether he should tell Chen Tianliang.


    Seeing that Chen Tianliang wasn¡¯t the person everyone spoke of, it seemed he was truly uninformed. But what of it?


    She was already gone.

 Chapter 406 - 406 406 Xinghua Flowers Drift in the Slanted

    ?Chapter 406: Chapter 406: Xinghua Flowers Drift in the Slanted Sunlight Chapter 406: Chapter 406: Xinghua Flowers Drift in the Slanted Sunlight Old Zhao let out a long sigh. Without trying to hide anything, he simply said, ¡°Two months after you left, Xinghua received a letter saying that you were already gone, and told her not to wait for you anymore... then Xinghua, in a moment of despair, committed suicide...


    She¡¯s buried in Sanliwa. The inspection team¡¯s route just happens to pass by there, so when the time comes, stop the car and take a look at her grave. After all, she died for you, yet here you are, alive and well.


    How could Mr. Qian not hate you? He¡¯s resented you for so many years.


    I really don¡¯t know why you would come back, especially since you¡¯re clearly not dead. Why couldn¡¯t you make even a single phone call? Even if you didn¡¯t call, it would have been nice to write a letter.


    Xinghua, such a good woman, it¡¯s truly a pity...¡± By the end, even Old Zhao¡¯s voice was choked with emotion.


    By this time, Chen Tianliang was standing frozen in place, his heart seeming to have stopped beating, his whole body ice cold, with the echo of Old Zhao¡¯s words incessantly ringing in his ears.


    Seeing him like this, Old Zhao shook his head, turned, and walked away with his hands behind his back.


    Chen Tianliang stood alone in the conference room, his heart frozen solid. After a long while, he collapsed into a chair, and in an instant, tears filled his bloodshot eyes.


    ...


    He Xiuyu was driving Qiao Qingyu on Yellow Sand Road when they happened to encounter these people.


    Including the inspection team and the team leader, then Xiaxi Commune sent several people, with Lu Ye from Xichuan, and three other officials from Yushu County. They all drove the county¡¯s jeeps, a total of more than ten vehicles.


    The county naturally attached great importance to this.


    You have to understand, this was a once-in-a-lifetime event.


    For so many years, this place has been desolate and impoverished, with no one coming here for inspections, always them going to look at others, envying them, but now, the tables have turned, and several visitations from inspection and tour groups have already occurred.


    It was an excellent opportunity to promote themselves.


    Thus, from top to bottom, they were all paying utmost attention.


    There were more than ten jeeps in total.


    Then the vice president of the first vehicle saw Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu in the driver¡¯s cabin, and crucially, he recognized the license plate number. He quickly honked his horn, then signaled the following vehicles to stop.


    Their convoy and He Xiuyu¡¯s car gradually came to a halt. Sitting in the car, Chen Tianliang opened the door, and just a few hundred meters ahead was Sanliwa.


    He stood on Yellow Sand Road, his feet as if nailed to the spot.


    How he wished all of this was just a dream.


    How he wished he hadn¡¯t impulsively decided to accompany the team leader on this inspection.


    Because, logically, he shouldn¡¯t have come, but he had always been haunted by too many unresolved matters over the years, unable to let go of too much, unable to let go of a certain someone. So it turned out, the information was wrong.


    And the person who caused the information to be wrong... that person was his mother. His mother showed him a photograph, brought him a letter, saying Xinghua¡¯s family did not agree, that Xinghua had cut ties with him, that Xinghua had already married someone else.


    The photo was in color, with Xinghua covered by a red veil, beside her a young man who smiled with a naive expression. He merely glanced at it before tearing the picture to shreds, overwhelmed with grief.


    The letter too was written in Xinghua¡¯s handwriting, the words inside cold and cruel.


    He believed it, tearing the letter to shreds as well.


    Because from beginning to end, it was always Mr. Qian, the brigade leader, who disapproved of him being with Xinghua.


    What role his mother played in all this was now self-evident.


    Just now he felt there were so many questions he wanted to ask her, but now he felt it didn¡¯t matter anymore.


    In the end, Chen Tianliang still slowly walked forward.


    It seemed there was nothing left in his eyes.


    And the head of the inspection team must have known about this matter. While feeling melancholic, he also didn¡¯t know what to say.


    So it turned out this damned kid had a purpose for coming here; he wanted Qingyu to see that not marrying him was such an unwise move, but little did he expect that what he was now heading to see was just a mound of Yellow Earth.


    Naturally, no one stopped Chen Tianliang.


    Then Qiao Qingyu, who was exchanging pleasantries with Vice Chairman Xu and some others, saw Chen Tianliang walking ahead by himself. She turned her head in surprise to see that he was heading towards a graveyard. Now that cremation was not yet implemented, once someone passed, they would all be buried in coffins right here in this area.


    The place was desolate, with uneven Yellow Earth Slopes here and there; some had been there so long it was hard to tell whether they were graves or just another part of the hillside.


    However, the vicinity was also covered in a good amount of Barley Grass, and the greening efforts were commendable. Qingyu¡¯s gaze returned.


    Lu Ye was discussing mechanical issues with He Xiuyu.


    Qingyu made a round and asked the vice chairman, ¡°Mr. Qian didn¡¯t come?¡±


    In general, Mr. Qian should have been present for such an occasion.


    The Vice Chairman replied, ¡°Old Qian is at the health clinic.¡±


    Qingyu was startled. Having worked with Mr. Qian for such a long time, it was the first time she heard of him going to the hospital. She quickly asked with concern, ¡°Mr. Qian is sick, how is he?¡±


    Old Zhao hurriedly answered, ¡°Just some high blood pressure and emotional instability, nothing serious...¡±


    Qingyu felt somewhat relieved but also puzzled. Why would he suddenly become emotionally unstable? That must be a contributor to the rise in blood pressure. These people obviously knew something, but due to the setting, it wasn¡¯t appropriate to tell her.


    The Vice Chairman introduced Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu to the team leader.


    Note, it was Qingyu who was introduced first, with Xiu Yu being introduced afterwards.


    Lu Ye had a smile on his face, while He Xiuyu remained calm and collected. Yet inside, he was also exceedingly pleased, even secretly wondering, could this be considered as ¡°the wife¡¯s honor reflecting on the husband¡±?


    Of course, what he was thinking in his heart was unknown to others.


    After the introductions, everyone was very enthusiastic, especially the head of the inspection team. They also wanted to visit Tenghai¡¯s Agricultural Base laboratories and seed breeding center.


    However, because the procedures were too complex and their time was limited, they gave up the idea.


    They would wait to see the effects of the crops grown and the sand control efforts later on.


    Especially the sea buckthorn and alfalfa.


    It was said they had high economic value and were suitable for their cultivation and future development.


    But they didn¡¯t expect to run into them halfway.


    Therefore, the team leader invited Qingyu to join them and take the opportunity to introduce the inspection team to the area, a sentiment the Vice Chairman shared.


    Qingyu readily agreed.


    After all, she had contracted a large portion of the land being visited.


    She had originally planned to have a serious talk with the people from the commune.


    Thus, the car¡¯s direction was adjusted, and it slowly proceeded back the way they came.


    The jeep in the rear stopped by the time it reached Sanliwa, while the other vehicles continued onwards.


    Clearly, this vehicle was waiting for Chen Tianliang.


    This was a name Qingyu had only just learned of, and besides knowing he was the secretary of the neighboring province¡¯s Secretary Xu and had once been sent down to work at Xiaxi Commune, she didn¡¯t know anything else...

 Chapter 407 - 407 407 Some Things Will Eventually Pass

    ?Chapter 407: Chapter 407: Some Things Will Eventually Pass Chapter 407: Chapter 407: Some Things Will Eventually Pass The inspection tour along the way truly enlightened the members of the neighboring province¡¯s delegation; it was their first time here.


    Reading newspapers, official documents, or even listening to leaders speak is nothing like witnessing it firsthand.


    Some of them had never been here, others had visited three or five years ago, but looking at it now, it seemed they could hardly recall what it had looked like before.


    No one expected that within a mere two years, such a dramatic transformation had occurred here, and all along the way, the demeanor and condition of the local commune members had greatly improved.


    After all, as living, residing, and working environments got better and better, everyone¡¯s hearts brimmed with hope.


    Especially the neighboring province, though their natural environment was somewhat better than Xichuan¡¯s, it was not by much, and the area bordering Xichuan also had a barren stretch of sand.


    Part of this barren stretch formed naturally, but a large extent resulted from excessive development, deforestation, and overgrazing in previous years.


    This was man-made.


    Therefore, the severe sandstorms and dust storms forced these people to retreat.


    Especially one commune nearby was already preparing to relocate collectively.


    Currently, the relocation was underway, but it was incredibly challenging, and for the elders here, it meant leaving their ancestral homes ¨C a departure nobody wanted, leading to various forms of resistance and dissatisfaction.


    The work of the task force was exceedingly difficult, but with almost no arable land left, how were these people to live?


    Nor did they understand the government¡¯s pains; after all, moving them collectively was a massive undertaking, requiring a great deal of manpower, material resources, and financial investment. And the place they were relocating to didn¡¯t have much arable land to begin with; their arrival would naturally consume some of the local resources.


    But if the barren sand area could be turned into something like Xichuan¡¯s, even without the ability to plant crops, wouldn¡¯t the lush grass, alfalfa, and sea buckthorn be able to sustain the locals?


    Without growing crops, they could graze livestock, just like the people of the grasslands, or even raise pigs, chickens, cattle, and sheep. That would be another way for them to make a living, and after improving the environment, who could say what it would look like in ten or twenty years?


    Thinking of this, Secretary Xu¡¯s heart burned with fervor. He turned to look at the team behind him; Chen Tianliang¡¯s car hadn¡¯t yet caught up. He sighed but understood that nobody would want to face such a situation; Chen needed time to process it all.


    If it weren¡¯t for Chen Tianliang¡¯s complications with Mr. Qian, he would have been the best choice to run the office here because he had spent several years in the area as a youth and was familiar with both the environment and the people.


    He expressed his regret to Old Li, who was in charge of agriculture, ¡°I was planning to set up an office here, and if it weren¡¯t for Tianliang¡¯s issues with Mr. Qian, he would have been the best person for it.¡±


    Old Li nodded, ¡°Setting up an office... Tianliang is indeed a good candidate.¡±


    Secretary Xu said, ¡°When you get back, pick out a few dedicated people who are a professional fit and assign them to be in charge of the office here.¡±


    This office was meant to be a technical office, targeting Tenghai Agricultural Base, and now Secretary Xu had his sights set on Qiao Qingyu. Moreover, he had her contact information and was even prepared to continue discussions on seed issues.


    If they wanted to develop, prevent wind erosion, and turn the desert into fertile farmland, they first needed the superior seeds from Tenghai Agricultural Base. It was only after building a solid foundation that they would gradually develop their own.


    Therefore, the staff of this office had to be action-oriented, not the sort content with merely drinking tea, reading newspapers, and chatting. They had to be professionals, allowing experts to attend to their specialties without interference from outsiders.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Old Li to think of suitable candidates, and he nodded solemnly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Secretary Xu, I¡¯ll pick the right people.¡±


    Secretary Xu looked back again and saw that the car Chen Tianliang was in had finally caught up, easing his mind a bit.


    It¡¯s good that he¡¯s back. Some things will eventually pass.


    At this moment, Chen Tianliang was sitting in the jeep. He had stopped for a while, and as people gathered at the roadside and even went into the fields before returning to their vehicles, these images seemed to flash before his eyes without leaving much of an impression.


    His complexion was pale, his expression desolate. Before this, he might have nurtured a sliver of hope, but now sitting inside the jeep, he was utterly despondent.


    Chen Tianliang thought, among all this, he was the most despicable.


    He was the main culprit, the executioner. He had destroyed a girl as beautiful as a flower, the person he loved most.


    He thought they had time; he thought many things could be addressed gradually.


    But when he saw that letter and the photo, he didn¡¯t even consider they could be fake, he didn¡¯t think for a moment that his mother might be deceiving him, nor did he seek verification before choosing to believe entirely.


    So, Mr. Qian was right ¨C he was a beast, he deserved to die. That was what he owed Xinghua; had it not been for him, she would still be alive today.


    He leaned back slowly, feeling completely drained of strength, as if his body no longer belonged to him.


    His consciousness seemed to float away, everything around him gradually receding like the tide. He couldn¡¯t see people anymore, nor did he realize the jeep had started moving, the scenery outside moving past. He was no longer aware of these things.


    He felt darkness encroaching, and Chen Tianliang slowly closed his eyes.


    Perhaps Xinghua was coming to take him away. If it was her, that would be truly wonderful.


    A tear slipped from the corner of his eye. He sat motionlessly in the back of the jeep, eyes closed, seemingly sunken into a deep sleep.


    His colleague sitting beside him glanced sympathetically and refrained from waking him, understanding the enormous shock he had endured since morning. This was the day off Secretary Xu had given Tianliang.


    So the colleague continued to sit quietly by his side.


    The driver in front eagerly caught up with the convoy ahead. Their next destination was the largest area of sea buckthorn.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s car was second in line in the convoy.


    Because the cadre from Xiaxi Commune led the way, they knew the route. These were folks used to hard work. It was now the afternoon, and having had their fill of dry food and cold boiled water from their canteens for lunch, the group continued their tour.


    After thoroughly exploring the sea buckthorn tree area, the golden evening sun hung on the middle of Yellow Earth Slope, magnificent twilight clouds enveloping the sky above, with verdant greenery in the distance and strong, healthy crops nearby, it was hard for anyone to imagine that just three years ago, this place was barren sand uncrossed by a single blade of grass.

 Chapter 408 - 408 408 What Happened

    ?Chapter 408: Chapter 408: What Happened? Chapter 408: Chapter 408: What Happened? Others were somewhat better, but the people from Xiaxi Commune felt it most profoundly.


    The motorcade had just made a round and arrived at the commune after about twenty minutes.


    They were all staying here tonight, and tomorrow they planned to visit the local pig farm and the satellite commune¡¯s cattle and sheep raising areas.


    Secretary Xu had no idea that Chen Tianliang had slept the entire journey in the last jeep, thankfully waking up just before reaching Xiaxi Commune.


    His colleague whispered, ¡°Xiao Chen, we¡¯re almost at Xiaxi Commune, do you want to... go back to the county town instead?¡±


    Chen Tianliang stared blankly ahead, then closed his eyes again. A few seconds later, he reopened them, his expression deepening, just as the motorcade came to a stop.


    Chen Tianliang saw two people disembarking from the second jeep, one was Chief Engineer He from Tenghai Research Base and the other was Qiao Qingyu, the person in charge of Tenghai Agricultural Base.


    He stared at He Xiuyu for a long time, then appeared to snap back to reality, his expression slightly complex. When his colleague thought he was still upset, he kindly repeated the suggestion.


    Only then did Chen Tianliang seem to finally catch on, his voice hoarse as he said, ¡°No need, I¡¯ll stay here with everyone.¡±


    His colleague looked at him worriedly, but Chen Tianliang forced a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯m much better now.¡±


    Then Chen Tianliang stepped out of the car and quickly walked into the crowd, Secretary Xu relieved to see him join.


    Although Chen Tianliang had been present when meeting He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu, he was distracted, prompting Secretary Xu to reintroduce them.


    Chen Tianliang seemed completely back to normal, no trace of sorrow visible on his face.


    However, his eyes were too calm, betraying no hint of his thoughts.


    His gaze fell on He Xiuyu, and when their eyes met, Chen Tianliang smiled after a moment, ¡°Chief Engineer He, it¡¯s good to meet you. I¡¯ve always admired you.¡±


    He Xiuyu smiled back, ¡°Secretary Chen, you flatter me.¡±


    The people from the commune eagerly tried to keep He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu around to share a meal with the inspection team members, especially since it was rare to have He Xiuyu around. However, both politely declined as they had a child at home who needed their attention, so they drove off first.


    Mr. Qian also appeared from the health clinic, and to avoid upsetting him, Chen Tianliang chose to steer clear and headed to the dormitory arranged for him.


    He didn¡¯t want to explain too much to old Qian, but he did owe them, and staying here to try and make amends was one reason, but there was another, unspeakable, more important reason.


    Chen Tianliang marked down today¡ªthe special day¡ªin his notebook before slowly closing it.


    Lu Ye, the authorities from Yushu County, and a few members of the inspection team talked about the seed breeding center, emphasizing the urgency of development in such matters.


    Although the greening initiatives in Xichuan had only started partially, it had already become a region that could serve as a template for other areas. This would inevitably lead to others coming here to learn, looking to this place as an exemplar.


    The direct consequence would be a shortage in supply for Barley Grass alfalfa seeds and poplar saplings¡ªand even other crops and their seeds.


    He worried that blind development might lead to inappropriate areas being cultivated, wasting a vast amount of seeds, whereas suitable areas might suffer from a lack of seeds, creating imbalance.


    He was busy with many things, so much so that he didn¡¯t even realize when Qiao Qingyu had left. Thus, Lu Ye, standing under the night sky, could not clearly define the complex emotions in his heart.


    Feeling somewhat lost, he felt a certain emptiness inside.


    Would feelings like this slowly fade over time?


    On the road, Qiao Qingyu had said to He Xiuyu, ¡°There must be something going on with Chen Tianliang and Mr. Qian...¡±


    He Xiuyu frowned slightly and replied, ¡°Mr. Qian has three daughters and two sons, his eldest daughter is married, and his second daughter committed suicide a few years ago...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was taken aback, turning suddenly to look at the driving He Xiuyu, her brow furrowed as she asked, ¡°Who told you? How do you know this?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was quite close to Mr. Qian, but their interactions were purely professional; she didn¡¯t really know Mr. Qian well.


    Mr. Qian¡¯s two sons, one worked in a factory, and the other was studying, and then there was his niece, Fang Xiaomei. Beyond that, she didn¡¯t know much.


    Moreover, despite knowing them for so long, Fang Xiaomei had never talked about it.


    It made sense upon reflection, as this was a pain best left unspoken. Even if such a thing had happened, even if Qiao Qingyu had learned of it, she couldn¡¯t now pull Fang Xiaomei aside to ask about it, let alone inquire about it in front of Mr. Qian.


    Yet she hadn¡¯t expected He Xiuyu to be so informed.


    It seemed that while she and old Qian had been interacting, Director Lin must have already thoroughly investigated Mr. Qian¡¯s background, just in case someone wanted to infiltrate the base through Qiao Qingyu to cause mischief.


    ¡°So, you suspect that the daughter who committed suicide had something to do with Chen Tianliang?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked.


    He Xiuyu nodded, harboring reservations about Chen Tianliang¡¯s character; he didn¡¯t see him as someone capable of shouldering big responsibilities. From certain angles, he seemed rather cowardly, though it¡¯s fair to say both individuals had issues.


    If it had been him, he wouldn¡¯t have allowed such an incident to occur.


    Just like how he had married Qiao Qingyu and let her disrupt his life without ever giving up.


    If he had given up easily, he and Qiao Qingyu wouldn¡¯t have what they had today.


    He smiled at Qiao Qingyu beside him, ¡°I think Chen Tianliang is insisting on staying here because, if he indeed did something regrettable to Mr. Qian and his daughter...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at He Xiuyu, wanting to ask him what else he didn¡¯t know, what else he couldn¡¯t guess.


    Qiao Qingyu straightened up, keeping her eyes fixed forward.


    Yet, she agreed with He Xiuyu¡¯s perspective.


    But still, she said, ¡°We don¡¯t know the whole story, let¡¯s not speculate.¡±


    He Xiuyu smiled without replying, he wasn¡¯t usually talkative, but Chen Tianliang¡¯s reactions today made him mull over and analyze.


    When they first met, Chen Tianliang had just glanced at him before shifting his gaze away.


    He understood this.


    After all, they were strangers, and at that time, he was going through a difficult phase.


    But later, during the introduction at Xiaxi Commune¡¯s courtyard, the look in Chen Tianliang¡¯s eyes was all wrong...

 Chapter 409 - 409 409 Energy Source

    ?Chapter 409: Chapter 409: Energy Source Chapter 409: Chapter 409: Energy Source In the dead of night, when all was quiet, He Xiuyu finally talked to Qiao Qingyu about his abnormality. He pressed her red mole, and he too could enter the space, alone, but he was outside the Space Device, as the initial conjecture went. So Qiao Qingyu watched with her own eyes as He Xiuyu disappeared before her.


    Her heart was not without shock.


    A few minutes later, He Xiuyu emerged from within. The environment was still the same as he had seen. This time, he planned to take Qiao Qingyu inside with him. The operation was simple; he took Qiao Qingyu into the space.


    Qiao Qingyu stood on the outskirts, looking up at the towering, sky-piercing glass wall that stood hundreds of meters high.


    She hadn¡¯t expected it to be the exterior of the Space Device. Then she saw He Xiuyu squatting on the ground, studying the strangely shaped stones under his feet. Some were gray, others black, but without exception, they all emitted a gleaming luster.


    Qiao Qingyu squatted down too and looked, then asked He Xiuyu next to her, ¡°Do you think these could be the energy source for the Space Device?¡±


    He Xiuyu nodded gently, ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m guessing, but we¡¯ll need to test it to be sure.¡±


    ¡°How will you test it, by taking these stones out?¡±


    ¡°Not taking them out. I¡¯ll see if I can bring some experimental equipment here.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked around again. The distance was shrouded in fog. Could this be another planet?


    She tentatively walked towards the distance but was held back by He Xiuyu.


    For safety¡¯s sake, now was not the time for them to explore.


    The two of them returned to their bedroom.


    Lying in bed, Qiao Qingyu had a wild thought, ¡°If you figure out the energy thing, does that mean we¡¯ll be stepping into the interstellar era?¡±


    That was quite a daring thought.


    He Xiuyu wrapped her in his arms and said softly, ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. Sleep, tomorrow I¡¯ll take you to the unit.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu also felt she was thinking too boldly. These things couldn¡¯t be accomplished by just one or two people; they involved many aspects.


    But, one could always look forward to the progress of this world.


    The exterior of the Space Device was not as strict as the interior. It was like a space where anything could be brought inside, including liquids.


    But He Xiuyu was much more cautious. He only brought the necessary experimental equipment inside.


    Then, during the day, they both got busy with their work, and at night He Xiuyu would enter the outer perimeter of the Space Device to study those oddly shaped stones.


    ...


    Although Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t specifically inquired, she still learned about Chen Tianliang and Qian Xinghua from Fang Xiaomei¡¯s mouth.


    Qian Xinghua was Fang Xiaomei¡¯s cousin.


    From a young age, she was pretty, with fair and clear skin, not at all like a girl who had grown up in this barren land. She had a beautiful voice and sang very well.


    Especially the folk songs of the Northwest, which sounded exceptionally clear when sung by her.


    She also loved reading, but unfortunately, she was unable to finish her education, not because her family disallowed it, but because the school environment here had changed.


    By the time it was possible to study again, she had already missed the optimal age. Mr. Qian, a man who cared about face, was unwilling to secure a job for her in the commune, and she missed the chance to become a privately hired teacher when she couldn¡¯t read sheet music.


    Later, she joined everyone in working the fields. Although she was young, she learned fast, worked quickly, and well, and at sixteen, she became the head of the Qiao Family Team¡¯s propaganda team.


    That year, many Sent-Down Youth came here, and she met Chen Tianliang. Then, unsurprisingly, the two of them somehow ended up together.


    Mr. Qian didn¡¯t agree at all. He was a discerning man, just slightly lacking in education, but his dedication alongside Qiao Qingyu until now showed he was not short-sighted. He knew these Sent-Down Youth would return to the city and to their own life. This barren and poor land couldn¡¯t hold them.


    Moreover, the families were too different in background, so Mr. Qian was strongly opposed to his daughter being with Chen Tianliang.


    Perhaps that¡¯s the nature of youth ¨C the more they are opposed, the more they want to be together.


    When Xinghua was nineteen, Chen Tianliang had a chance to go back to the city. They promised each other everything, but Chen Tianliang¡¯s mother, upon learning the situation, firmly opposed them. Yet, to not offend her son, she chose to start from Qian¡¯s side.


    Her methods were blunt and simple; if Chen Tianliang had just verified things himself, even if he had called or written to Qian Xinghua, they wouldn¡¯t have ended up as they did.


    Qian Xinghua committed suicide because she was pregnant. To save her parents from shame and feeling that life had nothing left for her, in her naive mind, she saw it as a family of three being reunited in another world.


    That was the whole story.


    And Chen Tianliang indeed stayed as He Xiuyu had said. He stayed to set up an office here.


    Naturally, the office wasn¡¯t located at Xiaxi Commune, but in Yushu County.


    He had limited contact with Xiaxi Commune and secretly how he helped, no one knew, but visibly Chen Tianliang had been to the Tenghai Research Base several times.


    He also signed a contract with Tenghai Research Base for next year¡¯s seed supplies.


    ...


    Qiao Mubao had finished his college entrance exams, and his results had come out. Nearly two years of hard work paid off; he truly lived up to expectations and became the science valedictorian of North City.


    Certainly, the university he wanted to attend was no problem.


    The original plan was for Wu Qianyun, Qiao Zhicai, and Wu Xiucai to come to Xichuan, to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s place.


    But as it happened, He Shan was coming here for an inspection. Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t mind, and Wu Xiucai was indifferent; Wu Qianyun looked to Qiao Zhi.


    And Qiao Zhicai was somewhat resistant to He Shan.


    He had been the most strongly opposed to this marriage in the beginning.


    Now, however, those things couldn¡¯t be said.


    Yet, meeting face to face was inevitably awkward.


    So Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t insist. After all, there would be plenty of opportunities to meet, and the awkwardness would naturally dissolve over a year or so.


    Therefore, during the summer break, Wu Xiucai followed Qiao Zhicai and his wife to the Qiao Family Team. The reasons were that Qiao Mubao had entrance exams to sit, and the months of July and August at the Qiao Family Team were the best time of the year.


    The fields were filled with ripe and delicious vegetables, watermelons, various kinds of fragrant melons, and farmhouse yard-grown hawthorns.


    Moreover, there were homestead matters to deal with at the Qiao Family Team.


    It wasn¡¯t just about avoiding He Shan.

 Chapter 410 - 410 410 Kick Open with One Foot

    ?Chapter 410: Chapter 410: Kick Open with One Foot Chapter 410: Chapter 410: Kick Open with One Foot And in the blink of an eye, the autumn harvest had arrived.


    This year, both North City and Xichuan saw an abundant harvest.


    Though it was the first year of rice cultivation in North City, it had also achieved great success.


    Qiao Qingyu had handed over all the autumn harvest work here in Xichuan to Wang Laogen and Liu Chengwu.


    Liu Chengwu, newly recruited, was currently assisting Wang Laogen, but being an outstanding graduate from this session¡¯s agricultural college, he was committed to developing the agriculture and greening of Xichuan. Several employers in Xichuan, including Lu Ye, had extended offers to him, yet he chose to come to the Tenghai Agricultural Base.


    As the business expanded, Wang Laogen, though capable, was often overstretched in many areas. Instead of resisting Liu Chengwu, Wang Laogen welcomed him.


    He was a perceptive man, understanding that as Qiao Qingyu¡¯s ventures grew, even with a hundred hands and a hundred heads, he could not handle all the work alone.


    Thus, regardless of the newcomer, even if he were to surpass him in a year or two, he accepted it openly.


    He trusted that Qiao Qingyu wouldn¡¯t simply cast him aside, as he also had his uses.


    Thus, Qiao Qingyu felt very reassured about Xichuan, but she was worried about North City.


    The seed production base was nearly completed, and the seeds cultivation device of the same type as the ¡°Space Device¡± researched by He Xiuyu was also beginning to show results.


    Even though He Xiuyu hadn¡¯t completely figured out the properties of the stone, even one-tenth was enough for his current use.


    What he needed now was a solution during this final process that had to perform similarly to the Energy Stone, so He Xiuyu was looking for a substitute.


    It was impossible to remove the stone from the Space Device.


    A call had already been made, and two days before Qiao Qingyu set out, Old Lady He and He Juanjuan had arrived in Xichuan from Beijing.


    Since it was the harvest season, Sister-in-law Li was also extremely busy. Xiao Hu had no one to look after him and was left in the care of his young aunt. Li Zhiqiang was hardly seen in a week, and Chu Ying, now tasked with another important job, had no time to pick up Rongrong after school for meals.


    Although to Rongrong, the base essentially felt like her home. The pretty and sweet-talking young girl could confidently walk into the canteen or Old Lin and Old Xie¡¯s homes to have a meal.


    However, upon hearing this over the phone, Old Lady He took the idly sitting He Juanjuan on a train.


    After all, the old grandfather was in good health, and there was a nanny at home, so there was nothing much for her to do. Her mind was always on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s place.


    He Xuerong was the eldest child of that family, and as this couple became busier, they felt rather idle on the sidelines, not a fit task for anyone.


    Naturally, Qiao Qingyu had no objections. There was nothing to be instructed about, and with the presence of the old lady, both He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu felt relieved.


    It was now early August, and Qiao Qingyu had taken a month¡¯s leave this time.


    North City had always been our country¡¯s main grain-producing area and a major granary, always having it better than Xichuan over the years, especially now with the introduction of superior corn and rice seeds.


    Corn cultivation was second nature to North City, having many years of experience, and the yield this year was still gratifying.


    However, it was the first time for rice cultivation. By the time Qiao Qingyu arrived at the Qiao Family Team, many people had already gathered.


    The bridge funded by Wu Xiucai that connected Qiao Family Team to Hejia Village was nearing completion, and he had stayed to partake in the ribbon cutting.


    He still stayed at the old house.


    But now, the Qiao Family Team had changed greatly¡ªthey were at least clean now.


    The villagers cherished their cement road dearly, never allowing cow or horse manure to soil it. The village had rules that every horse or ox cart must be equipped with a manure catcher.


    If anyone broke this rule not only were they punished, but they also had to clean up and pay a fine.


    The villagers weren¡¯t afraid of the physical labor or the fee because collected manure could be used to make fertilizer; however, money fines were taken very seriously.


    Thus, even though the houses appeared dilapidated, the entire Qiao Family Team was clean and tidy, especially in August when the roadside willow and poplar leaves were lush green, and the garden bloomed with bright colored flowers.


    So Wu Xiucai also decided to stay here.


    When Qiao Qingyu¡¯s car reached the entrance of the village, he saw He Xiuyu standing there.


    Qiao Qingyu stepped off the car and soon found out the purpose of He Xiuyu¡¯s visit, learning that He was in charge of transporting supplies for the logistics of the Southern Border battlefield.


    The supplies included specially approved rice and processed corn, for which various agricultural machinery and equipment were also provided.


    But He Xiuyu had other matters to attend to and after speaking hurriedly with Qiao Qingyu for a few moments, he climbed aboard a large truck and left.


    Qiao Qingyu simply walked.


    He wanted to experience the changes happening in the Qiao Family Team.


    Qiao Ye, drenched in sweat, ran over when he got the message.


    The young girl had blossomed, now dressed in a white coat, shining brightly with confidence, and her hair glossy black.


    She took Qiao Qingyu¡¯s handbag and said, ¡°Aunt, knowing you were coming back these days, we were all so anxious. Xiao Cui and Xiao Hua have been waiting at the village entrance every day.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked around and asked, ¡°Where are they now?¡±


    ¡°Grandma said they had to pick string beans, so she called them both over.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu pointed to the handbag, ¡°Carrying it is unnecessary; I really didn¡¯t buy anything for you.¡±


    Qiao Ye didn¡¯t mind at all and smiled, ¡°Aunt, it¡¯s enough that you are back, the gifts are not important at all.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stretched her hand and pinched her cheek affectionately, ¡°What a sweet-talker you are.¡±


    Just then, a green figure on a bicycle zoomed past them.


    The bicycle had canvas bags for newspapers and letters on each side, clearly a post office vehicle.


    Suddenly, the cyclist braked hard, stopped, jumped off the bike, and turned back shouting to Qiao Ye, ¡°Qiao Ye, Qiao Mubao¡¯s admission letter has arrived. I am here to deliver it to your family.¡±


    The man was a former classmate of Qiao Ye.


    Although there was no suspense, it was always a bit unsettling not having the admission letter.


    Now in August, the admission letter had long been expected.


    Qiao Ye, excited, pulled Qiao Qingyu and ran towards the postman.


    Qiao Zhiyuan came from another cement road and grabbed Qiao Ye, ¡°Your aunt is tired from the train ride, why are you dragging her around? Think about what you¡¯re doing.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, the postman has brought Uncle Mu Bao¡¯s admission letter.¡±

 Chapter 411 - 411 411 An Alternative Energy Stone

    ?Chapter 411: Chapter 411: An Alternative Energy Stone Chapter 411: Chapter 411: An Alternative Energy Stone Qiao Zhiyuan slapped his hands together in delight, and then the group of people walked towards Qiao Zhicai¡¯s house in high spirits.


    The admission notice had come from Yun City, and he had indeed been accepted into the school he had promised to Wu Xiucai.


    After all the excitement, it was afternoon.


    But Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t been idle either; following Qiao Zhiyuan, starting from her home, she spent the entire afternoon touring the whole village.


    Qiao Qingyu nodded to herself in approval; everything was developing as she had envisioned.


    However, there was one thing¡ªQiao Qingyu had mentioned to her eldest uncle that they should still focus on developing the Qiao Family Team¡¯s side businesses.


    Nowadays, a bridge had been built over the large river separating Hejia Village from the Qiao Family Team. It might be premature to think about tourism now since the concept hadn¡¯t fully caught on with everyone, who instead longed for skyscrapers and the hustle and bustle of big cities.


    Thus, even if they proposed tourism or agritainment, given the current developmental trends, it would take at least a decade or more.


    So the development of side businesses during the agricultural off-season needed to be scheduled soon, otherwise the villagers¡¯ income wouldn¡¯t support the collective¡¯s expenditures and things would quickly become unbalanced, leading to a budget deficit. And then, this place would turn into a mess.


    Qiao Zhiyuan always took Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words seriously.


    He nodded earnestly upon hearing this.


    A few days later, a plan was laid on the office desk of the main person in charge of Ning¡¯an County. The plan was for the establishment of two factories by the Qiao Family Team, one a flour processing factory and the other a soybean processing plant.


    The pig farm had already been approved earlier.


    Additionally, there was a supplementary plan for a medicinal herb processing factory.


    After several discussions at the county level, the plan was unanimously passed without any reservations.


    This way, Qiao Qingyu also breathed a sigh of relief.


    It must be said that what she had done would not have been possible without the strong support of these departments.


    That evening, when Qiao Qingyu talked to Wu Xiucai about this matter, he pondered for a moment, then looked at his future heir, who was full of wiles, and said with a smile that was not quite a smile, ¡°Qingyu, do you want Grandpa to get involved too?¡±


    Currently, the soybeans in North City hadn¡¯t been entirely replaced by those from the Space Device laboratory, but within two to three years, all the land in North City would be planted with these high-yield soybeans.


    Subsequently, the feasibility of in-depth soybean processing would become inevitable. As far as she knew, North City only had one deep soybean processing factory, but its equipment was terribly outdated and wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up with the development of soybeans in a few years.


    It¡¯s not just soybeans¡ªcorn could also be processed to extract oil, and even rice...


    Especially corn oil, which is quite popular in the Southern regions.


    But currently, there are no related industries. This is not hard to understand, of course; the immediate issue at hand is ensuring everyone has enough to eat. Once food security is ensured and there is a surplus of grains, and only then, can the next step of deep processing be considered. Otherwise, it¡¯s all off the table.


    ¡°Grandpa, you have the capital, and I have convenient resources. Together, we could definitely build a soybean deep-processing base.¡±


    Wu Xiucai squinted at Qiao Qingyu. That was quite an ambitious tone, proclaiming to build a deep-processing base with just one sentence.


    However, what Qiao Qingyu said coincided with his own thoughts. It wasn¡¯t just the establishment of the Qiao Family Team¡¯s soybean processing factory that inspired him; he already had this thought a long time ago.


    Of course, this idea wouldn¡¯t be meaningful until the agricultural yield in North City met the necessary standards.


    Wu Xiucai nodded, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll call Secretary Chang tomorrow. The two of you can discuss it.¡±


    ¡°Alright, but I have to tell you, it¡¯s not going to make money within three years,¡± Qiao Qingyu gave Wu Xiucai a heads-up.


    For North City, and the entire northern region for that matter, it would take at least three years to reach a point where there was a substantial surplus of grains. Only then would a lot of grain be available for deep processing, beyond what was stored in granaries.


    ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll give you three years.¡±


    Wu Xiucai agreed without hesitation, so with just a few simple words, Qiao Qingyu became the second-largest shareholder of the future soybean deep-processing conglomerate.


    Qiao Zhicai, standing nearby, albeit having said nothing, could not hide the pride in his eyes.


    He knew all too well that the old man could be ruthless and unrecognizable at times, and also extremely demanding. He himself had witnessed two major businessmen being rejected without mercy when they sought the old man¡¯s investment.


    But with just a suggestion from his daughter, the old man immediately accepted.


    He felt very proud.


    Then, looking at his younger son Qiao Mubao, who was about to start school and was shamelessly playing with his nephew¡ªthey were just too big to be still playing with slingshots.


    It was too cringeworthy to watch.


    So it goes to show, some things are inherent.


    Afterward, Qiao Mubao went off to school, while Qiao Qingyu continued to stay by her uncle¡¯s side, growing noticeably thinner over a month.


    Wu Qianyun couldn¡¯t help with anything, so she made delicious meals for her daughter every day.


    When the autumn harvest was nearly over, He Xiuwen escorted the grains, of which seventy percent were gleaming white rice, to the Southern Border battlefield.


    These supplies, filling train after train, greatly alleviated the logistical strain of the Southern Border battlefield.


    Plenty of rice seeds were kept back, and though the members of Harvest Commune had planted rice for a year, each only got a little. However, they were immensely proud and content.


    Among them, their sons and daughters were fighting on that battlefield.


    After He Xiuwen left, with her work wrapped up, Qiao Qingyu was ready to return home; by then, it was already late September.


    This departure lasted over a month, and during this time she had only a few phone calls with He Xiuyu since he was very busy.


    Qiao Qingyu went back to her family quarters alone while He Xiuyu remained in the laboratory.


    After meeting, she learned that a potential substitute for the Energy Stone had been discovered. Although its function was only one percent of the space Energy Stone, this research, if made public, would be enough to shock the world. Naturally, this was during a stage of confidentiality and He Xiuyu had shared it with Qiao Qingyu because she was entitled to know.


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t expected that it was Chu Ying who had discovered this rare element.


    Regardless, the seed cultivation machines were now hopeful for replication.


    There was also the news that He Juanjuan had transferred her job to Xichuan.


    Qiao Qingyu was always informed about the progress of Xichuan¡¯s autumn harvest.


    Liu Chengwu was competent, and Wang Laogen was practical. These two people, believe it or not, worked together quite well. The work on the autumn harvest was carried out in an orderly manner. After accounting for the public grain due for submission, the contract fees, and other expenditures, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s Agricultural Base¡¯s income had doubled compared to the previous year.


    The account of the Agricultural Base now had a balance of nearly a million.


    Even He Xiuyu hadn¡¯t expected this.


    Nonetheless, this balance hadn¡¯t been warm on the books for several days before half of it was borrowed by the research base.

 Chapter 412 - 412 412 Wool Processing Factory

    ?Chapter 412: Chapter 412 Wool Processing Factory Chapter 412: Chapter 412 Wool Processing Factory Qiao Qingyu simply consulted with Old Wei and Old Xie and formally incorporated the Agricultural Base into the Tenghai Research Base.


    This year, the crops planted on contracted land didn¡¯t bring in much profit, the most economically valuable being thousand silk hemp. Followed by Barley Grass and alfalfa.


    Qiao Qingyu waited for He Xiuyu to copy the set of Space Device equipment before her Zone 5 Laboratory could legitimately start seed production.


    By then, it would be a completely different situation.


    Qiao Qingyu hurried back to school to attend classes, and within half a month, working tirelessly, she caught up on all the coursework she missed and finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    And by this time, Xichuan was entering late fall, early winter.


    In October, at the Tenghai Research Base, whether it was the family quarters, dormitories, or offices, the heating had been turned on.


    The living conditions underwent a massive change overnight.


    Being in a warm room during the cold winter is the happiest thing.


    Qiao Qingyu thought that He Juanjuan would choose a job at a more prestigious and appealing unit, but to her surprise, she actively requested to work at a store.


    And then she took on the role of a procurement officer.


    It turns out that when not working for herself but for the public good, with reduced risk she actually let loose. Plus, during her time trading Soothing Grass, she truly learned a lot, and even formed a friendship beyond age with an elderly economist.


    The elderly economist was very grateful for Soothing Grass resolving his years of insomnia, and so he taught He Juanjuan quite a bit. The knowledge she acquired was like a fish in water when applied at the store.


    Old Lady He returned to Beijing; the old gentleman had rheumatism, and got sick from the continuous autumn rain, so she had to go back to take care of him.


    Now that the dormitories were in short supply, He Juanjuan was eligible to apply, but she still lived in her second brother¡¯s home.


    Even if she argued with Rongrong, she could still lend a hand to help out.


    He Juanjuan imported a large batch of woolen scarves from Nangang City.


    When the goods arrived, she called Qiao Qingyu and asked her to bring He Xuerong to choose quickly.


    The items were stored in the warehouse and had not yet been placed on the shelves.


    Aside from their bright colors, these scarves had no special patterns. Qiao Qingyu lacked enthusiasm but still chose two.


    He Juanjuan whispered nearby, ¡°Sister-in-law, why did you only choose two? You know, once these items hit the shelves, they¡¯ll be snatched up quickly.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu waved her hand indifferently but suddenly, an idea flashed through her mind, and she said to He Juanjuan, ¡°I¡¯m going to the commune to find Mr. Qian. After work, take Rongrong home with you.¡±


    He Juanjuan glanced at the time, ¡°Sis, does that mean you can¡¯t go home now?¡±


    ¡°Right, then I¡¯ll head straight back to school.¡±


    ¡°Alright then.¡± He Juanjuan agreed readily; they were all very busy people, especially her sister-in-law, who juggled so many responsibilities.


    When Qiao Qingyu went to the commune, Mr. Qian was in the office. She asked him, ¡°Mr. Qian, didn¡¯t you say recently that quite a few members had raised sheep and that their wool had no place to sell?¡±


    Mr. Qian was also worried when it came to this issue. Now that some areas had lush grass, it was indeed possible to raise cattle and sheep.


    Quite a few families raised sheep, expecting buyers from the Southern regions to purchase the wool, but no one had come so far, apparently because the distance was too far and transportation inconvenient, making it not worthwhile.


    So, many people¡¯s sheep wool just piled up.


    ¡°Now everyone is very anxious, and I am also actively looking for solutions.¡±


    Speaking of this, Mr. Qian¡¯s eyes lit up, looking at Qiao Qingyu with hope, ¡°Qingyu, do you have any good ideas?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu pondered for a moment, then said directly, ¡°Mr. Qian, have you ever thought about setting up a wool processing factory?¡±


    Mr. Qian was truly stunned for a moment, a wool processing factory? Setting up a factory, is that feasible?


    That was the first question that arose in his mind.


    If you asked him to plant some newly developed crops, Mr. Qian wouldn¡¯t hesitate to agree right away because he was familiar with that.


    But the idea of setting up a factory made him uneasy.


    ¡°...We are all farmers who have lived on the land for generations, and we don¡¯t know how to run a processing factory, do we?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, we can learn if we don¡¯t know how, and I¡¯ve also been thinking along the way that we don¡¯t need a very large scale, just enough to meet the wool output of Xiaxi Commune and the nearby two communes.¡±


    ¡°What are we going to process the wool into? Who are we going to sell it to?¡±


    Then Mr. Qian added, ¡°Setting up a wool processing factory, that must take quite a lot of money, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but the future prospects cannot be underestimated...¡± Next, Qiao Qingyu listed a series of development prospects and finally said, ¡°...A few years ago, when stores wanted to stock some beautiful clothes or other high-value goods, few people could afford them, but now look, as long as it¡¯s good stuff, we don¡¯t worry about sales...¡±


    ¡°Then I have to consider it.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Qian, you can¡¯t always stay in Xiaxi Commune. I think you should go out for a survey. Aside from vegetable greenhouses, a wool processing factory is actually a good fit for our commune¡¯s development. Even if we don¡¯t have the technology to produce finished products right now, we can still do semi-processing.¡±


    These words moved Mr. Qian. Although he was getting on in years, he did really want to go out and see more, especially now that he was exposed to more and more things. Plus, compared to other communes, Xiaxi Commune had the advantage of being right next to Tenghai Research Base. If he didn¡¯t go out and look around, sooner or later they would fall behind the other communes.


    Now that the commune¡¯s work was wrapping up for the season, he indeed had the opportunity to go out and take a look, especially at this type of wool processing factory.


    ¡°Mr. Qian, if you want to go out and take a look, I¡¯ll contact Station Chief Monk for you. They probably have quite a few wool processing factories over there, you could go and learn a thing or two.¡±


    Mr. Qian happily nodded his head in agreement.


    Qiao Qingyu made a phone call to Station Chief Monk from his office, and after Station Chief Monk talked to Mr. Qian, he agreed right away.


    This matter was resolved in less than an hour.


    Mr. Qian realized once again that this woman, Qiao Qingyu, was absolutely someone who acted on her words.


    Xiaxi Commune couldn¡¯t talk about a bumper harvest this year, but the income had more than doubled compared to last year.


    The key was Qiao Qingyu¡¯s initiative in contracting land, which benefited so many commune members.


    Every year around this time, there would be grain, but people wouldn¡¯t have much money in hand; however, this year was different, as the commune members could finally carry a few banknotes in their pockets.


    This was also his achievement, so the county specially approved a jeep for him.


    Then Mr. Qian had Dazhu, who used to drive a tractor and now the jeep, take Qiao Qingyu back to school, while he immediately began writing the application report and plan.


    These were all things he learned from Qiao Qingyu.


    Now was the perfect time to make use of them.

 Chapter 413 - 413 413 Porcelain Bumping

    ?Chapter 413: Chapter 413: Porcelain Bumping Chapter 413: Chapter 413: Porcelain Bumping Tomorrow is Monday, and Mr. Qian is preparing to go to the county town to seek approval from the relevant leaders.


    Then, Mr. Qian suddenly remembered that other places also exhibited the same phenomenon as their commune.


    Thus, if the wool processing factory could really be set up, the benefits would surely be beyond imagination.


    Moreover, they had to act quickly because if other places also established wool processing factories, his might not be approved.


    So, Mr. Qian wrote with his fountain pen in a steady, fluid motion, but just at that moment, someone knocked on his door. Seeing who had entered, Mr. Qian¡¯s face instantly darkened, and through clenched teeth, he pointed toward the door, ¡°Get out of here.¡±


    Chen Tianliang stood at the doorway, looking at Mr. Qian¡¯s graying hair and said in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Qian, I have official business with you.¡±


    ¡°Then you should go find the deputy head; I won¡¯t talk to you.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Qian, I¡¯d like to talk to you about the wool processing factory.¡±


    Mr. Qian¡¯s hand gripped his fountain pen tightly, his sinister gaze sweeping over Chen Tianliang, while internally he wondered if Chen Tianliang had encountered Qiao Qingyu.


    Or perhaps it was just a coincidence?


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know that right after she left, Chen Tianliang had gone to seek Mr. Qian. She sat in the jeep, driving along a concrete road toward the direction of the school.


    Outside the window was now a desolate scene.


    But this desolation was not the same as that of the years before; some areas were covered with wild grass, and come next spring, they would again be a green prairie.


    She thought that once He Xiuyu created the seed breeding machine, Barley Grass could be mass-produced.


    By then, the pace of reforestation would be greatly advanced.


    And it wasn¡¯t just about relying on machine power; it would be a combination of semi-automation and manual labor, thus requiring technical personnel.


    Lost in her thoughts, Qiao Qingyu suddenly jolted back to reality when the jeep¡¯s driver abruptly applied the brakes.


    A piercing noise erupted; Qiao Qingyu, reacting promptly, clutched the backrest of the driver¡¯s seat.


    She was sitting in the back.


    Dazhu¡¯s face turned pale with fright as he saw an old lady and a woman in a wheelchair blocking the middle of the road. His heart thumped loudly against his chest as he angrily opened the door, pointed at the two people, and shouted, ¡°Are you two crazy? What are you trying to do?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu watched with a stern expression as Han Lishi, who had already pushed Han Liuya to the side of the road, wore a trace of coldness at the corner of her mouth.


    These two really had unrepentant thieving hearts.


    Why did they not continue standing by the side of the road?


    They were probably worried about being hit by the big trucks coming from afar.


    However, she failed to notice that apart from Han Liuya¡¯s usual demeanor, Han Lishi¡¯s face was ashen and looked quite terrifying.


    Qiao Qingyu stepped out of the car. This was a confrontation intended for her; she couldn¡¯t let Dazhu be involved. She looked at Han Lishi and Han Liuya, who were watching her from the roadside with a menacing stare, and said bluntly, ¡°Han Liuya, blocking the car is useless, and trying to coerce by threatening to die is useless too. He Xiuyu is my husband; I will not leave him nor let him go to you. Better to give up on that idea early. Perhaps, out of consideration for the relationship between our families, I will overlook your shameless and disgraceful behavior of chasing us all the way here.¡±


    Dazhu, ¡°...¡±


    Squinting, he looked at the two people before him. With so much information and dialogue, Dazhu had conjured up an entire drama in his head.


    Tsk tsk tsk, not knowing her own worth and daring to fight over a man with Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu was a person of status in Xiaxi Commune and also his valued connection.


    Therefore, Dazhu let out a snicker towards Han Liuya and followed up with a curse, ¡°Shameless.¡±


    Han Lishi, ¡°...¡±


    Han Liuya, ¡°...¡±


    Even with mental preparation, Han Liuya had not expected Qiao Qingyu to be so bold as to speak outright about this matter.


    By saying this, Han Liuya had lost her advantage; she found herself mocked and speechless.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, you¡¯re talking nonsense. This is slander.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked coldly at Han Liuya, ¡°Do you dare to say that you, Han Liuya, or Han Feng never coveted He Xiuyu? Do you dare to swear to heaven that you have no such thoughts¡ªdo you dare?¡±


    Han Liuya¡¯s face darkened like still waters, her lips tightly shut in silence.


    What was she?


    She belonged to the Mysticism Sect, and these beliefs were what she held most sacred; of course, she dared not make such a poisonous oath.


    Because she indeed came for He Xiuyu.


    Of course, there was another reason: she was far too enamored with Qiao Qingyu¡¯s body.


    If she couldn¡¯t take it over, she would truly be restless.


    But no matter how many times she tried, it had all been in vain.


    Today could be considered an accident or a coincidence; Han Liuya had sensed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s presence from a distance by the roadside, so she knew Qiao Qingyu must be arriving by car in their direction.


    But in the urgency of the moment, she could only hastily decide to crash into it head-on.


    Deliberately causing a car accident, Han Lishi would then run to the roadside at the moment of the collision, and then Han Liuya would seize the opportunity for her soul to leave her body and pounce on Qiao Qingyu.


    No matter who was beside her, no matter what protections Qiao Qingyu had, today seemed to be fated, so success was assured.


    But who could have predicted that the driver would brake in time, leaving Qiao Qingyu without a scratch? The driver was from the Xiaxi Commune, and Qiao Qingyu was the sole passenger¡ªa perfect opportunity to take over her body.


    But¡ª


    For some reason, her Soul Separation Technique failed once again, and what was worse, it seemed as if her grandmother¡¯s hand had been fixed to the handle of the wheelchair.


    Had they not stopped the car, would she and her grandmother have been struck?


    If it had been any other day, Han Liuya would have scoffed at such thoughts, but today she dared not, not even daring to make that poisonous oath.


    But what a shame to waste such a great opportunity.


    Han Liuya glared venomously at Qiao Qingyu, gripping the sides of the wheelchair, and barreled toward Qiao Qingyu¡¯s direction, but it seemed Qiao Qingyu was already prepared, pulling Dazhu, who was still stunned, off to the side to dodge.


    Dazhu cursed angrily, ¡°You crazy woman, I¡¯m going to call the police on you. You failed to hit us once, and now you¡¯re trying for a sham crash again; do you really think I¡¯m a pushover?¡±


    Only then did Han Liuya turn her gaze to Dazhu; whatever she thought remained unknown as she came to a stop.


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with her; she pulled open the car door directly, climbed into the driver¡¯s seat, and smiled at the still-dazed Dazhu, ¡°Get in, I¡¯ll drive.¡±


    She would drive to prevent Han Lishi and Han Liuya from rushing at them again, or perhaps she simply did not care; it remained to be seen whether the two would dare a direct confrontation.


    By the time Dazhu snapped out of his shock, he hurriedly said, ¡°How can you drive?¡±


    He didn¡¯t remember Qiao Qingyu knowing how to drive a Jeep, but he knew she could drive a tractor.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I drive?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a tractor driver!¡±


    Qiao Qingyu retorted, ¡°Aren¡¯t you, too?¡±


    Dazhu, ¡°...¡±


    Dazhu readily climbed into the car, and without a single glance back at the grandmother and granddaughter, Qiao Qingyu started the Jeep and left them in the dust.


    And this time, Han Lishi and Han Liuya truly did not dare to halt the Jeep¡¯s progress again.

 Chapter 414 - 414 414 Evil Sect

    ?Chapter 414: Chapter 414: Evil Sect Chapter 414: Chapter 414: Evil Sect After Qiao Qingyu drove away, it was finally Han Lishi who broke the silence, but what she said was out of the ordinary, ¡°Liuya, let¡¯s leave for now.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Han Liuya didn¡¯t argue.


    She nodded her head, ¡°Qiao Qingyu is too sinister. We can¡¯t confront her directly...¡±


    Han Lishi¡¯s complexion was still not good, but she pushed Han Liuya toward the concrete road that led to Yellow Sand Road.


    ...


    It was evening by the time Qiao Qingyu got in touch with He Xiuyu, who had just received feedback from Old Lin that Wu Hong had surprisingly sent someone to pick up Han Lishi and Han Liuya.


    Officially, it was said that they were taking Han Liuya to see a doctor.


    The house and belongings in the village remained, yet there was nothing of great value left. Moreover, since Han Lishi had a good reputation in the village, it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to search her home.


    He Xiuyu had Old Lin withdraw his people.


    Because Han Lishi and Han Liuya wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to leave behind anything that could be traced back to them.


    He Xiuyu said gravely, ¡°...Wu Hong has taken them to Spring City, they must have gone to the Zhang Family¡¯s stronghold.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu responded with a hum, some things were not appropriate for discussion over the phone. She just laughed and said, ¡°Those two are really funny, thinking they can scam. They probably don¡¯t even know that Dazhu is famously stubborn, trying to scam him would have to wait for their next lifetime.¡±


    He Xiuyu on the other end of the phone also recalled the nickname the members of Xiaxi Commune had given Dazhu and couldn¡¯t help but laugh as well.


    Indeed, it was quite close to what Qiao Qingyu said.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a pity. It would have been good to let the Han Family¡¯s grandmother and granddaughter experience that,¡± He Xiuyu remarked.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s voice was tinged with mirth, ¡°Then I¡¯m heading back to school now; don¡¯t stay late at work all the time, take care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°Mhm, I know, you too, keep warm,¡± He Xiuyu instructed with concern.


    The weather was cold, and the agricultural college in the old house was now not as warm as the base family quarters, so He Xiuyu reminded Qiao Qingyu not to catch a chill.


    At this moment, He Xiuyu was in his office, while Qiao Qingyu was at the school gate¡¯s reception room. After a few more words, they ended the call, and Qiao Qingyu signed her name on the phone bill for the time spent on the call.


    At the end of the month, they would settle the expenses with the finance department.


    After all, phone calls were quite expensive at this time.


    Upon returning to her dormitory, Qiao Qingyu started organizing her belongings, and Liu Hong stood by the dormitory window, looking down.


    Qiao Qingyu asked her, ¡°What are you looking at, or who are you waiting for?¡±


    Liu Hong responded, ¡°Li Bo said she would be back at school by four and then we would go collect the handicrafts. But she hasn¡¯t returned yet, really doesn¡¯t keep her word.¡±


    Liu Hong¡¯s brother had gone into business and started a trading company in the provincial city. After the last charity sale, some students began to use their skills in crafting to earn tuition fees.


    Liu Hong was part of the student association, and she, along with Li Bo, was mainly responsible for this.


    Although Li Bo had been demoted from her position as Head of Publicity, she still joined the student association, albeit as a common member.


    Qiao Qingyu also glanced outside. It was past four o¡¯clock when she arrived at the school, and then she made a phone call, and now it was about time for the cafeteria to open for dinner.


    The days were getting darker earlier as winter solstice approached.


    If Li Bo didn¡¯t return soon, the school would be closing its doors and not let anyone in.


    Liu Min chimed in, ¡°Maybe something came up.¡±


    But no matter if something had come up or not, there was no way to contact her now. If she didn¡¯t return, they would have to wait for tomorrow.


    Even after dinner, even after the gates were locked, Li Bo still hadn¡¯t returned.


    Usually, Li Bo would return to school on Monday morning, as her home wasn¡¯t too far from the agricultural college.


    She could have breakfast at home and ride her bike to school without missing any classes.


    But when Monday noon came, and Li Bo hadn¡¯t arrived at school, without a phone call or a leave request either.


    The teacher asked Qiao Qingyu, but she had no idea.


    Li Bo¡¯s home didn¡¯t have a phone, but they knew where it was and the workplace of Li Bo¡¯s father.


    They first called Li Bo¡¯s father¡¯s workplace, and it was already the afternoon, right during work hours.


    However, they were informed that Li Bo¡¯s father had taken leave, stating his younger son was injured and had gone to the hospital. He didn¡¯t come to work today but had called from the hospital to take leave.


    After hanging up the phone, Liu Min frowned and said, ¡°Did Li Bo go to the hospital, perhaps?¡±


    ¡°If she had gone to the hospital, she should have called to take leave,¡± Liu Hong said, clearly upset, ¡°I have a lot of work to do...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu interjected, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not speculate any further, let¡¯s take leave this afternoon and visit Li Bo¡¯s house.¡±


    Liu Hong and Liu Min nodded.


    That was indeed the best course of action.


    The teacher standing by agreed, but inside, she was a bit relieved. As long as it wasn¡¯t Li Bo involved in an accident on the road, anything else would be fine.


    She had been genuinely worried that Li Bo might encounter a traffic accident.


    The teacher readily granted leave to the three of them.


    Qiao Qingyu, Liu Hong, and Liu Min were not visiting Li Bo¡¯s house for the first time. They made a few twists and turns and soon arrived at Li Bo¡¯s house.


    Passing through a long and cramped corridor, Qiao Qingyu and the others stood at the entrance of the Li family¡¯s door and started knocking.


    Yet, after a long while, no one answered.


    Instead, it drew out a neighbor lady from the opposite door.


    ¡°Ah, stop knocking already; they¡¯re not home. Yesterday, Old Li¡¯s what¡¯s-his-name took a fall down the stairs, seems like he broke his leg. Both of them are at the hospital now,¡± the neighbor lady said with a hint of disdain in her voice.


    And looking over Qiao Qingyu and the others, her gaze wasn¡¯t too friendly.


    Qiao Qingyu decided to ignore it and politely asked, ¡°Auntie, did you see Li Bo? Did she go to the hospital with them?¡±


    The neighbor lady¡¯s disdain was clear.


    Looking at them unpleasantly, she dropped a curt, ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡±


    Then she slammed shut her own door with a bang.


    The group was at a loss.


    It seemed they hadn¡¯t offended her.


    Quite inexplicable.


    Several older ladies in the corridor said similar things, yet none had seen Li Bo.


    They suggested Li Bo might have followed to the hospital, but without the hospital¡¯s phone number, where could they find them?


    Qiao Qingyu and Liu Hong couldn¡¯t just keep standing at the Li family¡¯s door forever. Regardless, it would be better to inquire at the hospital.


    After all, Li Bo¡¯s father would certainly know where Li Bo was.


    Or perhaps Li Bo was in the hospital.


    Qiao Qingyu and Liu Hong were about to leave.


    But the next moment, Liu Min grabbed Qiao Qingyu and said urgently, ¡°I think I heard Li Bo¡¯s voice...¡±


    Each of them pressed their ears against the door, holding their breath for several seconds, but then there was no more sound.

 Chapter 415 - 415 415 Is She Really Going for the Kill

    ?Chapter 415: Chapter 415: Is She Really Going for the Kill? Chapter 415: Chapter 415: Is She Really Going for the Kill? Several people¡¯s gazes met, and Qiao Qingyu suddenly stretched out her hand and began pounding on the door with force. Although the hallway was narrow and enclosed, it was quiet at the time. Such loud banging on the door startled the other residents in their homes.


    A middle-aged woman, pale with anger, shouted loudly, ¡°Can¡¯t you be quieter? Have you gone mad, banging on doors like that? Are you thieves or what? Don¡¯t you know there are children sleeping in here?¡±


    Another person also poked their head out and scolded loudly, ¡°Keep it down, there are elderly people in my home.¡±


    This time, Qiao Qingyu did not respond as usual with a smile and an apology or even an explanation.


    After pounding violently for another ten or so seconds, she finally stopped.


    Meanwhile, Liu Min pressed her ear against the door, her brows furrowed tightly, so Qiao Qingyu made a silencing gesture to everyone.


    For some reason, everyone standing in the hallway suddenly fell silent. The next moment, Liu Min looked at Qiao Qingyu with shock and blurted out, ¡°I hear Li Bo¡¯s voice, she¡¯s screaming for help...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression immediately darkened. The door wasn¡¯t a burglar-proof door like those that would be standard decades later but was just a normal wooden door with a latch above that hooked onto a beam and was secured with an iron lock.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced around and noticed an axe placed nearby, which was used for splitting firewood. She signaled Qiao Qingyu to Liu Hong and Liu Min to step back, then he picked up the axe and began to hack at the door¡¯s lock.


    Some wanted to stop him but were held back by others who gave them a knowing look. So they stopped but frowned and turned to walk out of the hallway. They had to call the police; such behavior could not be tolerated or indulged. No matter what was happening inside, is it right to just smash a door? Isn¡¯t that what burglars do?


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s strength was more than enough to break a lock within a few seconds.


    So the lock was smashed, and with a clang, it fell to the ground.


    Liu Hong quickly pushed open the door, her pupils dilating in an instant.


    Then, the three of them rushed forward together.


    The disheveled Li Bo lay on the floor, her face swollen and red, her expression one of fear and pain. Upon seeing the three enter, she burst into tears, ¡°My legs... my dad and Shao Hui broke them...¡±


    The onlookers were dumbfounded, hardly able to fathom or believe the scene.


    At this time, in the hospital, Li Chengming was anxious and uneasy.


    At the same time, he looked at Shao Hui with an indescribable complexity in his eyes.


    Feeling his gaze, Shao Hui suddenly looked up sharply, her eyes malicious and fierce, ¡°Li Chengming, what do you mean by looking at me like that? Are you feeling pity for her? I only hit her a couple of times, but she was after my son¡¯s life...¡± Then she sneered, ¡°Yes, you have a daughter now, but I have just this one son. If anything happens to him, I won¡¯t let anyone off easily.¡±


    Li Chengming scratched his head in frustration, ¡°Xiao Bao¡¯s condition has stabilized. The doctor said that as long as he wakes up, he should be fine. I¡¯m going home to check on things.¡±


    Shao Hui and Li Chengming were sitting in the hospital corridor at this time.


    Xiao Bao had fallen to the ground, hitting the back of his head and had now been unconscious for more than a day.


    ¡°Your son hasn¡¯t woken up, yet you¡¯re going to see that slut? Are you even human, Li Chengming? For you, I¡¯ve become an old maid, I¡¯ve endured so much scorn and blame, I even bore you a son, and yet this is how you treat me? I think you just like Lan Ju, you like that dead woman, otherwise you couldn¡¯t treat me and the child like this?¡±


    Li Chengming suddenly stood up, lowering his voice, ¡°Keep your voice down, what are you shouting for, this is a hospital...¡± Then he continued, ¡°Shao Hui, don¡¯t push all the blame on me every time something goes wrong. Did I ask you to wait for me? Wasn¡¯t that your own choice? Could I have forced you if you hadn¡¯t agreed?¡±


    Shao Hui looked at Li Chengming in disbelief, clearly not expecting him to say such things, and her face went deathly pale.


    Had it been any other time, Li Chengming might have felt pity for her, but now his hands clenched tightly, as his eyes replayed last night¡¯s events. He had always seen Shao Hui as a gentle, beautiful, understanding, and knowledgeable girl ¨C which is why he loved her and had continued to love her despite the many hardships and criticisms they faced to finally be together.


    He thought they had achieved happiness, but last night he realized how ruthless this woman was.


    Shao Hui might have sensed that her attitude was wrong and that she was provoking Li Chengming. Seething inside, her tone softened as she covered her face and began to cry, ¡°What could I do? Xiao Bao is my life, your daughter Li Bo caused him to fall. What¡¯s wrong with me disciplining her?¡±


    Li Chengming watched her cry pitifully. In the end, he swallowed the words he wanted to say and didn¡¯t provoke her further. She was distressed because of her child¡¯s injury, and Xiao Bao was also her whole world.


    Recalling last night, he thought that since Shao Hui was a woman, even if she had hit Li Bo with increased strength, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem; that girl had always been tough and could take a beating. By this time, she¡¯s probably at school, he thought, feeling a slight sense of relief, yet he became angry again.


    That damned girl, how could she not come to the hospital to see her brother? Truly heartless.


    At that moment, a nurse came out of the emergency room to the two of them, ¡°The child is awake; you can come in now.¡±


    Both of them looked at the nurse in surprise. The nurse had seen many such scenes before and, unphased, simply nodded her head, but her gaze suddenly shifted past them, filled with shock. Following her gaze, Li Chengming felt a surge of unease and turned around involuntarily.


    Two policemen approached him, their expressions stern.


    They quickly reached him, showed their credentials, and with serious faces, they looked at Li Chengming and Shao Hui, ¡°Are you Li Chengming and Shao Hui?¡±


    The two nodded dumbly, while Shao Hui glanced towards the ward and suddenly spoke with a choked voice, ¡°My son has been unconscious for a night and a day. He just woke up, I need to see him.¡±


    The policemen exchanged glances but did not consent.


    One of them said, ¡°Li Chengming, your daughter Li Bo has been taken to the hospital, and we received a report. We just learned from the hospital that she is not in good condition... her legs are completely fractured, and there are other injuries. An assessment is still underway...¡±


    Li Chengming froze on the spot, his ears buzzing, looking incredulously at the two policemen in front of him. The events of last night flashed through his mind. Shao Hui, had she really gone too far?

 Chapter 416 - 416 416 Only the Law Can Punish Them

    ?Chapter 416: Chapter 416: Only the Law Can Punish Them! Chapter 416: Chapter 416: Only the Law Can Punish Them! Li Chengming¡¯s mind was somewhat chaotic.


    But just at this moment, Shao Hui suddenly grabbed him, tears streaming down instantly, her voice choked, ¡°Chengming, how could Xiao Bo get injured? Was it because she hurt Xiao Bao, so you took it out on her? Don¡¯t be like this, I don¡¯t blame her, how can you blame her? You are Xiao Bo¡¯s biological father, she¡¯s your biological daughter. Please explain yourself. There¡¯s no lasting feud between father and daughter. Xiao Bao and I are outside waiting for you to come back...¡±


    Li Chengming¡¯s already confused brain became even more muddled. He stood there staring blankly at Shao Hui, the events of yesterday flashing before his eyes. But looking at Shao Hui¡¯s tearful face full of pleading, and then glancing toward the direction of the hospital room, he finally opened his mouth with difficulty and said, ¡°Police officer, my son has just woken up. Can I have a look at him before I go with you?¡±


    The two police officers exchanged glances; they could allow this. So Li Chengming went in to see his son, who had just woken up. The child was still little, just learning to walk, and at that moment, Shao Hui also rushed over, wanting to clutch the child to her, but she was held back by the doctors and nurses beside her, who frowned and said, ¡°The child has just woken up. Don¡¯t touch him.¡±


    Li Chengming closed his eyes, then slowly opened them again and, after giving Shao Hui a long, deep look, followed the two police officers out of the hospital room.


    And after they had all left, the shaking that Shao Hui had been forcibly suppressing finally broke free. The doctors and nurses beside her didn¡¯t know what had happened, but it wasn¡¯t their place to ask. After giving some instructions, they had two nurses push the bed to a regular ward, and Shao Hui followed.


    But some doctors and nurses guessed that the child must have been injured by someone, and now that the parents had reported it to the police, they had found out...


    The two police officers led Li Chengming to the police car and, before getting in, one of the older police officers spoke up, ¡°Li Chengming, your daughter is also in this hospital...¡±


    The old officer spoke calmly, but inwardly he was displeased. No wonder Li Chengming could be so brutally violent; if any normal father heard that his daughter was injured like that, wouldn¡¯t he immediately ask which hospital she was in? But he didn¡¯t even mention it, choosing instead to see his younger son. This was a man with a public office, and in such a social setting, how could he value sons so much more than daughters?


    Li Chengming glanced in the direction of the hospital, but how could he dare to see Li Bo? Shaking his head without a word, the police officers took him into the car and sped toward the police station.


    Li Bo had also regained consciousness in the hospital and was currently undergoing surgery, while Qiao Qingyu, Liu Hong, and Liu Min were waiting outside the operating room. They had already contacted the school and asked for leave on behalf of Li Bo; the school counselor, who hadn¡¯t expected such a thing to happen, was now on their way to the hospital.


    Because they had arrived in a hurry, they needed some supplies, and though they had originally planned to buy them nearby, the counselor and a student association member had bought everything and brought it to the hospital.


    The inspection results hadn¡¯t come out yet, but Li Bo¡¯s mood was not good.


    She always seemed on the verge of collapse.


    The most important thing now was whether her legs could be saved. If they could, everything else could be discussed, but if they couldn¡¯t, it would truly be a disaster, something no one wanted to see.


    That included the school, and even the workplaces of Li Chengming and Shao Hui.


    Li Cheng took all the blame onto himself, claiming he just picked up a stick in a moment of agitation and hit the child a couple of times, no different than any other father disciplining his child.


    Perhaps he was too agitated then, and so he had gone overboard. That was the excuse he found for himself. But Li Bo¡¯s intermittent recounting told a different story, so now they had to wait until Li Bo¡¯s emotions had completely stabilized before making an official record.


    That¡¯s why the case classification became uncertain.


    When the inspection results came out, Qiao Qingyu breathed a sigh of relief, as the situation was much better than expected. But it was still very serious.


    She hadn¡¯t been found in time, so they missed the best chance for treatment. Even if she could stand up, Li Bo wouldn¡¯t walk as effortlessly and swiftly as before, and she couldn¡¯t engage in vigorous activities, including running and long jump. All of these were off-limits.


    For Li Bo, who had regained consciousness, it was a devastating blow.


    But from the time she was admitted to the hospital until now, Li Chengming had not come to see her, nor had Shao Hui. And at that time, Li Bo didn¡¯t even know that Shao Hui and her half-brother Xiao Bo were also in the same hospital; by the time she found out, they had already been discharged.


    Li Bo didn¡¯t blame Qiao Qingyu and the others for not telling her because revealing it could be detrimental to her health condition. Knowing wouldn¡¯t change anything; Li Bo now only wanted them to face legal justice.


    She also realized that sometimes morality cannot judge anyone, and one can only rely on the law.


    Like how her own mother could treat her so crazily, or like the disgusting things Li Chengming and Shao Hui had done; other than a whipping from their conscience and moral condemnation, they were virtually unscathed.


    So only the law could punish them!


    She told the police exactly what had happened that night.


    The cause of the incident was actually not complicated. In the evening, Li Bo was preparing to go back to school after having completed all her chores.


    As Li Bo prepared to return to school and stepped out of this tube-shaped apartment building, she happened to run into Shao Hui, who was holding the child and wanted to go back inside. Li Bo didn¡¯t know how it happened, but now she had no idea what had happened when she collided with Shao Hui, who was holding the child.


    This was not like what Li Chengming had claimed to his workplace about falling down the stairs.


    It so happened that Li Chengming was coming home from work. He grabbed Li Bo and Shao Hui, who was holding the child, and they all returned to their apartment. Shao Hui had brought Li Bo in because she wanted to vent her anger by hitting her.


    But Li Bo was not one to suffer in silence. She could do housework and handle many tasks out of necessity, for she needed living expenses, but she wouldn¡¯t stand to be beaten.


    Li Bo tried to snatch the stick from Shao Hui¡¯s hands but got grabbed by an infuriated Li Chengming. Taking advantage of the situation, Shao Hui first gave Li Bo several slaps, then viciously swung the stick at her kneecaps.


    The stick was broken into two pieces and had been taken away as evidence by the police. At that time, Shao Hui, probably filled with hate, wanted to take this chance to let off steam.


    Xiao Bao was fine at first, but after beating Li Bo, they found that the child cried and cried until he passed out from lack of breath.


    That¡¯s when they rushed Xiao Bao to the hospital with Li Chengming, leaving the immobile Li Bo alone at home for a whole day and night.

 Chapter 417 - 417 417 Persuade Her to Be Magnanimous

    ?Chapter 417: Chapter 417: Persuade Her to Be Magnanimous? Chapter 417: Chapter 417: Persuade Her to Be Magnanimous? After learning of these events, everyone felt incredibly somber. Li Bo may have been a university student, but she was also a girl who had just turned twenty.


    She lay prostrate on the floor of this icy room for a whole day and night, fainting and regaining consciousness, only to pass out once again. Her despair was indescribable.


    If she hadn¡¯t used her last ounce of strength to crawl to the door, if her classmates hadn¡¯t come to visit her, by the time Li Chengming and Shao Hui remembered her, Li Bo might have already died at home.


    Then the police took Shao Hui away for investigation too.


    But Shao Hui firmly denied any wrongdoing, and they truly had no way to deal with her because Li Chengming insisted it was all his doing. Although Li Bo could testify, Li Chengming claimed that Li Bo was seizing the opportunity to drag Shao Hui down with him.


    Qiao Qingyu believed that Li Chengming¡¯s thoughts must have been like this: since there was no turning back for him, he might as well save who he could. After all, their child, Xiao Bao, was still very young and needed his mother¡¯s care. If both parents were imprisoned, wouldn¡¯t the child become an orphan?


    Because they didn¡¯t know how it would all end up.


    Li Bo hated them to the core, and neither a private settlement nor forgiveness was possible.


    At that time, evidence collection and forensic technology weren¡¯t so advanced, and it wasn¡¯t possible to prove right away that Li Bo had been beaten to that extent by Shao Hui.


    She had her testimony, but Li Chengming took all the blame, and Shao Hui also steadfastly denied the accusations.


    Moreover, with the Shao family¡¯s lobbying and Xiao Bao not yet weaned, Shao Hui was released.


    Then Shao Hui, carrying her child, went to plead with Li Bo.


    Li Bo was still in the hospital, and her medical fees were being covered by Li Chengming¡¯s workplace.


    Qiao Qingyu was not there today; with Li Bo was Liu Hong.


    Out of a spirit of classmate solidarity, members of the student council also took turns accompanying Li Bo.


    Shao Hui, holding her child, knelt down as soon as she entered the sickroom.


    She sobbed and pleaded with Li Bo to consider the bond of father and daughter, to think of the duty of raising her that she had fulfilled, to show mercy and spare Li Chengming¡ªwho was, after all, her biological father...


    ¡°...Xiao Bo, no matter what, he is your biological father. His blood flows through your veins, you are his daughter. Please be lenient towards him for his faults, he knows he has done wrong. He¡¯s getting on in years, and if he stays in there any longer, he might lose his life. Please forgive him this once; don¡¯t sue him...¡±


    Li Bo¡¯s gaze was cold and dark as she stared at Shao Hui, who knelt before her.


    Now, she harbored only intense hatred for this woman.


    This woman brainwashed her with fake kindness and then turned her back, making her do so much housework. She could endure all of that, but this vile woman actually ruined her life. If she recovered well, she could return to school; if not, she¡¯d be disabled for life, either lying in bed or spending the rest of her days in a wheelchair. For the fiery Li Bo, it was a fate worse than death.


    But what she hated even more now was, how could Shao Hui be released just like that when she was clearly the executioner?


    ¡°Shao Hui, what goes around comes around. Now you¡¯re distorting the truth and blatantly lying, letting Li Chengming take all the blame alone, as if everyone is powerless against you. Just like how I was with my mom in the past, no one could do anything to me. But look...¡±


    Li Bo¡¯s mouth twisted into a sinister smile, and she pointed to her legs, ¡°Sometimes retribution comes quickly. Heaven can¡¯t do anything to you, but you still have a son.¡± She then cast a pitying glance at her half-brother, who was completely clueless about what was happening and just stared at Li Bo with his dark eyes.


    Li Bo said calmly and meaningfully, ¡°I just hope the retribution doesn¡¯t fall on Xiao Bao.¡±


    Shao Hui never expected Li Bo to say such malicious words. In her mind, Li Bo had always been submissive. From the beginning of the incident to now, she had never thought it was Li Bo¡¯s own opinion. She believed it was some of Li Bo¡¯s classmates, especially Qiao Qingyu who, using her position as the president of the student council, was busy gaining fame for herself under the guise of seeking justice for Li Bo. Therefore, Shao Hui had waited until Qiao Qingyu was away before visiting the hospital.


    Today, Shao Hui thought that as long as she could appeal to Li Bo¡¯s emotions and reason with her, Li Bo would definitely let the matter slide.


    As for the future, she would deal with her when she had the time.


    At that moment, Shao Hui stared at Li Bo, dumbfounded. Her grip tightening around her child, she pointed at Li Bo and rebuked, ¡°How can you be so malicious? He is your half-brother after all...¡±


    Liu Hong was furious by her side. Of course, she knew the real ins and outs of the affair and looked at Shao Hui with contempt, ¡°You seem gentle and soft on the outside, but in reality, you are the most malicious. You know full well what you¡¯ve done; it¡¯s not gone just because you say so. The net of heaven has wide meshes, but nothing slips through. You will be punished, it¡¯s just a pity for the child. How did he end up as your son?¡±


    Shao Hui¡¯s scornful gaze swept towards Liu Hong harshly, ¡°This is our family¡¯s affair. As Li Bo¡¯s classmate, instead of advising her to be forgiving, you¡¯re aggressively pushing. You have no right to speak.¡±


    Unswayed, Liu Hong responded, ¡°Forgiving? Li Bo is in this state, and you expect her to be forgiving? Any more forgiving and she might not even have her life.¡±


    Li Bo gritted her teeth, ¡°If time could turn back, Shao Hui, do you know what I would do to you?¡±


    And at that moment, Shao Hui finally realized that Li Bo no longer called Li Chengming ¡®Dad¡¯, nor did she call Aunt Shao ¡®Aunt¡¯. She addressed them directly by their names, showing no regard at all for familial ties.


    Shao Hui clutched her child, teeth clenched, ¡°Li Bo, there¡¯s a limit to everything. You¡¯re pushing me too hard, be careful you don¡¯t end up in a bad situation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already in this condition, so I have nothing to worry about. It¡¯s you, Shao Hui, who should be concerned. Evil deeds will bring about self-destruction. You will face retribution.¡±


    Shao Hui left in a rage, holding her child, without a shred of guilt from start to finish. In her eyes, Li Bo had always been a thorn in her side. It wasn¡¯t as bad when Lan Ju was still around, but after Lan Ju was gone, and she married Li Chengming, Li Bo became ever more unsightly to her. She hated the very thought that this world could have been without such a person.


    The mere knowledge that her son shared blood with this lowly girl made her feel suffocated as if countless venomous snakes were tearing at her heart, constantly reminding her that she was a stepmother, a wicked one at that.


    So now, with Li Bo in this state, Shao Hui felt nothing but satisfaction, devoid of sorrow and regret.


    But what was most important now was to get Li Chengming out of trouble. Otherwise, what would become of her and her child?

 Chapter 418 - 418 418 Provocation

    ?Chapter 418: Chapter 418 Provocation Chapter 418: Chapter 418 Provocation Thus, she began to take action. The Li family and the Shao Family in Xichuan City, although not from particularly influential or powerful backgrounds, still had extensive connections.


    In the end, this matter would be resolved provided Li Bo didn¡¯t pursue it.


    There was no choice; the moral code existed. No matter the dynasty, filial piety was always emphasized.


    And that¡¯s just how people are.


    Just like a man in his youth who abandons his wife and child to live a joyous, happy life with his mistress but, when he grows old riddled with illness and the mistress kicks him out, he drags his sick body back to his ex-wife and children.


    At this time, if his children turn their back on him, people will say, ¡°Look at him, he¡¯s sick and won¡¯t live much longer; forgive him. He knows his mistakes.¡±


    So, it turns out the man¡¯s children, who have never received a shred of paternal love, must care for him in his old age, see him through his sickness, and face the eventual duty of burying him.


    Many times, this is an extremely irrational and disgusting matter.


    Now, Li Chengming and Li Bo were in exactly such a situation. If Li Chengming had been continuously employed, the public would all be on Li Bo¡¯s side.


    But now, with Li Chengming likely to lose his job and already in detention, potentially facing a few years in jail, the table¡¯s turned, and many persuaded Li Bo not to commit such an unfilial act. Since ancient times, there has been no precedent for a daughter to sue her father, no instances of a daughter sending her biological father to prison...


    Therefore, Li Bo was in extreme agony, and her heart was truly wavering.


    Regarding Li Bo¡¯s stance, Qiao Qingyu instructed Liu Hong and Liu Min not to meddle rashly.


    Sometimes, there¡¯s no logic to a father-daughter or mother-son relationship.


    There¡¯s not always a clear black or white; most exist in a grey area.


    But the prerequisite is that Li Bo receives ample benefits.


    Liu Hong, who dared to think and act boldly, detesting evil, was direct in character and couldn¡¯t stand such ambivalence.


    She, along with Liu Min and a few other classmates, co-signed a letter to Li Chengming and Shao Hui¡¯s workplace.


    They condemned Li Chengming for favoring sons over daughters, being morally corrupt, treating life cheaply, for indulging Shao Hui¡¯s violent assault on her biological daughter just because the daughter accidentally hurt his son, devoid of any humanity, not a speck of fatherly compassion, or responsibility.


    His actions were destroying the hope of the nation¡¯s future. Great figures have said, ¡°Women hold up half the sky,¡± and it¡¯s already clear in various industries how important the role of women is.


    Therefore, Li Chengming¡¯s behavior must not be tolerated but condemned severely, sounding an alarm for those men who practice gender discrimination and lack humanity.


    And so on...


    They wrote passionately about many things and even submitted their writing to newspapers...


    The Shaos and the Li family had originally thought it would be settled privately, that it would fade away. They were still maneuvering, hoping for Li Chengming and Li Bo to meet and for paternal affection to sway Li Bo.


    Isn¡¯t it said that no parent is perfect in this world?


    Li Bo was already softening and surely wouldn¡¯t hold out to the bitter end.


    Liu Hong and Liu Min were doing these things unbeknownst to Qiao Qingyu, but once she found out, she gave it some thought and then went to find Sun Xiuyuan to discuss the issue of gender discrimination.


    Qiao Qingyu asked Sun Xiuyuan, ¡°Do you think, whether in the cities or the countryside, the issue of gender discrimination is severe?¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan hadn¡¯t yet fully processed why Qiao Qingyu would come to her with this question. She stared blankly at Qiao Qingyu, not understanding why she would suddenly ask her this; how would she know if gender discrimination was serious or not when her own family treated her like a treasure?


    ¡°How would I know?¡± She rolled her eyes; it seemed like such a dull question.


    ¡°Of course, you wouldn¡¯t know because your family doesn¡¯t practice gender discrimination.¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan lifted her chin proudly, ¡°That¡¯s true; I¡¯m more cherished at home than my brother.¡±


    ¡°But you have to realize that in many places, especially some remote rural areas, the issue of gender discrimination is very severe. I think your student branch should launch a vigorous campaign aimed at this issue, or this topic.¡±


    She continued, ¡°Our Xichuan isn¡¯t a wealthy city; because of its poverty, many areas are backward, and it¡¯s not just a matter of poor living standards but also outdated views. Some families do anything for a son, especially now with the family planning policy...¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan was no fool and was quite sharp in certain aspects; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have immediately sought her family¡¯s help after Qiao Qingyu posted the tree-planting roster.


    However, looking at Qiao Qingyu, she countered, ¡°Why doesn¡¯t your student union do such a thing?¡±


    ¡°Our schedule is already full of activities, and if we were to take it on, we would have to wait until next semester. If you¡¯re not interested, then forget it.¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯re just the agricultural college, how could we have the authority to handle such matters?¡±


    That should be the job of the Women¡¯s Federation.


    ¡°How do we not have the authority? No matter what our major is, we are all contemporary college students. We are enjoying the best resources and receiving the best education. We are the hope for our country¡¯s future. Many people in society are watching what we do.¡±


    ¡°So, what should we do?¡± Sun Xiuyuan suddenly felt intrigued.


    ¡°The student union¡¯s Liu Hong and others have written an article. Doesn¡¯t your newspaper have contacts? They could polish up the piece, create a special column, and then do a series of interviews. In fact, your student branch could get involved, compile some materials, talk about policies and laws, or even use skits to educate those who favor sons over daughters...¡±


    Although it sounded somewhat implausible, Sun Xiuyuan found it feasible. She had many capable people under her command, with wide connections; taking on this task wouldn¡¯t be difficult for her.


    And for the student branch to undertake such an activity, using Li Bo as a catalyst seemed fitting.


    Sun Xiuyuan was aware of and sympathized with Li Bo¡¯s situation, but she didn¡¯t see the connection to gender discrimination.


    Yet, if one delved deeper, there was a connection, after all; it was because of the son¡¯s injury that the daughter faced harsh punishment.


    Therefore, organizing an activity around this wasn¡¯t out of the question, so Sun Xiuyuan quickly agreed.


    However, before leaving, she suddenly said to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I like He Xiuyu, Chief Engineer He...¡±


    Following that, she stared straight at Qiao Qingyu, watching for her reaction.


    And with that, the challenge was laid bare.


    Qiao Qingyu remained calm and nodded, ¡°Hmm, I understand.¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan, ¡°...¡±


    What did ¡®I understand¡¯ mean? Why wasn¡¯t she angered?


    As far as she knew, Qiao Qingyu was not one to be trifled with.

 Chapter 419 - 419 419 Telling Lies with Eyes Wide Open

    ?Chapter 419: Chapter 419: Telling Lies with Eyes Wide Open Chapter 419: Chapter 419: Telling Lies with Eyes Wide Open ¡°Qiao Qingyu, why are you reacting like this?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu replied casually, ¡°What reaction should I have then? Or should I just warn you that liking him is pointless, stop dreaming, and focus on more important things!¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, you...¡±


    ¡°What about me, Sun Xiuyuan? What I¡¯m telling you is, if you handle this matter well, the place you want to work after graduation will be practically guaranteed. Moreover, they will be the ones who want you, not because of your family¡¯s connections. You should understand what that represents better than I do.¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan was speechless again.


    She really didn¡¯t know what to say.


    In verbal exchanges with Qiao Qingyu, she had never had the upper hand.


    After saying this, Qiao Qingyu left.


    All Sun Xiuyuan could think about was what Qiao Qingyu had just said; how had she known that Sun Xiuyuan wanted to go to the City Youth League Committee after graduation?


    ...


    By the time Qiao Qingyu was heading to the hospital, Li Bo indeed began to hesitate, and her hatred seemed to be not as intense anymore, considering it had been almost a half month since the incident.


    Further, it was Shao Hui who had beaten her, not Li Chengming, so her hatred wasn¡¯t that strong.


    Liu Hong and Liu Min were somewhat furiously unresigned, yet when they put themselves in her shoes, they could also understand Li Bo¡¯s thoughts.


    Especially for someone like Li Bo, even though she had been through so much, her character, life attitude, and values might have changed slightly, but deep down, she was still the same Li Bo.


    One couldn¡¯t expect her to actually manage to have Li Chengming imprisoned; Shao Hui might have been able to do it.


    Therefore, Li Chengming was quite cunning, having thoroughly understood what kind of person Li Bo was.


    And Shao Hui, who showed no remorse, also relied on the fact that Li Chengming was Li Bo¡¯s biological father.


    Qiao Qingyu knew that in the increasingly affluent decades to come, whether seeing it in the news or from people around her, it was rare to see children send their parents to jail or sue them in court over family disputes.


    Some children would rather end their own lives through suicide than do such a thing.


    Therefore, Qiao Qingyu did not force Li Bo, but said softly, ¡°You need to think this through well; this is already a criminal case, not a civil dispute.¡±


    Li Bo hung her head, silent.


    Her hands were tightly clenched together, and under her pillow, both the Shao family and the Li family had given her 500 yuan each. She had never seen so much money in her life, and her grandparents threatened her that if she became so disconnected from her relatives, she would be orphaned after this ordeal, recognized by no one.


    Li Bo was also thinking¡ªdid she really need this family connection?


    Because in her times of suffering, no one bothered about her, though at the beginning it was her own fault, so she couldn¡¯t blame anyone else.


    Now, however, the choice was hers to make, and it was a crucial one.


    Li Bo was truly conflicted; the one she most wanted to send to prison was Shao Hui, while for Li Chengming, just having him locked up for a few days as punishment would be enough.


    Now that Li Chengming was bearing all the guilt, Li Bo felt extreme resentment towards this.


    Hate Li Chengming, who gave all his care and love to Shao Hui,


    but didn¡¯t spare a bit for her and her mother.


    So, should this man be forgiven?


    After a while, Li Bo finally whispered, ¡°My mind is a mess right now, let me think it through.¡±


    And then, looking at Qiao Qingyu, he said, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m weak and foolish? That man only has eyes for Shao Hui and his son, not a bit for me. Why do I still pity him? Why do I even consider settling it privately, not letting him go to jail, not destroying him? Yet, he didn¡¯t hesitate a bit when he was destroying me.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu sighed and held Li Bo¡¯s hand, ¡°Take good care of yourself. From your standpoint, it¡¯s hard for anyone to make a good choice.¡±


    Tears poured down from Li Bo¡¯s eyes.


    It was indeed difficult for her, and she felt extremely aggrieved. Why did such things have to happen to her? Was heaven really punishing her? If so, when would these punishing days end?


    ...


    Sun Xiuyuan was speedy in action; the article written by Liu Hong and the others was successfully published, albeit with some edits and embellishments, followed by a series of feature reports.


    While pursuing wealth, it was also necessary to change some people¡¯s backward notions.


    The youth league branch was divided into several groups, each led by the league secretary and deputy secretary, to go through streets and alleys for propaganda.


    This activity won great praise from Mr. Sun, and her brother also supported her, so Sun Xiuyuan worked with great enthusiasm.


    The issue between Li Chengming, Shao Hui, and Li Bo had almost become common knowledge, and now it was known by everyone. Although it didn¡¯t specifically name anyone, everyone knew the typical example referred to Li Chengming, Shao Hui, and Li Bo.


    To be honest, there are indeed many families that favor boys over girls, regardless of urban or rural areas, and over 90% of families see the son as the most important, thus those sympathized were the girls who were neglected and mistreated.


    Some of the girls were married, some worked in factories, and some did housework at home. When the propaganda teams stood at the intersections, these girls were the ones who gathered around.


    Then, they would glance at their own families and, upon returning home, some would not be as submissive as before, now knowing to resist.


    The campaign organized by the agricultural college also attracted the attention of the City Youth League Committee and the Women¡¯s Federation.


    Meanwhile, under pressure, the workplaces of Li Chengming and Shao Hui dismissed them from their public positions.


    For Li Chengming, it was expected, but Shao Hui had not anticipated it at all; she had a decent job in the city¡¯s archives.


    A casual yet prestigious institution.


    So when she was dismissed, someone immediately replaced her¡ªpeople were not in short supply in those days.


    Shao Hui went to the detention center to cry to Li Chengming.


    Li Chengming had been educated here, much clearer in his mind, and looking at Shao Hui with a hoarse voice, he said, ¡°Stop making a fuss. I committed a mistake and must bear it; this is the consequence I deserve.¡±


    ¡°That may be the consequence you deserve, but how could you drag me into this? Why dismiss my public position? Without my job, what will our son do for food and drink? Are we supposed to beg on the streets?¡±


    Shao Hui said this almost hysterically.


    Li Chengming looked at Shao Hui with a heavy gaze, clenching his teeth tightly, thinking to himself, Shao Hui, if you hadn¡¯t hit Li Bo, could we have ended up in this situation today?


    Even if Li Bo had knocked down both of you, it wasn¡¯t intentional. You could have sent her to detention instead of me. Now, I have taken all the responsibility; how can you blatantly lie?

 Chapter 420 - 420 420 Under Control

    ?Chapter 420: Chapter 420: Under Control Chapter 420: Chapter 420: Under Control But there was nothing she could do, her son still needed her care, and he was her son, the heir to his bloodline.


    Li Chengming didn¡¯t say a word, just silently looked at Shao Hui.


    Then, Shao Hui finally reacted. She guiltily averted her gaze and after a moment, with a trembling voice, she said, ¡°Brother Chengming, no matter what, I have to keep my job.¡±


    Li Chengming closed his eyes and then slowly opened them. He sighed and said, ¡°If the job is gone, it¡¯s gone. Don¡¯t we still have some savings with you? Even if I¡¯m sentenced again, it won¡¯t be to life, just a few years. When I get out, I won¡¯t let you and our daughter suffer.¡±


    At this time, Shao Hui suddenly became silent. Perhaps she finally fully realized that if Li Bo didn¡¯t relent, Li Chengming would go to prison and she would have a husband in prison, and Xiao Bao would have a father in prison, which would be a lifelong stain for Xiao Bao.


    Her husband couldn¡¯t be an ex-convict; her husband should be that talented hydraulic engineer.


    Suddenly, Shao Hui stood up, her actions a bit frantic. Her hands hung by her sides and she said awkwardly, ¡°It¡¯s almost time, I should go back. Your mother is watching the child, and the child isn¡¯t familiar with her, always crying...¡±


    She needed to find a solution immediately. Li Chengming had to get out; otherwise, she would be completely ruined too. She didn¡¯t want to live that kind of life.


    She didn¡¯t want her son¡¯s future to be affected.


    If there really was no other way, then she would have to cut ties with him.


    If it really came to that, she would be forced into it, and really, nobody could blame her. The blame would fall solely on that wretched girl, Li Bo. It¡¯s all her fault.


    She shouldn¡¯t have been born, shouldn¡¯t have come into this world. If it weren¡¯t for her, none of this would have happened.


    Li Chengming felt a deep sorrow in his heart and his voice choked up, ¡°Go home, take good care of our son...¡±


    Shao Hui nodded stiffly.


    But Li Chengming didn¡¯t see the complex expression that flickered in Shao Hui¡¯s eyes for a moment...


    ...


    Due to Liu Hong¡¯s involvement, Li Bo¡¯s willingness to forgive Li Chengming had greatly diminished.


    Moreover, there was no sign of recovery in Li Bo¡¯s leg.


    But the person she wanted to punish was Shao Hui, not Li Chengming. What should she do?


    Li Bo asked Qiao Qingyu about this, and even Qiao Qingyu had no better solution. In these times, this kind of blame-shifting was all too common. As long as Li Chengming took all the responsibility, saying all the deeds were his doing, even if the stick had Shao Hui¡¯s fingerprints, it wouldn¡¯t matter.


    Qiao Qingyu could only comfort Li Bo, ¡°You focus on recuperating now, cooperate with the doctors. We¡¯ll fight for your follow-up medical expenses. The most crucial thing now is that you are able to stand up.¡±


    Li Bo nodded. She knew that only if she could stand on her own could she have a future; otherwise, all else was irrelevant. ¡°All the household money is in Shao Hui¡¯s hands, I don¡¯t know how much there is, but I guess that woman won¡¯t give up a dime...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu told Li Bo not to worry about those things, the school would support her. As for Shao Hui, she wouldn¡¯t have much say in the matter.


    Thus, under the intervention of the school and the student union, Shao Hui produced 300 yuan. She wouldn¡¯t take out a cent more, claiming that was all their family had left and that she was still relying on her parents to make ends meet.


    The house they were living in was allotted to them, but had become personal property. Li Chengming had also spent money on it, so the house belonged to him.


    But transferring the house to Li Bo would be pretty complicated.


    Then Li Bo told both the Li family and the Shaos that if they wanted her to drop the charges and settle privately, they would have to agree to her conditions.


    As for the conditions, they were simple.


    She would cut off all ties with Li Chengming as a father and daughter. Li Chengming had raised her, and she should have paid child support, but since Li Chengming and Shao Hui had beaten her nearly to death, that debt was wiped clean.


    She wanted the house.


    If she wanted Li Chengming to come out unscathed and didn¡¯t want to press charges against Shao Hui, then they had to give her the house, otherwise, all bets were off.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know what the two families were thinking, but housing was short everywhere, even in Xichuan.


    The house was the only property Shao Hui and Li Chengming had; how could they possibly hand it over to Li Bo?


    That house was presumably reserved for their son.


    Thus, this matter couldn¡¯t likely be resolved anytime soon.


    Especially Shao Hui, who had already come to the hospital several times to cause trouble.


    But now, Li Bo wasn¡¯t fighting alone.


    There were many people willing to help her.


    Whenever she needed, everyone was ready to lend a hand.


    Qiao Qingyu took a day off especially on Saturday because He Xiuwen had arrived in Xichuan. His mission was successfully completed, and he had been given a week¡¯s leave to visit his child.


    He also had some matters to discuss with He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu.


    It was regarding a food issue.


    He hadn¡¯t expected, on the day of his arrival, that Wu Hong and Liu Ge would also come.


    Wu Hong came specifically to explain to Qiao Qingyu about taking Han Lishi and Han Liuya away.


    Initially, he hadn¡¯t thought it through until an elder from the Zhang Family explained the gravity of the situation, and then Wu Hong realized.


    Neither He Xiuyu nor Qiao Qingyu were fools.


    The base practically controlled everything within a hundred miles radius.


    Qiao Qingyu and Han Lishi had been godparents, though they had stopped communicating later, so He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu had naturally known about these two for a long time.


    Proactively explaining was better than waiting for He Xiuyu to bring it up.


    And Liu Ge also said she missed her child, so she came with Wu Hong to the Tenghai Base in Xichuan. He Xiuyu went out to receive them. When Rongrong received the call, although she wasn¡¯t desperately waiting, she was somewhat expectant.


    Human nature is indeed complex, including Qiao Qingyu, no one had ever thought that He Xuerong would truly disown her mother.


    In every child¡¯s heart, their parents are naturally meant to be together; even if they had indeed separated, suddenly having such an opportunity, He Xuerong would surely not remain indifferent.


    Especially since He Xiuwen was actually here, in He Xuerong¡¯s heart, she felt that it was time for dad and mom to meet and talk.


    Especially since Liu Ge wasn¡¯t a harsh and cold person. Whatever kind of person she was, each time she saw He Xuerong, it was with genuine, tearful emotions.


    That¡¯s why He Xuerong reacted this way.


    Seeing the eagerly waiting He Xuerong, He Xiuyu thought for a moment and decided to personally go to the gate of the base and bring these two people inside, and then they met in He Xiuyu¡¯s house.


    Awkward? Of course, it was very awkward.


    And it was indeed very awkward.


    At least, Liu Ge never expected that she would see He Xiuwen, especially under such circumstances...

 Chapter 421 - 421 421 Vines Entwining a Tree

    ?Chapter 421: Chapter 421: Vines Entwining a Tree Chapter 421: Chapter 421: Vines Entwining a Tree ¡°Maybe it was a guilty conscience?¡±


    Liu Ge instinctively, uncontrollably hid behind Wu Hong, and Wu Hong also took an involuntary step forward to shield her.


    Qiao Qingyu looked at He Xiuyu. She glared at him. This man, usually so smart, why did he mess up today?


    They shouldn¡¯t have let Wu Hong and Liu Ge come.


    Or perhaps they should have asked He Xiuwen to step aside.


    But thinking this way, Qiao Qingyu felt like something was off.


    Or perhaps, He Xiuyu did the right thing.


    Maybe He Xiuwen and Liu Ge should meet?


    Is that so?


    Qiao Qingyu sneakily glanced at He Xiuwen. He had heard the phone call earlier, and his expression had been calm the whole time, then He Xuerong, too, was eagerly looking at him.


    Rongrong was clever, saying nothing, but her expressive eyes were very powerful.


    Then He Xiuwen fell silent, not stopping his brother from going to meet the guests.


    At this moment, although he hid it well, Qiao Qingyu still detected a hint of diminished interest.


    That¡¯s right, that kind of expression.


    No anger, no hatred, no jealousy, just plain indifference.


    Obviously, he must have found the situation somewhat boring.


    Yes, what¡¯s there to hide? What¡¯s there to protect? He wouldn¡¯t extend his hand to hit her, especially with He Xuerong there.


    Qiao Qingyu truly didn¡¯t know what to say. So, between Liu Ge and He Xiuwen, who was colder?


    But things couldn¡¯t stay at a deadlock, especially when He Xuerong walked over to her side, quietly reaching out to tug at her clothes. Qiao Qingyu stretched her lips into a grin, ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, sit down and warm up a bit.¡±


    Then she went to pour hot water for everyone.


    The awkwardness was broken, but Liu Ge sat in a corner of the sofa with her head bowed, not daring to look at He Xiuwen.


    No matter what, she was in the wrong in this case.


    She had wronged He Xiuwen and likewise wronged He Xuerong.


    But it seemed no one was paying attention to her guilt and anxiety at the moment, even Wu Hong hadn¡¯t expected this to happen.


    In fact, He Xiuyu should have clarified this point when picking them up or on the phone earlier.


    But since things had come to this, they had to be faced.


    He somewhat dryly explained, ¡°The main reason I came this time was to explain Han Lishi and Han Liuya¡¯s situation to you all.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu just gave him a cool look.


    Wu Hong bravely spoke to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°I¡¯m aware of the relationship between our two families, but I don¡¯t know the specifics. However, those two do have requests of us. I¡¯m not trying to absolve myself; they are useful to us, but I also want to take them away. I think this will benefit you too, it¡¯s a win-win situation.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu laughed, her tone meaningful, ¡°Mr. Wu Hong, should I thank you, then?¡±


    Wu Hong hurriedly waved his hand, ¡°No need, no need. With my uncle¡¯s influence, there¡¯s no need for such formalities, really...¡±


    Then his voice became much more earnest, ¡°We have our own business to attend to. For now, Han Liuya won¡¯t covet you anymore, but I can¡¯t guarantee the future.¡±


    He Xiuyu, however, didn¡¯t seem inclined to appreciate the gesture, ¡°Even if they were here, they would be of no use without a stage to perform on, otherwise you wouldn¡¯t be able to take them away.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s the point, but I thought it would be good to come and explain things to you.¡± With that, he stood up, casually pulling up Liu Ge who was sitting next to him, ¡°We won¡¯t disturb you any longer, I came here specifically to explain this matter.¡±


    Liu Ge¡¯s gaze, however, fell on He Xiuwen, who had remained composed across from her.


    He was still the same as before.


    Cold and distant, with not a hint of worldly warmth.


    And their daughter, He Xuerong, sat upright beside him, staring at her unblinkingly with pitch-black eyes.


    It was hard to define exactly what the look in her eyes meant, but it certainly made Liu Ge feel uneasy on her feet.


    She quickly picked up a handbag at her feet and unzipped it, looking earnestly at He Xuerong, ¡°Rongrong, this is a gift Mommy bought for you.¡±


    He Xuerong hopped down from the couch, then crouched in front of the bag to look inside.


    She reached in with her little hand, fluffed through the contents, and pulled out a fluffy toy.


    She pouted, ¡°Mommy, how come your memory is always so bad, I¡¯ve told you, I don¡¯t like these things anymore.¡±


    Liu Ge couldn¡¯t recall her child ever saying such a thing and stutteringly said, ¡°Rongrong, all girls like... like these toys, how could you... not like them?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, I just don¡¯t like them anymore.¡±


    Then glancing inside the bag with disapproval, she said, ¡°Mommy, you actually bought so many, you should just take them back.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know why the child disliked fluffy toys; after all, girls her age generally found it impossible to resist these types of plush toys.


    When asked, she simply said there was no particular reason, she just didn¡¯t like them.


    That was really the end of it.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced indifferently at Wu Hong, who was standing there; this was a time he should have stepped away.


    But he remained motionless, standing beside Liu Ge.


    Right, there were she and He Xiuyu¡ªthey should also give He Xiuwen and Liu Ge some space.


    But He Xiuyu was also lacking this awareness.


    Thus, the current atmosphere was somewhat eerie.


    Wu Hong looked at the things inside the handbag; they were all chosen and bought by Liu Ge, and he had no idea what He Xuerong liked either.


    Yet he spoke up, ¡°Since Rongrong doesn¡¯t like them, then we will take them away.¡±


    Wu Hong said this not out of petulance; he thought it only natural not to force a child to like something she didn¡¯t.


    Then, worried things might escalate, he pulled Liu Ge towards the door.


    It was truly exasperating.


    He Xiuwen¡¯s brows furrowed slightly; he had been watching Liu Ge calmly since she entered, maintaining an inner and outer tranquility.


    If there had been any emotional turbulence at the start, then after several years, everything had indeed passed.


    All told, he had wronged Liu Ge, too.


    Liu Ge was a dancer, innately romantic, different from other women; even in terms of independence, she didn¡¯t measure up to even half of Qiao Qingyu.


    She was somewhat like a green vine, clinging to trees; without the trees, she couldn¡¯t survive.


    Though she might appear lush and vibrant, she was even less sturdy than a small poplar next to her.


    In the beginning, he truly shouldn¡¯t have married her, shouldn¡¯t have delayed her, because he was unable to provide her a life of romance, a stable environment.


    Therefore, in the face of Liu Ge¡¯s choice, He Xiuwen had always chosen silence.


    He just hadn¡¯t expected to meet again in such a manner.


    Is it fair to say that fate makes fools of us all?


    He Xiuwen stood up, looked down at He Xuerong and said, ¡°Rongrong, may I have a few words with your mom and uncle?¡±


    He Xuerong hesitated for a moment, then briskly nodded.


    Thus, He Xiuwen stepped out to see Wu Hong and Liu Ge off.


    Qiao Qingyu was also momentarily stunned, she was about to follow when He Xiuyu stopped her...

 Chapter 422 - 422 422 You Cant Protect Her

    ?Chapter 422: Chapter 422: You Can¡¯t Protect Her Chapter 422: Chapter 422: You Can¡¯t Protect Her Since she was stopped, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t follow along and go out.


    The handbag was still left behind by Liu Ge, bought and paid for. Who knows, in a few days the daughter might grow to like it¡ªafter all, she¡¯s a child.


    But it still seemed quite inappropriate for He Xiuwen to see these two off.


    Yet, there was no other way but to accept it.


    The trio made for a very odd sight on their way.


    Fortunately, not many people knew He Xiuwen, even fewer knew Wu Hong and Liu Ge, and no one knew about the awkward relationship between the three.


    However, halfway through, they happened to run into Chu Ying, who was coming out from the base store.


    Chu Ying was carrying a bunch of things. She had been very busy recently but took the opportunity to shop as things had eased in the last few days.


    Some of the items she bought were for He Xuerong.


    So, when Chu Ying caught a glimpse of He Xiuwen, she nearly dropped everything in shock.


    Then her eyes fell on the man and woman walking side by side with him.


    She didn¡¯t recognize the man, of course.


    But she knew the woman. She had seen photos and had a profound memory of her¡ªthat was He Xiuwen¡¯s ex-wife, Liu Ge!


    Chu Ying didn¡¯t know why, but her spine straightened out; she didn¡¯t feel timid anymore. Yet, at the same time, an indescribable feeling surged within her.


    Upon reflection, it seemed a little sour, didn¡¯t it?


    Chu Ying didn¡¯t have time to ponder what this feeling was, as she immediately felt incredibly awkward, as if all of her little thoughts were laid bare.


    Thus, her complexion changed in an instant.


    She hurried off, not even giving He Xiuwen another glance.


    He Xiuwen had noticed her from the beginning.


    He recognized her at once and intended to greet her with a smile, but Chu Ying, carrying a bunch of items, ran off faster than a rabbit. Even with He Xiuwen¡¯s quick reflexes, he didn¡¯t manage to speak to her before she whisked past like a gust of wind.


    He Xiuwen, ¡°...¡±


    Was he that terrifying? Or perhaps, Chu Ying didn¡¯t want to see him?


    At this moment, Liu Ge showed no interest in her surroundings, feeling as though she was treading on thin ice with every step.


    But the guilt at the bottom of her heart significantly diminished.


    Because He Xiuwen was inept at dealing with things and didn¡¯t understand human relations.


    He should not have come forward; he should not have come out, pretending nothing was happening, seeing her and Wu Hong off.


    She didn¡¯t need it.


    She only hoped that her history with He Xiuwen could be forever buried under the Northwest¡¯s vast expanse of Huang Sha, never to be dug up again, and preferably, never to be remembered.


    So, Liu Ge, occupied with her own thoughts, didn¡¯t notice the girl opposite her displaying a myriad of expressions, and Wu Hong, only concerned about Liu Ge and the base¡¯s feng shui, didn¡¯t notice either.


    He Xiuwen slightly curled his lips into a smile.


    His pace quickened a bit.


    Wu Hong this time finally confirmed his impression from his previous visit.


    The feng shui here was indeed commendable.


    Moreover, the feng shui was changing, and that was quite astonishing.


    But regardless, even if this place was the Dragon Vein itself, he could only sigh from afar, and he had to promptly avert his gaze, ensuring no one noticed anything unusual, or else, he¡¯d be invited for a ¡°chat¡± by the authorities.


    He Xiuwen escorted the two out of the family compound, his composure as calm as ever, but now with a sharper edge to his gaze.


    A Special Combat Captain who walked the borders of the battlefield and danger was like a drawn sword when not holding back his presence.


    One look from him could instill a heart-pounding fear.


    However, Wu Hong always felt different from others, so he seldom had the thoughts that most men would. To say he was simple-minded or to say he was sly, either way could work.


    He rarely dwelled on such emotions, but Liu Ge was different.


    Liu Ge knew that He Xiuwen was warning her not to harbor any ill intentions towards He Xuerong.


    But how could she?


    She turned to Wu Hong and said, ¡°You go ahead to the intersection and wait for me; I have a few words to say to him.¡±


    Wu Hong nodded, glancing at He Xiuwen before saying warmly, ¡°Mr. He, I¡¯ve indirectly heard of your accomplishments. For the nation and the people, you have done great deeds. I truly feel honored to meet you.¡±


    To others, these words might sound ironic, but He Xiuwen only slightly moved his eyebrows.


    Wu Hong¡¯s words were indeed sincere. Although people like He Xiuwen had blood on their hands, he actually had accumulated great merit. His dazzling aura was blinding; such young age and already he had gathered such merit. If nothing unexpected happened, it would certainly benefit his daughter.


    But Liu Ge wouldn¡¯t do; he and Liu Ge were completely incompatible.


    He Xiuwen raised his eyebrows in surprise, his voice calm yet meaningful as he said, ¡°Mr. Wu, I¡¯ve also heard about some of the things you¡¯ve done¡ªcommendable to have such patriotism. I hope you continue to stay true to your principles!¡±


    Wu Hong seemed not to pick up on the subtleties in He Xiuwen¡¯s words and replied, ¡°Rest assured, I definitely will stay the same.¡± Saying this, Wu Hong knew it was time to leave, knowing that Liu Ge and He Xiuwen needed to talk about He Xuerong.


    Continuing, he said, ¡°Mr. He, you may not understand or even like what I¡¯m going to say... but I still have to say it...¡±


    What was he leading up to with all this buildup?


    He Xiuwen raised his eyebrows, ¡°...Then speak.¡±


    One would only know what he wanted to say after he says it, right?


    ¡°Mr. He, there are things in this world you may not understand, but they do exist. I only want to say that Liu Ge¡¯s situation is unique¡ªyou can¡¯t protect her.¡±


    He and Liu Ge were incompatible; even his great merit couldn¡¯t benefit Liu Ge and might negatively affect her.


    But such things he wouldn¡¯t tell this stalwart man.


    Because it was clear from the man¡¯s eyes he wouldn¡¯t believe such things.


    Yet He Xiuwen didn¡¯t argue against his words, merely glancing at him coolly, ¡°Is Mr. Wu finished speaking?¡±


    Wu Hong, ¡°...¡±


    Alright, he didn¡¯t expect him to understand or relate.


    But the fact that the man didn¡¯t get angry was quite a personality trait in itself.


    Wu Hong left with a peace of mind, heading to the intersection to wait for Liu Ge.


    Liu Ge¡¯s mood improved a bit at this time.


    If one were to say that over the years, the times she was with He Xiuwen could be counted on one hand, others might not believe it, but it was indeed the truth. She got married, she was a married woman, but often she slept alone. Sometimes, she wouldn¡¯t see him for two months or even half a year at a stretch. When they did finally meet, it was cold and indifferent. She spoke, but he never responded; he spoke things she didn¡¯t care to listen to. Eventually, they stopped communicating almost entirely.


    Even in that respect, they seldom engaged.


    But to her surprise, Rongrong was still born. After the child¡¯s birth, their relationship seemed to ease a bit, but as his outings increased, their relationship reverted to its previous state.

 Chapter 423 - 423 423 Shameless

    ?Chapter 423: Chapter 423 Shameless Chapter 423: Chapter 423 Shameless Wu Hong was right just now; she truly is different from others. Why she dances so well, only she and Wu Hong know.


    Despite He Xiuwen being a tough and sturdy man, he indeed couldn¡¯t protect her. Moreover, it seems she and Wu Hong were a couple in a past life, one glance and they couldn¡¯t forget each other.


    Thinking of this, Liu Ge spoke with a voice that was somewhat strained, ¡°He Xiuwen, I still owe you an apology.¡±


    He Xiuwen said indifferently, ¡°Don¡¯t think like that. When it comes down to it, it was me who wronged you. Seeing that you¡¯re living well now also puts me at ease.¡±


    Liu Ge didn¡¯t expect He Xiuwen to talk to her so calmly and peacefully; after all, love had once existed, and so had hate. But now, her emotions were truly complicated and her tears fell as she spoke in a choked voice, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about the past. Today, I want to talk to you about Rongrong.¡±


    He Xiuwen stood straight, his hands tucked into his overcoat pockets, and finally said in a deep voice, looking at the always bowing Liu Ge, ¡°No matter what happens between us, I will always be Rongrong¡¯s father and you will always be her mother. This fact will never change.¡±


    ¡°... I know.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re actually not qualified parents. Both you and I are extremely unqualified.¡±


    At this moment, He Xiuwen¡¯s voice was somewhat harsh.


    Liu Ge may seem like a woman ignored and unloved by anyone, but in fact, she carries a great deal of responsibility too. She is also an irresponsible woman.


    But at this time, He Xiuwen wouldn¡¯t blame her.


    And to his surprise, Wu Hong turned out to be that kind of person. Therefore, the aura around him had gradually retracted without a trace¡ªthere was no need to draw one¡¯s sword against a person who posed no threat.


    That might be rather counterproductive.


    Only then did he ask, ¡°What is it that you want to talk to me about? Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Last time I came, I wanted to take Rongrong away. After all, being with her mother is most suitable for Rongrong, a girl. I even consulted a lawyer, and asked about the relevant legal procedures. I have every right to raise Rongrong, without any objection.¡±


    Liu Ge gave a bitter smile as she spoke, ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect Rongrong to have grown up, with her own opinions and thoughts. She doesn¡¯t hate me, but she doesn¡¯t particularly like me either. Even if He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu agree, I can¡¯t take her away. She likes living with her little uncle and little aunt.¡±


    He Xiuwen¡¯s gaze drifted toward the distant sky, his black eyes swirling with unreadable emotions. His daughter should have lived and grown up in a happy family, but now...


    To say that she is unfortunate, but at the same time, Rongrong is also lucky.


    With a brother like He Xiuyu, an upright person teaching her, and a smart and magnanimous woman like Qiao Qingyu with her, He Xuerong¡¯s future won¡¯t be bad.


    Overall, it¡¯s better than growing up with them, but saying this seems quite shameless.


    Liu Ge continued to explain, ¡°Actually, what I¡¯m saying is very pale and insignificant, and there¡¯s not much point in it. But right now, I don¡¯t know what to do. I wish I could give her all my motherly love, but will she choose to accept it? She used to love fluffy toys, but now she suddenly doesn¡¯t like them anymore. I don¡¯t even know how to be good to her.¡±


    As Liu Ge said this, her brow furrowed in distress. He Xiuwen¡¯s eyebrows knitted slightly. Liu Ge always became like this when she faced problems. He sighed deeply and said to Liu Ge, ¡°It¡¯s getting late. You should go back. As for Rongrong, indeed, as you said, she has her own mind. We have already wronged her, let¡¯s not make it worse.¡±


    As for what to do, neither had a clear guide in their hearts. They could only take one step at a time because children can sometimes be like little devils¡ªutterly uncontrollable.


    Especially a quirky child like He Xuerong.


    Liu Ge also didn¡¯t expect that she and He Xiuwen could actually talk so calmly and peacefully. When she thought about it, a touch of sarcasm appeared on the corner of her mouth. This man perhaps never really cared about her.


    To say something cruel, Wu Hong was the one who cuckolded him. Even though all their relations were established after the divorce, she had still brought him great shame. She didn¡¯t dare to return to Beijing, because Meng Siqi would probably want to kill her upon seeing her.


    Meng Siqi always felt that she had insulted her most beloved eldest son.


    For a moment, Liu Ge had even thought complexly: would He Xiuwen have them escorted out only to have someone beat up Wu Hong outside the base?


    But she didn¡¯t expect He Xiuwen to be so polite to her.


    What did such politeness imply?


    It meant any last vestiges of feelings between them had ended.


    It meant that maybe they never even had love...


    Liu Ge slowly straightened up, her gaze toward He Xiuwen growing much more indifferent.


    She said nothing, just curved the corners of her mouth up slightly, then walked towards Wu Hong, striding resolutely away without looking back.


    The car picking them up was not far from the crossroads. The area around the base was under martial law and wouldn¡¯t allow their vehicle to come closer.


    Now, the security of the base had been upgraded due to the importance and increase of scientific research projects, and they were even preparing to transfer the most elite forces from Beijing here. So their car was outside the warning line.


    The guards here recognized He Xiuwen. Speaking of which, this guard was so excited to see He Xiuwen that he didn¡¯t know what to say. He even shed tears and snapped to a salute, calling him captain with a choked voice.


    It turned out this guard was one of his team members who, after retiring, was assigned to continue working as a guard at the base.


    So no one came up to question him when he came out to see off these two people; that was the rationale.


    He Xiuwen cast a heavy glance in the direction ahead.


    His eyes fell on Wu Hong¡¯s retreating figure; Wu Hong was holding Liu Ge¡¯s hand, looking very close¡ªthe two were married now, after all, so such intimacy was normal.


    He had investigated Wu Hong, although not all the data, but he had a preliminary understanding of what the Zhang Family wanted to do.


    Though the higher-ups hadn¡¯t assigned him to watch this family¡¯s affairs, they had dispatched another group of people.


    So far, it seemed that they hadn¡¯t done anything illegal or against the rules. Even though what they engaged in was what they called Mysticism, they didn¡¯t do it blatantly, preserving some face for each other provided the possibility of peaceful coexistence.


    He Xiuwen turned and walked towards the family quarters of the base, hoping only that Wu Hong would quietly go about his business without causing any trouble, avoiding implicating Liu Ge.


    And Liu Ge, should not implicate his daughter.


    If such a day should come, he would definitely not be polite!

 Chapter 424 - 424 424 Very Important

    ?Chapter 424: Chapter 424 Very Important Chapter 424: Chapter 424 Very Important He Xiuwen, with his long legs, seemed to be walking slowly, but he quickly arrived near He Xiuyu¡¯s house. Then, he immediately spotted the figure standing behind the big wall, holding the items she had bought from the store.


    Hesitation was written all over her face.


    He Xiuwen came to a brief halt, then walked decisively towards that direction.


    At this moment, Chu Ying was still looking in the direction of He Xiuyu¡¯s house, unsure if He Xiuwen would return. She did not know that He Xiuwen had come to Xichuan and felt awkward about possibly encountering him again.


    Especially since she felt that she might not actually be suited to marry He Xiuwen and become He Xuerong¡¯s mother.


    Her work was becoming busier by the day; there was even a month when she hadn¡¯t seen Rongrong at all. What if, what if she truly married He Xiuwen¡ªwould she be able to take care of this child?


    The answer was definitely no.


    If she continued to be this busy, it would be impossible, yet she could not give up her job for this, as her work was extremely important.


    So Chu Ying started to get cold feet.


    But it had been over a year, and she had grown deeply fond of He Xuerong. The girl was stubborn but soft-hearted, and strangely enough, He Xuerong seemed to have an easy time discerning who was genuinely nice to her and who was not. Being with He Xuerong was very stress-free; she sometimes even treated her like a little child.


    So she took the opportunity to buy her favorite pastries and some exercise books during busy times, but now Chu Ying hesitated and dared not go¡ªwhat if she met He Xiuwen? It would be so awkward, especially since that time Rongrong had blatantly exposed her feelings.


    Chu Ying continued to focus ahead, trying to use her little brain to analyze whether or not He Xiuwen was at home at the moment.


    Because they had not taken the same path earlier.


    Then she heard footsteps from behind, and as she turned around, she almost dropped what she was holding in shock. The person she both wanted and feared to see was standing just a few steps behind her, looking indifferent, yet there was a gentle warmth in his demeanor.


    He Xiuwen watched, amused by Chu Ying¡¯s fright, and spoke in a slower tone, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    His voice was cool but pleasant to the ear.


    Chu Ying¡¯s mind went blank for a moment, ¡°I... I wanted to see Rongrong.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go in together; Rongrong is at home.¡±


    Chu Ying thought for a moment. Since she had bought the items, she decided to visit Rongrong¡ªotherwise, Rongrong might think she was someone who did not keep promises and was deceitful.


    Chu Ying nodded with the items in hand.


    Then, the two of them walked side by side down the street.


    There were not many pedestrians in the afternoon, especially in the eastern area of the residential compound where hardly anyone was around.


    So Chu Ying¡¯s tense heart quietly relaxed.


    Along the way, He Xiuwen said warmly, ¡°I heard that you won the Scientific and Technological Progress Award recently.¡±


    Chu Ying was startled. She did not expect He Xiuwen to know about it, but how did he know?


    Could Rongrong have told him?


    That seemed unlikely.


    Chu Ying quickly interjected, ¡°It¡¯s just a small award, hardly worth mentioning...¡±


    He Xiuwen shook his head in disagreement, ¡°Why downplay it? This award is prestigious, and your research is very timely...¡± By the end, his tone grew firmer, his expression serious, ¡°and very important!¡±


    Chu Ying said in surprise, ¡°You even know about that?¡±


    He Xiuwen simply smiled faintly.


    Chu Ying didn¡¯t ask him how he knew, nor did He Xiuwen say how he had found out. In any case, both of them talked as they walked toward the direction of their respective homes.


    The two of them entering the house surprised Qiao Qingyu for a moment.


    He Xuerong dumped the contents of her purse onto the sofa, among which were a hairpin and a sweater that she quite liked.


    The rest of the fluffy stuff actually looked quite nice too, but He Xuerong just didn¡¯t like them. Qiao Qingyu called Chu Ying over to sit down, and since they were familiar with each other, Chu Ying didn¡¯t act too reserved.


    The items she was holding were taken by He Xuerong, who sweetly thanked her, ¡°Thank you, Aunt Chu.¡±


    Then she shook the panda head pencil sharpener in her hand, ¡°Aunt Chu, you really keep your word.¡±


    Chu Ying smiled, ¡°Of course, I have to.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Chu, it¡¯s been a long time since you¡¯ve come over, I kind of missed you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu packed up the fluffy items on the sofa and stored them away in storage.


    Truth be told, if it weren¡¯t for Liu Ge buying them, they actually looked quite good on the sofa.


    In the living room, He Xiuwen remained composed, yet he was somewhat surprised internally.


    He knew what kind of child his daughter was. She was very guarded and wouldn¡¯t get close to someone so easily.


    It seemed that the relationship between the two of them was truly good.


    Sitting in the car, Liu Ge¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t great. Wu Hong hadn¡¯t expected to run into He Xiuwen either, but he didn¡¯t say anything and instead held her hand to offer her silent comfort.


    Liu Ge sighed. She and He Xiuwen had completely, quietly, and peacefully resolved all their issues this time.


    From this point on, she was just He Xuerong¡¯s mother.


    She couldn¡¯t clearly describe her feelings, but in any case, her heart was very complicated.


    Fortunately, her Ah Hong understood her.


    ...


    Shao Hui visited Li Chengming and conveyed Li Bo¡¯s demands to him, mentioning that she had given him money as well.


    Give the house to Li Bo?


    Li Chengming, like Shao Hui, was reluctant to do so.


    However, after wrestling with the thought for a moment, he agreed.


    He said, ¡°Shao Hui, let¡¯s agree to it. Let¡¯s give her the house.¡±


    Shao Hui¡¯s face turned ashen. ¡°Where are we going to live then?¡± After her words, she ground her teeth and said, ¡°Your daughter is an ingrate. I¡¯m unlucky to have met her. Why doesn¡¯t she just die!¡±


    Li Chengming looked at Shao Hui with a heavy gaze, his brow slightly furrowed. Eventually, he could no longer refrain from speaking out meaningfully, ¡°Shao Hui, if she really died, would you be able to see me now?¡±


    Shao Hui¡¯s heart clenched as she looked at Li Chengming, who seemed somewhat changed. Her hands, placed on her knees, clenched together, and feeling somewhat guilty, she dropped her gaze.


    Shao Hui had been deluding herself these past days, convincing herself that all of this was not her doing but Li Chengming¡¯s. Moreover, Brother Chengming naturally wouldn¡¯t bring up such topics during their meetings, fearing that a single slip-up could ruin everything.


    If Li Chengming truly changed his stance, then it would be her sitting in prison.


    At this moment, Shao Hui felt a chill all over her body; Li Bo indeed wanted to send her to prison. If it weren¡¯t for Li Chengming taking the blame for her, Li Bo could have had her wish.


    Seeing that Shao Hui remained silent, Li Chengming felt a surge of helplessness and an indescribable complexity in his heart. How had things turned out like this today?

 Chapter 425 - 425 425 A Great Marvel

    ?Chapter 425: Chapter 425: A Great Marvel Chapter 425: Chapter 425: A Great Marvel Perhaps it was because he¡¯d done too many wrongs, so sitting here was indeed retribution!


    After a few seconds of silence, Li Chengming heavily said, ¡°Shao Hui, give her the house. After what happened, even if she doesn¡¯t hate me, she will never forgive me in this lifetime. The three of us can¡¯t possibly live together in one house anymore, then the family ties will break, and I¡¯ll just pretend I don¡¯t have this daughter...¡±


    Shao Hui looked at Li Chengming, her lips pressed tightly together and said nothing.


    Giving money to Li Bo was already unbearable for her, let alone her family and the Li family giving money to Li Bo secretly, which she just found out about. She even argued with them about it, but ended up being scolded by her family.


    She hated Li Bo to the point she wished she were dead. How could she possibly spend a penny on her, not to mention giving her the house?


    Don¡¯t think that houses were worthless in those days. Houses were even scarcer due to infrastructure reasons, with some families of dozens living in mere forty square meters.


    Relatively speaking, their house was already considered quite large, a real rarity here.


    If it weren¡¯t for Li Chengming, they wouldn¡¯t have gotten this house, and later they even bought it outright, owning it completely.


    How could she resign herself to giving the house to Li Bo?


    It was meant for their son.


    She had even planned it all out, when her son grew up, she wanted to renovate the house nicely, just like those affluent families.


    Thinking this, Shao Hui¡¯s expression showed it all.


    Li Chengming sighed and said softly, ¡°Once the house is given away, I agree to sever the father-daughter relationship. Let¡¯s handle this matter this way. You, maybe you don¡¯t actually hope for me to go out, do you?¡±


    At the end, Li Chengming¡¯s emotions were clearly upset. Shao Hui quickly stood up and hastily explained, ¡°Brother Chengming, you can¡¯t misunderstand me like this. Who wouldn¡¯t want you to get out? But I won¡¯t allow it.¡±


    ¡°Then just do as I say. I can¡¯t stay here any longer; staying any further will completely ruin me.¡±


    Shao Hui gritted her teeth; today was just her last struggle, so she nodded, finding it very hard to say, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take care of it when I get back.¡±


    When transferring the house to Li Bo, the student council and the school teachers were all present and completed the procedures as quickly as possible.


    The reason for the rush was because the matter had a huge impact.


    Li Bo and Li Chengming were handled as special cases.


    And thus, Li Chengming finally got out.


    He also severed the father-daughter relationship with Li Bo forever, meaning neither of them had any obligations to each other anymore, and when Li Chengming became old and immobile, Li Bo had no duty to support him.


    This was indeed a major oddity, because in those days, severing father-daughter relationships was extremely rare, almost unheard of.


    Thus, they wanted to keep this matter low-key, but those who needed to know already knew. Still, this was for the best, who knows what the future holds, and one day Shao Hui and Li Chengming might use this so-called father-daughter relationship to pressure Li Bo, which would be disgusting.


    Originally, Li Bo wanted to sell the house, but then she thought, now that she has no relationship with Li Chengming and they have separate household registrations, hers alone,


    the house belonged to her.


    Whether she could keep it or not depended on herself.


    Shao Hui was unwilling and resentful in her heart, but she had no choice since it was she who had carried out these actions. If Li Chengming were to retaliate, Li Bo would not let her off.


    She would rather have her stay inside forever, no different than her father in that aspect.


    Moreover, what¡¯s most important, if Li Chengming couldn¡¯t come out, could she make Xiao Bao sever the father-son relationship? If she really did that, Li Chengming wouldn¡¯t let her off.


    So, the relationship couldn¡¯t be severed, no stigma could be attached.


    Thus, after considering and being persuaded by her family, Shao Hui resentfully moved out of the house.


    Meanwhile, Li Bo was still in the hospital recovering, and the funds she had were enough to cover the subsequent medical expenses. Li Bo didn¡¯t want the school to worry too much, as it would make her feel very bad when she returned to school.


    Too many favors to repay.


    The only way she could repay everyone was to take good care of her body, strive to get back to school as soon as possible, study hard, and repay society after graduation.


    That was the only thing she could do.


    ...


    The nearest neighbor of Xichuan, Qinglong Village in Gelle State.


    The land here was very barren, the most barren in Gelle State.


    It was deemed the least suitable place for human habitation.


    Like the northern part of Xichuan, the spring and autumn seasons were always filled with yellow sand.


    There were even more sandstorms wreaking havoc.


    Yet tens of thousands of people still lived here.


    And Qinglong Village was just a small part of those tens of thousands.


    Despite its impressive name, Qinglong Village was the poorest village in the Pingba District.


    People had little land per capita here. In recent years, the only green grassland had also been covered by sand. Those who could find a way out did, and those who couldn¡¯t endured the hard years here.


    At the east end of the village, Su Laoqi had a relative in Xiaxi Commune in Xichuan, who had a good relationship with Wang Laogen, the manager of Tenghai Agricultural Base.


    The agricultural base was short of people, so he left the village for Xiaxi Commune during the spring plowing.


    Although it had not been much better than Gelle State before, in these three years, Xiaxi Commune¡¯s greening efforts had been the best in the county.


    Their living environment was quietly changing.


    And the agricultural base was the most prosperous place for agriculture and side businesses in the entire Xichuan.


    The improved land was planted with high-yielding corn and valuable thousand silk hemp, the commune covered it with greenhouses and then let the members contract them.


    The Barley Grassland also began to plan grazing for cattle and sheep.


    Mr. Qian went out to deal with the wool processing plant, the deputy head of the commune and the city cadres invited agricultural experts to Xiaxi Commune to prepare for mushroom cultivation. Even entering the winter, Xiaxi Commune was still tense and busy.


    It had been almost a year since Su Laoqi had been home, so he asked for leave from Wang Laogen and returned home.


    The villagers all gathered at the entrance of Su Family¡¯s house.


    They wore thin clothes, their ears red with cold, their clothes ragged and their faces aged, all staring at the radiant Su Laoqi.


    People dared not speak to Su Laoqi.


    They looked at him incredulously, dressed in a new cotton jacket, new leather shoes, and a new hat.


    In the past, in winter, Su Laoqi couldn¡¯t even afford a pair of cotton shoes.


    Su Laoqi warmly invited everyone in to sit, offering sugar cubes and millet cakes for the elderly and children to eat.


    Because in this past nearly one year, they had taken good care of his family.


    But at the same time, their feelings were mixed, both places being barren lands. When could Qinglong Village see a change?


    They truly hoped that Qiao Qingyu¡¯s agricultural base could extend to their area.

 Chapter 426 - 426 426 Returning to Ones Roots

    ?Chapter 426: Chapter 426 Returning to One¡¯s Roots Chapter 426: Chapter 426 Returning to One¡¯s Roots Su Laoqi naturally had brothers and sisters, but two of them hadn¡¯t survived, and another had passed away the year before last.


    He was the youngest in the family.


    He was over thirty now, and his parents had passed away long ago.


    He had two children, and the level of poverty in the village was much the same.


    But last year, when his eldest son went to school, the school was hosting a sports day, and naturally, sports day required wearing sneakers. His straw sandals would not allow him to run alongside the other students, and he would also be laughed at.


    The school sports day was held once every three years, and for their commune, it was considered quite a large event. The teacher required all competing students to buy sneakers.


    However, if one genuinely could not afford to buy them, then they would have to forgo participation and give their place to another student. His eldest son was particularly athletically gifted; as soon as he could walk, he would run through the fields every day, and he was the fastest ¨C just like a monkey. During the school selection, he was the fastest runner too.


    Even so, the entire village couldn¡¯t scrape together enough money to buy a pair of sneakers for the boy.


    It was only later, when relatives visited his second eldest brother, that they loaned him two yuan, which he added to the pot to buy his son a pair of sneakers.


    At the middle school sports day, his son ran first.


    The teacher said he should let his son study sports and become an athlete, or at least a sports teacher, but where would he find the money for that? Not to mention tuition, even the money for buying shoes for sports in the future would be non-existent ¨C even this small amount of money had been collected from more than a dozen households.


    It was autumn at that time, and as the year turned, he went to look for work with his relatives, then worked under Wang Laogen, just as an ordinary farmer working the land.


    The work was half mechanized and half manual, but it was all scientific farming, which also made him realize that poor soil wasn¡¯t unchangeable.


    In West River Region, places where crops couldn¡¯t grow were planted with Barley Grass.


    With Barley Grass, you could raise sheep, and in places where the grass thrived, you could feed pigs and cattle according to the commune¡¯s regulations.


    Nowadays, individuals didn¡¯t raise many pigs or cattle; it was all managed collectively by the commune and was done through scientific breeding.


    Moreover, it was especially strict, with very high standards. The living conditions for the pigs and cattle were as clean as those for people.


    There were also doctors specifically for treating these pigs and cattle.


    Everyone working here was a member of the commune, and they all received a basic living allowance monthly. Plus, the land they owned was leased out, so they would receive a lump sum of lease payments in the autumn.


    Thus, seemingly in the blink of an eye, the people of Xiaxi Commune had become prosperous.


    It was said that Wang Laogen¡¯s home used to be as impoverished as his.


    Now, Wang Laogen was beyond their reach.


    He lived in a big red-brick, tile-roofed house. The walls inside were painted with lime, with cement floors inside, and the outer courtyard was all paved with red bricks. The windows were bright and clean. His household furniture was all newly made; they even had a tape recorder, a radio...


    Other than the eldest brother who worked with him, his other four children were all at school.


    Truly, once one person rose up, then the whole family would rise with them.


    And here, including the children, more than a dozen people in total couldn¡¯t earn more than another family with just one person.


    His eldest brother was still the small team leader of Longquan Village.


    After taking a drag from his cigarette, Su Laoqi said with a heavy tone, ¡°Big Brother, when can our place also plant Barley Grass like Xiaxi Commune, on all our barren land? Even if our fields still can¡¯t grow crops, at least we could get by...¡±


    Brother Su sighed, squatted down, and scratched his head, ¡°Our place can¡¯t compare to West River Region. We¡¯re just waiting for the instructions from above. Our words don¡¯t carry much weight.¡±


    That was true; a small team leader didn¡¯t have much say.


    And at this time on the desk of the leaders of Gelle State Autonomous Region, there was a pile of documents, all about West River Region¡¯s sandstorm prevention and control, scientific farming, sideline development, centralized management, tree planting, and afforestation efforts.


    West River Region had been operating for three years, so much of the data were very mature. They had been time-tested and proven.


    Their place was really too poor, so poor that they were at a loss, not knowing what to do.


    That was the stark reality ¨C people say, live off the mountains if you have mountains, live off the waters if you have waters. But here, the mountains were barren, not a blade of grass in sight, and there was no water, only drought and desolation.


    Every year, they had to rely on relief food.


    Their region was also a burden on the country¡¯s development path.


    But what could anyone do when the arable land was so scarce?


    But now these leaders seemed to have seen a glimmer of hope, so they decided to send an inspection team to West River Region. Even though it was winter, they might still learn something. If possible, they could plant Barley Grass next spring, and perhaps by summer, it would grow.


    Qiao Qingyu, who was on winter break, received a call from Lu Ye, who also told her that the inspection team from Gelle State was visiting West River Region, looking to purchase Barley Grass Seeds in bulk.


    That wasn¡¯t a problem; the machines of He Xiuyu would soon be ready, and by then, they would be able to mass-produce Barley Grass Seeds.


    The Barley Grass Seeds harvested this year at the Agricultural Base were measured in tons.


    Zone 5 Laboratory had added two large warehouses for storing Barley Grass Seeds.


    The afforestation effort in West River Region was also underway, and this year, the coverage of greenery had increased by 20% compared to last year.


    Their seeds could certainly continue to be dispersed in the West River Region area, but Qiao Qingyu felt she could extend her visit to the most barren and poorest neighboring province, Gelle State.


    However, looking at the map, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s brows furrowed, and at that moment, He Xiuyu also stood beside her.


    He knew what was troubling Qiao Qingyu, but He Xiuyu didn¡¯t agree with planting Barley Grass in that region just yet.


    ¡°The greening of this area is not the most urgent matter at the moment. What they need most now is to have enough food and clothing.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded, ¡°That¡¯s what I think too. The Barley Grass Seeds can be sold, but their finances are very tight right now. It¡¯s very tough for them to come up with large amounts of funds, and the immediate problem that needs to be solved is the issue of food.¡±


    ¡°That area has long been deemed unsuitable for human habitation. Actually, our country had a policy a few years ago to concentrate relocation to a single location, consolidating small villages and teams scattered around the mountains, but nobody agreed, and so that project was abandoned.¡±


    ¡°Now, mobilizing them won¡¯t be so easy.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s hard to leave your native soil, especially for some of the elderly. They have their ancestors buried in that land; they won¡¯t leave.¡±


    Isn¡¯t there a saying, fallen leaves return to their roots? So, these days, some of the elderly pay a lot of attention to this.


    They believe that only on their own native soil, can their souls rest in peace, and protect their descendants.

 Chapter 427 - 427 427 As Poor as a Church Mouse

    ?Chapter 427: Chapter 427: As Poor as a Church Mouse Chapter 427: Chapter 427: As Poor as a Church Mouse Moreover, this job isn¡¯t easy to do; it simply can¡¯t be done in less than three to five years¡ªit requires tremendous patience and energy to do it well.


    Barley Grass¡¯s seeds are good, but if not planted properly, they could become a burden to the local area. Over time, community members might develop an aversion to Barley Grass, and this would greatly contradict Qiao Qingyu¡¯s original intention. Moreover, looking at the map, there¡¯s a vast area to the north of Xichuan that needs greening to prevent wind erosion and stabilize sands, turning this place into an enchanting land of green hills and clear waters.


    The most suitable plants, verified through practice, are currently only Barley Grass and Willow Wood.


    Qiao Qingyu sincerely didn¡¯t want the plan to promote Barley Grass and Willow Wood to face opposition and resistance.


    Moreover, unless it was led by the government with community members providing labor and the government paying them,


    In many places, including Xichuan, windbreak and sand stabilization, greening construction is mostly voluntary because the land area is just too vast for the government to afford such high costs.


    Moreover, it¡¯s a matter of achieving immediate glory for the benefit of generations, not something where results can be seen in minutes.


    In the end, it¡¯s the community members and their descendants who will reap the benefits.


    So paid greening is currently not feasible.


    Furthermore, Su Laoqi¡¯s village, as Wang Laogen told Qiao Qingyu, is the poorest and most barren place in the entire commune.


    They rely on relief food every year and are so poor that the harsh environment is not suitable for human habitation, yet a group of hardworking farmers live there, having no desire to leave their ancestral land.


    There is indeed a type of Goji berry in the laboratory, but it will take another two years to bear fruit, similar to sea buckthorn, which Qiao Qingyu thinks would be quite suitable for planting in Pingba District.


    But then again, there is the old problem of a long wait before harvest.


    He Xiuyu watched Qiao Qingyu furrowing her brows and couldn¡¯t help but curl his lips into a slight smile.


    He walked over to Qiao Qingyu, extended his hand to rub her head, and whispered in consolation, ¡°Stop worrying, you¡¯re taking on too much. Come on, I¡¯ll take you to my lab.¡±


    At these words, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes immediately brightened. To tell the truth, despite having spent such a long time with He Xiuyu, having been to his office and dorm, she had never once visited his lab.


    This time, when He Xiuyu unexpectedly suggested taking her to the lab, it made Qiao Qingyu quite curious.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at him and couldn¡¯t help but ask with a smile, ¡°Oh? Is the sun rising from the west today? What made you suddenly decide to let me visit the lab?¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s attractive brows lifted ever so slightly. He had not expected this to surprise Qiao Qingyu so much. He said deliberately, ¡°The medicinal sample cultivated from Soothing Grass is in my lab. You can go have a look. If there¡¯s no problem, it¡¯s time to begin the formal trial phase...¡±


    Upon hearing this, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes shone even brighter, her expression a mix of shock and joy, for the efficacy of Soothing Grass was beyond doubt. If a related medicine could be developed, it would be a blessing for those plagued by chronic nervous exhaustion and insomnia.


    So she really must go and see, and also take the opportunity to visit He Xiuyu¡¯s independent laboratory.


    Having said that, the two of them walked out hand in hand.


    The temperature outside was not like the indoors; the cold wind blew, and Qiao Qingyu, not dressed in many layers, looked slightly frail, her hair whipped by the wind.


    He Xiuyu quickly stripped off his scarf and gently put it on Qiao Qingyu. He didn¡¯t talk much, instead holding her hand tightly as they walked towards the Big White Building.


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but glance at He Xiuyu. His profile was handsome, his demeanor meticulous. He didn¡¯t say much usually, but his actions always showed his care for her.


    After a short while, the two arrived at the laboratory, which was specially constructed in a space next to He Xiuyu¡¯s office and hidden deep underground but with an extremely spacious area, even boasting a workshop.


    At that moment, Qiao Qingyu also saw the draft blueprint of A-4 on the workbench.


    Only then did Qiao Qingyu remember that she hadn¡¯t seen Su Yunyao in a very long time.


    She wondered how Su Yunyao¡¯s electronic information research was progressing.


    However, she couldn¡¯t ask He Xiuyu about it, since it was also a secret, and she was quite conscious of that.


    Then there was the report analysis of the Soothing Grass and the medicinal capsule samples, which were made in a standard shape¡ªsmall granules inside the capsules. It really was a drug that had been produced, and after looking at the ingredients and effects, they did indeed closely resemble those of the Soothing Grass.


    She had no idea what the scientists at the Biotechnology Laboratory had used as a substitute.


    Thinking about it, they all seemed quite impressive.


    But just then, Qiao Qingyu suddenly remembered something and quickly set down the medicinal sample, her demeanor somewhat anxious as she asked He Xiuyu, ¡°You¡¯re not going to carry out experiments and test the drug yourself, are you?¡±


    He Xiuyu shook his head and said calmly, ¡°No, it hasn¡¯t been approved yet, and besides, there¡¯s no need.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu then breathed a sigh of relief, thankfully no drug trials. Honestly speaking, it wasn¡¯t that she was being selfish, but drugs were involved after all, and no matter what, He Xiuyu shouldn¡¯t go¡ªit was too dangerous.


    However, He Xiuyu¡¯s thoughts were the complete opposite of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s; he thought to himself that if possible, he was willing to participate in the experiments.


    Moreover, he believed that the biotech team was meticulous, responsible, and serious, housing the best scientists in the field.


    But it was better not to let Qiao Qingyu know about this, to spare her the worry.


    He then changed the subject and took Qiao Qingyu on a tour of his laboratory and his studio, which could also be considered a small workshop.


    There were many things there, and no shortage of tools.


    High-end, common, agricultural, military¡ªyou name it, they had it.


    There was even a hoe, which Qiao Qingyu picked up and swung, her curiosity piqued as she asked, ¡°You¡¯re not planning on farming here, are you?¡±


    He Xiuyu laughed; farming was out of the question. There were many things he had to do, and naturally, none of these tools could be missing. Before he could answer, Qiao Qingyu had already picked up something resembling a crossbow.


    This time Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes lit up, and He Xiuyu walked over and said, ¡°I made this myself, but it still needs to be adjusted and modified.¡±


    ¡°So it can¡¯t be used?¡±


    ¡°It can be.¡± Seeing Qiao Qingyu nod, He Xiuyu took her to the north side of the workshop, where there was something on the opposite wall that resembled a dartboard.


    He Xiuyu taught Qiao Qingyu how to use the crossbow, a rare opportunity for hands-on instruction, which naturally could not be missed.

 Chapter 428 - 428 428 Anna Arrives

    ?Chapter 428: Chapter 428 Anna Arrives Chapter 428: Chapter 428 Anna Arrives This crossbow was personally designed and manufactured by He Xiuyu; it was only in the final tuning stage. Therefore, when it was used, he needed to personally supervise, but actually, it only involved tweaking some minor details. It didn¡¯t affect the overall use of the crossbow.


    Qingyu asked He Xiuyu, ¡°Why do you want to make this?¡±


    It seemed there weren¡¯t many opportunities to use it at that time.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t want to elaborate. He planned to make a smaller one for Qingyu, more convenient and with better accuracy. Though one should not harbor intentions to harm others, it is indispensable to guard against potential harm.


    After playing with Qingyu for a while, He Xiuyu took her for a tour and then brought her back to the office.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s office was not a new place to Qingyu; although she wasn¡¯t completely familiar with it, as it was still a workplace and not like a home, Qingyu still placed a pot of Soothing Grass from her Space Device on He Xiuyu¡¯s desk.


    It was perfectly facing the direction He Xiuyu sat.


    Regardless, it was beneficial to health.


    Those who were unaware would think it was just an ordinary green plant.


    ...


    The base was planning to merge two workshops recently.


    That is, combining two heavy industry workshops¡ªa move that would bring many benefits. By next spring, they intended to construct a new building.


    This new building was set to be like an experimental block.


    Divided by area, it would not only have laboratories but also large design rooms.


    What¡¯s important is that the heavy industry workshops are currently producing experimental equipment for the base¡¯s lab. This equipment is considered leading edge worldwide.


    Moreover, the most crucial point was that, thanks to He Xiuyu¡¯s unceasing efforts, the base welcomed a new group of senior experts, including a few agricultural specialists.


    Their arrival was for afforestation in Xichuan and the broader Northwest region to combat wind erosion and desertification.


    This presented an excellent opportunity to discuss potential cooperation with Lu Ye.


    Qingyu and He Xiuyu were at home discussing this matter when suddenly, Rongrong called out for He Xiuyu from outside, ¡°Uncle He, Uncle He, someone is looking for you.¡±


    He Xiuyu peered outside, and Qingyu also stretched her neck to look. Generally, on Sundays, no one came looking for He Xiuyu, and if there were any urgent matters, they would make a phone call.


    Rongrong and Xiao Hu were outside cleaning snow.


    A light snow had fallen the previous night, leaving small, sparse flakes everywhere. The lack of sunlight prevented it from melting; if there were sunlight, it would have melted already.


    Therefore, the children cherished it dearly. Rongrong and Xiao Hu volunteered to sweep the light snow off the road and pile it up, ready to make a snowman.


    With this, it was already the fifth snowfall of the year.


    It was one more snowfall than the same period in previous years.


    So, at the moment, He Xuerong and Li Mingguang were standing at the front door.


    Then Qingyu spotted a beautiful girl who looked just like a doll.


    She couldn¡¯t help herself and blurted out, ¡°Who is that, she¡¯s so pretty.¡±


    At He Xiuyu¡¯s house, a group of people stood at the door, most of them in their thirties or forties. Among them, Qiao Qingyu recognized two people: Old Wei and a secretary from the office. The other three were strangers to her.


    The beautiful girl stood amidst the crowd, also at the doorstep of He Xiuyu¡¯s house.


    Her slightly curled long hair, fair skin, and deep, beautiful, delicate features, especially a pair of eyes that seemed to speak.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know this girl.


    He Xiuyu, with Qiao Qingyu, quickly came out to meet them.


    But from the way she looked at her own man, Qiao Qingyu knew this was someone familiar to He Xiuyu. Who could it be? Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t remember such a person from her memories.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, his surprise fleeting.


    He truly hadn¡¯t expected Anna to come.


    He turned to Qiao Qingyu beside him and said, ¡°That woman is Anna, Anna from the compound...¡±


    Anna had come with Old Wei from the base. On the way here, her forehead was constantly furrowed, she had always known the environment here wasn¡¯t good, but she didn¡¯t expect it to be this bad.


    At the gate, Old Wei also had a bland expression. Just now, after this lady from country S had looked around, she turned to him and said, ¡°... Why does Huaxia still have such poor and backward places? How can you let our great scientist live here, this shows neglect on your part...¡±


    What was he to say? There was much to say, but now, standing at the doorstep of He Xiuyu¡¯s house, he could only swallow his words back.


    But it seemed like there was a knot in his heart.


    Something didn¡¯t sit right with him.


    And at that moment, Anna¡¯s gaze finally fell on Qiao Qingyu, who was walking toward the door.


    She was walking beside He Xiuyu.


    In Anna¡¯s mind, He Xiuyu¡¯s wife from the countryside, even if her status had changed, would still inherently be like all the girls who grew up in the countryside, with a face weathered by hardship and sorrow, tanned skin from the sun, wearing clothes that were both tacky and old, a demeanor so timid she¡¯d dare not look up at others, and she wouldn¡¯t even have a decent pair of shoes to wear.


    Their backs were forever hunched, the dirt under their fingernails could never be scrubbed clean, with no regard for personal hygiene nor manners. These were her general impressions of women from Huaxia¡¯s rural areas.


    She thought Qiao Qingyu was fortunate to have married He Xiuyu. Because she married him, her life would be entirely different. With He Xiuyu guiding her, she might learn how to dress and how to socialize.


    But at the end of the day, the old saying held true: You can¡¯t change what¡¯s in your bones.


    Nobility always remains noble, and peasants will always be peasants.


    Even though these thoughts were in her heart and she wouldn¡¯t say them out loud, they were deeply ingrained, instilled by her grandmother.


    Anna looked at all the girls from Huaxia¡¯s countryside or even small cities with pity.


    But this pity was not directed at the girls themselves but at He Xiuyu. She felt indignant on behalf of He Xiuyu, felt that he was wronged.


    In her heart, He Xiuyu was a man as handsome as a clear sky after rain, and to this day, she hadn¡¯t found any man who could measure up to him. How could he have married such a woman?


    This was nothing short of the greatest insult to He Xiuyu.


    Anna felt she herself wasn¡¯t quite worthy of him, but what she never expected was that He Xiuyu would end up marrying such a woman. She even believed the so-called Wu Family¡¯s grandfather was a figment of either He Xiuyu or Qiao Qingyu¡¯s imagination.


    Before her arrival, many things had been deeply rooted and formed a fixed impression, so when she saw Qiao Qingyu walking toward the door alongside He Xiuyu, Anna was truly stunned.


    That must be Qiao Qingyu. The old leader by her side was already waving his hand, greeting with a smile and expression decidedly different from the one he used for her, ¡°Qingyu, Chief Engineer He...¡±

 Chapter 429 - 429 429 You Are Such a Qiao Qingyu

    ?Chapter 429: Chapter 429: You Are Such a Qiao Qingyu Chapter 429: Chapter 429: You Are Such a Qiao Qingyu Old Wei unexpectedly put Qiao Qingyu¡¯s name before He Xiuyu¡¯s, even his voice carried a touch of affection.


    But these things actually were not important; she hadn¡¯t had time to think about such matters as her mind was somewhat blank at the moment.


    She stared at the beautiful girl before her, her eyes lively, her glance moist. She was wearing a light-colored tweed coat with a beige hollow-out knit sweater underneath, her neck white and slender, her figure graceful. Her black hair was combed back at the nape of her neck, and at this moment, the sunlight happened to penetrate the thick clouds, shining on her face with a luminescent white glow, making her seem as though she could radiate light.


    Just her standing there would make one unlikely to notice anything else.


    She was a girl with a strong presence, a girl with astonishing poise, a girl who, after one glance, was very hard to forget.


    How could she possibly be the foolish village woman, the clueless country girl, that Su Yunyao had spoken of?


    Su Yunyao must have been lying to her.


    Her hands, hanging by her sides, clenched tightly. By this time, He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu had already walked up to her, with He Xiuyu saying, ¡°Anna, I didn¡¯t expect you to come.¡±


    Indeed, it was surprising. Old Wei said, ¡°Hurry inside, it¡¯s windy and cold outside.¡±


    Then Rongrong and Xiao Hu, hand in hand, stood next to the grape trellis, curiously eyeing this group of people.


    Rongrong was frowning, seeming not too happy.


    Then Xiao Hu said something to her, and Rongrong stamped her foot and exhaled, as though Xiao Hu had persuaded her of something.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced around and then looked away.


    A guest was a guest after all, she just hadn¡¯t expected this guest to turn out to be the Anna that Su Yunyao used to talk about¡ªthe beautiful, smart one who was said to have once had a ¡®fondness¡¯ for He Xiuyu as a child.


    Oh, alright, this childhood friend of He Xiuyu¡¯s was really not just any ordinary person.


    It¡¯s not proper to talk outside, and if there was anything to say, it should be said inside. The group moved towards the house, with Rongrong and Xiao Hu stepping aside to make way for them.


    Then, while walking through the middle of the grape trellis, Anna unexpectedly stopped, turned her head, and looked at He Xuerong, who was gazing at her. With a gentle voice, she said, ¡°You must be Rongrong.¡±


    He Xuerong nodded her head, ¡°Yes, Auntie, I am Rongrong.¡±


    The young girl then countered, ¡°Do you know me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know you; I hadn¡¯t seen you when I left, but I know your mother.¡±


    He Xuerong pulled at the corner of her mouth.


    The young girl said nothing more.


    Without regard for the others present, Anna cut to the chase, ¡°Rongrong, you are a good kid, your mom is not a good person; stay away from her in the future.¡±


    He Xuerong, ¡°...¡±


    Everyone, ¡°...¡±


    Such a pretty girl, how could she say something like that the moment she opens her mouth? It¡¯s not right to speak ill of someone¡¯s mother in front of their child.


    He Xiuyu, walking ahead, halted in his steps, his eyebrows furrowed as a chill entered his voice, ¡°Anna, is this the result of the good upbringing you received?¡±


    ¡°What does my upbringing have to do with this? I¡¯m telling the truth. Liu Ge is just too strange and scary, and Rongrong shouldn¡¯t get too close to her.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes darkened. Her words were not unlike what He Juanjuan had said, which was insightfully coincidental. If He Juanjuan had been there, perhaps these two would have immediately found a confidant in each other.


    But how could she say such things here?


    It was unclear what Liu Ge had done to give Anna such an impression.


    ¡°You auntie, don¡¯t think you can shed your skin just because you¡¯ve been abroad for a few days, thinking your mingled bloodline is so noble... Do you know what we kids call someone like you? We call you...¡±


    The little girl¡¯s speech was too fast, shrill and piercing, but the quickest to react was Li Mingguang. He stepped forward, grabbed Rongrong, and covered He Xuerong¡¯s mouth to prevent her from saying the words ¡®mongrel.¡¯


    Once spoken, the nature of the conversation would change, and Li Mingguang understood the gravity of it.


    Then, at the moment Li Mingguang intervened, Qiao Qingyu realized what the child was about to say.


    She quickly gave Li Mingguang a look, and he grasped He Xuerong¡¯s hand, saying, ¡°There¡¯s a flock of birds in the Poplar Forest. We have some millet at home. Let¡¯s go feed the birds.¡±


    He then dragged He Xuerong away, almost forcefully.


    He Xuerong might have realized she had been too agitated but bit Li Mingguang¡¯s finger in frustration. Afterward, she stood at the doorway, glaring fiercely at Anna. Although this aunt didn¡¯t mean any harm to her and was very pretty, she just found her exceptionally annoying.


    Did she think she was so great?


    He Xuerong stamped her foot, huffed angrily, glared at Anna, and stormily ran after Li Mingguang toward his home.


    Anna hadn¡¯t expected the child to disrespect her like this. She was so uncultured. Looking at Qiao Qingyu, she frowned but ultimately said nothing.


    Obviously displeased, she then spoke to He Xiuyu with a stern face, ¡°I meant well. I understand Liu Ge very well, I...¡±


    He Xiuyu interrupted her rapidly, ¡°Anna, if there¡¯s something you want to discuss with me, come inside. If not, I¡¯ll take you to the hostel.¡±


    Anna looked at Qiao Qingyu, who stood beside He Xiuyu. Throughout it all, she noticed that this woman appeared calm and nonchalant, her lips always curling into a gentle smile as if she understood everything, seeming like Anna was just making an unreasonable fuss.


    Such a gaze made Anna feel uncomfortable and even jealous, but deep down, she couldn¡¯t deny that Qiao Qingyu¡¯s looks and her aura were indeed a good match for He Xiuyu.


    And because of that, her discomfort grew even more.


    She didn¡¯t intend to stay at their place any longer. Anna said to the people beside her, ¡°You guys go wait outside, I need a word with He Xiuyu alone.¡±


    Before He Xiuyu could speak, Old Wei¡¯s eyes twinkled, and he said with a smile, ¡°You two talk, I¡¯ll just take them to the gatehouse for some tea. We¡¯ll wait for you there...¡±


    Saying this, Old Wei led the aides toward the gatehouse. The others had already stepped outside, for they were distanced guests, after all. They couldn¡¯t be kept out because of a single comment by Anna ¨C unlike others, they needed to maintain their manners, so Old Wei took the aides to the gatehouse for tea.


    Qiao Qingyu opened the door, letting Anna in, although they had never formally spoken. Yet that didn¡¯t prevent Qiao Qingyu from saying cheerfully, ¡°I know you¡¯re Anna. Su Yunyao has mentioned you to me. In my memory, you¡¯re an academic whiz, fluent in several languages.¡± Then her tone shifted, ¡°But the way you talked in front of Rongrong just now was inappropriate. Liu Ge is Rongrong¡¯s biological mother, and you have no right to judge her mother¡¯s rights or wrongs in front of her daughter!¡±

 Chapter 430 - 430 430 Walk With Me

    ?Chapter 430: Chapter 430: Walk With Me Chapter 430: Chapter 430: Walk With Me Anna genuinely hadn¡¯t expected this woman named Qiao Qingyu to open fire on her so directly.


    Her lips moved, but before she could speak, Qiao Qingyu had already closed the door again¡ªafter all, the temperatures inside and outside were different. Standing in the entryway, this time she looked at He Xiuyu, ¡°Whatever you have to say to your friend, sit down and talk it over. I¡¯ll go check on Rongrong.¡±


    Then, with a meaningful glance at He Xiuyu and a smile, she opened the door and quickly headed towards the main entrance.


    He Xiuyu hurriedly turned back, watching his wife¡¯s retreating figure through the window glass, feeling a kind of prickling on his back. What did Qingyu¡¯s look just now mean?


    Was it a warning, sarcasm, or something else?


    He seemed a bit unable to understand.


    Yet, he also hadn¡¯t expected that Anna, who used to be docile and sensible, had turned out like this after a few years overseas?


    Although she tried hard to conceal it, the arrogance in the depths of her eyes could not be hidden.


    He was getting impatient, but after all, it had been many years since they¡¯d seen each other, and he was still unaware of many things. Her arrival was also very sudden.


    He Xiuyu, restraining the discomfort in his heart, let Anna into the living room, poured her a cup of tea, and sat opposite her before he finally spoke up, ¡°Anna, you¡¯ve traveled all this way to Tenghai Research Base to find me, you must have something important. Go ahead...¡±


    Anna took a deep breath, now that it was just the two of them, she suddenly felt as if she were back in her younger years. Looking at that handsome face, her heart felt sour, and her voice a bit choked, ¡°Ah Yu, is this the tone you are going to use to speak with me?¡±


    Then she added, ¡°Your wife just chastised me like that, why didn¡¯t you scold her?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not wrong, Anna. I don¡¯t know if you did it on purpose or not, but in front of so many people, what you did just now was really disappointing and incomprehensible.¡±


    ¡°There are no outsiders here, those three can¡¯t understand us that well, don¡¯t assume just because they¡¯re of Chinese descent...¡±


    He Xiuyu, getting impatient, cut her off, ¡°No matter what the situation, you have no right to butt in on Liu Ge¡¯s issues.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing this for Rongrong¡¯s sake. Liu Ge, that woman, is too complex; there¡¯s a lot that you guys don¡¯t know about, don¡¯t think she¡¯s a good person. And if you keep letting her have her way, not seeing through her true colors, Rongrong will eventually be harmed by her.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s patience had reached its breaking point, and he asked in a heavy voice, ¡°Anna, did you come here just to tell me this?¡±


    Anna quickly remembered the purpose of her trip, rushing to say, ¡°Ah Yu, I have something very important to discuss with you.¡±


    ¡°You have the floor.¡±


    Anna did not immediately speak, but instead opened her handbag, took out the letters and some documents from inside, and with a smile on her face, she said, ¡°Ah Yu, these are invitation letters from M country and S country for you. As long as you agree to go to either country, they will offer you the most generous treatment.¡±


    Glancing around, she spoke with heartache, ¡°Ah Yu, I never imagined that you would live in such a terrible environment. You¡¯re a scientist, a genius¡ªyou are a treasure of the world. They should not treat you so lightly; you deserve better. Not to mention S country, M country will also offer you educational opportunities, substantial scholarships, villas, cars¡ªwhatever you want, they¡¯ll give to you...¡±


    At this moment, Qiao Qingyu really had no idea that Anna had come this time intending to take He Xiuyu away.


    She had found several children feeding birds in the small woods.


    When He Xuerong saw her, she looked back in the direction of her home and asked Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Little aunt, has that annoying woman left?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Qiao Qingyu straightened her scarf and tugged her hat down a bit before smiling at Li Mingguang with praise, ¡°Xiao Hu, you¡¯re very smart, and I should thank you for just now.¡±


    Li Mingguang grinned happily but glanced at He Xuerong and said, ¡°Actually, if I hadn¡¯t pulled Rongrong, she wouldn¡¯t have spoken up either.¡±


    He Xuerong was unappreciative and glared at him.


    It was only then Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°I know what you were about to say, but those two words are just too insulting. Of course, she deserves to be scolded for speaking about your mother like that, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, little aunt, but thankfully Xiao Hu stopped me. I wouldn¡¯t say something so uncultured.¡±


    ¡°Our Rongrong is the most sensible. You must never say such things in the future.¡±


    ¡°I got it, little aunt,¡± He Xuerong readily agreed and then leaned in closer to say, ¡°I know this woman, my little aunt has mentioned her. She¡¯s quite close with her. Once, to protect her, my little aunt even had stones thrown at her.¡±


    ¡°Do they still keep in touch now?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked in surprise.


    ¡°How would I know?¡±


    ¡°Never mind then, play here for a bit longer, but you guys should hurry home soon. It¡¯s still a bit cold outside.¡±


    ¡°Little aunt, she¡¯s not going to eat at our place, is she?¡± He Xuerong asked worriedly.


    ¡°Little aunt can¡¯t cook Western food, so she definitely won¡¯t eat at our house.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu guessed Anna probably wouldn¡¯t want to eat her cooking, or maybe she wanted to eat He Xiuyu¡¯s cooking instead.


    But Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t afford to stay outside for too long either.


    She kept an eye on the direction of the door and when she heard a noise, she already saw Anna with her handbag and leather boots, her white coat billowing out into an arc as she walked briskly, her wavy brown hair fluttering in the wind. Just by looking at the figure from behind, one could tell she must be a beautiful woman, but such a posture also indicated she was a woman in a fit of rage.


    Then, there was He Xiuyu, hands lazily stuffed into his coat pockets, leaning against the doorframe. He glanced in Anna¡¯s direction, then turned his head and waved at her.


    It wasn¡¯t until Qiao Qingyu returned that she found out what Anna was here for.


    Of course, Qiao Qingyu knew He Xiuyu definitely wouldn¡¯t go. If he had wanted to, he would have left already; he wouldn¡¯t have waited for Anna to come and persuade him.


    It wasn¡¯t as though countries hadn¡¯t offered him the olive branch before.


    Still, with a raised eyebrow, she asked He Xiuyu, ¡°With so many generous offers, are there a lot of beautiful women too?¡±


    Her sarcasm, ah, but He Xiuyu adored it.


    He quickly pulled Qiao Qingyu into his embrace, confessing softly, ¡°My Little Qiao comrade is the most beautiful girl in the world, unmatched by anyone. Who else would I even consider after having you?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, though dismissive, betrayed her feelings with the corners of her mouth turning up, yet she still had to twist her words playfully, ¡°But I think Anna is pretty too.¡±


    ¡°Her beauty is her business, what¡¯s that got to do with me?¡± He Xiuyu said indifferently, ¡°Besides, I really don¡¯t think she¡¯s that pretty.¡±

 Chapter 431 - 431 431 Hes Like a Dust-Covered Pearl

    ?Chapter 431: Chapter 431: He¡¯s Like a Dust-Covered Pearl Chapter 431: Chapter 431: He¡¯s Like a Dust-Covered Pearl ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s true, have I ever lied to you?¡± He Xiuyu retorted.


    Qiao Qingyu naturally believed him; it seemed there was no reason for He Xiuyu to lie to her.


    She asked again, ¡°Anna left without accomplishing anything, but will she just leave like that? Wasn¡¯t it said that she brought some projects and funds?¡±


    Right now, He Xiuyu¡¯s base was still in need of funds, desperately in need, even though the money earned by the Agricultural Base this year had been temporarily diverted by him, it was still not enough.


    All research projects were like bottomless pits, each a gold-eating beast.


    Therefore, concerning funds he could accept, He Xiuyu was very willing to take them, but accepting investments in research required extreme caution, lest there be any oversight, for research achievements were not something to hand over easily.


    In this regard, the country had already invested most of the funds in the Tenghai Research Base.


    If the funds were sufficient for operations before, the research projects had suddenly increased several times over the past two years, naturally making the finances tight.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what projects and funds she brings, I have nothing to do with it, and since she could say what she did today, I wouldn¡¯t advise accepting her funds or collaborating with her.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded, but also said, ¡°You might be able to resist the temptation, but others may not.¡±


    In the early 1980s, at the start of the reform and opening up, at that time, in the eyes of the Huaxia people, all foreign monks could chant, and foreign funds and enterprises were deeply loved and pursued by the Huaxia people.


    ¡°Do your best and leave the rest to fate.¡±


    He Xiuyu said lightly.


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu thought that Anna, having failed, would soon leave, especially since this visit was quite pointless because the childhood friend she liked had already married another girl, and they had been married for three years now.


    But unexpectedly, she stayed at the guesthouse.


    Qiao Qingyu was even more surprised when she came knocking on her door again.


    This time, she chose a moment when He Xiuyu was not home.


    Qiao Qingyu poured a cup of tea for her. She sat down with a smile and looked at Anna, ¡°What do you need? Just tell me straight.¡±


    Anna didn¡¯t drink the tea Qiao Qingyu poured for her.


    She had stayed at the base guesthouse for a day.


    If it weren¡¯t for He Xiuyu, she couldn¡¯t bear this place that was both poor and dirty and backward for a minute.


    She spoke up directly, ¡°Miss Qiao, I hope you can persuade He Xiuyu to leave Huaxia with me.¡±


    Ha, how strange that sounds.


    Qiao Qingyu asked, ¡°Where to?¡±


    ¡°Many countries have extended olive branches to Ah Yu, especially Country S and Country M, offering substantial benefits that you Huaxia people dream about but cannot obtain. I think as his wife, you should persuade him to pursue a brighter future instead of letting him stay in such a poor, broken, and backward place, enduring the hardships of sandstorms and harsh natural conditions...¡±


    As she spoke, Anna stood up; she was somewhat agitated and stared straight at Qiao Qingyu. ¡°He is a great scientist; he should be in a laboratory with the most advanced equipment. He should live in the most beautiful villa, enjoying coffee on a sunny afternoon on a spacious balcony, looking out at the distant scenery...¡±


    The overly excited Anna stood in front of Qiao Qingyu. ¡°So, as his wife, you should persuade him to seize this great opportunity and leave Huaxia immediately.¡±


    Anna¡¯s hands waved as she continued, ¡°He Xiuyu, he is a genius, an exceptionally outstanding man. He shouldn¡¯t be in such a place where he is like a pearl covered in dust; it breaks my heart and is deeply saddening...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, however, did not expect that Anna, unable to persuade He Xiuyu, would actually come to her.


    She looked at Anna, her expression calm, still carrying a smile, ¡°Did you just say you want me to persuade He Xiuyu to leave Huaxia and go to Country M with you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I mean.¡±


    ¡°And what about me?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked softly.


    Anna paused, apparently anticipating this question from Qiao Qingyu. Then she said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry; as soon as we leave, we will immediately arrange your visa and all the paperwork. You will be able to join us shortly.¡±


    But her words lacked sincerity; it was obviously very perfunctory. Qiao Qingyu could imagine if He Xiuyu were that kind of person to follow Anna, he would never look back.


    How could he possibly come back for his downtrodden wife!


    Qiao Qingyu shook her head. ¡°Your words have no sincerity; I will not persuade him.¡± Then she added with a hint of sarcasm, ¡°Anna, I think you are a clever woman. I know you are single, but even being single, you should be able to imagine that no wife would advise her husband to go away with another woman.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s for a brighter future, not for anything else; Qiao Qingyu, can¡¯t your thoughts be less vile?¡± Anna¡¯s voice became somewhat shrill.


    ¡°How am I being vile? You really make no sense; didn¡¯t you just keep saying that I should convince my husband He Xiuyu to go with you? Aren¡¯t you a woman?¡±


    ¡°...You...¡± Anna did not expect that Qiao Qingyu, who looked gentle and smiling, could speak so sharply.


    Qiao Qingyu did not bother arguing with her about this; to people like Anna, it was pointless to say anything because her mind was already set, as the popular saying goes, ¡°You can¡¯t wake a person who is pretending to be asleep.¡±


    This is exactly how Anna is now.


    She has little affinity or sense of belonging here, combined with her mixed heritage, so she never felt like she was a person from Huaxia, and so she thought taking He Xiuyu away was the most natural thing, without a hint of unease.


    ¡°Anna, He Xiuyu won¡¯t go with you; if he really goes abroad, it won¡¯t be in this way,¡± Qiao Qingyu said, her voice growing firm and serious.


    ¡°How can you be so sure he won¡¯t go with me?¡± Anna retorted coldly.


    ¡°I am absolutely one hundred percent sure, even one hundred thousand percent sure, my He Xiuyu will definitely not go with you, no matter how generous the offer. If you came just for this, then I advise you to give up on this idea early and not to provoke He Xiuyu into turning against you, or else you will lose even that last bit of childhood friendship.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu genuinely said this out of goodwill, considering they all grew up in the same courtyard.


    Anna¡¯s face turned red with anger; her voice turned even colder, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, don¡¯t you know that in this world, there is never anything that is one hundred percent sure? Don¡¯t speak so absolutely!¡±


    ¡°Anna, indeed there is nothing absolutely certain in this world, and one shouldn¡¯t speak too definitively. But when it comes to my He Xiuyu, I dare to guarantee one hundred percent and can use the word ¡®absolutely¡¯!¡± Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words resonated with conviction.

 Chapter 432 - 432 432 Self-righteous

    ?Chapter 432: Chapter 432: Self-righteous Chapter 432: Chapter 432: Self-righteous The room fell into dead silence; it seemed that one could hear a pin drop.


    After a moment, Anna gritted her teeth and asked, ¡°Are you that confident?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I am his wife; I have the utmost confidence in my husband,¡± Qiao Qingyu said proudly, looking at Anna.


    Anna cast a dark glance at her, picked up her handbag from the sofa, and said, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I will be staying here for a while, so let¡¯s wait and see.¡±


    Then she strode towards the door.


    Qiao Qingyu, of course, had to see her off, watching her figure quickly disappear at the entrance of the family quarters of Tenghai Research Base. Only then did she feel somewhat bored and curled her lip dismissively.


    If this was going to be for a while, it could really become annoying.


    Once Anna arrived at Tenghai Research Base, she naturally had to meet Su Yunyao and Shen Haoze.


    Logically, adding He Xiuyu, they should all meet up, but He Xiuyu had been too busy to be seen these days.


    When the few met, after several years apart, all three had changed.


    Su Yunyao hadn¡¯t expected Anna to come back with this purpose in mind.


    Could she really get what she wished for?


    Su Yunyao thoughtfully glanced at the beautiful woman in front of her.


    It seemed quite unlikely,


    In her memories of her previous life, the future held many countries offering a fortune to poach He Xiuyu. Back then, He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu weren¡¯t on good terms yet. Logically, he should have taken the opportunity to flee the country, to escape from Qiao Qingyu. Yet, he preferred to bide his time with her, enduring unimaginable pain and torture rather than leave.


    He did go abroad, but only when invited to attend conferences or receive awards.


    Not to settle down.


    In this lifetime, his relationship with Qiao Qingyu was as close as paint to wood; how could he bear to leave? Moreover, with so many research projects in his hands now, producing any one of them could advance Huaxia¡¯s development by twenty to thirty years compared to what she remembered.


    If the technology she possessed was further developed, if the Huaxia people didn¡¯t adhere to the doctrine of moderation, maybe in a few decades it would be Huaxia who dominated the world.


    So Su Yunyao never really felt Anna could take He Xiuyu away; it was too naive. However, she didn¡¯t mind giving Anna a dose of reality. She called Anna to her side and whispered, ¡°I also heard that as soon as you arrived, you spoke ill of Liu Ge to Rongrong, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I was speaking ill of her. That woman, Liu Ge, is indeed very strange. She¡¯s like a witch. If Rongrong hangs out with her, sooner or later she¡¯ll be dragged down with her.¡±


    ¡°But Qiao Qingyu is no simple character either,¡± said Su Yunyao, meaningful.


    Anna¡¯s eyes shifted, and she asked quickly, ¡°Yun Yao, what do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°You said Liu Ge was weird, right? Let me tell you, Qiao Qingyu is also pretty strange.¡±


    Then, Su Yunyao began to recount the drastic changes in Qiao Qingyu that she knew, as well as some of her behaviors that were beyond ordinary, to Anna.


    Initially, Anna didn¡¯t take it seriously, but as she listened, her expression grew more and more shocked.


    At this very moment, the two of them were in Su Yunyao¡¯s dormitory.


    After exchanging a few words with Anna, Shen Haoze left, but they agreed to have dinner together in the canteen that evening.


    Anna stood up, looking at Su Yunyao with some disbelief, ¡°Is everything you said true?¡±


    Su Yunyao spread her hands indifferently and said, ¡°Why would I lie to you? This is common knowledge.¡±


    ¡°Is it that miraculous? A country girl who only had a few years of schooling suddenly became the top scholar of your city, using just under two years. A genius? This is definitely a genius!¡±


    ¡°Indeed, everyone says she¡¯s a genius,¡± Su Yunyao concurred with a deep smile at the corner of her mouth.


    The two glanced at each other, and Anna murmured, ¡°Is there really such a genius? This change seems too rapid, with no buildup, just an overnight explosion. It¡¯s too illogical.¡±


    Su Yunyao certainly couldn¡¯t say that this soul wasn¡¯t the same as the former Qiao Qingyu, it was very likely reborn or something else.


    Plus, she was indeed a bona fide top student, not the old farmer that Su Yunyao once darkly thought her to be, which was just deceiving herself.


    ¡°...She also has many other areas that defy logic,¡± Su Yunyao added.


    ¡°What else is illogical?¡± Anna asked, looking at Su Yunyao and frowning.


    With a meaningful look in her eyes, this time Su Yunyao did not speak but just curled her lips into a smile. She was not foolish; how could she possibly reveal everything? Some things seemed equivocal, and even she herself was not sure. How could she possibly tell Anna, especially when she had suffered many losses under Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hands?


    But what she had just told was common knowledge and witnessed by all, so there was nothing to worry about sharing. She wasn¡¯t afraid.


    Anna, looking at Su Yunyao, seemed to realize something and also smiled, ¡°You yourself don¡¯t know, or aren¡¯t sure, do you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really care either, since it¡¯s just us two talking in this room. You can¡¯t possibly share our conversation with others, right? So, I¡¯ll tell you the truth, He Xiuyu actually listens to his wife a lot. If Qiao Qingyu persuades him to go out, he will definitely follow her. If Qiao Qingyu disagrees, I tell you, Anna, He Xiuyu won¡¯t move an inch.¡±


    Anna stood up, arms folded, and she did not continue to inquire about other anomalies regarding Qiao Qingyu. After all, she had already applied to stay here another week. Although she couldn¡¯t investigate openly, she had her own sources of information.


    She would soon know exactly what kind of person Qiao Qingyu was.


    She paced back and forth in the room, then suddenly turned to look at Su Yunyao, who sat on the bed, and asked earnestly, ¡°Su Yunyao, if such an opportunity fell to you, what would you choose?¡±


    Su Yunyao¡¯s eyes flickered. She had really never thought about it. Despite having studied abroad both in her past and current life, she had never encountered such an opportunity. Perhaps her own weight was not enough, so no one had offered her an olive branch.


    But now she truly had a lot on her plate, and her heart stirred at the thought.


    Yet she still spoke nonchalantly, ¡°I just do research honestly here, I don¡¯t know anybody, how could such an opportunity come my way?¡±


    Listening to her words and tone, Anna sensed that Su Yunyao was somewhat tempted. If such an opportunity fell on Su Yunyao¡¯s head, she would probably accept it without hesitation.


    But she couldn¡¯t assume that. After all, Anna didn¡¯t come here for Su Yunyao, and Su Yunyao wasn¡¯t on their list.


    So was the temptation not strong enough?


    Otherwise, He Xiuyu should have agreed.


    Was it really because of Qiao Qingyu?


    When she came here, her thoughts were actually all wrong. She assumed that the current He Xiuyu must be doing poorly, and thought that based on the affection of their youth, and with her reasoned persuasion, she estimated He Xiuyu would agree to leave with her.

 Chapter 433 - 433 433 Gave Birth

    ?Chapter 433: Chapter 433: Gave Birth Chapter 433: Chapter 433: Gave Birth But now, even though she didn¡¯t know exactly who Qiao Qingyu was, she did know what kind of couple He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu were.


    They loved and were happy together. Although she didn¡¯t want to admit it, the fact was undeniable.


    Regardless of what kind of couple He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu were, the current Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t have time to pay attention to Anna. She drove a tractor straight to Yushu County.


    Fang Xiaomei was about to give birth, but logically, this call should not have been made to Qiao Qingyu. However, it just happened that Qiao Qingyu called Mr. Qian, and then Mr. Qian¡¯s sister¡ªthat is, Fang Xiaomei¡¯s own mother¡ªcame over to find Mr. Qian. That¡¯s when she learned that Fang Xiaomei¡¯s due date was supposed to be a week later, but she had gone into premature labor. Xiao Mei¡¯s mother asked Mr. Qian to quickly find either a tractor or a horse-drawn cart to take her to Yushu County, as Xiao Mei was now in the hospital.


    Upon hearing this news, naturally, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t just wait at home. So, she left Rongrong with Sister-in-law Li and then drove the tractor towards Yushu County.


    It was undeniable that Fang Xiaomei was fortunate. When Qiao Qingyu arrived at the hospital, although it was a premature birth, a chubby boy weighing 7.5 pounds had already been born, bringing tremendous joy to Chen Sheng and his parents.


    Not only were they overjoyed, but as Fang Xiaomei¡¯s biological mother, seeing her daughter give birth to a big, healthy boy for the Chen family naturally made her extremely happy too. There was no helping it¡ªthis deeply rooted concept had persisted from ancient times till today.


    Xiao Mei was in good physical condition and seemed to be unaffected by the delivery¡ªit wasn¡¯t like she¡¯d had a brush with death, as the saying goes. In her own words, it was like she¡¯d just laid an egg.


    Though the child was born prematurely, he was healthy, with black hair, only his skin was a bit wrinkly.


    The conditions at Yushu County hospital were not great. However, there was a nursery with all kinds of medical equipment. Since this was a premature birth, the child was placed there, and then Chen Sheng¡¯s mother and father stood guard at the door. Qiao Qingyu thought that if anyone wanted to sneak in and steal the child, it would be impossible because there was only one baby inside.


    Everything had been prepared in advance. Mr. Qian did not feel it was appropriate for him to enter the ward, so he took Chen Sheng to buy other items. Xiao Mei¡¯s mother had just sat down for a moment when she was called over by Chen Sheng¡¯s mother to see their precious grandson.


    As Fang Xiaomei was Mr. Qian¡¯s sister¡¯s first daughter and the first to get married, this was her first grandchild, and understandably, he was doted on immensely.


    Although it was still too early to tell whom he resembled.


    Chen Sheng¡¯s mother said the child looked like Chen Sheng, and then Xiao Mei¡¯s mother said the child resembled her daughter.


    Xiao Mei was good-looking, with strong features and especially bright eyes. If the boy took after her, he would grow up to be very handsome.


    Qiao Qingyu sat on a stool, and by this time, Xiao Mei had also woken up, so the two of them started talking.


    There was only one maternity patient in the ward¡ªher.


    Xiao Mei glanced outside and suddenly said to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qingyu, do you think they would be this happy if I had given birth to a daughter?¡±


    How could Qiao Qingyu respond to that?


    She replied cheerfully, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t they be happy? Nowadays, having boys and girls is all the same.¡±


    As she spoke, Qiao Qingyu was reminded of the propaganda that Sun Xiuyuan was still doing over the winter break.


    The joint initiative was organized in collaboration with the Women¡¯s Federation, the Labor Union, and the Youth League.


    Mr. Sun was very supportive this time.


    He felt that his daughter had finally grown up. The last incident had clearly been a great blow to her, reducing her vanity considerably, and she had matured since then. When he learned that this was all thanks to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s guidance, he was somewhat grateful to her.


    To be honest, if his daughter could continue on this path, it would be no problem for her to join the Youth League, Labor Union, or Women¡¯s Federation of the city committee after graduation.


    Now that the city and the nearby Yushu County had been covered, her team was preparing to head out to the remote mountain villages.


    However, in remote areas, despite the serious issue of gender preference, there was an urgent need for such organizations and activities to raise awareness.


    But safety was also very important. There were many villagers born and bred there, generation after generation on that land, with many deeply ingrained ignorant beliefs. Moreover, many of them were especially clannish within a single family. So before Sun Xiuyuan set out, she consulted with Qiao Qingyu. Qiao Qingyu thought there might even be trafficked women and children in those places, so she advised Sun Xiuyuan and her publicity team to be on the lookout for such information, but to also prioritize their personal safety.


    There were many girls in the publicity team; they had to be careful not to let anything happen by accident.


    Sun Xiuyuan grew up in a privileged family and had never seen the worst and ugliest side of human nature. She might not have thought of that herself, but once reminded, her family and the rest of the team would be vigilant.


    Her thoughts had wandered a bit, but then she saw Fang Xiaomei smile, a smile of deep understanding.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m well aware that if I have a daughter this time, I don¡¯t know if Chen Sheng will divorce me, but I do know that my in-laws won¡¯t treat me the way they used to. They might even pressure me to keep having children until I give birth to a son.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at Fang Xiaomei, who had matured a lot after marriage. Honestly, like Fang Xiaomei, sometimes naive, she was able to see reality for what it was.


    And it¡¯s this type of person who doesn¡¯t find life wearying.


    ¡°Xiao Mei, I know it¡¯s different for you. Whether you have a boy or a girl, everyone in your family will treasure them. But it¡¯s not the same with my family. However, there¡¯s nothing I can do. I chose the man myself, it¡¯s the path I decided to walk. I¡¯ve thought it through; if it¡¯s a girl, I have my own way out.¡±


    ¡°Qingyu, you just had a baby and need to take good care of yourself. Don¡¯t think about all those messy ¡®what ifs.¡¯ Life doesn¡¯t have that many hypotheticals; just deal with what¡¯s in front of you.¡±


    Fang Xiaomei nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right, after all, living life is just that simple. But no matter what, I do love Chen Sheng, and he loves me too. Now that we¡¯ve had a son, our lives should be able to continue peacefully. I don¡¯t think too much about the future.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu felt that perhaps new mothers tend to be a bit sentimental.


    Otherwise, how could the usually somewhat careless Fang Xiaomei become so expressive and say so much?


    ¡°You¡¯re right in thinking that way. Every family has its own difficult issues that others can¡¯t know unless you tell them.¡±


    Fang Xiaomei laughed. ¡°That¡¯s exactly it. If I don¡¯t tell you, you won¡¯t know. If this child is a girl, I¡¯ve made plans for my way out...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at Fang Xiaomei with surprise, wanting to ask what kind of way out she had arranged for herself, but then footsteps were heard at the door, and they saw Chen Sheng come in.

 Chapter 434 - 434 434

    ?Chapter 434: Chapter 434 Chapter 434: Chapter 434 Chen Sheng had gloriously upgraded to being a milk dad, it seemed he had come from next door, and although the child was a bit premature, a 7.4-pound baby was still plump.


    He felt accomplished and naturally was all smiles.


    Qingyu checked the time, took out one hundred yuan, and placed it on the table, ¡°I came in a hurry and didn¡¯t buy anything. You guys buy some nutritional supplements; when I have time, I¡¯ll crochet some little clothes and hats for my little nephew...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you go back on your word,¡± Xiao Mei didn¡¯t hesitate in the slightest.


    Qingyu glanced at her with a smile, ¡°When have I ever not kept my promise?¡±


    Xiao Mei just giggled.


    Chen Sheng didn¡¯t bother with formalities. Given Qingyu and Xiao Mei¡¯s close relationship, he naturally benefited, although he had never considered his work or other aspects dependent on Xiao Mei. But, inevitably, he had basked in her reflected glory without doing so.


    Thinking Qingyu couldn¡¯t achieve much, just contracting some land, after all, what significant prospects could one have scrabbling on the land? Even if there was a Seed Laboratory, she couldn¡¯t escape the helplessness and hardships of relying on the heavens for a living, but unexpectedly she had grown the operations bigger and bigger. It was said the Agricultural Base¡¯s income had somewhat eased the tight fundings for scientific research.


    But as for the specifics, he had no idea. His wife didn¡¯t talk about it, and he wasn¡¯t about to ask; in case there were issues, it wouldn¡¯t be clear.


    Thus, the significance of the Agricultural Base was increasingly apparent.


    Now, no one dared to underestimate the Agricultural Base, and his wife was the financial manager of it.


    He beamed, ¡°Mr. Qiao, when my son has his one-month celebration, you must come, alright...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely be there.¡±


    Mr. Qian set down what he was carrying on the table and said to Qingyu, ¡°I didn¡¯t finish talking about the wool processing factory on the phone; now that we¡¯re free, let me tell you more...¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it on the way.¡±


    Qingyu followed Mr. Qian out of the hospital.


    On the way, Mr. Qian talked about the wool processing factory; the equipment was already en route, the location chosen¡ªa discarded warehouse next to the commune that was currently being repaired. After everything arrived, they¡¯d arrange for technical personnel to install it.


    And now they had already begun collecting wool.


    Some families had stored quite a lot, and upon hearing the news, they hurried over with carts or sacks to deliver it.


    The county also placed great importance on this wool processing factory, but the county¡¯s finances were tight, and there was no funding.


    Qingyu then asked, ¡°Mr. Qian, with the New Year approaching, is the commune planning to issue IOUs?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m considering it,¡± Mr. Qian replied. ¡°If we issue IOUs, the people from our commune might agree, but people from other communes might not.¡± He said with a bit of pride, ¡°Now, our Xiaxi Commune has the highest income in the entire county, and we have the most surplus crops. Issuing an IOU and paying it off next year could be feasible, but other communes would find it much harder. You don¡¯t know, many people rely on borrowing money to raise sheep, then counting on selling the wool for some money to celebrate the New Year. It¡¯s difficult for me; if we pay cash to other communes and issue IOUs to our own, we can¡¯t treat everyone the same, and that would definitely be contentious.¡±


    This was indeed a problem.


    Even for the members of their own commune, having cash in hand was better than an IOU.


    Having money in your pocket, that¡¯s what¡¯s called money. An IOU, in the end, is not reassuring, only because the past two years have been better, so people are more confident.


    Qingyu understood that Mr. Qian was simply looking to have a chat with her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll contact Boss Chen when I get back and see if he can prepay a deposit.¡±


    The wool processing factory¡¯s progress was smooth. The equipment was connected through Chen Tianliang. Since it involved official business, Mr. Qian wasn¡¯t going to let such a good opportunity pass by over personal grievances, but he put the deputy head in charge, and Chen Tianliang helped contact the technical staff.


    Then, when Qingyu mentioned it over the phone to Boss Chen, she did not expect him to be very interested in the wool processing factory.


    He told Qingyu that as long as they could produce quality semifinished products, he would take as many as they had, effectively solving Xiaxi Commune¡¯s wool processing factory¡¯s future worries instantly.


    Hearing this, Mr. Qian quickly waved his hands, ¡°That won¡¯t do. Our factory isn¡¯t up yet. Boss Chen is considering your influence, saying that if our factory truly can produce quality wool, he would then take all of it. We can¡¯t overstep further; otherwise, we won¡¯t be able to do business in the future.¡±


    He continued, ¡°The commune has some funds for this. It¡¯s just they would be rather tight if all were taken out. I¡¯m considering whether to slow down the mushroom cultivation project...¡±


    There was a type of mushroom that suited Xiaxi Commune for cultivation¡ªthe large flat mushrooms Qingyu had once tossed onto the grass, which were then taken by agricultural technicians for cultivation, developing a large batch of mushroom strains successfully.


    Now, the strains Qingyu scattered had indeed become wild, but since they originated from the laboratory, that patch of grass was now under protection.


    The technology was mature; what was lacking now was promotion and funding for building mushroom sheds, which required higher costs than raising sheep.


    So, this matter couldn¡¯t be rushed. After all, compared to semi-processed wool, mushrooms were less suitable for storage; despite their short growth period, they required significant investment and were quite delicate. If they weren¡¯t sold promptly, they would simply rot away.


    The demand for wool in the market was consistently high, but mushroom development had more limitations.


    Qingyu suggested, ¡°Since there are difficulties with developing mushrooms for the time being, let¡¯s use the funds to buy wool first. Then we¡¯ll quickly produce the first batch. If the quality is up to standard, Boss Chen will transfer the money over.¡±


    Mr. Qian said with embarrassment, ¡°Then we¡¯ll inevitably need you to be more involved, Qingyu. I¡¯m a bit daunted dealing with those Southern merchants; I always feel like I don¡¯t quite understand what they¡¯re saying.¡±


    Qingyu reassured, ¡°Take it slow, and besides, you¡¯ll have to interact with others more in the future. Uncomfortable or not, you¡¯ll have to get used to it...¡±


    Indeed, you have to get used to it, no matter how uncomfortable it is. Now is not the same as before. At his age, he had to learn a lot of new things from scratch, but it was worth it because there were good times ahead.


    Qingyu saw Mr. Qian to the gate of Xiaxi Commune, then drove the tractor back to the Agricultural Base family compound. To her surprise, there was someone standing at the gate.


    Fully wrapped in a scarf and a hat, revealing only a pair of eyes, who could it be if not Anna?

 Chapter 435 - 435 435 What Exactly Needs to Be Done

    ?Chapter 435: Chapter 435 What Exactly Needs to Be Done Chapter 435: Chapter 435 What Exactly Needs to Be Done Qiao Qingyu furrowed her brows.


    However, she stopped the tractor, then jumped off and looked at Anna, ¡°In such cold weather, why are you dressed like that, waiting here for me? Is there something you need?¡±


    Anna gave Qiao Qingyu a complex look and nodded.


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I¡¯ve already made contact, as long as you can persuade He Xiuyu to join us, we will take you with us too.¡±


    It sounded as though taking her along was a favor she was granting, but on the other hand, Anna was so brazenly in touch with foreign contacts, and so boldly preparing to undermine their operation right at their doorstep. Wasn¡¯t that a bit unreasonable and unscientific?


    Just then, a guard hurried over and saluted, then told Qiao Qingyu that there was a phone call for her and asked her to take it now. Qiao Qingyu stamped her foot at Anna and said, ¡°Then you wait for me a moment, I¡¯m going to take a call.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu went to take the call, alone in the guardroom, the door firmly shut by the guard.


    It turned out to be Mr. Qi from headquarters on the phone. He began with, ¡°Qingyu, aren¡¯t you wondering how I managed to call you here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Uncle Qi, I am quite curious.¡±


    ¡°I first tried to call Chief Engineer He, but he had gone down to the workshop, then I called your home and no one picked up. Old Xie told me you were in Yushu County, so I just gave it a try.¡±


    Uncle Qi¡¯s voice was gentle, as if chatting leisurely with a younger family member, but Qiao Qingyu knew that he must have something important, so she asked, ¡°Uncle Qi, please just tell me what it is.¡±


    Anna was still outside waiting to be dealt with.


    ¡°Qingyu, you¡¯ve seen Anna, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu paused and then said, ¡°I have, she¡¯s nearby waiting for me right now, probably still hoping to convince He Xiuyu to go with her.¡±


    Uncle Qi just chuckled on the other end; he didn¡¯t seem worried about it at all.


    But then he said quite seriously, ¡°Qingyu, you¡¯re probably wondering why we would allow such a person to stay on the base, and in such a critical area, doing things that are so detestable.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was just wondering about that too, Uncle Qi. Could it be that you are planning something?¡±


    ¡°Yes, although Anna came here on a mission, she also has a scientific research institution in Country S, invested in by her family. There¡¯s a scientific research achievement, it¡¯s just not public yet. They¡¯re also hesitating on how to sell this achievement to maximize benefits...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu paused for a few seconds, and then asked directly, ¡°Uncle Qi, how did you come to know this?¡±


    ¡°This information was provided by Anna¡¯s teacher.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mind raced, understanding what Uncle Qi intended to do, but whether she could fulfill his request was another matter.


    Anna was dead set on taking He Xiuyu away, even wanting to exclude her from the equation. Although Anna hadn¡¯t shown Qiao Qingyu any arrogant demeanor, a sense of superiority was always subtly present.


    Another problem was, from a broader perspective, it would be much easier for He Xiuyu to handle this situation than for her. She asked tentatively, ¡°Uncle Qi, was it this matter you discussed with He Xiuyu?¡±


    ¡°No, it was another matter, unrelated to this,¡± Uncle Qi replied before changing the subject.


    ¡°Qingyu, this may be a difficult ask, but Anna has set her sights on you; she talks to you the most, so be on your guard. Over the next week, could you find out indirectly how her family plans to sell their scientific research achievement?¡±


    ¡°But Uncle Qi, how could Anna possibly tell me about their scientific research achievement?¡±


    ¡°Just talk to her directly.¡± Uncle Qi¡¯s voice rang out clear and loud from the other end, ¡°We¡¯ve discussed this issue before, otherwise we wouldn¡¯t have treated her so well and allowed her to roam the base. We just didn¡¯t come to an agreement at the time. Now you can tell her that I called you, and that I mentioned her family¡¯s scientific research achievement...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu thought for a moment, ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±


    ¡°Qingyu, do your best.¡± Uncle Qi seemed to think it over before adding that line.


    Qiao Qingyu curled her lips into a smirk; Uncle Qi really didn¡¯t hold back with his requests.


    But why ask her to speak to Anna, and not Su Yunyao?


    Right, there was also Shen Haoze.


    Logically, any one of those three asking would be far better than her making the inquiry.


    Qiao Qingyu had a so-so impression of Uncle Qi; her mind marked a question, but she didn¡¯t dwell on it too much. It was just a question, after all.


    As Qiao Qingyu left the guardroom, she saw Anna pacing impatiently by the door.


    Upon seeing her come out, Anna frowned but still suggested, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, let¡¯s go to your place to talk.¡±


    The weather was hellishly cold and dry, and although the wind was less severe than expected, it was still uncomfortable on the face.


    Qiao Qingyu asked Anna, ¡°Do you want to take my tractor for a spin around the outskirts of the base?¡±


    Anna was startled, glanced back at Qiao Qingyu¡¯s tractor, and disdainfully said, ¡°No, your tractor is too shabby. Besides, I never ride tractors...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    Minutes later, with an expression full of disdain, Anna sat in He Xiuyu¡¯s specially crafted driver¡¯s cabin, her eyes curiously taking in the barren scenery on both sides.


    She had never been to such a place; the distant hills, near and far, all bore the same hue. The slopes weren¡¯t steep but stretched on indefinitely; it was said that this area used to be all yellow sand, even experiencing sandstorms in the spring.


    Yet there were not a few trees near the base.


    One could believe that in a few years this place would be shaded by greenery.


    But how many years would that take?


    Was such waiting meaningful?


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, the conditions here are so harsh, you could all have a much better life. Why insist on suffering and struggle? Does that really prove you work harder than others? You could live better; why choose hardship?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at her, smiling at her lips. Some things, some concepts, seemed too profound for Anna; she didn¡¯t quite understand, or perhaps, she chose not to understand.


    Only by doing so could she persist in what she wanted to believe, feeling that only the places she acknowledged were Heaven.


    It was also the only way she could appear forever superior.


    Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°Anna, you know He Xiuyu won¡¯t leave with you. So, can I ask what you¡¯re really intending to do?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was genuinely curious; it seemed that Anna was trying to figure her out.


    Otherwise, Uncle Qi wouldn¡¯t have mentioned that Anna was keeping an eye on her.

 Chapter 436 - 436 436 Whats Yours is Yours

    ?Chapter 436: Chapter 436: What¡¯s Yours is Yours Chapter 436: Chapter 436: What¡¯s Yours is Yours Anna actually didn¡¯t know what she wanted to do with Qiao Qingyu.


    She naturally wouldn¡¯t dare to openly investigate at the base, but she had learned a few things about Qiao Qingyu, a bit more than Su Yunyao knew, and these weren¡¯t exactly big secrets.


    In Anna¡¯s analysis, everything Qiao Qingyu had today had been painstakingly planned for her by He Xiuyu.


    After all, Qiao Qingyu came from a humble background. To stand shoulder to shoulder with him and have a bright future, she needed a sparkling and glamorous identity.


    In other words, the old saying about gilding.


    For a country girl with no education or experience, managing the Seed Laboratory seemed most suitable, and it also wasn¡¯t likely to give her away.


    On a larger scale, there was the current Agricultural Base.


    So, it¡¯s fair to say He Xiuyu went to great lengths for Qiao Qingyu.


    But it was also effective, wasn¡¯t it? Now, Qiao Qingyu was packaged as a genius.


    Indeed, the power of love is great.


    At this moment, Qiao Qingyu had no idea Anna was patching things up for her.


    And she was doing it quite perfectly.


    She parked the tractor at the edge of the first plot of Barley Grassland she had planted. There stood a sign saying, ¡°Tenghai Agricultural Base Barley Grass Demonstration Zone.¡±


    There were people moving in the distance; this place still belonged to Qiao Qingyu. She hadn¡¯t stationed anyone to guard it or forbid villagers from grazing sheep, but the nearby villagers were very conscious, and somehow, some words had spread privately, such as the land being geomantically blessed, this grass being different from other Barley Grass, that the Barley Grass here was spirited, and people shouldn¡¯t casually touch a blade of grass or twig here, they needed to protect it, or else the grasslands throughout Xichuan might not thrive.


    In short, this place was a miracle, the source of everyone¡¯s good days to come.


    Especially for Xichuan¡¯s greening.


    It might be a rumor, but not entirely. Regardless, spreading it would only benefit this place and do no harm.


    People, no matter what life they lead, should never lose a sense of reverence.


    Thus, Qiao Qingyu never thought to dispel these rumors.


    The figures she had just seen were most likely staff from the Agricultural Base, who occasionally came to patrol and inspect.


    Qiao Qingyu jumped down from the driver¡¯s cabin, then extended her hand symbolically, as if to help the delicate miss off. Unexpectedly, Anna pouted and, mimicking Qiao Qingyu, deftly hopped down herself.


    After dismounting, Qingyu walked forward, and Anna followed.


    The area was surrounded by two hills; the howling north wind took a turn here, making it feel warmer than at the base¡¯s entrance.


    Anna pulled down her scarf to reveal her mouth, took a long breath, knitted her brows, glanced around, and asked Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Why have you brought me here?¡±


    ¡°Just to take you out for a stroll,¡± Qiao Qingyu pointed to the Barley Grassland ahead. ¡°When I first came here, it was just barren sand, barely any grass at all, and the sands would often blow fiercely, feeling like a blade across your face...¡±


    Anna pursed her lips and said nothing.


    ¡°...If you came here in summer, it would be much prettier. That hillside over there¨Calthough it has no trees, the Shandan flowers bloom brilliantly.¡±


    Anna glanced at the barren grass in front. ¡°Is this the new Barley Grass you¡¯ve cultivated?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and then starting from here, it spread. Now Xichuan¡¯s greening area has reached fifty percent. I believe in a few years, Xichuan will become an oasis.¡±


    Anna¡¯s expression was calm, but the data was quite an achievement.


    Turning a barren, sandy place, subjected to harsh natural environments and conditions, into a green area with this Barley Grass, one can only imagine how much hard work went into achieving such a figure.


    She looked at the radiant Qiao Qingyu beside her and smirked. With such harsh conditions, yet they hadn¡¯t turned this person into an old hag¡ªshe wondered how she managed to take care of herself.


    From what she observed, Su Yunyao had aged quite a bit compared to a few years ago.


    In a changed environment, Qiao Qingyu seemed to have changed her tone as she sincerely asked Anna, ¡°Anna, you¡¯re a smart girl. Knowing it¡¯s impossible, why insist on doing it? What great benefits has he promised you?¡±


    ¡°Benefit is not the word. I¡¯m quite willing myself.¡±


    ¡°Your willingness is useless. How could He Xiuyu possibly go with you? He has his parents, wife, relatives, friends here, and the career he loves most. Although many people like to say things like ¡®music knows no borders¡¯ and ¡®science knows no borders,¡¯ in practice they¡¯re very different,¡± she then glanced significantly at Anna standing beside her and said meaningfully, ¡°like you, for example. Just now, Uncle Qi from the headquarters called me, saying you have a scientific research result in your hands. I don¡¯t know why the deal didn¡¯t go through, but it also confirms one thing, what¡¯s yours is yours, and what¡¯s mine is mine!¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu, what do you mean by that?¡± Anna¡¯s face darkened as she asked defensively.


    Qiao Qingyu waved her hand dismissively, ¡°Don¡¯t overinterpret. I¡¯m just speaking my mind. Actually, you know it too¡ªif He Xiuyu was someone who could be easily swayed, he might have gone abroad with you in the first place, right?¡±


    Anna¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Did he tell you about this?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t answer Anna¡¯s question. Instead, she curved her lips slightly and said, ¡°Anna, I just want to tell you, sincerely and earnestly, this is the first and last time I¡¯ll say this to you. He Xiuyu is not a great man, but he deeply loves this land...¡±


    Anna fell silent. How could she not know? In fact, she had several plans in her heart. When she first went to S country, she immediately sought out He Xiuyu.


    Her grandmother had promised her that if He Xiuyu wanted to go, he could live at her house and they would provide him with the best learning conditions.


    It was summer at the time, and school was out. He had just gotten into university. When she found him, he was sitting under a tree, seemingly daydreaming. She excitedly told him about her grandmother¡¯s promise, fully expecting He Xiuyu to jump for joy.


    After all, in that era, many schools were closed, and studying was indeed difficult. There weren¡¯t such good conditions like she had, thanks to Uncle Zhang¡¯s protection. Otherwise, her family might have been trampled on countless times.


    She had lived through that era and feared it deeply.


    So, she desperately wanted to leave and thought He Xiuyu would go with her. Naively, she didn¡¯t quite understand what she wanted He Xiuyu to do afterwards.

 Chapter 437 - 437 437 How Many Have Returned

    ?Chapter 437: Chapter 437: How Many Have Returned? Chapter 437: Chapter 437: How Many Have Returned? But she knew she liked him, wanted to study and work with him, and do many things together, but never expected to be coldly rejected by him and warned with furrowed brows to never speak to him like that again.


    At the time she was somewhat angry, recklessly calling him a frog in a well, trapped forever in this inexplicably infighting nation, being a mediocrity; that was regression, the tragedy of human society. But he told her the world was indeed vast, and he wouldn¡¯t seal himself off; he would go out, but not in this way.


    But had he actually gone out yet?


    Yet why were his scientific achievements leading the world?


    Now, he didn¡¯t even know how many people were watching him, just that because the world¡¯s pattern was quietly changing, waging war was not possible, but another form of war was quietly rising.


    Like economic wars and cultural invasions.


    How many people in Huaxia didn¡¯t think foreign countries were Heaven¡ªmany did believe it to be a beautiful, prosperous, democratic, joyful, and free country.


    So one after another, some people bankrupted themselves to go abroad, others did whatever it took to leave.


    In the late seventies, there were so many government-funded students abroad but how many returned?


    That number didn¡¯t even need to be counted; everyone in the country knew what was happening.


    Some of the less remarkable would rather stay abroad washing dishes than return here.


    So Anna thought that this time she might actually take He Xiuyu away.


    But she hadn¡¯t expected that this would be an impossible task.


    Qiao Qingyu slowly exhaled, speaking gently, ¡°It¡¯s good there¡¯s no special purpose, otherwise it would have been difficult for you.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the difficulty, I don¡¯t rely on this for a living.¡±


    Then she walked on into the desolate thicket, and suddenly a gray figure darted past her; Anna was about to say something when she stared wide-eyed and shouted loudly, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, what is that?¡±


    Rabbit¡ªa gray wild rabbit, with quite strong reproductive abilities.


    Isn¡¯t there a saying, you plant phoenix trees to attract phoenixes?


    So, these grasslands also attracted various animals to settle here.


    Especially this area.


    Qiao Qingyu instructed Anna, ¡°Stay here, don¡¯t move; I¡¯ll get something.¡± Then she ran swiftly toward where the tractor was parked.


    Anna watched her swiftly pull out a black metallic object; Anna squinted her eyes, recognizing its shape. Her family¡¯s estate had a racetrack, and there were woods where she and her cousins often went hunting.


    They had one at home, but this one was smaller, gleaming with a black and gold luster, a modified crossbow.


    Qiao Qingyu eagerly darted into the thicket, with Anna following right behind.


    Unexpectedly, they actually caught two rabbits.


    Qiao Qingyu held the refined crossbow in her left hand, and lifted two rabbits with her right, saying to Anna, ¡°If you¡¯re free tonight, come over to my house for dinner, I¡¯ll make spicy rabbit head, braised rabbit meat; oh, and since you were also born in Beijing, you haven¡¯t forgotten about dumplings, have you? I can make you rabbit stuffing dumplings to eat...¡±


    Anna silently watched Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu looked at her with a smile in her eyes.


    Anna knew that if she said she was no longer used to eating Chinese food and preferred Western food, Qiao Qingyu would certainly respond with a cheerful ¡°okay.¡±


    It was just a casual invitation.


    Anna didn¡¯t actually want to go.


    But seeing Qiao Qingyu¡¯s smiling face, and then looking at the two struggling rabbits, she found herself nodding, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Dinner at He Xiuyu¡¯s house was very rich today.


    A full table was set.


    Shen Haoze and Su Yunyao had both been called over by a phone call from Qiao Qingyu. Of course, He Xiuyu had also come home. Shen Haoze had arrived early and prepared the rabbits, so his face still looked a bit grumpy, but it couldn¡¯t withstand the temptation of food.


    Sitting at the table, he picked up a piece of braised rabbit, and as he bit into it, the rich sauce had already permeated the meat, instantly filling his mouth with the flavor of rabbit.


    No wonder people say good food almost makes you swallow your own tongue, he almost bit his.


    Su Yunyao gave Qiao Qingyu a somber look, sometimes it was really hard to figure out what was going on with this woman.


    She heard that she had taken Anna on a long walk outside, then brought back two rabbits.


    She had garlic shoots growing on her window sill, which she chopped up and mixed with the rabbit meat to make dumplings. It had to be said, this woman¡¯s cooking skills were really great. Anna, who was accustomed to Western food, had impeccable table manners and was still very adept with chopsticks, picking up dumplings with precision.


    She didn¡¯t neglect anything else on the table; it looked like the food Qiao Qingyu made really suited her taste.


    At that moment, Su Yunyao was dying of jealousy and curiosity at the same time.


    If Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t Qiao Qingyu, what had this Qiao Qingyu done in the past?


    Regardless of what Qiao Qingyu had done before, no one expected that Anna would take the initiative to contact Mr. Qi at the headquarters to continue the negotiations they had discussed last time.


    What kind of scientific research result it was, Qiao Qingyu did not know, nor did she ask.


    When Anna was leaving, she did not go to see He Xiuyu but found Qiao Qingyu alone, and said to her, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, thank you for making those dumplings for me.¡±


    And then she turned around and walked away, very coolly.


    All this time, she hadn¡¯t really suffered or struggled much, living a fairly good life, but she could never forget the dumplings her mother had made for her before she left, each one like a little ingot. Unable to buy pork, her mother had someone pull strings to finally purchase a rabbit leg, stripped the meat off, and made a plate of dumplings for her.


    She had eaten dumplings many times abroad, but she had never tasted anything like that again.


    Though she didn¡¯t want to admit it, Anna thought, she must still hold a little love for this land.


    Whether Anna loved this land or not, her family¡¯s investment in the research institution yielded scientific results that came to fruition in negotiations with Mr. Qi.


    The results were definitely good, but the scientific discoveries were not currently usable at Tenghai Research Base.


    Mr. Qi, acting as the intermediary, facilitated contact between another research institution and the investment group Anna was part of.


    Good things are never too many; sometimes, even if it means risking everything or even mobilizing national resources, such acquisitions must be made.


    But as for how to operate, that was a job for some people. Regardless, it could be considered that the task Mr. Qi had tasked them with was completed.

 Chapter 438 - 438 438 Drunk

    ?Chapter 438: Chapter 438 Drunk Chapter 438: Chapter 438 Drunk Su Yunyao and Shen Haoze usually had little to say to each other outside of work, but today, she brought a bottle of alcohol to his dormitory.


    Shen Haoze was shocked. What on earth was she up to? And even though it was their day off, it was broad daylight. A man and a woman staying together in a dormitory for too long would certainly lead to unpleasant talk.


    His door was open, but he didn¡¯t plan on letting Su Yunyao in.


    Fortunately, there was no one in the corridor at the moment.


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Shen Haoze hurriedly asked.


    At this point, Su Yunyao was desperate for a conversation with someone familiar, but after some thought, she realized there was no one else but Shen Haoze.


    Although Shen Haoze didn¡¯t seem to like her, she didn¡¯t mind. They had played together since childhood, so Su Yunyao had never thought that Shen Haoze would truly turn his back on her.


    After all, they still had their past camaraderie.


    Su Yunyao glanced at Shen Haoze, who was on guard as if facing a great enemy, knowing he was reluctant to let her into the room.


    She simply didn¡¯t care anymore and, with a sudden push, she forced Shen Haoze into the room and followed suit. She swiftly closed the door behind them, executing the movements as smoothly as floating clouds and flowing water.


    Shen Haoze was caught off guard, barely managing to stay on his feet from the unexpected shove.


    By the time he realized what had happened, he was already in the room, and the door was closed very efficiently. It was even locked, which made Shen Haoze quite nervous, especially with Su Yunyao holding a bottle of high-proof Erguotou.


    What was she doing?


    Shen Haoze backed up towards the window, frowning, ¡°Su Yunyao, what are you trying to do? Have you been drinking?¡±


    She must be drunk and acting crazy. That would explain it.


    Su Yunyao put the bottle on the dormitory table. Shen Haoze was at the same level as her, both having their own single dorms. Not large, just over twenty square meters, but since central heating was provided, there was no need for stoves anymore. With the addition of communal toilets, the conditions of these dorm buildings were quite good.


    Shen Haoze was a clean person with a bit of a cleaning obsession. His room was tidy and spotless.


    The color of the dorm curtains was very light, and the bedding matched the curtains. The table was adorned with tea sets, white porcelain, clean, without a spot of tea stain.


    The floor was the same. Of course, Shen Haoze had to be a neat person, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have played with him when they were kids. He was much like He Xiuyu, tidy and self-sufficient since childhood.


    In fact, Su Yunyao felt very lucky. The people around her were excellent, and what¡¯s more, she was lucky enough to live another life. Among billions, perhaps not a single person in the entire world could say that.


    She was self-satisfied with this thought, eager to try, excited about the prospect, and had done many things because of it. However, up to now, she had only improved a little bit compared to her last life. Everything else was a mess. In her last life, no matter what, she had a good reputation at the base. This life? Not so much; it was mixed at best.


    If she weren¡¯t thick-skinned, she would have left by now. Sometimes she couldn¡¯t even understand herself. Why stay here? Why not leave for a place where no one knew her past and start over? With her experience from a previous life, any research institution would welcome her warmly. Why bother?


    But she just couldn¡¯t accept it, really couldn¡¯t accept it at all. Perhaps during busy times she might forget, but as soon as she had a moment to herself, her mind was filled with nothing but He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu.


    And what¡¯s strange was that she found herself thinking the most about Qiao Qingyu.


    It was as if she were possessed.


    She wondered what the story behind Qiao Qingyu really was. Who was she, exactly?


    An alien, perhaps?


    Otherwise, how could she be so capable?


    She didn¡¯t even know what Qiao Qingyu had said to Anna, or it might have just been a meal she cooked, making a few trays of dumplings that moved Anna.


    Anna obediently left the base and even sold their family¡¯s researched scientific achievements to China.


    You should know that these scientific achievements were desperately needed by China. China was also researching them, but if they developed them together, they would save so much trouble. The manpower and funds saved could be used for more significant activities.


    Even Uncle Qi had not managed this feat, yet Qiao Qingyu had pulled it off.


    And Anna didn¡¯t even seem particularly close to Qiao Qingyu.


    But the deed was done.


    So she felt very frustrated inside, always feeling a suffocating tightness that wouldn¡¯t go up or down, and even a burning sensation in her chest. She even wondered whether she had developed a heart condition, or perhaps had prematurely entered menopause. Regardless, such reactions were abnormal and made her quite miserable. Everyone has these feelings, feeling annoyed and irritated, but the worst part was the discomfort that no medicine could apparently alleviate.


    But no one cared about her current state.


    Although the base could not directly enjoy such scientific achievements, it sent out a signal that Qiao Qingyu¡¯s Agricultural Base would grow larger and larger. Her career would not be limited to Xiaxi Commune or Xichuan; she would use this as a foundation to expand all around.


    Su Yunyao was really puzzled about how Qiao Qingyu had achieved this level in just two or three years. She couldn¡¯t ask about it, so today she didn¡¯t want to ask anything in particular. She just wanted to talk to Shen Haoze and share what was on her mind. She felt that her electronic information research seemed to drag on indefinitely, with many things not as simple as she had assumed. Some things were too profound and beyond her current ability to interpret.


    The only way was to take it step by step. For any country, to fully utilize these outcomes, it would take several years at the least.


    And it had been less than a year since she took over the work.


    So it truly was something that couldn¡¯t be rushed.


    Now Su Yunyao also didn¡¯t know whether she should stay or go, or perhaps keep persevering here. Otherwise, she could apply for a transfer, and then she would have nothing to do with Tenghai Research Base, never see He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu again, and stop thinking about these annoying matters.


    But she still felt some reluctance, and with a touch of mockery, she pointed to the bottle and said to Shen Haoze, ¡°Why are you so timid? I don¡¯t remember you being this scared, like a little girl. Didn¡¯t you see? I haven¡¯t yet opened this bottle. How could I be drunk?¡±


    She was claiming not to be drunk, but something about her emotions was off.


    Shen Haoze quickly poured her some water. The white porcelain jar hadn¡¯t been used before, he had even rinsed it with hot water. Then he took out his finest tea leaves, pinched a small amount into a white porcelain cup, rinsed it with water from a thermos, and finally filled more than half of the white porcelain cup with water.

 Chapter 439 - 439 439 Is it an Alien

    ?Chapter 439: Chapter 439: Is it an Alien? Chapter 439: Chapter 439: Is it an Alien? The cup wasn¡¯t see-through, but slowly a faint tea aroma became noticeable; Shen Haoze always had quality items in hand.


    Su Yunyao just stood there, intently watching Shen Haoze do all this.


    She didn¡¯t know why, but her heart was suddenly moved.


    To be honest, it was her first time seeing this side of Shen Haoze, since the two of them rarely interacted in this way.


    Then Su Yunyao felt as though something had changed, but she still couldn¡¯t pinpoint what the change was.


    Su Yunyao took the teacup, the tea¡¯s fragrance curling about, and she let out a long sigh before saying to Shen Haoze, ¡°Today, I just want to have a heart-to-heart with you, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t trouble or bother you.¡±


    Shen Haoze slightly furrowed his brow, knowing in his heart that Su Yunyao had been seeking him out to talk over the last few days. Today, finally finding the chance, he decided to let her speak; otherwise, she would never rest. Su Yunyao¡¯s stubborn nature was something no one understood better than he did.


    However, Shen Haoze moved a bottle of wine to one side and rummaged in the room for peanuts, sunflower seeds, and sugar cubes before pouring himself a cup of tea, readying himself to listen patiently, ¡°Yun Yao, go ahead, whatever you say, I¡¯m listening.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Su Yunyao took a bag of snacks out of her pocket and neatly tore it open; it was actually a bag of five-spice beef jerky. She smoothly grabbed a plate and dumped the beef jerky into it; not waiting for Shen Haoze to intervene, she opened the wine bottle, took two teacups, and poured them half-full of wine, doing the same with the other teacup as well.


    Then, placing the two teacups filled with tea to one side, she picked up the porcelain cup filled with wine and said to Shen Haoze, ¡°I feel stifled, I need to drink this first.¡±


    Startled, Shen Haoze jumped up from his chair, intending to snatch the cup from her, but where could he be faster than Su Yunyao? Su Yunyao had already gulped down the white wine from the porcelain cup.


    The liquor made Su Yunyao¡¯s tears stream down as she coughed continuously.


    While Shen Haoze only managed to grab an empty cup. Angrily, he yelled, ¡°Su Yunyao, are you crazy, what... what exactly are you trying to do?


    ¡°Haoze, I¡¯m not trying to do anything; I just feel really upset, but no one believes a word I say.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to say? Is it about Qiao Qingyu?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s about her.¡± Then Su Yunyao seized Shen Haoze, her eyes suddenly urgent, ¡°Can you help me? If you can, ask her who she really is, where she comes from, if she¡¯s an alien... She¡¯s not Qiao Qingyu, not the foolish Qiao Qingyu from before, she¡¯s someone else...¡±


    Shen Haoze tightly grasped Su Yunyao¡¯s hand, his complexion darkening, ¡°You¡¯ve really had too much to drink, spouting all sorts of nonsense. Qiao Qingyu is Qiao Qingyu. People are constantly learning and changing. Some people change for the better, others for worse.¡±


    Su Yunyao abruptly lifted her gaze, glaring fiercely at Shen Haoze, ¡°Shen Haoze, what are you implying? Are you saying I¡¯ve become worse?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve already become unrecognizable. I¡¯m taking you back to the dormitory to rest now.¡±


    Su Yunyao bit her lip tightly, then pointed at the white wine, ¡°Drink this wine, and I¡¯ll obediently head back to the dorm. Otherwise, I¡¯m not going.¡±


    By then, Su Yunyao¡¯s gaze had become somewhat blurry, as this was her first time drinking so much alcohol; Shen Haoze, with furrowed brows, picked up the teacup and gulped the white wine down.


    It must have been about 125 milliliters, since half the bottle had been poured out just now.


    At that moment, the sky was somewhat overcast, then the wind outside swept by with eerie howls.


    When the wind died down a bit, tiny snowflakes began to drift down from the sky.


    The snow kept falling thicker. When He Xiuyu returned home, He Xuerong giggled, ¡°Little uncle, you¡¯ve turned into a white-bearded grandpa now,¡± then thoughtfully fetched slippers for He Xiuyu.


    Now indoors was snug and warm, and the frost that had gathered on his eyebrows and eyelashes instantly melted.


    The room was cozy and warm.


    The heating effect was very good. The location was not far from the coal mine, which was a large one that also supplied a scientific research base.


    However, this did not mean they should burn coal excessively. It was okay to save and just maintain a normal temperature. Wearing a moderately thick sweater in the house, with fluffy pajama pants and slippers, was enough to stay warm.


    Moreover, since He Xiuyu¡¯s house had wooden floors, the ground was not icy cold either.


    Qiao Qingyu was on the phone with Boss Chen. The machinery equipment had been delivered and installed. All procedures were already finalized ahead of time by Chen Tianliang. Additionally, wool processing wasn¡¯t that complicated, so the first batch of semi-finished products was processed yesterday. They brought in a specialist to inspect it who said that it didn¡¯t meet the standards and needed to be redone, which was quite normal. Every beginning is difficult.


    Then, Boss Chen called, saying he would send a professional to help, but he hoped the price could be further reduced.


    Qiao Qingyu knew that bosses always pressed down on prices, otherwise where would their profits come from?


    However, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t directly discuss anything else, but instead he said to Boss Chen, ¡°Although it¡¯s winter, Boss Chen, you haven¡¯t been to the north, especially the Northwest. Why don¡¯t you come and see? Next year, my agricultural base will expand, and we might find more opportunities to collaborate.¡±


    Actually, Boss Chen had been eager to visit, and when Qiao Qingyu invited him, he happily accepted, saying he would buy a ticket this afternoon and start the journey tomorrow.


    Just as the conversation ended, He Xiuyu entered the house.


    Qiao Qingyu put down the phone and headed to the kitchen. He Xiuyu looked at him and smiled, ¡°Are we having hot pot tonight?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s cold today, let¡¯s have a hot pot meal tonight.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu had already washed the cabbage, wood ear mushrooms, potatoes, and the spinach and more cabbage grown on the window sill, and they were now placed on the table in seven or eight varieties.


    When winter started, He Xiuyu had assembled a device similar to the later induction cookers, but it was called an electric cooker at the time.


    It used coiled resistance wires, and the stove plate was specially fired from red clay.


    A special hot pot was also made, and they just had to plug it in and place it in the center of the dining table. The family of three could then gather around the table and enjoy the hot pot.


    This year was much better than last. At the beginning of winter, the base distributed lamb meat, and then Wang Laogen brought Qiao Qingyu a lamb. Unexpectedly, two days later, Mr. Qian sent Dazhu with a jeep to deliver another lamb to Qiao Qingyu.


    Thus, the lamb meat at Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house was now more than sufficient.


    Qiao Qingyu prepared the lamb meat and stored it in the large wooden box outside.


    This time, they brought back a leg of lamb along with some offal, which had already been prepared. He Xiuyu started cutting the lamb without waiting for Qiao Qingyu to say anything.


    He Xuerong loved hot pot the most. She had felt embarrassed to interrupt earlier when little aunt called. Now, seeing nothing was in the way, she poked her little head over, tugging at Qiao Qingyu¡¯s sleeve, and softly asked, ¡°Little aunt, can Xiao Hu come over to eat too?¡±


    ¡°Of course, go invite him.¡±


    He Xuerong cheered, put on her cotton coat, changed into cotton shoes, and put on her scarf and hat, then ran outside.


    The door was not locked. As He Xuerong reached out to pull it, someone pushed it open from outside, taking her by surprise and sending her tumbling to the ground.


    Looking up, to her astonishment, it was Uncle Shen.


    The little girl, annoyed, climbed up from the ground and was about to speak when Shen Haoze¡¯s hoarse voice apologized, ¡°Rongrong, sorry, Uncle Shen needs to talk to your little uncle.¡±


    Just then, a frantic shout came from outside, ¡°Shen Haoze, stop right there! If you dare to take another step, I¡¯ll die just to show you!¡±

 Chapter 440 - 440 440 The Secret of Rebirth 1

    ?Chapter 440: Chapter 440: The Secret of Rebirth 1 Chapter 440: Chapter 440: The Secret of Rebirth 1 Shen Haoze¡¯s steps suddenly halted.


    He turned around to face the direction of the gate. The wind was fierce in the winter, and snowflakes drifted from the sky, making even someone like He Xuerong, who dressed herself tightly, showing only her eyes.


    Su Yunyao, however, was only wearing a down jacket, panting as she stood not far away.


    Then they looked at Shen Haoze, who was almost in the same condition.


    He Xuerong indignantly brushed the snow off her buttocks.


    But the clever little girl always felt that something was amiss with Uncle Shen and Aunt Su, inside and outside the door. Usually, Uncle Shen would have lifted her up, spun her around a few times, and a couple of years ago might have even tossed her into the air before catching her. She was not afraid, but every time this happened, he would be scolded by her little uncle.


    This Aunt Su, on the other hand, never really liked her that much, but all she did was ignore her.


    But she had never, like today, been so out of breath, her cheeks red and the bangs on her forehead seemingly damp with sweat.


    And she was glaring at Uncle Shen with such ferocity.


    He Xuerong cautiously slid toward the door like a little animal sensing danger.


    She even forgot to run back into the house to call her little uncle and little aunt.


    Someone entered the yard, and there were calls from outside the gate.


    How could He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu not hear it?


    They opened the door at once and came out.


    Then they both saw the situation and heard Su Yunyao¡¯s subsequent words, ¡°... Shen Haoze, if you are not worried about what I just said, go inside now. If you are worried, come back to the dormitory with me now.¡±


    What had just been said?


    He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu exchanged glances, as they genuinely did not know.


    But Shen Haoze looked up complicatedly at He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu, particularly his gaze lingering on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face for a few seconds. He then nodded awkwardly at He Xiuyu and said, ¡°I... I argued with Yunyao, I... I¡¯ll take her back first.¡±


    He Xiuyu frowned slightly, looking in the direction of the gate, ¡°Since you¡¯re here, come inside for a bit. We¡¯re having hotpot tonight.¡± Then he told He Xuerong, ¡°Rongrong, go call Xiao Hu, be careful, the road is slippery...¡±


    He Xuerong vigorously nodded and crisply responded, ¡°Got it, little uncle.¡±


    Then the little girl stealthily slipped out like a small yellow croaker fish from the door, and whizzed past Su Yunyao, running toward Xiao Hu¡¯s house.


    The little girl also frequently exhaled, as she had never seen Uncle Shen and Aunt Su like this; they both looked so disheveled, as if they had done something wrong.


    Meanwhile, the atmosphere was somewhat eerie. He Xiuyu deliberately walked towards Shen Haoze; it didn¡¯t need explaining, there had to be a disagreement with Su Yunyao.


    Qiao Qingyu, however, didn¡¯t speak. Shen Haoze¡¯s look at her was different from usual. And looking at Su Yunyao standing outside the door, it was indeed the first time she saw her in such a disheveled state.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s nose twitched involuntarily, the cold air seemingly mixed with a hint of alcohol.


    Upon careful observation, these two people seemed lucid, but they had clearly been drinking.


    She also called out to Shen Haoze and Su Yunyao, ¡°You are already in the yard, why go back? Just have dinner here, you two don¡¯t need to go to the cafeteria.¡±


    Shen Haoze looked up at Qiao Qingyu and fell silent for a moment. By then, He Xiuyu had already walked over to him, and without beating around the bush asked directly, ¡°You and Su Yunyao had a fight.¡±


    At that moment, Su Yunyao stood outside the door, her hands not in her pockets, but tightly clenched into fists. Having rushed out so hastily, the two must have had an argument.


    Just as Shen Haoze was about to speak, Su Yunyao suddenly shrilled, ¡°Shen Haoze, come back to the dorm with me!¡± Her words were hurried and somewhat unreasonable.


    Shen Haoze ran his hand through his hair, momentarily at a loss, then he truly turned around and took a few steps out of He Xiuyu¡¯s house, not even saying goodbye.


    Su Yunyao saw him come out and hurriedly grabbed his wrist, pulling him toward the direction of the base family quarter¡¯s main gate, walking briskly, it was so fast that they eventually started running.


    There weren¡¯t many pedestrians on the road, the weather was bad, and it was after work hours, everyone was staying at home waiting to have dinner, so Su Yunyao and Shen Haoze just left the base family quarters like that.


    Qiao Qingyu walked up, curiously watching the swiftly disappearing figures of the two, ¡°What¡¯s happened with them? Honestly, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen Su Yunyao come to our house and not fix her eyes on you but only on Shen Haoze.¡±


    He Xiuyu took Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand, helplessly saying, ¡°Stop talking nonsense, come inside, it¡¯s cold outside.¡±


    Then they didn¡¯t close the door, as He Xuerong and Xiao Hu were coming back soon, and the two entered the house.


    The electric stove was already lit, the hot pot soup base was simple, containing several soaked large shrimp, garlic cloves, green onion segments, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns. Even though it hadn¡¯t started boiling yet, the aroma of the hot pot was already spreading.


    It was a clear broth hot pot, suitable also for children to eat.


    The most important part of eating hot pot is the dipping sauce.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t intervene in that; Qiao Qingyu¡¯s dipping sauce was superb.


    When He Xuerong walked into the room with Li Mingguang, the hot pot was already bubbling and boiling, emitting an even stronger fragrance. The two children efficiently took off their cotton jackets, removed their hats, changed into slippers, washed their hands, and then sat obediently by the table. He Xiuyu started dropping thinly sliced mutton, canned luncheon meat, potato slices, and some vegetables into the pot.


    Then He Xuerong and Qiao Qingyu spoke softly, ¡°Little aunt, Aunt Su is really fierce today, she even threatened Uncle Shen, she said¡ª¡¯Shen Haoze, stop right there, if you dare to take another step, I¡¯ll die right here for you to see!''¡±


    He Xuerong had a good memory, recalling the exact words.


    Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu exchanged glances, He Xiuyu put the cooked mutton into the children¡¯s plates in front of them, and gently said, ¡°Eat, let¡¯s not talk now.¡±


    But He Xiuyu felt that based on that statement, something significant must have happened between the two, but clearly, Shen Haoze didn¡¯t want to tell him, as it seemed to involve Su Yunyao.


    So should he ask about it?


    Meanwhile, the door to Shen Haoze¡¯s dormitory remained closed, there was no time to consider whether to avoid suspicion or not. Shen Haoze¡¯s face was somewhat pale, his lips also bloodless.


    Looking at the empty liquor bottles on the table, he couldn¡¯t help but recall the scene just before.


    A bottle of Erguotou had been finished by the two of them, Su Yunyao had gotten drunk, and so had he.

 Chapter 441 - 441 441 The Secret of Rebirth 2

    ?Chapter 441: Chapter 441: The Secret of Rebirth 2 Chapter 441: Chapter 441: The Secret of Rebirth 2 Under normal circumstances, two people might get confusedly drunk and pass out in their dormitory.


    If he retained his last bit of sobriety, he would take Su Yunyao back to her dorm, after all, their dormitories were only separated by an open space, being neighboring dorm buildings, and not far apart.


    But no one expected that the drunken Su Yunyao, clutching him, would first let out sobs, and it made him feel miserable.


    Su Yunyao had always been proud, confident, and radiant at all times.


    She rarely cried, and yet, each time she was in such a sorry state, he would witness it. It left a bad taste in his mouth. To be honest, in his younger days, he really liked her, but once he knew that Su Yunyao liked He Xiuyu, he buried his feelings deep in his heart.


    But in the end, it was discovered, and he didn¡¯t bother to conceal it. It didn¡¯t affect his friendship with He Xiuyu. He and He Xiuyu were like brothers in arms; even closer than real brothers. He had saved his life.


    There would be nothing wrong if the two of them ended up together.


    It wouldn¡¯t affect them.


    Moreover, he was well aware that even if the two really got together, he didn¡¯t have the power to influence the relationship between He Xiuyu and Su Yunyao.


    So he let the matter be, in a muddle.


    However, where would one have thought that He Xiuyu had no such intentions at all? He merely saw Su Yunyao as a girl from the compound, not even worthy of sibling affection. It could be said that He Xiuyu was cold by nature, but he really wasn¡¯t like that. However, his attitude towards girls was just such¡ª


    Chilly and void of warmth, yet oddly enough, many girls liked that sort of demeanor.


    The more He Xiuyu was like that, the more desperately Su Yunyao tried to get close to him, and then she followed him to the base. But who could have expected that He Xiuyu would bring back a country girl from his hometown, Hejia Village?


    She was decent-looking, but lacking in every other aspect; yet now, looking back, one couldn¡¯t help but feel sentimental. Time is indeed a sculpting knife; there¡¯s nothing that it can¡¯t change.


    And the things that Qiao Qingyu had done were indeed there for all to see; she was truly a good person.


    It seemed that Su Yunyao had given up, too. After going through one ordeal after another, and after facing disappointment time and again, I had come to view things with indifference and acceptance.


    But to be honest, years of friendship are not so easily changed by one or two incidents. At that moment, my heart softened again, so I didn¡¯t push her away and just held her in my arms, patiently listening to her speak.


    However, I hoped more that what I was hearing was just drunken nonsense, lies, sleep talk, something unreal. Yet strangely enough, halfway through listening, I woke from the alcohol shock, sweating coldly.


    Su Yunyao said she had already lived a whole lifetime. Su Yunyao said that A-04 wasn¡¯t her own invention. It was something that He Xiuyu and their team had developed in their past lives.


    And both she and I were participants.


    So she was familiar with everything from start to finish. Yet, unexpectedly, the He Xiuyu of her past life was so cunning, leaving a mistake that almost made her lose face.


    Su Yunyao also said that besides being decent in his work, the He Xiuyu of her past life was not happy at all in his personal life. He was in great pain, and that Qiao Qingyu was a foolish, short-sighted, and ignorant country woman...


    She said there was no Old Mountain Eagle in that lifetime, nor were there any affairs concerning Sister Yu and Tian Li.


    She also said that I, Shen Haoze, would die in an explosion within a year.


    She was crying as she held him, saying she would never let him die, that he had to live well.


    She also said that a few years after her past life, Qiao Qingyu was kidnapped by spies from the base. Then, He Xiuyu accidentally shot her in the heart, and Qiao Qingyu died on the spot.


    He listened, stupefied and rigid, truly lost for words. At first, he thought she was spouting drunken nonsense, but his intuition told him otherwise. The things Su Yunyao was describing weren¡¯t figments of imagination; they seemed to be real experiences she had lived through.


    His mind was a blank for a moment, and then impulsively, he pushed Su Yunyao away. He didn¡¯t know why, but at that moment, he urgently wanted to see He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu.


    If all of this were true, he couldn¡¯t even imagine if He Xiuyu really did shoot Qiao Qingyu by mistake, would he still be able to carry on living?


    Then there was an explosion in the laboratory, and on this year¡¯s Lunar New Year¡¯s Eve, a gang of desperate and vicious outlaws ambushed a spot on the railway line flanked by cliffs on both sides and robbed all the materials being transported to another crucial base.


    They killed the train driver and the escorting security officers. They also had an assortment of guns and ammunition from who knows where. When they passed a village, they pillaged it, and before leaving, they kidnapped three girls from the village and then set fire to it, burning the entire village down...


    This was the first day of the Lunar New Year¡¯s tragedy, and there would be more floods coming in the summer, especially in North City.


    There was an unprecedentedly huge flood that submerged vast tracts of farmland. That year, almost every household dwelling by the riverside ended up with nothing to harvest, and the floods also led to an epidemic.


    All this news shook Shen Haoze to his core.


    Without a second thought, he threw on his clothes and ran out, completely forgetting about Su Yunyao.


    Then, as he was running, he realized that Su Yunyao was following him.


    Her figure appeared fearful, panicked, and even a bit desolate.


    It was the first time he had ever seen such an expression on Su Yunyao¡¯s face.


    However, when he saw He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu, to tell the truth, even if Su Yunyao hadn¡¯t threatened him, he wouldn¡¯t know how to begin to speak, his mind was in such turmoil.


    With this thought, Shen Haoze collapsed dejectedly into a chair.


    And Su Yunyao was obviously in distress; she was even paler than him, her hair disheveled, and she had been quite chilled earlier. It had taken some time for her to warm up after entering the room, and she paced back and forth restlessly in the room.


    As she walked, she sat down on his bed.


    The two faced each other, the room wasn¡¯t large, just separated by a table.


    Neither knew how to break the silence.


    Shen Haoze¡¯s mind was still in chaos, his gaze heavy as he looked at Su Yunyao, whose hands clasped and head hung low, her facial expression indecipherable.


    However, her hands were trembling slightly.


    Then Shen Haoze gradually calmed down. He was a man and, even though he was mild-mannered, he had also been through a lot in the base over the years.


    Though he was a scientific worker, he knew that in some fields there indeed existed mysteries beyond explanation, and the ultimate questions of science were unknown to all. Some mysterious natural phenomena were not merely the stuff of myths and legends and could even be explained with scientific theory.

 Chapter 442 - 442 442 The Secret of Rebirth 3

    ?Chapter 442: Chapter 442: The Secret of Rebirth 3 Chapter 442: Chapter 442: The Secret of Rebirth 3 But Shen Haoze still felt it was unbelievable, incredible.


    Could Su Yunyao really come up with so many significant things in just a few minutes?


    Every single one of them was shocking and thrilling.


    He didn¡¯t even know how to start speaking, and the room fell into an unspeakable silence.


    As the sky gradually darkened, noise began to emanate from the hallway, no longer as quiet as before.


    Shen Haoze took a deep breath. Continuing this stalemate was not a solution. He stretched out both hands, vigorously wiped his face, and then rubbed it vigorously to clear his head. Then he saw Su Yunyao covering her chest, seemingly very uncomfortable.


    He stood up, took a clean cup, and then made Su Yunyao a bowl of malted milk.


    Just gulping down alcohol without eating anything would certainly make her feel unwell.


    He placed the cup of malted milk on the table and said, ¡°You... take a sip of the malted milk first, warm your stomach. Don¡¯t go to the cafeteria, I¡¯ll go get the food.¡±


    After that, he did not care anymore whether to avoid making others suspicious or not.


    Su Yunyao didn¡¯t speak. Shen Haoze wiped his face again, trying to completely wake himself up and not to think about the incredible things he had just heard. Taking two jars and a lunch box, he then went out to get food from the cafeteria, and meanwhile turned on the lights in the room.


    The suddenly bright light was somewhat dazzling, causing Su Yunyao to involuntarily close her eyes.


    By the time Shen Haoze nearly reached the door to close it, Su Yunyao let out a deep sigh, stretched out her hand and vexedly hit her mouth several times.


    It turned her pallid lips red.


    What to do?


    What should she do?


    She had acted so impulsively, revealing secrets she hadn¡¯t even told her parents, she just blurted them out to Shen Haoze and said so many things. Shen Haoze¡¯s look was one of horror, and so was hers.


    She didn¡¯t even know if Shen Haoze really went to the cafeteria to get food or to do something else, but she no longer had the strength to take it back.


    Su Yunyao regretted, truly regretted, and felt truly awful.


    Fortunately, her body¡¯s tolerance for alcohol was high, so her stomach didn¡¯t churn too badly. She struggled to stand up, walked to the table; the malted milk was very hot, and there was a clean spoon in it. She tried a few sips, and it made her stomach feel a bit better.


    But Su Yunyao had no intention of going back.


    She was waiting for Shen Haoze, waiting for him to come back to see his reaction, and then figure out how to phrase what she said today.


    Saying that she was talking in her sleep and making up wild tales from her dreams, perhaps all of this might suffice.


    Shen Haoze quickly came back with the food.


    Steamed buns, cabbage stewed with tofu, containing slices of pork belly.


    It was simple, but actually quite plentiful.


    There were also several kinds of pickled vegetables in another lunchbox.


    They were sugar-vinegar radishes made by the base cafeteria¡¯s chef, sprinkled with a layer of chili; they were both delicious and perfect with rice.


    Cabbages and radishes, these vegetables need to be thanked for by Qiao Qingyu. Without the seeds she provided, everyone would usually be eating coarse grain steamed buns and pickled vegetables at this time of year.


    Previously, even pickled vegetables were often in short supply, but starting this year, everyone will eat large steamed buns made from pure white flour three times a week.


    Su Yunyao sat on the bed, and Shen Haoze glanced at the cup of malted milk; she must have just drunk some because her complexion looked a lot better.


    Shen Haoze seriously asked Su Yunyao, ¡°Do you remember when the flood in North City happened?¡±


    Su Yunyao suddenly looked up at Shen Haoze, who asked the question, and appeared surprised as if she hadn¡¯t expected him to ask that.


    ¡°...I was just talking nonsense earlier.¡±


    Finally, Su Yunyao spoke, her voice husky.


    Shen Haoze slightly closed his eyes, recalling the expression Su Yao had when she said these words. She seemed to be reveling in schadenfreude as she said that this summer, North City would experience severe floods. Crops along the river would fail, both Hejia Village and Qiao Family Team would be inundated, and Qiao Qingyu was destined for a disastrous loss.


    Indeed, no matter how advanced your technology may be, sometimes humans are really helpless in the face of natural disasters.


    He of course knew that Qiao Qingyu was currently working under the name of Tenghai Research Agricultural Base to initiate pilot programs and promotions there, having also signed agreements.


    The Qiao Family Team had become a seed-producing base, for which the state had allocated funds.


    The construction was ongoing, and it was reportedly reaching a preliminary scale.


    It was now January of 1984, and in a few months, spring plowing would begin.


    Last fall, North City, known as one of the major grain storages, had exerted a lot of effort for the frontlines.


    Superior seeds were widely spread across North City, which served as the center spreading nationwide.


    He didn¡¯t know the detailed planning or how much Qiao Qingyu had actually invested, but he guessed that this year¡¯s investment could be even more significant than last year¡¯s.


    Shen Haoze said, ¡°Yun Yao, I really hope you were just spouting nonsense.¡±


    ¡°I was just spouting nonsense.¡± Su Yunyao stood up, a bit unsteady, but she steadied herself. ¡°The words I said earlier were just drunk talk; you should forget all about them.¡±


    ¡°Yun Yao, your words sounded as if you had experienced them yourself, how could I forget?¡±


    Su Yunyao fell silent, then she steadily looked at Shen Haoze. She knew that if she denied it again after talking to her own family, they might believe her, but saying it to a scientific researcher like Shen Haoze would likely backfire.


    He must have believed her; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have run to He Xiuyu¡¯s house like a madman since many of the things she mentioned involved these two people.


    Even the major tragedy that occurred on this year¡¯s New Year¡¯s Eve was related to He Xiuyu.


    Because that batch of materials was manufactured under He Xiuyu¡¯s oversight.


    What¡¯s more crucial is that she inadvertently spilled A-04¡¯s great secret.


    He Xiuyu was no fool; he had nearly completed A-04, while she held the finished product. He had been skeptical from the beginning to the present, and despite A-04 nearing completion, he remained so, unable to comprehend without understanding.


    But if Shen Haoze told him what she had mentioned, the clever He Xiuyu would immediately understand.


    Still, Shen Haoze was startled by her, leaving Su Yunyao somewhat embarrassed, but also feeling a strange warmth and odd sensation rising little by little.


    Shen Haoze cared about her; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have obediently come back with her under her threat, then gone to get her food and prepare her malted milk, even after she told him so much.


    ¡°I told you so much, why did you ask about the flood first?¡± Su Yunyao was genuinely curious.

 Chapter 443 - 443 443 The Secret of Rebirth 4

    ?Chapter 443: Chapter 443: The Secret of Rebirth 4 Chapter 443: Chapter 443: The Secret of Rebirth 4 ¡°There¡¯s no particular reason, I just asked because I thought of it.¡±


    Shen Haoze was speaking the truth; he truly had just asked what had come to mind.


    Then, his voice softened, ¡°Let¡¯s eat first.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to ask anymore?¡±


    Shen Haoze laughed at himself with self-deprecating humor, his eyes clear with understanding, ¡°Su Yunyao, we both work in scientific research. What you¡¯ve talked about is too significant. I will certainly ask you about it, but let¡¯s have our meal first.¡±


    But Su Yunyao didn¡¯t move, and instead said persistently, ¡°Then what? After you ask, are you planning to go find He Xiuyu, spill all the details, and then send me to the lab for dissection and study?¡±


    Shen Haoze frowned and looked at Su Yunyao quietly, ¡°How could you think such of me?¡±


    If I were to do that, I wouldn¡¯t have come back with you without saying a word.


    ¡°It¡¯s normal for me to think this way, isn¡¯t this the normal procedure?¡±


    ¡°Stop thinking wildly; let¡¯s just eat first.¡±


    ¡°Thinking wildly? Shen Haoze, do you dare promise that you won¡¯t tell He Xiuyu everything I¡¯ve just shared with you?¡± Su Yunyao¡¯s voice was lowered, yet it was somewhat pressing.


    Shen Haoze fell silent as well.


    He looked down at the concrete floor, not uttering a word.


    At this moment, the reason for his hesitation was because the information Su Yunyao had shared with him was shockingly serious. He had three types of relationships with He Xiuyu: a superior-subordinate relationship, they were close comrades, and they also had years of brotherly affection.


    If what Su Yunyao said was true, then each piece of information was enough to occupy his thoughts for a while.


    He really couldn¡¯t bear such a huge responsibility and secret, yet looking at Su Yunyao¡¯s pale face, he couldn¡¯t go to He Xiuyu or make the matter public.


    Su Yunyao seemed to have expected this reaction and smiled faintly. Her gaze fixed on Shen Haoze, she said, ¡°See, even you can¡¯t guarantee you won¡¯t talk to He Xiuyu.¡±


    Shen Haoze, annoyed, ran his hands through his hair a few times, feeling a pain in his throat. He even thought that if he could turn back time, he would have stopped Su Yunyao from speaking those words. What was he to do now that he knew? Ignore it? Impossible!


    Shen Haoze looked at Su Yunyao with a heavy gaze. It¡¯s no wonder her way of doing things and her temperament had changed so drastically from the past. At this moment, Shen Haoze had found a plausible reason, and many of his questions were being answered.


    His voice was hoarse, ¡°Then what should we do?¡±


    His gaze was a bit helpless, a bit lost, but it lacked the horror and disgust Su Yunyao might have imagined, or anything else for that matter.


    Suddenly, an uncountable rush of emotions surged in Su Yunyao¡¯s heart, and she blurted out, ¡°Let¡¯s get married. I¡¯ll marry you, and you¡¯ll take me as your wife.¡±


    The room fell silent after these words, and then Shen Haoze¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Are you joking?¡±


    Su Yunyao wasn¡¯t angry; after speaking out, she felt much lighter.


    Marrying him was the best choice.


    Although she believed Shen Haoze wouldn¡¯t betray her, she couldn¡¯t ignore the things she had just told him, or he wouldn¡¯t have asked about the flood this summer.


    He would ask many more questions, so the best solution was for them to get married. Binding themselves together was not for her own security, to be honest. If it really came to that point, Su Yunyao was prepared to risk it all, she didn¡¯t care. Such matters, if believed, were just that, and if not, they were simply nonsensical talk.


    Moreover, her family wasn¡¯t one to be trifled with; they could simply transfer her away with a dispatch order, and what could these people do to her then? Could they really drag her to a lab for study?


    What a joke!


    The movement had just ended a few years ago, and nobody would cling to this matter or make a big fuss about it.


    Of that, she was quite confident.


    Once she had thought it through, Su Yunyao felt somewhat relieved. She then took a seat on another chair and, seeing Shen Haoze still hadn¡¯t snapped back to reality, said, ¡°Sit down and eat, or it will all get cold.¡±


    Shen Haoze looked at Su Yunyao with a complicated gaze and asked, ¡°Do you even know what you just said?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do. Tomorrow you can file the report, and after it gets approved, we¡¯ll inform our families.¡±


    ¡°Yunyao, marriage isn¡¯t child¡¯s play,¡± Shen Haoze earnestly advised.


    ¡°What¡¯s this about child¡¯s play? We grew up together, it¡¯s not like we have no feelings for each other, and as for love, if it happens, it happens; if not, it¡¯s not like we can¡¯t live our lives. Our parents didn¡¯t marry for love either, and many were arranged by matchmakers, right? Haven¡¯t they managed to stay together until now? It¡¯s not a big deal...¡±


    At this point, Su Yunyao was becoming more and more at ease as she spoke.


    Moreover, after revealing these secrets that had weighed on her heart, Su Yunyao¡¯s entire demeanor brightened, her eyes shining. Looking at Shen Haoze, she even felt a touch of mischief.


    ¡°Shen Haoze, we¡¯re about the same age, I¡¯m not ugly, our family backgrounds are comparable, you used to like me, and I¡¯ve never disliked you. We¡¯re both not young anymore, so starting a family together would be the most suitable.¡±


    Shen Haoze, infuriated, said, ¡°Suitable? What¡¯s suitable? Just by saying those words, you¡¯ve proven it¡¯s not suitable. Since when do girls talk about their own marriage in such a rational way?¡±


    Su Yunyao just smiled, ¡°Being rational isn¡¯t bad; at least it prevents foolish mistakes, right?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not necessary to use marriage to keep me quiet. I promise you, I won¡¯t tell He Xiuyu.¡±


    He could hint at it indirectly to He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu.


    ¡°Shen Haoze, I¡¯m not joking. Although the idea just came to me, I think it¡¯s quite good and I¡¯m not repulsed by it. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡±


    Then pointing at the table, she resumed her usual conversational tone, ¡°Hurry up and sit down to eat.¡±


    This time, Shen Haoze didn¡¯t say anything else and obediently sat down to eat. After dinner, he said to Su Yunyao, ¡°I¡¯ll take you back to your dorm.¡±


    It was about time to head back.


    After returning, he needed to calm down properly; he really didn¡¯t take her marriage talk to heart.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything you want to ask me?¡±


    ¡°Not tonight, let me process all of this. I¡¯ll come find you tomorrow.¡±


    Su Yunyao tugged at the corner of her mouth but then suddenly mentioned, ¡°Actually, a lot of things are different from my past life. Really, the biggest variable truly is Qiao Qingyu; she¡¯s not the same woman from before.¡±


    ¡°No matter which woman she is, that¡¯s for He Xiuyu to worry about. Can we please not dwell on this anymore?¡± Shen Haoze was growing impatient.


    ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t mention her again. Then I also won¡¯t tell you when the flood will happen.¡±


    ¡°You said it would be in the summer, didn¡¯t you? Besides, I can¡¯t just tell Qiao Qingyu without reason that there will be a massive flood in North City this summer.¡±


    ¡°I could hint at it indirectly.¡± Su Yunyao suddenly recalled the way Qiao Qingyu looked at her; to tell the truth, sometimes she inexplicably felt as though she understood Qiao Qingyu, and Qiao Qingyu understood her.


    So if she were to tell her about it, Qiao Qingyu should be able to accept and understand quickly, right?

 Chapter 444 - 444 444 Heartthrob

    ?Chapter 444: Chapter 444: Heartthrob Chapter 444: Chapter 444: Heartthrob Shen Haoze was taken aback for a moment. ¡°You told Qiao Qingyu, but how did you say it?¡±


    Su Yunyao looked at Shen Haoze, who sometimes still seemed as naive as a big kid. She leaned against the dormitory door, then beckoned to Shen Haoze, ¡°Come closer, and I¡¯ll tell you how I said it...¡±


    Shen Haoze did not hesitate and obediently moved closer, still asking, ¡°How are you going to tell her.¡±


    To his surprise, in the next moment, his clothes were suddenly grasped by Su Yunyao. He had to bend down, and then Su Yunyao tiptoed up, her cool red lips pressed against his, instantly making Shen Haoze¡¯s eyes widen, and his heart seemed to stop beating.


    His entire body stiffened as well.


    For some reason, Su Yunyao tried a tentative bite on his lip.


    Inevitably, Shen Haoze¡¯s face flared up with redness.


    He even forgot to struggle, to dodge, to push Su Yunyao away, and just stood there, bending over as she clutched the collar of his sweater, allowing Su Yunyao¡¯s lips to roam over his.


    Su Yunyao hadn¡¯t expected Shen Haoze¡¯s breath to smell so nice.


    What did it smell like?


    Fresh and brisk, like the scent in the forest early in the morning.


    Shen Haoze was completely dumbstruck, letting Su Yunyao take liberties...


    A throb at Su Yunyao¡¯s heart, and then her heart finally started beating irregularly. Her breath became somewhat chaotic, and then she suddenly let go, turned, opened the door, closed it swiftly behind her, and without caring whether there were people in the corridor or not, she quickened her pace towards the stairs, faster and faster, until she broke into a run.


    Reaching the stairs, she instinctively glanced back; the door to Shen Haoze¡¯s dormitory was still firmly closed, evidently, Shen Haoze had not yet come to his senses.


    Su Yunyao couldn¡¯t help but touch her lips, unsure of what she was feeling inside, and she even stumbled on the stairs, nearly tumbling down, luckily catching herself on the handrail.


    The snow outside was getting heavier, wrapping Su Yunyao up in an entirely new sensation, a warm one that held an unspeakable warmth, like threads wrapping around her heart.


    She didn¡¯t even have time to think about what she would do when Shen Haoze would ask her about these things tomorrow.


    Especially since she had so shamelessly stolen, or perhaps borrowed, the scientific achievements of the research team from her previous life.


    How was she going to explain that to Shen Haoze?


    She pushed these thoughts out of her mind.


    Thrown to the back of her consciousness, she ran forward into the night of the blizzard, her heart pounding fiercely, feeling sour and swollen, only thinking that this rebirth was actually pretty good.


    They say a timely snow promises a good harvest; this year¡¯s snow was clearly bigger than last year¡¯s.


    The snow went on for two days and nights.


    Now, clearing the snow was going to be quite the chore.


    He Xuerong, who usually loved to sleep in, had gotten up early and, after dressing herself, went out with her little uncle to shovel snow. The sky was somewhat dim and pulling the curtains made the room even darker. After tossing and turning all night, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s limbs were sore, but the bed was warm, and so was the room.


    She rubbed her face on the pillow, deciding not to get up today and to sleep in instead.


    The bedroom door remained tightly closed, making it unlikely to be disturbed.


    He Xiu Yu¡¯s voice conversing with He Xuerong seemed to drift into her ears now and then, and then, it seemed there was an additional male voice, probably a neighbor. Qiao Qingyu, in her drowsy state, didn¡¯t think much of it; getting some extra sleep at this time seemed just right.


    Half asleep, half awake, she then heard the bedroom door open. Without needing to look, she knew by the footsteps that it was He Xuerong.


    He Xuerong quickly approached Qiao Qingyu.


    Although Qiao Qingyu was in a semi-conscious state, she lazily opened her eyes and glanced at her. The little girl¡¯s cheeks were frozen like big apples, but her spirit was lively. Qiao Qingyu asked, ¡°Is it very cold outside?¡±


    ¡°Little aunt, little aunt, I have some news for you.¡± He Xuerong obviously did not answer the question.


    Qiao Qingyu closed her eyes again. What had she discovered this time?


    ¡°Uncle Shen and Aunt Su are getting married.¡±


    ¡°Oh...¡± After uttering an ¡°oh,¡± Qiao Qingyu paused for a moment, blinked her eyes, finally fully awakening, and sat up with a smile, looking at He Xuerong, ¡°Little girl, where did you hear that?¡±


    ¡°I heard it from Uncle Shen himself talking to the little uncle. They were right at the front gate shoveling snow, and that¡¯s what they were talking about.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu lay back down, her eyes fixated on the ceiling, musing how strange the turn of events was. Su Yunyao was always so proud and seemingly indifferent towards Shen Haoze, how could they suddenly decide to get married? Remembering how embarrassed they both looked the day before, she wondered if they had already ¡®cooked the rice into a meal.¡¯


    Of course, this thought was but a fleeting one in her mind, and naturally, she wouldn¡¯t share it with He Xuerong.


    Qiao Qingyu drawled, ¡°Well, that¡¯s also quite good. Did you hear when they are planning to get married?¡±


    ¡°They said they¡¯ll have the wedding at the base before the Spring Festival, and then, when the holidays come, they¡¯ll head back to Beijing together.¡± He Xuerong was evidently very excited with this bit of gossip.


    The child had a good memory, recalling all that Shen Haoze had just mentioned.


    Unable to sleep any longer, Qiao Qingyu decided to get up. After washing up, she went to the kitchen and saw that the rice porridge was ready, and there were still a few warm steamed buns in the steamer.


    Qiao Qingyu stuck her head out to look outside. The walkway in the courtyard had been swept clean, and the snow had been piled into the vegetable garden.


    The same went for the area outside the main gate, but He Xiu Yu and Shen Haoze were nowhere to be seen.


    By this time, having mulled over it for two days and nights, Shen Haoze realized when facing Qiao Hexiu that just like Su Yunyao¡¯s girl had said, even if he wanted to speak, he might not be able to, the key question being how to start. It was utterly absurd, and besides, none of this had yet occurred. To discuss it would involve a lot of complications.


    A-04 was now nearly becoming Shen Haoze¡¯s bane; no matter what, the project was drawing to a close; if he told Shen Haoze how Su Yunyao was, just the thought of the consequences made him feel he might not be able to take it.


    At this point, he could only choose to be selfish for once.


    People are strange indeed. Shen Haoze gripped the shovel in his hand tighter, then involuntarily touched his ear. His ear was hot and burning, for every time he thought of Su Yunyao, his mind would drift to that kiss; he never imagined a girl¡¯s lips could be so soft and sweet.


    So sweet that when Su Yunyao pushed open the door to leave, he still stood there dazed and didn¡¯t know how much time had passed before he came to his senses. By the time he opened the door, Su Yunyao had already run out of sight. He chased after her, knowing which dormitory was hers, and just as the lights came on, it was clear that Su Yunyao had just returned.

 Chapter 445 - 445 445 Prophecy

    ?Chapter 445: Chapter 445: Prophecy? Chapter 445: Chapter 445: Prophecy? Shen Haoze took a few steps forward, but then hurriedly stopped.


    It was hard to explain what he felt at that moment; all he knew was that he needed to rush back to his dormitory.


    The next day, he had intended to discuss things with Su Yunyao. Although they had both sobered up the day before, there was a chance that Su Yunyao had only acted on impulse the previous night, and if he were to submit a marriage report today, it would be incredibly awkward.


    However, to his surprise, Su Yunyao took matters into her own hands and submitted the marriage report without asking him.


    Confronted with He Xiuyu¡¯s surprised gaze, Shen Haoze could only blush, grit his teeth, and admit it.


    In reality, it had only been two days, but to him, it felt as long as several lifetimes.


    There was no order to the questions that should or shouldn¡¯t be asked. Indeed, as Su Yunyao said, the world now was completely different from the one in her memory, and the direction of future development was bound to be different. These changes truly weren¡¯t brought about by Su Yuyao, so who was responsible? He didn¡¯t want to say, and it seemed Su Yunyao didn¡¯t care to mention it either.


    But none of that was important. What mattered was how he was going to explain all this to He Xiuyu.


    Like right now, he felt no embarrassment in telling He Xiuyu about his marriage to Su Yunyao. After all, over the years, it turned out that his relationship with Yunyao had grown stronger among the three of them, while He Xiuyu and Su Yunyao always kept a certain distance, which deepened over time.


    He said to He Xiuyu, ¡°We¡¯re planning to gather our colleagues, buy some sunflower seeds and candy to celebrate, and then ask for a week¡¯s leave for the Spring Festival.¡±


    ¡°Have you talked to your uncle and aunt?¡± asked He Xiuyu.


    ¡°The report hasn¡¯t been approved yet, so I haven¡¯t mentioned it.¡±


    ¡°What about Su Yunyao?¡±


    ¡°... She hasn¡¯t said anything either.¡±


    The wind had stopped, but the weather was somewhat overcast, and the land was covered in a vast whiteness; it finally looked like winter in the Northwest.


    Otherwise, it was just barren grass and leafless trees, looking desolate no matter where you looked.


    He Xiuyu looked at Shen Haoze and said, ¡°Marriage is no child¡¯s play.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Shen Haoze responded.


    He Xiuyu thought that Shen Haoze had always cared for Su Yunyao, and this past year, she became much more low-profile and stopped speaking her strange thoughts, showing less enthusiasm towards him than before.


    He Xiuyu coughed lightly and said, ¡°Lead a good life.¡±


    This was the best blessing he could offer his good friend. Anything else might seem inappropriate.


    Then Shen Haoze remembered what had happened on New Year¡¯s Eve and asked He Xiuyu, ¡°What are your plans for the Spring Festival this year?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not planning to go home for the festival this year.¡±


    Shen Haoze thought for a moment; there were still more than three weeks left until that day. He slightly furrowed his brows, realizing he shouldn¡¯t go back.


    ¡°Let¡¯s postpone our holiday then. We can go back home after the 15th day of the first lunar month.¡±


    ¡°That will depend on the arrangements of both families. With the Spring Festival break, they could help out with the wedding.¡±


    ¡°The wedding should be as simple as possible without too much hassle. Just gathering both families together will do.¡±


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t say much more; he couldn¡¯t really contribute to this topic since he and Qiao Qingyu had only registered their marriage and hadn¡¯t even distributed wedding candy to their colleagues. Their parents hadn¡¯t even met yet, let alone discussed hosting a wedding banquet.


    The hand holding the broom swiveled slightly, and He Xiuyu became a bit distracted.


    Shen Haoze had no idea what He Xiuyu was thinking, and after piling up the deep snow against the wall, he stomped his feet and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t the materials we¡¯ve been rushing to produce going to be transported around the Spring Festival? Maybe I should follow the truck when it leaves.¡±


    His position at the base was not as high as He Xiuyu¡¯s, but he was involved in some projects and naturally had the right to know. He was aware of these materials, which were now nearing completion.


    He Xiuyu did not agree, saying instead, ¡°Recently, things have been somewhat unrestful here in Xichuan.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about that too. The South is in chaos right now, teeming with all sorts of people. Many who have committed crimes and stolen money have run here to hide. With the mountains so high and the Emperor far away, catching them is not that easy,¡± contemplated Shen Haoze.


    ¡°That is a problem, I will tell Old Lin to step up security afterward.¡±


    Having just these measures wasn¡¯t enough. An idea had already formed in Shen Haoze¡¯s mind, although Su Yunyao didn¡¯t know what Shen Haoze was planning to do. However, the day before her wedding, Su Yunyao came to find Qiao Qingyu.


    Without beating around the bush, Su Yunyao said, ¡°Qiao Qingyu, I don¡¯t want to waste words with you, but you might understand what I am about to say, or you might not. Either way, it¡¯s out of my hands now.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    What¡¯s the matter, starting to play word games now, or is it some kind of prophecy?


    Su Yunyao gave Qiao Qingyu a glance, ¡°It is said that this summer a major flood disaster will occur along the river in North City, which will affect your hometown.¡±


    Without waiting for Qiao Qingyu to react, Su Yunyao turned and walked towards the door.


    But Qiao Qingyu quickly called out to stop her, ¡°Where did you hear this news from, and what does it have to do with your marriage?¡±


    Su Yunyao halted in her tracks, her gaze fixed deeply on Qiao Qingyu, and she noticed that Qiao Qingyu was openly meeting her gaze.


    Su Yunyao became a bit uncertain. Could it be that Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t understand, or was she feigning ignorance?


    Indeed, there was doubt in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes, her questioning not entirely feigned.


    Could this have been something that happened in Su Yunyao¡¯s past life?


    But why would she tell this to herself?


    Was she actually so kind-hearted?


    Su Yunyao slightly curled the corners of her mouth, then pushed the door open and briskly left He Xiuyu¡¯s home. After all, she had said what she had to say.


    In some sense, she wasn¡¯t a good person; she felt that doing this much was already quite benevolent. How North City would fare had nothing to do with her, and whether the course of history would change or not, what was bound to come would come. In this world, whether it¡¯s good or bad, in the end, all must be faced.


    It¡¯s impossible in life to preemptively avoid all obstacles. By the time you¡¯ve avoided all of them, new barriers might emerge.


    Especially in this world, which had already changed beyond recognition, which was filled with all sorts of uncertainties.


    As for what Qiao Qingyu would do after hearing the news, that was no longer within the scope of Su Yunyao¡¯s concern.


    That evening, when He Xiuyu came back, the couple whispered softly in their bed.


    ¡°...As for the situation in North City, Su Yunyao wouldn¡¯t make baseless assertions. How should we warn my uncle and the others?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s start by having the county collect meteorological data from recent years,¡± suggested He Xiuyu.


    ¡°Hejia Village and the Qiao Family Team are separated by a big river. If a flood disaster does occur, neither Hejia Village nor the Qiao Family Team will be able to avoid it, especially considering the large expanse of farmland nearby.¡±


    ¡°Normal floods wouldn¡¯t really be a problem, after all, the terrain of Hejia Village and particularly the Qiao Family Team¡¯s land is relatively high.¡±

 Chapter 446 - 446 446 Catching Turtles in a Jar

    ?Chapter 446: Chapter 446: Catching Turtles in a Jar Chapter 446: Chapter 446: Catching Turtles in a Jar Qiao Qingyu thought for a moment and added, ¡°The mountains also account for a part.¡±


    These mountain areas had been cultivated with various Chinese herbs for several years now.


    But Qiao Qingyu turned the tables and advised He Xiuyu, ¡°I think Su Yunyao won¡¯t say anything to you, but Shen Haoze might reveal something to you indirectly.¡±


    ¡°Reveal what? Is Su Yunyao a fortune teller?¡± He Xiuyu laughed enigmatically.


    At this moment, He Xiuyu actually seemed to have a vague understanding of something. He reached out and rubbed his forehead. If this were the case, interacting with Shen Haoze would become somewhat awkward.


    However, he didn¡¯t plan to say more and reached out to pull Qiao Qingyu into his arms, gently stroking her long hair, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about them anymore. Tomorrow I¡¯ll take you to check on the seed experimental equipment.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was delighted, ¡°How many did you make this time?¡±


    ¡°We produced a total of five sets of machines, one for here, one for Professor Feng, one for Xichuan, and the remaining two for the Qiao Family Team and Professor Wang in the Jiangbei Experimental Zone.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Old Zhou from Nangang City also place an order with you?¡±


    ¡°We ran out of raw materials this time. Let¡¯s wait for the next batch.¡±


    Regardless, the South is now focusing on developing its economy, while in the vast plains and large tracts of land in the North, the focus is on developing agriculture.


    With the five sets of equipment shining on stage, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s laboratory was officially equipped. Lu Ye had been waiting here early on. He brought the large truck and happily transported the equipment back.


    The remaining set was for the Qiao Family Team.


    Qiao Qingyu called her uncle, and Qiao Zhiyuan was naturally thrilled. It was said that this equipment was world-leading. No one knew exactly how it led the world; all they knew was it was the best among the seed production equipment.


    So he sent Lin Wen, Accountant Zhang, and several other heads of the Seed Laboratory to Xichuan. They moved quickly and arrived in just two days.


    It was just that the speed in entering Xichuan territory slowed down a bit because it was snowing heavily.


    This was quite rare.


    After the Qiao Family Team transported the equipment back, Boss Chen from Nangang City also came. Qiao Qingyu met him at the station and then took him to the base canteen for a meal. To satisfy his vanity, she let him tour the base within the permitted areas.


    Boss Chen was genuinely happy. Then Qiao Qingyu took him to Xiaxi Commune. There, Mr. Qian naturally greeted him warmly with a group of people and took him to visit the wool processing factory. Although the scale wasn¡¯t very large, the factory was clean and tidy, the technical staff were in place, and the workers operated skillfully, but the wool semi-finished products were still not up to standard.


    Everyone looked at Boss Chen as if they were looking at the God of Wealth, further greatly satisfying his vanity.


    He stationed technical personnel in the factory to instruct them in their work, and then Qiao Qingyu and Mr. Qian took him out for a stroll. It was Boss Chen¡¯s first visit to the Northwest, and indeed, it was as desolate and poor as the legends said, with people dressed in outdated and shabby clothing, nothing like the prosperous Nangang City.


    Qiao Qingyu said to him, ¡°Boss Chen, Xiaxi Commune is now the wealthiest commune in Yushu County. The members here have the best lives.¡±


    Boss Chen squinted his eyes, thinking to himself that if this was already the best, could there be even worse?


    Of course, there could. Mr. Qian and the other communal and county leaders took the opportunity to take him on a tour.


    Boss Chen¡¯s family was a large capitalist family. During the movement, they fled overseas, and when the reforms and opening-up were introduced here, they came back to make money. So he had always lived a pampered life of luxury and never imagined that there could be such poor people on this land.


    They visited a village in a neighboring commune, where the county had sponsored a loan to raise sheep for them, as it was close to the Barley Grassland but had relatively little arable land.


    The low thatched cottages didn¡¯t even have electricity; they used oil lamps because candles were too expensive to afford.


    Some families raised two sheep; others, slightly better off, raised six or seven.


    Honestly, even selling the wool wouldn¡¯t earn much money.


    But continuing to raise and breed them, brighter days were in sight.


    Earning just several dollars a year and being able to make dumplings for the New Year¡¯s feast, they were content.


    For Boss Chen, it was unimaginable.


    To feel extremely happy earning just several dollars a year.


    The leather shoes he wore on his feet cost more than three thousand...


    Across from him was a typical Northwestern farmer, dressed in a gray cotton-padded jacket and pants, his head wrapped in a scarf, looking somewhat old. He even courteously addressed people as ¡°sir.¡±


    It was only after chatting that he learned this man was actually five years younger than him.


    Boss Chen felt embarrassed, but also greatly shocked.


    After returning, Boss Chen no longer talked about lowering prices. He invested 300,000 yuan in the wool processing factory all at once, to expand the equipment and workshop and to encourage the members to raise more sheep.


    As long as the quality was good, he would take care of the purchasing.


    Then, when Boss Chen left, he received many local specialties.


    It was only when he was on the train that he realized he had been schemed by Qiao Qingyu and Mr. Qian.


    But thinking back to those honest smiles, Boss Chen felt as if for the first time in his life, he had done something meaningful.


    With Boss Chen¡¯s joining, the wool processing factory was no longer the same as before. He assigned a knowledgeable manager to assist, and they succeeded in producing qualified wool semi-finished products.


    The commune members who had scrabbled for a living from the earth became the official workers of the wool processing factory after assessments and selections.


    Following the success of more than a dozen vegetable greenhouses, Xiaxi Commune now had a not-so-small wool processing factory.


    ...


    The Lunar New Year was approaching, and the materials for another key base had been loaded into a special train ready to depart.


    When Qiao Qingyu learned the news, it was already the first day of the new year.


    He Xiuyu received the call. This time the arrangements were flawless, with the supposedly official train actually being filled with armed soldiers. They had trapped the gang of desperados planning to rob it, capturing everyone without a single escapee.


    Following the leads, they uncovered the forces behind them, which turned out to be supported by M country, providing funds for them to engage in such sabotage.


    What awaited them would be severe punishment.


    Meanwhile, the real train carrying the precious materials departed from another railway line and smoothly reached its destination. At this point, Shen Haoze finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    He received this call from He Xiuyu, meant to put him at ease, and by now it was already evening. He and Su Yunyao had already registered their marriage and had served wedding candy at the base. Naturally, neither family had any objections; they all knew each other well from living in the same courtyard. In fact, there had long been thoughts of a marital alliance, and now the two were together, bringing relief to both sets of parents.

 Chapter 447 - 447 447 Winter Departs Summer Arrives

    ?Chapter 447: Chapter 447: Winter Departs, Summer Arrives Chapter 447: Chapter 447: Winter Departs, Summer Arrives The bridal room had already been tidied up in advance, with bright red bed sheets and quilt covers, and big red ¡°happiness¡± characters plastered on the walls and windows.


    The family had left, and after the two of them had washed up, supposedly even with a marriage certificate back at the base, Shen Haoze still stayed in his dormitory, and Su Yunyao in her female dorm.


    It was indeed the first time alone in such a joyous room, constantly reminding the two that they were husband and wife.


    Su Yunyao had no intention of playing the saint, and quite swiftly pounced on Shen Haoze.


    Then the two stared at each other, wide-eyed; after a while, Shen Haoze blushed, his ears burning hot, with hands and feet unsure of where to place them, Su Yunyao felt as if she was bullying a big child.


    Indeed, in terms of psychological age, Su Yunyao was much older than Shen Haoze.


    Any slight discontent about the marriage was wiped away by a touch of guilt.


    She leaned in and kissed him.


    During these days, whenever Shen Haoze closed his eyes, he would reminisce about Su Yunyao¡¯s warm lips which seemed to carry a hint of sweetness and her fragrant body.


    So even though he had no experience right now, in some aspects men are self-taught, and he flipped over pinning Su Yunyao underneath him.


    But then he unfortunately blurted out, ¡°Yunyao, is this considered robbing the cradle?¡±


    Su Yunyao¡¯s face instantly flushed red, she leaned in and bit down on Shen Haoze¡¯s shoulder, Shen Haoze unguarded, let out a scream because the bite was too forceful.


    The Shen family lived in a three-story western-style building, and they were in one of the third-floor rooms. Among the brothers, he was the second one to get married, and after the wedding festivities, everyone had cleared out, but there were still some mischief-makers squatting on the stairs, who then heard Shen Haoze¡¯s scream, resulting in laughter that had everyone bending over backwards.


    Indeed, Su Yunyao was still that same Su Yunyao!


    But no matter what, these two, with bites and kisses, finally consummated their marriage.


    ...


    As the cold departed and the heat arrived, the withered Barley Grass stretched into a green prairie, the ivy climbed from the base of walls and blossomed into clusters of pink or purple trumpet flowers.


    Poplars and Willows grew lush with green leaves, and a gentle breeze carried a light fragrance of flowers.


    Qiao Qingyu left school a week ahead of schedule, first sent Rongrong to Beijing, then she headed to North City.


    Since the onset of summer, Jiangnan and Jiangbei had been deluged with heavy rains, turning many low-lying areas into small ponds.


    Here in the Northwest, due to perennial droughts, the situation wasn¡¯t as severe, but thanks to good ecological management, the green area had expanded by another 20% this year. Hence, altered climate also brought more rainfall than in previous years.


    By the family quarters of the base, next to the Poplar Forest, there was a dried-up dirt trench that had also turned into a pond.


    In April, Qiao Qingyu had thrown in many small fish fry and some aquatic plants into the pond, which could be fished out for food in autumn if it didn¡¯t dry up.


    Even though Qiao Family Team here had already made many preparations, after all, it was a natural disaster and with little time, it was not possible to be fully prepared.


    But fortunately, since last year, Qiao Family Team had hired several people to work on water conservancy projects. Located by the mountains and water, there was a large pig farm, later a chicken farm was established on a barren hill, and also a seed breeding base; thus, water projects were also pivotal. Besides, with medicinal herbs planted on the back mountain, when the heavy rain continued incessantly, the rising river water was promptly diverted into a reservoir and several fish ponds in a hollow forest nearby.


    The reservoir, too, was recently constructed, quite crudely.


    However, they could only overcome the immediate crises this year.


    But inevitably, this year¡¯s grain output would definitely be affected.


    When they needed sunlight, there was no sun, and when they didn¡¯t need rain, it poured heavily. Relying on the whims of nature was their livelihood, so this year was particularly challenging for Qiao Qingyu.


    Yet, no matter how difficult the road ahead was, they had to keep going. That was just the nature of agriculture. Qiao Qingyu carried a briefcase as he entered the village.


    The weather was overcast, and the air was somewhat humid. At the river between Qiao Family Team and Hejia Village, although the water had risen quite a bit, the river had been widened due to bridge construction. Additionally, with the transformation of the midstream lowlands into a temporary reservoir, aside from the excessive rainfall, there weren¡¯t many changes, although it was still less than expected.


    That must be what they meant by the saying, ¡°Heaven doesn¡¯t favor us.¡±


    But the village was not as muddy as before since they now had cement roads.


    Qiao Qingyu followed Qiao Zhiyuan to inspect the dozen or so fishponds dug in the village during spring.


    They had discussed it in spring, and Qiao Qingyu had also brought many materials. The commune had held meetings, then decided to plant rice along both sides of the river in slightly lower areas. In even lower areas, the ponds were scattered like stars in the sky, so they simply expanded them and raised fish.


    The fish fry were uniformly purchased. Frankly speaking, artificial fish farming was new in the north, but the climate this year turned out to be quite suitable for it.


    Unless the entire North City flooded, causing the fish to be swept away by the waters, the fishponds would yield a good harvest this fall. The Qiao Family Team hadn¡¯t assigned the fishponds to individuals; they were collectively owned, with collective investments, then hired members of the commune and some technicians. Now, Qiao Zhiyuan was showing Qiao Qingyu the largest reservoir.


    He Xiuyu analyzed that if there were floods, it would only be within this half month, as it was the flood season, and naturally, the water would recede once it ended.


    Under Uncle Sun¡¯s leadership, the Harvest Commune was indeed prepared.


    High-yielding rice should have been widely promoted this year, so it was just going with the flow.


    They planted corn and potatoes in other higher regions.


    As they spoke, they reached the edge of the reservoir.


    There was a cement factory in the county, which was the one invested in by Wu Hong.


    In some dangerous areas, dams were constructed with stones and cement.


    At that moment, the reservoir gleamed brilliantly. Seeing Qiao Qingyu, a member of the commune observing the water happily said, ¡°Qingyu is back, and for some reason, there are many Mai Suiyu fish in the reservoir now. I¡¯ll catch a net full later and clean them up for you to take home. Fried or used as a dipping sauce, they¡¯re delicious.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Uncle Liang.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu gratefully responded with a smile.


    Uncle Liang cheerfully went to the watchman¡¯s shack to get the fishing net.


    The water was too deep; they only looked from the edge, not knowing what exactly was inside, but Beidahuang, to be honest, was originally a land of rich waters and fertile fields. Back when the land was first broken, it was common to beat hares with sticks and scoop fish and wild chickens into cooking pots.


    One could imagine how abundant the natural resources were.


    Now, such a layout was also a kind of indirect resource protection.


    Riding on this momentum, the survival rate of the fish in these ponds and reservoirs was very high.

 Chapter 448 - 448 448 Fish Pond

    ?Chapter 448: Chapter 448: Fish Pond Chapter 448: Chapter 448: Fish Pond Once out in the open, there was no cement pavement, so Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t worried about the mud as she wore boots. She looked around and asked Qiao Zhiyuan, ¡°Uncle, have you all calculated, assuming nothing unexpected happens, how many fish can you catch in the autumn?¡±


    At the mention of this, Qiao Zhiyuan was very pleased. Although they hadn¡¯t planted corn or other wheat this year, the entire Qiao Family Team, as well as Hejia Village, had planted nothing but rice. More unexpectedly, the fish raised in the fishponds dug out of this low-lying area had all survived and were growing quite well.


    ¡°We can probably get about eight hundred thousand jin of fish, including those from Hejia Village. There are even more fishponds there than here.¡±


    Hejia Village was now under the management of the Qiao Family Team and had adopted a team-like structure.


    Qiao Qingyu was also surprised, ¡°That much? Have you thought about how to sell them?¡±


    ¡°Our county has specifically established an aquatic products company. The county will consume a part of the eight hundred thousand jin of fish, and the rest will be transported to the provincial capital.¡±


    That way, there wouldn¡¯t be any surplus, and they would be able to sell everything while it¡¯s fresh.


    Another point was that the team would need to reserve some for gifting to various related organizations, and each member of the commune would get a share.


    Actually, that didn¡¯t amount to much.


    Even though it wasn¡¯t autumn harvest yet, the Qiao Family Team was much busier than other teams.


    With greater gains come greater responsibility.


    They didn¡¯t visit the more distant fishponds, but the situation was mostly the same, with specific individuals in charge of management and supervision.


    And they also had to guard against people from other villages coming to steal fish.


    So, the Qiao Family Team had specially organized a patrol team.


    Hejia Village organized its own, and the situation with their fishponds was similar.


    In the evening, Old Liang from the reservoir indeed brought two iron buckets full of fish, one containing live fish such as Mai Suiyu and ship nail fish, similar to willow root fish, which are coldwater fish known for their delicious taste. Unlike crayfish, these fish have very strict water quality requirements. There were also a few carps and catfish.


    Even if carps were raised in the reservoir, they could still be considered wild, and their taste was equally delicious.


    Then the other iron bucket contained cleaned Mai Suiyu and two big carps.


    What was cooked at home that evening were Mai Suiyu fish sauce and braised carp.


    The cool and refreshing summer in the north was suitable for avoiding the summer heat.


    Therefore, Wu Qianyun brought Mr. Wu from Yun City back to the Qiao Family Team, where the climate was now just right.


    There were many varieties of melons in the fields, which were now ripening successively. Thanks to a piece of melon land on Zhengyang Slope, the soil there was particularly suitable for growing watermelons, yielding fruit with thin rinds and crisp flesh. Chilling them in well water and then eating them was simply too delightful, especially in this hot summer.


    Wu Xiucai was also enjoying his time here, with no thoughts of returning to Yun City.


    In the north, this season was the eve of the harvest, allowing farmers who had been busy through the spring and half of summer to take a break.


    At this time, they were hoping for good weather.


    Therefore, everyone in the village thought of Qiao Qingyu as a lucky charm, because on the second day after her arrival, the sun finally came out after nearly a month of gloominess.


    Members of the Harvest Commune finally had a reason to smile.


    For the crops in the fields, be they rice, corn, or other agricultural plants, which one doesn¡¯t need sunlight?


    So, during this season, the sunlight was especially important.


    According to the weather forecast, the weather would stay like this for the next half month or so, and by August, it would return to the usual climate for this time of year. Thus, even if the flood disasters that Su Yunyao talked about couldn¡¯t be avoided this year, the losses could be greatly reduced.


    Qiao Qingyu mentioned this to He Xiuyu over the phone; she naturally couldn¡¯t tell others what Su Yunyao had said. She just mentioned that the meteorological data provided by He Xiuyu played a significant role. However, those involved should be rewarded accordingly, and if direct rewards were inconvenient, they could be compensated in other ways.


    For Su Yunyao, regardless of her intentions, the outcome was ultimately good.


    After hanging up the phone, He Xiuyu discussed with Old Wei. Although they were separated by a thousand miles and not even in the same province, within the same country, science does not have so many boundaries. No one can have a completely independent and complete scientific system.


    Only by working closely together could our scientific development continue to improve.


    Therefore, during the meeting, they decided to use the opportunity of Su Yunyao also providing meteorological data to restore her previously reduced salary, and then praised her.


    The Agricultural Base of Tenghai Research was in the Qiao Family Team, and if looked at from future perspectives, it had stakes involved. Now it is more of a cooperative relationship.


    Su Yunyao was indifferent, but Shen Haoze was becoming increasingly uneasy. The matter of A-04, for some reason, felt like a heavy weight on his heart.


    He felt he had let his brothers down.


    Although He Xiuyu was not a particularly attentive person in some respects, he noticed something was off with Shen Haoze. When trying to talk, Shen Haoze hesitated. He Xiuyu then knew there was certainly something Shen Haoze found inconvenient to discuss, but his brother was feeling guilty.


    He Xiuyu frankly told him that as a friend, it¡¯s not necessary to be absolutely transparent; everyone has their secrets and things they want to protect.


    Right or wrong, the motivation is still the same¡ªprotection.


    Just like the world has both day and night, it¡¯s not necessary to expose everything to the sunlight. Just as in marriage, it¡¯s not imperative to be totally open without secrets. This is normal human emotion, the world works the same way. There¡¯s no need to unduly burden oneself with unnecessary factors or uncertainties.


    He Xiuyu rarely spoke so much, but these words indeed relieved a lot of Shen Haoze¡¯s stress.


    He Xiuyu also needed to find time to pay attention to the Agricultural Base. Qiao Qingyu, Wang Laogen, Liu Chengwu, and the others were communicated with via phone, while Fang Xiaomei had returned to work. However, she was now a mother, with many inconveniences, and now that Shen Haoze and Su Yunyao were married, over two hundred young couples were married at the base.


    They all lived in the dormitories, which posed a problem. Therefore, the Agricultural Base and the Light Industry Workshop were still very important this year. Besides maintaining normal operations and profitability, He Xiuyu planned to build several family buildings to the north of the family compound.


    Building single-story houses was somewhat uneconomical. Obviously, as development continued, the land in Xichuan might not reach the point of being worth its weight in gold, but it couldn¡¯t be used for just any construction either.

 Chapter 449 - 449 449 Wetland Conservation

    ?Chapter 449: Chapter 449: Wetland Conservation Chapter 449: Chapter 449: Wetland Conservation Like the Tenghai Research Base outside the Xiaxi Commune, Qiao Qingyu had discussed with him the plan to build a modernized small town here.


    This modernized small town was different from the residential compound of the research base.


    It was external, and they planned to place the school, hospital, and the current base store all within this small town.


    Reform¡¯s spring breeze would soon blow across the entire Shen Zhou.


    Many places would undergo earth-shaking changes, changes that would catch you off guard, and some of these changes would purely come at the cost of destroying ecological and natural resources, only to circle back decades later to the old ways.


    It was quite unnecessary.


    Rather than that, from the beginning, it would be better to have a long-term, reasonable, and scientific plan. Take the current residential compound of the base, for example; though the houses were all single-story, they were indeed well-planned.


    In the future, this place could serve as a residence for senior intellectuals and some important personnel of the Tenghai Research Base.


    After all, some people are indeed very important and must be protected.


    It was just like the saying, ¡°the imperialists have an unquenchable desire for our downfall.¡±


    The group of desperadoes captured recently was one such example.


    Therefore, with all things considered, He Xiuyu simply handed over all the work to Shen Haoze.


    That included the Agricultural Base that Qiao Qingyu was responsible for.


    Several people were even assigned to him. Whether or not several residential buildings could be constructed at the base this year, and whether these young couples could have a home, truly depended on the availability of funds.


    Being unmarried was one thing, but the married Shen Haoze certainly knew the benefits of marriage.


    Even though Su Yunyao wasn¡¯t pregnant yet, it was only a matter of time. The two of them were not currently able to live together, maintaining a long-distance relationship within the same organization, secretly spending only one night together on weekends.


    Therefore, Shen Haoze was extremely eager to have a home of his own.


    But now, there was not a single spare house in the base residential compound¡ªa carrot for every hole. Even if his rank was high enough, it was impossible to oust someone else, not to mention the house that Sister Yu vacated. It was allocated to someone else before Xiao Xiao¡¯s family moved out.


    Now, everyone at the base was working with great enthusiasm, and no one was relocated. However, the base was truly expanding gradually, with several new laboratories added, and personnel numbers increasing, creating a situation where there wasn¡¯t enough housing.


    Two buildings were actually not enough; even constructing ten buildings might still not meet the need.


    The residential compound of the base generally housed the workers from workshops and important research personnel and leaders from laboratories.


    Since there were workshops, there were many workers, and while there were enough dormitory buildings, it did not constitute a viable model for a home.


    Shen Haoze was happily taking over the job and Qiao Qingyu felt relieved on this end knowing that the work of the Agricultural Base was handed over to Shen Haoze.


    In this half a month, Qiao Qingyu, under the guidance of Uncle Sun and Uncle Qiao, had almost run through the entire Harvest Commune.


    The general situation was a bit worse than anticipated, but keeping it on par with last year was already the best result. However, one could not depend on the whims of nature for sustenance, as the final outcome wouldn¡¯t be clear until the autumn harvest.


    But regardless, Uncle Sun was planning to dig ponds and build fish ponds in several lower fields of other teams in the commune, especially those with low-lying areas.


    Qiao Qingyu thought about it and then advised Uncle Sun.


    ¡°Uncle, not all low-lying areas should be turned into fish ponds. First, we need to consider our current market, and second, we also have to think about the environment.¡±


    Those were wetlands. There were two wetlands in the Harvest Commune. In the future, these wetlands would have disappeared without a trace. Qiao Qingyu remembered them only occasionally. She visited one of the wetlands and found that it had been destroyed. To not mention anything else, even waterfowl, including the red-crowned cranes, could no longer be seen.


    Indeed, during the years when all of Huaxia was experiencing tough times, life in the north could be considered decent. Yet even then, faced with droughts, floods, and man-made factors, the grain harvested over a few years, after paying the state quota, was simply not enough to sustain a family until the next autumn harvest.


    Some even ran short by spring.


    In Qiao Qingyu¡¯s memory, there was one family at the very north edge of the Qiao Family Team, Old Liu¡¯s house, who lived just like this.


    Their family struggled with illness and weaknesses, and they were always the focus of care. Nevertheless, times were tough, and the team also found it hard to help, so at most they made sure they didn¡¯t starve, allotting them five kilograms of cornmeal, which a seven-person family had to stretch over two months.


    How did they manage? They ate amaranth, which in the future would be considered a pure, green, unpolluted vegetable, a real treasure decades later. But back then, it was just a wild vegetable.


    They would clump the wild vegetables into balls, dip them in cornmeal, place them in a pot to steam, and survive on that until the crops in the field could fill their stomachs.


    The topic seemed to have strayed a bit far, and now Qiao Qingyu was considering that if the current course continued, Huaxia would shake off the yoke of poverty twenty years earlier than in her world.


    Therefore, it was very important to protect some of the key natural resources as much as she could within her power.


    Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have come here again.


    To say she was great¡ªshe really didn¡¯t feel that great. In her private thoughts, when the land could be bought and sold in a few years, she was planning to buy some land.


    Both Jiangnan and Jiangbei would do.


    Xichuan would later become her home. The Tenghai Research Base obviously couldn¡¯t move, and surely she and He Xiuyu would live there in the future. So she was ready to buy that patch of land where she first planted Barley Grass when the policy was in place.


    City planning must also be done properly. It could not be reckless and haphazard, otherwise in a few years, if it was deemed a mistake, the structures would have to be demolished¡ªthat would be both labor-intensive and a waste of money.


    Qiao Qingyu shared some of her thoughts with Uncle Sun and Uncle Qiao, although both of them truly didn¡¯t understand or know much about such matters.


    For them, North City was vast and limitless; the land could never be used up, so wouldn¡¯t it be better to make good use of the lowlands?


    Currently, there was a lack of manpower to cultivate new land, but if it were possible, they would fell the trees in some areas and then convert them into arable land. Timber could be sold for money, and the new fields opened could yield even more grain.


    Such thoughts were even more dangerous.


    Qiao Qingyu said very seriously, ¡°Uncle and Uncle Qiao, we can¡¯t just focus on the present. We also have to consider future generations. If we destroy the forests and turn them into farmland, it will damage the natural environment,¡± pointing to the primeval forest to the north.


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate that primeval forest. It acts as the natural barrier for Ning¡¯an County, ensuring good winds and rains, a vital guarantee for agricultural abundance...¡±


    ¡°Is it really that important?¡± Uncle Sun and Uncle Qiao were clearly skeptical.


    Because if it was so crucial, why would there still be floods?

 Chapter 450 - 450 450 A Completely Different Husband

    ?Chapter 450: Chapter 450: A Completely Different Husband Chapter 450: Chapter 450: A Completely Different Husband Qiao Qingyu also knew it was hard to explain briefly, but she still said, ¡°It really has an irreplaceable role. If we cut down all the trees and turn them into farmland, this place will soon become like the Northwest Desert...¡±


    Although it was somewhat premature to talk about environmental protection when they hadn¡¯t even had enough to eat, since it was brought up, they couldn¡¯t help but consider ecology and the environment.


    Especially Uncle Sun¡¯s ideas couldn¡¯t go on.


    Because now he was the head of the Harvest Commune, officially in charge of the entire commune. If he really had such thoughts, and with higher-ups supporting him, then unfortunately, the nearby forests might all be cut down.


    According to him, they could make money and additionally create plenty of agricultural land. Wouldn¡¯t that be killing two birds with one stone?


    ¡°Uncle, Uncle Qiao, before I left I researched a lot. Isn¡¯t the reason for the severe desertification in Xichuan because there are no forests? Why now are they planting grass and trees? Isn¡¯t that just repairing the damage to the environment after the fact...¡±


    Having said that, both men understood.


    Uncle Sun remembered what his old father had told him. In the fifties, in the Harvest Commune area, there were clusters of wild chickens on the mountains and many birds in the forests, but now, what can you see other than sparrows?


    Even for sparrows, to be honest, they are fewer than before.


    It¡¯s said that in ancient times, during the spring which is the breeding season for birds, hunting was not allowed.


    He didn¡¯t know if this was true, but it made sense at this moment.


    His niece was doing exactly that in Xichuan¡ªplanting trees and grass.


    If it were useless, why would people bother?


    Uncle Sun quickly nodded, ¡°Qingyu, you are right. Let¡¯s discuss this thoroughly in tomorrow¡¯s meeting. There are a few villages planning to cut down forests to grow medicinal herbs.¡±


    Hejia Village was also managed by Qiao Zhiyuan, and Uncle Qiao spoke to Uncle Sun, ¡°Currently these ponds are enough. Even if there¡¯s a flood, it won¡¯t happen every year. I need to tell these people not to think about digging more ponds...¡±


    Though he said this, frankly speaking, not everyone has a long-term vision, and many opposed Uncle Sun¡¯s statement in the meeting.


    Including those from Hejia Village.


    Quite a few villagers started arguing with Qiao Zhiyuan directly. Now, Hejia Village really was not as well off as Qiao Family Team. Previously, they were equally poor, but now Hejia Village was under someone else¡¯s management. Although there wasn¡¯t much discontent, it still wasn¡¯t pleasant.


    This spring, they had dug many fishponds, and seeing the fish inside grow larger day by day, it was clear that by autumn, when the fishponds would be harvested, they would bring in a lot of money.


    Thus, some people wanted to set up their own fishponds too. By then, they could raise and sell the fish themselves. Although the seasons were distinct and winter was long, from spring to autumn, it was enough time for the fish to grow, and the fish were easy to feed, some even ate chicken manure.


    Just think, besides providing water, what costs are there? And there were technicians in charge of guidance.


    But at the meeting, when they said no more ponds should be added, they meant it. They said the current number was sufficient and that trees in the forests shouldn¡¯t be arbitrarily cut down. How could that be acceptable? People needed wood to make furniture when their sons got married...


    Nevertheless, Uncle Sun and Qiao Zhiyuan stood their ground amidst the heated arguments, mainly because they respected what Qiao Qingyu had said.


    Since Qiao Qingyu had said so, there must be a reason for it; otherwise, why would she say it? So far, she hadn¡¯t done anything pointless.


    Qiao Qingyu felt the same, but who would have thought that Lin Wen¡¯s wife would come knocking that evening?


    She didn¡¯t look too good and wanted to see Qiao Qingyu, not wanting to talk inside the house. Qingyu thought for a moment, then took Brother Shengbao¡¯s big fan and went outside.


    It wasn¡¯t dark yet, but there were quite a few mosquitoes around.


    Lin Wen¡¯s wife was named Yulan. Although her name was rather elegant, she had a very domineering temperament.


    Actually, before Lin Wen returned to the city, Yulan was a rather gentle young wife. It was probably Lin Wen¡¯s heartlessness that had provoked her, leading to some changes in her character. Nevertheless, she still had a good relationship with Lin Wen; it was just unclear why Sister-in-law Yulan sought her out.


    Qiao Qingyu did not ask but leisurely walked with her to the other side of the wall, looked at Yulan, and smiled, ¡°Sister-in-law, have you eaten yet, or not? Your complexion doesn¡¯t look too good. Is there something you want to talk to me about?¡±


    Yulan clenched her fists, waved away the swarming mosquitoes and midges, glanced in the direction of the village entrance, and bit her lip, ¡°Qingyu, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m narrow-minded because I have long hair. I just feel that if things keep going this way, something bad will happen to this village...¡±


    ¡°Oh, Sister-in-law Yulan, what might happen? What exactly is going on?¡± Qiao Qingyu, who had been lazily leaning against the wall, suddenly stood upright.


    The Qiao Family Team was at a crucial moment of development, and she truly hoped that nothing adverse would happen.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I know you mean well, but you¡¯ve gone to great lengths to set up a seed-breeding laboratory for the village and then recruited so many interns. They¡¯re all university students with quite a few young and pretty girls among them. What use do they have here if not to steal our husbands?¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law Yulan, you can¡¯t just say things like that,¡± Qiao Qingyu frowned, looking at the indignant woman before her. ¡°If you have any evidence, you can give it to me, sister, don¡¯t worry. As long as it¡¯s true, I will definitely not take sides. I will help you get justice, no matter who it is!¡±


    Sister-in-law Yulan bit her lip; to be honest, what evidence could she provide? There was none.


    But she just felt discontented inside.


    She had visited the laboratory once, standing at the entrance too afraid to go in. The place was spotlessly clean, and she saw her husband in a white lab coat and glasses, accompanied by a young man and two beautiful female university students, all there as interns from Agricultural University and other universities.


    Apparently, like Lin Wen, they were all city people.


    There, she saw a husband who was starkly different.


    It was then that she realized even though her husband stayed in the village, he still seemed aloof and above everyone else.


    While she spoke, Sister-in-law Yulan started to cry, ¡°Qingyu, my family is like a clay doll, barely touched and already shattered. I painstakingly put the pieces back together and glued them anew. I just don¡¯t want my two children to grow up without a father...¡±


    Listening, Qiao Qingyu felt a pang of discomfort.


    Lin Wen¡¯s ruthlessness still lingered in Sister-in-law Yulan¡¯s mind.


    Yet, in those years, such issues were not uncommon.

 Chapter 451 - 451 451 A Hu Qin with Two Strings

    ?Chapter 451: Chapter 451: A Hu Qin with Two Strings Chapter 451: Chapter 451: A Hu Qin with Two Strings ¡°Sister-in-law, why does this seem to get more serious the more you talk about it? What exactly happened? Tell me.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was getting anxious; the village¡¯s development was a good thing, but unity and stability were also very important.


    ¡°Qingyu, you know what kind of person I am in the village. I used to be honest and obedient. Honestly, if I were like the Tian family¡¯s daughter-in-law, what kind of life would my two children be leading now?¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law, we all admire you for protecting your family, but the most important thing in a marriage is actually trust. If you really have something on your mind, I think you should really talk it over with Brother Lin Wen.¡±


    ¡°What am I supposed to talk about? He doesn¡¯t understand what I say, and he doesn¡¯t care for what I have to say. He just wants me to take good care of the two kids.¡±


    Then, without waiting for Qiao Qingyu to respond, she began to vent to Qingyu as if solely seeking a release, ¡°At first, those educated youths thought they would stay in the countryside for life, so they married local girls to avoid hard work and suffering. But then circumstances changed¡ªthe Tian family¡¯s daughter-in-law had been married for less than half a year when that scoundrel abandoned her, leaving behind ten kilograms of food coupons, and just five yuan, and never came back.


    Then, without even a marriage certificate, he claimed the marriage didn¡¯t count, and he just left after having slept with that innocent girl, and went back to the city to continue his studies¡ªbut I can¡¯t do that, dragging two kids along; how can he just not care about anything...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was fanning herself slowly, listening patiently. Truly, Sister-in-law Yulan had it tough. Now, the gap between her and Brother Lin Wen seemed to be growing even wider.


    Moreover, it¡¯s strange how you can often sense¡ªeven sharply¡ªany change of heart that might be happening with your spouse.


    No wonder Sister-in-law Yulan had lost so much weight.


    And Brother Lin Wen, handsome as he is, now runs the seed experimentation lab for the Qiao Family team. Don¡¯t let the rural location fool you; this seed-producing base of the Qiao Family is quite recognized at the national level.


    Many girls are attracted to strength, and thinking it over, Qiao Qingyu realized that an intern named Jiao Na, who was always around Lin Wen, indeed looked at him with a different kind of gaze.


    And sometimes, well, things are hard to express.


    A slight misstep could very well mean falling into a ditch.


    Thinking about it, there would certainly come a time when Sister-in-law Yulan couldn¡¯t take it anymore, which is likely why she came to seek her out today.


    Qiao Qingyu then said, ¡°Sister-in-law, both of my little nephews are now in school. Besides farming, have you thought about doing something else you are good at?¡±


    Something she was good at?


    Sister-in-law Yulan was momentarily stunned. As a farmer, what else could she be good at besides farming?


    ¡°What can I, a farmer, possibly do?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu pondered this. Although the village had been electrified, not a single household had a television. Her family could afford one, but the signal was poor here, with too much static¡ªjust as bad as in Xichuan.


    When people work, they get tired, be they workers or farmers; thus, enriching one¡¯s cultural life wasn¡¯t a bad thing.


    She remembered that Sister-in-law Yulan, although not highly educated, had a grandfather who was famously good at playing the Erhu within the local villages.


    And in her family, it was Sister-in-law Yulan who had the talent.


    It was said that at just eight years old, Sister-in-law Yulan could play ¡°Moon Reflected in Two Springs¡± entirely, and could even accompany singers with the Erhu.


    Music, truly, was a God-given gift.


    Unfortunately, in the countryside, if you were a boy, you could make money by joining a troupe, but a girl couldn¡¯t pursue such a profession.


    Especially since the Erhu is a traditional instrument not taught in schools; even if you can play, there¡¯s no use for it.


    And rural folk hardly think about sending their children to learn traditional music at a specialized school, let alone a girl.


    Thinking this, Qiao Qingyu came up with an idea.


    Is Sister-in-law Yulan¡¯s hand still skilled, she wondered, or can she no longer remember the scores?


    Because it was just after the summer solstice, it was not yet dark, so Yulan, full of grievances and difficult to speak, brightened at the sight of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes.


    She admired this girl.


    Rationally, she had no reason to seek out Qiao Qingyu today. If Qingyu scolded her, she would have to accept it. After all, what did it have to do with Qiao Qingyu? To be honest, if it weren¡¯t for Qiao Qingyu¡¯s help in building the Qiao Family Team to its current state, could a person like Lin Wen have turned around and come back to her?


    That would have been impossible.


    At most, it would have been like before, sending money every month, and nothing else.


    She should thank Qiao Qingyu.


    Yulan forced a smile, ¡°Qingyu, I¡¯m rambling without knowing what to say, you better go back, I won¡¯t bother you anymore...¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law, I ask you, if I give you an Erhu now, can you still play a tune?¡±


    Yulan was stunned again.


    Half an hour later, Qiao Qingyu, carrying an Erhu and accompanied by a bewildered Sister-in-law Yulan, headed to the elementary school at the village¡¯s southwest corner. It was summer vacation, and the school was sparsely staffed. Qiao Qingyu got the keys from her uncle and went to an open classroom inside the school.


    She noticed that Sister-in-law Yulan¡¯s gaze was fixed on the Erhu.


    To say it was eager was not accurate¡ªit was more like nervousness and even anxiety.


    Qiao Qingyu handed the Erhu to Sister-in-law Yulan and put a score in front of her. She then sat down on a chair below, ¡°Sister-in-law, get familiar for a moment, play a simple tune for me to hear...¡±


    ¡°Qingyu, what are you up to?¡± Yulan¡¯s hands trembled as she held the Erhu.


    Since she could remember, she had played the Erhu with her grandfather. Later, the Erhu was accidentally smashed, and her grandfather never recovered from his illness. Since then, she had been too scared to touch it again.


    Many in the village knew her talent, but everyone, including her, chose to forget.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, no matter what it¡¯s for, I have to see if you still can do it. If not, wouldn¡¯t whatever I want to do be pointless?¡± Qiao Qingyu said with a smile, glancing at Yulan¡¯s involuntarily caressing fingers on the strings. ¡°Sister-in-law, give it a try. There¡¯s no one nearby, and no one will hear. Besides, it¡¯s not like the past few years; now, many music schools in the city have started Huqin classes.¡±


    Yulan¡¯s eyes lit up, excitedly asking, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law, do you think I would deceive you?¡± Qiao Qingyu countered.


    Yulan shook her head quickly¡ªwho would deceive people? Certainly not Qiao Qingyu.


    She took a deep breath, looked down at the Erhu in her hands¡ªunknown to anyone, she had played it in her dreams countless times, unknown to anyone, how much she loved this instrument.


    Her grandfather used to say, with a Huqin and its two strings, you can express all the joys, sorrows, griefs, and reunions of life.


    She began learning at three and continued until she was fifteen¡ªjust purely out of love, never thinking about what it could bring.


    No matter how tired, as soon as she played the Erhu, all her fatigue would vanish.


    She was twenty-six now, and it had been a full ten years since she had last touched it.


    But some things are etched in the bones and blended in the blood.


    That was no lie. At first, the sound was a bit harsh and chaotic, but in just a few minutes, heart-wrenching and tear-inducing notes echoed through the old classroom.


    Qiao Qingyu recognized it¡ªit was ¡°Moon Reflected in Two Springs.¡±


    She stared unblinkingly at Sister-in-law Yulan, who was sitting on the platform, tears streaming down her face, immersed in her own world. At that moment, she seemed like a completely different person!

 Chapter 452 - 452 452 My Motherland

    ?Chapter 452: Chapter 452 My Motherland Chapter 452: Chapter 452 My Motherland Lin Wen¡¯s job was busy, but not so busy that he had to work overtime day and night without going home. He would head home every two or three days, and that¡¯s when he noticed something slightly different about his wife than usual.


    However, where exactly the difference lay, he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on. By the time he wanted to give it some serious thought, his work piled up one thing after another, leaving him no time to ponder.


    Then came a weekend in mid-August.


    To enrich everyone¡¯s leisure life, the village invited a cultural publicity team from the county town.


    The cultural publicity team had also gradually become complete over the past two years.


    In the years before, this cultural publicity team had all but existed in name only. Later, the team leader went door-to-door and brought many old colleagues back to work. However, some were of old age, and others, due to significant reasons, could no longer engage in cultural work. They ended up recruiting some educated youths who had returned to the city, but even now, in the year ¡¯84, their entire county still really did not have staff who graduated from specialized schools.


    Yet, when they made their debut last year, they caused a sensation throughout the entire county.


    So, their performance schedule was indeed very packed and busy. If it had been other teams inviting them over, they might not have been scheduled until who knows when, but the Qiao Family Team, to be honest, the leader of the publicity team had long wanted to pay a visit.


    Then, the team¡¯s loudspeaker started broadcasting, ¡°Attention all members, attention all members, the cultural publicity team from the county town will perform at the team headquarters tonight at seven o¡¯clock sharp. Please bring your own stools and do not bring sunflower seeds or peanuts. Watch your children and make sure they do not run around or make noise during the performance...¡±


    Even though the people of the Qiao Family Team had already known that the cultural publicity team was coming, many were not quite sure.


    But now, with this formal notice, it was one hundred percent certain. At this time, a movie, or even a shadow play, could make the members as happy as though it was the New Year, let alone a live performance by the cultural publicity team.


    It is said their program was very rich¡ªthey had singing, crosstalk comedy, and variety acts¡ªeach one of them was incredibly skilled.


    Almost as if they were movie stars.


    That¡¯s why even the people from Hejia Village brought their stools and ran to the team headquarters.


    The team headquarters, no matter how big, couldn¡¯t accommodate so many people. The Qiao Family Team was still under construction, but there was a space in front of the headquarters that had been planned out and had a tent put up, electrical wires were strung up, and two large trucks were parked nearby. Inside the headquarters were places for the performers to apply makeup, as well as for storing their musical instruments.


    Just like the New Year, these people had their dinner early and even Mr. Wu, swinging his stool, followed Wu Qianyun towards the direction of the team headquarters.


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t eaten dinner at home and nobody knew what she was busy with. Ever since she returned home, she would often vanish without a trace, and her family had become used to it.


    Arriving at the team headquarters, there were people maintaining order; village militiamen and patrols were all present. In front of the stage, there were even more than twenty pots of fresh flowers arranged in alternating colors, with several different varieties, looking very pretty.


    One act after another took place, and everyone watched with rapt attention.


    Afraid of missing a single line of a song, afraid of missing even a glance from a performer.


    Then the announcer, holding the microphone, stood in front of the stage and began with a pleasant voice, ¡°Coming up next, we have Comrade Fang Yulan performing a solo on the Erhu entitled ¡®My Motherland.''¡±


    Fang Yulan?


    At this moment, Lin Wen sat with his eldest son and his youngest in his lap, but when he heard the announcer¡¯s words, he was stunned.


    Wasn¡¯t this his wife¡¯s name?


    Same name and surname?


    After dinner, his wife told him to take the two children to watch the performance first, saying she had something to do at the Tian family¡¯s home. He knew because of that past incident, his wife felt a great deal of sympathy for the Tian family¡¯s daughter-in-law who was abandoned by the educated youth university student.


    And she often played matchmaker for her, trying to find her a good family. The two got along pretty well.


    He didn¡¯t dare to say anything or ask because every time he did, his wife would explode into a temper, and the events of the past were dragged out again, never-ending.


    He wasn¡¯t an utterly wicked person; if he were, he wouldn¡¯t have feelings of guilt or repentance. Precisely because he was not, he now felt very guilty, feeling that he had been quite cruel in the past. How could he have left his beloved sons behind and go back to work in the city?


    So whatever his wife wanted, he didn¡¯t interfere. She had the final say in the household, and it was the same with his salary.


    But he also had to admit, he had finally found his place here.


    As Lin Wen was still in a daze, a woman appeared on the stage. She seemed very nervous, standing there not even knowing to sit down, holding an Erhu in her hand.


    The younger son shouted out loud, ¡°Mommy... Mommy...¡±


    Lin Wen was staring hard, looking intently at Fang Yulan. She was his wife, not a namesake.


    Yet this Fang Yulan felt so unfamiliar, making him think she was a completely different person from his wife.


    Lin Wen held his son, his mouth agape and his mind blank for a moment, and at the same time, Fang Yulan also had a split-second of emptiness in her mind.


    There were so many people below, from the Qiao Family Team and Hejia Village, almost a few thousand in total, some familiar and some not. Suddenly there was silence, as all eyes were fixed on her, as if spotlighting her under their scrutiny, making her feel as though she might faint any second.


    At that moment, Qiao Qingyu called out nervously from the side, ¡°Sister-in-law Yulan... Sister-in-law... sit down, sit down.¡±


    A chair was placed in the center of the stage, and now Fang Yulan had her hair pinned up, revealing her slender neck. Her eyebrows were naturally arched¡ªthere was no need for makeup; her lips were a light color, brightened by lipstick. She wore a sky blue cross-collar performance outfit. She was already tall, and women of that era were rarely overweight, giving her an impressively elegant and beautiful presence standing there.


    Everyone saw her as both familiar and strange.


    And in that moment of blankness in her mind, she heard Qiao Qingyu¡¯s reminder, and she sat down on the chair.


    The crowd below reacted all at once with a loud buzz.


    Wasn¡¯t that Old Fang¡¯s granddaughter, Yulan?


    ¡°The Erhu, isn¡¯t that one left by Old Fang?¡±


    ¡°How could it be? Wasn¡¯t it broken back then?¡±


    ¡°What do you know? Being broken doesn¡¯t mean it turned to ashes, why couldn¡¯t it be repaired?¡±


    ¡°Good heavens, what¡¯s going on with Yulan? We had no idea, could she have joined the cultural publicity team?¡±


    ¡°Well, certainly, how else could she be wearing a performance outfit!¡± someone said with conviction...

 Chapter 453 - 453 453 The Embroidered Gold Plaque

    ?Chapter 453: Chapter 453: The Embroidered Gold Plaque Chapter 453: Chapter 453: The Embroidered Gold Plaque The previously silent Old Man Qiao suddenly said, ¡°The Erhu, ah, how many years have I not heard Yulan play the Erhu? That girl had such a spirit, and back then, so many people said it was a pity she was born in the countryside. If she had been born in the city, who knows what she would¡¯ve become.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve heard it, how come I haven¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°This child, I watched her grow up. Old Fang was a good person, it¡¯s just a shame he was born at the wrong time.¡±


    ¡°Why do I feel like this is all a dream? Besides farming and looking after children, how could Yulan even know how to play the Erhu?¡±


    ¡°What do you new youngsters know? In the past, everyone knew that this child started playing the Erhu at three, and by the age of eight, she could play ¡®Moon Reflected in Two Springs¡¯ so beautifully. She¡¯s even accompanied singers in duet operas and songs...¡±


    A crowd began eagerly sharing this bit of common knowledge.


    Then someone shouted, ¡°Yulan, start!¡±


    Lin Wen¡¯s mind was still in turmoil, with all the sounds drilling into his ears and buzzing chaotically in his brain, yet he pieced it all together in an instant.


    His wife, Fang Yulan, knew how to play the Erhu since she was three and was a musical prodigy, but how did he not know this?


    His rural wife, with her somewhat rough hands, had once played the Erhu?


    What a joke, this must be some kind of trick, right?


    Fang Yulan slowly sat down, placed the Erhu on her lap, picked up the bow, closed her eyes for a moment, and then slowly opened them again. She glanced at the thronging crowd, where it was far from silent, actually quite noisy, but there was an undeniable passion on everyone¡¯s faces, and she immediately saw Lin Wen sitting in the front holding their youngest son, with their eldest son beside him.


    The three men were all gaping at her, as if they still hadn¡¯t snapped out of their surprise.


    Especially Lin Wen, who had an indescribable look on his face.


    It was a look she had never seen on him before.


    The next second, with a movement of Fang Yulan¡¯s hand, a melodious and affectionate prelude began to sound across the open space in front of the Qiao Family Team¡¯s office, amplified by the microphone.


    As the music began, the place instantly quieted down.


    This Erhu was the one her grandfather had used, which Fang Yulan had thought was destroyed. The one Qiao Qingyu gave her that day was borrowed from a neighbor. All she did was mention this back at her parents¡¯ house and unexpectedly, her mother took out a wooden box from an outside storage room and brought out the Erhu, already repaired. The instrument was handcrafted by her grandfather and produced an exceptionally beautiful sound...


    At this moment, it even seemed as though people could hear a gentle singing voice.


    ¡°A broad river with wide waves, the wind blows the fragrance of rice flowers onto both banks...¡±


    The leader of the cultural publicity team stood on one side of the stage, watching the woman who was, in fact, a village woman, with a complex expression. He had been involved in cultural work for over forty years, and though there had been interruptions, he never abandoned it, only stayed behind the scenes.


    His teacher had once said that if there was a chance, he would like to discover those artists hidden among the people.


    Those artists, due to lack of opportunity, could not attend professional schools to learn, nor had the chance to showcase their talents, and thus blended into obscurity.


    Regrettably, before he could undertake this task, his teacher unexpectedly passed away.


    Now he felt his teacher¡¯s words were very true, there were truly masters among the common folk.


    This was a musical prodigy who could play tunes without learning sheet music.


    It seemed that her talent was engraved in her very marrow. She wondered if it was possible to bend the rules and recruit this person into the cultural publicity team?


    Qiao Qingyu finally breathed a sigh of relief. Once the music started, Sister-in-law Yulan would become immersed in her world, and that was when she looked her most beautiful.


    People, as long as they have something they do well, why not take the chance to show it?


    Not for others, but for themselves.


    Because Fang Yulan was from their own village, the members of the Qiao Family Team felt particularly proud. After ¡°My Motherland¡± concluded, a few elders who were particularly good friends with Mr. Fang stood up to make a request, ¡°Yulan girl, could you play ¡®Embroidered Purse¡¯ for us?¡±


    Then others started chanting, ¡°Another one, another one...¡±


    In fact, this was supposed to be the final performance.


    Now the space at the team headquarters was brightly lit and filled with a cacophony of voices. Qiao Zhiyuan stood nearby with a megaphone, raising his voice to say, ¡°Quiet, quiet! Everyone quiet down, or you can all go home, and I won¡¯t let you watch anything...¡±


    His words were simple but sincere.


    Then Qiao Zhiyuan looked towards Fang Yulan. Whether ¡®Embroidered Purse¡¯ would be played was up to her. He had heard Mr. Fang play it on the Erhu before.


    Of course, Fang Yulan could play it. She turned to look at the captain of the cultural publicity team. After all, it was their stage. Having already played ¡®My Motherland¡¯ for the villagers today, she felt completely content.


    How could the cultural publicity team captain refuse? He quickly nodded, signaling her to continue.


    Fang Yulan sat down again, and next to Lin Wen, his eldest son clutched his hand and excitedly exclaimed, ¡°Daddy... Daddy... Mom is amazing, she¡¯s so amazing.¡±


    Her son thought his mom was amazing, and he had long experienced just how incredible she was, yet he hadn¡¯t expected her to have even greater talents.


    Indeed, the night was brimming with merriment, fervor, and excitement, much like when the film projection team first came to the village to show a movie.


    But as the ¡®Embroidered Purse¡¯ began, everyone fell silent. The familiar tune was melodic and lingering, ¡°During Lantern Festival in the first month, the purse unfolds...¡±


    The older people instantly found their eyes brimming with tears. It could be said, even those born in the seventies often couldn¡¯t understand their parents¡¯ adoration for the great figures.


    Those people were immovable pagodas in their hearts.


    To put it more dramatically, their luster was truly enduring and undiminished.


    What should have been a cheerful occasion turned to tears for some older individuals.


    This piece, even this song, every time it was heard it brought tears to the eyes, much less when played on the Erhu¡ªan instrument that drew forth echoing, sorrowful sounds full of deep emotion. Even the leader of the cultural publicity team hadn¡¯t realized that he himself was moved to tears.


    Lin Wen watched Fang Yulan on the stage, his eyes full of amazement.


    That was his wife, who married him in her teens, bore him two sons, and later almost turned enemies with him, until he returned to her side once more, and had stayed there to this day.


    Yet, it was only at this moment that he realized he was seeing Fang Yulan as if for the first time!

 Chapter 454 - 454 454 Change Destiny

    ?Chapter 454: Chapter 454 Change Destiny Chapter 454: Chapter 454 Change Destiny No matter how excited Lin Wen felt inside or how he looked at his wife, life had to go on.


    But as for how to live life, some things had inevitably changed.


    Then Fang Yulan became a member of the Ning¡¯an County literary and arts propaganda team, though currently only as a temporary worker; the literary arts were just beginning to flourish. It was a time when talent was needed, much like the poetry societies established in various universities, where anyone who could write a poem or two was considered an absolute literary genius.


    Such individuals were also highly sought after in schools.


    Not to mention someone with real talent like Fang Yulan.


    The villagers all envied Fang Yulan, but the envy was not tinged with jealousy, for it truly was based on her own skills, which weren¡¯t something one could simply learn at will.


    As Lin Wen proudly and complacently said, it was lucky that both sons took after their mother; if they were like him, they wouldn¡¯t be able to carry a tune, even the national anthem would be out of key.


    Regardless, a Hu Qin ultimately changed Fang Yulan¡¯s fate.


    Like her mother-in-law, who had always looked down on her, yet was shocked and incredulous when she heard the news. Then, during the grand performance, she saw her daughter-in-law shining on stage, hardly believing it was real while simultaneously boasting to those around her that she knew this woman, this Erhu performer was her daughter-in-law.


    Her very own blood!


    So, when discussing this matter at home, it was always with contemplation.


    After a woman marries, how should she live her life to make it good? Should she rely entirely on her husband? That could work, since devoted men exist, but most men are not like that.


    Thus, it is truly hard for women in this world. On one hand, they need to demonstrate their value, but on the other, they are burdened with the responsibility of bearing and raising children, often managing both jobs at home or working in the fields like farming couples, both doing the same labor, but back home, it¡¯s typically the woman washing clothes, cooking, taking care of the children, and cleaning the house.


    Fair? Not really.


    In the past, women married to change their place of sustenance, leaving them with little choice but to serve their husbands, care for their children, and hope for a bit of dignity at home.


    But why do modern women marry now?


    One is for love, and the other is for a home.


    But if one can support oneself, there¡¯s really no need to bear children, manage household chores, or care for the elderly. This may sound selfish, but there is some truth to it.


    Of course, this was occasionally the biased thought of Qiao Qingyu.


    After all, if it wasn¡¯t for He Xiuyu, she had no plans to enter into marriage; she had established herself in her world regardless of where she came from, and the faces of some men were indeed repulsive. If she couldn¡¯t find love or a man worthy of her devotion, she¡¯d rather stay single for life.


    What¡¯s wrong with being single? Many of her married female colleagues were effectively widowed parents.


    What use would such men be?


    This sentiment was not unique to Qiao Qingyu; many women in their thirties in her workplace were happily single.


    Of course, she couldn¡¯t share these thoughts with her mother, and she was very satisfied with her current marital status.


    He Xiuyu was the fortune she had accumulated over several lifetimes.


    It was also not clear when, even in the northern county towns, bell-bottom jeans, aviator glasses, and floral shirts became fashionable.


    Qiao Shengbao had brought back many such clothes and glasses from Nangang City for his family, where the bell-bottoms were truly exaggerated and typically brushed the ground, regardless of the wearer¡¯s gender.


    This exasperated Auntie Qiao to the point where she nearly took scissors to trim the excess fabric to make something else.


    The elderly villagers couldn¡¯t stand it, yet young people still walked fashionably on the concrete roads; Uncle Six would shout from behind, ¡°Nice pants, they¡¯re like big brooms¡ªno need to sweep the roads now!¡±


    Everyone would laugh, but they didn¡¯t care.


    Groups of three or five draped over each other, carrying boomboxes, wearing bell-bottoms, and zooming away. This was in the countryside; the cities had even more. Even in summer, some wore silk scarves around their necks and gloves on their hands. Some girls, to get curly hair, would wash their hair at night, braid it, and upon unbraiding in the morning, their hair would look like big waves, then they¡¯d tie a kerchief and feel utterly beautiful.


    Of course, Qiao Qingyu wouldn¡¯t dress like that, even though Qiao Shengbao also sent her a red plaid shirt, a pair of bell-bottom jeans, and a pair of pointed leather shoes.


    Of course, she didn¡¯t take the silk scarf because a few years earlier, Qiao Qingyu had already bought such items for the women in the Qiao family.


    This was no longer a novelty for her.


    This was the inevitable trend of social development, everything had a process, but looking at those bell-bottoms certainly evoked a strong sense of the era.


    It was believed that soon, people in the county town would begin disco dancing.


    These fashions were merely passing trends, and Qiao Qingyu was too busy to pay them much attention as the riverbanks were experiencing severe flooding. Although precautions were taken, the flood was formidable, driven by heavy upstream rain that raised water levels, submerging half of the cropland along the river, with corn knocking down in the fields. Some paddy fields looked manageable, but the dry fields were clearly if not remedied, set for total crop failure.


    Some villages were also flooded, and Harvest Commune sent help to the affected areas, rescuing what crops they could and managing what they couldn¡¯t.


    The people of Qiao Family Team organized themselves to dig channels and build embankments to prevent the floodwaters from rising further, preventing potential devastation.


    Suddenly, the members of Qiao Family Team were bustlingly active again.


    Fortunately, the water receded after a week.


    A preliminary assessment revealed that Harvest Commune had suffered the least damage in Ning¡¯an County, a silver lining in the misfortune.


    Once the drainage ditches were completed, everyone finally relaxed.


    Uncle Qiao then found time to deal with his eldest son Qiao Tianbao¡¯s marital dispute, which had escalated to the point the daughter-in-law, in a fit of anger, took the children and went back to her mother¡¯s house and hadn¡¯t returned yet.

 Chapter 455 - 455 455 Helping You is a Favor Not Helping is

    ?Chapter 455: Chapter 455: Helping You is a Favor, Not Helping is Duty Chapter 455: Chapter 455: Helping You is a Favor, Not Helping is Duty He was so busy at the time that when his in-laws came to look for him, he didn¡¯t even know what had happened.


    His eldest son was about to follow the transport team to haul supplies, and being away from home, what could he say? He only instructed him to be careful and to talk about anything further when he returned.


    And then, at long last, when he finished his business, his eldest son also returned.


    However, his daughter-in-law was still staying at her parental home.


    After asking, he discovered that the daughter-in-law wanted to transfer to a different unit and hoped Mr. Wu would put in a word for her with the county leaders. Qiao Tianbao naturally refused. He felt he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say such things; his daughter-in-law¡¯s current job was also okay. Even though it was in a factory run by a sub-district office, wasn¡¯t it still a factory?


    Some people couldn¡¯t even get into it if they wanted.


    Qiao Tianbao¡¯s wife Fan Chunmei got angry at that, saying how difficult it had been for her to marry into the family. Initially, the Qiao Family was rural, while she was from the city. She had already sacrificed so much and didn¡¯t expect to rely on his family for anything. Over the years, it had been her contributing to the family finances. And now, finally, they had a relative they could be proud of. She wasn¡¯t asking for money, not a single cent; she just wanted him to help by saying a word and transfer her out from the factory run by the sub-district office to any governmental or public service unit in the county, which would be much better than her current workplace, that was on the brink of not paying salaries and laying people off.


    As a permanent worker, her transfer would be within regulations, just depending on a word from him. After so many years, had she ever asked anything of him?


    Qiao Tianbao initially stayed silent and just listened quietly. But when Fan Chunmei saw that he wasn¡¯t saying anything and spoke without holding back, she accused her aunt-in-law of being a home-wrecker and questioned why one would acknowledge a father like that. Had it been the old days of poverty, they would have no expectations, and their hearts would feel more at ease without others speaking sarcastically.


    Now, when they could extend a helping hand, they did nothing. What good was acknowledging such relatives? Worthless as dog fart...


    In short, she said many nasty things, and in a moment of anger, Qiao Tianbao slapped her.


    Over these many years, this was the first time the couple had argued, and the first time Tianbao had raised his hand. Naturally, Fan Chunmei couldn¡¯t stand it and took the child back to her parental home.


    Qiao Tianbao was angry too. When her mother came to find him, he also felt wronged. Indeed, his aunt-in-law now had a wealthy father but that was their own matter. To help was kindness; not helping was their right, and it had nothing to do with him.


    Besides, had he not borrowed prestige?


    He had been promoted at his unit. Wasn¡¯t that thanks to Mr. Wu¡¯s influence?


    Whenever Aunt-in-law and Qiao Qingyu came over, when had they not brought her something? Now, their children¡¯s attire and accessories in this county were the trendiest.


    What more did they want?


    But his mother-in-law didn¡¯t see it that way. She thought that exchanges between family members were normal. If you give me a foot of cloth, I¡¯ll give you two ounces of oil. It couldn¡¯t be measured so precisely, and besides, a word from Mr. Wu could be more effective than spending money on favors.


    Why couldn¡¯t they go to Mr. Wu?


    If you don¡¯t go, how do you know Mr. Wu won¡¯t help?


    Qiao Tianbao obviously wouldn¡¯t discuss such matters with his parents. He signed up for a transport mission at work, but eventually, he did come back, and the matter still needed resolution. Then Mr. Wu and Qiao Qingyu became aware of the situation.


    Mr. Wu just smiled and said nothing.


    Qiao Qingyu thought for a bit then headed to the old house.


    When Qiao Tianbao saw her come over, his face flushed red. Her coming proved Mr. Wu knew, and how was he to face others in the future? When he saw Mr. Wu later, could he lift his head up at all?


    Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°Brother Tianbao, don¡¯t overthink it. Actually, what your wife said has her reasons.¡±


    Taking shortcuts is preferable for everyone, rather than going the long way around unnecessarily.


    But Qiao Qingyu herself didn¡¯t even know the details of the argument between Fan Chunmei and Qiao Tianbao.


    Old Lady Qiao spoke irritably, ¡°I know you don¡¯t want your Brother Tianbao to resent your sister-in-law, but how does what she said make any sense? People should take only what they¡¯re owed, and besides, people are inherently greedy and never satisfied. You can¡¯t start such a precedence; they should live within the means of their own capabilities...¡±


    Uncle Qiao looked at Qiao Tianbao furiously, ¡°No matter what, you are a man. You shouldn¡¯t lay a hand on your wife, regardless of what she says or does. You can reason with her, but you should never resort to violence. Now, go and apologize to her, or else I will no longer acknowledge you as my son.¡±


    Wang Guihua, who stood by the side, also slapped Qiao Tianbao¡¯s back, saying in a tone of disappointed anger, ¡°Some achievement that is, getting tough with your wife, you worthless fool...¡±


    One has to say, the Qiao Family had a good family tradition; laying hands on a woman was seen as being no better than a beast.


    However, Qingyu felt that things might not be so straightforward and had a feeling that Uncle Qiao might still have something he hadn¡¯t told her.


    She couldn¡¯t help but think of her second cousin, Qiao Shuibao, who worked in the security department of a sugar factory in the neighboring county.


    To her knowledge, these cake factories and sugar factories of the 1980s would soon go bankrupt.


    Bankruptcy meant layoffs, layoffs meant no job, no job meant no income, so it was only natural for the Qiao Family to set their sights on their own grandfather¡¯s support.


    But their grandfather, although not a stranger to the Qiao Family members, did not have much of a close bond with them.


    And with so many people, helping them out could be endless.


    She agreed that this precedent couldn¡¯t be set because once it was, things would take a different turn. However, you couldn¡¯t just ignore your eldest sister-in-law when she was without a job after a layoff.


    Opportunities were everywhere now, but for those accustomed to state-owned enterprise employment, becoming self-employed seemed humiliating to them.


    Essentially, they still asked for a stable job for life.


    Qingyu asked Qiao Tianbao, ¡°Brother Tianbao, what kind of job does your wife want?¡±


    Before Qiao Tianbao could reply, Uncle Qiao interrupted from aside, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it; it¡¯s none of your business. Just go home, and don¡¯t talk to your grandfather about these things here.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu asked, ¡°Uncle, did Brother Shuibao also call you?¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s gaze flickered, and he quickly waved his hand, ¡°Why would he call me? That ungrateful thing hardly ever comes back once a year.¡±


    Tianbao hastened to say, ¡°Qingyu, go home quickly. Don¡¯t get involved in this. Regardless of everything else, it was wrong for me to hit her. I¡¯m going to pick up your sister-in-law and apologize to her. I¡¯ll bring her back home...¡± After saying this, he got on his bicycle and left in a hurry.


    Qingyu went home. Mr. Wu glanced at her; she smiled at him, then went about her own business.


    Since Uncle Qiao wasn¡¯t talking, she wouldn¡¯t ask either. After all, life must be lived on one¡¯s own. She had helped the Qiao Family pave many paths, and if only they would follow them, their lives shouldn¡¯t be too bad.


    That includes Brother Tianbao and the others in the city too.

 Chapter 456 - 456 456 Handling Objects

    ?Chapter 456: Chapter 456 Handling Objects Chapter 456: Chapter 456 Handling Objects Qiao Qingyu also had to start packing her bags.


    She was a junior this year, and when school started again she would be a senior, and would have to resign from her role in the student council.


    Therefore, she didn¡¯t have many activities to organize over this holiday, which allowed her a lot more composure.


    However, this time Mr. Wu planned to go with Qiao Qingyu to Xichuan.


    Qian Yun would accompany Mr. Wu on this trip since he was getting on in years, and she needed to be by his side to look after him, while Qiao Zhicai stayed behind to help with the autumn harvest.


    Their household registrations were still at the Qiao Family Team.


    Mr. Wu had not mentioned transferring their registrations anywhere, and neither had they.


    To speak selfishly, staying here was quite good; with one mu and three points of land per person, they even had a share in building their own homes. From what Qiao Zhicai could see, there wasn¡¯t much difference between the Qiao Family Team and the city anymore.


    Thus, packing was mostly handled by Wu Qianyun at home with Niu Guili.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Qingyu quickly tidied up and then went to check on the dam construction.


    Currently, every household had to provide labor to voluntarily build the dam across the river.


    The river didn¡¯t have a specific name, people from both Hejia Village and the Qiao Family Team called it ¡°river.¡±


    This year¡¯s flood made everyone realize the importance of building dykes.


    In fact, many of the dykes and canals in the area had been built by the sent-down youths back in the day, and they were of particularly good quality¡ªnot only useful now, but likely for the next twenty years. And during this flood disaster, they had played a significant role.


    Thus, those youths, they truly expended their youth and sweat on this land.


    They were all worthy of respect.


    Qiao Qingyu was cycling out of the village when she happened upon her second aunt, dragging Qiao Ye¡¯s hand, storming from the entrance of the village.


    Having run into each other face-to-face, she had to stop. Qiao Ye¡¯s eyes lit up upon seeing Qiao Qingyu, as if she had seen a savior. She immediately let go of Wang Mei¡¯s hand and rushed to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s side, hiding behind her.


    Before Qiao Ye could say anything, Wang Mei¡¯s face changed, her teeth clenched as she hissed, ¡°You little wretch, have you still got the face to hide behind Qingyu?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression instantly darkened, ¡°Second Aunt, Qiao Ye is your own granddaughter, how can you speak so foully? Can¡¯t you accumulate some virtue with your words?¡±


    Wang Mei pursed her lips, then pointing at Qiao Ye, she said, ¡°Look how young she is, yet her heart has gone wild, thinking of finding some random man.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu stepped forward, truly wishing she could slap Wang Mei¡¯s face. This woman was too dreadful; no matter what, Qiao Ye was her own granddaughter. Luckily, there was no one at the village entrance. Had anyone overheard this, how could Qiao Ye ever face anyone in this village again?


    Insulting one¡¯s own granddaughter like this, she was not family but an enemy.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face grew completely cold, ¡°Wang Mei, don¡¯t act shamelessly. Qiao Ye is a member of our Qiao family. This child walks uprightly and works honestly. She¡¯s a rare and good girl. What are you to slander a member of our Qiao family like this? If it weren¡¯t for my grandparents¡¯ early discovery, would you have already sold Qiao Ye to pay off your family debts...¡±


    People like Wang Mei should never be treated kindly.


    Wang Mei¡¯s face was ashen. She stood with her hands on her hips, yet she still feared Qiao Qingyu. Despite not often returning to the village, everyone knew that Qiao Qingyu had a say in the affairs of Qiao Family Team.


    Moreover, her husband had also warned her. Angrily, she was forced to swallow back the words she wanted to scold and said very aggrievedly, ¡°I am doing this for her own good. I know I was wrong before, but is what she¡¯s doing now right?¡±


    Then, pointing at Qiao Ye, who was hiding behind Qiao Qingyu, she said, ¡°You ask her what she has been up to. You worked hard to arrange a job for her, why can¡¯t she take it seriously and go to school to become a qualified doctor in the future? With your connections, she could find any kind of partner she wants. Why did she have to fall for that Qi Feng who came from the city?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s brow furrowed.


    Qi Feng?


    Wasn¡¯t that the water conservancy engineer currently supervising the dam construction?


    Was it him?


    Of course, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t believe what Wang Mei said. This woman was unreasonable, and whatever came out of her mouth was a figment of her own imagination.


    She turned her head and asked Qiao Ye, ¡°Qiao Ye, do you understand what your grandmother is saying?¡±


    To her surprise, Qiao Ye grabbed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand, ¡°Auntie Jade, I like Brother Qi, Qi Feng. I really want to marry him.¡±


    Wang Mei suddenly became smug, pointing at Qiao Ye, ¡°See, see, she admitted it herself. Am I slandering her if she herself isn¡¯t clean? Qi Feng is no good, why don¡¯t you think about whether he¡¯s really broken up with his former partner? And his temper isn¡¯t good either; he got jealous over a woman and lost his job. Without our Qiao Family Team, he might be begging on the streets right now.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu interrupted Wang Mei, ¡°Stepmother, leave this matter be. I also hope you can control your mouth, or else don¡¯t blame me for being rude.¡±


    Technically, Wang Mei was closer to Qiao Ye by blood, as Qiao Qingyu was just a cousin from another branch.


    But who could blame it when Wang Mei was someone unreliable and without any principles, speaking without thinking about the consequences? No matter what the truth was, if she went around spreading rumors, it wouldn¡¯t be good.


    Wang Mei reluctantly nodded her head, mumbling, ¡°I won¡¯t interfere anymore, I¡¯m just a country old lady. Nobody respects me anyway, I¡¯m too lazy to care about this.¡±


    Saying this, she twisted her body and walked towards the village.


    Qiao Ye¡¯s complexion finally improved a bit.


    Watching Qiao Ye, Qiao Qingyu felt a toothache coming. To speak the truth, she wasn¡¯t even eighteen yet. At seventeen, with such good times and opportunities, why wouldn¡¯t she think about enriching herself with good studies?


    But then again, people¡¯s thoughts are different.


    She was acquainted with Qi Feng, a man of bad temper and straightforward nature, but he was quite competent in his field.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression darkened as she wondered whether it was Qi Feng being intentional or if it was just Qiao Ye¡¯s unrequited feelings.


    She pulled Qiao Ye towards the large tree at the village entrance.


    The weather today was somewhat hot and dry, without a breeze. Standing there for a moment, their backs were soaked with sweat, their bodies sticky, which only added to their irritability, but she still endured and stood under the tree. She waved her hand to create a breeze, then finally asked Qiao Ye, ¡°Are you two dating?¡±


    Qiao Ye quickly waved her hands, ¡°No, no, Brother Qi doesn¡¯t agree.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu sighed in relief. Qiao Ye was innocent, and if Qi Feng had any intentions of seducing her, it would have been troublesome.

 Chapter 457 - 457 457 Young and Reckless

    ?Chapter 457: Chapter 457: Young and Reckless Chapter 457: Chapter 457: Young and Reckless ¡°In relationships between men and women, mutual affection is essential,¡± Qiao Qingyu spoke softly, yet Qiao Ye dared not take her words lightly and nodded slowly, ¡°Auntie, I understand this principle.¡±


    ¡°Since you understand this principle, Brother Qi has already rejected you. Why are you still telling me you want to marry him? Do you realize if I hadn¡¯t run into you just now, I don¡¯t know what your grandmother could have started gossiping about?¡±


    Qiao Ye¡¯s face flushed red, and her toes nervously traced circles on the ground, a body language clearly expressing her discontent!


    Qiao Qingyu had other matters to attend to. She started pushing her bicycle and then impatiently said to the lingering Qiao Ye, ¡°If you¡¯re busy, go back to the clinic, and if you¡¯re not, take the first aid kit and some common medications and help out at the dam.¡±


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu ready to leave, Qiao Ye hurried forward to stop her, ¡°Auntie, please help me. Brother Qi will definitely listen to you, please tell him to be in a relationship with me.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°How old are you? Only seventeen, right? So eager to be in a relationship. Besides, who am I to make Brother Qi listen to me?¡±


    Qiao Ye¡¯s eyes flickered, and she muttered, ¡°Auntie, seventeen isn¡¯t that young. You were married at seventeen, and before that, you even said you wanted to marry Brother Lan.¡±


    Brother Lan? Lan Jianqing!


    Qiao Qingyu stopped in her tracks, turned her head to look at Qiao Ye with a calm expression, and asked, ¡°Who told you I wanted to marry Lan Jianqing?¡±


    ¡°Auntie, how can you forget? It was you who insisted I take you to the educated youth point to find Brother Lan,¡± Qiao Ye looked incredulously at Qiao Qingyu.


    ¡°So what?¡±


    Her voice was cool as she asked.


    Qiao Ye wasn¡¯t foolish; she definitely noticed a shift in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s demeanor and quickly explained, ¡°Auntie, I didn¡¯t mean anything else by it.¡±


    ¡°Then, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I just hope you can help me, I really like Brother Qi.¡±


    She said ¡°Brother Qi¡± so casually.


    However, Qiao Qingyu suddenly remembered something and asked Qiao Ye, ¡°It¡¯s true I asked you to take me to the educated youth point to find Brother Lan, but did I ask you to bring me anywhere else?¡±


    ¡°You said to go to the neighboring educated youth point to threaten Bai Zhi, who was also from Beijing, because they both seemed quite close.¡±


    ¡°Did I go?¡±


    Qiao Ye paused, her mind a bit slow to catch up, and without sensing anything amiss, she honestly replied, ¡°Uncle¡¯s grandmother locked you at home and didn¡¯t let you go, but I don¡¯t know if you sneaked off later.¡±


    This statement almost stitched it all together; Han Liuya had been in control of her body during that period¡ªa woman whose memories might not be fully intact, but who was still keen on climbing the social ladder.


    Among all the educated youths, Lan Jianqing was arguably the most handsome and came from the best family background.


    Yet, Lan Jianqing was in a relationship with Bai Zhi, which is why Han Liuya had run off to another village to threaten Bai Zhi.


    There¡¯s still something puzzling here; even if a teenage girl went to threaten Bai Zhi, would Bai Zhi really willingly break up with Lan Jianqing?


    To tell the truth, Uncle Qiao wasn¡¯t a bully. Even the Qiao Family Team, both then and now, was a relatively fair and just place. Moreover, in those years, Uncle Qiao was just a small team leader and didn¡¯t have much power.


    Qiao Qingyu then asked Qiao Ye, ¡°Do you remember any of your uncles or grandfathers ever helping me?¡±


    Qiao Ye thought for a moment, ¡°No, you always did it secretly, and then once Grandpa found out, he wouldn¡¯t let you go to the youth spots and even locked you up at home.¡±


    It was then that Qiao Ye realized, and tentatively asked, ¡°Auntie, have you forgotten all these things?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu waved her hand, ¡°That was so many years ago, how could a brash youth remember so much? I had completely forgotten it until I ran into Lan Jianqing in Beijing when he mentioned it.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, what did Brother Lan say?¡±


    ¡°What could he say? I had completely forgotten.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay then,¡± Qiao Ye calmed down completely.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at her, thinking to herself how this child, even though she was now training with Dr. Jiang at the clinic, still had a somewhat narrow view due to her upbringing.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression turned serious as she spoke earnestly, ¡°Qiao Ye, the experiences of your auntie don¡¯t serve as a reference and aren¡¯t suitable for you to follow. Ultimately, we are different; my case is just an exception.


    They say a twisted melon is never sweet, and there¡¯s certainly truth in that. Your grandmother, although harsh, makes some sensible points.


    Qi Feng is indeed responsible, but that is also because of the somewhat transcendent status of our Qiao family in this village. He dares not offend you or deceive your feelings because the consequences of offending you and deceiving your feelings are more than he can bear.


    On the other hand, it also shows that he has someone in his heart he can¡¯t let go of. They say one gets enraged for the sake of a beloved woman; for his girlfriend, he even lost his job and brought trouble to his family. This is not a small matter. Whether there are ongoing issues between them, we don¡¯t even know; his waters are muddy, and if you blindly wade into them, you¡¯ll drown...¡±


    As Qiao Ye listened, her face turned paler, but regardless, she took in what Qiao Qingyu said. Her fingers twisted, and after a long while, she said, ¡°Auntie, I didn¡¯t do anything. Brother Qi had hurt his hand; I just helped bandage the wound. Grandma saw and made a huge fuss. I was worried she would say something unpleasant, so I quickly brought her back with me. The medical kit is still up on the flood dam; I¡¯ll go back with you to get it.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu bluntly said, ¡°Then you drive me.¡±


    Qiao Ye quickly nodded, her voice cheerful, ¡°No problem, I ride very stably.¡±


    Then Qiao Qingyu sat on the back of the bicycle as Qiao Ye rode to the river dam.


    It was bustling here. To tell the truth, from spring plowing to now, the people of the Qiao Family Team were working harder than last year.


    Because this year, there were many more projects.


    Anyone whose family had been allotted land had to come work here.


    Whether you liked it or not, this was the team¡¯s production task.


    But the enthusiasm at the scene was still high.


    On the other side of the dam, a young man sat on a rock, frowning, with a medical kit beside him, his hand wrapped in a bandage, head bowed, lost in thought.


    When Qiao Qingyu and the others approached, he noticed and quickly stood up.


    Qiao Qingyu acted as if she knew nothing, glancing at Qiao Ye.

 Chapter 458 - 458 458 Be Content

    ?Chapter 458: Chapter 458: Be Content Chapter 458: Chapter 458: Be Content Qiao Ye obediently reached out to take the medical kit, slung it over her back, and then said, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯ll go over there and check...¡±


    Then she ran off like the wind, but no one could ignore the fact that the young girl had quickly glanced at Qi Feng before running away, her face instantly flushing red.


    This girl hadn¡¯t given up yet.


    Qi Feng dared not underestimate Qiao Qingyu, who was a few years younger than him.


    However, before he could speak, Qiao Qingyu asked with concern, ¡°You¡¯re injured, what happened?¡±


    Qi Feng nonchalantly shook his hand, ¡°I just scraped it while lifting a rock earlier, it¡¯s no big deal.¡±


    ¡°Still, be careful, some tasks should be left to others, you¡¯re now working in technology, and the construction of the dam has to be stable, scientifically sound, and able to withstand the rush of floodwaters¡ªyour role is vital.¡±


    ¡°I know, my teacher was invited by our brigade, this dam will certainly be built the most robust.¡±


    After a few polite exchanges, Qi Feng felt that shifting the topic around like this was not very manly.


    Moreover, Qiao Qingyu had come with Qiao Ye, and even though that scene just now didn¡¯t catch anyone else¡¯s attention, he was aware of it.


    When Wang Mei had glared at him while furiously dragging Qiao Ye away, his heart had leaped into his throat.


    When boys and girls are together, it¡¯s ultimately the girl¡¯s reputation that suffers, but he didn¡¯t want anyone gossiping about Qiao Ye, so he was very worried as he sat there, yet he couldn¡¯t chase after them into the village; that would only confirm the suspicions, and he also valued his current job immensely.


    Although the job here was in the countryside, to be frank, how many water conservation construction projects are not in remote or rural areas nowadays? There are office jobs in the city, but those are only for people with connections; without connections, you¡¯re stuck working outside.


    He was quite satisfied with his current life, the living conditions were even better than in the provincial city, and he didn¡¯t want to lose that.


    After a moment of consideration, Qi Feng candidly spoke up, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, I consider Qiao Ye as a sister due to her young age, and I won¡¯t discuss her matters with anyone else, please be assured of that.¡±


    ¡°I trust your character, Brother Qi, otherwise we wouldn¡¯t be able to stand here chatting so amicably. Qiao Ye is indeed young, and with such a troublesome grandmother, I hope you can be a bit more patient with her...¡±


    Qi Feng breathed a sigh of relief.


    Qiao Qingyu was no ordinary girl; she was bold and straightforward in her actions and words, he wasn¡¯t worried about her, but he still preferred to avoid unnecessary troubles.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, the section of the dam up front should be nearly completed, would you like to come and see it with me?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded joyfully, ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I came here, to see the construction of the dam.¡±


    As they walked in that direction together,


    Qiao Ye, who had been secretly watching them, couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint her feelings¡ªshe thought her aunt would certainly not introduce her to Qi Feng.


    Something about that made Qiao Ye feel uncomfortable.


    This was still because she was kept at a distance. If it were Feifei, she guessed that her aunt would have definitely spoken up.


    In this place, her aunt¡¯s word was law, and everyone knew that, but she still disliked planning for herself.


    Qiao Ye was naturally kind-hearted, but she could hardly cope with the constant background negativity from Wang Mei, who was always whispering and sowing discord, the girl seldom heard anything positive¡ªit was all complaints, accusations, and even bitterness.


    So Qiao Ye, who harbored resentment toward her aunt, felt she was being too harsh.


    Her aunt had helped her immensely. Without her aunt¡¯s help, where would she be now?


    Even if she hadn¡¯t been sold away by her grandmother, she would just be an ordinary rural girl. How could she possibly be learning medical arts cleanly and neatly in the health clinic under Dr. Jiang?


    The girls she grew up with were all incredibly envious, speaking bitterly behind her back, but everyone experiences headaches and fevers. When they came to the clinic, they had to look at her with polite, smiling faces, and their gazes were different from before.


    What was in their eyes?


    Respect, yes, that¡¯s the word¡ªtheir eyes were filled with respect for her.


    Why? It was all because of her profession.


    Qiao Ye pinched herself hard, no wonder her father and mother often advised her to be content and to really treasure what she had.


    If a person becomes discontented, it generally doesn¡¯t end well, and they hoped she could succeed and then help her two younger sisters as well.


    Since the implementation of the family planning policies, the hopes her family had of having a boy were likely dashed, unless her parents secretly ran away to hide for a few years, giving up everything at home.


    Thus, many family responsibilities would fall on her shoulders, being the eldest child, and just as her aunt had said, she had her duties.


    Lost in thought, Qiao Ye suddenly heard someone shouting, ¡°Dr. Qiao, Dr. Qiao, come quickly, your uncle has hurt his foot on a stone.¡±


    Reacting immediately, Qiao Ye grabbed her medical kit and ran towards the crowd.


    Everyone looked at her anxiously, their eyes gleaming warmly and kindly. Even though they were worried, a sigh of relief escaped their lips unanimously as they saw her approaching, and they made way for her automatically. Someone held her medical kit, someone else fetched clean water, all watching carefully as she cleaned and dressed her uncle¡¯s wound; they praised her incessantly.


    Qiao Ye¡¯s furrowed brow gradually relaxed.


    Qiao Qingyu had no idea of the emotional changes Qiao Ye was experiencing in these moments.


    She walked around the dam with Qi Feng for quite a while. Construction work was really a job for professionals¡ªshe didn¡¯t understand it and just watched from the side.


    Nowadays, the most taboo thing is for amateurs to direct professionals, which could be quite annoying. Qiao Qingyu never meddled in areas beyond her expertise.


    ...


    Time flew by; Qiao Qingyu, along with Mr. Wu and her mother, took a car to the provincial capital.


    The journey was quiet, and they soon arrived in Xichuan.


    Someone was there to pick them up; Qiao Qingyu had called He Xiuyu earlier and told him to continue with his work. This time she was bringing her grandfather and mother back to Xichuan.


    Mr. Wu already had a residence here, and by this time, He Juanjuan, along with He Xuerong, had arrived at Tenghai Research Base three days earlier.


    Because He Xuerong was due to start school soon.


    And unable to sit still, He Juanjuan was planning to go to Nangang City to purchase goods, and they just happened to bump into each other at the station.


    It was He Juanjuan¡¯s first time meeting Wu Qianyun, and she hadn¡¯t expected this woman to have such a unique temperament; no wonder¡ªQiao Qingyu was so beautiful, having taken after her mother.

 Chapter 459 - 459 459

    ?Chapter 459: Chapter 459 Chapter 459: Chapter 459 He Juanjuan actually knew about some entanglements of the previous generation.


    But she had never met Wu Qianyun, so naturally all her impressions of her came sporadically from what Meng Siqi inadvertently let slip, though such occasions were extremely rare.


    Meng Siqi wasn¡¯t a fool, and she wouldn¡¯t constantly talk about Wu Qianyun, who was once Han Xianglan.


    So He Juanjuan approached cheerfully, calling out ¡°Grandpa¡± along with Qiao Qingyu, and then calling out to her aunt.


    This way of addressing them wasn¡¯t problematic.


    However, He Juanjuan was about to get on the vehicle and quickly exchanged a few words and waved as she squeezed into the crowd entering the station.


    Then Qiao Qingyu first went with her grandparents to their residence in Xichuan.


    It wasn¡¯t an apartment building, but rather a common type of construction similar to a courtyard house, though it was not quite like the courtyard houses in Beijing¡ªthere was a main house with five rooms and wing rooms on both sides.


    It¡¯s a typical northwest courtyard, but this place was a sanatorium area, with an elegant environment, which counted as a nice spot in this sandy belt of the Northwest.


    Of course, the environment had changed now, so it wasn¡¯t that special anymore.


    They hadn¡¯t bought the house; it was a gift from the local government.


    After settling both of them in, Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t in a rush to go home. School had already started, and she headed back to the university.


    Her school was a legitimate undergraduate institution, hence it was a four-year program.


    Li Bo¡¯s health had almost recovered, but he had chosen to take a break from school, so she would have to spend another year in university.


    Currently, Li Bo was interning at a base farm and hadn¡¯t returned yet.


    Qiao Qingyu planned to sort things out here quickly and then go back to hurry up with the autumn harvest.


    Therefore, she wasn¡¯t handling any of the Student Union¡¯s responsibilities anymore, but she hadn¡¯t expected the vice president to come looking for her upon learning of her return.


    He came to complain, ¡°Qiao, you could have continued as president until graduation. Look at the current president, he only cares about himself and completely neglects whether our Student Union can develop in a healthy and orderly manner.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu frowned, ¡°If you have concerns, you should speak with the teachers, not me. I really can¡¯t say anything in my current position.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t even ask what the issue was.


    Liang Aiguo was quite disappointed, then stood up and said, ¡°I just don¡¯t want to see the achievements of your hard work over the past few years result in the Student Union earning a bad reputation. But seeing as you are indifferent, never mind, I won¡¯t bother you with this anymore.¡±


    And with that, he turned and left, visibly upset.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced around; she really hadn¡¯t heard about any issues, and since she was no longer involved, she didn¡¯t have time to pay attention to the Student Union¡¯s affairs.


    But Liang Aiguo said that the new Student Union President was only looking after himself.


    Well, in what way was he looking after himself?


    Qiao Qingyu shook her head and decided to focus on preparing her graduation thesis and other course wrap-ups.


    She also planned to apply to the school for a leave of two to three months.


    Then it would be winter break, during which she likely wouldn¡¯t spend much time at the school.


    Qiao Qingyu, carrying her books, strolled leisurely through the campus. In Xichuan this September, the leaves of the poplar trees had turned golden yellow, falling to the ground with every gust of wind.


    The grass on the campus was still a vibrant green.


    Not just at school, other places were nice too.


    Xichuan, under Lu Ye¡¯s management, had done very well. Lu Ye had not only received recognition from the province but also commendations from higher up.


    His position had been promoted by two levels now, and he was managing more matters. It had been a long time since she had seen him.


    Just as Qiao Qingyu was thinking about him, she casually looked up, and who else could the person hurriedly approaching from the distance be but Lu Ye?


    Qiao Qingyu smiled at Lu Ye, ¡°Director Lu, congratulations, congratulations.¡±


    By now, Lu Ye had already risen to the level of a bureau director.


    For someone his age, this was almost unimaginable. To reach this point required not only experience but also a robust work capability among many other aspects.


    Without enough experience, one wouldn¡¯t be promoted.


    Moreover, thanks to the unique natural environment of Xichuan, Lu Ye had indeed climbed up the ranks because of it.


    Lu Ye¡¯s face turned red as he hastily said, ¡°Alright, alright, we¡¯re old friends now, don¡¯t tease me here. Besides, if I could have made it this far, you would be the first person I need to thank.¡±


    ¡°How would you thank me?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu asked casually.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll take you out for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu quickly agreed. She was now also interested in understanding Xichuan¡¯s current situation regarding greenification management, and how was Xichuan interfacing with Gelle State now?


    The interactions were all between officials now; even knowing Gelle State¡¯s sand and dust control was more urgent than Xichuan¡¯s, she still had to wait for news.


    It was unknown when it started, but various noodle houses, restaurants, and even clothing and laundry shops had sprung up one after another around the school.


    Everyone knew that students¡¯ money was the easiest to earn, so there were the most people doing business around major campuses.


    This time Lu Ye had come to the school primarily to review the files of some students assigned to him, students who had graduated in the same class as Qiao Qingyu and who majored in relevant areas.


    Of course, they were all outstanding, but Lu Ye felt he still needed to personally select them. His unit sounded fancy, but to be honest, he seldom spent time in the office. In the past, people used to call him a ¡°pretty boy,¡± but now his face had tanned considerably from the sun.


    So those who weren¡¯t resilient couldn¡¯t take up those spots.


    While eating, he jokingly said so, and Qiao Qingyu glanced at him, ¡°It¡¯s not that dark, a wheatish complexion is pretty normal.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu then asked Lu Ye, ¡°So, did you need me for anything else?¡±


    ¡°One reason was to see you and the other was, if you had time, to help me review these people. After all, you¡¯ve worked at the Student Union for three years and have such good connections at the school that you might know more than the vice chancellor.¡±


    ¡°Lu Ye, surely you didn¡¯t say the same to the vice chancellor?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that foolish.¡±


    Lu Ye handed the file bag to Qiao Qingyu, knowing what she liked to eat, he ordered four dishes and two bowls of rice.


    He glimpsed at the seriously reading Qiao Qingyu, pursed his lips slightly, and then picked up another file bag to start reading.


    Qiao Qingyu read quickly; she told Lu Ye everything she knew, and Lu Ye then selectively eliminated a few candidates. Both of them worked efficiently; by the time the food arrived, they had already dealt with these tasks.


    After eating, Lu Ye drove Qiao Qingyu back to school.


    This time Qiao Qingyu had also obtained some information on sand control in Gelle State.


    After sorting it out, Qiao Qingyu put everything into her handbag.


    Liu Hong and Liu Min, who were best friends, were interning at the local Bureau of Agriculture. No one was left in their dormitory except for Li Bo, who was still at the base and hadn¡¯t come back.


    It seemed, he must be very busy.

 Chapter 460 - 460 460 Braised Pigs Trotters in Brown Sauce

    ?Chapter 460: Chapter 460 Braised Pig¡¯s Trotters in Brown Sauce Chapter 460: Chapter 460 Braised Pig¡¯s Trotters in Brown Sauce Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t called He Xiuyu to tell him when she was going back.


    But He Xiuyu, figuring out the time, drove over to pick up Qiao Qingyu and arrived just as she had packed up her things, ready to catch a ride back to base.


    At the school gate, Qiao Qingyu, carrying a handbag, spotted the tall figure standing by the jeep at a glance.


    The sky was somewhat overcast, but just a single exchange of glances seemed to brighten the weather instantly.


    He Xiuyu hurried forward, took the handbag from Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand, and placed it in the jeep¡¯s trunk, then he looked down at Qiao Qingyu, who was watching him, gently pinched her face, and said tenderly, ¡°You¡¯ve lost some more weight.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu felt it was fine, but she was used to it by now¡ªevery time they met, He Xiuyu would always say she had lost weight, and moreover, he was not just saying it to be polite but very seriously.


    He Xiuyu opened the car door, Qiao Qingyu sat in the passenger seat, and He Xiuyu started the jeep and took the tree-lined road in front of the campus before asking Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Do you want to go to the store?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Qiao Qingyu pointed ahead, ¡°I heard Xichuan has opened a large private store; let¡¯s go take a look there...¡±


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t know where it was, but Qiao Qingyu directed him, and he drove the jeep down the road she pointed to¡ªit turned out to be quite fast, arriving in about ten minutes.


    At that time, there were very few people with cars, so most of those parked in front of the store were bicycles. They parked the jeep on an open space to the left and got out of the car.


    It seemed like just in the blink of an eye, these market stalls and pushcarts popped up like mushrooms after rain.


    There were those selling soda, scarves, yarn, socks, and insoles¡ªtruly, there was a vendor for everything.


    Even though it was September, there was still an ice cream machine set up by the roadside.


    Then, the power cord was pulled all the way from a neighbor¡¯s house.


    Today being Sunday, many adults and children gathered around the ice cream machine.


    Qiao Qingyu said regretfully, ¡°It would be good to buy some ice cream to keep if we had a fridge at home.¡±


    He Xiuyu glanced at the ice cream vendor¡¯s fingernails and didn¡¯t buy any for Qiao Qingyu, but he explained, ¡°It¡¯s not very hygienic, and it has too much essence.¡±


    That was certainly true, but the children were enjoying it with relish.


    Qiao Qingyu, of course, wasn¡¯t tempted¡ªsoda these days liked to add too much colorant.


    The two entered the store, somewhat similar to future supermarkets but not as standardized, though it was much better than the traditional counter model in shops.


    They went straight to the food section.


    Qiao Qingyu looked at the pork on the counter, which appeared to have just been delivered, very fresh. She bought four pig¡¯s feet, one pig¡¯s heart, a rib rack, and more than ten pounds of lean meat along with a large piece of fatback.


    As for cabbage and radishes, they had plenty at home, and they definitely didn¡¯t lack potatoes.


    Seeing dried fish for sale on the side, Qiao Qingyu bought several pounds of those.


    He Xiuyu went back and forth twice to put these items in the trunk.


    By this time, the sky had become more overcast, and Qiao Qingyu urged He Xiuyu, ¡°Let¡¯s hurry up; it looks like it might rain.¡±


    But as the car started up, Qiao Qingyu thought she saw Li Bo, and then inadvertently caught sight of the man standing next to her. Why did he look so much like Mr. Zhao?


    However, before she could take a closer look, those two had disappeared from view.


    They had vanished near a clothing store. Qiao Qingyu asked He Xiuyu, ¡°Did you see Li Bo?¡±


    He Xiuyu naturally knew the few female classmates from Qiao Qingyu¡¯s dorm.


    He shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t see her, what¡¯s up?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu spoke in a low voice, ¡°I think I saw Li Bo with Mr. Zhao. Weird, right?¡±


    Mr. Zhao was already forty years old and had been in two relationships. The organization even tried to set him up with someone, but for some reason, it never worked out. His family was a heavy burden, especially since his mother was paralyzed and bedridden, unable to do anything and needing care. Also, Zhao¡¯s salary wasn¡¯t high, and with his brother and sister-in-law coming over to attend to the old lady, that added another person¡¯s expenses to consider.


    So, even though Mr. Zhao held the title of engineer and was also the workshop director, unless he was embezzling, his life was really not easy.


    But how could Li Bo be with Mr. Zhao? That seemed unlikely. Qiao Qingyu thought maybe she had seen wrong.


    After returning home, Qiao Qingyu started to get busy.


    First, she rendered some lard and, after it was done, poured it into a basin to cool a bit before storing it in a jar.


    Next, she dealt with pig¡¯s trotters and pig¡¯s heart.


    Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu discussed inviting Sister-in-law Li¡¯s family over for a meal.


    During her absence, Sister-in-law Li had always helped to look after the house.


    Although He Juanjuan was supposedly living in Xichuan, the girl was not very consistent, rarely staying in Xichuan and spending most of her time in Nangang City. But the base now had nearly everything except for the variety of groceries found in Xichuan, and in fact, it excelled in every other type of merchandise.


    Some people even traveled from far away just to buy some trendy and beautiful items.


    So, even Qiao Qingyu wouldn¡¯t go to Xichuan for these items anymore. This time she had brought back meats and some dried goods.


    The cabbages in the field were still growing, and they would probably be cut when it got a bit colder or after the snowfall. The radishes were already edible, and whenever there was time, Sister-in-law Li, Fang Xiaomei, and even Li Bo would dry out the green beans and eggplants from the garden, turning them into dried string beans and dried eggplants.


    The sea buckthorn had already fruited, but Professor Feng had taken all the berries.


    In the next two to three years, sea buckthorn was expected to create a significant industry.


    Inside the house, Qiao Qingyu was noisily chopping meat, while He Xiuyu started a small stove outside, skewering meat with an iron rod, roasting the skin of pig¡¯s trotters. After the skin was roasted, it still needed to be soaked to remove the hair before it could be used.


    Rongrong loved braised pig¡¯s trotters in brown sauce, and Qiao Qingyu planned to cook all four trotters in that style.


    For dinner, she cooked brown rice. When Rongrong got home from school, Qiao Qingyu asked her to invite Xiao Hu and his aunt along with Brother Li and Sister-in-law Li over.


    By the time the family of four arrived with a large bowl and two plates of dishes, Qiao Qingyu had already prepared the meal. There was a pot of pig¡¯s trotters in brown sauce, saute?ed pork belly with cabbage, water-cooked pork slices, stir-fried chili with pig¡¯s heart, shredded radish salad, and a bowl of mashed potato balls.


    This was the kids¡¯ favorite, and with the addition of pig¡¯s trotters, Rongrong, Xiao Hu, and his aunt all got stuffed.


    Sister-in-law Li didn¡¯t say anything when there were many people around, but while washing dishes in the kitchen, she quietly said to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Your classmate Li Bo seems to have gotten close to Old Zhao. Did you know?¡±

 Chapter 461 - 461 461 Whichever Family She Marries into Will

    ?Chapter 461: Chapter 461: Whichever Family She Marries into Will Be Unlucky Chapter 461: Chapter 461: Whichever Family She Marries into Will Be Unlucky Qiao Qingyu was momentarily stunned. She suddenly remembered the two figures she had seen outside the store at noon; if Sister-in-law Li was correct, it could indeed be Old Zhao and Li Bo.


    ¡°How did you know?¡± asked Qiao Qingyu to Sister-in-law Li.


    ¡°Now, almost everyone at the Tenghai Research farm is aware of it. Li Bo has been taken to Zhao¡¯s place a few times for meals.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t quite know what opinion she should express.


    Mr. Zhao was excellent at his job; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t hold his position at the base, and they would have dismissed him long ago for the mistakes he had made.


    Though ethically flawed, he was a researcher and indeed a talent not easily found. In the end, that¡¯s how it was left.


    Moreover, after a few incidents, he seemed much better than before.


    But regardless, he had aged quite a bit over the past few years. To tell the truth, he was only a few years younger than Li Bo¡¯s father.


    ¡°They have too big of an age gap,¡± Sister-in-law Li said.


    She glanced outside, then whispered, ¡°Yeah, if they do end up together, an older husband with a younger wife... do you think that could last?¡±


    Whether it could work was something only those involved would know, like shoes that one wears.


    That evening, He Xiuyu seriously asked Qiao Qingyu about her plans for the near future.


    Then, with a peculiar glint in his eyes, he leaned into her ear and said, ¡°We can finally have a child now.¡±


    And then he promptly and decisively pinned her down.


    It was another enchanting and beautiful night. When Qiao Qingyu woke up, He Xiuyu had gone to work, and He Xuerong had gone to school, leaving her at home alone with the warmed-up meal in the pot.


    The rosy light piercing through the clouds illuminated the room, seemingly with tiny rays fluttering like butterflies.


    The air suddenly felt warm and cozy.


    It unwittingly gave a sense of peaceful times.


    Originally, Qiao Qingyu planned to go to the Zone 5 Laboratory, but feeling a bit tired, she decided to stay home and clean up.


    The sun was bright, and the air was dry. She took out her autumn and winter clothes to air them and decided it was also time to wash and put away her summer shirts and dresses.


    In Xichuan, the four seasons were distinct, the transitions clear and unmistakable.


    She had a quick lunch, and just as she was about to take a nap, someone knocked on the door. It turned out to be Li Bo.


    Qiao Qingyu greeted Li Bo with a warm smile and after learning that she hadn¡¯t eaten, promptly made her a bowl of noodles. After eating, she glanced at Li Bo¡¯s leg and asked with concern, ¡°Are you holding up okay with the farm work?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing; Sister-in-law Li is a good person, she doesn¡¯t assign me heavy work, and I can handle what I¡¯m given.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Sister-in-law Li is good-hearted. But originally, you¡¯re a technician. Your expertise is meant to help complete our farming tasks more quickly and efficiently.¡± Qiao Qingyu felt it was necessary to explain.


    ¡°Even so, they take good care of me, and I know Sister-in-law Li does it out of respect for you, Jade. Thank you so much; you¡¯ve helped me a lot.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re classmates, so let¡¯s skip the formalities.¡± Qiao Qingyu then shifted the topic away from this matter and asked Li Bo, ¡°When are you going back to school?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll return after the autumn harvest is over.¡±


    ¡°That works. This way, your thesis will be a bit easier to write.¡±


    Li Bo looked around Qiao Qingyu¡¯s home. This wasn¡¯t her first visit, but she had only been here a couple of times. To her, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s place felt cozy and beautiful and somehow different from other homes.


    Clean and stylish, it also had a distinctive charm.


    Li Bo glanced at Qiao Qingyu, bit her lip, and then mustered the courage to say, ¡°Jade, have you already heard what they¡¯re saying about me and Mr. Zhao?¡±


    ¡°I just heard about it yesterday; you two are really seeing each other.¡±


    Li Bo nodded, ¡°He pursued me first, and I think he¡¯s quite suitable. If there¡¯s no issue, we¡¯re planning to get our marriage certificate on October 1st.¡±


    Nowadays, the time spent courting wasn¡¯t very long. Sometimes, after a mediator¡¯s introduction and a little understanding of each other, people would quickly start discussing marriage.


    This was also true at the Tenghai Research Base.


    However, Qiao Qingyu still felt inclined to give a word of advice, ¡°Li Bo, although you two are well-matched intellectually, there is still quite an age difference. Of course, if there¡¯s love, that¡¯s no barrier. But you know about Mr. Zhao¡¯s past, right? His ex-wife works under Professor Feng, and he also married some distant cousin who turned out to be a spy sabotaging our research base. You should also be aware of his family situation, with his bedridden mother and his brother and sister-in-law and their two children all living here...¡±


    Honestly, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult for Li Bo to find someone else. There were plenty of young engineers at the base, any of whom had family conditions no worse than Mr. Zhao¡¯s.


    Li Bo, with her head lowered, said softly, ¡°I know you mean well. I¡¯m aware of all these matters, but no one is perfect, and I¡¯m not that great either. My situation in Xichuan has caused quite an uproar. Even now, my dear father and his wife aren¡¯t willing to let me be.¡±


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t all this been resolved completely? They didn¡¯t go to the school and harass you again, did they?¡± Qiao Qingyu frowned and asked.


    If that was the case, she would have to get the student council to deal with it.


    They couldn¡¯t let anything affect the students¡¯ studies and lives.


    ¡°Of course, they don¡¯t dare go to the school; there¡¯s no benefit for them there. But behind my back, they speak ill of me, saying that I¡¯m worthless. They¡¯ve even spread rumors that whoever marries me brings bad luck to their family.¡±


    At this, Qiao Qingyu suddenly remembered overhearing Liu Hong gossiping. When people¡¯s tongues wag, they say this and that behind your back, and what can you do about it?


    Older folks often enjoy such talk.


    And in these past two years, Li Bo¡¯s family indeed experienced a lot of drama.


    Rumors claimed she had first conspired with her father and his mistress to drive her mother to her death. Then, having fallen out with the two, she was said to have landed their child in the hospital, after which they broke her legs. Later, Li Bo was supposed to have sent her own father to prison. Although they eventually reconciled, he paid a heavy price: he lost his job, was swindled out of all his savings, and even his house was taken.


    When rumors of real and false mixed together like this, people tended to believe them, feeling sympathy for Li Bo but also considering her cursed.

 Chapter 462 - 462 462 Just Living Together

    ?Chapter 462: Chapter 462: Just Living Together Chapter 462: Chapter 462: Just Living Together Qiao Qingyu knew Li Bo was aware of these words himself.


    Qiao Qingyu then asked Li Bo, ¡°Does Mr. Zhao know about your situation?¡±


    ¡°He certainly knows. I told him everything from beginning to end, and he said he didn¡¯t mind as long as I could sincerely be with him. He promised that he would treat me well and protect me.¡±


    Mr. Zhao surely didn¡¯t mind these things, as he himself was far from perfect, and besides, Li Bo was still a young and beautiful girl.


    Whichever way it was looked at, Mr. Zhao was getting the better end of the deal.


    ¡°Do you like him?¡±


    Li Bo just laughed, her smile tinged with mockery and even a bit of sorrow, ¡°Qingyu, not every woman is as lucky as you to meet someone like He Xiuyu. Love or no love, I feel disgusted and ironic just hearing that word now. Actually, my arrangement with Old Zhao is pretty good; it¡¯s a partnership of convenience, and who knows, it might even last longer that way.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu sighed deeply, ¡°After everything you¡¯ve been through, you actually see some things more clearly than we do. As long as you feel alright about it, we will all bless you.¡±


    ¡°Will you then come to my wedding?¡±


    ¡°Of course, and after your marriage, we¡¯ll be neighbors, as you¡¯ll be part of the Agricultural Base family. In fact, our relationship will be even closer than before,¡± Qiao Qingyu comforted her with a laugh.


    These words made Li Bo¡¯s sadness lessen a lot, but Qiao Qingyu still warned her, ¡°I must tell you, your future mother-in-law is no easy one; if you really marry in, you¡¯ll have to keep an eye on her. That old lady used to steal vegetables from my garden whenever she was able.¡±


    Li Bo burst out laughing, but as she laughed, tears started flowing.


    The truth was, this was really quite good. To be honest, there were quite a few women who wanted to marry someone like Old Zhao, who wasn¡¯t particularly impressive but not terrible either; his main issue was his family burdens, but importantly, he had no children. So what if he couldn¡¯t have any?


    Li Bo remembered her own mother, who had struggled so much to give birth to her, but what was the use?


    For her mother, perhaps raising a dog would have been more rewarding.


    ¡°Qingyu, talking to you has really lightened my heart; I was very confused, but now I¡¯m looking forward to the future.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Life should always have something to look forward to.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already promised Sister-in-law Li that I would come to the farm after graduation.¡±


    ¡°Good, focus on your internship for now. Our farm plans to expand next year, and I¡¯m also planning to build a few more branches in Gelle State.¡±


    Li Bo¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Can the farm and our Agricultural Base be merged now?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait another two years. Right now, the farm mainly supplies our base with food and vegetables.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you need me to do, please don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t be idle.¡±


    Li Bo left Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house with a relaxed smile on her face, while Qiao Qingyu watched Li Bo¡¯s retreating figure pass the corner of the wall and sighed softly.


    It¡¯s really hard to say who ends up with whom in this world, she hadn¡¯t expected Li Bo would actually be likely to marry Mr. Zhao.


    And yet, many people would see this marriage as quite a good match.


    Time had flown by so fast that autumn harvest had commenced in the blink of an eye.


    This year, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s agricultural base had expanded its contract lands to more than 300,000 mu.


    Not only from Xiaxi Commune but also including the lands from two nearby communes, all had been contracted by Tenghai Research Agricultural Base.


    However, this time the contract was only for three years. After that, Qiao Qingyu planned not to renew it. She had discussed with He Xiuyu about merging the agricultural base and Tenghai Farm after three years to form Tenghai Agricultural Group directly.


    Abroad, this group model was emerging, and Qiao Qingyu had opportunistically proposed it.


    This planting model would mature over the next three years, then it would be handed over to the local communes.


    Qiao Qingyu planned to target the lands in the surrounding impoverished areas.


    With the Tenghai Agriculture brand, to be honest, she could contract as much land as she wanted. Even counties hundreds of miles away had approached Liu Chengwu, seeking to contract land and also hoping to be taught scientific farming methods.


    Although farming wasn¡¯t very lucrative, the land shouldn¡¯t be left fallow. It had been this way for generations; wouldn¡¯t it be better if it could be made to generate greater value?


    When Qiao Qingyu arrived at the office, Fang Xiaomei was already there working. She was now the financial officer of the agricultural base, but she would have to go out and study if the scale were to expand further.


    But she was still in her breastfeeding period, so it would have to wait until a year later.


    Surprisingly, Fang Xiaomei had brought her child to the office.


    Upon seeing Qiao Qingyu, she hurriedly explained, ¡°My mother-in-law is sick, and my own mom also can¡¯t spare any time. Xiao Chen is driving Professor Feng to Gelle State for the barley grass seeds matter, so I brought the child with me.¡±


    Although the two were good friends, Fang Xiaomei was clear about maintaining professional boundaries; business is business and personal is personal.


    Qiao Qingyu was quite satisfied with Fang Xiaomei¡¯s attitude.


    Even in the future, many family businesses would hire professional managers for this reason: many collapses often occur when acquaintances are involved.


    Privately, they could be like sisters, but at work, they had to maintain a boss-subordinate relationship.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°I¡¯m just worried it might be hard on the child, or else you could rest at home for a few days.¡±


    ¡°No need, I can handle it. The kid is tough, just plays by himself in the stroller after eating.¡±


    The child¡¯s father was indeed a driver, probably had brought the toy from Nangang City.


    It was made of plastic, with a rain canopy and a soft cushion inside. The child sat in it, and in front of him were little beads he could play with by moving them back and forth.


    Qiao Qingyu crouched down, pinched Fang Xiaomei¡¯s son¡¯s cheek, which was soft and fun.


    But the little guy, engrossed in playing, looked up seriously at Qiao Qingyu when she pinched his cheek, then reached out his little hand trying to grab Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hair, while making noises.


    Fang Xiaomei quickly stuffed a wave drum into her son¡¯s arms, but his son threw it aside, reaching out for Qiao Qingyu instead.


    Qiao Qingyu found it very curious; Fang Xiaomei¡¯s son was indeed a treasure, and was also well-groomed, chubby, and super cute.


    She hadn¡¯t seen this child for more than two months and felt like he had grown a bit...

 Chapter 463 - 463 463 Its Hard to Change Ones Nature

    ?Chapter 463: Chapter 463: It¡¯s Hard to Change One¡¯s Nature Chapter 463: Chapter 463: It¡¯s Hard to Change One¡¯s Nature Qiao Qingyu simply stretched out her hand and lifted the child out, surprised to find the child imitating her by reaching out to pinch her cheeks.


    Qiao Qingyu did not dodge; the child¡¯s chubby little hand had four dimples on the back and round nails. The child touched her and then giggled.


    When he laughed, his hands waved, and his legs kicked straight out.


    Fang Xiaomei, standing beside, said, ¡°This child, seeing someone pretty, really likes to wave his hands and feet.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at her, ¡°Look how pleased you are.¡± Then she picked him up and bobbed him, ¡°Your child is really chubby.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, might be he¡¯s eaten well.¡±


    ¡°I just remembered something. I¡¯ve brought you a can of milk powder. It¡¯s in my bag; you can get it yourself. Add just a small spoonful each time. This milk powder is from Mobei Prairie; the quality is quite good.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much,¡± Fang Xiaomei hurriedly took out the can of milk powder.


    ¡°It¡¯s also for my great-nephew. Isn¡¯t it normal for me to buy him something?¡±


    Fang Xiaomei also had her own office, and then there was a knock at the door, from a cashier at the Agricultural Base, who came to get Fang Xiaomei¡¯s signature.


    While Fang Xiaomei was signing, from Qiao Qingyu¡¯s arms, she took the chubby boy for a moment, kissed him twice, then stuffed him back into Qiao Qingyu¡¯s arms, grabbed her documents, and was about to leave, when unexpectedly, whether intentionally or not, the little boy touched his cheek where she had kissed him.


    The young cashier glared, ¡°You little stinker, don¡¯t you like me?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, my son likes you the most. Go on, get busy.¡±


    The cashier glared once more at Fang Xiaomei¡¯s son and then, documents in hand, turned and left.


    Qiao Qingyu put the chubby boy in a buggy and sighed, ¡°Taking care of children is really hard.¡±


    Compared to this, Rongrong was truly low-maintenance.


    ¡°Yes, you wouldn¡¯t believe how this child turned days into nights, sleeping during the day and playing at night. He and my mother-in-law have worn me out; I¡¯ve lost several pounds.¡±


    After speaking, she looked at Qiao Qingyu and asked with concern, ¡°Now that you¡¯re about to graduate and have more time, aren¡¯t you planning to have a child?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t shy and openly said, ¡°It all depends on fate.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, these things can only be left to fate; there¡¯s no rushing it. You both are young,¡± but she still eagerly added, ¡°You and He Xiuyu both are good-looking; I can¡¯t even imagine how beautiful your children would be.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu had never really considered this question.


    Then she indulged herself in imagining it for a moment; anyway, it wouldn¡¯t turn out ugly.


    After checking on the finances, Qiao Qingyu left her office, driving a tractor out to the contracted piece of land. It was now partially mechanized and partially manual labor, and it was both the busiest and the most exhausting part of the season.


    There was naturally no rice, but the most planted this year were wheat, barley, and potatoes, while the corn maintained its original planting plan.


    This year¡¯s potatoes were a new type of red-skinned variety from the neighboring province. They had red skin, yellow insides, and in the Northeastern dialect, they were very ¡°floury.¡±


    Moreover, they grew large and evenly without many diseases or pests, and they had a high yield.


    Qiao Qingyu reviewed her planting plan, realizing that planting was already leaning more toward wheat and potatoes.


    This was a natural progression. The old saying ¡°knowingly going towards a mountain with tigers¡± could sometimes represent a spirit, but in agriculture, it would be foolish.


    And don¡¯t underestimate potatoes, they can be sold all over the country.


    Who says that what is grown from this land can only fill the bellies of these common folk?


    They can also grow more and better crops and sell them, especially this year¡¯s Agricultural Base, under the guidance of Professor Feng, the red-skinned potatoes had a bumper harvest.


    However, the acreage planted with potatoes is not big right now, and the few that are grown can barely cover the vegetable supply for nearly ten thousand people at the base.


    But the planting area will be expanded.


    The several hundred thousand acres of land adjacent to Xichuan in Gelle State are very suitable for potato cultivation.


    So, this fall the potato seeds need to be kept.


    This year, Xichuan could be said to have been favored by the heavens, with several pouring rains earlier, followed by bright sunshine, although there were times when the weather was overcast but without rain, which ensured a smooth harvest.


    The millet began to be harvested.


    Now, the base and the county machinery factory jointly produced a harvester, a very advanced one that could harvest and thresh at the same time, though it was still in the trial phase because raw materials were lacking, and currently, there were only ten units available for use.


    The rest still relied on manpower for harvesting, taking the cut millet to the threshing ground. The millet was threshed whole and first sent to the commune¡¯s large granary.


    Honestly, this granary was built only in the past two years; previously, Xiaxi Commune was so poor that it didn¡¯t even need a granary.


    But now there are ten big granaries, dozens of meters tall, requiring people to walk up footplates to carry up the millet, which looked tremblingly frightening.


    However, skilled people walked as if on level ground.


    While Mr. Zhao and Li Bo were having their wedding, the autumn harvest was also nearing its end.


    This time, Qiao Qingyu and Li Bo really became neighbors.


    Perhaps it¡¯s because people feel uplifted at joyous occasions, Mr. Zhao got a wheelchair for his old mother, who was able to attend the wedding sitting in it.


    After going through so much, the old lady seemed to have come to a realization, her usually harsh face now rarely showing a hint of tenderness.


    She, in fact, gave Li Bo a gold ring.


    Mr. Zhao¡¯s ex-wife Huang Ling¡¯s face darkened immediately; that gold ring was too familiar¡ªit was hers. How could it be in the old lady¡¯s hands when it was supposedly lost before?


    And at that time, Mr. Zhao couldn¡¯t help but look out towards the crowd where Huang Ling was standing.


    He had actually wanted to remarry Huang Ling, but she utterly despised him and disliked his family, and after a few tries, he let it be.


    Normally, Mr. Zhao would have been pleased as punch today, having married such a young woman; how could he not be happy?


    But the sight of that ring made his heart skip a beat, his gaze complex as he stared at his old mother; of course, he knew that was Huang Ling¡¯s ring, previously said to have been lost by her mother, and yet here it was presented before everyone...


    So, it turned out she was still his mother after all.


    It proved that old habits die hard.


    He should not have let her attend today, he should have made her lie at home on the kang.


    But there was no helping it now, he could only grit his teeth and forcibly summon a smile.


    Qiao Qingyu and Liu Hong were close by, and when Qiao Qingyu saw the gold ring, she didn¡¯t really think much, but she was the first to notice Mr. Zhao¡¯s face change at the sight of the ring, then his eyes swiftly shifted towards the edge of the crowd.

 Chapter 464 - 464 464

    ?Chapter 464: Chapter 464 Chapter 464: Chapter 464 Qiao Qingyu followed his gaze and saw Mr. Zhao¡¯s ex-wife, Huang Ling. She instantly realized that there must be something fishy about that ring.


    At that moment, though Huang Ling¡¯s complexion was unsightly, she couldn¡¯t make a scene at such an event¡ªit would be embarrassing for everyone involved.


    She nodded at Qiao Qingyu and then turned to leave.


    Qiao Qingyu found an opportunity to talk to her and that¡¯s when she learned that the ring belonged to the woman¡¯s late mother.


    It wasn¡¯t like they were superstitious, but this was simply too ominous. Mr. Zhao¡¯s mother-in-law really had a knack for being annoying and irksome.


    Nowadays, wedding ceremonies were very straightforward, and since there were no restaurants around to host a banquet, everyone simply ate peanuts, sunflower seeds, and pieces of candy in Mr. Zhao¡¯s courtyard to celebrate.


    The base was always busy, no matter the time. When most of the guests had left, Qiao Qingyu quietly took Li Bo aside to tell him about the situation.


    Li Bo quickly took out the gold ring, and at that moment, Mr. Zhao also came in, his face awkward. Li Bo smiled, handed the gold ring to Mr. Zhao, and said softly, ¡°Give the gold ring back to Sister Huang, it holds sentimental value for her.¡±


    Without saying anything else, Mr. Zhao¡¯s face turned red.


    Fortunately, given his age, he had thick skin. He said, ¡°When my bonus comes next month, I¡¯ll buy you a gold ring.¡±


    Li Bo curled the corners of his lips slightly, bowing his head.


    From the angle Qiao Qingyu was looking, Li Bo¡¯s lips were also pursed.


    You really couldn¡¯t tell whether he was happy or angry.


    It had to be said, Li Bo was now more mature and realistic than Liu Hong and the others.


    And he was also more stable.


    Mr. Zhao turned and walked away. Liu Hong had also become much more composed. She patted Li Bo on the shoulder, knowing all too well the buzzing gossip that Xichuan, especially the area where Li Bo¡¯s family used to live, was known for.


    But things were good now; whether it was work or life, it had nothing to do with Xichuan anymore.


    Though Mr. Zhao was older, he was still an engineer with a position. It was just that his home life was disheartening. She sighed and said, ¡°In this world, nothing is perfect. Liu Min and I were sent to the Agricultural Bureau for training, and our families had pulled strings for us. At work, everything was smooth sailing, but they treat us like decorations, not expecting us to do anything. What¡¯s the point of our internship then? Is it just so they can stamp their official seal?¡±


    Li Bo said, ¡°That¡¯s why I suggested you two shouldn¡¯t work in an office. We studied agricultural technology, and it¡¯s only in the fields that we can fully utilize our expertise.¡±


    Liu Min chimed in hastily, ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s the point. Despite my major, if Professor Feng hadn¡¯t set up the experimental fields at our university, and if we didn¡¯t do internships, we wouldn¡¯t be able to tell the difference between the crops in the field and the ones in the pictures. Couldn¡¯t we initially not even tell wheat from grass?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu asked with a smile, ¡°So, can you tell them apart now?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I can spot the difference between wheat and grass at a glance.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve made progress...¡±


    With a few laughs, they had dispelled the awkwardness from earlier.


    Granny Zhao¡¯s sister-in-law unexpectedly wheeled the old lady into the room. Frowning, Old Lady Zhao said, ¡°You¡¯re deliberately trying to disgrace me. I generously gave you the gold ring, so why did you give it back to that wench?¡±


    The room suddenly fell silent, and several people turned to look at Granny Zhao, who was seated in the wheelchair.


    Occasional voices could still be heard outside, and Mr. Zhao and his brother were also busy returning the stools borrowed from neighbors to their respective homes.


    Li Bo¡¯s face changed. Although Liu Hong had a sharp tongue, she knew this was Li Bo¡¯s mother-in-law and couldn¡¯t confront her as she used to.


    But before she could speak, Qiao Qingyu stepped forward and looked at Granny Zhao, ¡°Granny Zhao, you seem to have recovered quite well.¡±


    Upon seeing Qiao Qingyu, Old Lady Zhao¡¯s eyes visibly shrank, and she leaned back slightly.


    She certainly knew about the nasty things Tian Li, that wench, had done, which had almost affected her son.


    Her own illness was also thanks to Tian Li, but then again, if Huang Ling hadn¡¯t insisted on divorcing her son, none of these troubles would have happened.


    ¡°...I¡¯m recovering alright; it¡¯s just that I can¡¯t walk.¡±


    ¡°Granny Zhao, there really aren¡¯t any outsiders here today. I could say I¡¯m pretty much your neighbor; we don¡¯t live far from each other. You¡¯ve eaten plenty of vegetables from my garden, and I¡¯m well aware of your family¡¯s issues. To be honest, Mr. Zhao is truly a filial son. No matter how difficult you make things for him, he has never once complained about you.¡±


    Old Lady Zhao¡¯s expression improved, hearing her son praised always delighted her, ¡°That¡¯s my son; it¡¯s natural for him to be filial towards me.¡±


    ¡°Right, you know your son is filial, so you must also wish for him to live a good life.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. I am his mother; of course, I want him to live well.¡±


    ¡°Well, since you want him to live well, what was today¡¯s business with the gold ring?¡±


    Granny Zhao¡¯s gaze flickered, but she remained silent.


    Qiao Qingyu continued, ¡°Old Lady, things shouldn¡¯t be done this way. If word of this gets out, everyone at the base could drown you with their spit. That was the keepsake of your former daughter-in-law¡¯s late mother. Holding onto it like this, what were you intending to do? Isn¡¯t this act a bit unethical?¡±


    ¡°...I...I...¡± Old Lady Zhao found herself at a loss for words because the situation was indeed just as described. The gold ring had already been returned by her son, but she had not expected Huang Ling to boldly attend the wedding, or anticipated that Huang Ling would notice from such a distance.


    Qiao Qingyu then spoke to Mr. Zhao¡¯s sister-in-law, ¡°Please wheel the old lady back to her room and rest. The gold ring has found its rightful owner, and Old Lady, your health will soon improve.¡±


    The old lady was stunned as she looked at Qingyu, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°I mean nothing special; I just hope you can rest and take care of your health...¡± Qiao Qingyu then grew impatient, not looking at Granny Zhao but addressing Li Bo instead, ¡°Director Zhou said you could take a week off for your wedding leave; get some rest at home.¡±


    ¡°Qingyu, please thank Director Zhou for me.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll pass on the message.¡± Qiao Qingyu shifted her tone and said with a smile, ¡°We¡¯ll be neighbors from now on, sharing a dormitory at school and living in the same courtyard. Feel free to come by and hang out whenever you¡¯re free...¡±


    Li Bo gratefully looked at Qiao Qingyu, realizing only now the extent of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s status and influence within the base courtyard.


    Despite her young age, and regardless of her husband¡¯s youth, these two held significant sway within the base.


    By saying this, Qiao Qingyu was implicitly letting others know that she had her eye on Li Bo as well, making it clear not just to the onlookers but also to Old Lady Zhao.

 Chapter 465 - 465 465

    ?Chapter 465: Chapter 465 Chapter 465: Chapter 465 At the Agricultural Base, Huang Ling clutched the gold ring tightly in her hand, her heart devoid of much joy from regaining what she had lost.


    At this moment, she also had some regrets.


    After Tian Li¡¯s accident, she had been happy for a while, and then Mr. Zhao sought her out several times, each time sincerely begging for her forgiveness. He wanted to remarry her, but there was no way she could agree to that. She hated that household, detested Old Lady Zhao, and loathed his rural relatives; how could she possibly go back to that hellhole?


    But perhaps people are masochistic by nature; when attending a wedding, one¡¯s heart just isn¡¯t content.


    But what of it?


    Or perhaps it¡¯s true that the world is unfair between men and women. After a divorce, men can find unmarried young ladies, but once a woman is divorced, trying to find a younger man is extremely difficult.


    Huang Ling gripped her hand tightly and strode towards her dormitory.


    The past is the past; whoever loves that hellhole can jump into it. After all, for a girl like Li Bo, Mr. Zhao was actually a good match.


    ...


    After the National Day holiday, the autumn harvest came to a complete end.


    As the first snowfall of the year descended, this year¡¯s financial report of the Agricultural Base was also released ¨C a report that Fang Xiaomei and the finance department had stayed overtime for a week to create.


    The Agricultural Base had a profit of 1.98 million yuan this year, and Qiao Qingyu, according to the contract she had signed at the beginning, was entitled to 300,000 yuan.


    Currently, the entire sum had not yet arrived.


    How much money she made was something He Xiuyu never inquired about. However, after the remaining funds arrived, they were quickly transferred by Old Wei, that is, they were embezzled, reportedly invested in scientific research.


    They would be transferred back once the funding had been received.


    The first snowfall generally doesn¡¯t last long, but the air seemed to grow much colder.


    Snow had already fallen in the North as well, but the river had not frozen over yet.


    However, the autumn harvest in both places occurred almost simultaneously.


    For the Qiao Family Team, this year¡¯s results weren¡¯t much different from what had been anticipated.


    But for the Qiao Family Team, the grain making it to the granaries was just the beginning. Right now, the busiest place was the seed breeding lab, which was literally alight all the time, with people working overtime around the clock.


    They needed to select the highest quality seeds to store in the temperature-controlled seed warehouse, waiting quietly for next spring, with the remainder being this year¡¯s surplus grain.


    But because the seed quality reached 85%, there was only 15% surplus, which was no problem, as the county would allocate grain from other communes for them.


    Of course, because their operation was similar to that of state-owned farms, although they were still classified as agricultural households, they had two sources of surplus: one part from the dividends after leasing out their land, and the other from wages as workers at the seed breeding base.


    Last year the difference wasn¡¯t as evident, but this year, despite having faced disasters, the rice unexpectedly had a bumper harvest, so the change was conspicuous ¡ª and it was substantial.


    It was preliminarily estimated that the average annual income of members of the Qiao Family Team and Hejia Village had reached more than eight hundred yuan.


    This was already higher than the salary of an old worker in the city who had worked for thirty years.


    Upon hearing this news, there were people who, in the excitement, began to twist and turn in front of the team office.


    Some old men imitated the tune of the suona.


    Di la da di da da di di da da di da da ...


    Many people were happily twisting, swaying rhythmically, laughing and chuckling; it had been many years since they had felt this joyous, so everyone was truly excited.


    Suddenly, not far away, someone shouted loudly, ¡°It¡¯s bad, it¡¯s bad, Qiao Ye from the Qiao Family has fallen into the river...¡±


    The members of the community, still immersed in happiness and joy, froze when they heard such cries.


    ¡°Qiao Ye has fallen into the river?¡±


    My goodness, this was serious trouble.


    What time was it now, with snow already falling? Although the river had not frozen over, the water was ice cold and biting. What good could come from falling into it?


    The Qiao Family couldn¡¯t care less about asking what had happened. Qiao Zhiyuan, leading Qiao Ye¡¯s father, dashed towards the riverbank.


    The distance from the team headquarters to the river was not far but neither was it near, and these people really ran fast. Qiao Zhiyuan and Qiao Ye¡¯s father didn¡¯t even have time to wonder about the intentions of the person who brought the news.


    Why hadn¡¯t he immediately thought of pulling the person out? And after falling in, what then? Dead or alive, they knew nothing.


    There was no time to think about these details; they had already reached the riverside, only to see Qi Feng lying on top of Qiao Ye, pressing on her chest, and blowing air into her mouth.


    The crowd that followed behind let out a collective gasp, and then their eyes widened in shock.


    Lin Wen, who happened to be at the scene, quickly shouted to the people behind him, ¡°Everyone, do not disturb; Qi Feng is performing emergency CPR on Qiao Ye.¡±


    Then they heard a cough. Qiao Ye spat out a good amount of water and turned over, coughing incessantly.


    Then Qiao Feng wiped his face, seeming to collapse from exhaustion as he sat down on the riverbank.


    He was drenched from head to toe, which made him look particularly disheveled. He had taken off the cotton-padded jacket he wore outside, but his thick woolen sweater was still dripping water.


    By that time, Qiao Liangbao and his wife had already rushed over, as did Qiao Cui and Qiao Hua. They tried to help her up, but couldn¡¯t. Liangbao¡¯s wife was crying loudly, and Liangbao himself was at a loss. An angered Qiao Zhiyuan shouted loudly, ¡°Why are you not hurrying up to carry the child to the clinic for Dr. Jiang to examine?¡± He then directed the community members, ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there dumbfounded; take care of Qi Feng, quickly.¡±


    Then everyone snapped to action, and some people stepped forward to support Qi Feng.


    The suggestions flew in from all sides...


    ¡°Hurry and take them to the health clinic; if that¡¯s not enough, we¡¯ll go to the county hospital.¡±


    ¡°The water is ice cold and cutting; hurry up, we can¡¯t let these two kids suffer any lasting harm.¡±


    But in a corner, a few women whispered among themselves, ¡°All this hugging and holding, how is this called saving someone? Can a rescue involve hugging and holding? I haven¡¯t seen Dr. Jiang do this.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? If Dr. Jiang did that, it would benefit those old men.¡±


    ¡°Keep your voice down, this is the Qiao Family¡¯s business, don¡¯t get involved for no reason. And what about Dr. Jiang, she hasn¡¯t offended you, why slander her?¡±


    Then came a roar, ¡°You few old biddies shut your mouths. If you dare to gossip again, I¡¯ll cut out your tongues.¡±


    The few old biddies turned pale; they had been at the back of the crowd and hadn¡¯t expected to be overheard. Though they wanted to retort, the two old women who had been gossiping with Zhang Lihua quickly slipped away.


    Several people glared at Zhang Lihua, who had been the most unpleasant speaker.


    It was she who had started the conversation.


    Her husband was Limp Wang, who had trouble with his legs and hadn¡¯t come along. Niu Guili looked coldly at Zhang Lihua. ¡°Did you eat shit or drink piss? Are you still human or are you a beast? Everyone else is busy rescuing people, and you¡¯re busy gossiping. So if you were to fall into the river, you might as well just drown...¡±


    Zhang Lihua, ¡°You...¡±


    ¡°Shut up, you beast without a shred of humanity. How did our Wang Family end up with a daughter-in-law like you? Hurry up and roll back home; don¡¯t be an embarrassment here...¡±


    This was Limp Wang¡¯s old mother, who, seeing the tide turning against her daughter-in-law, quickly scolded.


    Niu Guili ignored her and hustled the others along.


    The others looked at Zhang Lihua with disdain.

 Chapter 466 - 466 466 If the Beam is not Straight the Rafter

    ?Chapter 466: Chapter 466: If the Beam is not Straight, the Rafter Will be Crooked Chapter 466: Chapter 466: If the Beam is not Straight, the Rafter Will be Crooked The village isn¡¯t the same as before. The Qiao Family Team is participating in the selection for the model civil unit, and if anyone causes trouble, the village would certainly hate them.


    Someone tried to mediate, ¡°Luckily, they didn¡¯t say much, just made a few jokes.¡±


    ¡°Come on, those old women are no good. At a critical life-and-death moment, they still have the nerve to gossip. Wait until something happens in your family, and others laugh at you, then see how you feel,¡± snapped someone angrily.


    Those who couldn¡¯t stand it glared and cursed at those few people, but right then, Qiao Zhiyuan and the others didn¡¯t have time to deal with these matters. They quickly took two people to the clinic, changed them into clean clothes after a check-up, and transported them to the county hospital on the team¡¯s tractor.


    The summer was better, but falling into the water at this time could have many lasting effects.


    Only those two were at the river. Nobody knew how Qiao Ye had ended up in the water, and the person who reported it saw it from the dam. They were so scared at the time that they thought only of hurrying back to the village for help, as the people had already been rescued by then, so they didn¡¯t think too much about it.


    Qiao Zhihai was in a construction crew in the county, and they currently had a project, which was to build a market for the county.


    It was a big project, and if it passed inspection, Qiao Zhihai would have truly made a turnaround.


    The present Qiao Zhihai was full of pride. The construction crew they formed had learned a lot over the past year with Captain Liang, and because of personal connections, he was now the second in charge of the construction crew.


    Although Li Tie also had his own little schemes, overall, the two maintained a harmonious atmosphere.


    Qiao Zhihai was satisfied with this. At his age, being able to experience this and then pull up his sons, that was enough.


    Originally, his eldest and second sons had been with him, but now the Qiao Family Team was busy with the autumn harvest, so they had gone back.


    He obviously knew the priorities, and while sitting in the office drinking tea, Qiao Zhihai received a phone call from home.


    Although Qiao Zhihai said he didn¡¯t favor boys over girls, he didn¡¯t show much affection to the granddaughters at home.


    They say that after getting married, daughters should contribute to their natal family, but first, you have to qualify, like his wife who wholeheartedly supported her family. As he saw it, these granddaughters couldn¡¯t wait to leave their Old Qiao Family, let alone come back to offer support. Dream on, but now hearing that someone had fallen into the river and was admitted to the hospital, he had to go and see.


    Qiao Ye had also woken up. There were quite a few people in the ward, Qiao Zhihai, Wang Mei, Qiao Liangbao and his wife, and Qiao Zhiyuan.


    Qiao Zhihai asked first, ¡°What happened here?¡±


    Liangbao¡¯s wife, as the mother, was holding her daughter¡¯s hand with tears in her eyes, ¡°Da Niu, do you feel unwell anywhere? Are you cold?¡±


    Qiao Zhihai glared at Liangbao¡¯s wife, ¡°Didn¡¯t the doctor already say? She¡¯s both chilled and shocked. She needs to rest well once back home.¡± Then he looked at Qiao Ye, ¡°Tell me, what exactly happened?¡±


    Wang Mei next to him sneered, ¡°What else could it be? It¡¯s the case of the beam not being straight if the lower one is askew.¡±


    What did that mean?


    How could the upper beam be straight if the lower one was crooked? Qiao Zhihai¡¯s heart suddenly panicked.


    The person cooking for the workers in the construction team was a young widow whose husband had died, leaving her with three children. The team¡¯s carpenter was a distant relative from her family. Her children were still young, with two in school, and one just learning to walk.


    Both her maternal and in-law¡¯s family were from the Red Star Commune. Life was not easy, so she was introduced to cook for these people, and there was another older woman helping her.


    The young widow often sneaked extra food for herself, and truly, her cooking skills were exceptional; the meals she prepared were delicious.


    It seemed like the first time in her life that she had been taken care of like this.


    Could Wang Mei have found out?


    It¡¯s like a thief feeling guilty, he glared and scolded, ¡°Shut up. Why are you everywhere, what kind of nonsense is this?¡±


    Wang Mei, clenching her teeth and with a resentful look in her eyes, glared at Qiao Ye, ¡°What kind of nonsense is this? That dead girl knows exactly what she¡¯s doing, and you all know it too. It¡¯s like the beam is crooked, it¡¯s clear as day, isn¡¯t she just following in her aunt¡¯s footsteps? Didn¡¯t her aunt marry He Xiuyu in the same way? She¡¯s just desperate for a man, she...¡±


    Wang Mei spoke very quickly, wanting to continue, but Qiao Zhihai slapped her across the face and then furiously grabbed her clothes, ¡°You wretched woman, if you dare spout another word of nonsense, I¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    At that moment, Qiao Zhihai¡¯s expression was somewhat fierce.


    Wang Mei¡¯s cheek was reddened from the slap, and though Qiao Zhihai had hit her before, it was the first time it happened in front of so many people. But in his eyes, Wang Mei saw something truly terrifying.


    Though she didn¡¯t know what it was, it was frightening.


    Everyone in the room had a disdainful facial expression, looking at her with eyes full of anger.


    Was this the same thing?


    No, they were different matters.


    Even if it was the same issue, such matters as a member of the Qiao Family should be strictly suppressed, never mentioned by anyone.


    Strangers might gossip behind the back, but no one would dare to speak up face to face.


    Yet Wang Mei, seemingly wishing for Qiao Qingyu to be gossiped about, dared to speak out in the hospital room, fortunately, neither doctors nor nurses were present.


    Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s face turned an ashen hue, why does this sister-in-law lack any of the affection that an elder should have?


    One is her own granddaughter, the other her cousin by marriage.


    Qiao Liangbao, trembling lips, said, ¡°Mom, what nonsense are you spouting? You can¡¯t just say things like that.¡±


    Despite being threatened by Qiao Zhihai¡¯s menacing demeanor, Wang Mei was used to being aggressive. Her thoughts were simple and not complex; her bad and malicious intentions were clear for all to see. She said whatever she pleased, caring little for how it made others feel.


    Yet such people, as long as they don¡¯t cross legal boundaries, tend to live the most unrestrained lives because they never allow themselves to be wronged.


    Now she also gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Am I wrong? You can ask this dead girl, why wasn¡¯t she at work and wandering around river instead? On such a cold day, even a fool and a three-year-old know to stay far away from the river. How could she fall in, especially now when there¡¯s a dam?¡±


    Although Wang Mei was detestable, her points weren¡¯t entirely without reason.


    Thus, everyone¡¯s gaze once again returned to Qiao Ye.


    Liangbao¡¯s wife, being her mother, knew her daughter best. Although Qiao Ye now studied medicine, she was extremely timid and frightened of water.


    When they were young and playing near the river, she was the only one who stayed far from the edge, saying there was something scary in the water. Of course, when she said this, the adults didn¡¯t take it as a joke. Some children¡¯s heavenly eye isn¡¯t closed, and she could see things others couldn¡¯t.

 Chapter 467 - 467 467 Diced Meat by Rolling Knife

    ?Chapter 467: Chapter 467: Diced Meat by Rolling Knife Chapter 467: Chapter 467: Diced Meat by Rolling Knife This river must have been flowing for thousands of years, and in just the last century alone, it has drowned many people. There are plenty of rumors about water ghosts drowning victims in the village, so as long as she stayed away from the riverbank, it was fine.


    But how had she fallen into the river now?


    Liangbao¡¯s wife was getting anxious. Wang Mei, that woman, always spoke without thinking things through, and she couldn¡¯t allow her to spout nonsense. She asked, ¡°Da Niu, your great-grandfather and grandfather are both here, tell us what exactly happened. Brother Qi went through a lot to save you; he even got a serious chill and is still running a fever now.¡±


    Upon hearing these words, Qiao Ye, who had been hanging her head low, suddenly looked up, murmuring to herself, ¡°Brother Qi?¡±


    Then her forehead furrowed, looking quite puzzled. Liangbao¡¯s wife quickly said, ¡°Yes, it was Qi Feng who saved you.¡±


    ¡°...I didn¡¯t see anyone else by the river at the time.¡±


    Although the truth of this statement was not yet known, Qiao Zhihai and Qiao Zhiyuan simultaneously let out a sigh of relief. To speak honestly, if that damned girl actually followed in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s footsteps and married Qi Feng, then the network and reputation that Qiao Qingyu had painstakingly built up would be lost, and the Qiao Family would be mired as if they had fallen into sludge, impossible to clean off.


    This was something neither of them wanted to see happen.


    However, Wang Mei didn¡¯t believe it, ¡°You dead girl, you would do anything to marry Qi Feng.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Though the door to the patient¡¯s room was closed, Qiao Zhihai still lowered his voice. His face twisted ferociously, his shaking hand pointing at the unrepentant Wang Mei. In the past, he had never found this woman so irritating, but now he felt she was truly pushing his limits.


    ¡°Wang Mei, if you dare speak nonsense again, you can just roll back to the Wang Family¡¯s home.¡±


    Wang Mei, being tough as nails, had been with Qiao Zhihai for a lifetime and wouldn¡¯t be frightened by a few of his words.


    But, gritting her teeth, she still shut her mouth.


    The key was that provoking Qiao Zhihai to a point where he was furious might lead to her getting hit right there, and she guessed her son and daughter-in-law would not come to her aid; they might even stand there and gawk.


    Then she glared fiercely at her son, daughter-in-law, and that contemptible girl. The people in this house were truly heartless ingrates; none were on her side. They hid the good stuff, and when it came to money, they wouldn¡¯t give her any. Like how other people¡¯s grandsons start working, earning wages, and think about supporting their grandmothers. But what happened? This dead girl hid the money and didn¡¯t give her a cent.


    So, truly not one of them was good.


    Seeing Wang Mei had become obedient, Qiao Zhihai was about to continue questioning when Qiao Ye stared intently at Wang Mei. Her hands clenched tightly, her body trembling. Even though she had a job now, learning medical practice from Dr. Jiang, and even though her younger paternal aunt supported her, her younger paternal aunt wasn¡¯t often in the Qiao Family Team, and most of the time she had to deal with this vile, frightening, disgusting grandmother.


    In fact, she really wanted to go with her younger paternal aunt to Xichuan, even if it meant swallowing sand and dust she would be happy; she truly didn¡¯t want to face this vile woman.


    She had a deep-seated fear of her.


    Although she wasn¡¯t feeling well now, her mind a bit muddled, there was one thing she knew: this matter couldn¡¯t be used for people to draw comparisons with her younger paternal aunt.


    Qiao Ye finally mustered up the courage to speak. ¡°Grandma, you should know better than anyone why I went to the riverbank. Everyone in the family knows I¡¯ve been afraid of water since I was little. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m scared, but there¡¯s something terrifying in the water, so I never dare to go near the river. But today, I went there because I didn¡¯t want to live anymore.¡±


    Everyone in the room was stunned, save for Wang Mei, whose eyes shimmered. Qiao Zhihai, seeing her reaction, knew she must have been up to something again.


    But instead, he turned to Liangbao, ¡°What¡¯s going on? I haven¡¯t been home in over a month; what has happened in the family?¡±


    Liangbao¡¯s wife couldn¡¯t wait for him to speak. She seemed instantly enraged as she stood up and then rushed in front of Wang Mei, ¡°Mother, you stole the money Da Niu had saved up for her education and gave it to your brothers. Liangbao and I have been covering for you. The child could endure this injustice, but the other day, when you said you¡¯d introduce Da Niu to a suitor, we disagreed. Did you go behind our backs and accept the bride price?¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan and Qiao Zhihai exchanged a look, how could Qiao Zhiyuan know about this? Qiao Zhihai¡¯s face flushed red with anger.


    The grandmother spending her granddaughter¡¯s money is one thing, but stealing is crossing the line.


    And what¡¯s the deal with this bride price?


    He grabbed Wang Mei firmly, ¡°Didn¡¯t the old man and the old lady tell you already? You have no right to meddle in Da Niu¡¯s marriage. What¡¯s this about the bride price? What kind of family did you find for her? Did you take it or not?¡±


    Wang Mei avoided his gaze and stayed silent, which made it clear to Qiao Zhihai...


    ¡°Wang Mei, did you or did you not take the bride price?¡± Qiao Zhihai asked again, grinding his teeth.


    ¡°I took it, so what?¡± Wang Mei became defiant. She shielded her face and pointed at Qiao Zhihai, berating him, ¡°You heartless man, you leave for a month or two at a time, what can I do with the little money you leave behind? How am I supposed to eat or drink?¡±


    ¡°We have plenty of grain, oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar at home; nothing is lacking. Your sons even bring you treats every now and then. I left you thirty yuan; are you some naive young girl, spending thirty yuan in one month? Even a city worker supports a family of seven or eight with that amount. Wang Mei, if murder weren¡¯t a crime, I¡¯d kill you right now.¡±


    Qiao Zhihai¡¯s face was twisted with fury.


    He continued shouting, ¡°Even if you¡¯ve run out of money to spend, let me ask you, how much money did Da Niu save and how much was the bride price in total? Where is it all now?¡±


    Wang Mei remained silent, she had made up her mind¡ªwhat could he do to her, dare to kill her? Now the Qiao Family Team is still aiming to be named the culturally advanced unit of the year, and she genuinely wasn¡¯t afraid.


    ¡°Qiao Zhihai, if you dare to hit me, I¡¯m not afraid to report you to the Women¡¯s Federation.¡± Then she looked at Qiao Zhiyuan, ¡°You¡¯re the team leader, watching your brother hit his wife without doing anything. Let me tell you, you can forget about being the leader. Why should you be selected as the culturally advanced unit? Do you deserve it?¡±


    At this moment, Qiao Ye felt somewhat hopeless. Look, it wasn¡¯t that she was afraid of her grandmother, it was that so many people in the house, including her eldest uncle, couldn¡¯t do anything about her grandmother.


    Wang Mei walked around the village with her head held high; who dared to provoke her?


    Qiao Ye suddenly burst into tears, ¡°I still have so much to do. Auntie told me not to rush into finding a partner and to focus on learning things. She said she would send me to train in the provincial hospital in the future. Auntie said our health clinic would eventually become a proper hospital, and by then I¡¯d be a regularly employed, official doctor.¡±


    Since the first day she started working and earning money, she saved everything, saving for when she wanted to return to her studies to pay for tuition. Even if the team pays for the training, she¡¯d have to pay for her own living expenses. Who would she turn to for money then? Grandparents wouldn¡¯t care, and her parents didn¡¯t have much.


    But now, this scene was truly despairing.

 Chapter 468 - 468 468 Who was used

    ?Chapter 468: Chapter 468 Who was used? Chapter 468: Chapter 468 Who was used? Qi Feng, being a young man with a robust constitution, recovered from his fever and was discharged from the hospital the next day alongside Qiao Ye, but unexpectedly, rumors were already swirling around the village.


    The Qiao Family members had tried to keep the matter under wraps, but Limp Wang¡¯s wife spilled the beans during her visits to neighboring villages.


    While no one dared to speak about it openly, a small group of women who had never experienced Qiao Qingyu¡¯s wrath talked aggressively about it behind the scenes, narrating the story as if they had seen it with their own eyes.


    This caused Qiao Zhiyuan great annoyance. In other families, such an incident wouldn¡¯t have caused such a stir. It was odd that something that should have been kept under control suddenly burst forth with unstoppable momentum. Naturally, Qiao Zhiyuan, being intelligent, realized there was more to it upon deeper analysis.


    Qi Feng hadn¡¯t expected the situation to become so severe.


    Even now, as he carefully reflected on it, he couldn¡¯t discern any indication that Qiao Ye had planned to latch onto him in such a manner.


    He had been riding his bicycle on the other side of the dam, and even before that, Qiao Ye had already started walking into the river.


    Qi Feng, cycling on the dam with no obstructions nearby, had a clear view down to the river bend. Naturally, he saw Qiao Ye walking into the water immediately. He called out to her several times; apparently, she didn¡¯t hear him. After shouting a few more times, the water had already reached her waist.


    Only then did he realize she might be attempting suicide, so he threw his bike down and ran from the dam toward her. The river in the north flowed freely, almost clear to the bottom, shallow at the edges but deeper further in!


    Of course, he had to save her.


    Then came the scene that everyone witnessed.


    Afterwards, Qi Feng pondered whether Qiao Ye had known he would be passing by that spot.


    But that seemed impossible.


    Because he had made a sudden decision to head that way.


    How could Qiao Ye have known his route?


    However, now in the village, the most widely circulated rumors weren¡¯t about him and Qiao Ye; instead, they concerned Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu.


    Upon inquiring further, he found out about the pressure from Qiao Ye¡¯s grandmother.


    He found time to visit Qiao Ye.


    While recovering at home, Qiao Ye blushed upon seeing him but still said, ¡°Brother Qi, thank you for saving me. I wanted to visit you, but with the current village gossip...¡±


    She paused there, and what followed didn¡¯t need to be said¡ªgoing to see him now would only confirm the rumors.


    Liangbao¡¯s wife chimed in, ¡°Little Qi, you are a good boy, and Auntie here thanks you.¡±


    Qi Feng was relieved; he had genuinely worried that Qiao Ye might have had other intentions.


    ¡°The village gossip has reached my ears as well, but as long as we stand upright, we need not fear a crooked shadow. The rumors will collapse under their own weight.¡±


    Qiao Ye nodded urgently, ¡°Exactly, but I didn¡¯t anticipate it would affect my aunt and uncle, hence our family couldn¡¯t even properly thank you.¡±


    ¡°Qiao Ye, I¡¯ve heard about your circumstances. Sometimes people really don¡¯t have many choices, like not being able to choose their own family. But you can certainly take control of your future.¡±


    Qiao Ye¡¯s eyes sparkled, gratefully looking at Qi Feng.


    She truly admired this man, upright and open, knowledgeable and understanding. The first time she shared her thoughts with him, he bluntly told her that, in his eyes, she was like a little sister, and that he still couldn¡¯t forget his past lover, which prevented him from leading other girls on.


    But now, Qiao Ye didn¡¯t want Qi Feng to see her expression, so she lowered her head and said softly, ¡°Brother Qi, please go back. I understand what you mean, but I didn¡¯t expect to cause you so much trouble. I am really sorry!¡±


    Qi Feng, however, viewed Qiao Ye in a new light. To be honest, this was a perfect opportunity. Limp Wang¡¯s wife had been stirring up trouble behind the scenes, and what was worse, she was doing it back at her parental home.


    What can you do about it?


    Moreover, everything she said is true, such as how he saved Qiao Ye, and how Qingyu married He Xiuyu. Many people witnessed these events with their own eyes; it wasn¡¯t slander. He was genuinely concerned that Ye might also think marrying He Xiuyu in this way was the right thing to do.


    But doing so would not only harm Ye but also himself.


    Fortunately, the girl still had a clear head.


    He left, feeling at ease, but somehow, he developed a sense of aversion towards the Qiao Family Team.


    If it wasn¡¯t for the solid career foundation here, he would have wanted to leave immediately.


    Wu Xiucai in Xichuan also learned about this matter immediately, and his first instinct was that it definitely had something to do with Wu Xiujie, who had just been released on bail.


    That damned man raised by a bitch, always up to such disgusting acts¡ªit was clearly his handiwork. However, this matter, while neither big nor small, was not a rumor.


    This was indeed what had happened.


    It was merely a young girl¡¯s method of chasing the man of her dreams.


    But what was infuriating was that the current Qingyu, his granddaughter, was the future heir to the Wulong Group.


    She also had a high profile in North City.


    The same was true here in Xichuan.


    This girl was well-recognized in high places.


    And there was no need to mention He Xiuyu.


    So, how should this matter be handled?


    After some thought, apart from closely monitoring that damned man, he wanted to see what attitude the Qiao Family and the young couple, Qingyu and He Xiuyu, would take.


    After she hung up the phone, Qingyu felt somewhat awkward; bringing up the past was never pleasant.


    But it was indeed true, and she couldn¡¯t refute it, nor could she tell others that there was another truth within the truth.


    What is seen on the surface might not be the whole truth¡ªthis saying best described her.


    She had sorrows she couldn¡¯t express.


    He Xiuyu was also in the study, putting down the pen in his hand. Knowing the truth about the past was enough for them, and it was best not to bring it up again. He knew that the people of the Qiao Family Team had been used.


    Without others adding fuel to the fire, the situation wouldn¡¯t have reached this point.


    ¡°Then tell me, who do you think used them?¡± Qingyu pondered for a long time but couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    ¡°As the saying goes, ¡®When the belly is full, the mind turns to lust.¡¯ Now, life is better, there¡¯s extra food at home, money to spend, a hopeful future, and having become a breeding base, the pressure of life has reduced a lot. The people from other communes are purely jealous.¡±


    Although He Xiuyu was a scientist, he could see through such situations immediately.


    Most people might not understand him, but she knew him very well.


    His ability to control and analyze human hearts was very strong.


    One could see this by how the people at the base revered him.

 Chapter 469 - 469 469 Be Ruthless

    ?Chapter 469: Chapter 469: Be Ruthless Chapter 469: Chapter 469: Be Ruthless ¡°People who travel back to ancient times are likely to become marquis or even prime ministers?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu joked like this, He Xiuyu raised his eyebrows, feeling as if Qiao Qingyu was underestimating him, and countered, ¡°Just a marquis or prime minister?¡±


    ¡°What else do you have in mind?¡± Qiao Qingyu glared, ¡°Do you even aspire to become the Emperor?¡±


    He Xiuyu laughed, ¡°You jump topics too quickly; let¡¯s discuss the important matters.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu always did this, talking with He Xiuyu could leap from millet straight to dragon fruit. But she quickly came back around, fretting, ¡°It is said that the law does not punish the masses; so, what should we do about this?¡±


    ¡°Qi Feng braved personal danger, jumped into the icy river, and rescued Qiao Ye; this act itself deserves praise.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu clapped her hands, suddenly realizing, ¡°Right, I should talk to my uncle about this. At the very least, we should award Qi Feng a bravery medal; otherwise, wouldn¡¯t it dishearten people like him?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one aspect; another is having your uncle spread the word that the seed-making base is not permanent, its qualifications are verified annually, and if it¡¯s unqualified, the title as well as the funding would be immediately revoked.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at the unruffled He Xiuyu, ¡°I¡¯ve realized that when it comes to cunning, ordinary people really can¡¯t compete with you.¡±


    ¡°Then I thank you for your compliment,¡± He Xiuyu responded nonchalantly.


    His wife, at times, had a truly novel focus in her conversations.


    ¡°Your idea is good, and also at our Tenghai Research Base, the contract we signed is for three years, but there is a clause stating that if Tenghai Research Base deems that the Qiao Family Team no longer has the capability to produce seeds or meet the conditions for cooperation, they can withdraw their investment.¡±


    ¡°You see, this issue is actually quite easy to solve, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call my uncle right now.¡±


    But He Xiuyu held her hand, helplessly saying, ¡°Don¡¯t rush, let your second uncle handle the matter with Wang Mei first.¡±


    After a pause, he felt compelled to add, ¡°Otherwise, this woman is truly a menace.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded, but in her heart, she thought, if Wang Mei truly caused trouble, unless you beat her to death, there really wasn¡¯t any good solution.


    But what Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t expected was that this time Qiao Zhihai was truly determined.


    And his determination did indeed relate to a conversation he had with a young widow.


    He naturally couldn¡¯t always stay in the team; with so many projects, he needed to supervise the work. One evening, a widow named Lin Li cooked him two dishes, warmed a pot of wine, then brought them to his office.


    Previously, Lin Li would just set the food on the table and leave, coming back later to clean up after she guessed he had finished eating, sometimes the two of them would chat a bit.


    Today, Lin Li had cooked him a dish he loved, explosive stir-fried pig intestines, and another of green peppers and shredded potatoes, plus a big bowl of rice that suited Qiao Zhihai¡¯s taste completely.


    The rice was purely made of rice grains, although the main meals were still primarily corn and millet. But living in the Old Qiao Family, he did occasionally get to eat rice.


    Unlike before, not to mention having it during festive seasons, you wouldn¡¯t see a single rice grain for three to five years.


    However, even with such a meal, Qiao Zhihai had little appetite.


    Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu¡¯s relationship was something he didn¡¯t want to meddle in; besides, he couldn¡¯t really manage it anyway, because it wasn¡¯t about spreading rumors; it was all true, just a rehashing of old news.


    Then there were Qiao Ye and Qi Feng. To tell the truth, he liked Qi Feng; he was a really good guy, and he would have been satisfied to have him as a grandson-in-law. He didn¡¯t stir things up, but he was happy to see things develop.


    What really irritated him now was this old woman, Wang Mei. He had found out that she gave the hundred and eighty yuan she stole from Da Niu to her brother back home.


    This damn woman didn¡¯t keep a dime for herself; he truly wanted to send Wang Mei back to the Wang Family.


    But this woman had a fierce streak; she could turn everything upside down, leaving no one at peace. Otherwise, he would have taken her to the construction crew a long time ago. Not to mention, helping to cook, she could make a few dozen yuan a month¡ªwouldn¡¯t that be sweet?


    And the food at the site was better than at home, but how could he dare bring her along? Could the construction crew still function if he did?


    Captain Li would hate him to death.


    Captain Li had already warned him beforehand; besides, that old woman was always bad-mouthing, and he was really starting to dislike her more and more.


    Especially with this dowry, she actually accepted five thousand yuan from someone.


    She insisted all the money was spent and that none of it went to her own brothers.


    He knew Wang Mei was lying, but there was nothing he could do about it.


    His older brother had to step in, contacted the family who gave the dowry, and returned the five thousand yuan.


    That finally settled things, but he still owed his brother the money. If the five thousand yuan had stayed in Wang Mei¡¯s hands, it would be one thing, but what if she really secretly gave it to her brothers? That would be a waste.


    He sighed heavily here.


    Lin Li, standing beside him, felt it wasn¡¯t right to just walk away, so she had no choice but to show concern and ask, ¡°Brother Qiao, what¡¯s the matter? No matter what troubles you have, your health is the most important; you should eat first.¡±


    Qiao Zhihai gave Lin Li a glance. His expression improved a bit, but he still looked troubled.


    Lin Li continued to console him, ¡°Brother Qiao, no matter what, you¡¯re the pillar of the worksite; you need to eat well and drink well to lead us in our work.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, our construction crew won¡¯t delay your wages like others might. Everyone works hard, and Captain Li won¡¯t let you down.¡±


    With Captain Li away, the construction crew was left in Qiao Zhihai¡¯s hands.


    So Qiao Zhihai had only stayed with the Qiao Family Team for a few days before he hurried back to the county town.


    Lin Li spoke in a gentle tone, not like Wang Mei with her loud voice and spitting while she talked, so Qiao Zhihai wasn¡¯t so guarded, because he also remembered that his family¡¯s troubles, not spoken of in the county town, were definitely known by Lin Li.


    Qiao Zhihai said resentfully, ¡°Your sister-in-law, I¡¯ve never shorted her food or drink; even if I had a pot strapped to my head, I still managed to scrounge up delicacies for her. I¡¯ve truly never let her suffer; but why is she so shortsighted, just seeing what¡¯s right in front of her, and still busying herself meddling with her own people? What skill is that?¡±


    And indeed, Lin Li actually knew about those troubles of the Qiao Family.


    But Lin Li couldn¡¯t say that; she had to persuade, ¡°Your sister-in-law has suffered with you for a lifetime, given you three sons, and your branch of the family is thriving. She has made great contributions.¡±


    ¡°Exactly because of that, I¡¯ve turned a blind eye to many things, but I didn¡¯t expect it would spoil her to this extent. To not mention other things, just think of Da Niu¡ªshe¡¯s my granddaughter. What era are we in that we can still condone arranged marriages? Even if she¡¯s the grandmother, the child¡¯s own parents are still around. She bypassed the parents to accept the dowry from the groom¡¯s side, completely tarnishing the Old Qiao Family¡¯s reputation.¡±


    That was really both humiliating and costly...

 Chapter 470 - 470 470 Take Ruthless Action

    ?Chapter 470: Chapter 470: Take Ruthless Action Chapter 470: Chapter 470: Take Ruthless Action Lin Li only got a mouthful of information about this, but she really didn¡¯t know where the groom was from.


    After asking, she found out that the bride-price was five thousand yuan.


    Lin Li was also startled, to be honest, she had lived through tough times herself, and it was only after she went to work in a construction crew in the county town, cooking for the workers, that she had money in hand. To say something laughable, when she married her late husband, her wedding dress and shoes were both borrowed.


    Back then, many families were like that, you borrowed from me, I borrowed from you, and after the wedding, you returned it to them, tucking a few coins into a red paper envelope.


    And her in-laws were even poorer, jingling with emptiness; her late husband, like her, wore borrowed clothes and shoes, even his underpants were worn for the first time.


    So, hearing about five thousand yuan out of the blue, a flicker of envy passed through her eyes¡ªthe Old Qiao Family really had money, being able to shell out five thousand yuan just like that.


    She couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Brother Qiao, whose son is he? You haven¡¯t even seen his parents or the child, and just like that, you gave five thousand yuan to the girl¡¯s grandmother. Doesn¡¯t this whole thing sound a bit off?¡±


    Qiao Zhihai glanced at Lin Li, he really hadn¡¯t thought about it that way, and then he said, ¡°It¡¯s Li Tiezhu from Li Village.¡±


    ¡°Li Tiezhu from Li Village, is he the one who went to Nangang City to do business a couple of years ago?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s the one. Do you know him?¡±


    ¡°My child¡¯s aunt married into that hamlet, they¡¯re neighbors, but I did hear something, just don¡¯t know if it¡¯s true or not.¡±


    At this point, Lin Li hesitated.


    She didn¡¯t know what repercussions her words might bring if shared, after all, it was only her child¡¯s aunt who had spoken of it, without any solid evidence.


    Qiao Zhihai¡¯s eyes lit up, he wasn¡¯t stupid, Lin Li clearly knew something, so he immediately asked, ¡°What do you know? Tell me, don¡¯t worry, I promise not to tell a third person it was you who said it, it¡¯ll stop with me.¡±


    ¡°...Brother Qiao, you¡¯ve always taken good care of me and my three kids, I¡¯m truly grateful. If I didn¡¯t know, then it would be fine, but after what you¡¯ve just said, if I don¡¯t tell you, I¡¯d be less than human.¡±


    Here Lin Li paused, then lowered her voice and said, ¡°The Old Li family may seem to be having good days on the surface, but it¡¯s all just a facade, shiny on the outside. Li Tiezhu did make some money in Nangang City, the first year he came back he built a house for his family, bought them new clothes, a radio, a tape recorder, and bicycles.¡±


    Qiao Zhihai nodded, he knew about this, that family did look pretty decent on the outside.


    ¡°My sister¡¯s brother-in-law has a good relationship with him, they seem to have gone into business together, then they both got scammed. If it wasn¡¯t for the local relief station, they wouldn¡¯t have even had the fare to come back home. Before that, Li Tiezhu had taken a few girls from the village to work outside, and to this date, they haven¡¯t contacted their families.


    These girls¡¯ parents went looking for Li Tiezhu, and he lied to them, claiming he had so much money, and that those girls were earning a lot in the factories, but those were all lies.


    Now the Old Li family still owes high-interest loans, quite a lot from what I hear, the kind of debt that keeps piling up, beyond what most families can repay. Where could they get five thousand yuan for Qiao Ye¡¯s bride-price?¡±


    Qiao Zhihai sprang to his feet, regardless of whether this was true or not, something was definitely amiss. If anyone dared to swindle him and his brother out of their money, he would not let them off.


    Qiao Zhihai rushed back to the Qiao Family Team overnight and then followed his brother to Li Village.


    The Qiao Family had to play hardball before they found out that Li Tiezhu had split half of the five thousand yuan with Wang Mei¡¯s maternal uncles, and with the other half he paid off his loans.


    Then Li Tiezhu just had this ¡®like a pig not afraid of scalding water¡¯ attitude, because the affair also involved Wang Mei and her maternal uncles.


    But this time, Qiao Zhihai was truly scared and truly enraged. He felt he had been lenient with Wang Mei at every turn, yet she had colluded with her brothers and an unrelated person to swindle money from the Old Qiao Family. Could he possibly keep such a treacherous woman?


    After returning, he didn¡¯t hit her or berate her, not even a single word did he exchange with Wang Mei. He simply proposed a divorce straightaway.


    Wang Mei, of course, disagreed, but this time Qiao Zhihai was determined, and he had realized that, despite his age being over fifty, it wasn¡¯t impossible to find a hardworking and capable wife to share his life with.


    It¡¯s said that in Nangang City, men his age could even marry girls as young as eighteen.


    As long as you have money.


    With someone like Wang Mei, life would be worse than marrying a young widow, say, someone like Lin Li.


    He figured that if he expressed his desire to marry her, she would surely agree.


    But then again, he already had three sons, and Lin Li had two sons and a daughter.


    He certainly didn¡¯t have the spare time to raise someone else¡¯s sons.


    Of course, these were his private thoughts, which he wouldn¡¯t share with anyone. In any case, he was adamant about the divorce, and naturally, the family all supported him, but even so, the matter of the five thousand yuan couldn¡¯t just be dropped like that.


    The Wang Family was abhorrent, clinging to the Old Qiao Family like leeches, and if he didn¡¯t shake them off, they would never have a peaceful day.


    Even if Qiao Zhihai earned mountains of gold and silver, it would be squandered by Wang Mei.


    So, they filed a report for fraud, and then had the police intervene to investigate whether those three young girls were actually working in Nangang City or if they¡¯d been sold somewhere else.


    Li Tiezhu tried to flee when he saw things going south, but he was caught halfway and brought back, and then Wang Mei¡¯s brothers were also taken into custody.


    With He Xiu Yu¡¯s assistance in Nangang City, the outcome was quickly revealed.


    And then those three poor girls were brought back, indeed having been sold into a vile place by Li Tiezhu under the guise of job placement.


    After that, the parents of the three girls demolished Li Village¡¯s Li family home and then ran down to Wangjia Village, to Wang Mei¡¯s parental home.


    Her brothers were close with Li Tiezhu, so who could believe they were clean?


    In the end, they needed a scapegoat and, incidentally, to extort some money. Their daughters wouldn¡¯t have a chance of marrying well, but they couldn¡¯t just strangle them. So, better to extort some money¡ªhaving some funds would make life easier afterward, whether for marrying into a second marriage or to a widower.


    Then, the Qiao Family Team held a big meeting.


    The meeting¡¯s agenda had three main points.


    First, the end of the year was nearing, and the seed production base was due for an annual review; if it didn¡¯t qualify, the authorities would revoke its status.


    Second was that if it was revoked, the county would take back the qualification slot for key support, and Tenghai Research Base would have the right to terminate the contract.


    Third, if it really got revoked, then modernization of the countryside would also come to a halt. As for housing, live in whatever you have now¡ªif you want a villa, you¡¯d better earn the money yourself.

 Chapter 471 - 471 471 Not Irreplaceable

    ?Chapter 471: Chapter 471: Not Irreplaceable Chapter 471: Chapter 471: Not Irreplaceable After saying this, there was an uproar below, with all sorts of whispers and exclamations. Qiao Zhiyuan and Uncle Sun sat at the front, watching the people from the Qiao Family Team with a calm demeanor.


    Someone shouted loudly, ¡°Team leader, just like that it¡¯s canceled? Weren¡¯t all the construction efforts and money wasted then?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do. When the time comes, we¡¯ll sell what we can from the demolished buildings,¡± Qiao Zhiyuan said with a frown.


    ¡°What about the technicians, engineers, and experts in the village?¡±


    ¡°Of course they¡¯ll return to their own units.¡±


    ¡°But some of them were transferred to our team, weren¡¯t they?¡±


    There were quite a few who understood the situation.


    Uncle Sun added, ¡°The Qiao Family Team may not be suitable for seed production, but that doesn¡¯t mean other teams aren¡¯t either. Whichever team is suitable, that¡¯s where they will go. These experts and technicians are valuable assets; they won¡¯t be lacking places to dine.¡±


    Everyone looked at each other, bewildered.


    So what was really going on?


    Why did this suddenly happen?


    Indeed, why has this come up all of a sudden?


    What exactly is the matter?


    Why don¡¯t you use your brains and think for yourselves?


    The shrewd ones already grasped the meaning behind today¡¯s meeting.


    In fact, not only the Qiao Family Team, but also some people from Hejia Village who were badmouthing behind others¡¯ backs, though they were few. If a wife got involved with outsiders, a sensible head of the family would pull her back and not let her spread rumors.


    But there was one person, and that was Limp Wang¡¯s wife, Zhang Lihua.


    There were others regardless who were bold enough to speak up, ¡°Old Qiao, you are also part of the Qiao Family Team. Your Old Qiao Family has dozens of members here. If our village thrives, you also thrive, right? If it doesn¡¯t work out, won¡¯t you suffer as well?¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan didn¡¯t answer; he just chuckled.


    Qiao Shengbao said casually on the side, ¡°Who said we have to stay in the Qiao Family Team forever?¡±


    Qiao Genbao nodded, ¡°My grandfather has been urging us for a while now. He wants us all to move to Yun City. That¡¯s a big city, and it¡¯s not just for the two of us. Think about the different opportunities that both children will have when they go to school there.¡±


    Indeed, how could everyone forget that?


    The Old Qiao Family may have many members here, but they also have a way out. Not to mention Qiao Qingyu, could Yun City, such a large city, not have a place for them?


    There were lands and villages around that city too, and it was said that it wasn¡¯t just one crop a year there¡ªthey could grow two seasons worth.


    The debate continued.


    Then Uncle Sun tapped the microphone, ¡°Alright, alright, quiet down, quiet down. I have an announcement to make...¡±


    He then read out the document from the county recognising Qi Feng¡¯s courageous act.


    The certificate arrived with the document, and though everyone was still confused, they clapped and cheered Qi Feng onto the stage to accept the award.


    Regardless of the circumstances, not everyone had the courage to jump into the freezing water.


    Afterward, a county official also spoke, highly praising Qi Feng¡¯s actions and encouraging and urging everyone to learn from him.


    Then Qiao Zhiyuan announced the end of the meeting, telling everyone to be prepared that if the certification couldn¡¯t pass this year, then the base could be moved to another team.


    The excitement of the past few days seemed to have been doused with a bucket of cold water.


    And most people knew in their hearts that Qiao Zhiyuan might have had ulterior motives, that he seemed to be using this incident to admonish everyone, but to be honest, it wasn¡¯t just about scaring people.


    Now, many were envious that they had become a seed production base.


    In the entire North City, they were the first, and it was an exclusive privilege.


    Just as Sun had said earlier, is it difficult to become a seed production base?


    Not at all!


    Is the land fertile only in the Qiao Family Team¡¯s area? Is their terrain the only one suitable?


    Teams all over North City met the criteria.


    Once people knew the Qiao Family Team wasn¡¯t the only option and was replaceable, they panicked, and then they remembered.


    Although everything they had now was built by them, the foundation had been laid by Qiao Qingyu. Even now, Qiao Qingyu was still supporting them as they moved forward.


    Why hold onto that little girl¡¯s past issues?


    As long as the couple is happy, that should be enough.


    Besides, what business is it of yours whether they are happy or not?


    Shouldn¡¯t you be ashamed to ridicule them?


    Ingrates, all of you. Isn¡¯t it said that you can¡¯t help people¡ªthere are too many with the hearts of wolves and the lungs of dogs. After reaping such great benefits, can¡¯t you say anything other than praise?


    Then Limp Wang¡¯s home was splattered with manure, and some even called for Limp Wang¡¯s family to be banished, not to let one rotten apple spoil the whole barrel.


    Limp Wang¡¯s mother hadn¡¯t expected things to get so serious.


    Together with Limp Wang, they had beaten Zhang Lihua so badly she couldn¡¯t get off her kang. Although the act was indefensible, it did indeed provide some vindication. Then, another piece of news spread¡ªit was said that Zhang Lihua had been so determined in spreading rumors because she was paid.


    A stranger had given her one hundred yuan to go around discussing the past between Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu.


    The one hundred yuan was confiscated, and Zhang Lihua was detained by the team¡¯s security squad.


    The villagers felt that they had been fooled by an old woman and suggested that these idle old women should be put to work. Though winter had arrived and work was scarce, there were still tasks like manually selecting seeds¡ªlet them do that work in exchange for work points, as in the past.


    Tired out, they¡¯d have no energy for idle gossip.


    Everyone was satisfied with this arrangement, and Qiao Zhiyuan and Uncle Sun agreed as well.


    For such an incident to have a perfect resolution was impossible.


    But it was necessary to let everyone know that nothing remains unchanging; nothing is irreplaceable. It was important to instill a sense of crisis in them and make them aware that there were many who could take their place.


    Then there was the matter with Wang Mei, but Wang Mei was also over fifty years old: crying, making scenes, threatening suicide¡ªshe simply refused to leave the Old Qiao Family.


    However, Qiao Zhihai took his three sons to the Wang Family¡¯s house.


    The past could be put aside, but the one hundred and eighty yuan Qiao Ye had given them and the two thousand five hundred yuan they owed were debts the Wang Family had to pay.


    This time, the Old Qiao Family was aggressive, and Qiao Zhihai was particularly ruthless, bluntly telling his nearly eighty-year-old mother-in-law, ¡°The ¡®wonderful¡¯ daughter you raised has conned me my whole life. I don¡¯t want her anymore. What can you possibly do to me? If you have the nerve, sue me, but the money you owe must be paid back. Otherwise, the dozen people from Wangjia Village working for the construction crew¡ªI won¡¯t keep a single one, they¡¯ll all be sent back.¡±


    If it were just an issue with the Qiao Family, the Wang Family might have been able to act shamelessly¡ªafter all, the Qiao Family were their relatives, and they couldn¡¯t do much about them.


    But these dozen or so people were working for his construction crew.


    Whether they were laborers or bricklayers, they earned quite a bit, nearly as much as regular workers did each month and ate well too. Because of this, the Wang Family was quite favored by many in the village. If indeed these more than ten people were sent back because of them, they would become the enemies of these more than ten families, and their lives would never be peaceful again.

 Chapter 472 - 472 472 Parachuting

    ?Chapter 472: Chapter 472: Parachuting Chapter 472: Chapter 472: Parachuting So, the money that was swindled was all retrieved.


    But the Wang Family also stated, ¡°A married daughter is like water splashed out, Wang Mei is already of this age, sending her back now would be pushing her to death. If he dares divorce her, Old Lady Wang has declared she would fight it out and drag herself to the provincial city to sue Qiao Zhihai.¡±


    Thus, this matter temporarily came to an unresolved end.


    Qiao Ye quickly deposited the money into the bankbook and dared not keep it at home anymore.


    Fortunately, these incidents did not affect Qi Feng.


    At the year¡¯s end and beginning of the new year, Xichuan finally experienced a significant snowfall, dressing the mountains and rivers in a veil of white. This snow did not melt as quickly as usual once the sun came out.


    Due to the low temperatures, this snow truly held its ground.


    The Zone 5 Laboratory had also installed heating, making the room warm and cozy, with several pots of flowers displayed on the windowsill.


    One of the pots was abloom with vibrant azaleas.


    In the corner, there was a pot of Soothing Grass, unimpressive to look at, but it subtly filled the room with a faint, comforting fragrance.


    At this moment, Qiao Qingyu was sitting in the office, looking at the financial summary for this year, with next year¡¯s planting plans by her side, and standing in front of her was a beautiful young woman. This girl was somewhat special; according to future terms, she was ¡°parachuted in,¡± but since ¡°parachuting¡± didn¡¯t exist now it¡¯s simply said that she was assigned from above to assist Qiao Qingyu.


    She was a top student from Imperial Agricultural University.


    ¡°Hello Mr. Qiao, my name is Wang Sisi.¡± The girl, wearing a down jacket and just over 160 centimeters tall, looked very obedient and clever.


    She spoke in the same manner.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled at her and looked down at the documents in her hands, ¡°Mr. Wang, you are a top scholar from Agricultural University, and you studied in Japan for two years. I heard that the Agricultural Research Institute in Beijing recruited you last year. Although our location is also a research base, you should know that our agricultural base¡¯s establishment still differs from that of a research base. Coming here means you are in the system but temporarily as a contract worker, so I had to clarify this with you in advance.¡±


    Wang Sisi quickly replied, ¡°Leader, I knew about the situation here before I came, but that doesn¡¯t mean we should choose a superior place just because of these conditions. I haven¡¯t considered the system, but I believe the field I studied can only be utilized by your side, on this land.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu raised her eyebrows, placing the financial reports on the desk, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you around the other offices to meet our colleagues here, we have all levels of staff. By the way, have you applied for a dormitory?¡±


    Wang Sisi nodded, ¡°Yes, I have already applied for the dormitory.¡±


    Then, glancing at Qiao Qingyu, she spoke in a delicate voice, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so beautiful, like a fairy from heaven.¡± She then giggled, her dimples showing, making her seem especially naive and innocent.


    Qiao Qingyu first took Wang Sisi to the finance office to introduce her to Fang Xiaomei and a few other female colleagues, then she took her to meet Wang Laogen and Liu Chengwu.


    Qiao Qingyu handed her over to Liu Chengwu, letting him help her familiarize herself with the work at the agricultural base before moving her around the lab. She was the chief in charge and couldn¡¯t do everything herself, so she left the rest to be managed.


    The next day was Saturday, and in the afternoon, He Xuerong had already left for school after lunch. He Xiuyu, who was working overtime, had not come back, but unexpectedly, the front door was knocked on.


    Qiao Qingyu looked outside, generally, no one visited their home at this time, and if there was something, they¡¯d usually call. If it were He Xiuyu, he wouldn¡¯t knock; only someone from the base would.


    However, when she opened the door, she never expected to see Wang Sisi, who had just reported that day.


    It was quite unexpected.


    The weather was very cold, she stood on the snowy ground, continuously stomping her feet, but with one hand, she held a nylon bag, which contained canned food, pastries, and two bags of large White Rabbit creamy candies.


    These items were probably all bought from the store.


    She smiled brightly, ¡°I passed by the store during lunch and bought some snacks for Rongrong.¡±


    As the visitor claimed she came to see the child, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t really say anything, and after taking over, she warmly said, ¡°Then come inside, it¡¯s a bit cold out here.¡±


    Once inside, Wang Sisi quickly scanned the room; in almost the blink of an eye, the layout she saw had already formed an impression in her mind.


    Qiao Qingyu poured her some tea, and after Wang Sisi had a sip of the hot tea, she asked Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Doesn¡¯t Chief Engineer He come home for lunch?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, his job doesn¡¯t really have a set schedule.¡±


    ¡°Chief Engineer He is truly a great role model for us to learn from, I always hear about him in Beijing, even our professors admire him greatly.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu raised her eyebrows, but then suddenly remembered what He Xiuyu had told her a few days ago. Anna had called him saying that two national spies had infiltrated Xichuan planning to strike at both of them, but what specifically they were going to do and how Anna didn¡¯t know.


    It just didn¡¯t occur to her how coincidental it was that just two days later, her superiors sent her someone to assist in her work. If another few decades had passed, this person might be called an assistant or special assistant, but at her current level, she didn¡¯t need one.


    And to speak the truth, other than the finance office handling accounting, cashiers, and managers, her Agricultural Base didn¡¯t really have positions for people like Wang Laogen and Liu Chengwu outside the laboratories.


    Qiao Qingyu thought about whether she should organize job ranks in the future.


    Wang Sisi was naturally chatty, and she earnestly said, ¡°Honestly, when they were deciding who to send here to assist, several of us were competing. You might not be aware, but your name is quite well-known at our Agricultural University. Indeed, you are a role model for many of us, and I feel immensely honored to be able to work beside you...¡±


    She really knew how to speak.


    There were many articulate people, but it was Qiao Qingyu¡¯s first time encountering someone like Wang Sisi who showered her with so many pleasantries.


    She felt that, by normal logic, she should be flattered, but although Qiao Qingyu was not extensively experienced, her background wasn¡¯t something ordinary people could compare to.


    For some reason, Qiao Qingyu felt a hint of caution towards this girl.


    Logically speaking, her Agricultural Base was quite good, but according to current job-seeking views, Professor Feng¡¯s place was the best choice since it was a formal national position with a shiny, golden rice bowl.


    And her place was half-private, the positions were temporary, something she had already mentioned to Wang Sisi, who had accepted quickly.


    Either she had some ulterior motives or she was a selfless idealist the kind of good new generation youth who had aspirations to pursue.

 Chapter 473 - 473 473 Cultural Troupe

    ?Chapter 473: Chapter 473: Cultural Troupe? Chapter 473: Chapter 473: Cultural Troupe? Wang Sisi picked up the teacup and, without a care, took a sip before smiling and saying, ¡°I have long admired you. The transformation here in Xichuan, from what it was to what it is now, is so striking. It might sound exaggerated, but you¡¯re like a fairy who¡¯s cast a spell, turning this barren land into green waters and lush mountains...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes remained still as she refilled Wang Sisi¡¯s cup. She wasn¡¯t familiar with Wang Sisi and couldn¡¯t figure out her intentions. This person had just shown up unannounced without giving Qiao Qingyu any time to prepare.


    Qiao Qingyu spoke earnestly, ¡°My personal power is limited. I do not agree with your statement. Although the barren land has been turned green by seeds from the lab, you have to understand how hard it is in this kind of place. Initially, there is a lack of water here. For a piece of land less than an acre, to make anything survive, I have to fetch water from a creek ten miles away. Can you imagine how tough that is?¡±


    Evidently, Wang Sisi¡¯s expression froze, but she quickly smiled charmingly and cleverly changed the subject. She looked around and said, ¡°It¡¯s hard to imagine that in Xichuan, your home is so warm, so stylish, and well-structured too.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu glanced around and casually said, ¡°You like the layout of this house? Go ahead and have a look around, and I¡¯ll go boil some hot water for you.¡±


    The hot water in the thermos was gone, and Wang Sisi had already had two cups of tea.


    Typically, when a host makes such an offer, it would be polite for the guest to avoid overstaying their welcome, but Wang Sisi seemed not to hear and really started exploring each room. Her steps were light, her smile playful, and her eyes clear, giving off the innocent vibe of the girl next door, like a child seeing new toys at someone else¡¯s house, making her hard to be annoyed or bothered by.


    The door to He Xiuyu¡¯s study was open. Typically, guests at their house wouldn¡¯t enter the study, except for Xiao Hu.


    Seeing that Wang Sisi¡¯s first stop was the study, Qiao Qingyu thought for a moment and then went to the kitchen to boil water.


    After turning on the electric kettle, she looked out the window where there was a small mirror. She saw Wang Sisi standing at the doorway of the study. Although she didn¡¯t enter, she lingered there for quite a while.


    Qiao Qingyu frowned slightly and casually placed the mirror inside the cabinet below the windowsill.


    By then, the water had boiled. Qiao Qingyu filled the thermos with water, and when she turned around, she saw Wang Sisi standing at the doorway.


    She seemed to have just realized and said apologetically, ¡°There¡¯s no need to go to any more trouble for me, Leader. I¡¯ve already taken up too much of your time. I should be leaving now.¡±


    Just then, the door opened, and He Xuerong entered the house with her schoolbag on her back.


    Today was Saturday, and there was only one class in the afternoon, so she came home early. Upon seeing the unfamiliar woman, the little girl paused and then greeted politely, ¡°Hello, Auntie.¡±


    Wang Sisi then bent down with a beaming smile, ¡°Ah, this must be Rongrong, such a beautiful little girl, just like a princess.¡± She then seemed disappointed and slapped her forehead, ¡°I brought lots of fun things for you¡ªtin frog trumpets, spinning tops, and checkers, but I forgot to bring them this time. Next time I come, I¡¯ll bring them for you.¡±


    That gave her a reason for a future visit. Qiao Qingyu smiled, and He Xuerong¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Auntie, what are these checkers like?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re made of glass marbles, really pretty, like candy.¡±


    He Xuerong didn¡¯t have checkers with glass marbles.


    The little girl kept smiling at Wang Sisi, who then left He Xiuyu¡¯s home with light, brisk steps.


    Qiao Qingyu naturally saw her out the door and waited until her figure disappeared around the corner before she returned to the house.


    Wang Sisi left the base¡¯s residential compound, paused for a moment, then headed towards the base¡¯s store.


    At the counter selling needles and thread, she picked and chose for a good while, purchasing various colors of thread and a few needles. Since they were all base staff, the service was naturally impeccable.


    She calmly carried these items out of the store.


    A person emerged from the shadow of the corner next to the store and asked in a low voice, ¡°How did it go?¡±


    Wang Sisi¡¯s expression remained calm; to anyone else, they appeared as two strangers. But the two were only a few steps apart. She looked around and said, ¡°It went smoothly, after all, the relationship is there. It¡¯s easy to get in touch. I¡¯ll find more opportunities to visit her home in the future, but today I only glanced at the study. The desk was clean. If there¡¯s anything important, it¡¯s either at the office or in a drawer.¡±


    The other person frowned, ¡°You need to be careful. Visiting his study on your first visit, while gathering intelligence is secondary, you should first establish a good relationship and earn his trust. Don¡¯t treat others like fools.¡±


    Although Wang Sisi didn¡¯t say anything, she felt somewhat defiant, ¡°Tell the young lady to rest assured. In this position, I have no choice but to build a good relationship with her. Getting what we want is just a matter of time.¡±


    Having said that, she didn¡¯t wait for a response and briskly walked away, the person watching as Wang Sisi¡¯s figure disappeared. He looked around to make sure no one was paying attention to them before turning and heading directly outside the base.


    He Xiuyu finished work as night had fallen, especially since it was early winter and after the summer solstice, it got dark early. Qiao Qingyu had already prepared dinner and set it on the dining table, while He Xuerong had finished her homework.


    Qiao Qingyu took his overcoat as he took it off and hung it on the rack by the door, shaking off the cold, though his brow was slightly furrowed. Qiao Qingyu paused her hands and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    He Xiuyu hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°The higher-ups are planning to establish a cultural troupe at the base to enrich the cultural life of the staff.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu raised her eyebrows. Nowadays, any reasonably ranked agency had its own cultural troupe, which, as the name implies, involved singing, dancing, and organizing performances. These groups were typically filled with good-looking young girls and boys; anyone not up to par in appearance or voice simply wouldn¡¯t do.


    Qiao Qingyu had been thinking that the base should start its own TV station, but was surprised to hear that they were planning a cultural troupe instead.


    Qiao Qingyu then wondered, ¡°Why do you seem unhappy about it?¡±


    ¡°The higher-ups mean well by enriching everyone¡¯s cultural life, but there are many ways to enrich culture, and it doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be through a cultural troupe.¡±


    ¡°If they form a cultural troupe, will they assign people from above, or will our base select them?¡±


    ¡°It sounds like from what Old Wei said that a few major departments in Beijing are downsizing their cultural troupe personnel.¡±


    Oh, that explained it; there were places being streamlined.


    Then, for some reason, his thoughts turned towards the research base.

 Chapter 474 - 474 474 What Seems to Be a Priceless Treasure

    ?Chapter 474: Chapter 474: What Seems to Be a Priceless Treasure to Outsiders Chapter 474: Chapter 474: What Seems to Be a Priceless Treasure to Outsiders Tenghai Research saw the people from the cultural troupe as better off than being laid off, even though they couldn¡¯t compare to their previous units.


    ¡°What about the funding for the cultural troupe?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked with concern.


    The cultural troupe had quite a few mouths to feed, dozens of them. Not to mention salaries, just the expenses for performances, costumes, including makeup and props, there were always plenty of things they wanted to add.


    ¡°They say half will be allocated from above, and the other half is our responsibility,¡± He Xiuyu said with a heavy expression. ¡°Now that research funding is so tight, you guys at the Agricultural Base work so hard all year round. The money you earn is all thrown into the projects, and every penny is spent where it¡¯s most needed. We can¡¯t afford to support the cultural troupe.¡±


    ¡°What do others think?¡±


    He Xiuyu gave a wry smile, ¡°If it¡¯s still up to me, others¡¯ opinions don¡¯t matter.¡±


    So, that meant He Xiuyu disagreed.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at the meal on the table and urged, ¡°Hurry up and wash your hands for dinner.¡±


    He Xiuyu stopped talking about the topic and obediently went to wash his hands.


    After everything was settled, Qiao Qingyu told him about Wang Sisi¡¯s situation.


    Qiao Qingyu asked He Xiuyu, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m being overly sensitive?¡±


    ¡°No matter whether you¡¯re overthinking it or not, it¡¯s not a smart move. Don¡¯t make a fuss, just leave it for now.¡±


    He Xiuyu opened a drawer, took out a document from inside, and said indifferently, ¡°Sometimes your own people don¡¯t realize how good your stuff is, but to outsiders, it might be a priceless treasure.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was taken aback but said nothing. She realized that was indeed the case and patted the back of his hand.


    ¡°Rest assured, even if they were lucky enough to get some information, what we hold in our hands can never be fully learned by them.¡±


    ¡°In the end, it¡¯s all about becoming stronger and stronger,¡± He Xiuyu remarked.


    Otherwise, others openly covet what you have.


    He couldn¡¯t just hope for Director Lin alone to investigate everything thoroughly, and he had some reserved opinions about Mr. Qi, like with Wang Sisi and the cultural troupe, but now was not the good time to lay it all out.


    He wrote a letter to his elder brother and then made a phone call to Yuan Hengzhi.


    Yuan Hengzhi had a bit of a headache now; he was entangled by Bai Zhi. Bai Zhi was adamant about marrying no one but him, and he didn¡¯t even understand why she was so fixated on him.


    In his view, Lan Jianqing was not inferior to him in any way.


    As a mere police officer, how could he compare with Lan Jianqing¡¯s income? Not to mention background, Lan Family had connections in Beijing that were not inferior to the Yuan Family.


    Where he worked was just a branch office, without any major cases or classified information. If she had any agenda, what exactly was she after?


    So he had communicated his thoughts over the phone with He Xiuyu a while ago, expressing his desire to lay low for some time.


    Although this wasn¡¯t Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s style, right now He Xiuyu actually needed him.


    ...


    After getting acquainted for a few days, Wang Sisi officially started working.


    She was one year younger than Qiao Qingyu. To others, she was just a sweet and naive young girl, so people in the office liked her quite a bit.


    With her joining, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s burden indeed lightened significantly.


    On Sunday, Wang Sisi came to Qiao Qingyu, suggesting going for a stroll in Yushu County and asking if Qiao Qingyu wanted to buy anything.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°I don¡¯t need anything. This is your first time visiting Yushu County, right? Although it can¡¯t compare with big cities, it has its own charm. Have a good time exploring. There¡¯s a small shop on Santiao Street in the county that has delicious fried rice cakes. You should try it.¡±


    ¡°Great, I¡¯ll go with a few girls from the dormitory.¡±


    ¡°Then be careful.¡±


    Wang Sisi waved at Qiao Qingyu and bounced away cheerfully.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s gaze deepened, her mouth curving in an indescribable smile.


    Standing beside her, Fang Xiaomei furrowed her brows and said, ¡°I want to discuss an issue with you, but let me say this first: I¡¯m not jealous.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu grasped her hand as they walked toward her office, ¡°If you were really jealous, I¡¯d actually be happy.¡±


    Fang Xiaomei laughed at the joke. Once they were in the office with the door shut, Fang Xiaomei lowered her voice, ¡°Wang Sisi¡¯s professional abilities are undeniable. She seems to know a lot, not just about agriculture but also finance. She helped us a lot yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing? Where¡¯s the problem?¡±


    Fang Xiaomei looked at Qiao Qingyu, a mix of frustration and disbelief in her eyes, ¡°It¡¯s not jealousy. I just can¡¯t understand why someone like her would come to our Agricultural Base. Let me be clear, I¡¯m not looking down on our place. But from what I know, girls from big cities like her, especially those who graduated from top and prestigious universities, why would they be willing to work as temps?¡±


    ¡°Even as a temp, isn¡¯t it still a position at the Tenghai Research Base?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point. For me, Wang Laogen, and Liu Chengwu, this base offers a kind of satisfaction we couldn¡¯t ask for more. The status is temporary in name but no different from permanent staff.


    But who doesn¡¯t want a permanent position nowadays?


    I think, our Agricultural Base is developing fast, and we¡¯ve seen tangible results. It¡¯s like you¡¯ve worked hard planting a tree, and when it finally bears fruit, someone sees how big and juicy the peaches are and wants to reap the rewards without the work...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu understood the metaphor.


    ¡°No worries. As long as what she does benefits our country and society, I¡¯m willing to give her everything in my hands.¡±


    ¡°Even your husband?¡±


    Fang Xiaomei rolled her eyes at her.


    Qiao Qingyu chuckled, ¡°Even if I gave her that, she¡¯d have to dare to take it.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there not to dare? Young girls these days are pretty bold,¡± Fang Xiaomei said, curling her lip and suddenly changing the subject, ¡°You probably don¡¯t know, but there are quite a few marital crises happening around here. Oh right, Xiao Chen was saying that their driver¡¯s squad leader is getting cozy with a nurse from the hospital. Recently, he¡¯s even considering divorcing his wife back home...¡±


    When the forest grows, it harbors all kinds of birds.


    You can¡¯t really manage that kind of thing, because even if it¡¯s infidelity within marriage, there¡¯s no legal punishment or constraint.


    Sounds nice to say it, but it¡¯s a matter of conscience.


    It all depends on the woman¡¯s fate and her own thoughts.


    ...


    Wang Sisi was touring the county with a few girls from Tenghai Base, intrigued by everything. It was her first time here, so everything fascinated her, while the other girls who had been there a few times were much calmer.


    One of the girls commented, ¡°This place can¡¯t even begin to compare with our Beijing. I don¡¯t get why you¡¯re so excited.¡±

 Chapter 475 - 475 475 Who is Whose Shield

    ?Chapter 475: Chapter 475: Who is Whose Shield? Chapter 475: Chapter 475: Who is Whose Shield? Wang Sisi¡¯s eyes curved as she smiled, her voice gentle, ¡°You can¡¯t put it like that. Each place has its own scenery, its own beauty. By the way, our leader mentioned there¡¯s a place selling deep-fried rice cakes that are exceptionally delicious. I¡¯ll go look for it.¡±


    ¡°Can you find it yourself? Should we accompany you?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need, no need. You go shopping, and we¡¯ll meet at the entrance of the grocery store.¡±


    The girls didn¡¯t insist.


    How could a girl from a big city get lost in such a small place?


    And they weren¡¯t all headed to the same destination, so they dispersed to take care of their own errands.


    Wang Sisi, with a smile on her face, briskly walked towards the direction Qiao Qingyu had mentioned, but she took a detour halfway there.


    The problem here was the lack of taxis and rickshaws, and even biking was not an option; it was inconvenient in every way.


    She could only rely on her legs for transportation.


    Fortunately, the place she was headed to wasn¡¯t far from here. Wang Sisi looked around cautiously, then laughed at herself for being overly careful.


    Who would follow her here? She was making a big deal out of nothing. Thus, she confidently stood in front of a courtyard and began knocking on the door. The rhythm of her knocks was peculiar, but with no one around, even if there were, they likely wouldn¡¯t understand.


    The door was quickly opened by a nondescript man who stepped aside.


    The courtyard looked no different from any other, and so did the inside of the house.


    However, it was very clean; the living room had a cement floor, and a middle-aged woman was sitting on the couch, a man beside her.


    The woman merely glanced at her indifferently. Wang Sisi¡¯s heart tightened, and she bowed deeply to the woman. Straightening up, she whispered, ¡°Madam, I¡¯ve returned.¡±


    Zhi Zi glanced at Wang Sisi with a sharp look and immediately said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before not to act rashly or treat others as fools? We¡¯re not in a rush. Your job is to get close to her, earn her trust. If you succeed, it¡¯ll be a great accomplishment. Why didn¡¯t you follow my order? You just arrived and already visited her home, even toured her study. What did you see there?¡±


    Her voice was calm, yet each sentence struck Wang Sisi¡¯s heart like a hammer, making her tremble as cold sweat broke out on her back, ¡°Madam, I just wanted to test the current mindset of He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu, and whether Qiao Qingyu is truly as reputed or simply successful with He Xiuyu¡¯s help. If that¡¯s the case, she doesn¡¯t warrant our efforts...¡±


    Unfortunately, before Wang Sisi could finish, Zhi Zi slapped her across the face, her voice cold, ¡°Idiot, how dare you question my decisions?¡±


    The slap was crisp, silencing the room instantly. The man remained calm without any reaction, but it left Wang Sisi stunned. Her heart pounded and her hands clenched at her sides, fear and reverence in her eyes as she hurriedly explained, ¡°Madam, I wouldn¡¯t dare to question any of your decisions. I was wrong.¡±


    Zhi Zi¡¯s lips curled slightly, then her voice softened.


    ¡°You are my most valued student, and in this matter, your every action, as the saying goes in China, can affect everything.¡±


    She paced slowly in the room, hands clasped behind her back.


    ¡°According to the information obtained and after comprehensive analysis by our specialists, Qiao Qingyu is certainly no simple character. Everyone thinks that all she achieves is with the hidden help of He Xiuyu, but you¡¯re all mistaken. It¡¯s very possible that He Xiuyu is just her shield.¡±


    Wang Sisi¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, a bit overwhelmed, she murmured, ¡°Madam, I don¡¯t understand... Why would that be necessary?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to understand, you just need to remember my words. Stay close to Qiao Qingyu, foster a good relationship with her, observe carefully...¡±


    She stood in front of Wang Sisi, her voice low and pressuring, ¡°Especially, you should watch if there unexpectedly appears something around her you have never seen before, such as flowers, plants, fungi, or even some objects...¡±


    ¡°... Miss, I¡¯ve got it.¡±


    Then, with confusion in her eyes, Wang Sisi boldly asked, ¡°Miss, what exactly are you suspecting? Can you tell me? It would help me have a clearer idea.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand even if I told you.¡± At this point, Zhi Zi smiled enigmatically and exchanged glances with the man sitting on the sofa before she finally said to Wang Sisi, ¡°Go back, observe her closely, and do not make any decisions on your own or you know what I am capable of.¡±


    Her last words carried a hint of malice.


    Wang Sisi¡¯s body shuddered, she gasped slightly, then lowered her head and firmly agreed. After retreating a few steps, she then turned and walked out of the room.


    Upon reaching the courtyard, she glanced at the corner, then hurriedly looked away and continued along the predetermined path. After leaving the courtyard, Wang Sisi finally let out a long breath.


    Her mind was filled with thoughts about what her mistress had said. To her, the mistress was her god, her religion, the entirety of her life, and her sky, so whatever the mistress said was definitely right.


    But how should she observe? Then, clenching her fists, she decided that she would discover any loophole.


    ...


    Lu Ye was preparing to go to Beijing to report on his work but before leaving, he met with Qiao Qingyu to discuss the Agricultural Base and the Barley Grass Seeds. Currently, the demand for Barley Grass Seeds was insatiable; they were needed everywhere, not only in Xichuan but across the entire West City and the surrounding provinces and cities in desert areas.


    Thus, his trip to Beijing was not only to report his achievements but also to secure funding. Without money, no matter how grand the plans, they would not unfold.


    Qiao Qingyu promised to give priority to provide him with Barley Grass Seeds next year.


    With such Barley Grass Seeds, Qiao Qingyu could take half in the light and half in the dark.


    On the surface, it would be the seeds cultivated from equipment produced in the base¡¯s heavy workshop, although this cultivation equipment, despite being branded as a replica, was still significantly inferior in certain aspects, such as taking many times longer.


    In secret, Qiao Qingyu could extensively cultivate Barley Grass Seeds through the Space Laboratory, with the help of He Xiuyu.


    So increasing the supply should be no problem.


    Lu Ye finally breathed a sigh of relief, knowing Qiao Qingyu would support him, he felt much more confident about his upcoming work report.


    Qiao Qingyu then said, ¡°I have some advice for you.¡±


    Lu Ye¡¯s eyes brightened, and he hurriedly said, ¡°Please, tell me.¡±


    Generally, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s advice was very sensible and was almost always adopted.


    ¡°I think you should draw two maps.¡± Here, Qiao Qingyu paused, ¡°Mark the Xichuan Desert before planting the Barley Grass in yellow, and then mark the areas that have been greened with green. This way, the contrast will be stark...¡±


    Finally, she smiled, ¡°Though it might sound a bit childish, it¡¯s absolutely clear at a glance.¡±


    Lu Ye¡¯s mind was instantly enlightened, and he hurriedly left the scientific research base to go draw the maps.

 Chapter 476 - 476 476 Private Deal

    ?Chapter 476: Chapter 476: Private Deal Chapter 476: Chapter 476: Private Deal Early in the morning, He Xiuyu went to Xichuan to pick up Mr. Wu and his mother-in-law.


    Mr. Wu had been busy in Xichuan and hadn¡¯t visited the base yet, but now he was finally free and was preparing to stay at Qiao Qingyu¡¯s place for a while.


    Qiao Qingyu busied herself at home, preparing the room. There was central heating, so there was no need to make a fire, but she still lit the small kang and changed the bedsheets, duvet covers, and pillowcases. She also placed a pot of health grass on the bedroom windowsill.


    Previously, this room was occupied by He Xiuyu. Afterward, He Xiuyu had always stayed in the west room, leaving this one vacant.


    The room had a wooden floor that was wiped daily and was now spotless. Qiao Qingyu made two pairs of slippers specifically for Grandpa and her mother.


    They were made of velour fabric, stuffed with cotton, soft and warm to wear.


    As for her mother, she was staying with her, and the bedsheets and duvet covers were also freshly changed, so there was no need for special preparations. Qiao Qingyu then ran to the store.


    The Tenghai Research Base had its own farm.


    Thus, although meat couldn¡¯t be openly supplied, they were able to have meat every month.


    Currently, there were pork and lamb on the cutting board. Qiao Qingyu used her meat coupons to weigh four pig trotters and bought some lamb chops. The butcher, Sister-in-law Wu, seeing Qiao Qingyu, brought out some reserved pork brisket, saying, ¡°This is heart-protecting meat. Take it back, stew it well, and stir-fry it with sharp peppers. It¡¯s said to be very beneficial for the elderly to eat.¡±


    Although everything had to be supplied according to the food supply policy, Qiao Qingyu could still enjoy some private conveniences.


    She smiled, ¡°Thank you, Sister-in-law Wu.¡±


    Moreover, Sister-in-law Wu was so attentive, surely she needed something. However, Sister-in-law Wu had always taken good care of her.


    Qiao Qingyu took the initiative to ask, ¡°Sister-in-law Wu, is there something you need?¡±


    Sister-in-law Wu felt no embarrassment, looked around, and lowered her voice, ¡°Qingyu, your sister-in-law really needs a favor...¡±


    ¡°Sister, there¡¯s no need for pleasantries. Just tell me what it is.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu also knew that it definitely wasn¡¯t work-related, as everyone was clear that she never interfered with He Xiuyu¡¯s affairs at work; the couple was quite clear-cut in this regard.


    ¡°Do you still have some white flour? I¡¯d like to buy some.¡±


    In most areas, it was still a planned economy, and they used food stamps and various tickets. Looking at the current situation, it would take about three years to abandon food stamps and stop distributing controlled commodity grains.


    Thus, getting white flour wasn¡¯t easy.


    Even the white flour received monthly by the base for a family of five was only about ten kilograms.


    They couldn¡¯t afford to consume it freely, and Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t engaged in private trading.


    She didn¡¯t want to start that precedent, but she still asked, ¡°Sister-in-law Wu, how much do you need?¡±


    ¡°Just sell me ten kilograms,¡± Sister-in-law Wu hesitated, then said somewhat sheepishly, ¡°I¡¯m not hiding it from you, but relatives came from my hometown, and I¡¯ve used this month¡¯s allocation to make steamed buns for them. They are leaving, and my third child secretly told his grandma he wants to eat white flour buns again...¡±


    Sister-in-law Wu didn¡¯t finish her sentence, and Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t ask more. It wasn¡¯t a big issue, and she lowered her voice, ¡°Sister-in-law Wu, forget about selling or not selling; just come to my house after work.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t do, how can I just take your things for free? I must pay for them.¡±


    ¡°Listen to me, Sister. I do have some white flour, but not much. Currently, I can¡¯t engage in buying or selling white flour at our base. If the child wants to eat buns, there¡¯s no shame in that. From your perspective, I am also an elder to your third child. That settles it...¡±


    Sister-in-law Wu wasn¡¯t fussy, so she didn¡¯t say more, but she remembered this favor.


    She efficiently filled out the coupons for Qiao Qingyu. Of course, the price was exact; no one was cheated, and after paying, Qiao Qingyu took the meat and went home.


    After getting home, she first packed more than ten kilograms of white flour in a small bag and placed it by the door, then started to get busy.


    There were radishes at home; considering the age of Grandpa and her mother, they shouldn¡¯t eat greasy food, so she planned to stew the lamb chops with radishes in a sand pot.


    Then, she prepared the pig trotters. She had luckily found some today; usually, they weren¡¯t available, so Qiao Qingyu decided to braise them in red sauce as before.


    She also simmered a pot of bone soup.


    Qiao Qingyu was efficient as well. By the time He Xiuyu brought Wu Xiucai and Wu Qianyun home, the meal and dishes were almost ready, and He Xuerong came back with them.


    Although she knew her daughter was doing well, she couldn¡¯t help but worry. Seeing the color in her daughter¡¯s face, Wu Qianyun felt reassured.


    In the evening, when it was just mother and daughter, she asked Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Now you don¡¯t go to school, and work isn¡¯t busy, isn¡¯t it time for a child?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t hide anything, and said frankly, ¡°There is a plan now, but we¡¯ll leave it to fate.¡±


    Wu Qianyun didn¡¯t say much, but she started talking about the situation back home, her brows furrowed, ¡°Right now, your second uncle and his wife are not getting along well. If they call you, don¡¯t get involved.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t they going to divorce? Did they go through with it?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked curiously.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that easy to divorce. Wang Mei has spent a lifetime of hardship with Qiao Zhihai. Now that life is getting better, she isn¡¯t foolish. How could she agree to a divorce?¡±


    If she won¡¯t agree to divorce, then they should live peacefully. Instead, they keep stirring trouble, making it hard for others to find peace. Then Qiao Qingyu turned the conversation towards her own mother, ¡°You should also stay out of those problems back home. Honestly, they are not young anymore. Don¡¯t they understand their actions? Sometimes what they¡¯re after isn¡¯t what it seems, and you shouldn¡¯t fall for their tricks.¡±


    Wu Qianyun, of course, knew deep down that her daughter was giving her a heads-up. There is good and bad back home, but isn¡¯t life like that? There¡¯s no such thing as perfect. It¡¯s not always according to one¡¯s wishes.


    There are always deficiencies in one way or another.


    Wu Qianyun sighed, feeling helpless, ¡°It¡¯s not as easy as you say. It¡¯s like breaking a bone that still connects with the sinew; you can¡¯t just turn a blind eye, especially considering your father¡¯s reputation.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why Grandpa brought you here.¡±


    ¡°I understand Grandpa¡¯s intentions. He does it for my good, but having spent a long time abroad, he is quite indifferent toward human relationships and only acknowledges his own blood relatives.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu knew this was indeed the case. They say a clear conscience is a soft pillow, but domestic matters really can¡¯t be judged.


    Thus, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t argue further, her expression showing agreement.


    Wu Qianyun finally felt relieved.


    Even though it was a bit selfish, this was indeed how it needed to be stated.

 Chapter 477 - 477 477 Return with a Full Load

    ?Chapter 477: Chapter 477 Return with a Full Load Chapter 477: Chapter 477 Return with a Full Load Wu Qian Yun spoke softly, ¡°The past had its good days and its bad days. When you talk about your grandparents and your uncle, even your aunt, they were tough on the outside but soft on the inside. Back then, when times were hard, everyone helped each other out. If there was one successful person in the family, didn¡¯t everyone rely on them? That¡¯s human nature. As long as it¡¯s not excessive, you must help each other, especially your uncle, who has always been there for your dad and you. You cannot forget your roots...¡±


    Indeed, that¡¯s the way it is.


    This place has always been a country that values relationships.


    Otherwise, Qiao Qingyu wouldn¡¯t have invested so much effort in the Qiao Family Team.


    The next morning, He Xiuyu took a day off on purpose. The old man had also rested well and seemed radiant. His health had indeed recovered. It wasn¡¯t clear if it was the joy of happy events or the effect of the health grass, or perhaps the merit of his personal physician, but he looked nothing like the frail, thin old man he had once been.


    He Xiuyu drove the jeep, taking the old man to Barley Grassland, where there were now quite a few gray rabbits making nests and even pheasants in the Willow Wood forest further on.


    The Willow Woods had grown fast, reaching over a meter high in four years.


    Qiao Qingyu instructed them to stay safe, then took her mother for a stroll around the office area, and then to the base¡¯s school and kindergarten.


    It was just a casual walk.


    It was winter now; the scenery would have been nicer in the summer. While saying this, Qiao Qingyu planned to take her mother to the stores for a look.


    She hadn¡¯t expected to meet someone walking towards her.


    It was Su Yunyao, wearing a bulky down jacket, but Qiao Qingyu knew that Su Yunyao was pregnant, over four months now.


    And their project team had already started seeing results.


    Sadly, due to many factors, the outcome they had been researching had already been announced abroad six months earlier.


    It heralded the imminent arrival of the era of network informatization.


    But no matter what, the research they conducted was their own and would never be subject to others, now or in the future.


    Qiao Qingyu had mixed feelings about Su Yunyao, but she was still very grateful for what happened last summer.


    So upon meeting, she couldn¡¯t just pretend not to know her and walk away. She introduced Su Yunyao to her mother, who also greeted warmly, ¡°Hello, Aunt Wu.¡±


    Wu Qian Yun, of course, didn¡¯t know the relationship between Su Yunyao and her daughter. Seeing the other¡¯s smile, she assumed this was her daughter¡¯s friend. She noticed right away what Su Yunyao was carrying and directly asked, ¡°Girl, are those frozen persimmons for yourself?¡±


    Su Yunyao looked at the mother and daughter standing opposite her. The weather wasn¡¯t very cold today, the sun was out, shining on them, and when there was no wind, it felt somewhat warmer, so she hadn¡¯t worn a scarf. She then realized that the mother and daughter indeed looked very much alike.


    She also remembered the memory of that summer after the flood in North City, when Wu Qian Yun had fallen ill and passed away. A few months later, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s father also passed away.


    At that time, there was nobody at the base who didn¡¯t despise Qiao Qingyu, especially when she continued to dress brightly even after her parents¡¯ deaths, which made people even more resentful.


    But this woman was untouchable; she was truly a fierce one.


    As long as she¡¯s not breaking the law, there¡¯s nothing she really cares about. You really can¡¯t do anything about her.


    Come to think of it now, this truly is a different world.


    Wu Qianyun had a rosy complexion with a smile on her face, looking young, while the two unconsciously drew closer, a subconscious behavior between mother and daughter.


    So what exactly is going on with Qiao Qingyu? It¡¯s hard to say now. What¡¯s funny is, why is she even thinking about this? Everything has already changed. Even she herself was pregnant with Shen Haoze¡¯s child.


    So what else is there to compare?


    At this moment, when she heard Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mom ask her a question, her instinct was to think that this rural woman might want some of the frozen persimmons in her hand. But then she dismissed the idea, as it would have been plausible in the past, but now with such a wealthy father, it was unlikely she¡¯d engage in such petty behavior, especially in front of her daughter.


    Therefore, Su Yunyao realized and then obediently nodded, ¡°Aunt Wu, I¡¯ve liked frozen persimmons since I was little. I even asked Juanjuan recently to get me some. Otherwise, I¡¯d have to go to Xichuan to buy them...¡±


    ¡°Dear, let me ask you this, are you pregnant now? You look about three to four months along. If you want to eat these frozen persimmons, you¡¯ll need to thaw them with hot water, and you can¡¯t eat too many...¡±


    Su Yunyao was stunned for a moment, lifting the nylon bag in her hand, then glanced at Qiao Qingyu again.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t really know, despite crossing between two worlds, her knowledge in this area was almost nil. She only knew that you shouldn¡¯t eat crabs when pregnant because they¡¯re ¡®cooling¡¯.


    But she trusted the words of Wu Qianyun.


    Why would she mention it without a reason?


    It was a well-intended reminder that she should be thankful for.


    After Su Yunyao left, Wu Qianyun sighed and said, ¡°On my journey here, I¡¯ve noticed that in your research base, half are young people.¡±


    Yes, only with such a generation can our country continue to build and progress.


    Not knowing how Sister-in-law Wu ended up with over ten pounds of pork skin, she then sold it all to Qiao Qingyu. Wu Qianyun mentioned preparing pork skin jelly with it that evening.


    The cooperative store received more yarn, all sent from Nangang City by He Juanjuan, who was still there but had sent the goods ahead.


    Qiao Qingyu also bought several pounds of gray yarn, and she and her mom decided to knit wool vests for Grandpa He Xiuyu and Qiao Zhicai.


    When the two of them headed home, their basket woven with corn leaves was filled.


    Upon arriving home, the sound of a jeep was behind them; it turned out to be hunters returning with a good catch: two rabbits and a pheasant.


    The feathers on the pheasant¡¯s tail were very beautiful but too tough. Qiao Qingyu kept the pretty feathers to make shuttlecocks for He Xuerong.


    It was all cleaned up by He Xiuyu with the old man directing on the side.


    By the time they sat down for lunch, it was already one in the afternoon.


    The pheasant wasn¡¯t stewed as they were short on time at midday and pheasant took longer to tenderize due to its tougher meat. However, at this time, the rabbit meat, cooked with potatoes in a large pot, was particularly succulent. They also made an egg and tofu soup.

 Chapter 478 - 478 478 Export for Foreign Exchange

    ?Chapter 478: Chapter 478: Export for Foreign Exchange Chapter 478: Chapter 478: Export for Foreign Exchange Wu Qianyun had steamed a pot of fa gao and prepared a bowl of rice for He Xuerong.


    Overall, Mr. Wu was quite satisfied with the living environment of his granddaughter; nowadays, the greenery was well maintained, giving the area a leisurely pastoral style during summer.


    The house was tastefully decorated, making residents feel delighted to live there.


    In the afternoon, He Xiuyu brought back someone¡ªQiao Qingyu recognized him. He was He Xiuyu¡¯s close friend, Yuan Hengzhi, whom he had grown up with.


    Qiao Qingyu had only heard He Xiuyu mention Yuan Hengzhi in passing and hadn¡¯t expected him to arrive so soon.


    Director Lin also came with him. Following Director Lin were two guards carrying Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s luggage, as he was directly brought home by He Xiuyu for a meal just after reporting.


    Mr. Wu didn¡¯t know Yuan Hengzhi, but he was familiar with the Yuan Family. Sitting there, he mentioned some connections, so the atmosphere in the house was harmonious.


    After dinner, Qiao Qingyu accompanied Mr. Wu and her mother out to aid digestion, while He Xiuyu took Yuan Hengzhi to his dormitory.


    During the ride, Yuan Hengzhi whispered, ¡°I have another task here. There¡¯s reliable intelligence that a foreign force has entered Xichuan. I am here to coordinate with the Xichuan police in the investigation.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s expression turned serious¡ªhe didn¡¯t need to analyze to know that these people were targeting the Tenghai Research Base.


    ¡°Is there a specific area?¡± He Xiuyu asked softly.


    ¡°Not yet, we are still quietly investigating.¡±


    He Xiuyu thought for a moment and then whispered, ¡°Keep an eye on Wang Sisi, who is close to Qiao Qingyu for me.¡±


    Yuan Hengzhi didn¡¯t ask further and simply responded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    He Xiuyu breathed a sigh of relief. With Yuan Hengzhi here, even the evil spirits would have nowhere to hide.


    ...


    Lu Ye¡¯s trip to Beijing went very smoothly, earning him praise. Coincidentally during his visit, two countries, which somehow had learned about Barley Grass, contacted our foreign trade department wanting to purchase some barley grass seeds.


    Although we are also short on barley grass seeds, it¡¯s an opportunity to earn foreign exchange.


    With foreign exchange, we can buy some urgently needed items that our country can¡¯t produce at the moment.


    Regrettably, it¡¯s a pressing need for our country, as we have fallen far behind.


    Thus, Lu Ye stayed an extra week in Beijing and signed two foreign trade contracts.


    Then many realized that the barley grass spreading across Xichuan was not merely a weed but a beneficial plant.


    Qiao Qinyu was also pleased to hear this news; irrespective, more funds in this area would mean more greening, and Qiao Qingyu had no intention of enforcing an embargo on barley grass seeds.


    Selling at a high price to earn foreign exchange was a win-win. Moreover, regardless of who buys Barley Grass, their goals are reforestation and ranch construction, which do not disrupt human peace or the environment. Hence, when Lu Ye called Qiao Qingyu, she agreed promptly.


    After all, Qiao Qingyu still had to bear a significant part of this order.


    But for Qiao Qingyu, it was also a good thing. She was running out of funds, and if the research funding from the Tenghai Research Base didn¡¯t come through after New Year¡¯s Day, she would really be in a bind trying to make ends meet without any money at all. Besides, she had hardly any money left in her account.


    Even though Qiao Qingyu was selfless, it was impossible for her to put all her belongings here.


    So, Qiao Qingyu sold ten thousand kilograms of barley grass seeds. The money was not credited to her account immediately, but the profit was five times what it was domestically.


    However, there was actually a twist in the story.


    Some people strongly advocated selling the barley grass seeds at a low price, even suggesting they should be given away as aid.


    That way, we could garner more support.


    The idea was not problematic in itself. It was a hard-earned lesson from the Southern Battlefield, where the more aggressive faction thought this unnecessary.


    It was like a family that finally harvested some grain and relied on selling it or using it for sustenance. If you gave all the grain away, you might earn a good reputation initially, but what would your own family eat and drink?


    Then came Qiao Qingyu¡¯s stance. She didn¡¯t care how the barley grass seeds were sold in Xichuan, but those from the Agricultural Base would absolutely not be sold that way.


    Because she didn¡¯t even have enough for herself, let alone giving it away, and the price needed to be high.


    If Qiao Qingyu had just been the simple person she appeared, she might not have been able to overcome the obstacle.


    But she had supporters behind her, firstly Mr. Wu, then He Xiuyu, who were both influential people. It was unclear how they concluded their discussion after communicating, but they really negotiated as Qiao Qingyu had requested. Some thought this would offend the representatives from those two small countries, yet they were unexpectedly pleased.


    So, this matter was indeed unpredictable.


    However, after a few phone calls, Qiao Qingyu had officially registered her stance with the authorities.


    When Lu Ye returned, he went to the base immediately and updated Qiao Qingyu in detail about the matters from Beijing. He also bought some gifts for a visit to Mr. Wu. Lu Xiaopang knew Wu Qianyun. There happened to be pickled vegetables at home, so she made him some dumplings with pickled vegetable filling. Filled with food and drink, Lu Ye hurriedly returned to Xichuan.


    And in the blink of an eye, a month had passed.


    Wang Si was unsure whether she had gained Qiao Qingyu¡¯s trust, but she knew she had gained nothing.


    She pondered over and over the matters her master had discussed. Although she did not quite understand them, she executed her tasks firmly. However, she observed repeatedly and did not notice anything unusual around Qiao Qingyu.


    If anything was unusual, it was that she cooked delicious meals and had a rather stubborn temperament. On some issues, she wouldn¡¯t give face to anyone.


    Although there was no absolute deadline for the task, she felt like she had achieved nothing and was letting her mistress down.


    She planned to do something.


    Otherwise, her mistress would be disappointed in her.


    Wang Sisi plotted something unknown to Qiao Qingyu, who was content staying at home with her mother. Each day, besides thinking about food, she knitted sweaters. There was no television, but they had a tape recorder made at the base, playing music and chatting. It was the so-called winter nesting.


    Early in the morning, Secretary Chang came to pick up Wu Xiucai to travel to Xichuan, and Qiao Qingyu received a call saying the money for the barley grass had been credited to her account. She informed Wu Qianyun and then left the house.


    Today was a bit cold, and the sky looked overcast, as if it might snow. Qiao Qingyu put on her scarf and walked briskly in the direction of Zone 5. Along the way, she unexpectedly met Wang Sisi, who was accompanied by another woman and a child, followed by a few families from the base...

 Chapter 479 - 479 479 Guilty Conscience

    ?Chapter 479: Chapter 479: Guilty Conscience Chapter 479: Chapter 479: Guilty Conscience The weather was so cold, and the child wasn¡¯t even wearing a hat. His bare head was tucked into his neck, and his nose was running with frozen snot.


    Qiao Qingyu frowned. Who was this woman? She seemed not to have seen her at the base before.


    And this woman, she looked to be over forty, but that might not be accurate.


    Her face bore a distressed look, and her clothing was both thin and worn out.


    Of course, in Xichuan¡¯s rural areas today, except for Xiaxi Commune, people¡¯s clothing was not even as good as this woman¡¯s.


    Qiao Qingyu stopped in her tracks, feeling inexplicably as though Wang Sisi and this strange woman had come for her, and then she remembered the phone call she had just received. Could it really be such a coincidence?


    At that moment, Yuan Hengzhi made a call to He Xiuyu, who fortunately was in his office.


    ¡°... Qian Guizhi, the wife of the head of the small car section, came from her hometown. Wang Sisi met her on the road and talked with her for a long time, that was yesterday. Then today, she made a phone call to Qiao Qingyu. After hanging up the phone, Wang Sisi went to find Qian Guizhi. We currently do not know what exactly she wants to do.¡±


    He Xiuyu was silent for a moment on the other end of the phone. It seemed unrelated, but there were connections, and with previous suspicions, He Xiuyu was now certain that this was aimed at his wife.


    Of course, Qiao Qingyu could handle such a situation well, but he still instructed Yuan Hengzhi to keep an eye on this matter from the shadows. Wang Sisi believed she had done nothing wrong, but her timing was too coincidental, and her actions were suspicious, not to mention her two-year stay in Japan, where she constantly talked about how hard she studied, how much she loved her country, as if she was afraid someone would suspect her.


    But this very behavior aroused suspicion.


    Without evidence, they had to let the matter rest, but if this person was indeed targeting Qiao Qingyu, the people behind her must be quite capable. Keeping her as bait to lure out the big fish behind her and catch them all in one fell swoop was the only way to have some peace.


    After hanging up the phone, Director Lin was exceptionally cooperative with Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s work because he knew that Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s transfer here was temporary.


    Yuan Hengzhi picked a few guards with excellent hiding skills and set off with them. So the two groups they encountered on the road had no idea that several pairs of eyes were watching them in the shadows.


    Qiao Qingyu narrowed her eyes. When Wang Sisi saw her, her eyes lit up with a mixture of surprise and delight. She eagerly said to the woman beside her, ¡°Sister-in-law Qian, she is Chief Engineer He¡¯s wife, her name is Qiao Qingyu, and she is also our leader. She is just and kind-hearted; if you have any grievances, just tell her. She will definitely see justice done for you...¡±


    After this speech, the few families gathered around also nodded, ¡°What exactly is going on? Just tell Qingyu; she will definitely help you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she is so smart, and such a good person...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu really laughed. Was her current role not that of a land contractor? Since when did she also take on the work of the Women¡¯s Federation?


    With such a large base and all departments in place, why didn¡¯t they report their problems to the higher-ups? Wang Sisi was leading people directly to her, and in such a state too. Should she be thankful that Wang Sisi thought so highly of her?


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s brow furrowed with concern, but she looked at the child, ¡°Oh my, let¡¯s not talk about what happened just yet. Let¡¯s find a warm place quickly. It¡¯s so cold out, and the child isn¡¯t even wearing a hat; just look, his snot¡¯s frozen.¡± Saying this, Qiao Qingyu busily took out a handkerchief, then spoke to the people around her, ¡°You all too, resolving issues is an adult matter; you shouldn¡¯t let the child suffer regardless.¡±


    Wang Sisi¡¯s mouth twitched slightly. She thought to herself, would it be effective if she didn¡¯t bring the child along?


    But Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t show any disgust as she wiped the child¡¯s runny nose and then took off her own scarf to put it around the little boy.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t even look at anyone else as she took the child¡¯s hand and walked forward, saying to Qian Guizhi, ¡°Sister-in-law, let¡¯s find a place to warm up first and then we can talk.¡±


    Tears suddenly sprang to Qian Guizhi¡¯s eyes, but she didn¡¯t know what to say, feeling very anxious. All she could do was nod her head and then quickly follow Qiao Qingyu toward the direction of the guardroom.


    Wang Sisi was a step behind, stamping her feet, frowning in distress. She had not expected Qiao Qingyu¡¯s reaction, but now that the arrow was on the string, she had no choice but to let it fly, so she hurried after her, now curious to see how Qiao Qingyu would handle a situation like this.


    When they reached the guardroom, there were too many people, so Qiao Qingyu told those family members to hurry back home and do whatever they were supposed to do. As for Wang Sisi, she might as well follow along.


    It was only then that Qiao Qingyu asked, ¡°Just now I heard you calling her ¡®Sister-in-law Qian¡¯, whose family member is she, and when did she arrive?¡±


    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s the wife of Zhao Guoqiang, the squad leader of the small vehicle team.¡±


    The squad leader of the small vehicle team?


    A thought flashed through Qiao Qingyu¡¯s mind, and she immediately remembered what Fang Xiaomei had said to her a couple days ago.


    It must be that Zhao Guoqiang who wanted to divorce his wife back in his hometown.


    The small vehicle team was now under Old Wei¡¯s management.


    Then Wang Sisi seemed to remember something and spoke up indignantly, ¡°Chief, I¡¯m going to call Director Wei. The small vehicle team is under his management, and he should step in on a matter like this. It¡¯s just too much, how can you treat your own wife and children that way? It¡¯s really inhumane...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu grabbed Wang Sisi¡¯s hand tight, this girl was clearly stirring trouble with a ghost up her sleeve.


    Her expression became stern, ¡°Go where, see whom? Do you even understand what led to this situation? Besides, have you asked Sister-in-law Qian what she thinks?¡±


    This matter, from what she could tell, was a domestic issue for now, and considering the woman¡¯s silent demeanor, Qiao Qingyu needed to find out what she wanted to do first. Was Wang Sisi, who seemed full of righteous indignation, merely intent on muddying waters that were clear?


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face grew colder, and she didn¡¯t even know what had transpired before she was dragged into it. Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes sharpened as she continued, ¡°You¡¯re a young girl, you should not act on impulse and fervor alone.¡±


    Wang Sisi¡¯s face changed color before she pursed her lips and remained silent.


    Where there was a small vehicle team, there was also a large vehicle team.


    The base¡¯s arrangement was such: the small vehicle team was responsible for managing the base¡¯s dozen or so jeeps, which, of course, were for the use of senior engineers and the directors of the base.


    There were six at first, but over the years they had gradually increased, some acquired directly from Su Country, others decommissioned by the army.


    The large vehicle team was essentially the truck transportation squad.


    It was just a general term, but in terms of position, Zhao Guoqiang had a house on the base as well.

 Chapter 480 - 480 480 Worse than Beasts

    ?Chapter 480: Chapter 480: Worse than Beasts Chapter 480: Chapter 480: Worse than Beasts After giving it some thought, it was true that no one had seen that woman entering or leaving the house on the other side. Of course, Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t been over there for quite a few months either. Zhao Guoqiang¡¯s home was located at the Northwest corner of the base¡¯s family compound, diametrically opposite to where Qiao Qingyu and her family lived.


    The following steps were much simpler. Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t care what kind of tricks Wang Sisi was trying to pull; she laid the matter out plainly and asked directly about the whole affair. In the end, however, Qiao Qingyu was truly angry¡ªZhao Guoqiang was worse than an animal.


    Qian Guizhi, who had been silent most of the time, finally opened up, but her closing remark was, ¡°We hold no grudge against Old Zhao for treating us like this. He¡¯s had his mind muddled by lard; he¡¯s been bewitched by that little demon. As long as you leaders can step in and chase away that little demon, fire her, then the two of us can get by.¡±


    Such requests were all too common, particularly among women like Qian Guizhi who were supposed to be tending to the few acres of land back home. High-yield seeds hadn¡¯t even reached that area yet, so life there was for sure just ordinary. It was unknown whether Zhao Guoqiang was sending them any money, but judging by the raggedness of their clothes, Qiao Qingyu frowned deeply.


    While she had no right to meddle in the affairs between two adults, the children could not be subjected to mistreatment.


    Upon closer inspection now, there was no need for a paternity test; the child was unmistakably Zhao Guoqiang¡¯s. The two looked so much alike.


    Wang Sisi, on the other hand, was genuinely furious, her face red with a kind of desperate anger as she glared at Qian Guizhi, ¡°He¡¯s trampled all over you, treated you and your child like you¡¯re not even human. And now you¡¯re still thinking about him? If it were me, I¡¯d just split up, take all the family assets and leave him nothing. At work, let him forget about his reputation. I¡¯d have him leave with nothing to his name, both bankrupt and in disgrace. Oh, and that nurse¡ªso blatant in breaking up a home in these circumstances¡ªshe¡¯s truly something...¡±


    Wang Sisi spoke quickly, fearing that Qiao Qingyu might interrupt her, but Qiao Qingyu uncharacteristically didn¡¯t say a word. Instead, she just looked deeply at Wang Sisi and nodded in agreement, ¡°Xiao Wang makes sense. Do you really want to continue living with him?¡±


    Qian Guizhi¡¯s tears fell pitter-patter, her hand tightly clasping her child¡¯s, ¡°I¡¯m not like you lot. I¡¯ve got no job, no education. I know nothing but farming. But what can a woman like me grow? It¡¯s good enough if I can feed my child and myself for the year. Regardless, he¡¯ll take care of the child¡¯s education and marriage in the future.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu paced around the room a few times, a fire burning in her belly that she couldn¡¯t quell.


    Zhao Guoqiang looked the part, but he didn¡¯t act like it. Such a person wasn¡¯t just morally flawed; he was crazed, utterly depraved.


    When Qian Guizhi first arrived at the base¡¯s family quarters, Zhao Guoqiang only saw her once and didn¡¯t care whether she and her child had eaten or were hungry. His face dark with mood, he turned and left.


    But fortunately, the mother and son were allowed into his room at the family quarters. Yet what place was there for them in that room? It was cleaned so spotless it looked like a new home, and Qian Guizhi and her son dared not to settle down.


    In the evening, Zhao Guoqiang came back, bringing a woman with him. The two of them took over a bedroom.


    This woman moved through the house like it was her own, and all of her belongings filled the space. They ate dried food they had brought with them, and Zhao Guoqiang didn¡¯t care whether the two of them lived or died. Then, after handing Qian Guizhi fifty yuan, he threatened her to take her child and get lost immediately.


    But where could they go so late at night? Zhao Guoqiang didn¡¯t have a car duty. So that night, Qian Guizhi and her son ended up sleeping on the concrete floor of the kitchen.


    When Qian Guizhi recounted these events, she didn¡¯t seem to react in any particular way.


    But Wang Sisi laughed coldly on the side.


    Qiao Qingyu felt the weight of the situation. The matter was not easily resolved, and in this respect, she lacked experience, for she wasn¡¯t a Women¡¯s Federation worker.


    Qian Guizhi¡¯s intention was clear; she needed to get on with her life. In this era, divorced women were looked down upon, despised, and moreover, she lacked the ability to make a living. But now, with Zhao Guoqiang having a house and a job, as long as the two could make it work, they could raise their son and she could survive.


    The logic was plain and simple, yet it made one¡¯s heart ache all the more.


    In the past, Qingyu had considered what to do about the surplus labor force, and indeed some attitudes needed changing, but this was not something that could be accomplished overnight.


    What she was thinking about now was why Wang Sisi had butted in. What did she want to do?


    Then she heard Wang Sisi speak bitterly, ¡°Sister-in-law Qian, I think everything really lies with that fox spirit. If it weren¡¯t for her, Brother Zhao wouldn¡¯t have done such a foolish thing, and it wouldn¡¯t have been so long without being able to take you both over.¡±


    Qian Guizhi also spoke through gritted teeth, her expression becoming somewhat ferocious, ¡°It¡¯s her, that fox spirit...¡±


    Then, turning to look at Qiao Qingyu, she didn¡¯t say anything too offensive but pleaded, ¡°Leader, could you talk to that woman and get her to leave my man alone? She has a job, she¡¯s young and pretty; I can¡¯t compete with her.¡±


    Qingyu didn¡¯t yet know who this young nurse was but was surprised at how quickly she had moved in; the two had evidently been living together for more than just a day or two.


    But it takes two to tango, and the one most in the wrong here was Zhao Guoqiang.


    As despicable as that woman was, she wasn¡¯t solely to blame.


    At that moment, before Qingyu could speak, the door to the guardhouse was thrust open. Zhao Guoqiang, dressed in a military coat, stood at the doorway with a somber look on his face, staring intently at Qian Guizhi. Seeing Zhao Guoqiang enter, Qian Guizhi visibly shuddered, looking even more pitiful as her small frame cowered further.


    She didn¡¯t even dare look up at Zhao Guoqiang.


    Zhao was not short, with a square face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes, but there was a fierceness between his brows. It was unclear whether this was his usual expression or one reserved for Qian Guizhi.


    The child, clearly unaccustomed to seeing his father, stared with wide, shiny black eyes, clutching his mother¡¯s jacket and hiding behind her.


    Qingyu, quite familiar with everyone on base, naturally recognized Zhao Guoqiang, and it was obvious that Wang Si also knew him well.


    Wang Si¡¯s eyes flickered with a chill, ¡°Brother Zhao, I really didn¡¯t expect you to be this kind of person. I feel like I can¡¯t even breathe properly; I¡¯m going out for some fresh air.¡±


    Saying this, Wang Si quickly made her exit, vanishing from the small room in the blink of an eye, leaving without a trace...

 Chapter 481 - 481 481 Disagreeing Still Leads to Having a

    ?Chapter 481: Chapter 481: Disagreeing Still Leads to Having a Child? Chapter 481: Chapter 481: Disagreeing Still Leads to Having a Child? Zhao Guoqiang clenched his fists with gritted teeth, and Qian Guizhi¡¯s face turned pale with fright, not daring to say a word.


    There was domestic violence in this picture, could such a relationship even continue?


    They don¡¯t live together, yet he hits her, he¡¯s no better than a beast. How could the Agricultural Base produce such a person?


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression was grim as well. She furrowed her brows and spoke bluntly, ¡°Zhao Guoqiang, I really shouldn¡¯t get involved, but I happened to find out about this. Let me ask you, who is this woman to you? And this boy, who is he to you?¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t registered for a marriage certificate, it¡¯s not legal at all.¡±


    Qian Guizhi¡¯s complexion turned even paler, and she shivered, trying but not daring to speak, clearly very afraid of Zhao Guoqiang.


    ¡°What about the child?¡± Seeing that Zhao Guoqiang avoided the question and didn¡¯t even glance at the boy, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart sank. She had a way to handle the situation at hand, but was life sustainable like this?


    Zhao Guoqiang glanced over and saw the little boy who looked like he could have been cast from the same mold as himself. He couldn¡¯t very well lie through his teeth and claim the child was illegitimate, as that would be an insult to himself as well, but he neither admitted nor denied it. Instead, he turned to Qian Guizhi and said roughly, ¡°Take the child and come back with me, stop causing a scene here.¡±


    Just then, Qiao Qingyu suddenly remembered why she had this strange feeling in her heart. Her expression changed, but then she thought it might not be a bad thing. Nonetheless, she panicked a bit as she said, ¡°Oh no, this isn¡¯t good. You know Wang Sisi from Beijing, the girl you just met?¡±


    ¡°... I know her.¡± Zhao Guoqiang hesitated for a moment before nodding.


    ¡°That girl has a strong sense of justice. Has she gone to the hospital?¡±


    Hearing this, Zhao Guoqiang¡¯s expression changed dramatically, and after shooting a vicious glance at Qian Guizhi, he turned and walked away.


    After a few steps, he paused, turned his head, and looked at Qiao Qingyu, who was motionless. His eyes flickered several times, while Qiao Qingyu watched him, her gaze steady and faintly amused.


    In the Agricultural Base, some matters are ignored if not raised by civilians.


    He hadn¡¯t hidden his affair with Yu Rou from everyone, nor had he ever brought Qian Guizhi to the Base. He had lived alone in the allocated house, and sending money to them each month was his idea of being benevolent. Moreover, he had long thought about divorce. He didn¡¯t like Qian Guizhi, he felt nothing but aversion towards her.


    But he hadn¡¯t planned on letting everyone know about his domestic troubles. Public knowledge of such matters would not bode well for his job, as the cases of Mr. Zhao and Mr. Wang illustrated.


    Concealing his inner anxiety, he glanced at the motionless Qian Guizhi with a reprimand, ¡°Why are you still standing here? Go away. Qiao Qingyu is very busy. As a housewife, you shouldn¡¯t bother her.¡±


    Qian Guizhi hesitated, but then gathered her courage to say, ¡°I don¡¯t want to sleep in the basement with Gou Dan. The woman who came back with you yesterday said if I return, she¡¯ll inject Gou Dan with something and send him away as if he were mad...¡±


    Zhao Guoqiang¡¯s face flushed with anger. Even though he knew she might have already told someone about his deeds, he still clung to a sliver of hope. But now, hearing those words uncovered in front of Qiao Qingyu, his face contorted grotesquely.


    ¡°How could Yu Rou say such a thing? You¡¯re slandering her!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Qiao Qingyu suddenly snapped fiercely.


    Her commanding presence startled Zhao Guoqiang into silence, swallowing what he was about to say.


    Then Qiao Qingyu picked up the phone and quickly dialed the hospital. The call connected promptly to the deputy dean. Her voice cutting through the air, she said, ¡°Dean Sun, you need to get to the front gate immediately and intercept Wang Sisi. Also, there¡¯s a nurse named Yu Rou, don¡¯t let her show her face yet. Find someone to keep an eye on her...¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? What happened?¡± Dean Sun was utterly confused, his voice anxious.


    ¡°I can¡¯t speak about it over the phone, I¡¯ll explain when I get to the hospital.¡±


    After putting down the phone, Qiao Qingyu looked at Zhao Guoqiang, ¡°Zhao Guoqiang, if that woman really said those words, the situation is not simple. The security level at the Base is now at its highest. What kind of drug can turn someone insane? If there really is such a drug, and it falls into the wrong hands, our Base would be in grave danger.¡±


    Then she pointed at the little boy, ¡°Don¡¯t deny it any longer. Even if you haven¡¯t obtained a marriage certificate, with this child here, you are in a de facto marriage. Of course, what Wang Sisi said earlier was also correct. I really didn¡¯t think you were this kind of person.¡±


    ¡°What have I done? I neither hit them nor scolded them, and I even send them money every month. They should just stay quietly in the countryside. And marrying her was my family forcing me, I never agreed. How can I be blamed?¡±


    So you disagreed but still went to bed with her and had a child? What sort of thing is that?


    But Qiao Qingyu, being a female comrade, just couldn¡¯t say that out loud, especially with a child present. She didn¡¯t want to deal with him and walked out first, not wanting to be seen standing with Zhao Guoqiang.


    Then she waved at Qian Guizhi, ¡°Someone has already threatened the safety of your son. This is no longer a simple family matter. Let me find you a place where you can get some help.¡±


    Zhao Guoqiang flew out after her, blocking Qiao Qingyu¡¯s way, ¡°Where are you suggesting she go to seek help? What are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked back calmly.


    ¡°This is... This is a matter between us as a couple. You just manage the Agricultural Base, why do you have to meddle in my family affairs?¡±


    ¡°... Haha.¡± Qiao Qingyu scoffed, angry yet amused, ¡°Now you admit she¡¯s your ¡®couple,¡¯ weren¡¯t you just saying there was no relationship?¡±


    She then pointed at the clothes he wore and then at the clothes the little boy was wearing, her disdain clear, ¡°Look at what you¡¯re wearing and what the child is wearing. It¡¯s so cold, if you think it¡¯s a matter between a couple, then I won¡¯t meddle. Send the two of them back home first, it¡¯s too cold outside.¡±


    After that, Qiao Qingyu turned to Qian Guizhi, her voice softer, ¡°Sister-in-law Qian, you heard him, he said it¡¯s a matter between the two of you. Whether you can continue this relationship is up to you. Don¡¯t worry, times have changed. Even women can have skills, have their own jobs, and support themselves. Take the child back now, it¡¯s almost noon and the child must be hungry.¡±


    When Qiao Qingyu¡¯s gaze landed on Zhao Guoqiang again, it carried a warning, ¡°Since you¡¯ve recognized them, then take them home. Wang Sisi is impulsive, I need to see what¡¯s happening at the hospital.¡±

 Chapter 482 - 482 482 Be a Villain to the End

    ?Chapter 482: Chapter 482: Be a Villain to the End Chapter 482: Chapter 482: Be a Villain to the End ¡°I¡¯m going too,¡± Zhao Guoqiang blurted out.


    Qiao Qingyu curled her lips sarcastically, ¡°What are you going to do there, escalate the conflict? Or turn this trivial matter into common knowledge? Zhao Guoqiang, do you want to lose everything?¡±


    Zhao Guoqiang¡¯s face changed, and in the end, he clenched his teeth and strode towards his home, followed by Qian Guizhi, who looked at Qiao Qingyu gratefully and pulled her child along.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes darkened.


    She wasn¡¯t worried that Zhao Guoqiang would resort to violence when he got home; at most he would yell a few words. But he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to stay at home; he would end up rushing to the hospital. Therefore, Qiao Qingyu stomped her foot, grateful that she had worn her down jacket today. She put on her hood, zipped it up, and jogged all the way to the base hospital.


    The schools, kindergartens, and stores of the Tenghai Research Base weren¡¯t far from each other, but the hospital was on the edge of the base¡¯s secure area.


    Before she got to the base hospital, she heard Wang Sisi¡¯s voice carrying through the wind.


    ¡°...Zhang Yurou, don¡¯t hide like a coward. How can you be so shameless, staying at his house after you got a marriage certificate with Zhao Guoqiang? You really disgrace all of us women. Someone like you doesn¡¯t deserve to do this job. How can we trust our lives with someone as morally corrupt and despicable as you...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t good, wondering whether Wang Sisi was just enjoying the chaos or actually standing on the side of justice. Didn¡¯t she realize what consequences her actions could bring?


    Qiao Qingyu quickened her pace, only to find that many others were also running in that direction. When she arrived, it was already too late; there were many people gathered both in front of and behind the hospital doors.


    The spectators were numerous, whispering to each other in the cold wind. Regardless of their occupations, the inherent nature of people to gawk at trouble existed everywhere, and everyone liked it. Meanwhile, Dean Sun¡¯s face was livid as he said to a woman beside him, ¡°Quickly bring her inside. Don¡¯t let her shout out here anymore.¡±


    But the female comrade beside him evidently was reluctant, raising her eyebrows and speaking out, ¡°Why are even you protecting that woman? She herself is no good. You all are just turning a blind eye to the truth. Now that things have blown up, why not take this chance to teach her a lesson? Why stop Wang Sisi from speaking? If everyone were like Wang Sisi, could Zhang Yurou still jump around? Would she dare destroy someone¡¯s family? Even if I bring Wang Sisi inside, what does it change? The man¡¯s wife and son have already come knocking, and she still stays over at his place, has she no shame? Do you think you can cover this up?¡±


    ¡°...You, you... your chatter, how come you are so capable?¡±


    Dean Sun was quite angry, his fingers trembling.


    At that moment, Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t in a hurry. She had a doubt in her mind; Qian Guizhi had never mentioned the name of the woman when she spoke, only knowing she was a hospital nurse. Fang Xiaomei also didn¡¯t specify when she told her. She had only just found out that the woman was called Yu Rou, not even knowing her surname. But Zhao Guoqiang had blurted out when Wang Sisi wasn¡¯t in the room; she was quite well-informed, knowing more than her.


    This matter couldn¡¯t be suppressed anymore, but Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch the excitement. She squeezed through the crowd, and Dean Sun¡¯s eyes lit up when he saw her, ¡°Qingyu, hurry, take your unit¡¯s people back. We¡¯ll think of a way to handle this.¡±


    But just at that moment, a nurse at the hospital gate shouted, ¡°Dean Sun, it¡¯s bad, Zhang Yurou has taken medicine.¡±


    Wang Sisi let out a cold laugh, ¡°Taking medicine in a hospital, what a great place she found.¡±


    ¡°Enough, stop adding more chaos,¡± Qiao Qingyu said sternly.


    Wang Sisi, catching the look in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes, seemed to think of something and actually stopped talking, quietly standing aside.


    So crafty.


    For everyone to direct their suspicions towards her, these people would think that this was all instigated by Qiao Qingyu.


    But Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t afraid to bear that reputation.


    She pulled Wang Sisi and walked into the hospital, while Dean Sun and the others had already rushed inside. After all, it was about a human life; if she died at this time, the consequences for their hospital were unimaginable.


    Even if Zhang Yurou deserved it, she could not die at this moment.


    Then, the onlooking crowd started recalling incidents from the past couple of years, discussing fervently as they walked.


    ¡°Really, why do we have so many women in this base who like to seduce other people¡¯s husbands?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? How many are there exactly? Aren¡¯t there just a few?¡±


    ¡°Is that few? One bad apple spoils the whole barrel. They all have ulterior motives, they are spies and agents, trying to disrupt our base.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, then doesn¡¯t that mean Zhang Yurou might be lurking here to cause trouble?¡±


    ¡°Although Zhao Guoqiang can¡¯t enter the lab and has no research projects, he still drives a car. You mentioned that¨Cit¡¯s really terrifying. If he drives his car with leaders into the river, think about how big our losses would be!¡±


    The crowd, ¡°...¡±


    That really did sound increasingly terrifying.


    At that moment, Zhao Guoqiang also swiftly walked towards them from the other end. People moved aside upon seeing him, but he obviously had heard the conversation, his face even more grim.


    His look towards Qiao Qingyu was unfriendly.


    Therefore, Wang Sisi had indeed successfully pushed her to the peak of the storm, no matter how this matter was resolved, Qiao Qingyu was definitely hated by Zhao Guoqiang and Zhang Yurou.


    Then she might as well play the villain to the end.


    Qiao Qingyu looked at Zhao Guoqiang and preemptively struck, ¡°Zhao Guoqiang, do you really think a personal matter can be handled so simply, doing whatever you please? Look at what¡¯s happening now. You¡¯ve harmed not only Sister-in-law Qian but also Zhang Yurou. So I must ask you, on what grounds do you look at me with such angry eyes? Isn¡¯t all this caused by you? Did you think everything would always remain calm? You¡¯re quite naive, giving the enemy such a great opportunity.¡±


    Beside her, Wang Sisi also added, ¡°Indeed, good deeds stay inside, but bad deeds travel a thousand li. You two have spoiled everything with just one bad apple. Tenghai Research Base, which is already not easy to maintain here in Northwest, our researchers, workers, and so many people striving in ordinary positions, have endured so much hardship and pain to achieve today¡¯s success, but you two have destroyed it all...¡±

 Chapter 483 - 483 483 Whats the Picture About

    ?Chapter 483: Chapter 483: What¡¯s the Picture About? Chapter 483: Chapter 483: What¡¯s the Picture About? Qiao Qingyu hooked the corners of her mouth and turned to enter the hospital. After inquiring with the doctor, she learned that the poisoning had been caught in time; after a gastric lavage, there was no immediate danger to life.


    Qiao Qingyu then went to the dean¡¯s office and concisely relayed the causes and consequences of the incident. Dean Sun¡¯s brows furrowed, but he still explained, ¡°Someone did come to me saying that Zhang Yurou was in frequent contact with Squad Leader Zhao from the driving team, but as you know, we didn¡¯t have any concrete evidence. Besides, Zhao Guoqiang claimed to them that he didn¡¯t have a marriage certificate with his wife back home and that they were long divorced. We really didn¡¯t know he had a child.¡±


    ¡°...Now that it¡¯s happened, it¡¯s no use talking about it. Although Wang Sisi was a bit impulsive, you can¡¯t blame her,¡± Qiao Qingyu tried to justify Wang Sisi¡¯s actions.


    Wang Sisi, standing outside the door, remained expressionless with the corners of her mouth upturned, and then quietly walked in another direction.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced toward the door and lowered her voice, ¡°Dean Sun, you better call Director Lin right away. Have him detain Zhao Guoqiang to prevent him from doing anything foolish, and find a couple of people to keep an eye on Zhang Yurou.¡±


    Dean Sun¡¯s face wasn¡¯t looking great either; this was quite a scandal. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he said with bewilderment, ¡°This is strange. How could a minor incident suddenly turn into such a big deal?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu disagreed with the dean¡¯s words, ¡°Although we don¡¯t have the right to intervene in personal feelings, there are still marital laws, and the rights of women and children need to be protected.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know. I didn¡¯t mean anything by it. Zhao Guoqiang really is a scoundrel. How can a man be like this? I think he¡¯s definitely going to be dismissed this time.¡±


    Indeed, the situation had blown up all of a sudden. Between Wang Sisi spreading the news far and wide and Zhang Yurou attempting suicide, Qian Guizhi was now the most composed of all.


    But there was nothing suspicious about this woman; Qiao Qingyu could vouch for that. She was just someone who wanted to continue living with Zhao Guoqiang. She didn¡¯t want her son to be fatherless, and she didn¡¯t want to struggle alone to bring up her child.


    Her request was that simple, and for it, she could truly endure everything. People and events like these were all too common.


    The situation had escalated severely, with Old Wei and Old Xie stepping in, followed by the Women¡¯s Federation.


    This matter had to be resolved.


    Qiao Qingyu and Sister Xu from the Women¡¯s Federation went to Zhao Guoqiang¡¯s home. Qian Guizhi was not lying: indeed, this was the place where Zhao Guoqiang and Zhang Yurou cohabitated, traces of a woman were everywhere; there were her clothes and shoes in the wardrobe, even lingerie.


    Sister Xu¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t good either. Looking at the pale Qian Guizhi, she felt sympathy but still advised, ¡°Big sister, I¡¯ll tell you the truth from the bottom of my heart. The situation has come this far, and it¡¯s unlikely Zhao Guoqiang will continue living with you. Even if you do stay together, it will be a miserable life.¡±


    Qian Guizhi did not speak but held her son and turned to go to the bedroom.


    Sister Xu and Qiao Qingyu exchanged glances, unsure of her intentions. Before they could speak, Qian Guizhi shut the bedroom door and then came back out. She extended her arm and lifted her clothes to show the two visitors.


    Sister Xu and Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expressions changed. The woman¡¯s body was covered in new and old injuries, interwoven bruises forming a shocking sight.


    ¡°Who did this? Was it Zhao Guoqiang?¡±


    Sister Xu asked through clenched teeth.


    ¡°He¡¯s healed from the beating he gave me; this was done by my mother-in-law. The whole Zhao Family never treated me like a human. I¡¯ve been motherless since I was a child, and my father married a stepmother who mistreated me from the moment she entered our home until the day I got married. Before all this, Zhao Guoqiang used to drive for the special squad and got involved with a nurse there. Old Lady Zhao was afraid he¡¯d take a city girl and stop sending her money, so she feigned a serious illness and tricked him into coming back from the special squad. Then she spent ten yuan to buy me off from my stepmother. Afterwards, I gave birth to Gou Dan, but once he returned, he went off to Tenghai. He did send money every month, but it never reached my son or me. In the Zhao Family, we had the worst food and lived in a shed. There was no work at home or in the fields I couldn¡¯t do, and the Zhao Family never treated me as a person...¡±


    Sister Xu had worked at the Women¡¯s Federation for many years and had seen all sorts of things; hearing Qian Guizhi¡¯s story, she knew this woman had no way out.


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you come here earlier?¡±


    ¡°I had no money, couldn¡¯t even leave the village without an introduction letter; I couldn¡¯t even afford a bus ticket. Now you don¡¯t need an introduction letter to leave, so I finally managed to reach Xichuan with Gou Dan...¡±


    For Qian Guizhi, this was currently the best possible outcome. Even though Zhao Guoqiang genuinely didn¡¯t recognize her, they had a son, and as long as there was food for her son, she would not starve.


    Upon leaving the Zhao home, Qiao Qingyu felt very uncomfortable and sad.


    Women like Qian Guizhi were not the exception; the whole Huaxia Land couldn¡¯t possibly have just one Qian Guizhi.


    Frankly, the living environment for women has always been somewhat worse than for men.


    Qiao Qingyu sought out Old Wei to provide a temporary job for Qian Guizhi in logistics; one look at her hands, and it was clear she was someone who was used to working.


    So she could take on any job at the base, and indeed, she became a temporary worker in logistics.


    Zhao Guoqiang was now undergoing a period of criticism. If he wanted to keep his job, he needed to go home and live properly; if he didn¡¯t care about the job, then no one could do anything about him.


    The hospital nurses went to Zhao¡¯s home and moved out all of Zhang Yurou¡¯s belongings. Zhao Guoqiang, his face ashen, stood by, forced to endure not only his inner rage but also the disdainful looks of the doctors and nurses. His reputation was spoiled now. Although they hadn¡¯t fired him, he was suspended for reflection.


    Fortunately, Zhao Guoqiang was an old hand and knew when to bow his head, avoiding confrontation with Old Wei.


    In the end, it was only a matter of two days. When Qiao Qingyu returned, Mr. Wu, smiling, said, ¡°Qingyu, the land is no longer under contract, do you want to work at the Women¡¯s Federation? If you¡¯d like to, your grandpa can arrange a placement for you in Beijing. You could start working right away.¡±


    However, Wu Qianyun spoke up worriedly, ¡°How did this get so big? Even I¡¯ve heard about it. Qingyu, I was saying just a while ago that you shouldn¡¯t get involved in your hometown affairs, and now you should stay out of base matters too, when they have nothing to do with you. Why bring trouble upon yourself for no reason and earn people¡¯s hatred for nothing?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know what she was truly after.

 Chapter 484 - 484 484 Ask the Gentleman into the Urn

    ?Chapter 484: Chapter 484: Ask the Gentleman into the Urn Chapter 484: Chapter 484: Ask the Gentleman into the Urn ¡°This incident just happened, and there was nothing she could do; that mother and child were so pitiable, she couldn¡¯t just turn around and leave to preserve her own integrity.


    Besides, she wasn¡¯t raised in fear, has justice in this world faded away, when those who do wrong can stand tall and righteous, while those upholding justice have to live in fear?


    If that¡¯s the case, the world¡¯s order would not be far from collapsing.


    ¡°The principle is right, but we all live in the base, the only thing is to expel Zhao Guoqiang and send him back to his hometown.¡±


    ¡°But if he really went back home, Qian Guizhi¡¯s life would be even harder, not to mention that child.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu indignantly said, ¡°Is there no justice in this world anymore, how come those who do wrong don¡¯t pay the price, while the innocent have to suffer the consequences?¡±


    ¡°What you¡¯re saying makes sense, but reality is just this reality. If Zhao Guoqiang were someone with a conscience, he wouldn¡¯t have done such a thing, so can you naively expect a morally corrupt person to have a conscience?¡±


    This was Mr. Wu speaking with a smile on his side.


    Wu Qianyun also nodded, ¡°Yes, Qingyu, you should stop worrying about this. Old Wei and the Women¡¯s Federation have already intervened, let them decide how to resolve it.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t have time to meddle anymore, because she had another matter to attend to.


    Regardless of whether Wang Sisi was human or ghost, He Xiuyu didn¡¯t want to keep her in the base. It was clear she targeted Qiao Qingyu.


    Therefore, she needed to coordinate with Yuan Hengzhi and Director Lin.


    Qiao Qingyu moved a pot of Chinese roses from the windowsill. It was winter, and she got a box to put the flowers in; Wu Qianyun looked at her baffled, ¡°What are you doing with it in the dead of winter, where are you taking it? It¡¯ll freeze to death on the road.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I walk fast, it¡¯s only a few minutes to my office.¡±


    Then she quickly tied the box with nylon rope. The flower pot wasn¡¯t big, containing a single Chinese rose with one bud and a blooming flower. She carried the box and headed to her own lab, dressed for the cold.


    On the way, she ran into Old Xie¡¯s wife Lin Cujuan and a few other family members, Lin Cujuan curiously asked, ¡°Qingyu, what are you doing carrying a box in this winter?¡±


    ¡°This is a pot of Chinese roses from home, haven¡¯t we had a new young girl from Beijing, young girls all like flowers and plants, I¡¯m taking this pot to her office.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re talking about Wang Sisi.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s her.¡±


    ¡°Wow, she¡¯s quite bold and forthright, there are few like her nowadays.¡±


    ¡°Right, you can¡¯t talk about her, most people are just protective of themselves, pretending not to know even if they see.¡±


    You see, Wang Sisi¡¯s actions had earned her countless good impressions.


    Qiao Qingyu nodded busily, ¡°I know, Wang Sisi¡¯s actions are commendable, I have already praised her, immoral behavior cannot exist in our base.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu continued walking as she spoke.


    Along the way, she encountered other people who said similar things, but most were still discussing Zhao Guoqiang¡¯s family affairs; Qiao Qingyu quickly reached her workplace, laughing and jesting.


    Upon entering the gate, there was a storeroom to the side, currently empty and quiet, but Qiao Qingyu knew Wang Sisi was in the office.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, carrying a suitcase, first went to her own office, opened the suitcase, and took out the potted rose to place on her desk.


    She was behind closed doors, then entered her secret space, and took out two more potted plants.


    The flowers were quite ordinary, one was a rhododendron, and the other was aloe vera, which is now very popular among the people here.


    Aloe vera was known for its medicinal properties; it could treat inflammations or abscesses by cutting it into slices and applying it to the affected areas.


    This was something Qiao Qingyu had heard from the relatives, and she had never inquired whether it actually worked.


    Because the aloe was surely beneficial, its scientific name was Aloe Vera, and soon people would develop all sorts of cosmetics with aloe as an ingredient, even incorporating it into food.


    This pot of aloe vera was considered a new variety, dark green in color, fleshy and thick, looking very robust and full of life.


    This one pot of aloe took up quite a bit of space.


    Qiao Qingyu opened the door of her office and called out towards the corridor, ¡°Wang Sisi, come to my office.¡±


    Wang Sisi was pondering how to leverage the situation involving Zhao Guoqiang when she heard Qiao Qingyu¡¯s call. She hurriedly left her office and upon entering the room, seeing a small box on the floor, then the three potted plants on the table. Wang Sisi looked at Qiao Qingyu in surprise, ¡°Leader, where did these come from?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled and said, ¡°I brought these from home for you. Haven¡¯t you always wanted roses and aloe vera? You can take the aloe to your dormitory; it¡¯s easy to care for. And the rose can be placed in your office.¡±


    Wang Sisi blinked and still couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Leader, how did you carry them here?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu casually pointed to the ground, ¡°Just with that suitcase.¡±


    Wang Sisi stared blankly at the suitcase on the floor.


    Then suddenly, Qiao Qingyu stopped talking, and the room fell silent.


    Wang Sisi suspiciously looked at Qiao Qingyu and saw a flash of panic cross her face. Clearly, Qiao Qingyu was nervous; her hands had formed into fists, slightly trembling, then she picked up the box in a flustered and clumsy attempt to conceal her agitation, saying, ¡°Oh, you first move the plants to your office; I¡¯ll throw away the box.¡±


    Without waiting for Wang Sisi to react with thanks, she had already left her office.


    Wang Sisi furrowed her brows, her mind suddenly becoming clear, and her heart thudded.


    Why was Qiao Qingyu so frantic?


    And why did she lie? Those three pots couldn¡¯t possibly fit in such a small suitcase to be brought to the office in Zone 5.


    Wang Sisi followed out and saw Qiao Qingyu toss the suitcase into the storage room; then she closed the door, and who knows what she did in there. Wang Sisi¡¯s eyes flickered but said nothing, yet her heart was not at peace.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Qiao Qingyu returned.


    Wang Sisi hastily said, ¡°Thank you, leader, you are so kind.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was obviously distracted and instructed her to move all three pots to her own office. Wang Sisi took another look at Qiao Qingyu, who clearly did not dare to meet her gaze, and there was definite annoyance in her eyes.


    Yes, that¡¯s right, annoyance, and regret, as if she had carelessly done something and had been inadvertently caught, now even her face was red.


    Suddenly, Wang Sisi recalled what the young miss had advised her ¨C ¡°Especially pay attention if there are mysteriously new objects around her that you have never seen before, like flowers, plants, fungi, or even some other items...¡±

 Chapter 485 - 485 485 He Has to Take Responsibility for Her

    ?Chapter 485: Chapter 485: He Has to Take Responsibility for Her Chapter 485: Chapter 485: He Has to Take Responsibility for Her At that moment, Wang Sisi suddenly became impatient. She wanted to check out what was really inside that box in the storeroom.


    Qiao Qingyu locked the door to her office as if she was in a bad mood and said, ¡°You should also be off work now, I¡¯m going home first, there are things to do at home.¡± After saying that, she hurriedly left the office.


    Seeing that Qiao Qingyu was far away, Wang Sisi quickly went to the storeroom only to find that the usually unlocked storeroom was locked. However, this didn¡¯t stop her; she took out a piece of wire and poked open the lock in just a few tries. Upon opening it, she immediately saw a cardboard box that had been torn into several pieces. At that time, cardboard boxes were quite scarce, and some people even used them to store clothes, essentially using them as a makeshift box.


    Wang Sisi patiently restored the torn cardboard to form a small box. By volume, it seemed impossible to fit three pots of flowers; not even two, only one small rosebush could fit.


    Thinking of something, Wang Sisi¡¯s heart started pounding wildly. She looked at the time and then called Qiao Qingyu. To her surprise, Qiao Qingyu herself answered the phone.


    Qiao Qingyu, sounding quite impatient on the other end, said, ¡°I¡¯ve just arrived home. Why did you call so soon? Is there something wrong at the unit?¡±


    Clearly not wanting to talk to Wang Sisi.


    This was starkly different from the usually pleasant Qiao Qingyu.


    Wang Sisi hastily said gently, ¡°Boss, my family mailed me some stuff, but they accidentally sent it to the post office in Yushu County. It¡¯s been there for several days, and since I¡¯m free today, I thought I¡¯d go pick it up...¡±


    Thinking for a moment, Qiao Qingyu then said, ¡°Then make sure you go early and come back early.¡±


    After that, Qiao Qingyu hung up the phone in a hurry.


    Wang Sisi took a hitched ride to Yushu County, she didn¡¯t go anywhere else but straight to the post office. However, after coming out, she turned left where the packages were kept.


    She swiftly disappeared.


    Yuan Hengzhi and his three subordinates signaled each other and followed silently behind.


    For Yuan Hengzhi, it had been a long while since he had been in such an operation. He couldn¡¯t quite describe the feeling; he just felt like his blood was boiling, sensing that this was a big fish, possibly connected to a major case in Beijing from some time ago.


    If he was lucky, he might even solve both cases together.


    But what no one expected was that Wang Sisi followed the original route to find Miss Zhi Zi. Unfortunately, the place had changed tenants and was now rented to a family of seven, with no trace of Zhi Zi.


    Wang Sisi looked distressed, feeling somewhat abandoned.


    Yuan Hengzhi also didn¡¯t know what was happening and continued to follow secretly behind.


    The old lady of the house glanced at Wang Sisi and warmly asked, ¡°Girl, why don¡¯t you come in and sit for a while?¡±


    Wang Sisi looked inside and shook her head, ¡°Granny, I won¡¯t come in.¡±


    After saying that, she turned around and left, but she paused noticeably when turning around the corner.


    Then Wang Sisi quickly left the area.


    However, she didn¡¯t return to the base but instead boarded a bus to Xichuan. Yuan Hengzhi, at the spot where Wang Sisi had paused, found a carving of a three-petaled flower and an arrow. From his position, the arrow pointed westward.


    Westward was the direction of another county town, but it could also imply Xichuan.


    By this time, Wang Sisi was cautious, but she really didn¡¯t expect someone to be following her.


    She knew there was a contact point in Xichuan and was eager to pass on the information she knew to the Mistress. They had already wasted a lot of time here.


    After several turns, she stopped in front of a house.


    Wang Sisi started knocking on the door using a special code. The door was opened from the inside by the same person who had opened it for her last time. The middle-aged man just glanced at her, then stepped back.


    Wang Sisi walked in quickly, and after she entered, the large door slowly closed.


    Hidden in the shadows, Yuan Hengzhi quietly instructed a nearby guard. Then he swiftly headed to the nearby police station.


    Nowadays, control over outsiders was very strict. Although some places no longer required introduction letters, the committee¡¯s grandmothers were not to be trifled with. The station chief quietly brought in the district¡¯s committee chairwoman and clerk to the police station.


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know the details of this operation, but she knew that Wang Sisi had vanished without a trace, secretly taken under control.


    But externally, it was only said that Wang Sisi wasn¡¯t accustomed to here and that she was very upset about the Zhao Guoqiang incident and had transferred in a fit of anger.


    That was the statement given, and people just had to go along with it.


    But those who understood knew, and those who didn¡¯t simply forgot about the whole thing.


    ...


    At Zhao Guoqiang¡¯s home.


    Zhao Guoqiang came home frowning after work. Qian Guizhi, who worked in logistics, had put on a fairly new cotton-padded jacket and looked healthier than before, but she still visibly flinched when she saw Zhao Guoqiang enter. She laid out the food on the table, and Zhao Guoqiang ate silently, not speaking a word to her.


    For someone like Qian Guizhi, her expectations for life were extremely low¡ªas long as she could survive, it was enough.


    She had endured tough times as a child, and the years had not been kind, but for the sake of her children, she could endure anything. She poured Zhao Guoqiang a glass of wine. Gou Dan dared not approach Zhao Guoqiang; after finishing his meal, he hurriedly went to read his comic book, a gift from a kind young man named Li Mingguang.


    Qian Guizhi mustered her courage, though her voice was still low and trembling, ¡°...My dear, I know you hate and despise me, but there¡¯s nothing I can do. I was sold to your family by my stepmother. If it weren¡¯t for Gou Dan, I wouldn¡¯t have survived till today. I don¡¯t care about you, just don¡¯t bring another woman home. Do whatever you want outside. Just be Gou Dan¡¯s father...¡±


    Zhao Guoqiang coldly glanced at Qian Guizhi.


    He gulped down the wine in his glass.


    He was too lazy to speak to her, much less give her a second glance.


    He¡¯d wait a bit longer before discussing divorce, but it was for certain that he would file for it. Yu Rou, a maiden in her prime, had followed him and had ended up in such a predicament; he had to take responsibility for her.


    These were all things to be dealt with later. Qiao Qingyu, besides occasionally inquiring about Qian Guizhi¡¯s work, couldn¡¯t offer much help. But the kid, he got along well with Xiao Hu and his friends, running wildly around their yards during holidays. For a child, that was their whole world¡ªas long as there was food, drink, friends, and parents at home.

 Chapter 486 - 486 486 Breaking the Plan

    ?Chapter 486: Chapter 486 Breaking the Plan Chapter 486: Chapter 486 Breaking the Plan In just a few days, the child¡¯s face had filled out, and seeing Qiao Qingyu, she followed Xiao Hu in calling her Aunt Qiao.


    At first, like a startled little mouse, she now blinked her big eyes and could smile at people.


    And Zhao Guoqiang was still the head of the small vehicle division.


    Zhang Yurou was still working as a nurse in the hospital.


    Qian Guizhi finally didn¡¯t have to endure beatings and sufferings, at last having enough to eat.


    Whether the ending was good or bad, it was simply melancholic.


    The cost of having an affair was just too low.


    But what could others do? Soon enough, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t have the time to pay attention to them.


    She had been feeling unwell lately.


    It was like a cold, but not quite, sometimes she could fall asleep just sitting there.


    Wu Qianyun was originally packing up things since the matters at Mr. Wu¡¯s had been dealt with, and there was a lot to handle in Yun City, they were preparing to return to Yun City.


    But seeing that her daughter wasn¡¯t in the right state, and after inquiring about her ¡°little date,¡± Wu Qianyun stopped packing. She bought a bunch of cotton cloth and wool from the store with a smile, and then hurried He Xiuyu to take Qiao Qingyu to the hospital for a check-up.


    Because although Qiao Qingyu¡¯s little face was rosy, it looked more and more like she was pregnant.


    This was within reason, yet also beyond expectation.


    Qiao Qingyu had not expected that so soon a life would be conceived in her womb; it was a marvelous feeling, as if suddenly her connection to He Xiuyu had become much closer, an indescribable sensation.


    He Xiuyu, upon receiving the call, was ecstatic despite being prepared.


    He drove the jeep, carefully taking Qiao Qingyu to the base hospital, where they had both Chinese and Western medicine; after the examination, Qiao Qingyu was indeed pregnant.


    Now, Wu Qianyun couldn¡¯t leave. It would have been okay before, but now with Qiao Qingyu pregnant and needing to care for He Xuerong at home, Wu Qianyun couldn¡¯t bring herself to drive He Xuerong away just because her daughter was pregnant.


    When the jeep stopped, He Xiuyu seemed not yet fully reacted to the news.


    But his eyes and brows were smiling.


    Although it was confirmed, he still found it hard to believe as he looked at his wife¡¯s slender waist.


    He reached out and gently placed his hand on her belly, his eyes sparkling with shimmering light, his voice tender, ¡°It¡¯s simply unimaginable.¡±


    He said just those six words.


    And the words that followed, He Xiuyu didn¡¯t need to say; Qiao Qingyu naturally knew.


    When it was time to get out of the car, He Xiuyu moved quickly to open the other door, reaching his hand out to carry Qiao Qingyu down.


    Qiao Qingyu also reached out her hand and smacked his hand, annoyed, ¡°Is that necessary? I can¡¯t walk anymore or what? I¡¯ll have you know that I can still work normally; don¡¯t make a big deal out of nothing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not making a big deal out of nothing, but the doctor said the same, didn¡¯t he? It¡¯s cold and the roads are slippery; you need to be cautious.¡±


    ¡°I know to be careful; you don¡¯t need to be overly anxious. When you get anxious, you make me anxious too, which can actually be counterproductive.¡±


    He Xiuyu stopped talking, feeling he was not anxious, but he still followed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s wishes, holding her hand as they entered the house.


    They didn¡¯t need to specifically say anything; Wang Laogen and Wu Qianyun, given He Xiuyu¡¯s manner, knew what must be the case ¨C she indeed was pregnant.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s pregnancy disrupted their plans.


    They had wanted to go to Beijing for the New Year, but it seemed that would definitely not be happening now. Wu Qianyun wouldn¡¯t leave and wanted to stay to take care of her daughter.


    Wu Qianyun being here had indeed made things much easier for Qiao Qingyu.


    At the very least, meals were always served on time.


    And not only that, but they were also Qiao Qingyu¡¯s favorites, and Wu Qianyun was particularly experienced in this regard since she had given birth to three children and had taken care of her elder sister-in-law and daughter-in-law, raising both Feifei and Doudou herself. With her mother-in-law at home, He Xiuyu felt reassured, even though he truly wished to be with his wife every moment.


    But he couldn¡¯t be.


    In the evening, he said with regret, ¡°I need to work overtime again tonight, the major tunnel-boring machine I¡¯m overseeing is entering its final stage.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu said nonchalantly, ¡°It¡¯s okay, you do what you need to.¡±


    ¡°The research funding has been allocated, and the funds for the Agricultural Base will be transferred tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°This year, I¡¯m planning to let Wang Laogen and Liu Chengwu take full responsibility for the land contract.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes shone as she sought advice from He Xiuyu, ¡°What do you think about getting Grandpa to invest in building a large wool processing factory here?¡±


    ¡°Do you have a detailed plan? If so, it could work.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu shared her plan, and after pondering for a while, He Xiuyu helped to refine it.


    The following day, Qiao Qingyu handed the already written proposal to Wu Xiucai, who, after reading it over, gave it some thought and actually agreed.


    The area currently had Barley Grass acreage that was almost on par with one hundred large ranches. Although beef and mutton industries had not been greatly developed due to past lessons, there were still quite a few households raising sheep.


    Instead of selling semi-finished products to Nangang City, it was better to process them locally. Moreover, with the expansion of the greenery area, coupled with the neighboring province and the entire West City, if he took the lead in building a woolen mill, it should not be an issue.


    The profit?


    That was clearly evident.


    So, the subsequent problem was actually quite simple. Nowadays, everywhere you go, investors are treated like precious gems, with some places even offering financial rewards to those who can bring in investment as a track record of achievement.


    Some units, in order to survive without being downsized, were actively seeking investments and projects.


    Thus, managing this was exceptionally easy.


    So easy it gave one a bittersweet feeling.


    Because it was always about others choosing you, and you having no say in the matter.


    Mr. Wu just made a phone call, and Secretary Chang was summoned immediately.


    According to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s wishes, this woolen mill had nothing to do with the Tenghai Research Base.


    The main focus was the Xiaxi Commune or rather the Yushu County area. However, the Xiaxi Commune already had a semi-finished product processing plant that was just beginning to show promise. If it were to be restructured immediately, the loss would outweigh the gain, so it made more sense to use it as a workshop for the woolen mill.


    Having the needed skilled workers was one aspect, but first and foremost, there had to be factory buildings.


    In the past, the land area in Xichuan was vast, and although populated by many people, it seemed it would never reach the point of being worth its weight in gold¡ªthe land here was not valuable.


    However, from two years ago, this land started to gain value.


    Land unsuitable for crops could be used to grow Barley Grass and Willow Wood. Although the current growth of Willow Wood was not yet evident in its profitability, Barley Grass was the most apparent.


    Each year¡¯s planting yielded immediate results; even if you harvested all the Barley Grass to feed cattle and sheep, selling the remaining seeds to the Seed Laboratory, or allowing grazing within the permissions of the commune, it was all profit. Moreover, Barley Grass could also be used as pig feed in moderation.


    No matter how you looked at it, it was an investment with quick results and high yields.


    Therefore, as long as the land was viable for grass, planting it made the land valuable.


    So, while securing a piece of land wasn¡¯t difficult, it wasn¡¯t simple either.

 Chapter 487 - 487 487 Exiting the Stage of History

    ?Chapter 487: Chapter 487: Exiting the Stage of History Chapter 487: Chapter 487: Exiting the Stage of History Of course, once Wu Xiucai was involved, things were easier to handle.


    Secretary Chang acted swiftly and it was almost settled within a week.


    For Qingyu¡¯s convenience, the factory was built directly in the suburbs of Yushu County, not far from Xiaxi Commune, approximately at the boundary between the two places. This piece of land was the kind that couldn¡¯t create significant benefits; whatever was planted there simply wouldn¡¯t grow.


    As for the rest, construction was set to begin after the New Year.


    Then, Qingyu always received phone calls, some inquiring through Mr. Qian, others calling her directly, asking when the woolen mill would start hiring workers. Based on everyone¡¯s experience, the woolen mill hired mostly female employees, which led many to seek information through Fang Xiaomei.


    However, this time the county did not plan to hand over the woolen mill to Xiaxi Commune. Mr. Qian had received too many benefits already, and if they didn¡¯t offer something sweet to the other communes, there was a risk of revolt.


    Moreover, the establishment of such a large woolen mill in Yushu County was a political achievement for the current leaders. Who wouldn¡¯t want to accomplish something tangible while in office?


    Nonetheless, Mr. Qian needed to be mentioned; the county was preparing to bring him into the county government. With six years left until retirement, he could certainly serve a full term.


    This was also an affirmation of his capabilities.


    Naturally, Mr. Qian was satisfied and worked even harder.


    But soon, everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to another piece of news.


    That was, the current communes were all to be transformed into towns; production brigades would no longer exist. The official document had come down. The restructuring was to be completed before this year¡¯s Spring Festival.


    From then on, the term ¡°people¡¯s commune¡± would gradually fade from history. Production brigades would cease to exist, transforming into individual villages with the establishment of village committees, village chiefs, secretaries, and committee members.


    As for other facilities, like health clinics and schools, there wouldn¡¯t be such drastic changes.


    However, this meant that some organizations and members would need to be streamlined, as some departments were no longer necessary.


    The transition here in Xiaxi Commune was relatively smooth; from now on, it would be known as Xiaxi Town, with Mr. Qian as the Village Chief.


    The militia company was disbanded.


    The collective and individual were now clearly separated.


    Qingyu planned for this year to be the last of contracting; she didn¡¯t want to continue it and thought about returning the land, which she had almost fully cultivated, back to Xiaxi Town.


    The operational model was already established. If technical support was needed, they could provide it. Now, not to mention the town government, even the villagers of Xiaxi Town had extra money. Xiaxi Town was also the largest town in Yushu County, with the largest market.


    There were many doing business in the market, and now there were already over a dozen restaurants.


    So it was a thriving place.


    The next step was to steadily develop agriculture, the rural economy, and build a beautiful homeland.


    Unexpectedly, as soon as it was heard that Qingyu did not plan to renew her contract, Uncle Qian was in a panic. Without making a call, he went directly to see Qingyu, implying through every word that he hoped she would continue contracting and offered the largest discount possible within his authority.


    Village Chief Qian was in a transitional period, and he said, ¡°Jade, I know you¡¯re busy too, but it¡¯s not convenient to talk about this over the phone.¡±


    Qingyu offered Uncle Qian some tea before discussing further, ¡°Uncle Qian, take your time. What¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    ¡°Girl, I won¡¯t beat around the bush with you,¡± Uncle Qian said bluntly. ¡°These past few years, I¡¯ve come to see clearly that whatever you do, you need a leader with planning. As long as we follow behind Tenghai Agricultural Base, we won¡¯t end up mired in a mud pit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just worried that some villagers might have other ideas...¡± Qingyu voiced her concern.


    Now that the economy was completely open, some wanted to use their own small plots of land for other purposes instead of contracting them out. To be honest, Qingyu was also worried about this.


    A large expanse of land, with several dozen households wanting to do their own thing in the middle, means contracting out patches here and there, making the whole concept less meaningful.


    Upon learning of Qingyu¡¯s concerns, Uncle Qian thumped his chest and promised, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Jade. We¡¯ll hold a large meeting to discuss this matter. But regardless of whether there¡¯s agreement or not, we¡¯ll still provide contiguous land for the Agricultural Base to contract.¡±


    Having a strong backer is beneficial, and Uncle Qian certainly knew that, or he wouldn¡¯t have come all the way to the base to find Qingyu.


    The same land, cultivated by the Agricultural Base, yielded bountiful harvests and made money, but when the farmers worked it themselves, success was far from guaranteed.


    Not to mention those advanced agricultural machines, the fertilizer produced by the base themselves was something the farmers couldn¡¯t afford.


    After returning, Uncle Qian promptly called an emergency meeting, first reaching a consensus with the town officials. Nobody was a fool. With Tenghai Agricultural Base¡¯s technology and capital, not joining forces with such a team and striking out alone would be foolish.


    Next were meetings with each village. Indeed, Qingyu¡¯s worries were not unfounded; quite a few people simply wanted to do their own thing. For example, some planned to join forces with siblings, using their family land to build greenhouses for medicinal plants or even to plant fruit trees, and some wanted to dig ponds for fish farming.


    And truly, there were quite a few who had such intentions.


    Now that the land was allocated to individuals, if people didn¡¯t agree, the town couldn¡¯t forcibly contract the land from the villagers.


    While some places might experience such phenomena, it certainly didn¡¯t happen here under Uncle Qian.


    Then came negotiations, yet at the meeting Uncle Qian let slip the plan to set up the woolen mill, inadvertently revealing it. According to the plan, if the woolen mill was built, it would need at least five hundred employees.


    Although five hundred was a small number compared to tens of thousands, there were plenty of jobs available now; one couldn¡¯t work in the woolen mill but could work for the Agricultural Base.


    How could such good fortune be real? After contracting out the land and receiving the contracting fee, you¡¯d be hired back to work on your own land for pay¡ªa double income. Unless someone had grand ambitions, most were very content with the situation.


    But the work wasn¡¯t easy to handle, and Uncle Qian put a lot of effort into it. Before the Spring Festival, Xiaxi Town had contracted its land to the Agricultural Base for ten years.


    As for those who wanted to do it on their own, the town also provided many concessions, including land exchanges, even if it was to the very edges, to ensure they didn¡¯t lose out.


    Some people, if silent and honest, might not speak up, but others, never satisfied with enough, would make a huge fuss over a slight disadvantage. Now that the commune had just transitioned into a town and the town government was newly established, Uncle Qian didn¡¯t want to stir up trouble. Thus, after providing an extra ten thousand yuan to the town, the matter was satisfactorily settled.

 Chapter 488 - 488 488 Graduate Studies

    ?Chapter 488: Chapter 488: Graduate Studies? Chapter 488: Chapter 488: Graduate Studies? The discussions that followed were between the county town and the Agricultural Base.


    They hoped that Tenghai Agricultural Base would take over the land from several neighboring townships.


    As for the funding, it could be solved together; after all, Liu Chengwu and his team were negotiating the matter, and Qiao Qingyu had now been ordered by her family not to wander around anymore.


    And it was time for Mr. Wu to leave, but before he did, he had a formal meeting in the conference room with He Xiuyu and Old Wei. Mr. Wu decided to donate a library to Tenghai Research Base.


    This was a surprise to He Xiuyu, and even Old Wei had not expected it.


    Currently, Tenghai Research Base had research projects every year, and even in times of difficulty, the state would allocate funds. However, compared to the various projects that were like money pits, sometimes it was really just a drop in the bucket.


    Fortunately, the Light Industry Workshop was profitable, and the Agricultural Base ensured its self-sufficiency. Then there were the farms, with the attached breeding farms solving the meat and egg needs of nearly ten thousand people. Further, the Seed Laboratory, overseen by Professor Feng, did not require a huge investment, but it turned a decent profit, and it was also close to releasing a new type of sleep-enhancing medication in two years.


    Once this medication hit the market, the profits were immeasurable.


    Even so, the burden on He Xiuyu and Old Wei was still heavy, and Wu Xiucai¡¯s proposal was indeed to He Xiuyu¡¯s liking.


    The intent was quickly agreed upon.


    After the new year, when the funds were in place, the construction of the library would begin. As for the books, the base had some, and since Wu Xiucai was prepared to donate a library, he certainly would not just donate a building. He would scour the world for discarded books, which for He Xiuyu and his team, undoubtedly meant gaining a large cultural treasure.


    Mr. Wu stayed here for more than a month.


    His life secretary, Xiao Liang, came from Yun City to pick him up.


    Wu Qianyun instructed earnestly, but in turn, Wu Xiucai reminded his daughter to take good care of her granddaughter.


    Wu Qianyun naturally agreed without hesitation. This was her only daughter, whom she had cared for among many people. When it came to her own daughter, she would be even more dedicated, there was no need for others to say.


    Mr. Wu was driven to the airport by He Xiuyu in a jeep. From Xichuan, a helicopter could fly directly to Yun City, but he had to stop by Beijing to handle some matters.


    Before boarding the plane, Mr. Wu entrusted He Xiuyu, ¡°Work is endless, and now that planned parenthood is implemented, if you¡¯re not careful, you may only have this one child. You must take it seriously...¡±


    Indeed, planned parenthood was now in effect, advocating that a couple should only have one child.


    Mr. Wu didn¡¯t need to say it, He Xiuyu had no intention of having Qiao Qingyu bear him many children. He had the same thought¡ªa single child was enough. But he smiled and nodded, gently saying, ¡°Grandfather, rest assured, I will try to make time. You must also take care of your health alone in Yun City.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, old man, I¡¯m in good shape. In the future, I want to take your child traveling around the world.¡±


    Mr. Wu was not like others who always spoke disheartening words; he was very hopeful for the future.


    After waving goodbye to Mr. Wu of the Wu Family, He Xiuyu made a round in Xichuan and, somehow through his connections, got several boxes of dates, apples, and oranges.


    These fruits are not rare in the South but in Xichuan, due to transport issues, they aren¡¯t common, Apples are a bit more available, but the current yield is low. However, Professor Feng is already cultivating apple saplings, planning to establish an orchard in the farm at the base, where the soil and climate conditions are particularly suitable.


    But it takes several years for fruit trees to bear fruit.


    Qiao Qingyu took a bite, the taste was a bit tart, but it suited her taste. Still, Qiao Qingyu preferred to let the apples sit for a couple of days, becoming somewhat dehydrated and wrinkled¡ªthey tasted sweeter that way.


    He Xuerong was on holiday, and when Qiao Qingyu¡¯s belly began to show even when she wore sweaters inside the house, the little girl finally realized that a brother or sister was about to join the family. She wasn¡¯t sure what she thought about it, and after running around outside, she came back and asked Qiao Qingyu pitifully, ¡°Little aunt, when will the baby in your belly come out?¡±


    This was the first time He Xuerong showed concern for her belly.


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t planned it, but she naturally said, ¡°Wait for your summer holiday this year.¡±


    It was already 1985, and Qiao Qingyu¡¯s due date was exactly in summer.


    He Xuerong placed her little hand on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s belly, felt it, and asked curiously, ¡°Little aunt, can I play with him after he comes out?¡±


    ¡°Of course, in the future, our little one here will rely on our Rongrong to take care of.¡±


    Ai yah, at those words, He Xuerong suddenly felt herself grow a lot taller, her little chest puffed out, and she felt a sense of responsibility weigh on her shoulders. She nodded solemnly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry little aunt, when the baby comes out I¡¯ll have Aunt Li make me a baby carrier, and I¡¯ll carry him to school every day.¡±


    Wu Qianyun laughed from the side, ¡°Rongrong, if you carry a baby to school, the teacher won¡¯t agree.¡±


    ¡°Then I can carry her to play, right? I saw a grandma at our base use a carrier to take the toddler with her everywhere without any delay.¡±


    Talking and talking, He Xuerong was ready to wait for Xiao Liang to come back and ask him to make a baby carriage, then a baby walker¡ªeven more beautiful than the one Da Bao from Aunt Fang¡¯s family used. Anyway, He Xuerong didn¡¯t harbor such thoughts, but what if the little aunt and uncle had another baby, would they not love me anymore? Could they send me away?


    Actually, sometimes children have such thoughts because people around them instill these ideas, which kids wouldn¡¯t be aware of otherwise.


    And people in the family quarters were not so tactless.


    Mr. Wu returned to Yun City, Wu Qianyun moved into the room where Mr. Wu used to stay.


    The house didn¡¯t have many rooms, but under current conditions, there was no need to have the couple sleep separately.


    Sometimes when Qiao Qingyu needed to get up in the middle of the night for water or something, it was more convenient to have He Xiuyu by her side.


    He Xiuyu wasn¡¯t working overtime anymore, basically going to and from work on time every day.


    At night, He Xiuyu discussed with Qiao Qingyu the progress of the work at Professor Feng¡¯s, then he asked her, ¡°Have you thought about going to graduate school?¡±


    The first cohort of graduate students had already graduated, and the second batch was currently studying, but Xichuan Agricultural College didn¡¯t have the qualifications for it yet.


    If Qiao Qingyu wanted to pursue graduate studies, she would have to go to Beijing, and she hadn¡¯t considered this possibility, especially since she was currently pregnant, so she hardly thought about it.


    Now, hearing He Xiuyu ask, Qiao Qingyu nodded. Education is always useful, she said, ¡°I do want to study, but do I have conditions for that now?¡±

 Chapter 489 - 489 489 Daytime Thoughts and Nighttime Dreams

    ?Chapter 489: Chapter 489: Daytime Thoughts and Nighttime Dreams? Chapter 489: Chapter 489: Daytime Thoughts and Nighttime Dreams? Hearing Qiao Qingyu¡¯s question, He Xiuyu knew she was interested in going.


    ¡°Today, Professor Feng told me he has applied to set up a team, with him as the mentor, recruiting three graduate students and affiliating them with the Northwest Agricultural College, if it¡¯s feasible. Xichuan Agricultural College should aim to rise up.¡±


    ¡°What does ¡®aim to rise up¡¯ mean?¡±


    ¡°Increase their enrollment scope, the agricultural college might be upgraded to a university.¡±


    Oh, if that were the case, it would indeed be a step up.


    ¡°Professor Feng has reserved a spot for you; he hopes you will continue your studies.¡±


    Even if it¡¯s in agriculture, becoming an agricultural doctorate truly gives one a different level of authority.


    Didn¡¯t Qiao Qingyu yearn to study at an agricultural school for the same reason?


    Qiao Qingyu calculated the timeline and promptly agreed, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go to Professor Feng tomorrow. I really want to be one of the first graduate students he mentors.¡±


    He Xiuyu lay beside Qiao Qingyu, holding her small hand with his large one, watching his wife struggle with pregnancy. She used to be so agile, but now she had to walk slowly, turn over in bed with caution, and he always felt a sense of alarm seeing her enlarged belly.


    But he couldn¡¯t show these emotions, as both were first-time parents.


    ¡°It¡¯s cold and icy outside, and there will be heavy snow tomorrow, so there¡¯s no need to go. I¡¯ll pass by the lab and let him know.¡±


    ¡°That works too,¡± Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t insist.


    She was already four months along now, and perhaps due to her strong physical constitution or the nourishing air from the Space Device, she didn¡¯t have any significant reactions. Her complexion was rosier than before, fair with a healthy blush, and He Xiuyu felt somewhat relieved.


    However, He Xiuyu gently said, ¡°Regardless of the policy, let¡¯s just have this one child.¡±


    The room was warm and cozy, and Qiao Qingyu, already prone to sleepiness, began to feel her eyelids grow heavy. Snuggled in He Xiuyu¡¯s arms, she fell into a deep sleep.


    He Xiuyu carefully shifted his position, pondering the need to discuss with Old Xie about introducing a herd of dairy cows and goats.


    The produced milk could be provided to the people at the base for a fee, and their own child could have milk to drink.


    By this autumn, the Six Family Buildings would be fully constructed. By around November, they could move in. It was foreseeable that in a few years, one kindergarten at the research base would not be enough.


    Moreover, the higher-ups also have plans to split Tenghai Research Base from the other two bases.


    He Xiuyu would later be in charge of heavy machinery.


    He wouldn¡¯t be responsible for the other Space Base, but he could participate as a technical staff member.


    The agricultural sector had already been agreed upon with Qiao Qingyu, with the Agricultural Base merging with the Greening Committee and the farms.


    Old Xie was a diligent worker, and he could be at ease partnering with his own daughter-in-law.


    Never underestimate the Agricultural Base; people need to eat to live. Only when they have enough food and drink can they go on to do what they want.


    Then there was the pharmaceutical sector, which had been spun off into a separate entity.


    With that in mind, He Xiuyu could fully concentrate on his research into heavy machinery¡ªa field that, clearly, had an unstoppable and critical future.


    Having turned these various thoughts over in his mind, He Xiuyu closed his eyes and drifted off into a deep sleep.


    The wind outside howled fiercely, with the moon and stars long since hidden behind clouds. Although the weather report had predicted heavy snow tomorrow, by the look of the sky, it seemed as though the snow could start falling at any moment.


    In the northwest corner of the base¡¯s family quarters, Qian Guizhi awoke drenched in sweat from a nightmare, her eyes snapping open. After her mind went blank for a dozen seconds, she reached out with trembling hands for the light switch on the wall. As light flooded the room, her son furrowed his brows, looking somewhat restless, but after mumbling a few words, he turned over and continued to sleep.


    At this moment, Qian Guizhi was sweating profusely. She had dreamed of a fox spirit smearing something on her son¡¯s body, and the next day her son Zhao Yuan began to run a fever with a sore throat. They thought it was just a cold, and no one paid much attention. He seemed to get better after getting injections and medication at the base hospital, then went off to school.


    That name had been hastily decided upon when he started school this past fall. Not only had Zhao Guoqiang stopped speaking to her, but he didn¡¯t care about the child¡¯s name either. It was she who had gone to Qiao Qingyu for help, and with her assistance, registered their son¡¯s birth and named him Zhao Yuan, saying that the boy was smart and would go far in life.


    But none of that had happened yet.


    It was still only January.


    The dream continued. Unexpectedly, a week later her son was gone. She watched helplessly as he suddenly began to have difficulty breathing and suffocated to death.


    She had no time to grieve, as many students in the base school began to show the same symptoms as her son.


    Then people from Beijing came, and they quarantined the school, the kindergarten, the hospital, and even the family quarters.


    What was even more terrifying was that, despite the quarantine, one child after another still never woke up due to respiratory difficulties.


    In the end, she couldn¡¯t remember exactly what happened; it was all just terribly frightening. And she too lay in bed, unable to get up, before being swallowed by darkness and knowing nothing more.


    But upon opening her eyes, she realized it was all a nightmare¡ªa very terrifying nightmare that felt unsettlingly real. She couldn¡¯t understand why she would see that woman, Zhang Yurou, smearing filth on her son. Yet, she saw clearly as that woman put on a mask and gloves, pouring something out of a test tube into her palm and then patting it onto the back of her son.


    What exactly was she patting on him?


    She didn¡¯t know.


    Qian Guizhi quickly pulled her son into a tight embrace; the dream was far too horrifying. It was a classic case of her daytime anxieties haunting her dreams at night.


    She was currently working in logistics, and although it was only temporary work, she could make thirty-eight yuan a month.


    This was the most money she had ever seen in her life.


    Furthermore, although Zhao Guoqiang no longer spoke to her, the people in logistics did, and many of them were very kind to her, especially some of the older sisters who showed her sympathy and taught her a lot. Even if she couldn¡¯t understand some of the things they said, she knew that if a woman wanted to have a good life, she had to stand on her own two feet; otherwise, no one would take her seriously. She understood this principle.


    So, some elder sisters discreetly warned her to be careful of that woman Zhang Yurou.


    She took it to heart; to be honest, she was afraid of Zhao Guoqiang, and she was afraid of Zhang Yurou too. That woman¡¯s gaze was always so sinister.


    But if she dared to hurt her son, Qian Guizhi would fight her to the death.


    Luckily, it was just a dream.


    As long as she was more careful in the future and didn¡¯t interact with that woman, there would be no way for her to harm her and her son.

 Chapter 490 - 490 490 His Secret

    ?Chapter 490: Chapter 490 His Secret Chapter 490: Chapter 490 His Secret Zhao Guoqiang now wouldn¡¯t say a word to her, his indifference was terrifying, but life here was much better than it was back in her old home.


    However, getting a divorce was out of the question. She wouldn¡¯t relinquish her place to that woman, nor would she let her son grow up without a father.


    In those days, children who lived under the care of stepmothers or stepfathers led very hard lives.


    She herself was an example.


    She would never let her son suffer the way she had.


    Qian Guizhi turned off the light and slowly closed her eyes.


    No matter what one said, this was the safest and best place she had ever stayed in her life.


    This night was actually quite ordinary, just like any other night, but Chen Tianliang, who lived in the Yushu County office, couldn¡¯t sleep, tossing and turning. He had dreamed about Xinghua again.


    She stood under the jujube tree, wearing a red scarf, her hair in pigtails, smiling at him while waving her hand.


    He had been keeping a secret deep in his heart for some time.


    He couldn¡¯t tell anyone.


    And he was also planning to relocate his work to Yushu County, giving up the promising future in the neighboring province. He was determined to stay here until Chief Engineer He at Tenghai Research Base unraveled the secrets of time and space.


    On the very day he had come here for inspection, just after he returned from the wasteland where Xinghua was buried and fell into a deep sleep in the jeep, he really had a bizarre dream.


    In his dream, his country was initially backward and looked down upon. Western countries always acted arrogantly and superior, but just twenty years later, it stood at the pinnacle of the world.


    He didn¡¯t remember it clearly, but he just knew that in the future, his country would be the most powerful.


    No longer would it be a time when anyone could bully them.


    However, Chief Engineer He¡¯s scientific research achievement was classified and hadn¡¯t been announced publicly. The repercussions of announcing it were unimaginable, so they needed to be careful. Yet, he knew about it¡ªas if he was watching a movie or reading a science fiction novel.


    In any case, it seemed he had glimpsed another world.


    He could go back before the tragedy happened. He could save everything, clear up misunderstandings, marry Xinghua, and they would live happily ever after, rather than being separated forever as they were now...


    Chen Tianliang lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and then exhaled slowly, but suddenly started coughing violently until tears came out.


    Was it twenty years? Could it really be twenty years?


    He wasn¡¯t sure whether it was just his delusion or it was actually doable, but at least it was a glimmer of light in his life of gray despair.


    Right, it was indeed mysterious, this night turned out to be extraordinary after all.


    ...


    Spring City.


    After hanging up the phone, Liu Ge¡¯s complexion changed. She pushed open the door frantically; this was the residence she shared with Wu Hong in Spring City, which should be considered a separate courtyard. Once past the corridor and through the Moon Gate, that was where the Zhang Family elder stayed.


    Normally, she rarely visited, but fortunately, the elder¡¯s attitude toward her was fairly decent.


    However, this didn¡¯t mean she could just barge in without the elder¡¯s permission. But today, Liu Ge couldn¡¯t care less. She stamped her foot outside and shouted loudly, ¡°Wu Hong, Wu Hong, come out quickly...¡±


    At this moment, Wu Hong was discussing a very important matter with the elder¡ªthe location of the transfer formation had been found.


    That location was unexpected by everyone and seemed unlikely. Such locations were usually built on lands with perfect feng shui, but surprisingly it was in the most northern province of the country¡ªNorth City.


    There was a place called Hejia Village.


    Wu Hong was not unfamiliar with this place. He had visited the Qiao Family Team, and his contacts with Qiao Qingyu for cement, his own engineering team, and the county cement factory all had some connection to it. Naturally, although he had never been to Hejia Village, he had passed by, so the elder called him in as soon as possible.


    This was highly confidential, and there were guards outside.


    But Liu Ge¡¯s piercing voice outside still made the elder frown, interrupting the discussion. He said impatiently, ¡°Go and check what this woman is making a fuss about.¡±


    Wu Hong responded with a forced smile, ¡°Liu Ge is always stable; she must have encountered something she can¡¯t handle. Elder, let me go take a look. Although I haven¡¯t been inside Hejia Village, I¡¯m quite clear about the general information...¡±


    After giving a brief introduction to the information on Hejia Village, he hurried out.


    Seeing Wu Hong coming out, Liu Ge¡¯s tears flowed down instantly. She grabbed his arm and said with a choked voice, ¡°Take me to Xichuan. I must see my daughter right away.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, we¡¯ll go...¡±


    Wu Hong comforted her gently, ¡°It¡¯s just that we need to book a flight to Xichuan, and we definitely won¡¯t make it tonight. Can we go tomorrow?¡±


    This was actually killing two birds with one stone; they were bound to set out tomorrow anyway. Now that the location was confirmed, they definitely had to check it out.


    With Wu Hong there, Liu Ge felt reassured and wasn¡¯t as anxious. Wu Hong quickly asked, ¡°What happened exactly? Did you have a nightmare?¡±


    ¡°No, I just got a call. Qiao Qingyu is pregnant. She¡¯s going to have a child. Rongrong is sure to suffer there. I want to take her away. We won¡¯t go to Beijing, but we can bring the child to Spring City. The educational quality here is better than in Xichuan.¡±


    Wu Hong had a different opinion from Liu Ge. Although it was in Xichuan, the teaching staff at the research base was not poor at all.


    Especially since last year, all the teachers assigned there were university graduates from normal schools, and even those teaching at elementary schools had at least vocational high school diplomas. That was quite impressive given the many privately hired teachers nowadays.


    But he had no idea that Qiao Qingyu was pregnant. Wasn¡¯t that normal too?


    He reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Qiao Qingyu isn¡¯t like that, and besides, He Xiuyu is Rongrong¡¯s uncle. He wouldn¡¯t let his wife mistreat his niece. Both spouses are not that type of person, rest assured.¡±


    Liu Ge stomped her foot, ¡°How can I not worry, how can I be assured if I don¡¯t see it with my own eyes!¡±


    ¡°Okay then, we¡¯ll book tickets to Xichuan.¡±


    Seeing that Wu Hong agreed, Liu Ge felt much better. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go pack my things.¡±


    After speaking, she turned around and ran quickly back to her courtyard.


    Watching her figure disappear through the Moon Gate, Wu Hong turned around and reentered the room.


    Zhang Xuanzi and the others had already finished their discussion. Indeed, they were leaving tomorrow.


    This time Zhang Xuanzi would personally lead the mission, accompanied by Wu Hong and another elder. Of course, they couldn¡¯t bring too many people; bringing too many could arouse suspicion.

 Chapter 491 - 491 491 Sent a Pair of Tiny Shoes from a

    ?Chapter 491: Chapter 491: Sent a Pair of Tiny Shoes from a Thousand Miles Away Chapter 491: Chapter 491: Sent a Pair of Tiny Shoes from a Thousand Miles Away Zhang Xuanzi was well aware that their every move might not always be under scrutiny, but there was definitely someone paying attention.


    But how should one put it?


    Sometimes, it¡¯s best to just go with the flow.


    So even Qiao Qingyu never expected that on New Year¡¯s Eve, Liu Ge and Wu Hong would actually show up at their house.


    This was truly beyond words.


    Wu Hong might not understand since he had just come back from abroad, but Liu Ge certainly knew¡ªvisiting someone¡¯s home on New Year¡¯s Eve, especially with such an awkward status, simply wasn¡¯t done.


    But what could she do? After all, she was He Xuerong¡¯s biological mother.


    Only after seeing her daughter did Liu Ge let her guard down. It was clear that she hadn¡¯t been mistreated; she had grown taller, was dressed beautifully. From head to toe, she would stand out in any foreign country, not bringing shame to her mother, and her little face was a healthy pinkish-white.


    But Liu Ge always had an air of superiority. Other than giving expensive gifts and shelling out money, she didn¡¯t say much else. Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t expect words of gratitude from her. In fact, she would be disgusted if Liu Ge uttered any. It was better this way; she didn¡¯t care for Rongrong for her sake.


    Wu Qianyun also felt the situation awkward. How should it be said? This woman was Meng Siqi¡¯s eldest daughter-in-law, although now, she should be considered an ex-daughter-in-law.


    Fortunately, since it was New Year¡¯s Eve and for a good omen, they had prepared eight dishes for the four of them.


    That was certainly enough.


    But Wu Hong had business to attend to and wanted to take Liu Ge to North City afterward, though he preferred not to discuss it with Qiao Qingyu beforehand.


    He placed a box in his hand down and spoke softly, ¡°Inside the box is a piece of Warm Jade, very beneficial for pregnant women, especially when worn in winter.¡±


    Before Qiao Qingyu could refuse, he added, ¡°Consider it a little token of goodwill. Don¡¯t turn it down¡ªthe Zhang Family once owned a mine, and Warm Jade isn¡¯t anything rare.¡±


    So she accepted it. Qiao Qingyu indeed had a collection of jade, but this was the first time she had heard of Warm Jade.


    Liu Ge half-coaxed, half-persuaded Rongrong to try on some new leather boots she had bought, only to be taken aback when Rongrong took a few steps, frowned, and promptly took the boots off. The young girl stood barefoot on the floor, her beautiful eyes fixed on Liu Ge as she calmly said, ¡°You¡¯re quite amusing as a mother, trekking all this way just to bring a pair of shoes. Those who know might appreciate your sentiment, but those who don¡¯t might think you¡¯re mocking me.¡±


    Liu Ge¡¯s jaw dropped in shock, ¡°...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu could barely suppress a smile. Rongrong sure didn¡¯t pull any punches. Still, she said, ¡°Rongrong, put on your slippers. The floor is cold.¡±


    Liu Ge¡¯s face shifted through a range of colors from pale to flushed. How could she know the child had shot up half a head in just the past six months, outgrowing last year¡¯s shoe size?


    It was only half a year.


    She forced a smile and said reluctantly, ¡°If you can¡¯t wear them, then leave them for your little aunt¡¯s little sister in her belly.¡±


    At these words, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s and He Xiuyu¡¯s expressions didn¡¯t look too good.


    It wasn¡¯t because they valued boys over girls; it was simply not the way to say or do things.


    He Xuerong was speechless as well. She placed the small leather boots back into the shoebox, ¡°Mom, it seems you¡¯ve forgotten how old I am this year. Well, I can¡¯t very well let you take these boots all the way back. I have a classmate whose family has many children. Her parents are workers in a factory, and her grandparents are ill. Her feet are smaller than mine; I¡¯ll give these boots to her.¡±


    Liu Ge¡¯s lips moved, but she didn¡¯t say anything.


    Anyway, she felt that every time she came, she would get infuriated. This child must have been born to anger her.


    After those two had left, Qiao Qingyu asked with curiosity, ¡°Where did you learn this new term, ¡®petty¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t say it wrong, did I? These boots are indeed small, so they are ¡®petty¡¯.¡±


    He Xuerong looked out the window, pouting and not very happy.


    He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu exchanged glances.


    He Xiuyu wanted to say something, thought about it, but swallowed his words, and at this moment Wu Qianyun couldn¡¯t stay in the room any longer; she had gone to the kitchen to make dumplings.


    During the first day of the New Year, Yuan Hengzhi came to wish everyone a happy New Year. He didn¡¯t go back to Beijing this year, but stayed in Xichuan. It was also the first Spring Festival he had spent at the base.


    He lived in the dormitory, which was also lively. After 10 pm, He Xiuyu had dinner with everyone in the base¡¯s canteen, sharing a meal of dumplings.


    No matter what, he was the chief engineer. Of course, he couldn¡¯t just quietly hide at home, and he also needed to visit the workshop to comfort the front-line workers who were still working hard. So by the time he got back, it was already past midnight.


    He had just lain down for a while when visitors began to arrive for new year¡¯s greetings.


    First came a group of children, then other colleagues arrived. Having elders at home was a blessing, Qiao Qingyu got up to find that Wu Qianyun had handled everything neatly.


    Unexpectedly, coming with Li Mingguang was a little boy, the son of Zhao Guoqiang¡¯s family. He didn¡¯t have a formal name yet, everyone called him Gou Dan. That wasn¡¯t a big deal, ¡°Gou Dan¡± was a cheap name meant to make raising the child easier. Even in the Tenghai Research Base, by a rough count, there were seven or eight children with the nickname Gou Dan.


    Qiao Qingyu grabbed a handful of candies, then gave a dime to each of the children who came to offer New Year¡¯s greetings.


    With a dime, they could now buy five pieces of orange candy at the base store, which wasn¡¯t too little for kids these days. In a flash, a swarm of them came, and just as quickly, they were gone.


    Half of the sugar Qiao Qingyu placed in the candy box was now gone.


    He Xiuyu had just managed to sleep for a simple two hours before he got up again; he still had to visit the maritime base a hundred kilometers from here for New Year¡¯s greetings. So for this Spring Festival, aside from being able to sleep at home at night, He Xiuyu had been busy outside all the other time.


    Qiao Qingyu, on the other hand, stayed at home, spending her days eating and sleeping.


    In just a few days, she seemed to have gained some weight.


    After the fifth day of the New Year, He Juanjuan returned from Beijing. She hadn¡¯t expected that the girl sitting across from her on the train would also be going to the Tenghai Research Base.


    He Juanjuan was quite curious. This definitely must be some young man¡¯s partner, huh? The girl was pretty good-looking, and then she learned her name was Bai Zhi, but the girl didn¡¯t say who she was specifically looking for.


    Even if He Juanjuan was outgoing, she felt embarrassed to ask.


    When they reached the gate of the base, He Juanjuan could go in but she couldn¡¯t. She needed to register and show proof of her visit, or she had to call someone she knew to come and get her.


    She hadn¡¯t expected that this person would actually be Yuan Hengzhi.


    He Juanjuan¡¯s footsteps halted abruptly. So this girl is Brother Yuan¡¯s partner?


    But why would Brother Yuan be here?

 Chapter 492 - 492 492 Why are you so obsessed with me

    ?Chapter 492: Chapter 492: Why are you so obsessed with me? Chapter 492: Chapter 492: Why are you so obsessed with me? He Juanjuan didn¡¯t know yet that Yuan Hengzhi had been transferred to the Tenghai Research Base.


    Yuan Hengzhi wasn¡¯t at the unit either, he had gone too, and no one knew where. After all, his work involved the same duties as Director Lin.


    Director Lin couldn¡¯t get in touch with him, and had no idea why a girl had come from Beijing looking for him.


    Then over the phone, he carefully asked, and found out that the girl¡¯s name was Bai Zhi who claimed to be Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s girlfriend. Director Lin was used to viewing everything and everyone with skepticism.


    He had never heard that Yuan Hengzhi had a girlfriend.


    Why say that?


    Because he once joked about setting Yuan Hengzhi up with someone, and Yuan just laughed, shook his head, and said he wasn¡¯t in a hurry. If he really had a girlfriend, that wouldn¡¯t be something Yuan Hengzhi would say, would it? Wouldn¡¯t that be deceitful?


    Even so, he couldn¡¯t just let her stand outside the door. Director Lin hurriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll come to the gate to meet you.¡±


    As soon as Bai Zhi hung up the phone, He Juanjuan ran over and excitedly asked, ¡°Miss Bai, are you really Brother Yuan¡¯s girlfriend?¡±


    Bai Zhi paused, then with a complicated look, she glanced at the pretty girl in front of her. An inexplicable wariness arose, and she nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± Her tone was very affirmative, ¡°I am Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s girlfriend!¡±


    ¡°Oh, this guy has some good luck,¡± He Juanjuan said casually.


    Bai Zhi¡¯s eyes flickered, but it seemed she remembered something and subtly distanced herself from He Juanjuan.


    He Juanjuan didn¡¯t notice this. She asked, ¡°Who¡¯s coming to pick you up?¡±


    ¡°Someone who claims to be Director Lin.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know him; he¡¯s the one in charge of security here.¡±


    He Juanjuan actually wanted to stay there a while longer, although she was holding two carry bags, but seeing that Bai Zhi didn¡¯t want to talk much, she felt it was no longer interesting.


    He Juanjuan tugged at the corners of her mouth, thinking this woman called Bai Zhi was a bit weird.


    Then she said to her, ¡°Well, you wait here then, Director Lin will be here soon, I¡¯m heading back...¡±


    Bai Zhi nodded imperceptibly, biting her lip and not speaking further, suggesting she was not interested in continuing the interaction.


    He Juanjuan pouted, mentally scoffing, thinking this woman must be crazy, what is Brother Yuan thinking?


    She didn¡¯t try to cozy up to Bai Zhi anymore, grabbing the two carry bags, she turned and hurried towards her brother¡¯s house.


    She too had a dormitory here, but when Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t home, she would move over.


    She also knew her sister-in-law¡¯s mother was here helping her sister-in-law with the pregnancy. She would soon have a little nephew or niece.


    Her own mother had thought of coming to Xichuan when she heard her sister-in-law was pregnant, as she had never been here, but then immediately dropped the idea.


    Why?


    Because Wu Qianyun was here.


    He Juanjuan thought it was right not to come, for she was not familiar with her second sister-in-law, and with her own mother¡¯s demanding and dependant nature, who would take care of whom here? Besides, He Juanjuan couldn¡¯t think of a way to be of any help to Qiao Qingyu.


    So, He Juanjuan could be said to have some self-awareness now.


    After Bai Zhi was settled in the guest house by Director Lin, Yuan Hengzhi returned.


    Knowing that Bai Zhi had arrived, Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s expression changed repeatedly.


    Director Lin found something off. Why didn¡¯t Yuan Hengzhi look happy at all?


    His suspicion grew, and he asked sternly, ¡°Is there something wrong with this woman?¡±


    Yuan Hengzhi frowned and waved his hand, ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to be a problem right now...¡± He paused and then said with a bitter smile, ¡°...she¡¯s one of the people I met for matchmaking, but the lady hasn¡¯t let go of her former lover yet, and it seems she still has feelings for him. Yet she¡¯s very clear, saying that although there are feelings, they belong to the past, and now she wants to be with me....¡±


    Director Lin was somewhat shocked, ¡°What does that mean? Is she playing both sides?¡±


    Yuan Hengzhi looked strangely at Director Lin. Why did he have to put it so bluntly? It was quite embarrassing for him.


    Director Lin reacted very quickly.


    Seeing that Yuan Hengzhi looked upset, he quickly asked, ¡°Should I tell her that you¡¯ve gone out on a mission and won¡¯t be back for months?¡±


    If it were said that way, that lady might feel awkward staying at the guest house. However, Yuan Hengzhi shook his head, ¡°No, avoiding is not the solution. I¡¯ll ask her why she is so persistent towards me.¡±


    Director Lin watched him touch his hair and gave him a kick, ¡°You¡¯re getting too cocky. You can¡¯t even clear up this small matter yet you let someone chase you from Beijing to Xichuan. If it¡¯s serious, just marry her and set things right. If not, make things clear to her. Prolonging this situation isn¡¯t good for either of you...¡±


    Yuan Hengzhi certainly understood this, but he couldn¡¯t just ask a few questions and then send her away. He arranged for her to have a meal in the cafeteria and took her out for a walk. When he found a quiet moment, he seriously asked, ¡°Bai Zhi, I¡¯m asking you one last time, tell me the truth, why are you so persistent?¡±


    Bai Zhi was stunned, looking at Yuan Hengzhi with a complex expression.


    Before she could speak, Yuan Hengzhi said sternly, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you like me; we¡¯re both adults here. Not only wouldn¡¯t you believe it yourself, I wouldn¡¯t either.¡±


    Bai Zhi¡¯s face turned awkward. She avoided Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s gaze, tightly pursed her lips, and looked down, lost in thought.


    Yuan Hengzhi was not in a hurry. He stood on the other side, hands in pockets, just waiting for Bai Zhi to reveal the truth.


    Yuan Hengzhi himself hadn¡¯t figured out the real reason yet.


    Initially, he privately thought it was love at first sight, but then he accidentally saw the way Bai Zhi looked at Lan Jianqing, and it upset him incredibly.


    How should he put it?


    It was a gaze full of emotion. The two stood on opposite sides of a busy street, just staring at each other through the bustling crowd.


    And he was standing right next to Bai Zhi. It was not a date, but Bai Zhi had come to see him again and brought him a bag of things which were quite heavy to carry. Could he accept them? He politely declined, then prepared to send Bai Zhi home.


    That¡¯s when he witnessed the scene.


    After the surge of disgust passed, he felt a sense of guilt. Yuan Hengzhi felt like he was the Queen Mother preventing the Cowherd and the Weaver from being together, or perhaps he was that very Milky Way itself.


    Since then, the slight romantic thoughts he had once harbored had vanished, allowing him to view everything rationally now. Nevertheless, the girl didn¡¯t do anything excessive; she just clung to him despite not liking him.

 Chapter 493 - 493 493 I Dont Want to Leave

    ?Chapter 493: Chapter 493: I Don¡¯t Want to Leave Chapter 493: Chapter 493: I Don¡¯t Want to Leave ¡°Why do you think that is?¡±


    If this were the war years, he would have reason to suspect that she was definitely a spy.


    But now, that really wasn¡¯t the case.


    Yuan Hengzhi couldn¡¯t figure it out and had hoped that Bai Zhi would provide him an answer today, but the small office was enveloped in silence; Bai Zhi did not utter a word, not even lifting her head.


    Yuan Hengzhi felt it was truly pointless.


    Just then, voices came from outside, surprisingly that of Director Lin, accompanied by the playful and cheerful voice of a girl. Following the direction of the sound, Yuan Hengzhi blinked, and there she was¡ªHe Juanjuan.


    Juanjuan, that girl, had actually returned.


    He naturally knew that He Juanjuan had transferred her work relations here.


    Yuan Hengzhi became impatient, especially since any last bit of patience he had for Bai Zhi had run out. His tone turned cold, ¡°Bai Zhi, are you intentionally making my life difficult?¡±


    ¡°Brother Yuan, I didn¡¯t mean that, I won¡¯t interfere with anything,¡± Bai Zhi explained softly and weakly.


    ¡°You really won¡¯t interfere with anything?¡± Yuan Hengzhi paused, then continued, ¡°So if I go to register for marriage with someone right now, are you going to cling to me?¡±


    Bai Zhi¡¯s face turned white in an instant, staring blankly at Yuan Hengzhi, as if the idea of Yuan Hengzhi registering for marriage with someone else was unbelievable.


    Yuan Hengzhi was genuinely at a loss. He didn¡¯t know what to say. Were there always some inexplicably self-righteous people in this world, regardless of gender, a select few who you just can¡¯t understand their actions?


    Did Bai Zhi really think she could play this game of chase and hide with him for a lifetime?


    It was just that he hadn¡¯t come across a girl he fancied, otherwise, he would have married her long ago.


    Yuan Hengzhi spoke decisively, ¡°There isn¡¯t much fun around here this season, besides the family compound, the rest is a research priority area and you can¡¯t go in. I¡¯ve booked your train ticket for tomorrow; I¡¯ll take you to the station.¡±


    ¡°Brother Yuan, I don¡¯t want to leave.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to leave?¡± Yuan Hengzhi asked, genuinely puzzled.


    Bai Zhi¡¯s lips moved, but the words she wanted to say still did not come out. This only made him more annoyed. Yuan Hengzhi turned and opened the door, frowning, ¡°Go back to the guest house. I still have some things to take care of.¡±


    With that said, Yuan Hengzhi walked ahead. The office was left with only Bai Zhi, who had no choice but to get up and follow him. As soon as she stepped out, she saw Director Lin not far away talking to He Juanjuan.


    He Juanjuan did indeed have business with Director Lin; she had imported a batch of silver jewelry, such as necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, in various styles, almost worth tens of thousands of dollars.


    Life was better now and everyone had some extra money. Girls liked to dress up too, and if they couldn¡¯t afford gold, silver was also good.


    Wearing a silver bracelet on the wrist was pretty, not expensive, and quite practical. In the past, both gold and silver were considered valuable.


    But the goods had arrived at the station, and she needed Director Lin to send some officers to escort them.


    When Yuan Hengzhi came out with Bai Zhi, the two had just finished speaking. Director Lin naturally agreed wholeheartedly. Now, He Juanjuan, that girl, was the deputy director of the shop, in charge of purchases.


    Now, that shop was no longer the small business it used to be. It had long expanded, but still seemed crowded. There were quite a few supply and marketing cooperatives that no longer existed.


    But for the research base, there was currently no necessity to lease out the store. Proper management could also bring in a sum of research funds for the base, so the base was preparing to allocate funds, procure a plot of land outside the base, and build a large shopping mall.


    Even if the mall didn¡¯t open to the public, it could still sustain itself internally.


    He Juanjuan had not been working here for very long, but she was already handling it with ease, so Director Lin naturally agreed to her request without hesitation.


    That¡¯s when he turned his head and saw Yuan Hengzhi.


    Director Lin tugged at the corner of his mouth. Seeing Yuan¡¯s sullen demeanor, he knew the guy hadn¡¯t managed to get an answer, and then he glanced at Bai Zhi walking behind him. He had to admit, the girl was indeed pretty.


    Yuan Hengzhi smiled when he saw He Juanjuan.


    He had a good relationship with He Xiuyu, and he often visited the He Family.


    He Juanjuan, all smiles, waved and greeted him first, ¡°Brother Yuan,¡± then she nodded at Bai Zhi. But this time, He Juanjuan didn¡¯t plaster a warm face onto someone else¡¯s cold butt.


    Bai Zhi clearly didn¡¯t want to bother with her, so she didn¡¯t push herself forward to be disliked.


    He Juanjuan then asked Yuan Hengzhi, ¡°Brother Yuan, when were you transferred here?¡±


    ¡°A while back, I arrived here just when you were on a business trip...¡± Yuan Hengzhi rubbed He Juanjuan¡¯s head out of habit, his voice unconsciously tender, and even his usually stern eyes softened, ¡°You¡¯ve really grown up, Juanjuan. I¡¯ll have to start calling you Director He now.¡±


    He Juanjuan, however, swatted away Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s hand, displeased, ¡°Since you know I¡¯ve grown up, stop patting my head...¡±


    It was just like how her second brother, though stern, sometimes would pat her head too.


    She had also vehemently opposed it.


    But Yuan Hengzhi just laughed.


    Bai Zhi, trailing not too far behind, witnessed this exchange. Her eyes flickered, and she clenched her hand inside her down jacket pocket. Biting her lip, she then quickly stepped forward and took the initiative to greet He Juanjuan, ¡°I had no idea you and Brother Yuan knew each other.¡±


    How fresh is that, you didn¡¯t tell me you came to see Brother Yuan.


    He Juanjuan, having matured a lot after more than a year of experience, but still true to her nature, looked at Yuan Hengzhi with a smile that was more a smirk, ¡°Brother Yuan, we came here in the same car. She was sitting right across from me, and I didn¡¯t even know she was looking for you.¡± Then she turned to Bai Zhi, ¡°See, I even asked you but you didn¡¯t tell me. You¡¯re being defensive.¡±


    Bai Zhi¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you knew Brother Yuan either.¡±


    She kicked the ball right back.


    He Juanjuan really wanted to roll her eyes. She couldn¡¯t stand women who were too clever with words.


    She turned to Director Lin, who was watching the commotion, and said, ¡°Director Lin, it¡¯s settled then. We¡¯ll set off together tomorrow.¡±


    Director Lin nodded, ¡°Sure, no problem.¡±


    He Juanjuan waved at everyone, ¡°I need to hurry back home, you all go on with your business...¡± Then she quickly turned the corner and disappeared from the three people¡¯s sight.


    Yuan Hengzhi hadn¡¯t expected that He Juanjuan and Bai Zhi had come in the same vehicle, but that wasn¡¯t important. He cleared his throat and said to Director Lin, ¡°I¡¯ll take her to the guesthouse, and tomorrow she can just take your ride to the station.¡±


    Bai Zhi panicked and grabbed Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Brother Yuan, I want to stay a few days. I don¡¯t want to leave.¡±

 Chapter 494 - 494 494 Never Understand

    ?Chapter 494: Chapter 494: Never Understand Chapter 494: Chapter 494: Never Understand Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s face gradually chilled, and without a change in expression, he withdrew his hand from his sleeve, smiled with a gentle voice, ¡°It¡¯s too cold, let¡¯s not talk outside anymore. Director Lin, you go ahead with your work. I¡¯ll take her back.¡±


    The topic was clearly not to be continued.


    Director Lin knew he shouldn¡¯t meddle in the affairs of young people, shook his head, turned, and left with hands behind his back.


    Yuan Hengzhi glanced at Bai Zhi and spoke calmly, ¡°That¡¯s fine, the guesthouse has decent conditions. You can stay here for a few days.¡±


    Bai Zhi hadn¡¯t expected Yuan Hengzhi to soften so abruptly. She was overjoyed and trotted after Yuan Hengzhi back to the guesthouse.


    After returning to his office, Yuan Hengzhi opened his notebook, found a phone number, and called it. The phone rang for a long while before being answered. Nowadays, communications had advanced. When making a call, including the area code meant there was no need to go through an operator, but of course, this was only a service in some big cities so far. Some smaller places didn¡¯t have this service yet, but it was believed to soon become widespread.


    And the voice on the other end sounded rather lazy. Yuan Hengzhi spoke bluntly, ¡°Lan Jianqing, Bai Zhi is at the Xichuan Tenghai Research Base. Come and take her back.¡±


    The lazy voice on the other end suddenly changed, even rising in pitch, ¡°Who are you? What are you saying?¡±


    At that time, there was no caller ID on phones. He didn¡¯t know who was calling ¡ª just that it was a man. After calming down, the voice sounded somewhat familiar. He ventured a guess, ¡°Is this Yuan Hengzhi?¡±


    Yuan Hengzhi replied, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡±


    Without waiting for Lan Jianqing to ask anything else, Yuan Hengzhi unapologetically hung up the phone.


    Lan Jianqing had had a few drinks around noon and was slightly tipsy, but that conversation completely sobered him up.


    Bai Zhi had told him not to look for her for a while, to give her some time to reflect and see if there was any possibility of reconciliation. He had given her space and time, but how had it come to this, that she had already left Beijing?


    He had no idea.


    Lan Jianqing¡¯s complexion was far from good.


    What exactly was Bai Zhi planning to do?


    Lan Jianqing had no doubts that she loved him, but if she loved him, why couldn¡¯t she just get along with him instead of getting tangled up with Yuan Hengzhi?


    He also had talked to her and knew that although Bai Zhi¡¯s actions were not ugly, she also hadn¡¯t given up on Yuan Hengzhi.


    He just didn¡¯t understand how long Bai Zhi planned on playing both sides ¡ª wasn¡¯t she afraid of falling into the river?


    Lan Jianqing¡¯s face was not looking good. His family and friends had advised him, saying that such a fickle woman, always looking at the next best thing, was no good.


    They told him to cut ties with her, to do it cleanly. There were plenty of good girls out there. Why cling to her?


    Isn¡¯t there a saying?


    There¡¯s plenty of fish in the sea!


    But there were too many doubts and entanglements in his heart. Bai Zhi wasn¡¯t the kind of girl to be so fickle, yet why did she have to do this?


    He had investigated in secret. No one was forcing her, so he felt uneasy not understanding what was going on.


    With that, he began to make phone calls, asking a friend at the station to book him a train ticket to Xichuan for the next day. He needed to make arrangements for the restaurant. It was the Spring Festival period, and though the restaurant would open on the fifteenth day, there wouldn¡¯t be many customers until after the holidays were fully over.


    However, preparations, like cleaning and ordering supplies, had to be made, and now he would have to leave it all behind and make arrangements beforehand, not knowing how many days it would be before he could return.


    Yuan Hengzhi was relieved. He felt this decision was truly wise. By calling Lan Jianqing to take Bai Zhi away, he didn¡¯t have to worry about the journey¡¯s safety. After all, the emotions between those two were indeed good; it wasn¡¯t his selfishness.


    Bai Zhi¡¯s family surely knew she was in Xichuan, and if anything happened to her on her lone trip back, not to mention her family¡¯s reaction, he himself couldn¡¯t get over it psychologically.


    Now it was all right. He had passed the hot potato to Lan Jianqing.


    He had decided not to ask anymore. Let it be what it will be.


    As for her intentions, why do all this? He was no longer fretting.


    Sometimes you just can¡¯t understand the workings of some people¡¯s minds.


    Like this couple in his old jurisdiction, the husband was honest, the wife pretty, and she scorned the husband for being useless. She dallied around and, after having a child, ran off with a boss from out of town.


    If she had run off with the boss, taken some money for stability, and secretly left something for her child, one could say she had a shred of a conscience. But she didn¡¯t leave a dime; instead, she took all the money from home and anything else of value.


    Everyone told him to report it to the police; though the issue could be seen as a domestic affair, treating it as a case on account of friendship, he could help deal with it. At least if the woman didn¡¯t return, at least half of the money could possibly be recovered.


    Otherwise, as his buddy and comrade¡¯s brother, how was he to live his life?


    That was the connection. If he filed a report, he could definitely help.


    But the guy did not. He just waited foolishly, saying once the money ran out, his wife would return, realizing his worth. But the child was only two or three years old and difficult to care for. He had to work, and taking care of the child was problematic.


    He and his former wife had no marriage license. Last year, he was introduced to a woman and practically began living with her de facto, but barely half a year later, his ex-wife returned, having been scammed with nothing left to her name and coming back for a meal.


    That¡¯s no exaggeration. She truly returned for a meal.


    Who knows what she went through, but once she was back, the man was overjoyed and immediately kicked out the woman who had looked after both his child and him for over half a year.


    He resumed life with his ex-wife as if nothing mattered.


    So, you see, there are all sorts of people in this world.


    Like Bai Zhi and Lan Jianqing, their thinking is out of the ordinary.


    He couldn¡¯t quite say it was a case of one willing to beat and the other willing to be beaten between him, Bai Zhi, and Lan Jianqing. Nor could it be said that their values were distorted. Certainly, there was some bizarre reason that made Bai Zhi feel obligated to act that way.


    But now, that reason no longer mattered.


    At least it had been proven that she wasn¡¯t a spy or anything of the sort.


    He Juanjuan returned home, and dinner was already prepared. She didn¡¯t idle, busily setting the table and serving the food.


    There was no denying it ¡ª her sister-in-law¡¯s mother was an excellent cook.


    And she was also genuinely kind-hearted, always gentle and soft-spoken. Just being around her made you involuntarily calm down.

 Chapter 495 - 495 495 Naming

    ?Chapter 495: Chapter 495: Naming? Chapter 495: Chapter 495: Naming? ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by He Juanjuan¡¯s bustling demeanor,¡± she actually quite enjoys interacting with people like that.


    She brought Wu Qianyun a shawl made of mink.


    It fit Wu Qianyun perfectly.


    Wu Qianyun didn¡¯t stand on ceremony either, but she also knitted a sweater for He Juanjuan using open silk yarn. It was in the latest fashion with a V-neck and batwing sleeves, and it looked stylish and beautiful on He Juanjuan.


    After dinner, He Juanjuan couldn¡¯t help but talk about Yuan Hengzhi and Miss Bai Zhi, who had traveled all the way to Xichuan. With a pout, she said, ¡°That Miss Bai is indeed beautiful and seems gentle, but I always feel there¡¯s something off. Her actions don¡¯t match her words, and her eyes are always dodging. And Brother Yuan, he should be a determined person, so how could he get entangled by a woman like that?¡±


    He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu exchanged a glance¡ªthey really didn¡¯t know about this.


    But regarding Miss Bai Zhi, Qiao Qingyu was particularly concerned and curiously asked, ¡°Did you ask if Yuan Hengzhi also harbors feelings for Bai Zhi? If that¡¯s the case, you could just go with the flow and agree.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know that, would I? I can¡¯t make heads or tails of these two.¡±


    At this point, He Juanjuan smirked, ¡°That Miss Bai Zhi is not a simple character.¡±


    But no matter whether it¡¯s simple or not, it was something Yuan Hengzhi had to handle himself; it wasn¡¯t appropriate for others to interfere.


    Lying on the floor playing with a tin frog, He Xuerong suddenly spoke up, ¡°Little Aunt, this afternoon when we were playing snowball fights, the Zhao Family¡¯s Little Gou Dan secretly told me about a dream his mother had. She dreamt that you named him Zhao Yuan.¡±


    Meanwhile, Wu Qianyun had taken her thermal mug back to her room, where she had a radio. It was just the right time to listen to her favorite storytelling show. Wu Qianyun closed the door and sat comfortably atop the warm kang¡ªlife couldn¡¯t be more comfortable.


    So naturally, she wasn¡¯t aware of what He Xuerong had said.


    And He Juanjuan didn¡¯t take it to heart either, she stretched out her hand and ruffled her little niece¡¯s head, then asked, ¡°So, does Little Gou Dan not have a name yet?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, he doesn¡¯t have a name. His household registration hasn¡¯t been transferred yet. When it¡¯s transferred, it will be just the time to name him and send him to school...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu looked at each other.


    What kind of world was this? The two could hardly say anymore, but they had to admit, not everyone and everything operated on its own track and by its own rules.


    It had already gotten dark, and He Juanjuan wasn¡¯t staying over. She got along well with a girl in the store; the two had agreed to join another room for a game of cards.


    As she was leaving, He Juanjuan said to her elder brother, ¡°Elder Brother, we¡¯re more financially relaxed now, and some families can afford TVs. Shouldn¡¯t we consider building a TV signal tower?¡±


    If they were to wait for Yushu County, who knew when it would happen. They had to depend on themselves, and if the base had a TV signal tower, the neighboring counties could also benefit.


    He Xiuyu just smiled and didn¡¯t express any opinion. The intention was there, but they didn¡¯t have a penny for it yet¡ªthe matter was still being figured out at the base.


    Having a TV signal tower did have many benefits; it could enrich the cultural lives of the staff, elevate their lifestyle, and as for watching news on TV, it wasn¡¯t as timely as the newspapers yet.


    After He Juanjuan left, He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu took Rongrong to the study.


    He Xuerong¡¯s suspicious glance fell on her uncle and aunt, whose serious expressions made the clever little girl suspect it had something to do with what she had just mentioned about Little Gou Dan. She obediently sat down and asked, ¡°Uncle, Aunt, is there something you wanted to ask?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu initially wanted to tease her a bit, but unfortunately, the child was too clever. Thus, they couldn¡¯t always treat her simply as a child.


    He Xiuyu, with a gentle voice, inquired about Zhao Guoqiang¡¯s son, Little Gou Dan.


    Naturally, He Xuerong spilled the beans in rapid succession to her uncle and aunt.


    Hence, you really shouldn¡¯t speak carelessly in front of quick-witted and exceptionally retentive children.


    Qian Guizhi herself didn¡¯t realize it, but after having that nightmare, she felt uneasy the next day and ended up murmuring about the dream to her son from start to finish.


    Old folks always say that if you recount a bad dream, it breaks it, which she must have thought as well, but little did she expect that Gou Dan was a child with an excellent memory.


    He remembered every word Qian Guizhi said since it involved Qiao Qingyu ¡ª Aunt Qiao, who didn¡¯t mind his dirtiness and always smiled sweetly while giving him candy, had also given him a name in her dream.


    Children are like small animals, naturally possessing the ability to seek good fortune and avoid disaster.


    And Little Gou Dan was no exception.


    He, of course, knew who treated him well and who didn¡¯t.


    Even though he now had a father, the way his father looked at him was terrifying, and he dared not approach him, but with He Xuerong and the others, it was different. He secretly told He Xuerong about it, and Rongrong just treated it as a story.


    Perhaps the child had his little schemes, for he wished that He Xuerong would go and tell Qiao Qingyu to give him a name.


    Although he didn¡¯t know what this Aunt Qiao did for a living, he knew his father wouldn¡¯t dare to mess with her.


    But who would have thought, with Little Gou Dan¡¯s good memory, He Xuerong¡¯s was even better. Thus, she relayed the conversation verbatim to He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu.


    Of course, the couple couldn¡¯t just take it as a mere dream, but they naturally didn¡¯t show too much concern in front of He Xuerong.


    Qiao Qingyu said with a smile, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go help this child out tomorrow, and give him a name.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, Little Gou Dan feels so inferior. Everyone has a proper name, but he just has a name like Gou Dan. When people ask him his name, Little Gou Dan stammers and doesn¡¯t even know how to respond.¡±


    After the little girl finished speaking, she felt rather emotional, ¡°Sigh, the world is really too complex, not all fathers and mothers are qualified to be parents.¡±


    After lulling He Xuerong to sleep, the two returned to their room.


    Their gazes intertwined, and He Xiuyu laughed. He had prepared the footbath for his wife, carefully had her soak her feet, and dried them. When the two lay on the kang, he softly said to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Do you think Qian Guizhi¡¯s dream is somewhat similar to Su Yunyao¡¯s experiences?¡±

 Chapter 496 - 496 496 Strange

    ?Chapter 496: Chapter 496: Strange Chapter 496: Chapter 496: Strange ¡°Should be about right.¡± Qiao Qingyu was also uncertain as she spoke.


    He Xiuyu thought for a moment, ¡°This world is indeed interesting.¡±


    His hand rested on his wife¡¯s slightly protruding belly, which he did whenever he had the time, every day.


    He said, ¡°I¡¯m planning for Rongrong to skip a year and go to fifth grade this year.¡±


    Currently, nine years of compulsory education had not been implemented, with most areas having five years of elementary school and three years of middle school.


    If this point matched the world where Qiao Qingyu lived, then nine years of compulsory education should start next year.


    Rongrong was nominally nine years old this year. She would be in fourth grade in the fall.


    The child was sent to school when she was seven.


    But now, the elementary school curriculum seemed a bit too simple for her.


    However, after consulting with He Xiuwen, He Xiuyu still let her advance year by year.


    Qiao Qingyu felt very emotional about this, and in a blink of an eye, Rongrong was already nine.


    Looking down at Qiao Qingyu who was lying beside him, He Xiuyu also felt emotional. They had been married for four years, and he still owed her a wedding.


    Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly felt a small, bundle-like thing pushing against the palm of his hand, and then, the next second, it moved to another position.


    He Xiuyu sat up in surprise. It had been over four months now, and the fetus was already moving.


    He Xiuyu excitedly lifted the nightgown, intending to have a closer look. Sure enough, a small, bumpy thing appeared on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s belly, uncertain whether it was the fetus¡¯s small foot or hand.


    It looked magical.


    Perhaps feeling the intense gaze of the parents, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s belly calmed down.


    Both of them watched foolishly for a long time, filled with emotion and wonder.


    After a while, they lay down on the kang again, having already forgotten what they were about to say.


    The night deepened, and whatever needed doing or thinking could wait for the next day. Now was the time to rest properly.


    No matter whether others could rest well or not, Qiao Qingyu was truly exhausted that day, and so was He Xiuyu. In order to be back on time to accompany his wife in the evening, he sometimes had to work more than double the usual.


    Bai Zhi, who stayed in the guesthouse, also slept well. Although she was full of worries, as soon as her head hit the pillow, she immediately fell into deep sleep. At this very moment, one could say that this was a region of human consciousness, or perhaps the central nervous system¡ªanyway, it was an area currently unexplained by science, but it was completely floating in Bai Zhi¡¯s mind.


    Inside this small consciousness area, there were two light points, a larger and a smaller one.


    They were conversing.


    ¡°... you also saw Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s attitude today. If he still doesn¡¯t agree, are we going to live here forever?¡±


    This was what the smaller light point said.


    The big light point, ¡°This body is indeed frustrating. Its consciousness isn¡¯t deeply asleep, half asleep and half awake, and the awake part doesn¡¯t fuse with me properly. Honestly, Yuan Hengzhi does have a liking for Bai Zhi, but it¡¯s unfortunate that he encounters Lan Jianqing every time. And every time he sees Lan Jianqing, this body¡¯s gaze turns deep with affection, and Yuan Hengzhi isn¡¯t a fool. He¡¯s from a reconnaissance background; he can see clearly, how could he be deceived?¡±


    The small light point, ¡°Master, this is the maximum energy I can muster. If I completely clear the original host¡¯s consciousness, this body will become an idiot, and you won¡¯t be able to do anything.¡±


    ¡°For now, let¡¯s leave it as is. The magnetic field at Tenghai Research Base is particularly strong, which I think has been caused by Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s arrival.¡±


    ¡°Does he even know that he has a Space Device? We¡¯ve followed him for so long, how have we never noticed any abnormalities?¡±


    The big light point disdainfully said, ¡°He is just an ordinary person. It¡¯s already his great fortune that the Space Device fell into his hands; he still wants to use it? Dream on.¡±


    The small light point seemed to be pondering the big light point¡¯s words, and after a while, it cautiously said, ¡°Master, we¡¯ve been wandering for too long. If we don¡¯t go back soon, I¡¯m afraid something will go wrong with me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, before you have any problems, we will take back the Space Device and leave immediately.¡±


    The small light point, somewhat puzzled, asked, ¡°Master, if you¡¯re sure the Space Device is on Yuan Hengzhi, can¡¯t we think of some other methods? Why must Bai Zhi marry him?¡±


    The big light point looked at the small light point as if it were an idiot, ¡°Why are you talking nonsense again? If there were any other way, we wouldn¡¯t be doing this.¡±


    ¡°But until now, he adamantly refuses to marry Bai Zhi, so we can¡¯t do anything about it.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a saying in this inferior world, ¡®even a brave woman fears a persevering suitor¡¯. On the flip side, Yuan Hengzhi will eventually marry Bai Zhi.¡±


    The small light point looked up admiringly at the big light point, ¡°Master, you know so much.¡±


    The big light point, proud, ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯ve read so many books.¡± Then he sighed regretfully, ¡°If only this body weren¡¯t the only suitable one, we would have taken back the Space Device already. Hence, we need to think of a way to make the original host¡¯s consciousness fall asleep completely so that this body doesn¡¯t display uncontrollable affection every time it sees that Lan fellow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll think of something,¡± the small light point hurriedly promised.


    It circled around the small area a few times. It did not like this place either and longed to return to its own higher-dimensional world. This inferior world was too backward and not fun at all.


    As Bai Zhi slept, she turned over and muttered something unconsciously. However, with the room to herself, no one knew what she was saying.


    Zhang Xuanzi and Wu Hong, dusty and weary from travel, arrived in North City, which was colder than Xichuan. Fortunately¡¯)¡±

 Chapter 497 - 497 497 Revisiting Old Ground

    ?Chapter 497: Chapter 497: Revisiting Old Ground? Chapter 497: Chapter 497: Revisiting Old Ground? Those who couldn¡¯t afford gloves, their hands were all blistered from toil.


    After the grain was gathered in the barn, did you think it was over? Far from it. The agricultural tax was considerable. After paying the public grain, some households, if not careful, wouldn¡¯t even have enough left over for next year¡¯s seed money.


    So, for some families, it really was bustling about all year for nothing.


    The life of farmers improved only after the agricultural tax was repealed; but it wasn¡¯t repealed yet, so apart from the exceptional Qiao Family Team and Hejia Village, other rural areas were merely subsisting.


    Don¡¯t be fooled by the now negotiable grain prices; without money in hand, you still couldn¡¯t afford to buy.


    This was the basic state of farmers at present.


    Zhang Xuanzi had conducted thorough investigations before his arrival and believed that the place he wanted shouldn¡¯t pose much of a problem. If the conversion array was in the fields, he could contract the land, and if it was in someone¡¯s home, he could effortlessly purchase it.


    Fortunately, with the reform and opening up, things were easier. Had it been seven or eight years ago when everything was collectively owned, it would have been much harder to do anything.


    But unexpectedly, after wandering around the village for half a day, they found no trace of the conversion array, though they had clearly sensed it in Spring City.


    Could there have been a mistake?


    But their senses were not wrong when they were in the county seat.


    At that time, Qiao Zhiyuan hurried over after hearing the news. Now, he was no longer the team leader; he had become the village chief, in charge of both the Qiao Family Team and Hejia Village. The Qiao Family Team had even considered changing its name, but then they thought of the brand value it held and left it unchanged as a benchmark.


    There was a team leader here who had called Qiao Zhiyuan, informing him that some leaders from a cement factory and a few people from out of town had come over the New Year just for a casual visit.


    Nobody knew exactly what this casual visit entailed.


    Qiao Zhiyuan introduced himself with a friendly smile, and Zhang Xuanzi and his group also grinned at Qiao Zhiyuan. As a figure akin to a local big shot and someone with significant ties to Qiao Qingyu, he certainly couldn¡¯t be taken lightly, especially with Wu Hong by their side.


    Wu Hong was a gentle and meticulous man, and Qiao Zhiyuan remembered him well.


    He asked, ¡°It¡¯s a bit chilly outside; would you like to come in and warm up?¡±


    Wu Hong smiled and replied, ¡°Thank you, Village Chief Qiao. It¡¯s just that the elder at home had once thrived in this area when he was young. Now reminiscing about his youth, he wants to return and take a look, and can¡¯t even wait for the spring flowers to bloom.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan seemed to suddenly understand, ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s the reason.¡±


    At that moment, Zhang Xuanzi subtly signaled Wu Hong with his eyes, and Wu Hong immediately caught on, indicating a new discovery. Wu Hong then continued, ¡°Village Chief Qiao, we won¡¯t disturb you any further, we¡¯re going to take a look around elsewhere. When we have the chance to visit the Qiao Family Team, I will definitely come by.¡±


    He certainly had a way with words.


    Zhang Xuanzi couldn¡¯t remain silent. He spoke, ¡°Decades have passed, and looking back now, everything is completely different. Yet, I still vaguely remember some places.¡±


    He paused a moment, then continued, ¡°Village Chief Qiao, our Zhang Family also traveled far and wide. This place was desolate decades ago, but that doesn¡¯t mean nobody used to come here.¡± He pointed in a direction, ¡°Back then, there was a road here. Following it through the vast Xing¡¯an Ridge, one could reach the northernmost gold mines.¡±


    Of course, Qiao Zhiyuan was aware of this history and responded, ¡°The old gentleman is revisiting his old haunts, I see.¡±


    Zhang Xuanzi waved his hand, ¡°You go about your busy way; we should be leaving too. I¡¯ll have a look around elsewhere.¡±


    Since he wasn¡¯t needed to accompany them, Qiao Zhiyuan could hardly insist on it. Watching the group walk away, Qiao Zhiyuan inquired about their movements and then returned to the Qiao Family Team. Although the New Year festivities were ongoing and the Lantern Festival had not yet arrived, spring plowing preparations were already necessary.


    After the spring plowing, it would be time to prepare for building houses for each family.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Zhihai and Wang Mei were causing a ruckus during the precious holiday season, which was a real headache.


    Zhang Xuanzi and Wu Hong had finally located the approximate position of the conversion array, and to their surprise, it was in Lianjiang Village.


    The place felt familiar; it seemed to be the old home of Old Lady Han who currently lived in Spring City.


    After all the twists and turns, they had circled back to where they started.


    If Zhang Xuanzi had not known Old Lady Han¡¯s background, he would have certainly suspected that Han Lishi had deliberately hidden this from him, but he had to admit that the old woman had some skills and knew this was a good location.


    To construct such a large array, the area had to be geographically special and possess excellent feng shui.


    Once the site was confirmed, the issue was easily resolved. Unlike the Qiao Family Team and Hejia Village, neither purchasing their houses nor contracting their land posed any difficulties.


    So, one could say the trip had been successful.


    After returning to the county, Zhang Xuanzi got a call from Spring City. They informed him that Han Lishi had left Spring City with her granddaughter and was likely heading back to Xichuan.


    Zhang Xuanzi frowned slightly and said indifferently, ¡°Let them go.¡±


    Their target was someone destined for great fortune, and while one could bask in the reflected glory by staying by her side, usurping Qiao Qingyu¡¯s fortune was no easy feat.


    He saw potential in Han Feng; the girl had good abilities and could take a step further forward.


    Yet she stubbornly fixated on a single goal, and she wouldn¡¯t rest until she fell hard and bled.


    So, Zhang Xuanzi lost interest in interfering with her affairs.


    He would rather guide Liu Ge than bother with them.


    Moreover, the current situation was not too favorable for him. If he conducted business properly and lived well on this land, there wouldn¡¯t be a problem, but if he really stirred up trouble, the consequences were not something he wanted to see.


    And he had a vague feeling that things hadn¡¯t gone smoothly for them this time; something seemed to have happened.


    Zhang Xuanzi told Wu Hong, ¡°From now on, there¡¯s no need to pay them any mind; our ties are severed, and we need to be more careful from here on.¡±


    If this matter were exposed, it could cause a huge uproar and social unrest; they might even end up facing execution.


    Wu Hong certainly understood this.


    After confirming their bearings, Zhang Xuanzi left North City with the elder.


    Wu Hong, on the other hand, discussed with local government officials whether it was time to consider expanding investments. To those officials, those four words were as melodious as the music of the heavens.


    So, he was invited into a conference room to begin negotiations.


    ...


    Yuan Hengzhi, who was at the Tenghai Research Base, glanced at the time. If all went smoothly, Lan Jianqing should have almost reached the station by now.


    As for how he¡¯d make it here, Yuan Hengzhi couldn¡¯t be bothered.


    After all, he wasn¡¯t a child.


    He approached He Juanjuan, ¡°Little girl, big brother will take you to chip ice and catch fish, okay?¡±


    He Juanjuan¡¯s eyes lit up. Beside her, He Xuerong¡¯s eyes sparkled even brighter.


    The mere mention of chipping ice and catching fish, ah, it surely promised to be great fun.

 Chapter 498 - 498 498 Hiding Deep Affection Behind

    ?Chapter 498: Chapter 498: Hiding Deep Affection Behind Sunglasses Chapter 498: Chapter 498: Hiding Deep Affection Behind Sunglasses The West River Region is not abundant in water, but that does not mean there is none.


    Last year, a small stream appeared on the west side of the land where Qiao Qingyu initially planted Barley Grass.


    Following the stream forward, a pond with an area of over a thousand square meters was spotted amidst a wasteland.


    The area of the Barley Grassland had also greatly expanded.


    Regardless of whether the soil had been improved or not, the value of Barley Grass was quite high now.


    Where there is water, there are fish; this pond likely formed over two or three years.


    Water pockets indicate that the underground water source is not far from the surface.


    Yuan Hengzhi took He Juanjuan, Rongrong, and Xiao Hu with their tools in a jeep and drove toward that direction.


    When Bai Zhi went looking for Yuan Hengzhi, she found that he had vanished yet again.


    The guard looked at her with a complex gaze, causing unease in Bai Zhi¡¯s heart. She glared at him fiercely and then turned to leave.


    Unexpectedly, she caught sight of Lan Jianqing standing not far away.


    How did he get here?


    It was so sudden.


    Bai Zhi clenched her fists tightly, pausing her steps; her heart began thumping violently.


    It seemed she had thought of something, hastily pulling out a pair of sunglasses from her small backpack and putting them on.


    Actually wearing sunglasses, huh? With these on, no one would be able to discern her expression. Look how smart she is.


    Lan Jianqing¡¯s journey here had gone smoothly. After getting off at the station, a quick inquiry led him to know how to get to the Tenghai Research Base, and he happened upon a ride that took him straight there. Not expecting that Yuan Hengzhi had already informed the guards, he presented his credentials and smoothly made his way inside, where he easily found Bai Zhi.


    She was still the same as before.


    But why did she immediately put on sunglasses upon seeing him?


    What was she trying to do?


    A big question mark formed in Lan Jianqing¡¯s heart, but he still approached joyfully, ¡°Bai Zhi, I¡¯m here to take you back home.¡±


    ¡°How did you know I was here?¡± Bai Zhi asked, puffing with anger.


    ¡°Of course, it was Yuan Hengzhi who called me. Alright, let¡¯s not fuss anymore. I know you¡¯re just trying to make me angry on purpose. You¡¯ve calmed down now, right? I¡¯ve been punished and I admit my mistake. Come back with me, I¡¯ll take you to meet my parents. Haven¡¯t you always wanted to travel and get married? After we get our marriage certificate, I will take you abroad. Wherever you want to go, I will take you. Is that alright?¡± Lan Jianqing said persuasively and with a gentle attitude.


    ¡°Not alright, not alright at all. Who wants to get a marriage certificate with you? If I am to get a marriage certificate, I would do it with Yuan Hengzhi.¡±


    Lan Jianqing pretended not to hear her words and reached out teasingly, ¡°Look at you, the sun isn¡¯t even that bright, what do you need sunglasses for in the dead of winter? It¡¯s so out of place. Take them off.¡±


    As he said it, he moved to take off Bai Zhi¡¯s sunglasses.


    Unexpectedly, Bai Zhi slapped his hand away with a look of displeasure on her face.


    Lan Jianqing¡¯s expression changed, but he didn¡¯t force her.


    He said directly, ¡°Yuan Hengzhi is a gentleman. He doesn¡¯t want to make things ugly or speak harshly. The bit of leeway he left isn¡¯t because he has feelings for you; it¡¯s because he didn¡¯t want to put me in an awkward position. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand and I don¡¯t want to. Please go back, I¡¯ll leave in a few days.¡± After saying this, Bai Zhi turned and walked towards the direction of the recruitment office.


    The guard not far from them inexplicably looked up at the blue sky, having no idea what these two people were doing. It was really strange.


    The guard still said, ¡°Mr. Lan, before our leader left, he told me to take you to the guesthouse to rest. He has already arranged a room for you.¡±


    Lan Jianqing smiled, ¡°Then please thank your leader for me.¡± He then added, ¡°Since I¡¯m here, I also want to visit some friends.¡±


    The guard asked, ¡°Who is your friend?¡±


    ¡°He is the wife of Chief Engineer He; we knew each other before.¡±


    The guard remained silent; the leader probably knew about this.


    The room arranged for Lan Jianqing happened to be next to Bai Zhi¡¯s, so one could say Yuan Hengzhi had put considerable thought into this.


    He pushed the door but did not expect Bai Zhi to have locked it from the inside.


    Lan Jianqing leaned against the wall, his mood low with a mix of helplessness and melancholy.


    At lunchtime, it was the guard who took him to the cafeteria, and then he brought his meal back, only then did he knock on the door.


    Bai Zhi didn¡¯t have her sunglasses on, so with one inside the door and the other outside, their eyes accidentally met, and her eyes immediately moistened, her eye rims turned red, and the next second, tears fell plop plop, the affection in her eyes unmistakable and impossible to hide.


    Her gaze was still the same as before, which was something that couldn¡¯t deceive anyone.


    So Lan Jianqing¡¯s heart softened again, and he strode into the room. He closed the door and angrily said, ¡°Bai Zhi, what are you doing? Are you trying to get something from Yuan Hengzhi, or why would you cling to him? That¡¯s not your character, and you¡¯re not that kind of person...¡±


    Bai Zhi stood frozen in place.


    The little light point in her mind panicked and screamed, ¡°Master, master, it¡¯s bad, you¡¯ve slipped up, he knows what you¡¯re trying to do.¡±


    Big Light Point¡¯s experience all came from books, and she had only been in control of this body a little over a year.


    In a panic, she shouted, ¡°Shut up, shut up, you be quiet.¡± She wasn¡¯t sure if she meant for the little light point to stop talking or for Lan Jianqing in front of her.


    Then Lan Jianqing stepped forward and embraced Bai Zhi tightly in his arms, then he bent his head to kiss her lips.


    This was the most sudden encounter Big Light Point had faced since taking over this body. She didn¡¯t react in time, her eyes wide open, but her hands uncontrollably wrapped around Lan Jianqing¡¯s neck while a complex flicker passed through his eyes, as well as a hint of wild joy.


    But in the next moment, a terrifying current suddenly passed from the lips to his entire body; his eyes closed, his body went limp, and he lost consciousness, collapsing onto Bai Zhi.


    It took Bai Zhi quite a while to come to her senses, and she hastily dragged him onto a chair.


    After doing all this, she was sweating profusely, sitting on the chair gasping for breath. Her body was really in poor condition, weak as a little chick.


    However, Yuan Hengzhi had no idea what was happening here at this moment.


    He was busy with He Juanjuan, Xiao Hu, and Rongrong on the ice, sweating profusely as they used tools to break a hole in the ice. The ice wasn¡¯t solidly frozen because the pond was quite deep, around three meters; you wouldn¡¯t dare to fish in the river during summer without at least a boat, and as for winter, the ice would freeze over more than a meter thick.


    But beneath there was water that hadn¡¯t frozen into ice, and of course, there were fish in it.

 Chapter 499 - 499 499 Devouring and Possession

    ?Chapter 499: Chapter 499 Devouring and Possession Chapter 499: Chapter 499 Devouring and Possession Yuan Hengzhi was strong and worked hard¡ªbanging and chiseling away. Of course, He Juanjuan and Rongrong were quite far from him, cleaning the snow and then ice skating. It was a shame there were no ice skates, but Xiao Hu and Rongrong knew a way to skate with both feet by taking a running start and sliding sideways, managing to glide several meters.


    It was sweetly called: Slip and slide!


    When they finally found where the ice was leaking, Yuan Hengzhi put a specially made net bag into it.


    After a long wait, no fish came, but lying on the ice, they could definitely see the fish swimming back and forth beneath¡ªabout the size of a hand¡ªprobably a type of grass carp.


    This kind of fish was very resilient.


    When the net bag didn¡¯t work, they switched to another fishing tool. He Juanjuan came over, watched the hole in the ice, and grabbed the fishing net, then tried to imitate Yuan Hengzhi.


    But after a while, no fish came.


    She simply lay down on the ice, which instantly changed Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s expression. He picked up He Juanjuan, scolding, ¡°You little girl lying on the ice, aren¡¯t you afraid of getting a bellyache?¡±


    He Juanjuan was about to retort when she saw the net, which was being pulled up, actually had a fish frantically jumping about.


    She shouted, ¡°Fish fish fish...¡±


    Yuan Hengzhi naturally saw it too, and thought to himself that the girl really was lucky.


    He smiled at He Juanjuan, ¡°Throw it over to where Rongrong and the others are, let them pick it up.¡±


    That was a good idea.


    He Juanjuan threw the fish from the net bag towards Rongrong and the others, shouting, ¡°I caught a fish...¡±


    He Xuerong and Li Mingguang had already seen it, and before they could approach, a fish arced through the air and landed on the ice in front of them.


    The two children cheered and rushed forward¡ªone pounced and the other grabbed. The cold-water fish was quite formidable, jumping high, similar to catching grasshoppers, and after some effort, they finally caught the fish and put it in a bucket.


    Meanwhile, He Juanjuan and Yuan Hengzhi collaborated, and by noon, they had almost half a bucket of fish.


    At that time, the sun was high in the sky; they hadn¡¯t felt very cold due to the activity, but they were hungry. Upon arriving at He Xiuyu¡¯s house, Yuan Hengzhi voluntarily began to clean the fish.


    Before he was done, the guest house called, saying that the visitor looking for Bai Zhi had fainted and was now taken to the hospital.


    Qiao Qingyu, knowing the visitor was Lan Jianqing, was somewhat at a loss for words.


    Yuan Hengzhi put down the half-cleaned fish and hurried to the hospital, with He Juanjuan tagging along out of curiosity.


    The two had lunch at the base cafeteria.


    It was said that the person was still unconscious and they couldn¡¯t determine the cause.


    Yuan Hengzhi hadn¡¯t expected things to turn out this way. Bai Zhi seemed very innocent, claiming ignorance about everything. After all, it had just been the two of them in the room, and no one knew what had happened.


    Moreover, Lan Jianqing had no external injuries, not even internal ones.


    Now, some of the equipment at the base hospital was made by the base itself, and some was imported from abroad. The hospital wasn¡¯t small and the medical technology was quite advanced. Since nothing turned up from the examinations, there was no need to go to Xichuan.


    Then, Yuan Hengzhi felt quite downhearted. Originally, he wanted to pass Bai Zhi, this hot potato, to Lan Jianqing and wash his hands of it, but to his dismay, Lan Jianqing turned into another hot potato.


    In the evening, seeing Bai Zhi¡¯s pale face, Yuan Hengzhi couldn¡¯t let a girl sit vigil alone, so he said to Bai Zhi, ¡°You go back to the guest house first. If he¡¯s still not awake tomorrow, I¡¯ll personally take him back to Beijing.¡±


    What else could Bai Zhi say?


    No one knew that she had simply released an energy wave and knocked him into a coma. The issue wasn¡¯t serious, his life wasn¡¯t in danger, and he would naturally come to in a few days. The only uncertainty was whether his brain would be damaged. If it were, he might end up a fool.


    The small light point joyfully said beside her, ¡°Becoming a fool is good. If he becomes a fool, he won¡¯t pester you anymore, and you can wholeheartedly pursue Yuan Hengzhi.¡±


    The big light point thought to itself, ¡°If that really happens, that would be for the best.¡±


    After retrieving the Space Device, she could go home.


    At this moment, the night was deep, without moon or stars.


    The sky was pitch black.


    The heavy dark clouds seemed to press directly overhead, creating an unexplained feeling of oppression.


    There were street lights on the road from the hospital to the guest house, although they weren¡¯t very bright.


    But Bai Zhi knew that the place was strictly guarded, the safety level was top-notch.


    It could be said that it was one of the safest places in the whole of Huaxia.


    Bai Zhi had something on her mind, and she walked slowly.


    Suddenly, a bright light flew towards her from the northwest. Bai Zhi was stunned. Oh my, how could there be such a large energy body?


    She quickly ducked into a shadow, but unexpectedly, Han Liuya, who had left her body again, saw a beautiful girl hiding in the shadows. She didn¡¯t recognize her, but she immediately sensed something strange about her.


    The aura of the girl seemed to carry an enticing fragrance, tempting Han Liuya not to think about anything else and to fly towards this beautiful girl.


    Whether it was to seize her body or to do something else, this was an opportunity from heaven that Han Liuya absolutely couldn¡¯t miss.


    In this deserted corner, an energy sphere with tremendous force suddenly knocked Bai Zhi to the ground, and in an instant, entered her mind. Even Han Liuya¡¯s soul body was startled by the two strangely shaped souls present at the spirit platform.


    What was going on here?


    Moreover, this soul body was radiating light, making the small spirit platform dazzlingly bright.


    What happened next was unseen by anyone.


    Bai Zhi was rolling on the ground non-stop, clutching her head, but she couldn¡¯t make a sound because she was hidden in a dark corner. Furthermore, she was wearing a dark blue down jacket and black leather shoes, blending into the night, going unnoticed.


    Moreover, there were very few people on the road from the hospital to the guest house at this time.


    Within the small conscious area, these three energy bodies clashed.


    Strictly speaking, it was two against one.


    You want to eat me, and I want to eat you.


    Faced with this situation, the two united energy bodies only wanted to devour Han Liuya¡¯s energy body.


    And the result was that the big light point in cooperation with the small light point finally devoured Han Liuya¡¯s energy body.


    But perhaps due to unforeseen problems during the devouring process, even the big light point itself wasn¡¯t prepared and was ejected from the body, and the small light point was ejected along with it.

 Chapter 500 - 500 500 Test Your Sons Memory

    ?Chapter 500: Chapter 500 Test Your Son¡¯s Memory Chapter 500: Chapter 500 Test Your Son¡¯s Memory After the two light points flew out from Bai Zhi¡¯s mind, Bai Zhi¡¯s head tilted and she fainted.


    The big light point, along with the small light point, was about to return to Bai Zhi¡¯s body when two people, carrying flashlights, walked by. It was just past eight in the evening, and they spotted Bai Zhi lying on the ground.


    In a flurry, they rushed her to the hospital. When Bai Zhi woke up, she was dazed for a moment before regaining clarity and immediately seeking out Lan Jianqing.


    Somehow, Lan Jianqing had awoken as well.


    Then their eyes met.


    Bai Zhi cried again!


    She looked at him with such deep and affectionate eyes. Lan Jianqing didn¡¯t know how to respond, but he remembered¡ªhe kissed her, as sweet and soft as he recalled in his memories.


    But while kissing, he fainted.


    Was there something wrong with his health?


    Their kissing wasn¡¯t even intense; he shouldn¡¯t have been lacking oxygen...


    Lost in wild thoughts, Lan Jianqing didn¡¯t expect Bai Zhi, holding his hand, to say, ¡°We agreed, tomorrow we¡¯ll go back to Beijing. You wanted to marry me, right? You wanted a travel wedding, right? You have to keep your word.¡±


    Lan Jianqing stared blankly at Bai Zhi, unable to respond at once.


    The day¡¯s ups and downs hadn¡¯t given him any time to ponder.


    Then, standing at the door of the hospital room, Yuan Hengzhi finally let out a long sigh. With that, the matter seemed to have been satisfactorily resolved.


    It appeared Bai Zhi had come to an understanding and stopped clinging to him. Yuan Hengzhi felt somewhat relieved.


    The hospital no longer seemed a suitable place to stay; exhausted and sleepy from the day¡¯s turmoil, he left the hospital with light steps.


    At this moment, the big light point and the small light point frantically flew in the northwest direction.


    It seemed something there was drawing them in. The big light point didn¡¯t have time to speak to the small light point, but she thought it must be the source of the energy she had just absorbed.


    Han Lishi, watching over her granddaughter, couldn¡¯t have imagined that when Han Liuya next opened her eyes, she was no longer her granddaughter.


    Of course, all these events were bizarre happenings in the dark, unseen and unknown to anyone.


    Even Qiao Qingyu, the true possessor of the Space Device, was unaware.


    And the big light point also didn¡¯t know how she detected the Space Device on Yuan Hengzhi.


    It was indeed a very eerie occurrence.


    The next day.


    Qiao Qingyu invited Lan Jianqing and Bai Zhi to her house for a meal.


    Regardless, these two had once been part of a work team in North City, especially Lan Jianqing. Despite her lost memory, the facts couldn¡¯t be erased. She had travelled so far to get here; the least Qiao Qingyu could do was invite them for a meal.


    Of course, Yuan Hengzhi was there as well.


    And Wu Qianyun knew Lan Jianqing.


    She called him Little Lan, and referred to Bai Zhi as Little Bai.


    He Xuerong giggled, ¡°Auntie and uncle, the two of your names match so well.¡±


    This was surely a harmonious moment.


    During this period, no one brought up Bai Zhi¡¯s pursuit of Yuan Hengzhi, as if it had never happened. Bai Zhi herself, for some reason, seemed to have selectively forgotten just like Qiao Qingyu, yet she remembered what she needed to remember.


    After the two of them left, Yuan Hengzhi finally breathed a huge sigh of relief.


    Finding a proper time, Qiao Qingyu and Shen Fen, who was now the principal of the integrated school at Tenghai Research Base, visited Zhao Guoqiang¡¯s home.


    With school starting soon, they wanted to see if Zhao Guoqiang and Qian Guizhi were planning to send Little Gou Dan to school this term.


    Little Gou Dan was already eight years old; it was the right time to start school in the fall.


    His memory was exceptionally good; Principal Shen thought he was a promising youngster and naturally, the opportunity couldn¡¯t be missed. What was the Tenghai Research Base known for? It was a place that housed talent, and of course, their school was designed to cultivate talent.


    Both parents were highly educated and highly intelligent, so there was no way they would have a dull child. Hence, she had gone to great lengths to build the school to its current state.


    This integrated school was not a private entity like those in some industrial schools where the education sector doesn¡¯t allocate funding, all handled by the industries themselves, which was common in many places. However, Tenghai Research Base was a bona fide public school, and all students were assigned here from major normal schools.


    It was all for the better cultivation of talent.


    The school housed elementary, middle, and high school all together, named Tenghai Research Integrated School.


    Efforts do pay off; the students here had the best overall academic performance in Xichuan City.


    So when Principal Shen arrived, Qian Guizhi became extremely nervous.


    She looked uneasy at Qiao Qingyu, not knowing what this meant. Meanwhile, in another room, Zhao Guoqiang, who wore a grim expression, came out and greeted the visitors with a relaxed face.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at Zhao Guoqiang without any expression. Now, Zhang Yurou¡¯s side had already been secretly put under surveillance, and Qiao Qingyu wouldn¡¯t foolishly inquire about Qian Guizhi¡¯s dream. However, she and He Xiuyu were still keeping it in mind, of course, without disclosing the real reason behind it to Director Lin and Yuan Hengzhi.


    He Xiuyu had made sure that Zhang Yurou was one of the people under surveillance.


    Indeed, the research base couldn¡¯t achieve total tranquility even with cleanup. The process wasn¡¯t thoroughly complete, and there was still the need to be cautious about some potentially turncoat personnel.


    Thus, like Director Lin and others, their work was relentless, just hoping that once living conditions at home improved compared to abroad, these people would abandon their ulterior motives.


    Cheerfully, Qiao Qingyu introduced her purpose while Principal Shen, on the other side, spoke to Zhao Guoqiang, ¡°Squad Leader Zhao, I came here specifically to test your son¡¯s memory.¡±


    Zhao Guoqiang froze for a moment and asked, puzzled, ¡°Test what memory, what¡¯s wrong with him?¡±


    ¡°Squad Leader Zhao, aren¡¯t you aware your son has exceptionally good memory?¡±


    Qian Guizhi also paused, her heart pounding. Having Principal Shen visit personally surely meant her child had something special.


    ¡°...The child does indeed have a good memory,¡± Qian Guizhi muttered.


    But that was all she could articulate; she truly couldn¡¯t recognize a single character. In their rural environment, where the child couldn¡¯t even access a piece of paper, what could he remember?


    At most, he would recognize all the local relatives after meeting them once.


    Beyond that, there seemed to be nothing else.


    Even a hero had no place to exert his skills.


    Squad Leader Zhao¡¯s face changed, and he looked at his well-behaved son, Gou Dan, with a complex expression.

 Chapter 501 - 501 501 Assessment

    ?Chapter 501: Chapter 501 Assessment Chapter 501: Chapter 501 Assessment This was indeed his child, Zhao Guoqiang¡¯s own. He had a photo of himself as a child, and this boy looked exactly like him.


    He had never taken him out before, but everyone who had seen the child had joked with him, saying that Gou Dan was a spitting image of him, a real chip off the old block, Zhao Guoqiang¡¯s own flesh and blood.


    Of course, he admitted this, but he had never expected that just one encounter with that woman would result in pregnancy.


    And he also believed that this woman didn¡¯t have the audacity to be with other men.


    Could this child have some special talent?


    Having spent so much time at the base, he was the most knowledgeable in this regard. Could this be a genius in the aspect of having an exceptional memory?


    Then, he was surprised to discover that the child seemed different from when he first arrived. His little back was straight and erect, his eyes bright and sparkling. Despite the trembling in his small clenched hands, he still bravely looked up and smiled at Principal Shen who was smiling at him.


    Remembering how pitiable he had been when he first arrived.


    But after his initial surprise, he didn¡¯t feel much of a disturbance in his heart. The child wasn¡¯t close to him because he didn¡¯t like him, and it seemed they had never spoken to each other. He had certainly never held him.


    Zhao Guoqiang sat silently to the side, making the atmosphere in the room somewhat eerie.


    Shen Fen was well aware of the affairs of the Zhao Family and looked down upon Zhao Guoqiang.


    Suppressing the urge to scold Zhao Guoqiang, she reminded herself that she wasn¡¯t here for that today. Moreover, she was no longer the director of the household department. She didn¡¯t manage some of the family members¡¯ affairs anymore; her focus was now on the schoolwork. If this child was indeed talented, she needed to start nurturing him right away.


    Talent was always indispensable, and they couldn¡¯t afford to have any generational gaps.


    This was something she had understood for a long time.


    The testing method was actually quite simple. It started with reciting several ancient poems. Shen Fen recited them only once, and the child repeated them fluently and accurately without missing a single word.


    Then came the cliched use of the pi constant.


    However, because the child had never been to school, let alone kindergarten, it was unclear if he even recognized Arabic numerals.


    Upon questioning by Qiao Qingyu, it became apparent that he did know the numbers, although he had only learned them a few days prior, taught by Li Mingguang.


    Qiao Qingyu handed the boy a piece of paper with the digits of pi written on it and said in a gentle voice, ¡°Gou Dan, try to remember these numbers. Don¡¯t worry about what they¡¯re for, just see how far you can get...¡±


    Gou Dan took the paper, looked down at it, then pointed to each number with his little finger. During this time, the room was very quiet.


    Zhao Guoqiang stood up noisily, and Shen Fen gave him a disapproving glare.


    Zhao Guoqiang wanted to smoke a cigarette.


    He was feeling restless. The child¡¯s recitation of the ancient poems had really stunned him. After all, he was smart himself; otherwise, how could he, a farmer¡¯s boy with no background, become the team leader of the Tenghai Research Base¡¯s transport team?


    In the special squad, he was in charge of the transport team¡¯s vehicles. He had the best driving skills, the highest car repair skills, and he could even assemble cars, once combining three scrapped cars into a new one, for which he had been awarded a second-class merit.


    But he had married an illiterate and extremely foolish wife and had a child who was as inconsequential as a mouse. He had always looked down on the mother and child.


    However, he had never expected the child to completely change his perception.


    Thinking about it carefully, he had glanced at the child when he was born, looked at him once when he started walking, and Qian Guizhi never mentioned it, nor did the child speak of it, but Zhao Guoqiang knew in his heart.


    Before they stepped into this house, he had only met his son three times in total.


    What understanding could there be between them?


    If it weren¡¯t for that similar face, walking down the street, he wouldn¡¯t even know who was who.


    But at this moment, Zhao Guoqiang was both agitated and shocked.


    He sat back down obediently, his eyes fixed on Gou Dan. Gou Dan had always been afraid of him, but now, focusing on those digits, the child seemed to forget everything around him.


    It was when the moon reached its zenith that the assessment finally ended.


    Perhaps it was due to nervousness, having just learned Arabic numerals, or maybe because the child was still very young and had only just begun to seriously engage with the world, but the child wasn¡¯t very fluent with the numbers. However, he recited them to over three hundred decimal places.


    This exceeded both Shen Fen and Qiao Qingyu¡¯s expectations.


    The next step was to discuss familiarizing him with the school environment, as the child¡¯s upbringing had been too terrible; he didn¡¯t even know what a school was for.


    It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration; in their remote home village, there were no schools. He had never left the village since birth, and aside from a health center attached to the brigade headquarters and a small grocery store, there was nothing else there.


    Next was the task of naming the child.


    Naming should be something the parents do. No matter what, Zhao Guoqiang was in the room. He might not be worth a dime, but he still had that right.


    But before he had the chance to think it over, for some reason, the child looked up at Qiao Qingyu expectantly and said, ¡°Aunt Qiao, would you please give me a name?¡±


    Before he finished speaking, Qian Guizhi stood up in a panic, looking incredulously at Qiao Qingyu, then at her own son. At that moment, her eyes were filled with confusion, as if she didn¡¯t understand what had just happened. Qiao Qingyu knew in her heart that this must have been about the dream she had, but Qiao Qingyu pretended to know nothing and nodded her agreement before pretending to think there.


    Shen Fen smiled and said there was no rush.


    In no time at all, Qiao Qingyu clapped her hands, bent down slightly, and said to Gou Dan with a beaming smile, ¡°Gou Dan, from now on, your name will be Zhao Yuan.¡±


    Qian Guizhi¡¯s head buzzed, and she barely managed to see the two visitors out the door. Then she sat in the chair in a daze, while Zhao Guoqiang, unusually, wore a gentle smile. Today, his son had made him proud. The whole base would probably be talking about his son Gou Dan being a genius by tomorrow.


    He definitely was a genius, with such good memory and sensitivity to numbers.


    Over three hundred decimal places, and how many people only know 3.1415926?


    Of course, this didn¡¯t prove anything. He glared at Qian Guizhi, ¡°Hurry up and prepare the school bag for Gou Dan.¡±


    Qian Guizhi didn¡¯t know what to say. It seemed that since she had moved in, this was the first time Zhao Guoqiang had spoken so much to her.


    But she didn¡¯t feel flattered.


    She couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on the feeling, and then the young boy¡¯s crisp voice rang out in the room, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t call me Gou Dan anymore. I am Zhao Yuan, a name given to me by Aunt Qiao.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, Mom won¡¯t call you Gou Dan. Would you like it if Mom calls you Little Yuan?¡± After all, she couldn¡¯t always address her son with both his first and last names, could she?

 Chapter 502 - 502 502 Who Are You Exactly Where Did You Come

    ?Chapter 502: Chapter 502: Who Are You Exactly? Where Did You Come From? Chapter 502: Chapter 502: Who Are You Exactly? Where Did You Come From? Zhao Yuan laughed, clearly delighted.


    Even glancing at Zhao Guoqiang, he had entirely forgotten that he was supposed to fear him.


    ...


    Lady Han spent a month to confirm that her granddaughter had been possessed.


    That is, one night, her granddaughter left her own body to go to Tenghai Research Base but was devoured by a wild and lone spirit from who knows where.


    Even though she retained all her granddaughter¡¯s memories and could answer anything asked of her, if it wasn¡¯t a person, then it wasn¡¯t.


    Moreover, this lone wild spirit, with its simple mindset, was quickly blasted out by her. Lady Han had always known her granddaughter was no good, cruel and ruthless¡ªif one day she fell into her granddaughter¡¯s hands, she would definitely show no mercy.


    But this was still her granddaughter, and she wouldn¡¯t have lived to this day if it weren¡¯t for her granddaughter¡¯s birth that had prolonged her life.


    Besides, Lady Han had raised her from a young age, and naturally their bond was different from others. Now knowing she was still alive, her son and other relatives wouldn¡¯t think to come and care for her or ask after her¡ªthey¡¯d rather she and her granddaughter died out there.


    But now everything was over.


    She clutched Liuya¡¯s hand fiercely, her cloudy eyes turning blood-red, ¡°What kind of lone wild spirit are you? What have you done with my granddaughter? Tell the truth, or I have plenty of ways to scatter your soul and prevent your reincarnation forever...¡±


    Big Light Point in the consciousness area exchanged glances with Little Light Point. Panicked, Little Light Point said, ¡°It¡¯s bad, the old lady has found out. How did she realize? How is she so formidable? What should we do now?¡±


    Without this body, where would the two of them go? They still needed to find a suitable vessel, but there didn¡¯t seem to be a suitable one yet. However, after merging the memories, Big Light Point discovered many interesting things.


    She was being choked by the old lady¡¯s eagle-like grip, struggling to breathe, her face turning bluish-purple. She hadn¡¯t expected the old lady to be so strong, and her gaze looked terrifyingly eerie.


    At this moment, Big Light Point felt like she was about to be ejected from the body again, but then, seeing her gasping for breath and her complexion turning blue-purple, the frightened old lady quickly released her hand. Blinded by rage, she had forgotten this body belonged to her own granddaughter¡ªshe had always yearned for another body, yet she couldn¡¯t just discard this one.


    No matter where the lone wild spirit was from, she had to let it stay here for now; otherwise, her granddaughter¡¯s body would become unusable.


    After Granny Zhao released her, Liuya clutched her throat and coughed violently for a long time before gradually recovering.


    She simply sat down on a chair in the small courtyard, glanced around, then set her gaze on the pale-faced Lady Han and said meaningfully, ¡°Murders must be paid for with life.¡±


    Heh, she was well aware of that¡ªit was the law of this world.


    Lady Han¡¯s menacing gaze fixed on the seemingly confident Liuya, ¡°Who are you really? Where did you come from?¡±


    ¡°Who I am, you wouldn¡¯t know even if I told you; where I come from, you still wouldn¡¯t know even if I explained.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. Where has my granddaughter gone?¡± Lady Han lowered her voice and growled.


    ¡°Your granddaughter wanted to devour me. It was pure self-defense on my part. We merged, and now I know all her secrets.¡±


    Lady Han¡¯s eyes flickered, and she scoffed coldly, ¡°Secrets, what secrets could my granddaughter possibly have?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, Granny Zhao, you¡¯re really not being honest, huh? This girl¡¯s secrets are not trivial. For instance, she let the so-called Snake Fairy possess her and then pushed a girl named Qingyu into the river. After squeezing out Qingyu¡¯s energy body, she took over her body. Granny Zhao, you people often do such things, so why can¡¯t others do it too? Isn¡¯t that a bit hypocritical?¡±


    ¡°Shut up, don¡¯t spout nonsense. There¡¯s no such thing. If you keep spouting nonsense, the police will lock you up.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t go around saying this. I understand that, Granny Zhao. I¡¯m here to find something. Once I find it, I¡¯ll return to my world. After I leave, I will try to restore your granddaughter¡¯s energy body to you.¡±


    ¡°Can you do that?¡± Lady Han looked incredulously at Liuya, whose expressions and gestures seemed to have transformed into someone else¡¯s.


    ¡°Whether I can do it or not, we¡¯ll know when we try, won¡¯t we?¡±


    Liuya seemed very confident as she said this.


    Lady Han seemed to think of something and felt as though all her strength was drained. She collapsed onto a wooden stool, sighed, and slowly closed her eyes, perhaps believing it was all fate.


    ...


    It seemed that in just a moment of distraction, the willow had sprouted new leaves, and the green grass covered the hills and rivers!


    The vigorous spring farming was also coming to an end, and Qingyu was submitting her graduation thesis at the school.


    Everyone envied her; she was among the first batch of graduate students mentored by Professor Feng.


    The other two, one had transferred from another school, and the other was from the same class as Qingyu, named Wen Fang, and was also very talented.


    Li Bo also took the exam, but unfortunately, she did not pass, and she was pregnant.


    Huang Ling felt the most complicated about Li Bo¡¯s pregnancy because she had always thought that Mr. Zhao was infertile.


    She didn¡¯t think the problem was with her.


    But once Li Bo became pregnant, Old Lady Zhao went around saying all sorts of nasty things about Huang Ling, like she was a hen that doesn¡¯t lay eggs.


    It was offensive, but since Granny Zhao wasn¡¯t popular in the community, her words were usually met with resistance.


    Still, these words reached Huang Ling¡¯s ears, making her so angry that she went to the hospital¡¯s gynecology department for a check-up. It just so happened that a specialist had just arrived from Beijing to conduct a comprehensive medical check-up for the female staff at the base. However, the examinations showed that Huang Ling was perfectly normal.


    So, it could only be said that they were not meant to be.


    Anyway, who knows about this matter.


    And Qingyu was also nearing her delivery date, having received her diploma.


    Following that, she would occasionally return to school, but most of the time, she was with Professor Feng, and his laboratory wasn¡¯t far from where she lived. So, this arrangement was for the best.


    In this era, whether one graduated from a university, a college, or a vocational school, everyone officially became government officials for life until retirement.


    And they were all assigned jobs; the benefits were truly good.

 Chapter 503 - 503 503 Discovered a Stone Similar to the

    ?Chapter 503: Chapter 503: Discovered a Stone Similar to the Space Device Chapter 503: Chapter 503: Discovered a Stone Similar to the Space Device Qiao Qingyu¡¯s personnel file, no matter where she went, confirmed that she was a formal state cadre, which provided the opportunity for the agricultural base to be fully integrated into the Tenghai Research Base, establishing the Tenghai Agricultural Group.


    This integration was to remain undivided at all costs.


    While some enterprises consider their managing departments to be burdens, this freshly minted Agricultural Group was truly the backbone of Tenghai Research Base.


    Very soon, the approval documents for the establishment of the Tenghai Agricultural Group were in place, naturally necessitating a complete leadership team and various subordinate departments.


    On this occasion, Fang Xiaomei, Liu Chengwu, Wang Laogen, and a few others who were among the first to follow Qiao Qingyu finally became official employees.


    The family apartments rose abruptly, now in the final stages of completion, and two new office buildings were built, one of which housed the office for the Agricultural Group on the second floor.


    The offices in Zone 5 were then converted into a large warehouse.


    The Agricultural Group was currently managed by Old Xie and Qiao Qingyu, but with Qiao Qingyu about to give birth, she was only serving as the deputy.


    It was Liu Chengwu and Wang Laogen who were responsible for the agriculture.


    Old Xie also reported to the higher-ups, requesting a batch of fresh graduates. Tenghai Research was a glittering trademark, so many agricultural school graduates and others from technical schools were eager to be assigned here, resulting in a swift assemblage of personnel.


    Qiao Qingyu also adjusted her career path, focusing on agriculture, her main goal being to promote all viable seeds she had in hand. According to her current abilities, she did what she could, neither forcing herself too hard nor slacking off.


    In the Agricultural Group, her earnings came from the laboratory markups and the state-regulated salary.


    Additionally, Qiao Qingyu held a 20% share in Xichuan¡¯s first wool mill, which was invested in by the Wu Family.


    Qiao Qingyu also held a consultant position.


    But with the seeds being well-reputed, however she managed them, she was making money.


    Su Yunyao had given birth to a daughter, and Shen Haoze was overjoyed, always proudly talking about his baby girl.


    Qiao Qingyu saw that the two seemed to be having a lively time.


    As for herself, her preparations were nearly complete.


    Ever since she became pregnant, Qiao Qingyu drank goat milk every day, which Wu Qianyun prepared with jasmine tea and almonds, giving it a rich and aromatic flavor.


    Qiao Shengbao bought plenty of baby and children¡¯s items from Nangang City. Because he didn¡¯t have time to come over, he packed them in three large crates and had them mailed over through the post office.


    Qiao Zhicai was the most anxious, but the family couldn¡¯t do without him at home, so he made a lot of toys for children to bring over when Qiao Qingyu was due.


    The Qiao Family sent a lot of lingzhi mushrooms, black fungus, and fresh rice through the mail.


    In addition, there was fresh millet locally produced in Xichuan, numerous eggs collected from farmers¡¯ homes, soft cotton fabric for making baby clothes and diapers...


    Vegetables and fruits were in no short supply, the storeroom was filled to the brim in an instant.


    As for meat, a batch of pigs from the Tenghai Agricultural Group¡¯s breeding farm was ready for the market, and the canteen and logistics department slaughtered twenty pigs all at once.


    A new refrigerator was added to the home, so any meat that couldn¡¯t be eaten immediately could be stored in the fridge.


    The refrigerator was domestically produced with excellent performance, but its production was too low. After Qiao Qingyu became pregnant, He Xiuyu also made an effort to secure one for their use.


    All in all, Qiao Qingyu was in good health, and after a medical check-up at the hospital, her fetal position was correct, the fetus was developing normally, and the due date was in the next three to five days. Thus, He Xiuyu had delegated most of his work to his deputy Shen Haoze.


    However, this didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t going to work, just that he no longer worked overtime.


    Even though the Tenghai Research Base had been divided into two parts, the establishment of the Agricultural Group actually led to further expansion.


    The Agricultural Group now had a broad coverage, including the Seed Laboratory, grain warehouse, seedling base, vegetable base, breeding farm, and more...


    Essentially, the Agricultural Group¡¯s current work was to manage the daily meals of nearly ten thousand people at the Tenghai Research Base.


    Therefore, even though Qiao Qingyu was now home preparing for childbirth, she would still visit her unit every day, but she could no longer ride in the jeep or drive her own tractor.


    Yet each evening after dinner, as long as there was no thunderstorm or rain, He Xiuyu would leisurely wander alongside Qiao Qingyu, hand in hand, on their eastern road.


    The environment now was vastly different from when they had begun the construction; back then, even in summer, some lands were barren and desolate, but now, except for the absence of tall trees, greenery was found everywhere.


    He Xiuyu glanced at Qiao Qingyu¡¯s complexion and then at her belly. The child was well-behaved, never giving Qiao Qingyu any trouble.


    Qiao Qingyu only experienced nausea for a little over a week before resuming normal eating, and her nutrition was well-managed. Hence, Qiao Qingyu had not suffered much during her pregnancy.


    Because of this, He Xiuyu felt that he would definitely be pleased with the child once he (she) was born.


    Qiao Qingyu laughed when she heard He Xiuyu say this.


    However, He Xiuyu then whispered something to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°This afternoon, I happened to notice that the stone Yuan Hengzhi wears around his neck is somewhat similar to the stone on the Space Device.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was stunned for a moment, ¡°You just noticed? Haven¡¯t you grown up with him since childhood?¡±


    ¡°Yuan Hengzhi and I indeed grew up together, but I never paid attention to the stone he wears around his neck. He has been wearing that stone since he was little.¡±


    ¡°Did you take a good look? Is it the same in structure and composition as the stone on the outside of the Space Device?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell that. You know Yuan Hengzhi is from military reconnaissance background. If something seems off, he¡¯ll become suspicious.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then never mind, since he¡¯s been wearing it since childhood, it should be fine.¡±


    Indeed, this reasoning made sense because all the stones on the outside of the Space Device were of this type, and He Xiuyu had already conducted research and analysis, finding them harmless to the human body. Not only were they harmless, but they also had many benefits. Not to mention their composition, just the energy they emitted, which if described specifically, provided various elements needed by the human body.


    ¡°...I think you should still ask Yuan Hengzhi when you have time where that stone on his neck came from.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve asked. It was given to him by Old Man Yuan of the Yuan Family.¡±


    As for where Old Man Yuan got it from, that was unknown.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t necessarily need to know the answer, and their conversation soon drifted to Director Lin.


    Han Lishi, accompanied by Han Liuya, returned to Xichuan. This time, instead of going to the village, they bought a small house in the county town. Money could now be used to buy and sell houses.


    They bought a small courtyard on the outskirts of Yushu County, with two rooms suitable for the two of them. There was a yard in front of the house and a kitchen garden at the back.

 Chapter 504 - 504 504 He Chaoxuan

    ?Chapter 504: Chapter 504 He Chaoxuan Chapter 504: Chapter 504 He Chaoxuan But for the most part, these two usually stuck to themselves and managed to get along well with their neighbors, since Han Lishi was skilled in medicine, her acupuncture had helped alleviate arthritis for many of the elderly.


    Yet, she never opened a clinic at home, only treating those who sought her out and whom she found agreeable, ignoring those she didn¡¯t fancy, and for some reason, no one dared to bother her.


    Then there were Zhang Yurou and Zhao Guoqiang; they had officially broken up, but secretly they were still seeing each other.


    Zhao Guoqiang knew that his family¡¯s affairs were nearly an open book under the watchful eyes of others, and considering that the base was now strictly monitoring conduct, he dared not do anything too outlandish.


    Furthermore, his son had become quite famous. After undergoing tests, the boy started first grade in March; special coaching from teachers helped him quickly catch up, and he easily scored double hundreds in his mid-term exams.


    Somehow, this came to the attention of the leader responsible for the youth class at Beijing¡¯s University of Science and Technology, who sent a teacher to contact Principal Shen to see if they could take the child to Beijing.


    Qian Guizhi was uncertain, and although her marriage to Zhao Guoqiang was in name only, Zhao still had a say in the matter. He wanted the child to go to Beijing, but Zhao Yuan adamantly refused, crying his eyes out.


    The teacher observed the child¡¯s age¡ªnominally eight years old, but younger in actual birthdays. By actual age, he had just turned six.


    So, the teacher had no choice but to return to Beijing, but honestly, it wasn¡¯t a significant loss; the Tenghai Research Base was no place for burying talents.


    He even considered establishing a branch there.


    That way, some technical prodigies could study while also interning.


    Talking about this might seem a bit off-topic, but Zhang Yurou, despite being full of jealousy, was powerless now. She didn¡¯t exhibit any unusual behavior, just maintained a close relationship with a doctor at the hospital.


    As they talked, the sky gradually darkened, and He Xiuyu took Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand and headed home.


    As they walked, Qiao Qingyu suddenly stopped; something was wrong. According to her mother, it seemed her water had broken, and she was going into labor¡ªit was all so sudden.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s face went pale with urgency as he carefully picked up Qiao Qingyu. He kicked open the front door and laid her under the grape trellis before rushing inside to make a phone call. In a matter of minutes, Sun Dazhi arrived in his jeep.


    By the time they got to the hospital, Qiao Qingyu had begun experiencing labor pains.


    The base¡¯s maternity ward was staffed with specialists and well-known senior doctors.


    Her hands had welcomed nearly ten thousand new lives.


    She unapologetically sent the anxious He Xiuyu out.


    It was best for him to just wait outside; being a few days early was still within the normal range.


    Obviously, explaining these theoretical details to him was of little help; He Xiuyu understood them too, but in such situations, who could really sit still?


    He endured a sleepless night, and in the early morning, the cry of a newborn baby broke the calm of the dawn.


    He Xiuyu stood at the door, thrilled¡ªhis child was born, but he still anxiously asked the nurse, ¡°How is my wife?¡±


    Wu Qianyun had also stayed up the entire night, after all, this was her only daughter, how could she rest easy? Naturally, she had to stay by her side, and then seeing her son-in-law showing concern for the adults really comforted her heart.


    Giving birth is very dangerous for a woman, even though medical technology has advanced, it¡¯s still like passing through the gates of hell, with all sorts of emergencies possible.


    Qiao Qingyu had given birth to a chubby boy weighing seven pounds and eight ounces.


    Newborns don¡¯t clearly resemble anyone, but at a glance, one could tell this child was well-formed.


    With shiny black hair and tender white skin, especially when his eyes were open, just one look would fill one with joy.


    That same afternoon, Qiao Zhicai had arrived too.


    He came carrying a chicken coop, and nowadays nobody cares what you take on a train; today¡¯s trains are nearly like moving shops.


    Buy a ticket, and you can bring nearly anything aboard, or you might not buy a ticket at all, just board at one station and get off after a few stops. Or at some slightly busier stations, many would swarm aboard because goods on the train are mostly much cheaper, no one knows through what channels they were acquired, but they are quite cheaper than those sold on the market.


    Window transactions were typically prearranged, and these middlemen, also known as speculators, all had regular clients. Money and goods exchanged hands swiftly, transactions completed in minutes, very convenient.


    Some farmers living near the railway kept a few sheep and planned to sell them in the county town. Using a cart would waste manpower and resources, but bringing the sheep onto the train with just one ticket costing merely one yuan could bypass all that hassle by locking them in the toilet.


    As for how passengers would use the toilet, no one bothered, they just dealt with it on their own.


    The green trains were truly lively nowadays, but not particularly safe, with plenty of petty thefts and poor sanitation.


    But each coach was like this, so no one on the train was picky, because every train and every coach was the same; perhaps the sleepers were slightly better. But for ordinary folks like Qiao Zhicai, who could afford sleepers? He too had purchased a hard seat ticket, just to bring four chicken coops made of iron wire to Xichuan.


    This really was indescribable.


    Each chicken coop housed five hens, making a total of twenty old hens.


    All raised by Old Mrs. Qiao herself.


    Qiao Zhicai arrived disheveled, but his face was bursting with smiles. His Qingyubao had given him a handsome grandson, oh, how lovely and endearing he was. He had only stood at the door and caught a glimpse from afar before Wu Qianyun took him to wash up. When the pair returned, they saw He Xiuyu pouring sterilized formula from the disinfected bottle.


    This formula had been procured from the border, a bulk purchase of two cases, several dozen bags. Although it looked somewhat clumsy, He Xiuyu handled it gently and skillfully.


    And their dear daughter was sleeping, her little face flushed rosy.


    Wu Qianyun knew that even without her, her son-in-law could take good care of their daughter. Still, it was just a thought; how could a chief engineer possibly stay at home for a month?


    When they took her home, she had drunk several times the pig trotter soup and old hen soup Wu Qianyun had stewed, and then her milk had come in, easing everyone¡¯s minds.


    The little one now had his nourishment.


    He Juanjuan came over in the evening. Using a net bag, she brought eight or nine pig trotters and two pork knuckles.

 Chapter 505 - 505 505 Housing Issues

    ?Chapter 505: Chapter 505 Housing Issues Chapter 505: Chapter 505 Housing Issues He Juanjuan placed her things down and rushed to see her freshly born little nephew.


    He Xuerong also stood nearby, eagerly peering in.


    To tell the truth, even now He Juanjuan and He Xuerong did not share the closeness typical of the He Family members there was always something between them.


    He Juanjuan knew this little child had a good memory; those past events, although over, weren¡¯t forgotten by her, and it seemed she would hold a grudge against her for life.


    She really regretted her past actions, many of which were arrogant, but this particular event she truly regretted.


    Especially the words her second brother had said to her in Beijing¡¯s study room really made her feel utterly ashamed.


    But the mistake had been made, and the child still had a good memory.


    He Xuerong then asked Qiao Qingyu, who was sitting on the kang, ¡°Little aunt, when can he start walking and play with me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ll have to wait till next year.¡±


    ¡°That long,¡± He Xuerong said, visibly disappointed.


    ¡°It¡¯s normal; what child can run and jump right after birth? When you were born, you were like a little kitten...¡±


    At this point, He Juanjuan could not go on because He Xuerong gave her a smile and then turned and walked away.


    He Juanjuan felt awkward, and Qiao Qingyu gave her a look. There was nothing she could say about it dealing with a child like He Xuerong, there were some things one just had to endure.


    Because He Juanjuan still had not realized that He Xuerong really did not want her to bring up her childhood. He Xuerong felt that anyone could mention it except her.


    He Juanjuan, belatedly realizing this, felt her eyes grow red and vented to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Second sister-in-law, do you think Rongrong will hold this grudge against me forever?¡±


    Before Qiao Qingyu could respond, He Xiuyu lifted the door curtain and entered, his expression mild, ¡°Juanjuan, go to the kitchen and help your elder aunt.¡±


    He Juanjuan pouted but knew this was not something she could describe to Qiao Qingyu, and she had no choice but to leave the west room.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s breast milk was ample, and it was feeding time for the child.


    Moreover, these habits had developed in just a few days.


    However, being confined during the hot summer was quite arduous.


    He Xiuyu wiped Qiao Qingyu¡¯s face and body with a warm, damp cloth.


    They had to avoid cold water, as falling ill from it would be difficult to cure.


    Yet they could not open the windows either, just stewing in the heat, enough to make anyone fall ill.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s work efficiency at his job had increased; he was using more time to come home and be with his wife.


    Mr. He and Meng Siqi in Beijing had been informed as well.


    But Wu Qianyun and Qiao Zhicai were still in Xichuan, so even if they wanted to come, they couldn¡¯t. Or perhaps they were still unresolved issues. For now, they preferred to delay and avoid meeting, though eventually, they would have to sit down and face each other to dissolve the awkwardness invisibly; otherwise, this discomfort wasn¡¯t going away.


    Mr. He called to ask if they had named the child yet.


    It seemed if they hadn¡¯t named him, he wanted to give him a name.


    With many intellectuals in the family, the child had many names before being registered, but they finally settled on He Chaoxuan.


    It was He Xiuyu who chose it, because he was born at dawn when the first light of day appeared in the sky, symbolizing the red morning sun.


    It was quite fitting indeed.


    Then the name was settled.


    The household register of He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu had one more member.


    The child was easy to care for; as long as he was full, he would either play by himself or sleep soundly, and because he had been on a regular schedule from the start, he did not have the habit of confusing day and night.


    Shen Haoze said his daughter was quite a handful; she could sleep a lot during the day but was incredibly alert at night, or she had to be held and walked back and forth on the floor. As soon as your body barely touched the bed, the little girl could sense it and would cry out loudly, startling the parent, who would immediately straighten up and obediently walk back and forth in the room.


    So, Shen Haoze had lost several pounds now.


    The newly constructed six residential buildings were about to be completed, but they had not yet been assigned.


    At that time, there was no talk of decoration; the houses had cement floors and walls painted with lime. As long as there was no dampness, they were ready to be occupied, with heating and electricity already installed in advance.


    However, these six buildings were far from meeting the needs of Tenghai Research Base.


    Qiao Qingyu had been sitting the month for half a month when she heard from Old Wei¡¯s wife that Old Wei had not been coming home these past nights. He was in the office building, where there was a suggestion box; now it was full of letters from people wanting housing allocation.


    If it had been a few years earlier, they would have posted big-character posters, but it had to be said, housing was indeed extremely tight now.


    Tenghai Research Base had started its planning in 1975.


    It began operation in 1977.


    Now, it had been almost eight years.


    The young men and women from the beginning couldn¡¯t possibly still be single now; many had gotten married, and in the years before the one-child policy, some double-income families had two or three children.


    The family quarters solved part of the problem, but these past two years had seen several times more marriages and childbirths than the previous years.


    Thus, the housing issue was indeed urgent.


    Regardless of the time, for the people of the nation, housing was always the paramount issue.


    In the times of non-commercial housing construction, where demand outweighed supply, if you didn¡¯t meet the conditions, you couldn¡¯t get housing; sometimes seven or eight people would be crammed into a twenty-square-meter house.


    Decades later, although there would be more houses, the prices would also have risen; the wealthy could afford several houses, while the poor couldn¡¯t afford even one.


    This was a perennially difficult issue.


    Ultimately, it came down to the country not being wealthy.


    But the issue remained very complex.


    Urban dual-income workers could get houses and live in welfare housing, but what about those without jobs? Those encouraged to go to the countryside and mountains in previous years were mostly back now.


    After their return, they had neither jobs nor housing.


    There were many such people.


    And now, even speaking of building houses, raw materials were scarce; things like steel had to be reserved for important infrastructure projects, so even for Tenghai Research Base, this problem not only existed but was also severe.


    But then again, if there were no Light Industry Workshop, no advent of tape recorders, no Agricultural Base, even the current six family buildings might not have been constructible. And though it was now the 1980s, ensuring enough food for so many people was still a significant challenge.


    Some workers directly raised concerns, questioning why, after so many years of liberation, class consciousness was so distinct; why did cadres and workers not receive the same treatment? Some cadres had families of only two or three but lived in houses of over a hundred square meters, while families of seven or eight had to squeeze into thirty square meters.


    These thirty square meters referred to a tube-shaped building newly designated last year for dual-income families. The space was indeed small, transformed from previous dormitories, but each floor had washrooms and sinks.


    It¡¯s just that the room sizes were a bit small, and even this tube-shaped building was now full.

 Chapter 506 - 506 506 Build Your Own House

    ?Chapter 506: Chapter 506: Build Your Own House Chapter 506: Chapter 506: Build Your Own House The family quarters at the base were divided according to rank, and in the northwest corner, the bungalows were divided equally, with ten households per building, each household having forty square meters.


    Like the house where Zhao Guoqiang lived was just this size, one living room, one hall, one bedroom, with the entrance hall doubling as a kitchen.


    A public toilet was constructed in the northwest corner, which was a dry toilet maintained by the logistics staff.


    And it was Qian Guizhi, along with a few other family members, who did this cleaning work.


    There were a total of fifty such buildings.


    Only on the east side where He Xiuyu and others lived, the boundaries were defined by a crossroad, and along with Old Wei, Old Xie, Old Li, Director Lin, and several workshop directors, there were nearly a hundred households.


    Qiao Qingyu also heard about that letter from He Xiuyu.


    She thought for a moment. There were a total of five buildings on the east side, and her family lived in one of them. They were the household with the least members, and she couldn¡¯t help thinking it must be He Xiuyu they were referring to.


    Of course, this was an extremely rare occurrence. For someone like He Xiuyu who had contributed greatly and received national subsidies as a treasured scientist, it was just not possible to reside in the same type of building as others. Not to mention whether it would be spacious enough, there was also a safety issue.


    Even if everyone was equal, sometimes based on contributions, it just wasn¡¯t possible for him to be equal, and real equality would actually be true inequality.


    But fair treatment was still necessary.


    For this reason, the leadership of the base specifically held a staff meeting. Outside the family quarters of the base, there was a large waste area. The leadership planned to utilize this land.


    The plan was that this land could be allotted to the employees of the research base based on the size of their family. Then, land titles would be granted, owned by the employees personally. Later, if you no longer worked there and transferred out, the housing wouldn¡¯t be taken back by the institution like before; it could be directly sold or bought. However, the condition was that individuals had to pay a part of the money to buy the homestead land and bear the cost of building the house themselves, but such pieces of land were not abundant, only enough to build over five hundred households.


    However, that wasn¡¯t a small number; it instantly resolved over five hundred households. Considering dual-income households, that meant over a thousand employees, and if calculating by number of people, averaging five per family, that was over two thousand people.


    It was already the eighties now, and in the Southern regions, people had already begun to enter into real estate, so there was tremendous enthusiasm now for self-built houses.


    But enthusiasm aside, it also depended on the economic situation; digging foundations and then building a house, even temporarily erecting a simple single-room on your homestead would nowadays cost one thousand yuan.


    Don¡¯t underestimate this one thousand yuan, though. This would be your own house, with a small front yard and a backyard vegetable garden.


    If your homestead land was over eighty square meters, plus the side rooms and the gatehouse, that was a living space of over one hundred square meters.


    How many people couldn¡¯t fit under such a roof?


    Furthermore, in the old tube-shaped apartment buildings and dormitories, water and electricity were free, but the newly built Six Family Buildings would now charge fees for utilities, though it wasn¡¯t much, five yuan per household per month.


    Heating fees in winter were calculated separately.


    This policy also applied to the residential housing of the family quarters.


    All of these were discussed and enthusiastically approved at the general meeting with the employees.


    Once there were fewer differing voices in the suggestion box, they began to execute these plans.


    And Qiao Qingyu finally completed her postnatal confinement.


    She had been terribly uncomfortable, spending over two hours washing from head to toe. During this period, He Xiuyu had boiled three pots of water for her using the large pot at home.


    She was finally all washed up, feeling like she had come back to life.


    After the confinement, the windows could finally be opened. Wearing a loose dress, Qiao Qingyu strolled back and forth in the yard.


    The vegetable garden was doing quite well. This year Wu Qianyun was here, and Qiao Qingyu had hardly lifted a finger.


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu dress so prettily in just a dress, Wu Qianyun chased out of the house, bringing a knitted shirt for her to wear, complaining, ¡°It might be hot today, but you can¡¯t wear so little just after stepping outside.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t argue back, only saying, ¡°I almost suffocated; having a confinement during summer is really torturous.¡±


    It was indeed torturous, but besides the heat, her daughter was being pampered like a princess in a royal palace.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t her doing the pampering, but her son-in-law He Xiuyu.


    Up at dawn and restless until night, everything relating to the child was taken care of by him whenever he was home. Washing cloth diapers was also his duty, and unlike them, who just washed them until they were clean, he even boiled them, having a special iron pot for boiling cloth diapers with a small coal stove beneath it.


    Working on this during the hot summer was certainly tough, but he enjoyed it.


    Then, there were their daughter¡¯s clothes, which were constantly being washed, several outfits a day, constantly being changed, each day his daughter was clean and fresh.


    Not to mention the food, possibly even those living in Beijing couldn¡¯t eat as well as she did.


    Initially, they were a bit worried, but after observing over several months, the mother finally felt relieved. Even when they were gone, this young couple could lead a loving life together. Isn¡¯t it what all parents want for their children in the long run?


    Wu Qianyun said beside her, ¡°Be satisfied, although it¡¯s summer for your confinement, I¡¯ve never seen anyone treated like this in my life.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu pinched her waist and felt her belly, her previously happy face turning less so, her waist had thickened, and her belly wasn¡¯t as smooth as before.


    In her mind, there were definitely quite a few stretch marks.


    Qiao Qingyu then said to her mother, ¡°Mom, I need to diet.¡±


    Wu Qianyun, glaring furiously with an urge to slap her daughter¡¯s head, said, ¡°Have you gone stupid from sitting through the confinement? Dieting¡ªgaining weight isn¡¯t that easy. Haven¡¯t you seen how many skinny people are out there? Your round and plump figure is so rare, and to think of reducing the weight you finally gained, moreover, the baby is still breastfeeding...¡±


    Just as she was about to continue, her son-in-law He Xiuyu pushed open the door and came in, carrying several fish, one glance was enough to know they were crucian carp, surely meant for making soup for his daughter.


    As He Xiuyu rolled up his sleeves to start cleaning the fish, he said, ¡°Yuan Hengzhi fetched these from the pond.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu squatted beside, asking, ¡°Is Yuan Hengzhi not planning to return? Wasn¡¯t he just temporarily assigned here? His official affiliation is still in Beijing, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s up to him. If he wants to stay, I plan to have him go to the Space Base.¡±


    And indeed, that was a good place, though quite remote compared to Beijing.


    Behind Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house, the vegetable garden still had cabbages and radishes.


    Around the garden, Wu Qianyun had planted honey pumpkins.


    At this time, lantern-like pumpkins hung on the boundary walls, some sprawled on the ground, quite a lot of them had grown.

 Chapter 507 - 507 507 Rumors of Infertility

    ?Chapter 507: Chapter 507: Rumors of Infertility Chapter 507: Chapter 507: Rumors of Infertility Qiao Qingyu craved pumpkin cakes, so while He Xiuyu was stewing carp soup for her, she went to the backyard to pick pumpkins.


    By chance, she saw the Sun family¡¯s older sister-in-law standing at the Zhao family¡¯s door, talking.


    ¡°...You should go take a look yourself. They say that that man claims to be your father, dressed in rags, looking very pitiful. He said he just wanted to see you once...¡±


    Li Bo¡¯s complexion was not good at all, she was over eight months pregnant and about to give birth.


    What was Li Bo¡¯s father doing, coming around at this time?


    At this moment, Old Lady Zhao came out using a walking stick, one had to admire the old lady¡¯s vitality, truly resilient. Usually, at her age, many would just be paralyzed in bed until the day they died.


    But she started in a wheelchair and then with a walking stick, she could walk; her complexion also didn¡¯t look bad. She glared at Li Bo, ¡°See what? That beast is probably after your house. I¡¯ll go have a look.¡±


    Li Bo bit her lip. Her own family¡¯s issues, she of course wouldn¡¯t hide from Mr. Zhao. If Mr. Zhao knew, Granny Zhao would of course know too, this wasn¡¯t any secret. The situation about her, her biological father Li Chengming, and her stepmother Shao Hui was known by quite a few people.


    Her face shifted shades, she glanced at her own stomach, a soft light flickered in her eyes.


    She was going to be a mother herself. They say without raising a child, one does not understand parental kindness¡ªit was only after she became pregnant that she realized how foolish and hateful she had been.


    Moreover, she had been fooled for long enough. Old Lady Zhao had always been a domineering figure, she didn¡¯t regard Li Bo¡¯s feelings at all. Her idea was that her daughter-in-law had a formal job, was a university graduate, and owned an apartment in Xichuan City. All this would eventually belong to her son and her eldest grandson; no one else would get a slice of the benefits.


    She wasn¡¯t there to help Li Bo; she was going to defend her own interests.


    Qiao Qingyu picked two pumpkins but didn¡¯t speak to Li Bo. It seemed there wasn¡¯t much to say at the time, so she turned and went back inside.


    A few hours later, they learned that Old Lady Zhao had chased away both Li Chengming and Shao Hui, who was holding a child.


    Old Lady Zhao wasn¡¯t really a good person in a principled sense; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have thought of letting Tian Li have children for her son while there was still a marital relationship with her daughter-in-law and her son.


    But in front of Li Chengming, her back was stiff, and she scolded Li Chengming until he was covered in blood.


    In the old lady¡¯s heart, even tigers don¡¯t eat their cubs. A big dog would drag its pup back to the nest if it ran off. You, the biological father, no matter who gave birth to her, if she was your own flesh and blood, you should protect her. To think you can watch as another woman breaks your daughter¡¯s legs right in front of you...


    This is no longer human behavior, even worse than a beast. Yet, he still had the nerve to come to this military base residential compound and make trouble, still had the nerve to want to see his daughter...


    Anyway, Granny Zhao came back triumphantly, boasting with her walking stick in front of Li Bo.


    Li Bo couldn¡¯t quite describe her feelings¡ªshe had a father-daughter relationship with Li Chengming and also one of hostility. But to view him purely as an enemy, Li Bo admitted she couldn¡¯t do that.


    Yet Old Lady Zhao had shielded her from trouble. It must have been for that apartment. Li Chengming was now jobless, his business ventures had failed, and they had been relying solely on Shao Hui¡¯s salary. They started off living at The Shaos, but after a few months, they were forced to move out.


    It was so troublesome that they were unable to even sit down to a meal.


    In the past, when he went to The Shaos, they treated him like a son-in-law of worth. But now that he had no job, who would take him seriously?


    While the Li family owned a house, it was not large¡ªa turnip for every hole, the Li¡¯s parents lived with their elder son.


    With such a dire housing situation, Li Chengming¡¯s sister-in-law staunchly refused to let this family of three move in.


    So, Li Chengming had his sights set on that house again.


    Originally wanting to move in directly, little did he expect that the apartment had been rented out. The tenant family had three sons, all of them looking like difficult adversaries. He didn¡¯t dare to drive them out, so in the end, he ran to the base to look for Li Bo.


    Does Li Chengming regret it now?


    Certainly, he does.


    He regrets it so much that his insides are turning green.


    If only...back then...


    But matters had progressed to such a point that the last shred of guilt in his heart vanished. An eye for an eye; he didn¡¯t owe Li Bo anything anymore. His current plight was a result of his own doing, and Li Bo was nothing but a wolf cub.


    However, he hadn¡¯t expected that the matriarch of the family Li Bo married into would be so unreasonable, speaking such offensive words. To tell the truth, from the incident until now, some had educated him, some had reproached him, but most were quite civilized in their wording and relatively gentle; but the old lady was different¡ªshe said whatever ugly things came to mind. He guessed that after this, Li Chengming probably wouldn¡¯t come to the base again.


    Old Lady Zhao felt like the victor and said to Li Bo, ¡°You definitely have to give me a big grandson, otherwise you¡¯d really let me down.¡±


    Li Bo¡¯s complexion changed and, frowning, she turned and went inside the house.


    That very night, Li Bo went into labor. Mr. Zhao was eleven years older than Li Bo, thirty-four years old by now, and this was his first time truly becoming a father.


    Between him and Huang Ling, there had also been Tian Li. Several women had been introduced to him by both the older sisters in his unit and the organization.


    But Mr. Zhao stopped thinking about the past and focused on today instead.


    He was extremely satisfied with Li Bo, more than satisfied.


    He had truly fallen in love with her.


    And it was Li Bo who dispelled the rumors that he might be infertile.


    That¡¯s why, from the beginning of Li Bo¡¯s pregnancy, he was excited, unconcerned about whether it was a boy or a girl. Although Old Lady Zhao nagged every day, he simply acted as if he hadn¡¯t heard. So when Li Bo gave birth to a daughter at the hospital, Mr. Zhao was overjoyed.


    However, Old Lady Zhao¡¯s face fell with a slap.


    She looked silently at her granddaughter wrapped in swaddling, and with a glint in her eye, Granny Zhao turned and walked out immediately.


    Li Bo returned to the hospital after giving birth.


    Living in the adjacent courtyard, Qiao Qingyu was the first to take a basket woven from corn leaves, filled with a small basket of eggs, pig¡¯s trotters, and two sets of baby clothes, to the Zhao family.


    These two sets of baby clothes were brought back from Nangang City by He Juanjuan.


    She had bought ten sets all at once, very comprehensive, from hats on their heads to socks on their feet, all made of pure cotton fabric. It was just right to give two sets to Li Bo.


    They were still in their original packaging.


    Qiao Zhicai had brought home a hen that they hadn¡¯t eaten; five were left to lay eggs, and Qiao Zhicai had built a chicken nest in the corner of the front courtyard.


    Now they were picking up a few fresh eggs every day.


    Qiao Qingyu noticed that Li Bo¡¯s complexion wasn¡¯t bad.


    Since Mr. Zhao married Li Bo, he seemed to have grown much younger.


    Looking at his daughter, his eyes were filled with tenderness.

 Chapter 508 - 508 508 Entering the Hall

    ?Chapter 508: Chapter 508: Entering the Hall Chapter 508: Chapter 508: Entering the Hall This spring, the base had successfully applied for a bus route.


    That was after the road had been repaired.


    The bus route started from a stop 500 meters north of the base family quarters and extended all the way to the Xichuan Bus Station.


    It passed through Xiaxi Town in Yushu County.


    The operation of this bus route greatly facilitated the base employees.


    Hitching a ride wasn¡¯t easy, especially after the base¡¯s rules had become more strict. If you were not part of this system, it was generally impossible to get a ride. Considering the base had many employees and relatives scattered throughout the country, there were quite a few visiting family every year.


    Moreover, not all employees¡¯ families lived at the base like Chen Sheng and Fang Xiaomei in Yushu County, and some lived in Xichuan, such as the newly assigned college students.


    Starting from the base at six in the morning, making various stops, the bus reached Xichuan at 9:00 AM.


    So those who wanted to catch the first bus had to get up very early, usually, the buses were most crowded on Sundays.


    It was better on weekdays.


    Old Lady Zhao, leaning on her cane, and her daughter-in-law, hurriedly carrying a long basket, rushed out of the main gate of the base family quarters.


    They just happened to run into Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu, who were returning from a run.


    Upon meeting, Qiao Qingyu naturally greeted first, but Old Lady Zhao merely grunted indifferently, dragging her daughter-in-law, who wanted to talk to Qiao Qingyu, and limped towards the bus stop ahead.


    Her daughter-in-law was carrying the basket on her arm, nearly getting dragged off her feet by the old lady; she gritted her teeth, somewhat indignantly but not daring to speak out.


    At this time, a lot of people waiting for the bus had gathered, all planning to go to the county or Xichuan to run errands.


    Even many were preparing to go to the large market in Xiaxi Town to buy necessities.


    Though the base store had expanded, it couldn¡¯t sell everything.


    For example, personally pickled vegetables, handmade shoe insoles and soles, or even woven basket covers and curtains were items not available in the store, but the Xiaxi Town market had them all.


    Someone then asked Old Lady Zhao what she was doing so early, to which the old lady raised her voice and said, ¡°My son is well-liked, and these past few days, his colleagues and friends have given us so many eggs, we can¡¯t eat them all. Although it¡¯s not that hot today, if we keep them any longer, they¡¯ll definitely go bad. My daughter-in-law and I are going to the big market in Xi Township to sell the eggs and exchange them for something else...¡±


    ¡°Oh dear, madam, you¡¯re really living the good life, having more eggs than you can eat. You even borrowed ten eggs from my house before, and now that you can¡¯t eat them, you never thought of returning them...¡±


    This was a middle-aged woman half-jokingly saying.


    This was definitely true; Old Lady Zhao stood in front of her daughter-in-law, discontentedly saying, ¡°It¡¯s just a few eggs, and you still remember them. Wait till we come back, I¡¯ll return ten eggs to you.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, madam, I was just kidding.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, what kind of joke. I can¡¯t let you remember those ten eggs forever.¡±


    ¡°How can you say that? A few years ago, when times were tough, those ten eggs were valuable goods in our base family quarters.¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed, a few years ago when my son had his birthday, I boiled an egg for him; he ate it in two gulps, nearly choked himself.¡±


    Old Lady Zhao and her daughter-in-law exchanged a glance and couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief.


    Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu did hear this conversation.


    However, they did not take it to heart and started to jog slowly in the direction of their home.


    Qiao Zhicai had returned to the Qiao Family Team a few days ago.


    With the autumn harvest approaching, the Qiao Family Team was even busier than last year.


    Nevertheless, this year Tenghai Research Base had provided the Qiao Family Team with a batch of agricultural machinery, which should make this year¡¯s harvest a bit easier compared to dealing with the land traditionally, although sideline businesses remained the Qiao Family¡¯s main source of revenue.


    The pig farm had expanded, and now there were thousands of hogs, which meant no need for outside sales, as Zhining County alone had more demand than supply.


    With reform and opening advancing by leaps and bounds, more restaurants had sprung up in Ning¡¯an County.


    Consequently, there was no worry about where to sell the pork.


    But precisely because of this, when it came to autumn, the Qiao Family Team needed a mobilization of all their members.


    In Qiao Qingyu¡¯s opinion, if things really got too hectic, they could have her mother come back to help because her older brother and sister-in-law were there too; they couldn¡¯t all just rely on her.


    Her side was actually quite manageable; although the base¡¯s main and side businesses were numerous, there were still some idle staff members.


    Some of these idle staff members were not essential; they had been recruited due to Xichuan¡¯s renown, like the neighbors of Sister-in-law Li, the Fang family.


    Mr. Fang¡¯s wife worked in the cafeteria, and they had three children.


    After land was allotted, Mr. Fang¡¯s parents contracted it out to their neighbors and moved in with Mr. Fang, along with his two nephews.


    One of the nephews had finished elementary school, and the other had dropped out after half a year of middle school, unwilling to continue schooling or to farm, simply idling around in the village. The elderly couple thought of sending the two children to Mr. Fang. His family had three daughters and no sons; with family planning becoming stricter, they would not have another child and the grandparents weren¡¯t foolish enough to pressure their second son to have another grandson and then lose their job.


    Mr. Fang¡¯s job was a matter of pride in their lifetime.


    Besides, couldn¡¯t the nephews be raised like sons? In case something happened to Mr. Fang many years hence, the nephews would be there, especially since the couple earned good salaries. Once the three daughters were married off, the Fang family properties would naturally go to his eldest and second grandsons.


    ¡°Fat water does not flow into others¡¯ fields,¡± thought the old lady.


    She said she wanted Mr. Fang to help find a way out or jobs for the two nephews, but the real intent was clear to Mr. Fang and his wife.


    The couple had had numerous arguments over this situation.


    Yet Mr. Fang couldn¡¯t just send his parents back immediately, and it was a pity for the two nephews to just loaf around when the factory was hiring apprentice workers who could become regulars once qualified.


    Mr. Fang had someone take the two nephews to the workshop.


    Meanwhile, Mr. Fang¡¯s eldest daughter was attending college out of town, his second daughter and youngest daughter were both studying at a comprehensive school; one in middle school and the other a freshman in high school.


    Their house wasn¡¯t large, which only added to the conflicts.


    Unable to settle down, the old man took up temporary work at the farm, while the old lady stayed home cooking three meals a day, much to the annoyance of Mr. Fang¡¯s wife, who, even while being cooked for, never had a pleasant face for her mother-in-law.


    This situation weighed heavily on everyone involved; it used to be her and her husband¡¯s and three daughters¡¯ home, but now with the old couple bringing in two nephews and practically taking over, it hardly felt like anyone could be happy about it.

 Chapter 509 - 509 509 Bottom Line

    ?Chapter 509: Chapter 509: Bottom Line Chapter 509: Chapter 509: Bottom Line Old Lady Zhao was indeed a sharp one, rarely clashing with her daughter-in-law. She would just tell people that she could help look after children for some money.


    Since many dual-income families were at the base, naturally, there were plenty of children, so she immediately found a gig, ten yuan a month with a meal provided at noon.


    So, scenarios like that of Old Lady Fang were not uncommon.


    It wasn¡¯t impossible to find someone reliable to watch the children, but Wu Qianyun couldn¡¯t be at ease, insisting her daughter take over her shift, come back to breastfeed when needed, and not worry about anything else.


    Since Wu Qianyun insisted so much, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t feel right saying anything more; saying too much might seem like she resented her mother being there, but honestly, having one¡¯s mother around was the happiest thing.


    Thus, the young couple could afford the leisure to go running in the morning.


    Upon reaching their doorstep and before they could even open the door, they heard a breaking voice from Zhao¡¯s house in the backyard, ¡°Mom, Mom...where did you take Guo Guo?¡±


    It was Li Bo calling for Granny Zhao. Qiao Qingyu stopped in her tracks and exchanged a look with He Xiuyu. He Xiuyu quickly murmured, ¡°I fear there¡¯s something amiss with Granny Zhao¡¯s daughter-in-law¡¯s basket.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu remembered the sullen face of the old lady a few days ago when she visited Li Bo, the harsh words, and the escorting out, the old lady bluntly saying, ¡°Both are college graduates, how come you gave birth to a son and she had a daughter? Really bad luck, no wonder it ended up like this, but shouldn¡¯t my son be spared from this retribution.¡±


    At the time Qiao Qingyu had argued with the old lady, who then stopped talking before she left.


    Now it seemed like trouble was brewing.


    Qiao Qingyu turned and ran toward Zhao¡¯s house.


    He Xiuyu frowned, standing there he could tell Mr. Zhao wasn¡¯t home and remembered an urgent task from last night; Mr. Zhao was likely working overtime.


    He pivoted and entered the yard; he needed to call Mr. Zhao.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Qingyu had reached the gate of Zhao¡¯s house. Li Bo, having just given birth a week ago, should have been confined to her home, yet there she stood in the yard wearing slippers and disheveled hair, her face pale and full of fear.


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu like a savior, she grabbed her, ¡°Did you see my mother-in-law? Guo Guo is just a few days old, how dare she take the baby out...¡±


    By then, Qiao Qingyu was sure of one thing¡ªwhen Granny Zhao claimed her basket was filled with eggs, it must have actually been Li Bo¡¯s Guo Guo.


    That was the child¡¯s nickname, given by Mr. Zhao who truly adored the kid.


    So, this must have escaped Mr. Zhao¡¯s knowledge.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t delay further; checking the time, the bus was leaving in ten minutes.


    She sternly advised Li Bo, ¡°Li Bo, I know where Guo Guo is, and I¡¯ll go bring her back. Hurry inside so you don¡¯t catch a cold, otherwise you and Guo Guo will both suffer later. Listen to me, it¡¯ll be alright...¡±


    Li Bo froze, about to say something, but Qiao Qingyu had already dashed out of the yard and quickly ran far away.


    Li Bo clasped her hands tightly, her heart sinking as she recalled the old lady¡¯s expression over the past few days, her face also turning grim. Since marrying into the Zhao family, she had always been respectful to the elderly lady, considering her husband¡¯s relatives as her own in absence of her own family.


    Yet, she bore a daughter, which displeased her mother-in-law, but since her husband was as happy as she was, she hadn¡¯t minded it.


    But she was truly frail, and although she forced herself to chase after him, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s figure had already disappeared from view. Li Bo knew that Qiao Qingyu must have known something as she leaned against the courtyard wall and returned to the house.


    Looking at the gray sky, Li Bo didn¡¯t know what he had done wrong that Heaven would punish him like this.


    At that moment, Qiao Qingyu, swift as the wind, had already reached the main gate of the base¡¯s residential quarters, yet despite her haste, the bus had already started its engine.


    Qiao Qingyu was gasping heavily when the phone in the guardroom rang. The guard picked it up, looked at her in surprise, and raised his voice, ¡°Manager Qiao, your call is from Chief Engineer He...¡±


    The Agricultural Group had officially started operating.


    Old Xie was the general manager, and Qiao Qingyu was the deputy general manager.


    That¡¯s why everyone called her that now.


    When Qiao Qingyu picked up the phone, she heard He Xiuyu say from the other end, ¡°Wait at the guardroom, Mr. Zhao will be back soon, and we¡¯ll drive to chase.¡±


    The couple had an understanding.


    When He Xiuyu had finished the call and stepped out, he saw Li Bo turn and reenter the house, which meant Qiao Qingyu had gone to chase after the old lady. But looking at the time, by the time Qiao Qingyu reached the bus, it would have certainly left.


    So, he called the guardroom directly, no need to ask the reason; the basket surely contained the child of Zhao¡¯s family.


    One must admit, Old Lady Zhao had reached a certain level of foolish audacity.


    So had her daughter-in-law.


    It was unbelievable what they dared to do, not knowing what Old Lady Zhao had promised.


    When He Xiuyu arrived at the guardroom, Mr. Zhao also ran over, panting. Sun Dazhi was driving the Jeep, waiting at the entrance.


    The group got into the car and sped off toward the direction of the bus.


    Sitting on the bus, Old Lady Zhao placed the long, cradle-like basket on her lap, wrapped externally with a small blanket forming a triangular shape with gaps on both sides. It didn¡¯t raise any suspicion; if it contained eggs, the outer small blanket was there to prevent them from being crushed.


    Thus, as the bus moved, the old lady felt at ease.


    She had already contacted a childless middle-aged couple in Xiaxi Town, wanting to give her granddaughter away.


    Qiao Qingyu was enraged, ¡°Granny¡¯s actions are unbelievable. Just a few days ago when she was scolding Li Chengming, I thought although she was somewhat unreasonable and a bit grasping, she still had some moral boundaries. Now, what boundaries does she have? She¡¯s utterly heartless.¡±


    He Xiuyu reached out and gently patted, then grasped Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand.


    Meanwhile, Mr. Zhao¡¯s face was ashen, his chest heaving irregularly. If it weren¡¯t for He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu sitting in the back of the car, one wouldn¡¯t have known what state he was in.


    It was both embarrassing and infuriating.


    Initially, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t want to get involved in their marital issues, but Li Bo was her classmate. Although she hadn¡¯t liked many things about him at first, they had grown close over the years. She said coolly to Mr. Zhao, ¡°Granny Zhao has the audacity because you indulge her. Mr. Zhao, this is no minor matter. Once we catch up, I indeed want to ask what she plans to do with this newborn child.¡±

 Chapter 510 - 510 510 The Child in the Basket

    ?Chapter 510: Chapter 510: The Child in the Basket Chapter 510: Chapter 510: The Child in the Basket The child had only been born for a few days and was treated with extreme care at home, but now she was being carried out in a basket. Did he think his daughter was a dog pup?


    Mr. Zhao¡¯s heart felt as if it were being clenched by a large hand, suffocating him.


    It was the first time Sun Dazhi had heard of such an infuriating incident. Regardless of the traffic lights, he floored the accelerator and quickly caught up to the bus, forcing it to stop after overtaking it. The bus driver looked in astonishment at the jeep blocking the road.


    Obviously, he could not ask why, because he recognized the license plate¡ªit was one used by top leaders of the base.


    Old Lady Zhao wasn¡¯t worried about the baby in the basket crying because she had stealthily fed the child some milk powder laced with her own concoction of medication the night before. This medicine was considered a folk remedy.


    In the countryside, they called children who cried at night ¡°night criers.¡±


    Feeding this folk remedy to a child with some warm water would ensure they slept through until morning.


    Thus, Granny Zhao felt no guilt as she chatted animatedly with the people around her, speaking animatedly about trivial matters. Then the bus suddenly stopped. Craning her neck to look forward, she saw a few people disembarking from the jeep that belonged to the base¡¯s top leader.


    Granny Zhao¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she involuntarily clenched the basket tightly. She didn¡¯t even notice her legs trembling uncontrollably.


    Among the people who got off the vehicle was her son. His face was livid as he glared in their direction, looking as if he could devour someone.


    What followed was much simpler. Once on the bus, under the scrutiny of all the passengers, Mr. Zhao found his beloved daughter Guo Guo put into the basket by his own mother, currently in a deep sleep.


    Sweat covered his forehead, and the blanket was somewhat thick. Although there were gaps on either side, covering the child like this was still quite warm. Had the child not been medicated, she would have started crying by now.


    But when everyone saw what was supposed to be ¡®an egg¡¯ was actually a child, the entire bus erupted into chaos.


    With so many base employees, including family members, now amounting to over ten thousand even after dividing into several departments, this was still the first time they had heard of such a thing. Several older women pointed at Granny Zhao and started scolding her.


    They even brought up the dignified stance she had taken just a few days ago at the family compound gate toward Li Chengming.


    It was indeed like a crow landing on a pile of coal.


    Old Lady Zhao¡¯s face turned pale as she couldn¡¯t act arrogantly at this time, caught red-handed, could she?


    She had even said that even tigers did not eat their young, yet here she was, treating her granddaughter who was just a few days old like an egg, not knowing where she wanted to send her.


    No need to ask; it was either to sell or to give away, or perhaps even to abandon.


    Mr. Zhao glared darkly at his own mother and stepped off the bus with the child. Granny Zhao and her daughter-in-law also sullenly followed, and by the time they got off, Mr. Zhao was already getting into the jeep with his daughter.


    Qiao Qingyu and the others naturally got into the vehicle as well, but they headed to the hospital.


    The jeep disappeared, and the bus was left with a barrage of scolding.


    Granny Zhao¡¯s daughter-in-law, Da Mai, stomped her foot and complained, ¡°I told you this wouldn¡¯t work, this wouldn¡¯t work, and now you¡¯ve dragged me down too. Big Brother will definitely send us packing.¡±


    Old Lady Zhao retorted, ¡°This bad luck charm was all because you told me you heard my eldest son and his wife saying they wanted only this Guo Guo, and that her urban house was also for Guo Guo...¡±


    ¡°But I wasn¡¯t lying. That is what he said.¡±


    ¡°Thinking a little girl could want a house too,¡± Granny Zhao fumed angrily.


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t see how much my older brother dotes on Guo Guo,¡± Da Mai muttered.


    ¡°I said that and you didn¡¯t object either. You also have ulterior motives, you just have your eye on the city house for your son¡¯s marriage,¡± Granny Zhao said.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t my son also your eldest grandson?¡± retorted Da Mai.


    Da Mai had married into the Zhao Family and had a son who was now attending high school at a comprehensive school.


    Disregarding the in-fighting, Mr. Zhao, with a grim expression, carried his daughter into the hospital. After a thorough examination, she was found to have no serious issues but required further observation. Given her tender age and her unconscious state, she was surely fed something.


    Mr. Zhao then went straight to Old Lady Zhao.


    At that moment, those two had just entered the family compound.


    Before Mr. Zhao could even start questioning, Old Lady Zhao hurriedly explained, ¡°I only fed her a little bit of medicine, she will wake up by noon, it¡¯s nothing...¡±


    Seeing her son¡¯s angry gaze, Granny Zhao tried to calm herself as she argued, ¡°When you were a child and cried at night, you also took this medicine, look, haven¡¯t you grown up healthy?¡±


    At that moment, Mr. Zhao didn¡¯t doubt that his mother was lying. His gaze darkened as he stared at the two. He clenched his teeth. It was now past six o¡¯clock on the main street in the family compound, and most people were already up. He turned around and headed back to the hospital.


    Since remarrying, he had led a tranquil life and didn¡¯t want to be the subject of jokes like in previous years.


    But with such a significant incident witnessed by so many, it was impossible to conceal it.


    The Women¡¯s Federation at the base severely criticized Old Lady Zhao and Da Mai.


    They then used this opportunity to hold a general meeting, setting examples for everyone to criticize together, focusing on eradicating gender bias within the base, regardless of whether you were the father or mother from the hometown, or even the staff at the base.


    This research base absolutely could not tolerate such feudal dregs.


    Mr. Zhao handled this situation decisively.


    He used his connections to have his newly regularized brother return to their hometown. Somehow convincing his brother, he agreed, and Mr. Zhao would send his mother twenty yuan each month for support.


    A few days later, a crying Old Lady Zhao left the base with her younger son and daughter-in-law, as well as her eldest grandson.


    This was also an explanation given to Li Bo.


    Because Li Bo was planning a divorce.


    For Li Bo, getting a divorce after having a child was not a big deal. She had a job and could afford to pay someone monthly to care for her daughter. She was determined to raise her well, especially with the support of the base.


    So, Li Bo really had no concerns. But Mr. Zhao couldn¡¯t agree to the divorce. If he divorced again, he couldn¡¯t bear the shame of staying on the base.


    His life had become a joke, and he genuinely loved Li Bo, especially their daughter.


    Mr. Zhao didn¡¯t favor sons over daughters, in fact, he preferred girls.


    That¡¯s why he quickly decided to send Granny Zhao away and also decided not to let her visit in the future, but he would still provide for her, not wishing people to call him a brute.

 Chapter 511 - 511 511 Major Changes

    ?Chapter 511: Chapter 511: Major Changes Chapter 511: Chapter 511: Major Changes Mr. Zhao hired a neat and tidy old lady, who was actually just over fifty, to take care of the children and prepare three meals a day.


    As a result, Li Bo¡¯s life suddenly became much easier.


    He had a plump and healthy appearance after the completion of his confinement period.


    After sending his old mother away, there was a period of time when Mr. Zhao felt uneasy inside; after all, she was his real mother and had always treated him well, considering his needs in everything.


    But one day, he overheard a few families at the base speaking about their own old mothers, and he no longer felt guilty.


    This is what those people said:


    ¡°...It¡¯s really great that Old Lady Zhao has left; our base is now free from one less nuisance. I¡¯m not even afraid of losing things in my yard anymore...¡±


    ¡°Yes, that old lady was so lazy. She had her own vegetable garden but planted nothing. This summer she just treated our gardens as if they were her own.¡±


    ¡°The old lady liked to show up at others¡¯ houses during mealtime. Once I steamed four buns for my husband and child. She just stretched out her hand, took two, turned around, and left without even a thank you.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention, I was worried about the humidity indoors. So, I placed the preserved meat my family sent from the Southern region under the eaves, and someone just climbed up on a stool and took everything...¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what habit that is. Mr. Zhao makes a decent amount of money. Is she short of food or drink? These petty thefts are just so annoying.¡±


    ¡°Ah, she might as well be bedridden; even sitting in a wheelchair, she never stopped meddling¡ªeating yours and taking yours so brazenly...¡±


    Embarrassed to overhear more, Mr. Zhao¡¯s face turned as red as an eggplant. He sneakily slipped away in another direction, truly wishing the ground would swallow him up.


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, Little Chaoxuan had passed his hundred-day celebration.


    At that time, the first snowfall had occurred.


    He Xiuyu held a camera, taking photos of Little Chaoxuan for his hundred-day celebration.


    The little fellow was very sturdy, and when placed on the fur blanket, he could already lift his neck.


    His eyes were like black grapes, slightly upturned at the corners, his nose was high, and his little mouth was red and plump.


    Qiao Qingyu was beside him making funny gestures, unsure if he understood, but he knew these two were his closest people as the little fellow opened his mouth and chuckled.


    Then, He Xiuyu quickly captured angles, including a few family portraits with the easy-to-use camera, called a ¡°fool¡¯s camera,¡± which Wu Qianyun had also learned to use. They took family photos, and more were added when Rongrong returned.


    After using up an entire roll of film, He Xiuyu sent Sun Dazhi, who was handling affairs in Xichuan, to the photo studio to develop all the photos.


    After finishing lunch, he hurried back to the office; they left together.


    At the door, they could still hear the sounds of Little Chaoxuan¡¯s crying.


    ...


    This winter, there was a significant adjustment at the base.


    The research base was on par with Xichuan City in terms of its administrative level.


    But it had a headquarters above it.


    This time, the headquarters was dissolved, directly merged into the newly established Department of Scientific Research.


    Then both the current director of the base and He Xiuyu became deputy provincial-level officials.


    After being promoted by two levels, the leadership was adjusted, and several leaders were transferred from above.


    Whereas Mr. Qi went directly to the Department of Scientific Research.


    The current team had matured through seven to eight years of working together. With the arrival of the new leaders, it was time to start a new phase of adjusting to each other. As the saying goes, ¡°A new king brings his own court.¡± These leaders did not come alone; of course, they brought their capable subordinates.


    Now, Old Wei was the base¡¯s administrative director, while He Xiuyu was in charge of scientific research and production, with Shen Haoze remaining as his deputy.


    And Old Wei¡¯s team was supplemented by two additional people, an associate director and an administrative director.


    The new deputy director arrived with quite a reputation.


    He was also quite senior, 42 years old this year, named Zhou Hai.


    His wife worked at the General Union.


    After transferring, she went to the base¡¯s union.


    His wife¡¯s name was Liu Ying.


    She used to be in the cultural troupe and went to the General Union after marrying him.


    She was Zhou Hai¡¯s second wife.


    They brought three children; the eldest and the second child were from his previous wife, and the youngest daughter was born to Zhou Hai and Liu Ying.


    Some information was public, and some were given to He Xiuyu by Yuan Hengzhi.


    Naturally, Old Wei and Old Xie also became aware of this.


    And Liu Ying was quite a character in her day, involved with several influential young men. It was said that two of them fought over her so fiercely that one accidentally caused serious injury to the other, and the latter ended up in prison.


    After the incident, both families wanted to suppress Liu Ying, but suddenly she aligned herself with Zhou Hai.


    Then, without waiting for Zhou Hai to divorce, she got pregnant.


    Zhou Hai¡¯s wife was his college classmate, and the two shared similar ideals and backgrounds. However, they eventually divorced.


    It was said that Zhou Hai¡¯s wife is now an overseas staffer.


    And the son and daughter she bore were both given to Zhou Hai.


    At the time of their divorce, the daughter was seven and the son was five. Now, Zhou Hai¡¯s eldest daughter, Zhou Zijiao, was seventeen and in the second year of high school, and she had also transferred schools to come here.


    Zhou Hai¡¯s only son, Zhou Pengcheng, was currently in middle school.


    Zhou Hai¡¯s youngest daughter, Zhou Ruoruo, eleven this year, was in elementary school.


    She was in the same class as He Xuerong and Li Mingguang.


    The documents didn¡¯t reveal much more, and the administrative director was also transferred from above.


    Then He Xiuyu received a new deputy chief engineer to coordinate work with him and Shen Haoze.


    His surname was Gu, named Gu Qingshan.


    Everyone called him Mr. Gu.


    This adjustment was the first since the base had been established.


    At the welcoming ceremony, Zhou Hai said with a beaming smile, ¡°Among those present are those older than me and those younger. I consider coming here as a student eager to learn, so please offer me guidance.¡±


    Pleasantries were exchanged warmly, and then it was revealed that he had brought funding. Before everyone could rejoice, he candidly said, ¡°I know our base is currently tight on scientific research funds. The money I brought will be used where it¡¯s most needed in scientific research. However, as we focus on scientific research and production, we must also consider our staff¡¯s spiritual life. Thus, I propose that this money be used to build a Cultural Palace.¡±


    He Xiuyu lifted his eyelids, glanced at Zhou Hai, and curled his lip but said nothing.


    Yet, he knew that building the Cultural Palace wasn¡¯t a spur-of-the-moment idea; it must be linked to him previously declining to accept the cultural troupe.


    Building a Cultural Palace?


    Actually, everyone quite agreed.


    With the increasing number of children at the base, having a Cultural Palace would represent profound significance.


    Not least, their children could learn a lot there. It would also enrich the cultural life of the staff in their leisure time.

 Chapter 512 - 512 512 This Feeling Is So Annoying

    ?Chapter 512: Chapter 512: This Feeling Is So Annoying Chapter 512: Chapter 512: This Feeling Is So Annoying ¡°It is said that the Cultural Palace is also going to establish a movie theater, which is absolutely great news for everyone.


    In Tenghai Research Base, there is a projection team that often screens movies, but that¡¯s only when the weather is warm, after all, there isn¡¯t a large suitable venue, and there are a lot of people, so the movies are shown at the sports field there.


    If there were a movie theater, I believe that the first to raise their hands in welcome would definitely be the young people of the base.


    Since it comes with funding, let¡¯s start the construction.


    The address of the Cultural Palace was set next to the Future Department Store building.


    The library that is being put together is located on the west side of the office building.


    During the weekend, Zhou Hai, carrying milk powder, fruits, canned food, and pastries, knocked on the door of He Xiuyu¡¯s house with Liu Ying. The two families lived very close, separated by just a wall.


    The place where Zhou Hai now resides used to belong to Old Li.


    Old Li was part of the Space Base. After the houses there were built, they moved away, and after some cleaning, Zhou Hai and his family just happened to move in.


    Liu Ying was quite beautiful. Since it was early winter, she was only wearing a wool-collared tweed coat, her willow-shaped eyebrows arching, her almond eyes sparkling. She didn¡¯t smile or speak. When she was with Zhou Hai, she was only eighteen years old, not yet thirty this year, but she appeared to be just in her early twenties.


    She placed the things in her hands on the coffee table with a beaming smile, looking around He Xiuyu¡¯s home, and exclaimed, ¡°You and your husband truly have an elegant taste. Without visiting, we wouldn¡¯t have known that you actually live in such a warm and beautiful house.¡±


    Beautiful people tend to have pleasant voices; after all, it¡¯s normal for someone from a cultural troupe, also a famous golden voice.


    Her voice was also very gentle, ¡°Qingyu, why don¡¯t you show Sister-in-law around your treasures while the two of them talk.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu took Liu Ying to the west room. Liu Ying leaned in to take a glance at Little Chaoxuan lying on the fur blanket, she didn¡¯t step forward but maintained a very safe distance, then she sat sideways on the chair and praised, ¡°I was thinking just now, I wonder how good-looking your two children would be.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t exhibit any modesty and nodded, ¡°Hmm, Sister-in-law is right; this child is quite good-looking.¡±


    Liu Ying just smiled there. Qiao Qingyu felt a bit of surprise in her heart because according to the information she¡¯d seen, Liu Ying was quite a proud person.


    She couldn¡¯t help but take another good look at her.


    Liu Ying spoke straightforwardly, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    ¡°I just feel a bit embarrassed to call you ¡®Sister-in-law¡¯; you¡¯re so young...¡±


    Liu Ying genuinely enjoyed hearing this, but she modestly said, ¡°Ah, I¡¯m almost becoming an old woman, how can I be still young?¡±


    ¡°If you are an old woman, then the rest of us can¡¯t even compare.¡±


    ¡°You little girl can actually talk like this.¡±


    The two didn¡¯t actually meet for the first time; they had seen each other across the wall when they moved in, but they had been too busy to talk these past two days.


    After sitting for a short while, Zhou Hai took Liu Ying to leave, mentioning there were still many things that had just arrived in the mail that needed sorting out at home.


    He Xiuyu said, ¡°Once you¡¯re settled in, we¡¯ll have dinner together.¡±


    ¡°Certainly,¡± Zhou Hai agreed heartily.


    The walls of the two houses were more than a person high, and one could see each other¡¯s yards.


    Previously, Old Li lived there, much like Old Wei, being older in age. Before coming to the Tenghai Research Base, his children were already settled, and his spouse stayed behind to look after their grandchildren, so he came alone. Old Li¡¯s house was empty for more than a year before finally bringing his spouse over from his hometown.


    But they were still rarely at home, so it was often empty here.


    However, it has become obviously livelier now.


    He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu did not see them off as, with a turn of a corner, the two entered their yard, and they could still wave hello across the wall.


    Zhou Hai was not very tall and looked quite average, with a somewhat sharp gaze, and he radiated a certain haughty temperament that probably related to his background; in future terms, he was born with a golden key.


    Liu Ying used to be a member of the cultural troupe, so her height was definitely standard, almost 1.68 meters, and even in flat shoes, she was a bit taller than Zhou Hai.


    Standing in the yard, she inadvertently looked over and saw the young couple next door standing on the steps.


    Liu Ying had never seen such a handsome man in her life.


    To tell the truth, before coming here, she didn¡¯t believe the rumors that Chief Engineer He from the Tenghai Research Base was even more handsome than movie stars, for she had seen many of these scions in the circle, some handsome indeed, but not many were pleasing to the eye.


    It was not until she saw him on moving day that she realized the saying was true, and she even thought that comparing He Xiuyu to movie stars was a disservice to He Xiuyu.


    Describing a man like He Xiuyu could no longer be simply with ¡®handsome¡¯ or ¡®good-looking¡¯.


    He stood there as if he was a painting.


    Clothed in a beige sweater and black pants, with a tall, slender figure. Qiao Qingyu was also a rarely seen beauty. The two were not looking their way, one with a slight lift of the head, the other with eyes cast downwards, one with brows smiling, the other gentle, unclear of what they were saying, but then He Xiuyu affectionately tapped Qiao Qingyu¡¯s nose with his hand and then took her hand and entered the house.


    The two of them together could be described as a breathtaking picture.


    A surge of sourness arose in Liu Ying¡¯s heart.


    The two were sweetly in love, and they were content.


    Heh, what an unpleasant feeling.


    Her beautiful eyes glittered with coldness and derision. The next moment, when she heard Zhou Hai¡¯s voice calling her into the house with a tinge of impatience, her face quickly bloomed into a sweet smile.


    As if the expression just then was nothing but an illusion.


    She stepped lightly into the house.


    The north wind howled by, whipping up the snow on the ground. The wind was a bit strong, and it felt as if in a blink, it had swept through like a fresh snowfall.


    In the evening after school, Li Mingguang, as usual, escorted He Xuerong to the front gate, only now a little girl wearing a red velvet hat was following behind them.


    At this time, the doors of the houses were open. Li Mingguang didn¡¯t enter the house; after handing He Xuerong her schoolbag at the door, he turned and left.


    Passing by Zhou Hai¡¯s house, he walked straight ahead, purposefully not looking to the side, but he didn¡¯t expect the little girl standing at the door to snort loudly through her nose and then call out, ¡°Hey hey hey...¡±


    Li Mingguang pretended not to hear, still walking forward.


    The little girl shouted from behind, ¡°Are you deaf? Didn¡¯t you hear me talking to you?¡±


    Xiao Hu was already eleven years old that day. Last year he was not as tall as He Xuerong, but after the summer he had grown half a head taller than her.


    Xiao Hu was indeed the one who knew how to grow, taking the best features from both Li Zhiqiang and Sister-in-law Li.


    Now he was already looking like a handsome young lad.¡±

 Chapter 513 - 513 513

    ?Chapter 513: Chapter 513 Chapter 513: Chapter 513 He Xuerong and Li Mingguang were in fifth grade, and Li Mingguang was the class monitor. The little girl who had just stood at the door was named Zhou Ruoruo, who was now a new transfer student, having joined the class yesterday.


    Zhou Ruoruo was stamping her feet at the Zhou Family¡¯s doorstep and continued yelling, ¡°Are you deaf? Can¡¯t you hear when I¡¯m talking to you?¡±


    Such shouting had startled both He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu, and naturally, Liu Ying from the Zhou Family came out too because she heard her daughter calling out loudly at the doorstep.


    Although Liu Ying didn¡¯t know what had happened, she still frowned and said, ¡°Why are you not coming inside after finishing school? Why are you yelling at the doorstep?¡±


    Zhou Ruoruo then complained, ¡°Mom, that boy is my classmate and also the class monitor. I called him, but he ignored me.¡±


    Li Mingguang suddenly stopped in his tracks, turned around, and greeted Liu Ying with a polite smile, saying very obediently, ¡°Hello, Auntie.¡±


    Then he looked at Zhou Ruoruo, who was glaring at him angrily, ¡°Classmate Zhou Ruoruo, my surname is Li, and my name is Li Mingguang. I am a student of Class 1, Grade 5, at the Tenghai Research Base Comprehensive School. I¡¯m not called ¡®hey hey hey¡¯, and I¡¯m not deaf.¡±


    He said this and then turned to walk leisurely towards his own home.


    Zhou Ruoruo stomped her foot and pointed at his retreating figure, ¡°Mom, look at him, acting all high and mighty.¡±


    Liu Ying¡¯s eyes flickered and she said, ¡°Ruoruo, don¡¯t be rude.¡± After speaking, she took her daughter by the hand and entered the house.


    He Xuerong couldn¡¯t help but show a hint of a mocking smile on her face, but she didn¡¯t say anything in the courtyard. After going inside the house with He Xiuyu and the others, the little girl began to chatter non-stop.


    ¡°... I have never seen such an annoying little girl. She wants to pick her own seat wherever she sits, and it has to be the cleanest one. Then she checks if the student sitting with her has lice in their hair or smells funny. She even made Tian Xiaomei from my class cry. It was barely tolerable to walk home together, but she actually asked Li Mingguang to carry her backpack, and then she said¡ª¡¯If you carry He Xuerong¡¯s bag, you¡¯re a lackey, but if you carry mine, you¡¯re a hero, a knight.¡¯ What kind of nonsense is that? Where did she even learn this?¡±


    He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu exchanged glances, and He Xiuyu said in a grave voice, ¡°Uncle knows, there¡¯s no need to argue with her. Don¡¯t lose your composure.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu patted Rongrong¡¯s hair, ¡°Our Rongrong is even a year younger than her. Forget about composure or not; that little girl does look very clean, though.¡±


    ¡°Cleanliness isn¡¯t the issue; she doesn¡¯t know how to respect others.¡±


    He Xuerong muttered to herself as she went to wash her hands.


    Meanwhile, at the Zhou Family, Zhou Hai was tidying up his study, and Liu Ying stood at the door, asking softly, ¡°Old Zhou, what do you want to eat tonight?¡±


    ¡°Whatever we have will be fine.¡±


    Liu Ying glanced at the documents on his desk and returned her gaze quietly, sounding somewhat anxious, ¡°Old Zhou, ever since the Tenghai Research Base was established, that leadership team has barely changed. Everyone says they are solid as a barrel that not even water can penetrate. How can you carry out your work effectively?¡±


    Zhou Hai¡¯s lips curled slightly, ¡°What barrel? They¡¯re more like a mountain of iron, but if you¡¯re determined, there¡¯s nothing that can¡¯t be moved.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s easy to say, but it¡¯s not so easy to achieve something here,¡± Liu Ying sighed.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s not for you to worry about. Once the funds are in place, start preparing for the Cultural Palace. Focusing on your own work is better than anything else.¡±


    Liu Ying then laughed, ¡°I¡¯m just worried out of concern. Alright, I¡¯ll go cook. You keep busy.¡±


    Liu Ying decisively turned to head for the kitchen, but after taking a few steps, as if remembering something, Zhou Hai said, ¡°Jiao Jiao hasn¡¯t had much appetite these days, make something to whet her appetite.¡±


    Liu Ying paused, a mysterious look crossing her face.


    Then she responded cheerfully, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll stir-fry some hot and sour shredded potatoes for Jiao Jiao.¡±


    Zhou Hai¡¯s eyes showed a touch of tenderness, and with gratitude, he said, ¡°Ah Yin, you¡¯re really wonderful.¡±


    Liu Ying gave him a sideways glance, her tone playful and teasing. ¡°We¡¯re an old couple. What are you talking about? Isn¡¯t this what I should be doing?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re doing it very well, though. In a few days, if we find a nanny, you can relax.¡±


    Liu Ying pondered for a moment. ¡°As far as I know, none of the leaders living in the residential compound have hired a nanny yet. Let¡¯s wait on that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine too.¡± Zhou Hai nodded, then returned to the documents in his hands without saying anything further, while Liu Ying went to the kitchen.


    Although they didn¡¯t have a nanny, Zhou Hai was the deputy director with a high rank. Many people had come to help them move, and everything was neatly arranged. They really lacked for nothing.


    So there wasn¡¯t much to tidy up. When Liu Ying finished cooking, Zhou Zijiao and Zhou Pengcheng came back. Liu Ying warmly greeted them with a smile.


    In a soft voice, Zhou Pengcheng said, ¡°Mom, we¡¯re home from school.¡±


    Standing at the door, Zhou Zijiao¡¯s body was slightly stiff. She clenched her fist at her side, looked up at the smiling Liu Ying, and responded coolly before heading to her room with her backpack on her back.


    Liu Ying just smiled awkwardly.


    Zhou Hai saw the whole thing and furrowed his brow in disapproval. ¡°What kind of attitude is that? Who are you showing a long face to?¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, it¡¯s time to eat. Old Zhou, take it easy,¡± Liu Ying hurriedly interjected to cut off Zhou Hai.


    Their house had the same layout as He Xiuyu¡¯s house.


    Zhou Zijiao and Zhou Ruoruo shared a room, Zhou Pengcheng had his own room, and another bedroom was for Liu Ying and Zhou Hai.


    Zhou Zijiao threw her backpack on the desk with a bang and muttered through clenched teeth, ¡°Phony woman, so disgusting.¡±


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, Little Chaoxuan was rolling over and tumbling on the kang.


    After just a few days, he was crawling all over the kang.


    Using hands and feet together, he was the fastest crawler. At this time, he really needed constant supervision.


    He Xiuyu made him a baby crib with rails on the side. He Xuerong never liked Little Chaoxuan staying in it while she was home. She would stay by the edge of the kang to keep her little brother from falling onto the ground.


    But Little Chaoxuan seemed tireless and appeared to enjoy the activity, probably because of He Xuerong playing with him. Whenever He Xuerong was home, he¡¯d crawl nonstop on the kang, this way and that, giggling as he moved. The little guy was quite clever and even seemed to have discovered that He Xuerong was afraid he might fall off, intentionally crawling toward the edge.


    So, they spread a thick wool carpet across the floor of the room.


    The carpet was plush, like cotton.


    The house was kept clean, and when things got too busy, they would just put the child on the carpet, close the door, and let him crawl around the room freely.


    It was good to put him on the carpet. After finishing her homework, He Xuerong would crawl with him.


    Wu Qianyun sat cross-legged in front of the radiator, knitting a sweater for He Xuerong.


    This was also to prevent the child from bumping into the radiator.


    However, the little guy was very clever. Whenever he reached it, he would automatically turn the corner.

 Chapter 514 - 514 514

    ?Chapter 514: Chapter 514 Chapter 514: Chapter 514 After Little Chaoxuan had eaten his fill, Qiao Qingyu headed to the study.


    He Xiuyu was also there; Professor Feng had left her with a hefty amount of homework, and she needed to buckle down to finish it.


    During the day at the unit, there was also a mountain of tasks to handle. Once the grains were in the silo, the revenue naturally became evident, and overall, she had reached the goals set last year.


    Next on the agenda was planning for the following year.


    When Qiao Qingyu made plans, she always wanted He Xiuyu to be involved and give his opinions.


    This time was no exception.


    Fortunately, her Agricultural Group still had the original team members¡ªpresumably because people thought agriculture didn¡¯t have much of a future.


    After all, even though it was the 1980s, the gap between urban and rural areas still existed, and city dwellers still looked down on peasants. Why look down on them? Because the peasants were tillers of the soil.


    It was unclear how such an idea came to exist.


    But what could be said for certain was that it had been deeply ingrained for a long time.


    Even decades later, it hadn¡¯t improved much.


    Qiao Qingyu handed the completed plan to He Xiuyu. Just as she was getting up, the telephone suddenly rang.


    Unexpectedly, it was a call from Aunt Wang Guihua.


    Her voice was somewhat hoarse and unlike her usual self; she didn¡¯t inquire about Qiao Qingyu¡¯s well-being but instead said directly, ¡°Qingyu, where¡¯s your mom? Have her come over to take the call.¡±


    ¡°My mom¡¯s in the west room. I¡¯ll go call her now.¡±


    Wu Qianyun came to take the call, while He Xiuyu, with the report in hand, went to the west room.


    He Xiuyu had always been like this.


    He respected Wu Qianyun greatly and was also very filial to her.


    But he wouldn¡¯t meddle too much in the affairs of the Wu Family and the Qiao Family.


    However, whenever his help was needed, he never hesitated.


    Qiao Qingyu did not go out. She was curious¡ªwhy would Aunt Guihua go to the team office to call her mother so late at night?


    Then she heard Wang Guihua on the other end of the line speaking in a rushed voice, ¡°Where¡¯s Xianglan? Your brother said not to call you, but I thought you should know about this...¡±


    The name Han Xianglan¡ªeveryone in the Qiao Family Team of this generation was used to calling her that. Even though her name had changed to Wu Qianyun, not a single person in the Qiao Family Team called her by that name.


    Those older than her simply called her Xianglan, and those of the same age either called her Sister Xianglan or Miss Xianglan.


    In their eyes, ¡°Xianglan¡± simply rolled off the tongue more smoothly.


    Now hearing Wang Guihua on the phone yelling out ¡°Xianglan¡± loudly to her mother, Qiao Qingyu found it very normal, but then Guihua¡¯s hoarse voice carried through the phone. Her voice was loud, the background was noisy, and it seemed like there were sounds of argument.


    ¡°...Wang Mei has gone mad, and Qiao Zhihai is no better. The couple has been making a ruckus about divorce for nearly a year now, but who would have thought that last night Wang Mei would set your house on fire and then went on to set our old residence ablaze...¡±


    The words startled both Han Xianglan and Qiao Qingyu. Qiao Qingyu quickened her steps and stood beside Wu Qianyun in no time.


    ¡°Where is the person? How is he, my grandpa, my grandma, my dad?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic, everybody¡¯s fine, but your grandma and your grandpa were so scared they are now in the hospital...¡±


    Wu Qianyun gritted her teeth, ¡°Sister-in-law, why did they set my house on fire while fighting? What on earth is going on?¡±


    The voice of Qiao Shengbao could still be heard on the phone, apparently in a bad temper too.


    But whatever was being said wasn¡¯t very clear, then Wang Guihua relayed the whole story to Wu Qianyun and Qiao Qingyu.


    The matter wasn¡¯t complicated; the couple had been bickering over divorce but hadn¡¯t finalized it yet. Qiao Zhihai had made up his mind though, even stopped living with her, and moved directly to the construction team in town. Whenever he returned to the Qiao Family Team, he stayed at his eldest son¡¯s house.


    He also told everyone in the village not to lend her money. He didn¡¯t care if his sons and daughters-in-law were willing to give her money, but to be honest, Wang Mei wasn¡¯t a good mother-in-law, and not a single daughter-in-law liked her.


    All the daughters-in-law couldn¡¯t wait for the divorce to happen.


    In some families, the old couple¡¯s divorce is a matter of shame, but in Qiao Zhihai¡¯s home, the daughters-in-law privately considered it a joyous occasion.


    This mother-in-law was like a jinx; with her around, life was miserable.


    Then, Wang Mei found herself increasingly strapped for cash and couldn¡¯t provide for her family either. Old Lady Wang didn¡¯t show her any kindness, her sons guarded against her in every house she visited, and without Qiao Zhihai¡¯s backing, Wang Mei, no matter how much she screamed and rolled on the ground, nobody took her side, and she couldn¡¯t stir up trouble.


    Somehow, she developed a hatred for Qiao Zhicai, convinced that Qiao Qingyu was a jinx.


    It was a point of contention she brought up more than once in arguments with the old lady.


    It¡¯s just that she didn¡¯t discuss it with Qiao Qingyu.


    However, Wang Mei felt that it was the Qiao Family¡¯s financial situation that triggered this, thinking that if they were still living through the poor times, she¡¯d still be the respected Wang Mei, who could bring anything from her family without anyone daring to provoke her. Now that everyone had grown capable and their wings strong, they even dared to stand up to her.


    Yesterday the wind was strong. After ten o¡¯clock, she wrapped cotton in bean oil and threw two balls on the roof of Qiao Zhicai¡¯s house, then ran to the old house and threw another two.


    Nowadays, the old houses of the Qiao Family Team have no tiles on the roof, just layers upon layers of wheat straw.


    Despite the cold winter, in order to prevent the houses from collapsing, they generally tried to remove the snow soon after it fell. Moreover, from autumn to winter, the straw had become extremely dry and caught fire all at once.


    Fortunately, as the houses of the Qiao Family Team were stand-alone, and with timely firefighting efforts, only the roof collapsed.


    All the people inside managed to run out, but in the big freeze of winter, it was still a threat to life. Granny Qiao fainted out of rage upon hearing someone say that it was Wang Mei who had thrown two big cotton balls on their house.


    Qiao Zhihai was called back by Qiao Zhiyuan, and Wang Mei, who probably didn¡¯t expect the fire to get so big, turned and ran. Qiao Zhihai¡¯s face turned ashen as he looked around and then went out to find people. So far neither of them has returned.


    Toward the end, Wang Guihua, crying and bemoaning, cursed Qiao Zhihai and Wang Mei, before warning Wu Qianyun, ¡°Xianglan, the reason I¡¯m telling you this is to remind you that Wang Mei seems a bit mentally unstable now. She doesn¡¯t even need an introduction letter to leave, and she has some money on her. I¡¯m worried she might go to Xichuan to find you and Qingyu...¡±


    Wu Qianyun trembled with rage, ¡°Let her come. I want to see what she¡¯s up to.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu took over the phone, asking urgently, ¡°Auntie, now that the house is burned down, where are you all staying?¡±


    ¡°I was just about to tell you, your dad and your elder brother¡¯s family of four were picked up by someone dispatched by your grandpa. The driver¡¯s name is Wu Hong; he has been to our village before and has a house in the town. Your dad must be worried about you, so he hasn¡¯t called you yet... Your grandparents are both in the hospital now. We all have places to stay, so you don¡¯t need to worry. Take good care of your mom and keep her calm...¡±


    How could one not be upset?

 Chapter 515 - 515 515 Escape

    ?Chapter 515: Chapter 515: Escape Chapter 515: Chapter 515: Escape ¡°In the dead of winter, the house was set on fire, and it wasn¡¯t something that could be covered up. There were still many things inside, and surely they got burned too.¡±


    On the other end, Qiao Shengbao picked up the phone and told Qiao Qingyu not to worry, ¡°Some of the things inside indeed burned, but he and a few brothers as well as Qiao Genbao had managed to salvage everything during the day. It was just his crafts made from corn leaves and wheat stalks that were largely destroyed.¡±


    But those losses couldn¡¯t be mentioned anymore, not when compared to the shock they experienced.


    However, Qiao Shengbao was furious, ¡°Wang Mei is inhumane. She didn¡¯t consider the monks or the Buddha, and there were elderly and children in the house. How could she bear to do this? I don¡¯t care whose grandma or mother she is. I¡¯ve already reported it. This is arson. We absolutely cannot let her off lightly...¡±


    Qiao Shengbao also knew that he couldn¡¯t occupy the He Family¡¯s phone for too long.


    Besides, it wasn¡¯t something good to dwell on. Mentioning it briefly was enough; in fact, his uncle thought it was best not to say anything temporarily, to avoid worrying his little aunt.


    After hanging up the phone, Qiao Qingyu then said to Wu Qianyun, ¡°Mom, you and dad should move out of the Qiao Family Team.¡±


    ¡°Let me think about it.¡± Wu Qianyun¡¯s complexion was poor. Although she knew her husband was alright, and her son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren were all safe, how could she not worry without hearing their voices?


    But even if she worried, she couldn¡¯t just leave little Chaoxuan and go back to the Qiao Family Team. Besides, what was there to go back for?


    She¡¯d only end up more upset.


    What, my daughter helped you and she did it wrong?


    What exactly is going on with you Qiao Family people? Aren¡¯t all of you rather capable? A large family of dozens and you can¡¯t deal with one Wang Mei? You really are capable.


    Among all this, there could be people fishing in troubled waters, sowing discord, trying to take advantage of the situation, or simply acting out of jealousy and spite; it¡¯s hard to say.


    That¡¯s why when everyone was poor, there seemed to be no difference between them, but when wealth came, it revealed everyone¡¯s true colors.


    But these were not the words she could tell her daughter. Even though it was not ideal, it was just those few people. Now that Wang Mei had fled and Shengbao had reported the crime, bringing her back meant incarceration. She didn¡¯t believe the Qiao Family had the audacity to bail her out. So let the caught Wang Mei spend her remaining years there.


    If that was really the case, it would be like removing a thorn.


    However, even so, for DouDou and Feifei, Wu Qianyun decided that the next day, during the day, she would contact Qiao Zhicai and ask him to take his son and daughter-in-law to Yun City.


    Her own father had secretly bought funds and stocks for the family, and his factory shares were allocated to them too, Qiao Zhicai included.


    Even if they did nothing, they wouldn¡¯t lack food or drink, but Wu Qianyun wasn¡¯t planning to tell her son and daughter-in-law about these things. The days at the Qiao Family Team were just starting to improve, and in comparison to the wealthy, it was still a far cry. Just like that, greed had already started to set in.


    Therefore, she couldn¡¯t use money to test what kind of people her son and daughter-in-law really were.


    But she would give them some capital, enough for two adults to support two children without an issue. Moreover, moving to Yun City meant they wouldn¡¯t need to rent a place; they had their own, which would be the most cost-saving arrangement.


    Wu Qianyun lay in her room, her thoughts in disarray. She wondered where Wang Mei had run off to and whether Qiao Zhihai had found someone and hidden her away.


    No matter what, they were still married, and having an arsonist in the family wasn¡¯t good for anyone.


    Even having children who attended school was a big problem.


    At that moment, in the woods behind Wangjia Village, the snow had fallen heavily this year. With each step, it came up to one¡¯s knees.


    Wang Mei had set the fire the previous night. After setting it and seeing the flames blaze intensely, she became fearful and regretful. If it had spread to other people¡¯s homes, or someone had been hurt, she would have been in deep trouble. So, in the chaos, she turned and ran.


    The first place she went, naturally, was her maternal home.


    To her, it was the closest place, even though she was over fifty years old. She still felt this way.


    Upon getting to the Wang Family, Old Mrs. Wang was over seventy but in robust health. She narrowed her eyes at Wang Mei, scolding her as being useless¡ªsurely driven back by Qiao Zhihai. She told Wang Mei that she couldn¡¯t divorce, under no circumstances. It didn¡¯t make sense. When the Old Qiao Family had been poor and clanging with emptiness, she had given birth to several sons for them. Now, just like that, she spoke of leaving? There was no justice in that. She also bolstered her daughter¡¯s confidence, telling her not to be afraid and that if the commotion persisted, she would go to the provincial capital and report them¡ªlabeling the entire Qiao Family as ungrateful traitors like Chen Shimei.


    Noticing something wrong in Wang Mei¡¯s expression, her sister-in-law sensed something was amiss. Upon inquiry, she discovered to her horror that Wang Mei had set fire to her father-in-law¡¯s and mother-in-law¡¯s house, as well as her brother-in-law¡¯s house.


    The Wang Family was completely stunned.


    They truly hadn¡¯t expected Wang Mei to do such a thing.


    Immediately, Wang Mei¡¯s brother pushed her out, ¡°Go away quickly, you¡¯ve broken the law now. You can¡¯t stay at our house. If you do, how will our Wang Family cope...¡±


    Wang Mei struggled. It was bitterly cold, the middle of a snowy night. If she stayed outside all night, she would likely freeze to death. She hadn¡¯t expected her usually sweet-natured brother to treat her this way.


    It wasn¡¯t just her brother; Old Mrs. Wang was terrified too. She knew that whatever quarrels Wang Mei had with Qiao Zhihai were simply marital squabbles. But setting the brother-in-law¡¯s house on fire was a crime, and it would definitely bring trouble to the Wang Family. So, she too pushed Wang Mei out.


    Wang Mei had come to her maternal home with a heart full of warmth, thinking that this place could protect her, help her get past this, thinking that once it was over, she just had to speak nicely to Qiao Zhihai, and the matter would be resolved.


    People inside the house weren¡¯t foolish either. Who wouldn¡¯t know to run out if there was a fire?


    She figured nobody would die from the fire.


    As for the burnt belongings, Qiao Zhicai was so wealthy that it didn¡¯t really matter.


    She just planned to hide for a few days. Yet, the Wang Family really changed faces, and didn¡¯t recognize her. Her brother, worried about being implicated, dragged her out of the village.


    He even fiercely threatened her¡ªdon¡¯t even think about entering the Wang Family home again. If nothing went wrong, it would still be okay to talk; but if his children were affected, he¡¯d personally take her to the police station.


    Wang Mei wasn¡¯t great in many ways, but she had one good quality¡ªshe devoted her heart and soul to her maternal family.


    Never had she imagined her dedication to her family¡ªthinking of her mother, her brothers, even her nephews and nieces¡ªcould end up like this. When trouble arose, they were all afraid she would bring them down.

 Chapter 516 - 516 516 Jump Down Together

    ?Chapter 516: Chapter 516: Jump Down Together Chapter 516: Chapter 516: Jump Down Together ¡°In such cold weather, they hadn¡¯t even given her a sip of hot water before chasing her out.


    At this very moment, Wang Mei¡¯s heart was truly ice-cold.


    She didn¡¯t have time to think whether her life had been right or wrong, she was very cold, she dared not go into the village nor did she dare return to Qiao Family Team, she turned and ran towards the rear mountain. Wang Mei knew there was a shack in a hollow on the rear mountain where the people of Wangjia Village had set up to watch over the medicinal herbs they grew during summer.


    In the middle of winter, especially at midnight, no one in the north would venture out into the biting wind, so the whole forest was eerily quiet except for the occasional sound of wild animals.


    Just like that, Wang Mei hid in the shack for one whole day and night.


    There was plenty of firewood in the mountains, and there was a box of matches in the shack. Although the shack had a small heated brick bed, she wasn¡¯t freezing, but she was very hungry.


    She had to go down the mountain to find something to eat, otherwise, she would perish here.


    For someone of her age, it was a miracle she hadn¡¯t collapsed from such torment.


    She walked with a deep step followed by a shallow one until, looking up under the moonlight, she saw a figure standing on a hillside that shocked her completely. But on closer examination, it was Qiao Zhihai.


    Qiao Zhihai didn¡¯t say anything; he was wearing a military coat and heavy cotton shoes.


    He had been searching for this woman for a day. Shengbao had reported her missing, he had agreed with Shengbao¡¯s decision to report it, if not, he himself would have gone to report it. Wang Mei was not at Wangjia Village, she had indeed arrived on that night, but her brothers had driven her out.


    He went home, not intending to search for her.


    This woman had run towards the rear mountain. If she froze to death, then it was fate. If she didn¡¯t freeze, he would find her the next day.


    After searching for a day, he finally saw smoke rising from the shack where medicinal herbs were watched in the distance on the hillside.


    Before he reached her, Wang Mei, that wretched woman, approached him, grabbing him tightly. However, unexpectedly, he remained calm, looking at her, the two really had spent a lifetime together, but he hadn¡¯t imagined it would come to this.


    ¡°Wang Mei, you would risk your life for your parents¡¯ family, but now that you¡¯re in trouble, how come your own mother and your brothers don¡¯t care for you?¡± Qiao Zhihai mocked.


    Wang Mei¡¯s lips trembled, unable to utter a word.


    Qiao Zhihai felt utterly bored. He knew that at this point, speaking of so-called reasoning was meaningless. He grabbed her and walked forward while Wang Mei was dazedly dragged by him, and when she came to her senses, she found that he hadn¡¯t taken her back home or to the police station.


    Instead, they were standing on the edge of a cliff.


    The moon was exceptionally round tonight, and combined with the bright white snow, it was as light as day.


    This place was familiar to Wang Mei; she had picked mushrooms here in the autumn.


    She asked with a trembling voice, ¡°My lord, why have you brought me here?¡±


    ¡°Wang Mei, I¡¯ve thought about it. If I were to send you to the police station, but since we are not yet divorced, reporting this would surely validate your arson charge. Once you are inside, you¡¯ll have a criminal record which would affect my three sons and their children later on.¡±


    Wang Mei was so cold that she was barely conscious.


    But she finally gave in because she was scared, having never seen such an expression or attitude on Qiao Zhihai¡¯s face before.¡±


    ¡°Head of the household, I was wrong, I... I was wrong. Why don¡¯t you just take me to the police station? If we get divorced, I won¡¯t drag the children down with me, okay?¡±


    Qiao Zhihai shook his head, his voice calm, ¡°Wang Mei, as I was walking here, I thought about it. You¡¯ve contributed to this family; you gave me three sons. But then I think back, and all three kids were raised by my mother. What have you done? You only care about your own family, you never had a place for me, Qiao Zhihai, in your eyes. You¡¯ve never considered the Qiao family as your own.¡±


    He pointed to the cliff, ¡°I wanted to kill you, but if I killed you, I would be a murderer, and our descendants would never see good days. I haven¡¯t done much for them, I can¡¯t burden them. Let¡¯s jump together, leave our fates to heaven. If we live, we live; if we die, it¡¯s fate.¡±


    Wang Mei struggled in terror, but she was tired, hungry, and cold, her resistance feeble. She didn¡¯t want to die. Although she was old, she could live twenty more years, the same age her mother reached.


    Tears in her eyes and a plea on her lips were cut short as Qiao Zhaihai took off his military coat and put it on her.


    Underneath it, he just wore a sweater. Without hesitation, he grasped Wang Mei¡¯s arm and jumped from the top towards the bottom of the mountain.


    Before leaping, he wondered if his sons could find the one thousand yuan left in the house.


    The next morning, Qiao Qingyu received a call from his hometown.


    It was Qiao Shengbao who made the call.


    Perhaps it really was fate not wanting them dead yet, sometimes the will of heaven is inexplicable and unreasonable.


    Under ordinary circumstances, Qiao Zhihai and Wang Mei should have undoubtedly died from such a fall, especially given the cold weather. Even an hour in the cold could be fatal, not to mention frostbite.


    Qiao Zhihai hadn¡¯t intended to live; perhaps it was guilt, not knowing how to face his parents and brothers, or maybe because with Wang Mei alive, his sons¡¯ lives would never improve.


    So, he decided to die with her; that way, he wouldn¡¯t be a murderer.


    But half an hour after they jumped, a forest ranger from the mountain station happened to pass by and found two people lying in a snowdrift.


    This area had a forest, with a state-run station. Two rangers were on duty that night, and after drinking a bottle of liquor, they went outside to relieve themselves and heard cracking sounds from the woods. Drunk but determined, they grabbed flashlights and sticks and went to investigate.


    They discovered two people in the snow.


    One quickly went to get help while the other frantically rubbed snow on the slightly breathing man¡¯s hands, feet, and ears.


    Qiao Zhihai miraculously survived.


    Wang Mei, however, died.


    Not from the cold, but likely from fear; analysts said it was the shock from Qiao Zhihai pulling her to jump, but regardless, she was gone.


    The police station closed the case.


    That was the outcome.


    The old master and the old lady moved into Qiao Zhihai¡¯s house.


    Qiao Zhihai eventually left the hospital, but he was emotionally unstable. Once the old master and the old lady came to terms with the situation, all they could do was look after their second son.

 Chapter 517 - 517 517 The Alarm Bell

    ?Chapter 517: Chapter 517: The Alarm Bell Chapter 517: Chapter 517: The Alarm Bell Qiao Zhiyuan took his daughter-in-law and youngest son to the Educated Youth spot next to the Qiao Family Team headquarters.


    This area, still part of the old district, hadn¡¯t been planned yet; although there were houses by the labs, breeding base, and pig farm, Qiao Zhiyuan chose this place nonetheless.


    After Mr. Wu learned of his daughter¡¯s call, he sent people to pick up Qiao Zhicai and Qiao Genbao, taking them to Yun City.


    The pickup coincided with the end of the school term¡ªjust in time for the children¡¯s winter break.


    Qiao Zhicai discussed with Wu Qianyun, and not far from their home, they rented a storefront. Secretary Chang helped with the business license, and they opened a Northern specialities shop just before the New Year.


    They already had some dry goods at home and had decided what to do before moving to Yun City, so they had collected quite a lot in advance. Then borrowing two large trucks from the county, they packed everything they could take from home onto the trucks. Along with the dry goods, they transported some medicinal herbs and even the grains harvested from home this year to Yun City.


    Wu Xiucai then registered Feifei and Doudou¡¯s household in Yun City.


    It was for the convenience of schooling.


    But for Qiao Zhicai and the other three, as well as Wu Qianyun¡¯s households, they stayed with the Qiao Family Team.


    Due to the family¡¯s recent trouble, no one had anything to say about Qiao Zhicai moving to Yun City with his son and daughter-in-law.


    In any case, Qiao Zhicai was dissatisfied with Qiao Zhihai.


    He didn¡¯t want to think ill of his second brother but couldn¡¯t help but ponder.


    This incident served as a wakeup call for him.


    He had a wealthy father-in-law, for sure, and he benefitted from it, but the thought of his whole clan riding on his coattails was too embarrassing.


    However, the rest of the family didn¡¯t see it that way; his eldest nephew, Qiao Tianbao, was a good kid, but because the family now had a wealthy relative, his wife made a fuss. In the end, she got her way.


    According to her wishes, she went to work in a government canteen in the county.


    By the time he found out, it had all been arranged; his nephew didn¡¯t dare to face him, but the nephew¡¯s wife did visit him with many gifts.


    What could he do?


    Could he kick them out?


    After all the favors he¡¯d given, if he turned his back on them now, wouldn¡¯t that make him the proverbial pig looking in the mirror¡ªneither human nor beast?


    Still, he felt aggrieved inside.


    It was a good opportunity to move away.


    Nevertheless, Qiao Zhicai was not willing to let go of the family homestead and the allocated land.


    To put it bluntly, if one day his father-in-law no longer favored him and he couldn¡¯t stay around, he could go back to the Qiao Family Team with a house and fields to his name, and with food to eat, he wouldn¡¯t starve.


    Of course, this was just a precautionary thought; he knew in his heart that his father-in-law would never do such a thing. It wasn¡¯t about watching the owner before beating a dog; it was because at that level, there was no need for that man to be so concerned with a small fry like him.


    So, Qiao Zhicai settled down very quickly, getting everything in order before the Spring Festival.


    Qiao Genbao and Niu Guili were overwhelmed with running a business for the first time, but with the ever-capable Secretary Chang helping out, they soon got the hang of it.


    Add to that the lack of survival pressure¡ªthey had enough food, money in hand, a house to stay in Yun City, the children registered as residents of Yun City not needing to pay for lodging at school¡ªit all became easy. Moreover, shops selling Northern specialties in Yun City were few and far between, so business slowly began to pick up.


    They could make over one hundred yuan a day, and their bond with their hometown actually grew stronger.


    Most of the mountain goods were purchased by Qiao Shengbao.


    Qiao Shengbao, being a craftsman, had his own transport routes, and Qiao Zhicai didn¡¯t sit idle either. He always produced a handicraft every month to give to Qiao Shengbao to sell on his behalf, so Qiao Shengbao was entirely in charge of purchasing the mountain goods.


    Of course, this allowed him to make some money.


    They were brothers, but clear accounts were a must, or else it would lead to trouble when things were unclear, something the Qiao Family now feared.


    But it also cannot go unmentioned that after Wang Mei died, the Qiao Family truly quieted down.


    No one felt sorrow for Wang Mei; behind her back, everyone cursed her. In the past, the most malicious acts were murder and arson. Although she didn¡¯t commit murder, she committed arson¡ªwith the elderly and children in the house, if they couldn¡¯t escape, they would have burned to death.


    And there were neighbors, too.


    They say a fire burns through a poor man¡¯s day.


    So, for everyone, she got what she deserved.


    As for Qiao Zhihai, he was now silent and visibly depressed every day.


    No matter how much he hated someone, he never wished death upon them.


    Especially since that someone was the wife who had spent a lifetime with him.


    But everyone also knew that he wished to die with Wang Mei; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have taken off his military coat to put it on her. Perhaps that was how fate arranged it; hence, before long, no one brought it up again.


    And just like that, in the blink of an eye, warm spring came tiptoeing in, dressing the earth in a light veil of green.


    Meng Siqi finally made up her mind to see her grandson, and of course, she came with He Shan, calling ahead of time. Qiao Zhicai came from Yun City.


    Wu Xiucai arrived with Qiao Zhicai. Both Mr. He and Granny He were also missing their great-granddaughter and great-grandson.


    Granny He felt it was time for a meeting while both she and her husband were still alive.


    They decided to meet in Xichuan, for during this busy season, Qingyu could not easily travel to either Beijing or Yun City with the young child.


    Once decided, the meeting happened smoothly with the three elders involved.


    Once Meng Siqi let down her guard, she found that Wu Qianyun was indeed a very agreeable woman.


    With six people suddenly in the house, even a large space suddenly felt cramped.


    However, Meng Siqi didn¡¯t stay for long and soon left.


    Wu Xiucai was bound for Beijing, so they left together.


    He Shan was very pleased and took exceptional care of the elders. After the train journey, he took Wu Xiucai to his home.


    Wu Xiucai didn¡¯t refuse, considering the respect for He Xiuyu and Qingyu.


    Once Wu Xiucai was well settled in, Meng Siqi truly relaxed.


    From now on, familial ties would be much easier to maintain.


    Although Meng Siqi considered herself not to be opportunistic, she had to admit that acknowledging the relationship brought her significant benefits.


    As the snow melted and life revived, not only did spring plowing begin, but the construction of the Cultural Palace library at the base also began. Zhou Hai was a man of capability, with more than one way up his sleeve to request funding.


    The Cultural Palace received its funding, and construction began on the foundation; building materials would also gradually arrive by train at Tenghai Research Base.


    Perhaps in the urgency to accomplish something, rumors spread that they were applying to build a television tower, taking advantage of the spring breeze with land permits, building materials, and support from fellow institutes at hand.


    The news of the television tower construction excited the employees much more than the Cultural Palace did.

 Chapter 518 - 518 518 Finally its Outer Jiangnan

    ?Chapter 518: Chapter 518: Finally, it¡¯s Outer Jiangnan Chapter 518: Chapter 518: Finally, it¡¯s Outer Jiangnan ¡°Although not everyone can afford a TV set, a typical family with both spouses working can still buy one if they tighten their belts a bit.


    Especially now that it¡¯s already 1986, dramas from Hong Kong and Taiwan are flooding into the inland like tidal waves.


    Many catchy songs and classic TV series are created against this backdrop, in this era.


    Even the base¡¯s shop suddenly had many more postcards and celebrity stickers.


    He Xuerong bought a lot of them too, and her stickers are the latest ones. Her originally neat pencil box used to contain a multiplication table, but now it¡¯s plastered with big headshots of celebrities.


    One after another, all natural beauties and handsome faces.


    If there is going to be a TV tower at the base, then there must be a TV station.


    Zhou Hai then proposed to transfer a cultural troupe that had its application for reassignment rejected recently to the base.


    These people are all talented and versatile. They could not only take up jobs at the Cultural Palace but also at the TV station, and if they lacked any skills, they could go out for training.


    As for the funding, Zhou Hai had his own way to secure it and would definitely not use any of the base¡¯s research funds.


    Zhou Hai is a very authoritative person. When he brought up this idea in the meeting, it seemed more like he was informing everyone, not asking for their opinions, and although He Xiuyu looked calm, he remained silent.


    Later, he said to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°... My thoughts were indeed narrow-minded. I was only focused on applying the outcomes of my research team¡¯s work as soon as possible to maximize their utility. I assumed everyone shared the same aspirations as me, but today I¡¯ve realized that I may have taken too much for granted.¡±


    That was where He Xiuyu felt a bit of melancholy.


    He was well aware that all of Zhou Hai¡¯s proposals struck a chord with the employees and were all good for them, so even though neither the Cultural Palace nor the TV tower was built yet, Zhou Hai¡¯s prestige at the base soared instantly.


    Now, there was no one who didn¡¯t praise his good deeds.


    The initial enthusiasm for the Cultural Palace waned a bit; what everyone was looking forward to the most now was to see the TV tower completed and to have their very own TV station, which would instantly improve the quality of life.


    But He Xiuyu actually understood these matters better than anyone; he had wanted to do the same before and had even convinced Qiao Qingyu¡¯s Agricultural Group, which she had established, to be placed under the Tenghai Research Base, so that they could save a considerable amount of money on logistics and use the profits from the Agricultural Group for research funds.


    But now that such a man had come, also doing practical things, his practical things were, however, in another aspect.


    He Xiuyu was even more aware that if he objected again this time, it might arouse public indignation.


    Qiao Qingyu thought it was a big deal, so she just smiled and said, ¡°If this was twenty or thirty years ago, I could understand. Back then, people only talked about dedication without expecting anything in return, only thinking about how much sweat and hardship they could endure to build up the country and strengthen it. The emphasis was on suffering first and enjoying life later. But times are changing, and people¡¯s experiences and thoughts are different from the past. Nothing is constant. Building the nation and enjoying life are not contradictory. You don¡¯t need to worry about these things; just leave it to Old Wei and the others...¡±


    In any case, as long as no one dares to touch a single cent of your research funds, that would be enough.


    As for the Cultural Palace TV Station, they could charge a reasonable fee once it begins operating.


    Those people should be able to support themselves.


    He Xiuyu laughed; he understood all the reasons and knew that many of these trends were inevitable.


    He just felt a certain discomfort, and was just sharing it with Qiao Qingyu, before returning to whatever he needed to busy himself with.


    After five years of relentless effort, the main crops in the land were mostly now high-yield seeds produced by Qiao Qingyu¡¯s Space Laboratory.


    Naturally, the grain yield could be said to have increased several times, suddenly or perhaps subtly.


    The farmers discovered that rice and flour were no longer scarce commodities, and city dwellers also noticed that grain shops were sprouting up like mushrooms after rain.


    As long as one had money, one could buy as much rice and flour as desired.


    Furthermore, all types of coupons were completely abolished.


    Wu Qianyun had quite a few various types of coupons, as did Qiao Qingyu; she even told her mother that they wouldn¡¯t need coupons anymore, but like past antiques, they still had some collectible value, especially the ones that were short-lived and rare.


    Even without collectible value, they could be left for the grown children to see what kind of coupons their parents used in the old days.


    On one hand, that was the situation.


    On the other hand, the most important thing was that this spring, the Barley Grass from Qiao Qingyu¡¯s Space Device had been planted all over the sandy strips of West City.


    For Qiao Qingyu, this was the first step of her plan successfully completed.


    West City was fully greened and had completely bid farewell to the era of deserts.


    Especially in summer, the Barley Grass spread to the horizon like an endless prairie; it was a sea of green.


    The first planted Willow Woods had already grown over two meters tall and formed lines of scenic and sandbreak forests.


    Whether it was on the hill slopes or in the valley bottoms, the once barren land was now green and wildflowers were abundant. The land was improved, and unknown plants quietly emerged from the grass, including edible wild vegetables and medicinal herbs.


    Even low-lying areas had formed ponds of various sizes.


    Standing outdoors, one no longer saw the desolation and flying sand but blue skies, white clouds, green waters, and lush mountains.


    Now, calling it the Outer Jiangnan was truly well-deserved.


    The next step was Gelle State in the neighboring province.


    The desertification there was even more severe than the original Xichuan; of course, where it was completely desertified, it was left as is, planting Barley Grass and Willow Wood, and even sea buckthorn trees on the cultivatable lands. The large tracts of desert would become attractions once people¡¯s lives improved, so not everything needed to be changed.


    This time, Qiao Qingyu provided one hundred thousand kilograms of Barley Grass Seeds.


    Gelle State was known for its poverty, and selling one hundred thousand kilograms of Barley Grass Seeds even at ten yuan per kilogram would cost over ten million yuan. However, if they were offered for free, Qiao Qingyu could not bear the costs either, as the seeds themselves, which were harvested by hand, were worth several hundred thousand yuan.


    But Gelle State had a coal mine, so after negotiation, they exchanged coal for the Barley Grass Seeds.


    For both parties, it was a win-win situation.


    Little Chaoxuan was still young and breastfeeding. Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t go on long journeys; she wasn¡¯t so noble as to leave her child at home and disregard them for her career. Even though she had regained her memory, she knew the bitterness of growing up as an orphan.


    Even He Xiuyu was the same, always finding time to care for the child.


    When these two were home, Wu Qianyun had a relaxed time.¡±

 Chapter 519 - 519 519 The Prototype of the City

    ?Chapter 519: Chapter 519: The Prototype of the City Chapter 519: Chapter 519: The Prototype of the City Qiao Zhicai, though reluctant to part with his little grandson, had to leave for Yun City.


    Doudou and Feifei had started at a new school and needed to adapt. As transfer students, they were falling behind, so a tutor was hired.


    The children¡¯s studies became intense, and they needed someone to fetch them to and from school.


    Both Qiao Genbao and Niu Guili had low educational levels, so both had enrolled in night school. Therefore, the task of transporting the children fell to Qiao Zhicai.


    Following Mr. Wu¡¯s suggestion, they considered buying a car specifically for the two children¡¯s commute; however, Wu Qianyun rejected the idea.


    The children were still young and, even with a wealthy great-grandfather, should not develop the habits of young masters and mistresses.


    Qiao Zhicai readily agreed.


    He opposed the superficialities deeply. After all, he knew his roots well¡ªhis ancestors had toiled in the soil for generations, and could not be called anything other than impoverished farmers.


    One must not allow children to develop pompous habits.


    Therefore, Qiao Zhicai visited the building material shop then the blacksmith, welding a tricycle for himself. At that time, such vehicles were called ¡°reverse donkeys.¡± With a cart in the front and three wheels, he kept the cart immaculately clean and laid soft pads on it, and used this tricycle for taking the children to and from school.


    Back then, there were only a few cars on the streets; bicycles and these homemade tricycles were far more common.


    Of course, these were all minor details.


    In the summer, the Agricultural Machinery Factory was finally established at the base. They had been cooperating with the Yushu County Mechanical Factory, but the capacity of the latter was no longer sufficient.


    The new factory specialized in agricultural machinery¡ªlarge, medium, and small-sized. Every year, it produced both improved and upgraded versions.


    And it could accept orders from all across the country.


    Old Yu from the Yushu County Mechanical Factory had been promoted to the city for his achievements, but his successor lacked the necessary skills, though he was politically adept, which is why he had gotten the position.


    Even with good blueprints, the quality was not the same as before. With substandard workmanship throughout, the base decided to establish its own Agricultural Machinery Factory; after all, they could manage internally since they also had an Agricultural Group.


    Qiao Qingyu needed a large number of agricultural machines, and North City required even more.


    Thus, the establishment of this Agricultural Machinery Factory was deemed essential.


    By this time, Tenghai Research Base already faintly resembled a medium-sized city.


    When the TV Tower and the Cultural Palace were completed, and the staff was in place, He Xiuyu brought back a big color TV.


    Then, one day, all the employees who weren¡¯t working overtime gathered in front of the newly purchased TV to watch a drama series broadcasted by the research base¡¯s own TV station.


    The theme song was familiar to Qiao Qingyu and Su Yunyao, but for others, it was fascinatingly new. They glued their eyes to the screen.


    And during the day, these children would mimic the ¡°Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms¡± with laughter...


    When spring turned to autumn, the heavy machinery developed by the research team led by He Xiuyu was finally launched.


    The advent of this heavy machinery signified that our country was no longer at the mercy of others in heavy industry. We no longer needed to endure the contempt or frustration of not being able to buy a single part despite having ample foreign exchange.


    With this heavy machinery, we could vigorously develop transportation and logistics, carve through mountains and bridges, drill tunnels, and even lay down urban underground networks.


    At this point, the world¡¯s structure truly underwent a transformation.


    Of course, these matters didn¡¯t concern Qiao Qingyu much; she continued living her life as usual.


    In the evening, He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu bathed their son.


    The bathtub was wooden, oval-shaped, made especially for their son by He Xiuyu.


    Just after the eleventh, the heating at the base had started.


    It wasn¡¯t very cold outside; just heating it once in the evening made it very warm, and the room was cozy too.


    The little guy loved to play with water, even though he could already stand up. Normally, he would hold onto the hands of adults with his little hands, his legs kicking energetically, always seeming ready to try walking. However, as soon as he was in the bathtub, he would act like he couldn¡¯t stand, frequently falling over in the tub.


    When he fell, he wouldn¡¯t get up and needed an adult to lift him out, and then he would giggle.


    Qiao Qingyu patted her son¡¯s chubby bottom and told He Xiuyu to stop letting him mess around.


    ¡°Hurry and dry him off; it¡¯s time for bed.¡±


    Wrapped in a big towel, the child was swiftly placed on the warm kang, Qiao Qingyu supporting his body while He Xiuyu prepared to carry the bathtub outside to discard the water.


    Perhaps it was habit due to water scarcity, but people here were very economical with their water use.


    Thus, the little guy¡¯s bathwater was saved in a bucket for mopping, to be used the next day for cleaning the floors.


    After mopping the floors, since there were no detergents or shower gels in it, the water was simply poured into the vegetable garden outside.


    However, the water used for laundry was directly poured out from the bathroom.


    He Xiuyu easily carried his son¡¯s bathtub outside.


    Little Chaoxuan wriggled out of the big towel, revealing his little head with his hair half-dry from being wiped by his mom, and his shiny black eyes instantly spotted his dad carrying the bathtub out.


    That was his source of joy; he hadn¡¯t had enough fun yet. The little guy wanted to jump back in and play for a while longer, but he couldn¡¯t speak. In his urgency, he wriggled out of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s grasp and took one, two, three steps forward...


    Then the three people in the room were stunned.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s eyes sparkled with joy¡ªwas their child walking now?


    He quickly placed the bathtub he was carrying down on the floor, and Qiao Qingyu, caught off guard, stood holding the towel, staring blankly at her son.


    He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu exchanged a look, then the little guy, realizing suddenly that he had nothing around him to hold on to¡ªand actually, it was his own legs supporting him¡ªhe walked three steps then stopped. His black grape-like eyes rolled a few times, and with a plop, he sat down on the kang.


    Qiao Qingyu quickly went forward, and He Xiuyu also sat on the edge of the kang.


    He Xiuyu picked up his son and wrapped him in the towel, smiling at Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Our son has just taken his first step.¡±


    With that, the child couldn¡¯t stay still in the room any longer.


    He already had a walker, and when seated in it, he was quite mischievous, able to glide from the east wall to the west wall.


    As long as there was no threshold, he could glide out.


    So, the child began walking quite early, his little legs kicking energetically.


    Now that he could walk, he was unwilling to use the walker, feeling that it restricted his freedom.


    Then, taking advantage of the warm and sunny midday, Wu Qianyun would take Little Chaoxuan out for a walk.

 Chapter 520 - 520 520 Moved by Mortal Desires

    ?Chapter 520: Chapter 520: Moved by Mortal Desires Chapter 520: Chapter 520: Moved by Mortal Desires Qiao Qingyu, when at home, was restlessly accompanied by He Xuerong running around the house. After just over a month, her walking had become stable and steady.


    Qiao Qingyu was heading home from work one evening when she was unexpectedly stopped by Liu Ying, who also served as the director of the Cultural Palace.


    People from the cultural troupe had arrived in Tenghai, a total of thirty-eight individuals, now stationed at both the Cultural Palace and the TV Station.


    After a meeting, twelve individuals from the base and cultural troupe were selected and sent to Beijing for training. These twelve were mainly responsible for the technical and managerial aspects of the TV station and cultural troupe.


    The director of the TV station wasn¡¯t chosen yet, so Liu Ying was in charge of both the Cultural Palace and the TV station.


    There were no complaints about this arrangement, as her experience was quite adequate.


    However, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t understand why Liu Ying was stopping her, especially since it was time to cook dinner. She was a bit late today, and Rongrong and Xiao Hu had already finished school.


    Liu Ying smiled and said, ¡°Qingyu, I need to talk to you for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Is there an issue, sister-in-law? Why don¡¯t you come over to my place?¡±


    It was oddly cold outside, and Qiao Qingyu stomped her feet, not very keen on talking with Liu Ying outside.


    Liu Ying didn¡¯t want to go to He Xiuyu¡¯s house, but she also didn¡¯t want Qiao Qingyu to visit hers, which is why she had stopped Qiao Qingyu on the road.


    Her tone remained gentle, seemingly oblivious to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s reluctance, ¡°It¡¯s nothing major, just a few words. Qingyu, although we belong to different departments, we¡¯re both part of the research base. We must be united and set an example not only for ourselves but for our next generation as well...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was quite perplexed as she looked at Liu Ying, ¡°Sister-in-law, what do you mean by that? I don¡¯t quite understand.¡±


    ¡°Qingyu, let me be straightforward with you,¡± Liu Ying said, ¡°Ruoruo, Rongrong, and Xiao Hu are classmates, and our families are neighbors. However, Xiao Hu is somewhat thoughtless. Take carrying backpacks, for example, he either carries both Rongrong¡¯s and Ruoruo¡¯s backpacks or the two girls carry them themselves... Consequently, Ruoruo has been upset lately, and it has even affected her academic performance.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked sternly at Liu Ying, who was still smiling, genuinely unsure of her intentions in saying this. She wanted to say¡ªwhat connection do Xiao Hu and Rongrong have with your Ruoruo, don¡¯t you know what kind of child yours is? They walk home from school together because Rongrong and Xiao Hu are well-behaved and even carry her backpack. You wish! But she couldn¡¯t voice this thought.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled as well and said, ¡°Sister-in-law, the child is still a child no matter how clever. As long as they know to study hard, strive for progress, and respect the elderly and young, we as adults really shouldn¡¯t interfere too much.¡±


    Liu Ying looked at Qiao Qingyu in surprise, seemingly not expecting her not to agree readily but to argue instead. Her expression lost its previous gentleness.


    She had interacted with Qiao Qingyu quite a bit, especially since the He Family had invited them over for a meal when they first moved in.


    The meal was lavish and delicious.


    They would greet each other with smiles on regular days.


    Qiao Qingyu pretended not to notice Liu Ying¡¯s expression and continued, ¡°Sister-in-law, I thought it was something serious. Let me put it this way, let us not meddle unnecessarily in children¡¯s affairs...¡±


    Liu Ying disagreed, saying, ¡°How is it meddling? I only want what¡¯s best for Xiao Hu.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu grew impatient with talking to her but still smiled and said, ¡°Sister-in-law, it¡¯s getting late. Go home and cook; I need to head back too...¡±


    Liu Ying¡¯s complexion wasn¡¯t great, but she took a deep breath, managed a smile, and thought to herself that this matter really wasn¡¯t something she could discuss with Qiao Qingyu. She needed to go find Zhou Xiaoqin.


    But she was still quite angry. She felt that Qiao Qingyu had not given her face, something she hadn¡¯t anticipated.


    Perhaps it was because things had been going too smoothly for her in recent years, so being treated this way by Qiao Qingyu suddenly was something she couldn¡¯t accept.


    But she was a smart woman; she didn¡¯t bring up the children¡¯s matter. She said, ¡°Old Zhou, I heard that the Seed Laboratory has a lot of issues that Old Xie doesn¡¯t manage anymore, and everything is handed over to Qiao Qingyu. Nowadays, almost everyone in the Agricultural Group is Qiao Qingyu¡¯s person, especially in finance. That¡¯s not great. No matter what, the Logistics Department should play a supervisory role, especially since He Xiuyu is Qiao Qingyu¡¯s husband. It¡¯s not like the cultural troupe and the TV Station; the earnings of the Agricultural Group are not small figures every year. I get along well with Qiao Qingyu, she is a person with high aspirations and has a background, she usually doesn¡¯t care about this money, but others don¡¯t know that. There are not a few who have objections behind the scenes, so, you should discuss with Old Wei and properly supervise and review the Agricultural Group.¡±


    Zhou Hai glanced at Liu Ying, his eyebrows furrowed, ¡°Qiao Qingyu¡¯s situation is a bit special. She is Professor Feng¡¯s student and one of the founders of the Seed Laboratory. Moreover, she also has Mr. Wu¡¯s support. But what you said about the finances indeed needs to be cautious. I need to bring this up in the meeting tomorrow.¡±


    Liu Ying smiled, ¡°I am also concerned about Qiao Qingyu, just not sure if she would appreciate it. That comrade of hers still needs some toughening up.¡±


    ¡°Alright, there¡¯s no need to tell her your good intentions to avoid making Qiao Qingyu unhappy that you are meddling in her affairs. You can mention this to me and that¡¯s enough, don¡¯t talk about it with others,¡± Zhou Hai sternly advised.


    ¡°I know, I¡¯m not foolish. Alright, I¡¯m off to cook now; you go ahead with your work.¡±


    Liu Ying¡¯s objective was achieved. Although she couldn¡¯t do much to Qiao Qingyu, she could still sprinkle some sand in her sweet days oiled with honey.


    Also, the base¡¯s eighth anniversary is coming up soon. A grand celebration was to be organized. It was said that He Xiuyu could play the piano; she intended to suggest that Ruoruo from the group perform a solo, with He Xiuyu accompanying her on the piano.


    Jiang Xin, Deputy Head of the cultural troupe, hadn¡¯t reported to the base yet, but it would happen in a few days.


    She was beautiful and very feminine.


    She was multi-talented, a mainstay of the cultural troupe, a famous golden voice. More refined than in her younger days, truly like a leaf that doesn¡¯t touch water amongst thousands of flowers; no man could resist her charm.


    Every smile and glance of hers was like a beautiful painting.


    Listening to her sing was utterly intoxicating.


    She was many men¡¯s goddess.


    Thus, no man was good enough for her, and although men adored her, they could only hopelessly watch from the sidelines.


    The Jiang Family had some background in Beijing.


    She was eager to see if Jiang Xin, upon seeing He Xiuyu, would descend from her altar of divinity.


    Thinking of this, Liu Ying looked forward with great expectation to the arrival of Jiang Xin, the flower on the high cliffs.


    And all this, Qiao Qingyu knew nothing about.

 Chapter 521 - 521 521 Offended Someone

    ?Chapter 521: Chapter 521: Offended Someone Chapter 521: Chapter 521: Offended Someone Zhou Hai proposed at the meeting that financial supervision should be given to the Agricultural Group, preferably by setting up a financial inspectorate.


    This caught Old Wei and Old Xie by surprise.


    Because Zhou Hai¡¯s goal had always been to construct a good Cultural Palace and a TV tower, he rarely paid attention to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s affairs.


    Old Wei explained, ¡°The Group¡¯s accounts have always been handled by Fang Xiaomei. However, after every harvest, the people from the total finance office would come down to sort out the accounts together. Once verified, the accounts would be reported to me. Then, the administrative team would review them before reporting upwards....¡±


    Suddenly, Zhou Hai asked, ¡°Fang Xiaomei isn¡¯t a formally trained finance person, is she?¡±


    Old Xie paused for a moment, giving Old Wei a meaningful look. It was up to him to explain.


    After all, this matter concerned him.


    Old Xie paused, then explained, ¡°It¡¯s true Xiao Mei does not have a professional diploma. However, she has received training in the provincial city and has also passed her accountant certification. Moreover, this autumn, she got admitted to the proxy finance and accounting class at Imperial Capital Finance University. But, due to the busy harvest season and too many miscellaneous tasks, she applied for a one-year postponement. This matter has been reported to the higher-ups, and they agreed....¡±


    Zhou Hai looked at Old Xie with surprise, then realized in his heart why people said Old Xie was so generous with Qiao Qingyu.


    Even though Qiao Qingyu had not been involved in the happenings of the meeting room, she found out what she needed to by the afternoon. Yet, she did not take it to heart, which was normal.


    Her marriage with He Xiuyu was different from that of other working couples.


    He Xiuyu was the chief engineer, and she was the deputy general manager. Both of them were responsible persons.


    Here at the Agricultural Group, even though they dealt with the land, the Seed Laboratory, which laid golden eggs, was a bit different.


    Moreover, the farming of now was different from the farming of the past. Some people might not notice, but those who are smart and well-informed could tell at a glance.


    The planting model promoted by Qiao Qingyu was at the forefront of the world.


    In the plains, mechanization was used from planting to harvesting, freeing up a lot of labor. Aside from taking on manageable tasks, the liberated workforce could engage in other jobs.


    This would result in additional income.


    This was also why Xiaxi Town, relying on Tenghai Research Base, became affluent so rapidly.


    The farmers here would no longer be unable to send their children to school because they lacked money or afford an egg when an elderly person got sick or maybe only eat meat during festivals.


    Such days were gone forever.


    The reason for the farmers to have such days mainly stemmed from Qiao Qingyu being the first to implement this pattern, and it was still ongoing.


    Therefore, Qiao Qingyu always stood at the high ground under everyone¡¯s gaze. Although He Xiuyu was somewhat low-key, those who truly understood the situation knew he was the center and soul of the Tenghai Research team and his scientific achievements were one after another.


    With such a pair at the helm of Tenghai Research Base, it might be an exaggeration to say this, but still, many believed it to be true.


    So, Qiao Qingyu also pondered about what kind of approach she should take to step aside.


    Therefore, it didn¡¯t matter to Qiao Qingyu about others¡¯ supervision, investigation, or even auditing. Her pure-hearted generosity made the proverb ¡°a clear conscience challenges wide horizons¡± most fitting for her, not to mention taking a single penny or a seed illicitly. She was already doing well not to contribute anything extra.


    So, Qiao Qingyu brushed off this news with a laugh, openly indifferent, letting the scrutiny take its course as it may.


    In the evening, when both had finished their busy work, He Xiuyu casually mentioned the upcoming community event happening in half a month, ¡°...I have a performance then.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was playing with her son on the kang when she heard this. She looked up at He Xiuyu in surprise and then realized that he hadn¡¯t been studying documents that day but rather a music score.


    ¡°What kind of performance? Playing the harmonica?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked curiously.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s playing the piano,¡± He Xiuyu tried to keep his tone casual, not betraying any hint of showing off.


    ¡°How come I never knew you could play the piano?¡±


    He Xiuyu cleared his throat, ¡°Well, you never asked.¡±


    So now it¡¯s my fault.


    Qiao Qingyu cast a sideways glance at He Xiuyu.


    He Xiuyu instantly got the message and hurriedly placed the music score on the kang table, explaining, ¡°It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t tell you; it¡¯s just that we never touched on this topic. You know, a piano is a luxury item, and I only learned to play in the school¡¯s music room when I was a student. After I left school, I never touched it again...¡±


    There was really no need to explain so anxiously. She had many skills too, but she didn¡¯t report every single one to He Xiuyu.


    Like, she knew how to play online games, and she was wicked fast at typing on a computer!


    ¡°So this is a solo performance then?¡± Qiao Qingyu continued to inquire.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a solo performance,¡± He Xiuyu shook his head, ¡°Director Liu said it¡¯s accompaniment.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was momentarily taken aback; who was this Director Liu? Then she realized, oh, this must be Liu Ying. Was Liu Ying asking He Xiuyu for help?


    ¡°Whose accompaniment will you be providing?¡±


    ¡°They said it was for the former deputy head of the cultural troupe, but the person hasn¡¯t arrived yet.¡±


    Instinctively, Qiao Qingyu felt something was amiss.


    She asked casually, ¡°So you¡¯ve agreed to accompany them, which means you¡¯ll have to practice after they arrive.¡±


    He Xiuyu hummed softly and continued to look at the music score.


    Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t the type to control He Xiuyu to such an extent. Although she felt something might be wrong, she couldn¡¯t pinpoint it and thus let it go.


    Waving her son¡¯s little hand and smiling, she said, ¡°Son, daddy is going to perform on stage, and when the time comes, we¡¯ll go cheer and applaud for him...¡±


    Little Chaoxuan could already call out ¡®daddy¡¯, ¡®mommy¡¯, and ¡®grandma¡¯.


    But not coherently; it was always one word at a time, like now as he was climbing onto his dad, muttering, ¡°Dad... dad... clap... oil...¡±


    His words could be automatically interpreted as¡ªDaddy, clapping for you, cheering you on.


    Picking up his son who was lying on his stomach, He Xiuyu held him in his arms and, with the staff paper in his hand, pointed to the notes, ¡°Chaoxuan, daddy will teach you to read music.¡±


    And so the kid learned ¡®do-re-mi¡¯...


    It was an unexpected surprise.


    However, the child might not have much of a music gene; the next day he forgot it.


    But when it came to memory, He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu had long discovered that their child had a strong memory.


    As for how to develop the child¡¯s intelligence, it was too early to think about such things at the moment, and Qiao Qingyu was not at all proactive about it.


    She preferred to let things take their natural course.


    With such a family atmosphere, the likelihood of the child being neglected was almost zero.


    However, when Qiao Qingyu saw the newly arrived deputy head of the cultural troupe, her innate female intuition alerted her that something was off about this situation.


    Had she offended Liu Ying? Just because she didn¡¯t agree to let Xiao Hu carry the backpack for Ruoruo when she asked?

 Chapter 522 - 522 522 Searching for Him Among Thousands

    ?Chapter 522: Chapter 522: Searching for Him Among Thousands Chapter 522: Chapter 522: Searching for Him Among Thousands When Qiao Qingyu got off work, Sister-in-law Li whispered to her, ¡°Your neighbor Liu Ying is too scheming. She gave me a long lecture today¡ªmost of it went over my head. I told her to just speak plainly. Guess what she said?¡±


    ¡°What did she say?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°She said if my Xiao Hu won¡¯t carry Rongrong¡¯s backpack, he should carry her own little girl¡¯s too, otherwise the unequal treatment could negatively impact her daughter¡¯s growth. Can you believe such a smart, beautiful, and clever woman could say something so dumb? I was stunned.¡±


    ¡°And what did you say?¡±


    ¡°What could I say? I just told her that adults shouldn¡¯t meddle in children¡¯s affairs and walked away.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu chuckled inwardly; the response aligned well with her own mentality.


    To be fair, from Liu Ying¡¯s perspective, it was clear to Qiao Qingyu that she doted on her daughter with Zhou Haisheng to an excessive degree.


    The three kids, two of whom had been playing together for years, found it hard to integrate the third, who was also quite arrogant.


    Yet, Liu Ying didn¡¯t see her daughter¡¯s arrogance; instead, she felt her child was being excluded, which could affect the child psychologically.


    Speaking honestly, there seemed to be some logic to her thinking.


    But reason is just reason; how can adults dictate children¡¯s thoughts?


    Xiao Hu genuinely adored Rongrong.


    In his eyes, Rongrong was irreplaceable; although the future was uncertain, that much was true for now.


    Moreover, Liu Ying was duplicitous.


    Despite seemingly treating her own children and stepchildren with equal love, Qiao Qingyu knew her affection was feigned; she had even seen disdain in her eyes when she looked at Jiao Jiao.


    Connecting these dots, Qiao Qingyu realized Liu Ying was trying to pull the wool over her eyes.


    The first matter didn¡¯t really bother her; having such a supervisory opportunity was, in fact, something she¡¯d welcome, allowing for a clean break when she eventually left the Agricultural Group.


    But the second matter was truly repulsive.


    The new Deputy Director of the cultural troupe was named Jiang Xin, now Liu Ying¡¯s deputy.


    This woman could probably be considered a goddess in every man¡¯s heart.


    Not all beautiful women are alike; some are gentle but lacking in other areas, some are lively but seem slightly frivolous. However, Jiang Xin was different; she truly seemed perfect.


    The incarnation of a man¡¯s dream woman.


    Qiao Qingyu thought if she were a man, she too might easily start to cherish such a woman as a treasure.


    So why was Jiang Xin at the Tenghai Research Base?


    She was the Deputy Director of the cultural troupe, and the Director had also come down, now headed to the TV Station. Although the directorship wasn¡¯t confirmed, he was among the candidates and was currently studying outside.


    Yet Jiang Xin, despite the many institutions in Beijing vying for her¡ªeven the Music Academy had offered an olive branch promising a professorship should she agree¡ªhad ended up here.


    Compared to Beijing, Tenghai Research Base appeared far less glamorous.


    Even now described as the Outer Jiangnan, its location remained remote and not bustling, much like Xichuan, with no particularly attractive spots to visit.


    For girls from big cities, this was not an appealing choice.


    Of course, one shouldn¡¯t make assumptions about others.


    Otherwise, how would the research base have attracted the tens of thousands of employees it had?


    When it was initially established, conditions were much tougher.


    So, such thoughts from Qiao Qingyu were fleeting.


    Although she trusted He Xiuyu, facing such a situation was uncomfortably irking.


    But all she could do was tell herself not to dwell on it.


    ...


    When He Xiuyu received Liu Ying¡¯s call asking when he was available, Jiang Xin had already picked a solo piece for rehearsal to iron out potential issues before the actual performance, which was a reasonable request.


    He Xiuyu, reminded of his wife¡¯s distrustful look, moved his fingers; it had been so long since he last played the piano. While he still had the skill, it was undoubtedly rusty. A little refamiliarization wouldn¡¯t hurt, so after setting a time with Liu Ying, he left work an hour early for the Cultural Palace.


    After hanging up, Liu Ying smiled at Jiang Xin standing beside her, ¡°Chief Engineer He agreed. He is a busy man, you need to focus and pay attention during the rehearsal, or he won¡¯t spare much time to practice with you.¡±


    Focus and pay attention¡ªthat phrase sounded quite fresh.


    When Jiang Xin saw He Xiuyu, her hand clutching the score unconsciously tightened.


    How did that poem go? Searching for him in the crowd, suddenly turning back, he was there all along, in the dim light.


    And four words describe it: heart pounding unexpectedly.


    Jiang Xin had never thought this day would come.


    That she would feel somewhat at a loss before a man.


    Just like a girl experiencing first love, her heart started racing uncontrollably¡ªa truly novel experience for her, who had always seen men react this way around her.


    Jiang Xin awkwardly shifted her gaze.


    She wasn¡¯t quite experienced in dealing with such men.


    Liu Ying, standing nearby, silently sneered repeatedly, although her face was warm and sisterly.


    ¡°Now that the introductions are done, Chief Engineer He is a busy man. It¡¯s not easy for him to make time. Jiang, you need to make good use of it. I¡¯ll leave you two alone,¡± Liu Ying said, turning and marching decisively out of the room.


    The rehearsal room was left to He Xiuyu and Jiang Xin.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s gaze fell on the piano without noticing the fleeting shyness and unwittingly affectionate look in Jiang Xin¡¯s eyes.


    He then shifted his gaze from the piano, but still asked with a frown, ¡°Shall we start now?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Jiang Xin didn¡¯t use her usual soothing tone, instead her voice inadvertently took on a tender quality.


    He Xiuyu sat down. Since it was a grand celebration, the chosen song was obviously well-known and melodic, aligning with the main theme of the event.


    It was ¡°My Motherland.¡±


    Not to mention knowing how to play it¡ªnowadays, any elementary school student could sing it.


    The song was a good choice, fitting the celebration¡¯s theme, and it was also one of the most played by He Xiuyu.


    He felt quite satisfied.

 Chapter 523 - 523 523 Eerie and Weird

    ?Chapter 523: Chapter 523: Eerie and Weird Chapter 523: Chapter 523: Eerie and Weird He Xiuyu rested his fingers on the piano keys and looked up at Jiang Xin, who stood not far away, saying in a mild voice, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve touched a piano. I need to get familiar with it again.¡±


    But then he added, ¡°Go and open the door.¡±


    He Xiuyu realized that, at some point, the rehearsal room door had been closed ¨C and this was not good.


    In fact, it was very bad.


    Jiang Xin nodded, quickly walked to the door, and flung it wide open. Seemingly not satisfied with that, she moved a chair to prop against the door so that even a strong wind wouldn¡¯t be able to shut it.


    Having done this, she couldn¡¯t help but take a glance at He Xiuyu.


    She hoped He Xiuyu would notice her thoughtfulness and show appreciation.


    He Xiuyu really hadn¡¯t noticed the undercurrent of Jiang Xin¡¯s thoughts; she was a woman particularly skilled at disguising her feelings.


    He Xiuyu had played through the score once. By the second half, he had become familiar with it.


    The hour passed quickly, and the one playing the piano and the one singing were indeed a good match.


    Liu Ying got off work early and made a special trip to tell Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qingyu, your sister-in-law came to let you know that your Chief Engineer He is now practicing a program with Jiang Xin in the rehearsal room. When I left, one was playing, the other singing; their cooperation was simply marvelous. I think, during our big gala, if we make this act the grand finale, it is sure to be the highlight of the evening.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was stunned for a moment, then smiled brightly, ¡°Okay, I got it, thank you for coming to tell me.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to thank,¡± Liu Ying said casually, ¡°This just happened on my way. If he doesn¡¯t come back by dinner time, there¡¯s no need to wait for him specially. With one playing and the other singing, time just flies by.¡±


    Ah, doesn¡¯t that tone sound a bit like she¡¯s taking pleasure in my misfortune?


    Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°Based on what you¡¯ve said, I really want to go have a listen.¡±


    ¡°Qingyu, it¡¯s not that your sister-in-law is nagging you, but you really can¡¯t go, okay? This is serious business; don¡¯t let your thoughts wander,¡± Liu Ying advised earnestly.


    Qiao Qingyu laughed out loud, her voice carrying a playful scolding, ¡°Sister-in-law, listen to you! I just want to go and listen; how far could my thoughts possibly stray?¡±


    Seeing that Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t seem to be forcing herself at all, Liu Ying lost interest and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine, as long as you don¡¯t think otherwise. Then you should go back inside, I need to start cooking.¡±


    Saying this, Liu Ying turned and entered her own yard, humming a tune, seemingly in a very good mood.


    As Qiao Qingyu went inside, her face suddenly turned grim. He Xuerong quickly approached, ¡°Little aunt, what¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling okay?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu took a deep breath and regained her usual demeanor, patting He Xuerong¡¯s head, ¡°Go do your homework. Little aunt will fry you some potato balls tonight.¡±


    While Qiao Qingyu went to change clothes, she couldn¡¯t help but laugh at herself sarcastically, considering how she always prided herself on being calm and nonchalant, even when faced with Su Yunyao and later Anna or any other woman¡ªshe simply dismissed them with a laugh, not taking them to heart at all.


    Today, however, she suddenly realized that her mood was far from wonderful. It felt like something was clutching at her heart, a sensation that was both sour and painful.


    Her husband and another beautiful woman were in the Cultural Palace¡¯s rehearsal room, one playing the piano, the other singing, and harmonizing so well; no matter how one heard it, it was discomforting.


    He Xiuyu, how could you be so oblivious?


    So it seems Liu Ying really didn¡¯t have good intentions.


    One couldn¡¯t say that He Xiuyu was unique, but to tell the truth, people like He Xiuyu were indeed very rare.


    The reason Su Yunyao had finally given up and moved on was that she had lost all face in front of He Xiuyu. Had the plagiarism issue not come to light, perhaps Su Yunyao wouldn¡¯t have given up even now.


    But what would this Jiang Xin be like?


    He Xiuyu entered the house at his normal time after work, a man who strictly and strongly adhered to punctuality, claiming to be exact to the minute, and his expression was no different from usual.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at him and then indifferently looked away.


    But He Xiuyu¡¯s heart was always on Qiao Qingyu, so any subtle change in his wife was something he could pick up on instantly.


    He felt that something was off and wanted to ask, but with dinner imminent and his mother-in-law around, such questions would have to wait for a private moment later that night.


    All evening, He Xiuyu was quietly observing his wife.


    See, there certainly was something amiss.


    Qiao Qingyu seemed upset with him and angry, but it was as if she couldn¡¯t express her rage; she was forcibly holding it back.


    He Xiuyu rubbed the back of his head, puzzled.


    But he obediently took over the task of bathing the child, and after the bath, he gently placed his son on his belly, and the little guy soon fell asleep. He Xiuyu carefully laid his son down on his little blanket.


    He turned around to find his wife had already lain down with her back to the wall.


    His hand reached out, only to be slapped away by Qiao Qingyu with a smack.


    Even so, he didn¡¯t retract his hand; instead, he leaned closer and asked softly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? You haven¡¯t seemed happy all evening. Is it something I did wrong, or something I didn¡¯t do well? Tell me, and I¡¯ll change...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t respond, just fuming silently.


    ¡°Little Qiao, say something. Didn¡¯t we as a couple set our rules that no matter what happens, we wouldn¡¯t keep it inside? We agreed to be upfront, whether right or wrong, and lay everything on the table so as not to let misunderstandings form...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu paused for a moment before asking indifferently, ¡°So what do you think I¡¯m misunderstanding?¡±


    He Xiuyu was taken aback, indeed there was an issue.


    He could only think of the rehearsal that evening with the comrade surnamed Jiang.


    But how did his wife find out?


    He suddenly felt alarmed.


    Qiao Qingyu had gotten the news too quickly.


    Was it by chance, or did someone deliberately tell her?


    But he wasn¡¯t certain it was even about that.


    His voice grew even gentler, full of magnetism, ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any misunderstanding between us, but you clearly feel there is. So tell me, and let me explain, okay?¡±


    Then he leaned down and kissed Qiao Qingyu lightly a few times.


    He had intended to wait for his wife to explain, but the more he kissed, the hotter he felt.


    Qiao Qingyu pushed him away with a weird, mocking tone, ¡°Heh, why aren¡¯t you looking at your sheet music today? I heard you and Jiang Xin get along very well.¡±


    Ah, that mocking tone!


    It was the first time He Xiuyu had heard Qiao Qingyu speak to him with such an intonation, finding it both novel and enjoyable.

 Chapter 524 - 524 524 I Will Never Give You Such an

    ?Chapter 524: Chapter 524: I Will Never Give You Such an Opportunity in This Lifetime Chapter 524: Chapter 524: I Will Never Give You Such an Opportunity in This Lifetime ¡°He left work an hour early to rehearse at the Cultural Palace with Ms. Jiang.¡± He Xiuyu said this and then asked, ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°What? Can¡¯t I know?¡± Although Qiao Qingyu lowered her voice, she was clearly about to explode.


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes, you can know. It¡¯s no secret.¡±


    He Xiuyu responded quite cheerfully.


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you talk to me about it when you came back? Why did you hide it from me?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu suddenly sat up, staring at He Xiuyu. She was indeed a bit angry.


    If He Xiuyu had spoken to her directly about it after returning from work, her slight discomfort might have disappeared, and she wouldn¡¯t still be sulking. If her own mother and He Xuerong weren¡¯t in the house, Qiao Qingyu would have fallen out with him long ago. It really wasn¡¯t easy to hold back until now.


    This was somewhat unreasonable.


    He Xiuyu approached Qiao Qingyu with a smile that was not quite a smile, ¡°What, are you upset?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu angrily pushed him. He Xiuyu not only did not dodge, but instead leaned in closer, then suddenly turned and hugged Qiao Qingyu in his arms, chuckling, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize my wife is such a jealous type.¡±


    He had thought Qiao Qingyu was calm and detached, that nothing could disturb her peace. Upon reflection, he realized that his wife had almost never shown any signs of jealousy before him.


    That was indeed rare and not easy.


    He Xiuyu even felt somewhat heartbroken.


    The two were so close that their breaths could be heard; in her eyes was him, and in his eyes was her. Such a gaze made all misunderstandings disappear.


    However, He Xiuyu still explained, ¡°As soon as I opened the door and saw your face, I knew something not too wonderful had happened between us. I kept thinking about it in my mind, then wanted to find an opportunity to ask you, so it just naturally slipped my mind to mention what happened today at the Cultural Palace.¡±


    But to be honest, it wasn¡¯t a big deal, but it depends on how you see it.


    Just a matter of perspective.


    Qiao Qingyu grabbed He Xiuyu¡¯s fingers, half-seriously, half-jokingly threatened, ¡°He Xiuyu, let me tell you, if you dare betray me, I will not just foolishly walk away; I¡¯ll make you pay a price beyond your imagination.¡±


    He Xiuyu was stunned, seemingly not expecting Qiao Qingyu to utter such a threat. However, he didn¡¯t feel displeased; instead, a joy rose in his heart.


    He held her tight in his arms, pinned beneath him, and reached out to turn off the light.


    His voice flowed quietly like water in the cozy room.


    ¡°Although I am curious about what price you would have me pay, sadly, I will never give you that opportunity in this lifetime...¡±


    Amidst the hazy, tender closeness, Qiao Qingyu thought to herself, what detachment and calmness? Once a woman loves, she indeed cannot achieve those. Even if she does, the price paid is unimaginable.


    Meanwhile, at the dormitory bed, Jiang Xin still couldn¡¯t fall asleep, her mind filled with the extraordinarily handsome figure, the beautiful man who seemed to have stepped out of light and shadows.


    She carefully recalled all his movements, including how many times he frowned and what he said to her; her mind was filled with images of his long fingers dancing on the piano keys.


    Though there wasn¡¯t any eye contact, these scenes were like seeds planted in her heart.


    And they quickly took root and sprouted, growing rapidly into a towering tree.


    Jiang Xin, moved, leaned over to pick up the mirror from the desk. The woman in the mirror was as beautiful as ever, her cheeks flushed, looking like a young woman immersed in love.


    Yes, she felt she had fallen for him, she was love-struck by He Xiuyu at first sight.


    She had been waiting for so many years, waiting for He Xiuyu, but it was such a pity. They both lived in Beijing, not far from one another, yet how come she had never met him?


    If she had met him, could she have been the woman standing by his side now?


    She was really curious about Qiao Qingyu. What kind of woman was she?


    Hearing Liu Ying say this and that, she did not believe her because Liu Ying was no simple woman, full of schemes, and she knew her very well.


    Listening to her required discernment, or else one could easily fall into the trap she had set.


    But one thing Liu Ying got right was that Qiao Qingyu was He Xiuyu¡¯s wife.


    They had been married for several years and had a child, but does a love that is stronger than gold really exist in this world? Men, always craving newness over the old, from one peak to another, not straying or falling for someone else only because the temptation wasn¡¯t sufficient.


    Someone like He Xiuyu wouldn¡¯t be easily moved by mundane sentiments.


    Yet, her transfer here was no easy feat either, she needed to plan carefully how she could achieve her goals.


    ...


    No one expected that He Xiuyu would just turn around and call Liu Ying, saying he would not accompany Jiang Xin anymore, and asked her to immediately find someone else, also recommending a few candidates.


    So many talented people at the base, not everyone could sing and play, but out of a thousand, there were bound to be a few, right?


    Liu Ying hadn¡¯t expected after just one rehearsal that the Chief Engineer He would not come.


    She blurted out, ¡°Did Qiao Qingyu disagree?¡± then seemed somewhat upset, ¡°This is official business, not private, your family member should not be so unreasonable.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s voice cooled, ¡°Director Liu, please perform your duties without maliciously speculating about my wife. This is my personal decision, unrelated to her. Besides, since it¡¯s official business, it should be handled officially without involving innocent people.¡±


    ¡°You have to tell me why at least?¡± Liu Ying on the other end, fearing He Xiuyu would hang up, hurriedly inquired before he could finish.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s voice was very calm, showing no emotion, ¡°Director Liu, what Ms. Jiang needs is an accompaniment, right?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°So, does it matter who the accompanist is?¡±


    Liu Ying, ¡°...¡±


    ¡°But to change like that, isn¡¯t it a bit unfair to Jiang Xin?¡±


    ¡°This music piece is not difficult to play, it¡¯s widely known, almost anyone can hum it. Among the people I recommended, there are two comrades who play even better than I do.¡±


    He Xiuyu rubbed his temples, feeling a headache from how Liu Ying had complicated such a simple matter, which really showed Liu Ying¡¯s true intentions weren¡¯t sincere.


    Actually, playing for Jiang Xin was not a big deal, but if it caused his wife displeasure, then it would be a loss.


    Moreover, upon reflection, He Xiuyu realized there really was no need to continue rehearsing; Jiang Xin was not a simple woman either.


    He was very busy and didn¡¯t want any trouble.


    But he answered very patiently, without any sign of impatience, and naturally, Liu Ying did not notice.

 Chapter 525 - 525 525 Inappropriate

    ?Chapter 525: Chapter 525 Inappropriate Chapter 525: Chapter 525 Inappropriate Liu Ying bit her lip on the other end of the phone but didn¡¯t press further with her questions. Even her own Old Zhou didn¡¯t allow her to pry too much into the affairs of the Logistics Department, let alone the fact that she was on the phone with He Xiuyu.


    Prying too much could make people suspicious, and she wasn¡¯t a spy; she couldn¡¯t afford to mistakenly cast suspicion on herself.


    So, Liu Ying changed the subject, ¡°Alright then, work is important. I¡¯ll consider the people you recommended.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Liu Ying told Jiang Xin about the conversation.


    Jiang Xin was startled and looked at Liu Ying confusedly, ¡°Although our cooperation wasn¡¯t perfect a few days ago, there weren¡¯t any issues, why would Chief Engineer He disagree?¡±


    Liu Ying spread her hands in helpless frustration, ¡°Who knows...¡± She seemed to remember something then, somewhat annoyed, she said, ¡°It¡¯s my fault for speaking without thinking. On the day of your first rehearsal, I stopped by after work and saw Qiao Qingyu. I told her you were in the rehearsal room practicing a song and not to wait for He Xiuyu for dinner. I could tell she wasn¡¯t too happy at the time; they probably had a fight after she went home...¡±


    ¡°Did you hear them arguing?¡± Jiang Xin eagerly inquired, her heart lightening at the thought.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear that, they were probably arguing under the covers...¡± Liu Ying covered her mouth and giggled.


    Jiang Xin¡¯s face flushed instantly, and she wasn¡¯t quite sure how to feel. But being Jiang Xin, she watched Liu Ying¡¯s dramatics and inwardly sneered, quickly regaining control over her emotions and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with the base¡¯s situations. For the comrades Chief Engineer He introduced to you, you¡¯d better contact them. There shouldn¡¯t be any problems.¡±


    She turned and left Liu Ying¡¯s office after speaking.


    Liu Ying¡¯s expression changed, thinking to herself about the affected woman. Don¡¯t think she couldn¡¯t see that in these past days, the other¡¯s face had been brimming with a certain springtime vigor.


    It goes to show that only women understand women. Men could never notice unless they really paid attention.


    Walking down the corridor, Jiang Xin didn¡¯t feel as composed as she imagined, nor was she overly sad. But she was truly disappointed. These past days she had been fantasizing about what their rehearsals together would be like.


    Of course, if He Xiuyu were to easily take a liking to her, she would find it boring and uninteresting; she would miss the thrill of conquest.


    So, He Xiuyu¡¯s sudden decision seemed to make sense within expectations.


    But there was plenty of time ahead; she was in no rush.


    ...


    The next day, Qiao Qingyu found out about He Xiuyu¡¯s decision.


    Although she trusted that a man like He Xiuyu, even if he were to rehearse a performance with Jiang Xin, wouldn¡¯t let anything happen, it was still better to avoid giving offense if possible.


    But while in her office, she made a call to her grandfather, asking Wu Xiucai to find a way to purchase a piano. Wu Xiucai happily agreed on the other end.


    A small task, just instruct the ever-capable Secretary Chang to handle it.


    After putting down the phone, Fang Xiaomei who was present in Qiao Qingyu¡¯s office, heartily agreed, ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking, your house should really have a musical instrument. Rongrong sings so beautifully; she must have exceptional musical talent. Haven¡¯t you seen in the movies and TV shows how those boys and girls play the guitar? So dashing and pretty...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded, it was one way to look at it.


    Regarding Rongrong¡¯s education, Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu always let nature take its course. The child was very sensitive and didn¡¯t like to be constrained. Besides, He Xiuwen seemed not to like his daughter to sing and dance, so Qiao Qingyu chose to acquiesce.


    But if Fang Xiaomei thought so too, then let her think so, to avoid others gossiping.


    The more people there are, the worse this aspect gets. If something happens in someone¡¯s family and people learn about it, it almost guarantees that a hundred or a thousand people will know.


    Nowadays, people especially like to make social calls. The old ladies in the residential compound would go out of their way to the tube-shaped buildings just to chat.


    But no matter what, neighbors had human touch back then.


    Not like the future, where you could live opposite someone and go ten years without speaking a word.


    ...


    This day was a Sunday. Han Liuya said to Han Lishi, ¡°I¡¯m stepping out for a bit.¡±


    Han Lishi lifted her eyelids and looked at her completely unfamiliar granddaughter, asking faintly, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Big Light Point didn¡¯t conceal anything, ¡°My target¡¯s name is Yuan Hengzhi. He will be in this area today. I¡¯ve got some business with him.¡±


    A sharp look flashed in Han Lishi¡¯s eyes, but she still warned, ¡°Whatever you do, don¡¯t harm my granddaughter¡¯s body, or else this old woman has ways to make you stay here and never return.¡±


    Big Light Point and Little Light Point grinned silently in the consciousness area, really not taking Lady Han¡¯s threat seriously.


    Just like that, without a word, they walked out of the courtyard and hurried in the likely direction of Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s appearance.


    Han Lishi stood at the doorway with a heavy gaze, thought for a moment, and then turned back inside.


    Yuan Hengzhi was here on a special mission, but he didn¡¯t expect to see a skittish girl whom he recognized. He had monitored her once with Director Lin.


    Although he didn¡¯t know what she was up to or what she had done before, she had some sort of connection with Qiao Qingyu, so he naturally became a bit more vigilant.


    But before he could do anything, he felt darkness before his eyes and his body began to wobble. A guard beside him reached out to steady him, then he heard himself speaking to the guard, ¡°You stay here; I¡¯ve got some things to do over there. Don¡¯t follow me.¡±


    However, as he spoke these words, unease stirred within him. It didn¡¯t seem like something he wanted to say, but it had come from his mouth. And indeed, he did have that thought. He wanted to check on Han Liuya ¨C why had she suddenly appeared here? Was it a mere passing through or a coincidence?


    Then he found himself standing in front of Han Liuya. Han Liuya reached out and grabbed his hand, ¡°Brother Yuan, let¡¯s go over there. I¡¯ve got something to tell you.¡±


    For some strange reason, this tone reminded Yuan Hengzhi of Bai Zhi all of a sudden. But Han Liuya shouldn¡¯t know him, yet there was something inexplicably familiar in her eyes.


    Regardless, Yuan Hengzhi calmly shook off her hand yet followed where Han Liuya directed.


    They stopped in a corner. Yuan Hengzhi looked at Han Liuya with a stern gaze, fell into silence for a moment, then asked, ¡°How do you know my last name is Yuan? This is our first meeting; isn¡¯t this form of address a bit inappropriate?¡±


    Big Light Point slapped her forehead in annoyance. How had she forgotten that she wasn¡¯t Bai Zhi? She was a stranger to Yuan Hengzhi. And she seemed to have no memory of this person in the original host¡¯s memory.

 Chapter 526 - 526 525 Its about evidence

    ?Chapter 526: Chapter 525: It¡¯s about evidence Chapter 526: Chapter 525: It¡¯s about evidence But this was not the time for small talk.


    She needed to act fast, as she feared that she and the Big Light Point might never return if they continued to stall.


    If push came to shove, she would have to force her way.


    After all, the man¡¯s current profession was even more difficult to deal with than his previous job. She couldn¡¯t even enter the main gate of his workplace, and after much hardship, she wouldn¡¯t let such an opportunity slip away.


    Her movements were swift, nearly grabbing Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s hand in one swoop, but Yuan Hengzhi reacted quickly. As Han Liuya reached out, he sidestepped, and her fingers merely grazed his before slipping away.


    He had already moved four or five steps away from Han Liuya. But before he could think of what to do next, a surge of electricity from the fingertip contact rendered him completely stiff, unable to move.


    This time, both the Big Light Point and the Little Light Point had paid a significant price.


    It was a do-or-die moment. Summoning all their power, they first isolated the area. Then, Han Liuya lunged forward, grabbed the hand of Yuan Hengzhi, who was leaning against a wall, started the scan, and finally locked onto his chest. Without any courtesy, she unzipped his down jacket and lifted his sweater to find a stone hanging there.


    The Big Light Point¡¯s gaze narrowed, followed by a rush of excitement.


    Space Device!


    He had indeed carried it on his person. What a fool! To wear such a valuable item around his neck, did he not know that contained within it was a massive energy source and a master-designed Seed Laboratory?


    What a waste! But fortunately, he didn¡¯t know how to use it, this foolish, lowly man.


    She thought that by initiating the preset program, she would easily retrieve the Space Device.


    But to her utter astonishment, the stone turned to powder in her palm, and a burst of information quickly informed the two light points that this was not the Space Device, but rather a small fragment of an Energy Stone from within the Space Device.


    They had scanned incorrectly. The target was also wrong.


    The Space Device was not on this person at all.


    Both the Big Light Point and the Little Light Point were stunned, unsure of what to do next, and then Yuan Hengzhi collapsed after the stone was crushed.


    Han Liuya was so frightened that she immediately ran away.


    Nearby, the guards, who had been watching all along, were puzzled. After all, their target appeared quickly, but their attention had been diverted by a girl running and talking.


    It was confusing.


    They didn¡¯t return for quite a while, and then one of them suddenly heard an unsettling noise, like something falling to the ground.


    Both guards were of reconnaissance origins with many accolades. They made their judgments quickly and reached Yuan Hengzhi swiftly¡ªone checking on Yuan Hengzhi, the other chasing after Han Liuya.


    Having two squads, one urgently instructed the other to watch for the target¡¯s appearance, though he knew a mishap had occurred here, meaning the target surely wouldn¡¯t appear.


    Though they didn¡¯t know exactly what had happened, they were frustrated.


    ...


    In the afternoon, He Xiuyu received a call that Yuan Hengzhi was unconscious in the hospital.


    From the description, He Xiuyu knew that the person who had interacted with Yuan Hengzhi was Han Liuya.


    Han Liuya had always stayed quietly in the yard, yet today she suddenly acted just to pull Yuan Hengzhi into a corner to unzip his down jacket?


    ¡°It definitely isn¡¯t that simple.¡±


    But as for the specifics, he¡¯d have to meet Yuan Hengzhi to discuss further.


    When He Xiuyu rushed to the hospital, Yuan Hengzhi had not yet regained consciousness. Numerous devices surrounded him, and the examination results seemed to show no serious issues, but a thorough inspection was needed to confirm.


    He Xiuyu spoke with the hospital leadership, agreeing that if the initial examination showed no results, he would transfer Yuan Hengzhi to the base hospital.


    This was actually the best arrangement.


    He Xiuyu went to the ward where one security guard was fetching various test reports, and the other was inquiring about Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s condition from the doctor; only He Xiuyu and the bedridden Yuan Hengzhi remained in the ward.


    He hadn¡¯t changed into the patient attire, and wearing a sweater, he lay on the hospital bed in the lesser-standard Yushu County hospital.


    He Xiuyu quickly lifted Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s clothes; the string was empty, the small stone highly similar to the Energy Stone in the Space Device was missing.


    Hearing footsteps, He Xiuyu dropped the clothes and straightened them up.


    He Xiuyu furrowed his brow, wondering where the stone had gone.


    Had Han Liuya suddenly appeared on the scene targeting Yuan Hengzhi? Could it be that sinister woman was after the Energy Stone?


    After arranging things at the hospital, He Xiuyu headed to the detention center.


    He showed his credentials and explained the situation, easily meeting the detained Han Liuya, who was pacing frantically in the room. The little energy she had left was spent in a last desperate act; both Big Light Point and Small Light Point were panicked, with their only lead cut off, all for a huge cost.


    When Han Liuya saw He Xiuyu, the body controlled by Big Light Point froze, easily recalling this person from memory.


    Han Liuya was no longer frantic or chaotic; she obediently sat on a chair, staring unblinkingly at He Xiuyu.


    He Xiuyu pulled over a chair and sat across from her, his gaze intense as he looked at Han Liuya. He actually didn¡¯t want to come, knowing some things were understood between them without words, and he was somewhat repelled by Han Liuya.


    However, the Han Liuya in front of him seemed different from his memory; although she was staring directly at him, it was more out of curiosity and scrutiny, and even a hint of anticipation.


    Anticipation of what?


    Was she waiting for him to come?


    He Xiuyu thought this was absurd.


    He asked, ¡°Do you know Yuan Hengzhi?¡±


    As Bai Zhi, she certainly did, but as Han Liuya, she did not; Big Light Point quickly shook her head.


    ¡°What did you do to Yuan Hengzhi?¡± He Xiuyu¡¯s sharp gaze swept toward Han Liuya, ¡°The stone he had worn since childhood, you took it; where is it now?¡±


    He Xiuyu was direct and certain in his tone.


    The stone indeed had been taken by her, but it was now ground into a fine dust, and who knew where the wind had blown it now.


    Regardless, there was no evidence; she had been searched, and they found nothing on her, so she just shook her head, feigning ignorance, ¡°I didn¡¯t take it; I don¡¯t know anything.¡±


    Big Light Point now understood that in this world, there are laws and order, and everything requires evidence; without evidence, they couldn¡¯t accuse her of anything.


    Even if she had indeed done something, without evidence, it all amounted to nothing.

 Chapter 527 - 527 527 I Became You (Two Chapters Combined)

    ?Chapter 527: Chapter 527: I Became You (Two Chapters Combined) Chapter 527: Chapter 527: I Became You (Two Chapters Combined) Big Light Point felt there was no need to worry, so she was quite fearless.


    She steadied her gaze on He Xiuyu.


    Though this man occupied a significant part in Han Liuya¡¯s memory, she couldn¡¯t see what was so different about him.


    He was just better-looking and a bit smarter.


    But suddenly, things felt more solemn.


    She couldn¡¯t pinpoint where this feeling came from.


    ¡°...You appeared near Yuan Hengzhi, you were not unfamiliar with him, you pulled him aside to a secluded corner and unzipped his down jacket, the only explanation for your actions is the stone he wore on his chest, unfortunately, for some unknown reason, this stone either disappeared from your hands or turned into powder...¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s voice was light like the wind, not inquiring but describing.


    It was as if he had been coldly observing from the scene itself.


    Han Liuya suddenly stood up, asking in alarm, ¡°How...how do you know?¡±


    She added, ¡°Did you see it happen?¡±


    Little Light Point, in the realm of consciousness, was frantically stomping her feet, calling her a fool, a big fool; he was tricking her¡ªthere had been no third person nearby at the time; even Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s sole bodyguard was more than a hundred meters away and hadn¡¯t seen them do anything to Yuan Hengzhi.


    Han Liuya¡¯s reaction let He Xiuyu know he was right.


    Frustrated, Han Liuya furrowed her brows and tried to argue with forced composure, ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense, you¡¯re just guessing, you don¡¯t have any proof, your policewomen searched me, and found nothing, I really didn¡¯t do anything, I just wanted to talk to him, but before I could finish, he collapsed, it¡¯s not my fault...¡±


    ¡°What were you talking to him about?¡±


    Han Liuya blinked her eyes, ¡°I didn¡¯t get to say much.¡±


    That was true, even if Yuan Hengzhi woke up, their conversation hadn¡¯t been significant; she had been thinking about getting it done quickly so she could go home.


    But in the next moment, Han Liuya was stunned.


    She felt a very familiar aura from this man, but she wasn¡¯t sure, so she involuntarily stepped forward, while He Xiuyu quietly moved toward the door.


    This woman was quite strange, and he didn¡¯t want to waste words with her anymore, as long as he could confirm that the stone was indeed destroyed in her hands.


    Let her stay here for now.


    Seeing He Xiuyu turn to leave, Han Liuya urgently called out, ¡°Chief Engineer He, if you can let me out, I¡¯ll tell you something.¡±


    He Xiuyu, who was about to close the door, paused his movements, turned, and looked sternly at the anxious Han Liuya.


    He stood at the door and pondered for a moment, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in what you have to say, but even without evidence, you¡¯ll need to stay here for some time.¡±


    Fearing He Xiuyu might never return, Han Liuya said, ¡°It¡¯s about Qiao Qingyu.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, but he didn¡¯t pause any longer and strode away.


    Regardless of whether Han Liuya was human or ghost, one thing was beyond question: when Qiao Qingyu was young, the Han Family and the Qiao Family had dealings, since after all, Han Lishi was Han Xianglan¡¯s godmother.


    So, her knowledge of Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t surprising.


    But at this time, He Xiuyu didn¡¯t want to delay; since the Energy Stone had indeed disappeared, he needed to return to the base housing to find Qiao Qingyu.


    He wanted to search the Space Device for a stone similar to the one Yuan Hengzhi had worn around his neck.


    He Xiuyu made a call, summoning Qiao Qingyu back home.


    The house was conveniently empty, Wu Qianyun had taken He Xuerong and Little Chaoxuan to the Cultural Palace to watch the actors rehearse a grand chorus.


    The two quickly entered the Space Device.


    He Xiuyu found a stone of the right size from his memory, which he then took to the lab and shaped into the form of the stone Yuan Hengzhi wore around his neck, even drilling a hole in it.


    After completing this, he exited the Space Device, and Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    If there were any issues or if the size wasn¡¯t right, she could find a secluded place to make adjustments or find another solution to avoid wasting time going back and forth, especially since they didn¡¯t know what might happen if Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s unconsciousness continued.


    When the two arrived at the hospital, Yuan Hengzhi still hadn¡¯t awakened.


    By then, it was getting dark outside, and He Xiuyu swiftly passed the stone through a string and hung it back around Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s neck.


    After arranging his sweater neatly, both stood by the bed, intently watching Yuan Hengzhi who lay on the hospital bed.

 Chapter 528 - 528 527 I Became You (Two Chapters in One)_2

    ?Chapter 528: Chapter 527: I Became You (Two Chapters in One)_2 Chapter 528: Chapter 527: I Became You (Two Chapters in One)_2 He had not expected to stare unwaveringly for nearly two or three minutes when Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s eyelashes trembled slightly as he slowly opened his eyes.


    Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu both breathed a sigh of relief at the same time.


    It seemed that the stone taken away by Han Liuya was indeed much like the Energy Stone of the Space Device.


    The first thing Yuan Hengzhi asked as he awoke was, ¡°Where is that woman called Han Liuya?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s in detention,¡± He Xiuyu said.


    Yuan Hengzhi paused for a moment, ¡°That woman is evil. She had something in her hand, similar to an electric current. Just by touching me briefly, I was unable to move.¡± After a pause, he unconsciously touched his chest, it vaguely seemed like the woman had grabbed the stone he wore around his neck, but the stone was still there. So what had this woman done to him?


    The three of them went to the detention center overnight.


    After getting permission, they brought Han Liuya to a secret meeting room.


    Once the door of the meeting room was closed, Han Liuya stood at the doorway and instantly spotted Qiao Qingyu, who wasn¡¯t far away.


    For some reason, something seemed to be churning inside her, becoming more intense, and the small light points in her consciousness were becoming restless.


    Han Liuya wanted to step forward but couldn¡¯t move her feet, as if they had taken root.


    It was a terrifying feeling.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at Han Liuya and her heart sank. Could it be that Han Liuya¡¯s body had been taken over by someone again?


    She couldn¡¯t help feeling irritated and exasperated with this damned world.


    The next moment, she heard Han Liuya¡¯s hoarse voice say, ¡°Qiao... Qiao Qingyu, can I talk to you alone?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at He Xiuyu and Yuan Hengzhi and, without hesitation, said, ¡°You two, please step out for a moment.¡±


    Recalling what Han Liuya had said to him in the detention center that afternoon, He Xiuyu pulled Yuan Hengzhi out of the room. However, as soon as the door closed, they leaned against the wall in the corridor, Yuan Hengzhi took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a deep inhale.


    But not knowing what to say, the two men just stood there silently.


    Meanwhile, there was a moment of silence in the meeting room; Han Liuya took a few steps forward, and though difficult, she finally moved.


    She asked the small light point in her consciousness, ¡°Can you scan this woman? She has a very powerful and terrifying force.¡±


    The small light point turned frantically, ¡°The scan was automatically initiated when we entered the room, but it was bounced back, and then we ran out of energy.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, observing Han Liuya a few steps away, asked in a calm voice, ¡°What do you want to talk about? Go ahead.¡±


    Han Liuya didn¡¯t speak immediately. After thinking it over, she gritted her teeth and walked towards Qiao Qingyu. Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t move. It wasn¡¯t long before Han Liuya was close enough to touch her.


    She suddenly reached out, attempting to grab Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand, but Qiao Qingyu, always prepared, swiftly dodged.


    ¡°Could I take your right hand? Or perhaps just have a look?¡± the girl with Han Liuya¡¯s face anxiously asked.


    Qiao Qingyu boldly extended her hand. She had a hunch; the Space Device was operated by her fingerprint, she was its owner, or perhaps one of the owners. This girl initially showed interest in the stone Yuan Hengzhi wore, then among these three, she directly targeted herself.


    It seemed she was after the Space Device.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s fingers, pearly white with a blush gloss to her nails, were just beautiful but showed no anomaly.


    After a brief silence in the room, Han Liuya suddenly spoke, ¡°Have you realized that I¡¯m not Han Hanliu Ya?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°Then who are you?¡±


    Han Liuya didn¡¯t answer further, only saying, ¡°Seventy percent of my memories are of you.¡±


    ¡°Heh heh, should I feel honored?¡±


    ¡°Definitely honored, I live only because of you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your issue, what does it have to do with me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it matters. When you were twelve years old that summer, I let the Snake Fairy¡¯s spirit possess me, I hid myself and pushed you off that big rock, then I became you. I thought you would become the water ghost beneath that river, but for some unknown reason, a fracture suddenly opened in the space above the river, and you were taken to another world...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked intently at Han Liuya, profoundly shocked internally, yet her face showed no sign, ¡°And then?¡± she asked, composed.

 Chapter 529 - 529 527 I Became You (Two Chapters Combined)_3

    ?Chapter 529: Chapter 527: I Became You (Two Chapters Combined)_3 Chapter 529: Chapter 527: I Became You (Two Chapters Combined)_3 Han Liuya suddenly moved her body, her limbs adopting an eerie posture as she performed strange movements.


    At that moment, after speaking about that incident, she felt the air subtly and undetectably twist.


    Beings like her possessed a heaven-defying ability, but the conditions for triggering it were very limited. Yet now it had been activated because that old story had been told.


    That was retracing.


    Big Light Point and Little Light Point now understood.


    The task they received was correct, but the instructions had somehow changed during their time travel. Although much time had been wasted, the two could finally return.


    She spoke out of nowhere, yet clearly said, ¡°Since you have opened it, it is yours, and no one else will covet it.¡±


    After those two sentences, she suddenly pounced toward a spot three steps to her left.


    Qiao Qingyu instinctively dodged, even though she wasn¡¯t in the direction of the pounce.


    The next moment, she heavily fell to the ground.


    The noise from inside the room reached the outside; He Xiuyu opened the door and quickly entered the meeting room, only to see his wife standing well, looking astonished, while Han Liuya was sprawled on the floor.


    Yuan Hengzhi then entered the room and instantly noticed Han Liuya lying on the floor, ¡°What happened? Why is she on the floor?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu spread her hands, explaining, ¡°It has nothing to do with me, I didn¡¯t do it, really.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, Han Liuya on the floor suddenly moved.


    All three people focused their gazes on her.


    Han Liuya then sat up on the floor, looking blankly around.


    Suddenly, she burst into loud cries, ¡°Grandma, I want my grandma.¡±


    Yuan Hengzhi stared blankly at Han Liuya, who seemed like a different person, now kicking her legs and bawling like a toddler.


    Dumbfounded in his eyes, he asked, ¡°Ah Yu, has she gone mad?¡±


    He Xiuyu shook his head, ¡°Let¡¯s take her to the hospital, inform Han Lishi.¡±


    He Xiuyu then had a secretive eye contact with Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu slightly shook her head, saying nothing.


    Han Lishi, led by community office staff, was taken to the hospital where, upon seeing Han Lishi appear at the door of the ward, Han Liuya leaped from the bed and ran barefoot towards her, crying tears and snot.


    Han Lishi didn¡¯t look at anyone, a trace of joy flashed in her eyes.


    She didn¡¯t make any demands or ask any questions but quickly put shoes on Han Liuya and led her hurriedly out of the hospital.


    Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s brow furrowed tightly; the doctor, nurse, his bodyguards, and He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu had all witnessed that Han Liuya had really gone foolish.


    Her behavior, speech, and even memory seemed to be that of a five- or six-year-old child.


    He was skeptical, this woman¡¯s behavior was too bizarre, perhaps she was pretending.


    He Xiuyu pulled him aside, softly told him everything he could about Han Liuya, including her knowledge of some crooked skills.


    Yuan Hengzhi looked at He Xiuyu in surprise, and He Xiuyu looked back calmly.


    A few moments later, Yuan Hengzhi laughed.


    He and He Xiuyu shared a life-and-death bond; they were brothers in arms, and whether he understood it or not, he believed him when he said so.


    The next day, he learned that Han Lishi had sold her courtyard at a very low price and then in the afternoon, carrying two bags, she and Han Liuya, who shuffled along after her, boarded a train to North City.


    Yuan Hengzhi told He Xiuyu about this.


    A few days later, Qiao Qingyu received a call from her home; it was her uncle who called.


    He said that Han Lishi had suddenly returned to Lianjiang Village.


    Wu Hong and his family had leased a few acres of land in Lianjiang Village and were building modern steel-structured vegetable greenhouses.


    Apparently, a lot of money had been invested, and it wasn¡¯t finished yet, then Wu Hong took Han Lishi to their newly constructed house.


    What¡¯s more, Han Lishi said that although Han Liuya could walk again and wasn¡¯t paralyzed, the price was that she now had the intellect of a five-year-old child.


    It seemed that¡¯s how she would spend the rest of her life.


    At the end of the call, Qiao Zhiyuan took a deep breath, and then said to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Yesterday, the old lady came to see me, she asked me to tell you that the karma between you two has been resolved, from now on, ¡®to each their own path and no further dealings.''¡±


    After saying this, Qiao Zhiyuan then cursed, ¡°It¡¯s really bizarre, talking like a crazy old bat. Even heaven seems blind, the older this wretch gets, the tougher she seems to grow. But if she truly doesn¡¯t contact us again, that¡¯s probably for the best.¡±

 Chapter 530 - 530 528 The Woman Who Says One Thing and Means

    ?Chapter 530: Chapter 528: The Woman Who Says One Thing and Means Another Chapter 530: Chapter 528: The Woman Who Says One Thing and Means Another Qiao Qingyu nodded; she knew in her heart that the sinister and vicious Han Liuya must have been devoured by the unknown energy within her body.


    To avoid a loss of life and prevent Han Liuya from dying in the conference room, right in front of her, it would be simpler to leave her with an intellectual disability.


    That way, she probably wouldn¡¯t pose a threat anymore.


    The vast universe, who knows how many times, dimensions, and worlds there are.


    Qiao Qingyu was once again certain that the Space Device was created by someone and given to her.


    She was the sole owner.


    But as for who that person was, Qiao Qingyu was not curious; she would naturally find out when the time came.


    Afterward, Qiao Qingyu received a call from Wu Hong.


    ¡°Qingyu, you should know that Han Lishi has returned to Lianjiang Village; she is now with us, but rest assured, we will watch over her obsession from now on, and no unexpected events will occur.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu sneered inwardly, what can you all do by watching?


    Don¡¯t think she didn¡¯t know.


    But Qiao Qingyu also responded cheerily, ¡°Mr. Wu, then let¡¯s each take care of our own affairs.¡±


    ...


    The big celebration in the Cultural Palace¡¯s performance hall had also begun.


    Not everybody could come to see the show; each workshop selected a few representatives.


    The grand auditorium of the Cultural Palace could accommodate more than two thousand people.


    The applause was endless, particularly when Jiang Xin made her appearance, driving the party to a climax.


    Everyone clapped enthusiastically; some young lads wished they could clap their palms red.


    In the midst of thunderous applause, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but take delight in misfortune as she said to He Xiuyu beside her, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t given up, the one receiving the enthusiastic applause on stage right now would be you.¡±


    He Xiuyu, ¡°...¡±


    Hmm, this woman is truly a master of saying one thing while meaning another.


    At this point, there was an unwritten rule that after the curtain call, leaders would go up to shake hands with the performers to congratulate them on a successful show, followed by a large group photo.


    This was more or less the process.


    He Xiuyu was a leader, and so was Qiao Qingyu; the two of them sat in the front row with Rongrong and Chaoxuan.


    Honestly, shaking hands really wasn¡¯t a big deal, not to mention that neither Qiao Qingyu nor He Xiuyu were taking it seriously.


    But when He Xiuyu casually glanced over the actors on stage, his gaze locked accurately with Jiang Xin¡¯s.


    Jiang Xin stood in the middle of the performers, a very prominent position, the spotlight shone on her like daytime. Dressed in a velvet satin long dress, with her hair up, revealing her slender neck, Jiang Xin looked like a luminous being.


    She maintained a just-right smile on her face.


    But that probing look made He Xiuyu somewhat uncomfortable.


    He Xiuyu calmly shifted his gaze away, as leaving the seat at this time would indeed be very impolite and show great disrespect to the performers who had worked hard all evening.


    Qiao Qingyu found it very strange; Jiang Xin kept looking in her direction, and if she wasn¡¯t mistaken, she was looking at He Xiuyu.


    But the next second, their gazes met.


    She even nodded toward her.


    Qiao Qingyu also curved her mouth slightly; sitting in the front row wasn¡¯t entirely advantageous¡ªshe felt as if she was being targeted.


    She stretched out her hand and really pinched He Xiuyu¡¯s arm hard, and he grimaced through the pain, as he was holding his son in his arms.


    The leaders, including Qiao Qingyu, all went onstage to shake hands with the performers.


    Once the group photo was over, it meant the performance had come to a successful conclusion. The employees were still eager to talk among themselves, but regardless, because of this performance, everyone¡¯s spirits were indeed much lifted, illustrating how important it is to balance work and leisure.


    ...


    Liu Ying finished work early, then coincidentally ran into her daughter, but the child was walking in front of her, and in front of her were two other children, one was Li Mingguang, the other was He Xuerong.


    Liu Ying was about to call out to her daughter, then thought better of it and kept quiet.


    However, her gaze darkened as she watched the two children walking side by side in front.


    They were just little boys and girls, but they were almost grown up.


    This autumn, after moving to middle school, the teacher specifically put these three kids in one class based on family situations. He Xuerong lived in the east district along with her own daughter, so Liu Ying didn¡¯t say anything. But Li Mingguang was close with He Xuerong; after school, he carried both of their backpacks, and only after escorting He Xuerong home did he go home himself.


    Sometimes, he even directly went to the He Family¡¯s house to do homework and have dinner.

 Chapter 531 - 531 528 The Woman Who Says One Thing and Means

    ?Chapter 531: Chapter 528: The Woman Who Says One Thing and Means Another_2 Chapter 531: Chapter 528: The Woman Who Says One Thing and Means Another_2 This autumn, junior high had added evening self-study sessions, and Li Mingguang spent more time going to and from school with He Xuerong.


    Although the base was safe and kids could walk on their own without any issues,


    that wasn¡¯t the point!


    Just like now, Zhou Ruoruo with her backpack on, was ten or so steps behind the two, close yet not too far, giving off the impression that she was excluded and left out by He Xuerong and Li Mingguang.


    Others might not think much of this feeling, but as her own mother, Aunt Liu couldn¡¯t stand it. The more she followed along, the worse she felt inside, really wishing she could run up to the front and grab those two cheerful kids, who didn¡¯t give a damn about their own daughter, and give them a good beating.


    Since when did her daughter, Aunt Liu¡¯s, have to be treated like a little tagalong?


    Her daughter didn¡¯t deserve to be treated this way.


    Speaking of Zhou Ruoruo, the kid was especially stubborn. If you wanted to be friends with Li Mingguang and He Xuerong, you¡¯d have to lower yourself, right?


    Play nicely with them. Kids have their own sense of right and wrong and their principles for making friends. Even if adults repeatedly tell them who to hang out with, kids will not just listen obediently.


    Besides, what status did she have to be proud of?


    He Xuerong might want to act high and mighty, but she had the credentials: Li Mingguang¡¯s dad was already the head of the Light Industry Workshop, a place well-known as the cash cow of the research base.


    Li Mingguang¡¯s mom was the third in command and a deputy general manager of the Agricultural Group, in charge of farms and breeding grounds.


    None of that put them below Zhou Ruoruo.


    If it came down to family backgrounds, then there was nothing to do about it; after all, the Li family came from a poorer background.


    But these things didn¡¯t really matter in the eyes of ten-year-old kids.


    Teachers didn¡¯t understand the intricacies of the situation either. Knowing the circumstances of these three kids, they arranged for them to be on duty as a group.


    With junior high now having evening self-study, these three kids could form a study group, which would be really beneficial for their learning.


    This kind of arrangement was indisputable and flawless.


    Unable to find any fault when it came to blaming the teachers, Aunt Liu followed along for a while until she really couldn¡¯t bear seeing her daughter tailing behind those two ¡°brats¡± like a pitiful little thing.


    She quickly walked up, grasped her daughter¡¯s hand, then took the backpack off her daughter¡¯s shoulders to carry it herself, softening her voice as much as possible, ¡°Ruoruo, Mommy made you braised chicken with red sauce for dinner today.¡±


    Hearing Aunt Liu¡¯s voice, Li Mingguang and He Xuerong stopped in their tracks.


    Both kids turned around and saw Aunt Liu, barely containing her irritation.


    Aunt Liu¡¯s gaze was truly uncomfortable.


    That evening, He Xuerong mentioned this incident to Qiao Qingyu.


    ¡°...Little aunt, it¡¯s not that Xiao Hu and I are excluding Zhou Ruoruo; she just doesn¡¯t mesh well with us. You have to cater to her in everything when you play with her. During recess, if the game involves throwing and hits her, she¡¯d either curse or stomp and cry, insisting the object be tossed gently and precisely into her arms...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t expected this and patted He Xuerong¡¯s head sympathetically, ¡°You guys have really put up with a lot.¡±


    ¡°Exactly! I mean, who would want to play with her like this? If she¡¯s going to act that way, then we just won¡¯t play at all. But you¡¯ve got to have a game during recess, right? When we play jump rope, if she¡¯s not turning, she insists on jumping. And then when she messes up and gets tangled in the rope, she calls the person turning the rope an idiot or a stupid pig.


    But never mind all that; just take today after school, for instance. Aunt Liu¡¯s grim look, as if Xiao Hu and I couldn¡¯t tell what she was thinking. It¡¯s just a backpack, right? I mean, I can carry it myself, and Xiao Hu doesn¡¯t necessarily always have to carry it for me, but we can¡¯t back down on this. If we do, Zhou Ruoruo will just push even further, we never know what she might demand next.


    So, little aunt, no matter what Aunt Liu says to you, just ignore it. If you really can¡¯t avoid addressing it, just say she¡¯s my cousin and it¡¯s not my place to intervene.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu burst out laughing, ¡°Darling, that¡¯s a pretty good excuse.¡±


    He Xuerong, previously fuming, visibly brightened and affectionately snuggled against Qiao Qingyu like she had no bones, cozying up beside her on the bed, while simultaneously reaching out to play with Little Chaoxuan.


    He Xuerong concluded the matter, ¡°Little aunt, let¡¯s just leave it at the backpack issue. Otherwise, it¡¯ll never end, and no one can put up with that.¡±

 Chapter 532 - 532 528 The Woman Who Says One Thing and Means

    ?Chapter 532: Chapter 528: The Woman Who Says One Thing and Means Another_3 Chapter 532: Chapter 528: The Woman Who Says One Thing and Means Another_3 ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate her; that girl seems to have a point. Given Zhou Ruoruo¡¯s personality, who knows what kind of mess she could create.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, although an advocate of treating people kindly, also knew that one must choose who to treat kindly with discernment.


    Because of this matter, Liu Ying repeatedly tried to fool her with deceitful tricks, yet she did not seek vengeance upon Liu Ying. This was already a show of her mercy. One shouldn¡¯t think that having connections meant no one would dare to touch them. With all the flaws that Liu Ying had, it would be too easy to create trouble for her.


    Qiao Qingyu could easily think of several ways to bring about Liu Ying¡¯s downfall.


    But even hitting a dog required evaluating its owner.


    Zhou Hai might be a bit befuddled when it came to family and emotional issues, but he was certainly principled in his work. Even his suggestion to arrange for financial supervision in the Agricultural Group stemmed from his professional perspective.


    He wanted to make a name for himself, fully aware that he lacked the ability in research, so he put extra effort into other areas.


    Next up, he had ideas about building a large department store, establishing a meat processing plant, expanding the hospital, and even founding a high school on his own.


    All these ideas were beneficial and harmless to the employees at the Tenghai Research Base.


    Therefore, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t be too harsh on Liu Ying for her underhanded tactics, but she also couldn¡¯t let Liu Ying get too comfortable¡ªthat would be letting her off too lightly.


    Qiao Qingyu had Secretary Chang look into the situation of Zhou Hai¡¯s ex-wife.


    If Liu Ying had a decent character, then her claims about Jiao Jiao¡¯s biological mother would be true. That woman was cruel-hearted, abandoning her two young children to Zhou Hai and not caring or contributing a penny ever since.


    Someone like Liu Ge, when afforded the opportunity, was still going all out for He Xuerong, sending things by mail regularly, visiting every three or six months. Despite parting on bad terms with her daughter each time, He Xuerong still held a place in her heart as her daughter.


    Not to mention Zhou Hai¡¯s ex-wife had a son and a daughter.


    What exactly happened among those three back then was a mystery no one could fathom. Maybe Zhou Hai¡¯s ex-wife detested Zhou Hai¡¯s betrayal and stopped caring for the children as a result. Being stationed abroad, she rarely returned to the country.


    That¡¯s why she needed reliable people to find out more for her.


    Secretary Chang was the right person for the job.


    ...


    When the new year rolled around, the Logistics Department received another newcomer from Beijing.


    This person was named Han Chengfeng.


    In his twenties and single, at first glance, one might think he was banished to this remote place, especially since his previous job was quite desirable, working within the department, and he came from a well-connected family.


    But Liu Ying knew that Han Chengfeng came for Jiang Xin.


    And Jiang Xin, for her part, could not have expected this outcome. After receiving a call from Han Chengfeng, she complained of her hardships somewhat ambiguously as usual. She had no intention for Han Chengfeng to do anything specific; he was just one of her backups¡ªone she¡¯d keep on the hook until she could secure He Xiuyu.


    Among the people she knew, only he had decent prospects in various respects, though he couldn¡¯t compare to He Xiuyu.


    Yet, Jiang Xin hadn¡¯t expected him to give up such a great job and come here to become the head of the TV Station.


    Both the TV Station and Cultural Palace were under the Logistics Department.


    If Han Chengfeng had joined the Logistics Department, it might have been passable, but the TV Station...


    However, Han Chengfeng was thrilled and looked at Jiang Xin with a heartfelt gaze. If it weren¡¯t for being in the office, he¡¯d have taken her hand to comfort her properly.


    His voice was tender, ¡°Xin¡¯er, ever since you moved here, I¡¯ve missed you so much. After getting your call, I made up my mind, no matter what others say, from now on, wherever you are, I¡¯ll be there.¡±


    Jiang Xin clenched her hands, which hung by her sides, and a gentle smile spread across her face, ¡°Cheng Feng, you don¡¯t need to say such things. Xichuan isn¡¯t what it used to be. The development of Tenghai Research Base is unstoppable. The department, although good, has very limited room for advancement. With seniority-based ranking, you don¡¯t know where you¡¯ll end up. But here, it¡¯s different. As long as you have the ability, you will achieve great success.¡±


    These words made Han Chengfeng¡¯s heart melt. He had not fallen for the wrong person. His family members all reprimanded him when he moved to Tenghai, almost to the point of cutting ties with him.


    Moreover, having looked around here, it wasn¡¯t as bad as people from the department said¡ªno man¡¯s land, barren land, desert land. Even if it was so, if his beloved was here, this place was paradise.


    He smiled, ¡°Xin¡¯er, you¡¯re at the Cultural Palace, and I¡¯m at the TV Station. Let¡¯s work hard together.¡±


    Jiang Xin gave Han Chengfeng an encouraging look, and after a few moments, she nodded slightly.

 Chapter 533 - 533 529 Turn the Raw Rice into Cooked Rice

    ?Chapter 533: Chapter 529: Turn the Raw Rice into Cooked Rice? Chapter 533: Chapter 529: Turn the Raw Rice into Cooked Rice? For Jiang Xin, getting He Xiuyu was not going to be easy.


    But in the end, there was a trick up her sleeve: turn raw rice into cooked rice¡ªhadn¡¯t Liu Ying used this method to make Zhou Hai divorce his ex-wife and marry her?


    Moreover, the Tenghai Research Base wasn¡¯t as bad as outsiders thought; Director Wei and He Xiuyu had built it up nicely.


    Her family had a long-term vision, and they had made the decision to move there after much analysis.


    Looking at it now, it clearly wasn¡¯t a mistake.


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu had thought that the leader of the cultural troupe could become the head of the TV station, but to her surprise, they directly parachuted in a new person, while Mr. Xiao Qu from the cultural troupe became the deputy head.


    The Cultural Palace was rumored to be ready to hold classes now that winter break was upon us.


    Jiang Xin, the deputy director of the Cultural Palace, was making house visits with a clerk, notebook and pen in hand.


    She didn¡¯t make it too obvious, only arriving at He Xiuyu¡¯s house two days later.


    Whether by intent or coincidence, when she arrived with the clerk at the He residence, Qiao Qingyu was not at home, but He Xiuyu was.


    Wu Qianyun felt it wasn¡¯t her place to point fingers at He Xuerong¡¯s affairs, and since she didn¡¯t understand the matters of the Cultural Palace, she took Little Chaoxuan, who was twisting her body wanting to go out and play, to the western room after providing them fruits and sunflower seeds.


    As for Jiang Xin, she never had the opportunity or the conditions to visit Mr. He¡¯s home as a guest. Even if she wanted to be close to Qiao Qingyu, she couldn¡¯t find the chance, let alone He Xiuyu.


    So this was her first time stepping foot in He Xiuyu¡¯s house, and the de?cor within gave her quite a shock.


    The evident cozy and elegant atmosphere reflected the lady of the house¡¯s taste and style, which made her feel a twinge of sourness.


    However, she didn¡¯t let it show, wearing an appropriate smile, systematic and proper, just like with other house visits, she inquired about He Xuerong¡¯s hobbies, strengths, and as a parent, her willingness.


    After asking, she said to He Xiuyu, ¡°Mr. He, our base¡¯s Cultural Palace is also akin to the Youth Palace. To truly make it operational, we have to genuinely consider these children. The cultural life of our workers is one aspect, but the children¡¯s all-around growth in morality, intelligence, beauty, and athleticism is also important. We are first conducting a survey and then based on the children¡¯s needs we¡¯ll do a comprehensive analysis. Like Rongrong could go to music classes, or perhaps dance classes too.¡±


    He Xiuyu gave He Xuerong a gentle look; he couldn¡¯t oppose the idea and said, ¡°If it can really be operated well, it would indeed help the base¡¯s children.¡±


    Jiang Xin was thrilled with He Xiuyu¡¯s affirmation, her cheeks flushing with excitement. She asked He Xuerong, ¡°Rongrong, would you like to attend music or dance classes?¡±


    He Xuerong glanced at Jiang Xin, the pretty auntie, and thought she seemed a bit too enthusiastic.


    But still, she politely said, ¡°I like both classes.¡±


    Jiang Xin withdrew her gaze and softly told the clerk beside her, ¡°Write all of this down.¡±


    Then she made her exit at just the right moment.


    From start to finish, Jiang Xin had been very restrained and performing.


    It really was tough on her.


    Watching her leave, Liu Ying smirked and thought, with her ability to put on such an act, why doesn¡¯t she go into acting?


    Qiao Qingyu returned late, it was already dark when she got home, and she placed her bag on the hook behind the door.


    She saw He Xiuyu stepping quickly out from the house to greet her, eagerly helping her remove her scarf and gloves.


    Instead of waiting for a quiet evening to talk, he told her right there in the entrance hall about Jiang Xin coming to the house to understand the child¡¯s interests.


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. In reality, she hadn¡¯t taken it seriously¡ªif they didn¡¯t even have this amount of trust, then she wouldn¡¯t have told him the big secret of the Space Device.


    But this attitude was worthy of encouragement.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done well, keep it up,¡± Qiao Qingyu said with a smile.


    He Xiuyu then asked with a deep meaning, ¡°I¡¯ve performed so well, don¡¯t I deserve a reward?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu gave him a sidelong glance and stealthily pinched him.


    Alright, it hurt as always, but that was her agreement, wasn¡¯t it?


    He felt delighted in his heart and hurried to the kitchen to serve the dishes.


    Qiao Qingyu thought to herself that Jiang Xin had gone to great lengths just to meet He Xiuyu once¡ªit really wasn¡¯t easy. At the same time, she also felt she shouldn¡¯t be so presumptuous about others¡ªwhat if Jiang Xin was really doing it all for work, for the future well-rounded development of these children?


    The Cultural Palace taking on the role of the Youth Palace was a positive thing.


    After all, it was no longer the early days of nation-building; it was now 1987.


    Here in Xichuan, things seemed comparatively better. The largest change had been turning deserts into green pastures for cattle and sheep, which had taken almost seven years to achieve green mountains and clear waters.


    Only the provincial capital of North City had dramatically changed; other areas hadn¡¯t seen much difference. However, if you traveled further south of the Yangtze River and observed the transformations, it was a different world every day.


    Such tumultuous times would no longer occur. When this generation of children entered society, they would have much more to compete with.


    Then, a portion of this generation would catch up to the closing and bankruptcy of state-owned enterprises, with a large number of workers laid off or taking severance to seek their own livelihoods.


    At that time, most would be in their thirties, with elders to care for, children to raise, and life was the hardest. Saying they would fend for themselves wasn¡¯t as simple as imagined¡ªa skill could indeed make their path much wider.


    As for the future development of the Tenghai Research Base, Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t sure, but what was certain was that the current staffing was sufficient, and some of the new generation would return. Others will have to make a living elsewhere.


    Thinking of this, Qiao Qingyu felt that the Agricultural Group could actually be expanded a bit more.


    On second thought, it was really necessary for the Cultural Palace to offer various talent classes.


    She hoped Jiang Xin would really take on this task and make a big deal out of it.


    And indeed, Jiang Xin did want to accomplish something, as it related to her job performance. Then she started to visit Liu Ying more frequently, almost every three to five days, she would go to the Zhou Family.


    The two knew each other before and even shared some secrets.


    But generally speaking, they kept to themselves, minding their own business. Liu Ying felt at ease with Jiang Xin coming to her home.


    She understood Jiang Xin to be proud and haughty. Jiang Xin wouldn¡¯t even spare a glance for someone like Han Chengfeng, so how could she be interested in her husband Zhou Hai?


    With Zhou Hai¡¯s height, she didn¡¯t even dare to wear high heels¡ªfor in them, she looked like an adult leading a child.


    So Liu Ying was truly at ease.


    Winter break was about to start. The Cultural Palace¡¯s interest classes were really going to start, and that group involved in the cultural troupe, already talented in their own right, had something to offer.


    He Xuerong didn¡¯t enroll in dance but chose music class.


    And Xiao Hu opted for painting class.


    The child was indeed very talented in that aspect.


    Zhou Ruoruo had been learning dance since she was little, so she enrolled in dance class.


    Zhou Hai disagreed, but since Zhou Ruoruo liked it, he had no choice.

 Chapter 534 - 534 530 Serpents Heart in Buddhas Mouth

    ?Chapter 534: Chapter 530 Serpent¡¯s Heart in Buddha¡¯s Mouth Chapter 534: Chapter 530 Serpent¡¯s Heart in Buddha¡¯s Mouth Qiao Qingyu¡¯s work here was coming to a close, and it was another bountiful year, especially in Xichuan, where the largest economic source turned out to be Barley Grass.


    Now in Xichuan, Barley Grass was the main focus, with Willow Wood as the supplement.


    At the same time, they encouraged farmers to raise cattle and sheep...


    So, the higher-ups were planning to transfer Lu Ye to another city to continue the greening project, but Lu Ye didn¡¯t plan to go.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s advice to him was that in a few more years, they could actually start setting up a tourism company.


    They could open up a tourist route through a desert oasis.


    Now, Lu Ye was busy organizing various reports and materials from foreign tourism companies and was also ready to take a good rest.


    But Qiao Qingyu here had no plans to develop tourism; no matter what, they had to rely on the scientific research base. If they were to engage in the tourism industry, it would have to be at least more than a hundred miles away from the research base.


    ...


    When it was time to get off work, Qiao Qingyu first went to the store to buy chicken, eggs, as well as freshly picked spinach from the vegetable greenhouse.


    It was cold, and Qiao Qingyu, carrying her goods, walked briskly home. When she crossed the intersection, she saw a figure squatting by the wall.


    The figure had a large backpack and wore a yellow fluffy hat. Qiao Qingyu quickened her pace and realized it was Jiao Jiao.


    This child was facing her college entrance examinations this year and was quite stressed with studying, mostly revising, as seniors didn¡¯t get a winter break, so she was rarely seen.


    And this youngster wasn¡¯t much for chatting with the neighbors, attending school on her own.


    Her younger brother, however, was more sociable, with lots of friends calling on him.


    Zhou Pengcheng was playful and did poorly in school. When he came to the base, he had been held back a grade, and since he started school late, he was fifteen years old this year, the same grade as He Xuerong.


    Zhou Ruoruo started school early and skipped a grade, had good academic performance, and if it weren¡¯t for the scientific research base, her family wouldn¡¯t have let her come to Xichuan.


    She was very cherished in the Zhou Family and was known far and wide as a little prodigy.


    Compared to the stubborn and nai?ve Jiao Jiao and the playful, study-averse Zhou Pengcheng, adults preferred Zhou Ruoruo.


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t spoken to Jiao Jiao much, so they weren¡¯t very familiar.


    However, if the child was squatting in a corner, she was certainly feeling uncomfortable. Qiao Qingyu hastily asked, ¡°Jiao Jiao, what¡¯s the matter with you?¡±


    Upon being asked, Jiao Jiao, already in a hazy pain, suddenly burst into tears and awkwardly said, ¡°Aunt Qiao, I¡¯ve started my... ¡®that¡¯ thing.¡±


    Seeing the child¡¯s pale face, Qiao Qingyu immediately understood, but how could the pain be like this? Had she caught a chill?


    She hurriedly said, ¡°You can¡¯t squat here; you¡¯re susceptible to the cold, and the colder it gets, the more your belly will hurt. Hurry home, put a hot water bottle on your stomach, then rub your hands warm and gently knead it before drinking some brown sugar water...¡±


    As she rambled on, she helped Jiao Jiao to her feet, then carried the backpack on her shoulder. Jiao Jiao, who had intended to struggle, was in too much pain to exert any strength.


    She half-dragged, half-carried the child to the Zhou Family¡¯s doorstep.


    The gate was open and not locked, which meant someone was at home.


    But the child stood at the door and wouldn¡¯t go in, instead bending over and just crying in the bitter winter, with her eyelashes soon bearing white frost.


    This wouldn¡¯t do. Qiao Qingyu thought for a moment, didn¡¯t call out to the people in the house, and tentatively asked, ¡°How about you come over to Aunt Qiao¡¯s place?¡±


    To her surprise, the child hesitated for a moment before nodding.


    She took the child to Wu Qianyun¡¯s room, and Wu Qianyun hurriedly had the child sit on the warm kang bed.


    At that time, sanitary napkins hadn¡¯t become widespread yet, but Qiao Qingyu did indeed have some.


    They were all brought in from the south.


    After telling Jiao Jiao how to use them, she let her go to the restroom.


    It took a long while before the girl came out, and Qiao Qingyu gave her a sealed pair of sanitary pants; this sanitary garment was specially made, with cotton fabric on both sides and an inner layer of absorbent cotton.


    ¡°Jiao Jiao, when you go home tonight, change into this, and when your period is over, wash it and dry it well; you can use it again next time.¡±


    As she spoke, Qiao Qingyu placed two packs of sanitary napkins into the girl¡¯s schoolbag.


    Jiao Jiao hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, ¡°Thank You, Aunt Qiao.¡±


    At this moment, Wu Qianyun had finished boiling a pot of brown sugar water.


    She placed it on the small table on the Kang, and Qiao Qingyu handed her a spoon, admonishing, ¡°Jiao Jiao, finish the brown sugar water before you head home, remember not to touch cold water, don¡¯t let your feet get cold, and absolutely no ice cream or popsicles... do you hear me?¡±


    Jiao Jiao stared blankly at Qiao Qingyu, recalling how at fourteen, when she first experienced it, she was panicked and made a mess of her bed and pants, her grandmother wasn¡¯t at home, she dared not tell her grandfather, nor her father; she went to find Liu Ying. After Liu Ying heard it seemed like her period had come, she just told her there was toilet paper at home, just fold it and pad it.


    Then she grabbed her bag and left.


    Returning in the evening, she even brought back a whole box of big chunks of ice cream.


    Back then, she was young, and nobody told her not to eat cold things during her period, she ate several pieces of the chilling ice cream because she craved it.


    She drank cold water just the same, and as it was autumn, no one had ever told her to keep warm.


    The bloodstained bedsheets, pillowcases, clothes, and pants were all washed by herself, and Liu Ying even told her to use cold water only, otherwise, the blood stains wouldn¡¯t wash out.


    That advice was correct, and books said the same thing.


    She would always stealthily clean these things in cold water, carefully making sure no one saw.


    Somehow, every time she was on her period, she suffered excruciating pain and didn¡¯t dare tell her father; this woman never cared or asked.


    Every time, she used rough toilet paper for her period.


    She knew that even such coarse toilet paper was something ordinary families couldn¡¯t afford to use.


    But now, Jiao Jiao, looking at the sanitary napkins in her schoolbag, realized for the first time that her stepmother had always been using this thing called sanitary napkins¡ªso clean and comfortable.


    She had seen them in her room, always a box on the corner shelf, labeled with foreign words, seemingly imported from abroad.


    Jiao Jiao lifted her head, her eyes and the tip of her nose red.


    Not knowing what to say, she was not familiar with Qiao Qingyu; they had merely exchanged a few words when they met on the road.


    But she didn¡¯t want to go home and naturally followed Qiao Qingyu to her house.


    She sipped on the brown sugar water, her head bowed.


    Warm and sweet, her stomach was tucked with a hot water bottle, everything inside and out felt so comfortable.


    An hour later, Jiao Jiao stood up, ¡°Aunt Qiao, I should go home.¡±


    By now, the sky had darkened, and Qiao Qingyu escorted the child to the Zhou Family¡¯s gate.


    Lights were already on in the Zhou Family¡¯s house, silhouettes moved in front of the windows; Zhou Hai and Liu Ying were both back home.


    Once Jiao Jiao entered the house, Liu Ying greeted her with her usual smile, because Zhou Hai was standing right beside her...

 Chapter 535 - 535 531

    ?Chapter 535: Chapter 531 Chapter 535: Chapter 531 Jiao Jiao entered her room without looking at anyone, her schoolbag in tow.


    Sitting on the chair, she thought that liberation was nearly at hand; she had to score well enough to leave this place forever and never return home.


    But then she wondered, what about her little brother?


    When Liu Ying came into their lives, her little brother was still too young to understand. In his heart, she was his real mother, but where was their actual mother?


    Why hadn¡¯t she contacted them in so many years?


    Moreover, every time she asked about their mother, their father would roar in fury.


    Her mother¡¯s name was also taboo at home.


    She didn¡¯t dare to ask anymore, but that didn¡¯t mean she harbored no resentment deep down.


    Having grown up, she now understood some things: the absence of their real mother was because their stepmother, keen on marrying their father, ousted her and took her place, so naturally, their mother must despise their father.


    Did that hatred extend even to the children she bore him?


    Staring blankly at the bed, Jiao Jiao reflected on everything Aunt Qiao had told her, and only then did she notice that the quilt on her bed was too thin. She had never paid attention, and her father never bothered to check.


    Liu Ying was their stepmother; wasn¡¯t it normal for her to not care? She¡¯d never beaten or scolded her; maybe that already made her a good stepmother.


    After changing her sanitary pad at Aunt Qiao¡¯s house, she sat on the warm kang.


    It was so comfortable on Aunt Qiao¡¯s kang; she wished she could live there.


    He Xuerong reported to Qiao Qingyu after school that the teacher had reorganized the duty groups that day; originally, she, Xiao Hu, and Zhou Ruoruo were in the same group, but now they were scattered into different groups.


    ¡°So what you mean is Zhou Ruoruo doesn¡¯t do duty with you guys anymore?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not us; even Xiao Hu and I are separated now,¡± He Xuerong pouted. ¡°The final exam is approaching, and it¡¯s really boring to bother with this. It must be Aunt Liu who went to talk to the teacher.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu exchanged a glance; neither of them took this matter seriously, but clearly Liu Ying did.


    He Xiuyu then asked, ¡°Do you want to start ninth grade when school opens and then directly take the high school entrance exam?¡±


    He Xuerong had guidance from both He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu, and with her natural intelligence, she honestly had almost mastered the middle school curriculum. Taking the high school entrance exam wouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    Staying in seventh grade was extremely easy for her.


    He Xuerong shook her head.


    At that moment, Little Chaoxuan rested his head on her shoulder and stuffed the candy in his hand into her mouth. She pinched Little Chaoxuan¡¯s chubby hand, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to school so soon. If I keep skipping grades, I¡¯ll be several years younger than everyone when I enter university. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary; I started school early enough as it is.¡±


    Actually, Qiao Qingyu felt the same way.


    So, she had stayed silent on this topic.


    Now, she agreed, saying, ¡°Just follow the normal course of things. When you go to university, you¡¯ll be two years younger than your classmates.¡±


    That was already the maximum age difference possible; any younger wouldn¡¯t do.


    Holding Little Chaoxuan, He Xuerong smiled, ¡°Actually, I just can¡¯t bear to leave my little brother.¡±


    Little Chaoxuan understood, ¡°Sister, let¡¯s play together... always play together...¡±


    He Xuerong wiped his drool, feigning disgust, ¡°Who¡¯s going to play with you? You¡¯re always stealing my treats...¡±


    Little Chaoxuan threw himself into her arms, giggling merrily.


    When it was just the two of them that evening, Qiao Qingyu said to He Xiuyu, ¡°... Sometimes I¡¯m really good at counseling, I¡¯ve talked to Ruoruo several times, and I¡¯ve given her plenty of little favours and tasty treats, yet although she¡¯s clearly so smart, she just doesn¡¯t listen to anyone. She seems to think that everyone should please her, everyone should suck up to her, that she¡¯s a high and mighty princess, and then my little kindnesses make her feel even more entitled, to the point where I now hesitate to give her any treats.¡±


    He Xiuyu remained noncommittal about these matters, stroking Qiao Qingyu¡¯s back every now and then, murmuring nonchalantly.


    ¡°Just let nature take its course; this little girl is as tough to handle as a scientific research problem,¡± he said helplessly.


    ¡°Right, I¡¯ve never seen such a difficult child. I could persuade Xiao Hu and Rongrong to take the initiative to get close to her, to coddle and play with her, but if we really did that, not only would our two kids be upset, but wouldn¡¯t it make Ruoruo even more arrogant and demanding?¡±


    He Xiuyu also found it incredible. ¡°Zhou Hai is such a sensible person. Does he know what kind of temperament his little daughter has?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu sighed, ¡°Liu Ying might seem to be skilled in dealing with people, humble and approachable, but she completely lacks perspective when it comes to Ruoruo.¡±


    Thinking of Jiao Jiao, who had suffered such stomach pain, and Zhou Pengcheng, who consistently ranked dead last in every exam, Qiao Qingyu thought to herself that indeed, when you get a stepmother, you truly get a stepfather too.


    ...


    Zhang Zening stood at the prison gate, holding his clothes and toiletries.


    Ten years felt like a fleeting moment yet also as if he had walked through a lifetime.


    He moved slowly forward.


    Then he saw a figure standing not far away by the roadside.


    These past few years, it had been him visiting the prison.


    His big brother was only two years older than him, but already his temples were gray, and Zhang Zening himself was no better off.


    In fact, his brother was thirty-one this year, and he was twenty-nine.


    Both seemingly carried the vicissitudes of old age.


    Zhang Zeshan silently took his brother¡¯s bag, and the two walked quietly, boarding a public bus parked by the roadside a few minutes later.


    The bus was crowded, with family visiting inmates and others picking up released prisoners.


    The seats were full, and many people stood in the aisle.


    Packed together, they reached the bus station, and Zhang Zening, after some thought, said in a low voice, ¡°Big brother, I want to go see Xiu Zhi...¡±


    At the outskirts of the capital, in a mental hospital.


    Xiu Zhi sat dully under a tree, seated on a bench, her expression unchanged and her gaze vacant and lost, even as her fiance? stood before her, resembling a walking corpse.


    Ten years ago, he was a passionate nineteen-year-old, Xiu Zhi two years his junior, the charming little sister of the compound.


    The two grew up together like childhood sweethearts, and their families had arranged their marriage.


    They discussed holding the wedding once Xiu Zhi¡¯s parents returned from the farm.


    But who could have anticipated that such an ordinary night would change so many people¡¯s lives?


    Zhang Zening wept like a child, head bowed on Xiu Zhi¡¯s unmoving knees.


    His voice choked, ¡°Xiu Zhi, wait for me, I¡¯ll soon take you out of here, we¡¯ll never be apart again in this lifetime...¡±


    Zhang Zeshan watched his brother and Xiu Zhi with a heavy gaze, his hand by his side clenched tightly, looking up at the slightly overcast sky with a cold sneer in his heart. People say that heaven is just, but in truth, heaven is unfair.

 Chapter 536 - 536 532 Where are the Cold-Hearted People

    ?Chapter 536: Chapter 532: Where are the Cold-Hearted People? Chapter 536: Chapter 532: Where are the Cold-Hearted People? Qiao Qingyu had asked Secretary Chang to inquire about the current situation of Zhou Hai¡¯s ex-wife, which was all within a permissible scope, considering her job was somewhat sensitive.


    But to the almighty Secretary Chang, this was no trouble at all.


    Most of his work overseas involved interacting with external departments, with whom he had developed particularly good relationships. Secretary Chang also had a wide network of connections.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t want to do much, but Liu Ying and Jiang Xin clearly weren¡¯t like the other women at the base.


    Neither of them could be described as extremely malicious, but they were certainly not kind-hearted either.


    Especially Liu Ying, who harbored resentment against her, and Jiang Xin, who lusted after her husband¡ªeven if she did nothing, it was still better to have something up her sleeve.


    It¡¯s always good to be prepared.


    Unexpectedly, Secretary Chang then shared another piece of history with Qiao Qingyu.


    This story involved four people.


    They were Liu Ying, Zhou Hai, a man named Zhang Zening, and another called Ye Hongyuan.


    Back in the day, some of the children from the large compounds followed their elders who were sent down to the countryside, while others stayed behind, though some went to the factories as apprentices and some went to work.


    Liu Ying¡¯s family was also in the compound, and while her parents held ordinary positions, she was beautiful, and several young men who played with her liked her.


    Although in that era, both men and women pursued love discreetly, not everyone was the same; among them, Ye Hongyuan pursued Liu Ying with exceptional fervor.


    Liu Ying neither accepted nor rejected him outright, just hung around with everyone happily, but she spent more time with Ye Hongyuan, and their peers began to take that as an understanding, although a few boys were not content.


    One day, they were at a club gathering.


    Somehow an argument broke out, and Ye Hongyuan ended up pinning Zhou Hai to the ground and beating him. Zhang Zening, being close with Zhou Hai, charged with a knife and stabbed Ye Hongyuan.


    The result was Zhang Zening received a ten-year sentence, and Ye Hongyuan, having his spine injured, lay bedridden for ten years to date.


    Zhang Zening was engaged to a woman named Xiu Zhi; her parents were unlucky and tragically did not make it back to the countryside, dying in a foreign land. Additionally, with her fiance? in prison, she couldn¡¯t cope with the shock and became mentally unstable.


    During those ten years, Zhang Zening¡¯s grandparents passed away one after the other, his father became seriously ill, his mother lived with his elder brother, who too had divorced, leaving a nephew and niece behind.


    Ye Hongyuan¡¯s family didn¡¯t fare much better. Because of the incident involving their son, the Ye Family and the Zhang Family, who were once on good terms, became sworn enemies, refusing compensation or medical expenses, determined to have Zhang Zening locked away to face punishment.


    Due to policy changes later, Ye¡¯s parents were found to have problems and were imprisoned; they were only released a couple of years ago and now took care of their son, paralyzed in bed.


    Zhou Hai was already married at the time, yet he swiftly divorced his ex-wife Xiao Wei just two months later, with both the daughter and son going to Zhou Hai.


    A week after the divorce, Zhou Hai married Liu Ying.


    As a result of that fight, the lives of a dozen people changed, but Zhou Hai and Liu Ying seemed unaffected, quite blissful and happy actually. Liu Ying had another daughter for Zhou Hai, who had since been transferred to Tenghai Research Base. It was said to be for training, which was very beneficial for Zhou Hai.


    But Secretary Chang leaned more toward the idea that Zhou Hai had gone into hiding.


    Because according to the schedule, a person called Zhang Zening was about to be released from prison.


    After discussing these details, Secretary Chang told Qiao Qingyu that although Xiao Wei seldom returned to the country, each time she did, she would secretly visit her daughter and son, but it was unknown why she never showed herself. However, she had been consistently sending money and parcels to her daughter and son since the divorce.


    Secretary Chang had been thorough in his inquiries, tracing Xiao Wei¡¯s actions from the divorce until she regained her strength, always mailing things to the children. There was not much food, mostly things they could use, like clothes, books, various toys, dolls, and later, items specifically for her daughter that a girl would need, quite comprehensive, from inner to outer and top to bottom. In years past, when mailing things was inconvenient, if she couldn¡¯t come herself, she would ask others to deliver to the Zhou Family. Or maybe it would take a circuitous route of several months, but the items would still be sent to the Zhou Family.


    That was all Secretary Chang had found out. As for what exactly happened in that year¡¯s dispute, nobody in these few families mentioned it, and the three families had become sworn enemies, constantly trying to suppress each other. Yet, the Zhou Family had kept the other two underfoot over these years.


    Qiao Qingyu thanked Secretary Chang and, after hanging up the phone, stood in the study and looked out of the window towards the right corner, where the Zhou Family¡¯s gate was located. Liu Ying, ah, one could put it bluntly that she was indeed a femme fatale, but what exactly happened back then, Qiao Qingyu also didn¡¯t know. Therefore, she couldn¡¯t make any definitive statements.


    As for Zhou Hai¡¯s character, she placed a big question mark over it.


    It felt somewhat inconsistent with her current impression of him upon hearing this story.


    A fly doesn¡¯t land on a cracked egg. Liu Ying, to protect herself, clung to Zhou Hai. If Zhou Hai could have resisted, that family of four might not have ended up like they were today.


    Moreover, Zhou Hai seemed quite cold and detached.


    Zhang Zening must have done it for him, but ended up with such a fate.


    Qiao Qingyu wondered if Zhou Hai ever intervened.


    But what Qiao Qingyu was really focused on was that aside from not seeing them directly, Xiao Wei loved her son and daughter.


    Yet to the outsiders, she appeared to have neglected her son and daughter completely.


    Zhou Zijiao and Zhou Pengcheng¡¯s clothes weren¡¯t particularly fashionable either, all domestically made. So where did all the things Xiao Wei sent go?


    After a long while, Qiao Qingyu sighed. But what could she do, even if she knew?


    Zhou Hai was not He Xiuyu, and the Zhou Family was not the He Family.


    It was none of her business to intervene in their affairs.


    Despite saying that, since that day, Zhou Zijiao seemed exceptionally affectionate towards Qiao Qingyu.


    She even brought two bags of popping candy to knock on Qiao Qingyu¡¯s door.


    Afraid that Qiao Qingyu would not let her in, she lifted the popping candy in her hands and urgently said, ¡°Aunt Qiao, this popping candy is so much fun. If you put it in your mouth, it will pop and jump around non-stop. These two bags are for Rongrong and Chaoxuan.¡±


    Popping candy, huh? In recent years, it has indeed been very popular.


    Whether or not they eat it is secondary, the gesture itself is precious.


    Qiao Qingyu promptly pulled her inside, her little hands were icy cold so she quickly dragged her into the house.


    Rongrong and Xiao Hu were doing homework in the study, and Little Chaoxuan was frolicking in and out of the rooms. Qiao Qingyu took Jiao Jiao by the hand and let her sit on the ka?ng.


    Jiao Jiao seemed a little shy holding the popping candy because she wasn¡¯t aware that Xiao Hu was also there. Rongrong was not shy at all, she directly took over the two bags of popping candy, gave one to Xiao Hu and kept one for herself, then she turned around and took out a pack of bubble gum, sweetly said, ¡°Sister Jiaojiao, give Chaoxuan the bubble gum to play with. We¡¯ll join him after we¡¯re done with our homework. Otherwise he won¡¯t let us study.¡±

 Chapter 537 - 537 533 Two Chapters Combined into One

    ?Chapter 537: Chapter 533: Two Chapters Combined into One Chapter 537: Chapter 533: Two Chapters Combined into One Jiaojiao actually didn¡¯t intend to do much, but she ended up being directed by Rongrong to blow bubbles for Little Chaoxuan to watch.


    Jiaojiao naturally knew how to blow bubble gum and was quite good at it.


    She blew a large one that covered her face. Chaoxuan then pounced on her, trying to grab the big bubble, and the next moment, with a pop, the bubble burst, smearing Jiaojiao¡¯s face and making Chaoxuan giggle, even Wu Qianyun couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    Seeing the two kids play happily, Wu Qianyun went to the kitchen and whispered to Qiao Qingyu about Liu Ying, sighing that a girl without her birth mother¡¯s care was truly pitiful.


    After Rongrong and Xiao Hu had finished their homework, the two kids threw their notebooks aside and cheered as they ran out to join Chaoxuan. Chaoxuan gave a high-pitched shout as he rushed towards them like a little cannonball, but halfway, he turned back, his voice soft, ¡°Sister Jiaojiao, blowing bubbles... tired, need to rest.¡±


    Zhou Zijiao then smiled; this child was truly amusing.


    It was cold outside, so the children had to stay indoors. Fortunately, the He Family¡¯s house was big enough. He Xuerong and Li Mingguang took a bedsheet and swung Little Chaoxuan back and forth in it.


    This was Little Chaoxuan¡¯s favorite game.


    Of course, every child¡¯s childhood probably had such experiences.


    He was just a bit heavy, which made He Xuerong and Li Mingguang struggle a bit with the swinging.


    After playing for a while, everyone ran to the west room to get literacy cards.


    The literacy cards were colorful. Pointing at the pictures on them, He Xuerong taught Chaoxuan, ¡°This is a cat.¡± Meanwhile, Xiao Hu mimicked a cat¡¯s meow.


    Zhou Zijiao stood by blankly watching, when suddenly something seemed to shatter in her mind, leaving her thoughts clearer than ever before. It was then she deeply realized that her father was not a good dad, Liu Ying couldn¡¯t possibly be a good stepmother, and she, certainly wasn¡¯t a qualified sister either.


    The young girl¡¯s face flushed, her heart pounded, and she clenched her fists against her chest, biting her lip and standing in silence for a long while before hurriedly saying goodbye to Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu asked her to stay, ¡°Jiaojiao, have dinner with us.¡±


    ¡°No, I have to go back. Look, both Xiao Hu and Rongrong know to do their homework, and I have no idea where my younger brother has run off to again.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked gently at Zhou Zijiao; if it weren¡¯t because the girl was about to face her college entrance exams, she really wanted to tell her about her mother.


    But if she were to discuss it, Jiaojiao¡¯s emotions would surely be affected, and she would definitely demand clear answers.


    Where had those things gone?


    Why did no one in the family including her grandparents and father ever mention them, and were there perhaps other unspeakable matters? This series of chain reactions would surely be too much for this young girl to bear.


    Even for this short journey, Qiao Qingyu admonished her to wear her clothes properly and put on a scarf. When they reached the door, Qiao Qingyu thought of something, turned around, and brought back a bag of ginger candies.


    ¡°When your stomach feels uncomfortable, make a cup with hot water, and drinking it will make you feel much better.¡±


    Holding the bag of ginger candies, Jiaojiao did not feel awkward and smiled brightly at Qiao Qingyu before briskly walking away.


    Since that day, occasionally, Qiao Qingyu could hear Zhou Zijiao scolding Zhou Pengcheng.


    Zhou Pengcheng and Rongrong were in the same grade but not the same class, and Rongrong knew that Zhou Pengcheng lacked foundation.


    She once told Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Little aunt, Sister Jiaojiao is tutoring Pengcheng now, won¡¯t it delay her own studies?¡±


    It would certainly delay her.


    This child must have been motivated by feeling that she wasn¡¯t fulfilling her role as a sister well enough, but honestly, her niece Rongrong really was a qualified sister.


    Her son only had eyes for Rongrong whenever she came home.


    Having interacted more with Jiaojiao, Qiao Qingyu earnestly said, ¡°Jiaojiao, whether it¡¯s a boy or a girl, manners and appearance are very important, especially keeping your back straight when you walk¡ªit looks nice. It¡¯s important for a girl to maintain a good figure...¡±


    She added, ¡°And if you always hunch and stoop like this, it will affect your spine over time.¡±


    Zhou Zijiao¡¯s face instantly reddened.


    But she knew Qiao Qingyu meant no harm.


    It wasn¡¯t that she looked down on her but truly cared about her. Jiaojiao kept her hands intertwined and hung her head, not saying a word for a long while.


    It was winter, and she was wearing a sweater which was somewhat oversized, naturally obscuring what the child¡¯s development was truly like, but suddenly, Qiao Qingyu understood something.

 Chapter 538 - 538 533 Two Chapters Combined_2

    ?Chapter 538: Chapter 533 Two Chapters Combined_2 Chapter 538: Chapter 533 Two Chapters Combined_2 Because she had also experienced such awkwardness herself.


    Qiao Qingyu then took the child to Rongrong¡¯s room and gently asked Zhou Zijiao to take off her sweater, telling her that she had the right bra for her.


    Zhou Zijiao refused to take off her sweater, her face turning as red as a big apple, yet she didn¡¯t leave Rongrong¡¯s room. She neither opposed nor cooperated, so Qiao Qingyu understood and casually unbuttoned her own sweater to show the child.


    Zhou Zijiao was slightly shorter than Qiao Qingyu, she lifted her eyes and glanced at Qiao Qingyu¡¯s chest shape. It was beautiful, really beautiful, but also so shy.


    She dared not take a second glance after the first.


    At that time, there weren¡¯t many brands of bras to choose from, but Qiao Qingyu was skilled with her hands; having bought appropriate fabric, she made over a dozen bras for all seasons. Even Fang Xiaomei, her own mother, and her sister-in-law wore bras she had made.


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu do this, Zhou Zijiao no longer insisted. She lifted her sweater, let Qiao Qingyu take a quick look, then hurriedly pulled it back down. Even though they were alone, she acted as if she were sneaking around.


    Although Qiao Qingyu only glanced for a moment, she roughly understood that the child was developing quite well.


    Aside from the things the child didn¡¯t know and felt aggrieved by, she probably never suffered with food at the Zhou Family from childhood until now.


    For families like theirs, there was no such thing as a stepmother abusing stepchildren over a piece of meat or a bun.


    In Liu Ying¡¯s view, fussing over trifles was really unnecessary, especially since the Zhou Family was well-off and could afford to hire a nanny. Thus, she hardly ever worried about the children.


    Even when at the base, the three meals a day were made by her, but her cooking was just average.


    Barely passable as edible.


    However, because of her brother¡¯s presence, Zhou Zijiao rarely came here to scrounge for meals.


    With her face flushed, Jiao Jiao stood in the room while Qiao Qingyu whispered to her, ¡°Jiao Jiao, wait a moment, I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Saying this, Qiao Qingyu went out. Sure enough, maybe the child was really lucky; there happened to be two bras that would fit Jiao Jiao.


    Jiao Jiao had developed quite well now, but she only wore a kind of vest inside, the kind men wear for hurdling.


    So naturally, she didn¡¯t dare to stand up straight.


    Even in the winter.


    But Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t say anything; whether one¡¯s own mother or stepmother, many girls have this problem when their breasts begin to develop during puberty. Even if they wear the right bra, they still feel that having two high-rising mounds in front is something very shameful.


    She handed the bra to Jiao Jiao, telling her it was unused since it was made.


    Before Jiao Jiao changed, Qiao Qingyu spoke to her patiently. Although Jiao Jiao was red in the face, some of the words really stuck with her.


    There¡¯s a lot for adolescent girls to be aware of, particularly with how they perceive the opposite sex, and Qiao Qingyu was truly speaking with earnest concern.


    Nowadays, schools have strict management, but there are still plenty of boys and girls secretly dating. Jiao Jiao was beautiful and stubborn in character, but naive and unknowledgeable in some aspects. Qiao Qingyu made sure to tell her all she should know.


    After that, Qiao Qingyu knew when to stop; even if this was her own daughter, she didn¡¯t want to nag too much and be annoying, so she smoothly exited, leaving Zhou Zijiao standing there stunned for a while. Then, shyly, she pinched the thing Qiao Qingyu referred to as a bra.


    So this was what it was.


    She quickly took off her sweater and put on the bra. The under part, which wasn¡¯t made with wire, was cleverly designed by Qiao Qingyu based on the shape.


    The size was just right for the current Zhou Zijiao, perfectly supporting her.


    It was an unprecedented comfort. Otherwise, walking a little faster would feel indescribably shameful and awkward.


    She hopped in place a few times in the room, then laughed. Wearing this was truly different from not wearing one.


    The other bra was put in a plastic bag.


    Plastic bags had already made their appearance, initially coming from the Southern region. Wulong Chemical Factory also imported a set of equipment from abroad and started mass-producing plastic bags.


    These bags were indeed convenient, simplifying various aspects of people¡¯s lives, but when it came to pollution, they were indeed polluting.


    Yet now many people referred to these as ¡°vest bags.¡±

 Chapter 539 - 539 533 Two Chapters Combined_3

    ?Chapter 539: Chapter 533 Two Chapters Combined_3 Chapter 539: Chapter 533 Two Chapters Combined_3 Zhou Zijiao, clutching a vest bag, pushed open Rongrong¡¯s room door, where Qiao Qingyu was waiting for her at a distance. Seeing her come out, Qiao Qingyu glanced at the bag in her hand and knew the child had changed clothes.


    Zhou Zijiao walked over without saying anything but suddenly embraced Qiao Qingyu, resting her head affectionately on her shoulder.


    Qiao Qingyu saw the child¡¯s eyes were red.


    She pretended as if she saw nothing and told her, ¡°Wear it like this for now. If it doesn¡¯t fit, tell Aunt Qiao, and I¡¯ll make you a couple more.¡±


    At that moment, Wu Qianyun emerged from the bedroom. She had made a small washable cushion for the child.


    After all, girls always need to pay a bit more attention to certain things.


    Zhou Zijiao didn¡¯t stand on ceremony; she took the cushion and thanked Wu Qianyun, saying, ¡°Thank you, Grandma.¡±


    She, along with Rongrong, referred to Wu Qianyun as Grandma.


    Speaking of which, Wu Qianyun had already spent nearly two years at the base.


    Time truly flies, seeming to pass in the blink of an eye, and suddenly, the spring of 1987 arrived.


    The sky was still a brilliant blue, the grass still a vivid green, and large stretches of poplar trees stretched their tender green waists in the wind.


    Many places in West City, even in Xichuan, had poplars forming picturesque and anti-desertification forests.


    Recently, the cement road leading to Gelle State had been bustling with big trucks going back and forth, carrying bundles of poplar saplings; others carried seeds of barley grass. Still, the demand this year was huge as always.


    Because the area allocated for afforestation had increased again this year.


    However, some regions saved their seeds and, with the help of Tenghai Research Base, had established seed breeding centers.


    These departments were essential.


    In a few years, Gelle State would be able to sustain itself.


    ...


    This year, the senior class at Tenghai Comprehensive School was the first to graduate since its establishment. Therefore, this year¡¯s college entrance exam was very important for the students, but even more so for the teachers. They had always been at the top in the joint exams, but the college entrance exam was the ultimate test, no matter the past performance; it all comes down to how many university spots you can secure.


    During the second mock exam, Zhou Zijiao scored first place in the entire school. Upon hearing the news, she immediately told Qiao Qingyu.


    Zhou Hai didn¡¯t make much of a comment on this; he knew that ever since her first day with the He family, whenever Jiao Jiao had questions, the couple never refused to help.


    His own performance was average, and his journey to where he was today depended as much on his abilities as on his family background. Therefore, he was not capable of tutoring Jiao Jiao. Liu Ying couldn¡¯t even tutor a third-grader, let alone Jiao Jiao.


    Zhou Hai was relieved that both of his daughters did well in their studies.


    Moreover, times had changed. In the past, one could be recommended to university despite poor grades; now, it was a genuine battle in the college entrance exams.


    Furthermore, academic qualifications were becoming increasingly important.


    Zhou Hai felt the sense of urgency.


    Qiao Qingyu was a liberal arts student and had scored such outstanding results; Zhou Zijiao greatly admired her, often seeking her out for questions.


    Whenever Qiao Qingyu had time, she helped the kid with supplementary lessons, focusing on key points and questions. It had to be admitted that Jiao Jiao had a solid foundation, having studied from primary to junior high in Beijing, where the schools¡¯ teaching quality and faculty were naturally excellent.


    Especially since the child had started school at a time when education was being comprehensively emphasized.


    Thus, the child¡¯s foundation was strong. As long as she did not slack, there was little suspense about this year¡¯s college entrance exam for Zhou Zijiao, with Qing University and Beijing University at her disposal.


    Zhou Zijiao used to be somewhat nervous, worried she wouldn¡¯t do well enough to get into the university of her choice.


    But now her confidence had grown significantly.


    However, Zhou Zijiao didn¡¯t want to attend university in Beijing at all; she secretly told Qiao Qingyu that she wanted to study far away from Xichuan and Beijing when she went to college.


    Where could that be?


    It mustn¡¯t be far south.


    Jiao Jiao was unwilling to elaborate on the specific reasons, and Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t feel it was right to ask.


    But that would have to wait until after the exams were over. In fact, there were several good universities in Yun City.


    Her brother, Qiao Mubao, was also about to graduate from university.


    His university was well-ranked nationwide.


    Qiao Qingyu handed Zhou Zijiao a set of practice papers, saying, ¡°It¡¯s good to have goals, but doing a few more practice sets won¡¯t hurt.¡±


    Zhou Zijiao took the papers and sat obediently at the He¡¯s family study desk to begin working through them. Now that the room was warmer, it could no longer contain Chaoxuan. Today being Sunday, Xiao Hu and Rongrong had taken Chaoxuan out to play.


    Although Zhou Pengcheng, Li Mingguang, and He Xuerong were in the same grade, they were not in the same class, and because he was older than those two, he didn¡¯t want to play with Li Mingguang in this area. Therefore, he always looked for peers around his age.


    When Qiao Qingyu went out, she saw Zhou Pengcheng leading a few youths running towards the wall, while Li Mingguang, carrying Little Chaoxuan and hoisting his chubby bottom, strode ahead energetically. With Li Mingguang running, Little Chaoxuan excitedly screamed, and He Xuerong followed at their side, even carrying a wooden stick. Before, another boy named Dashun used to play with them.


    But ever since Dashun graduated from junior high, he had refused to work at all.


    Now he was with his father in the factory.


    An old master was guiding him as he was an apprentice there, and he worked very diligently. Thus, he was rarely seen, and Da Mai, always by Li Mingguang¡¯s side, was also running forward, chatting while looking around.


    They were heading towards the poplar forest to the east.


    Qiao Qingyu called out, ¡°Rongrong, Xiao Hu.¡±


    The children stopped in their tracks.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go into the woods; it¡¯s almost time to eat.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu cautioned them like this.


    From a distance, Xiao Hu¡¯s crisp voice replied, ¡°Got it, Aunt Qiao. We won¡¯t go into the woods; we¡¯ll just play around here for a bit.¡±


    What were they going to play?


    Qiao Qingyu saw He Xuerong¡¯s stick in her hand and didn¡¯t know what they intended to play, but she trusted Li Mingguang¡ªa twelve-year-old boy standing there like a young bamboo, handsome and sunny, yet extremely dependable.


    So after giving a few instructions, Qiao Qingyu turned around, reassured, intending to head home, but she suddenly spotted a young girl standing at the neighboring gate, biting her lip with eyes full of resentment.


    The child was Zhou Ruoruo.


    Over half a year, Zhou Ruoruo had grown taller, resembling her beautiful mother, like a budding flower.


    But her temper, Qiao Qingyu was at a loss.

 Chapter 540 - 540 534 Annoying People

    ?Chapter 540: Chapter 534 Annoying People Chapter 540: Chapter 534 Annoying People Zhou Ruoruo stared openly at several peers playing together, also glaring intermittently at Qiao Qingyu.


    If the child were as young as Jiao Jiao, Qiao Qingyu would have picked her up and reprimanded her.


    Even if she didn¡¯t grasp the deeper morals, surely if Qiao Qingyu told her ten times, one would sink in, right? However, with this little girl, Qiao Qingyu really felt helpless.


    She only listened to what she wanted, pursued only what she desired.


    Moreover, living next door, if you appeased her with laughter and softness, that was normal, but if you were ever stern with her, she would stamp her feet and instantly burst into tears, dashing into the house before you could react, all the while crying out, ¡°Mommy, Mommy, someone is bullying me...¡±


    Such scenes hardly required envisioning; they always happened.


    Qiao Qingyu turned away, pretending not to see the child as she returned to her own home.


    Standing at the Zhou Family¡¯s doorway, Zhou Ruoruo bit her lip and glared at the tightly shut door of the He Family, tears streaming down her face.


    Hateful, hateful, all just a bunch of bullies.


    Zhou Ruoruo, spoiled from a young age, found everyone at the Tenghai Research Base utterly detestable.


    She slammed her own front door with force; even Qiao Qingyu inside her house heard it and couldn¡¯t help frowning.


    However, this was Zhou Hai and Liu Ying¡¯s child, a darling beloved in their eyes no matter her antics, so if she spoke out of turn, it would indeed be disagreeable.


    Wu Qianyun also frowned but being a person who always practiced kindness, she suggested to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Should we talk to Rongrong about possibly including Ruoruo when they go out to play? Sometimes it¡¯s really pitiful seeing her all alone at the door.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu replied seriously, ¡°Mom, you can discuss this with me, but please don¡¯t mention it to Rongrong.¡±


    ¡°I know, I¡¯m not foolish, Mom. Such things can¡¯t be discussed in front of the children.¡± That was He Xiuyu¡¯s niece, after all, testing human nature like that really wasn¡¯t acceptable; relationships weren¡¯t easily clarified through sincerity alone.


    ¡°It¡¯s true what they say¡ª even an honest official finds it hard to settle family disputes.¡±


    Wu Qianyun sighed again, ¡°Both her parents are educated and respectable, yet their parenting lacks somewhat.¡±


    ¡°Mom, children nowadays have strong personalities. Some parents focus on their children making friends, others let things take their course, unlike in our time when we¡¯d gather at the village entrance, a whole bunch of kids, sometimes ten or even twenty, could all play together...¡±


    While the mother and daughter were talking, the phone in the study suddenly rang. Qiao Qingyu set down her work to answer it, only to find out that the person on the line was the manager from Gelle State, who had arrived at the Agricultural Base with two trucks.


    Both trucks were fully loaded with jujube fruits.


    These weren¡¯t purchases by the base, but gifts from Gelle State.


    The manager had asked for Qiao Qingyu, and by the time she arrived, a truckload of the jujube fruits had already been unloaded. These two trucks were to be loaded with sea buckthorn seedlings sold to them by the seed base.


    These sea buckthorn seedlings, cultivated over four years by Professor Feng and his research team, differed from the local wild and cultivated types.


    In Gelle State, some of the sea buckthorn trees were wild; now, they were gradually being replaced by seedlings from the Space Laboratory for cultivated ones, as for the wild ones, Professor Feng suggested leaving them untouched for future research and experimentation.


    For Gelle State, these two years had seen no profits, only investments.


    Fortunately, the laboring people are the simplest; almost all who could be mobilized had been, with farmers as the primary labor force cultivating these sea buckthorn trees and barley grass, bearing the brunt of the effort.


    Labor is free, but other ensuing costs still require substantial financial expenditure.


    Just the relief grain alone causes many sleepless nights for those in charge every year.


    Fortunately, eighty percent of the expenses are offset by the coal produced locally.


    Encouragingly, Gelle State has now reached a green area of five hundred thousand acres, and some farmers have started raising cattle and sheep.


    The economic benefits are evident, as the wool processing factory affiliated with the wool mills extensively purchases the wool.


    Anything available here is bought.


    Thus, it appears that good times are approaching.


    The comrades working in Gelle State are not just there for training, they are truly committed to making a difference.


    Last year, a region had a bumper crop of dates, and the first thought of the person in charge was to give back to the Tenghai Research Base, so when they came to get sea buckthorn seedlings, they brought two truckloads of big red dates, including some juicy small-pit gray dates that were especially delicious.


    These are indeed great goods, and Qiao Qingyu gladly accepted them, but also gifted them with special grade goji berries and red date seedlings produced by the Space Laboratory.


    This was also a result of the collaboration between Qiao Qingyu and Professor Feng.


    Currently, the Agricultural Group¡¯s farms, including the experimental base, cover nearly ten thousand acres of usable land.


    On it thrive a variety of vegetable and fruit seedlings and barley grass suitable for most areas in the Northwest.


    They arrived in two trucks and, when leaving, the base sent out two more trucks filled with seedlings over ten centimeters tall.


    One by one, various regions have taken away the seedlings, fruit seedlings, and barley grass seeds they needed.


    With this, external sales were concluded for the time being, though occasionally, other regions would still come here seeking to purchase seeds and seedlings.


    Planting trees is truly never too late, but of course, spring is the best season, though planting trees in winter also shows good results, which has now become another focus for Professor Feng together with Qiao Qingyu and two other graduate students.


    In the past two years, the development of the Qiao Family Team in North City has been very smooth, it must be said that the Qiao Family Team has indeed become a high-quality breeding base for northern rice.


    Of course, relying solely on rice seeds, it¡¯s unrealistic for these farmers to become very wealthy, even with subsidies there¡¯s not enough to go around, they must rely on other industries.


    Because there¡¯s a pig farm, a meat alliance factory was also established.


    By hiring some experienced butchers who not only slaughter pigs but also process meat products like sausages, and through leadership connections, this place has become another processing point for red sausages.


    So, construction has also started in Xiao Kang Village.


    The provincial city felt it absolutely necessary to establish this as a model base, to turn it into a flagship, and proceed according to the plan.


    As a result, the morale of the Qiao Family Team is now more united and active than ever before.


    Following the principles of fairness, justice, and transparency, they held a public tender for rural villas, and surprisingly, Uncle Li¡¯s construction crew smoothly secured the contract.


    Qiao Zhihai was down for a while, watching his parents decline day by day, but he rallied and joined Li Tie¡¯s construction crew again, and Li Tie certainly welcomed him.

 Chapter 541 - 541 535 Secret Crush

    ?Chapter 541: Chapter 535: Secret Crush Chapter 541: Chapter 535: Secret Crush Qiao Ye didn¡¯t make phone calls, but she wrote a letter to Qiao Qingyu every month.


    She talked about everything at home, as well as matters concerning the Qiao Family Team.


    She sealed the envelope with a stamp and then placed the letter into the mailbox.


    The Qiao Family Team originally wasn¡¯t qualified to set up a post and telecommunications office, but due to special circumstances, the office was established two years ago, which greatly facilitated the farmers, the breeding base, and the technical staff and workers of the laboratory.


    Qiao Ye had already agreed with the village¡¯s Third Madam to help purchase some pine mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, and other specialties from North City.


    Qiao Ye was preparing to mail them to her aunt, even if her aunt lacked nothing, it was the thought that counted.


    As she was mulling over this, someone in front shouted, ¡°Qiao Ye, Qiao Ye, why is the clinic locked? Qi Feng is in severe pain in his leg, hurry and take a look...¡±


    Qiao Ye was stunned for a moment; when she had come out, the teacher was still at the clinic. Had something come up?


    However, Qiao Ye didn¡¯t have time to think about it and quickly headed toward the clinic.


    Two people were supporting Qi Feng, who was sitting on the long bench outside the door, his face pale with pain. They looked at Qiao Ye as if she were their savior.


    Only Qi Feng himself smiled unconcernedly at Qiao Ye.


    Qiao Ye was average in other respects, but she was exceptionally talented in Chinese medicine. In a few short years, she had become skilled at acupuncture, and Dr. Jiang had given her husband¡¯s acupuncture kit to this disciple.


    Of course, this was the clinic, and Qiao Ye could only be considered as Dr. Jiang¡¯s assistant, similar to a master-disciple relationship, but that¡¯s something only to acknowledge privately.


    In Qiao Ye¡¯s heart, she already regarded Dr. Jiang as her master.


    And Qiao Ye had not let Dr. Jiang down.


    Now, in the hearts of the people at the Qiao Family Team, Qiao Ye was no longer the Qiao Ye of the past. Even though the two people in front of her were older than she was, they still had great trust in her.


    These two were Qi Feng¡¯s colleagues, and they helped Qi Feng into the room, laid him down on the bed, and rolled up his pant leg. Qiao Ye frowned slightly, her expression calm, but she still felt a bit of heartache. Although he had rejected her, it was undeniable that he was a responsible and good man.


    The team¡¯s water conservation project was a very important undertaking, and these past two years, he had developed rheumatism because of it. He didn¡¯t walk as spryly as he used to, but there wasn¡¯t much she could say if he didn¡¯t come to her for help.


    But now it was apparent that it had become serious, and Qiao Ye somewhat regretted not reminding Qi Feng earlier.


    She gently pressed a few points on the joints with her fingertips, then opened the acupuncture kit and sterilized the needles before turning to Qi Feng and saying, ¡°Brother Qi, the acupuncture will take half an hour, and afterward, I¡¯ll prescribe some medicine for you. Boil it down from three bowls of water to one and drink it for a week...¡±


    The young girl¡¯s demeanor was gentle, but her brows were slightly furrowed. Qi Feng laughed and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, they¡¯re just making a fuss over nothing, really a hot water compress would do.¡±


    However, Qiao Ye replied, ¡°Brother Qi, this is already quite serious. You feel you can bear it now because you¡¯re young, but do you really want to end up with deformed joints in your old age and be unable to walk?¡±


    Thinking of that scenario, Qi Feng blinked and then said jokingly, ¡°You little girl have learned how to scare people.¡±


    Qiao Ye unapologetically inserted the Golden Needle and said, ¡°This is the clinic, I¡¯m not joking with you.¡±


    Then the second needle followed, piercing in. Qi Feng¡¯s eyebrows knitted together, but watching Qiao Ye, a sudden strange feeling welled up inside him, but it didn¡¯t last long as a warm sensation started to spread from his leg.


    It was truly comfortable, feeling as if his whole body was soaking in a hot spring.


    Especially the knees that often ached on regular days, now felt warm and a bit itchy, but that sensation was quite pleasant.


    He looked at Qiao Ye with some surprise, this girl, she truly had real skills, and it wasn¡¯t just the villagers exaggerating. This time he truly believed it.


    Dr. Jiang returned from outside and saw Qiao Ye administering acupuncture to Qi Feng and wasn¡¯t surprised at all. However, he glanced at the prescription she had written, nodded, and said to Qi Feng, ¡°If you don¡¯t have time, just give us the medicine, and coming here daily for your treatment will suffice.¡±


    Behind the health clinic, there was a Chinese medicine pharmacy and a special place for concocting herbal decoctions.


    The clinic mainly focused on Traditional Chinese Medicine, as the health center was not yet established, and they lacked some medical equipment. The most suitable form of treatment for them was Traditional Chinese Medicine, also considering that Dr. Jiang had been studying it for years.


    Both individuals had received outside training. Qiao Ye, under the contacts and guidance of Qiao Qingyu, enrolled in the correspondence class of the Traditional Chinese Medicine College in the provincial capital, and surprisingly secured first place in the exams. Now, she had just one year until graduation.


    After everyone had left, Dr. Jiang looked at Qiao Ye and couldn¡¯t help but recall the way Qi Feng had looked at her before he left. Maybe even Qi Feng himself hadn¡¯t realized it.


    What kind of look was it?


    It was very gentle, and within that gentleness seemed to be a hint of admiration and fondness.


    This was indeed quite novel.


    Qi Feng was also someone with pride and high spirits.


    She then mentioned to Qiao Ye, ¡°A few days ago, when I was at the entrance of the village, I saw Qi Feng¡¯s ex-girlfriend come to see him.¡±


    Qiao Ye hesitated for a moment while packing up her medical bag but then said nonchalantly, ¡°He told me he couldn¡¯t let her go.¡±


    ¡°I even heard others say that he can¡¯t let go of her, not just because he likes her but also because he purely doesn¡¯t worry about her. He and his girlfriend grew up together, but that playboy was not a good man. Qi Feng feels that it was because of him that she fell into bad company, which is why he has always felt guilty.¡±


    At this point, Dr. Jiang laughed, ¡°Qiao Ye, look at me; I¡¯m getting old and don¡¯t even know what I want to express. Actually, there¡¯s no particular meaning behind my words. You are still young, and mastering Chinese medicine is not something that can be achieved in just one or two years; it¡¯s quite complex. To really make a mark in this field, there¡¯s a long way to go.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Master, I know what I should do.¡±


    Compared to love and romance, Qiao Ye felt that if she could really make a contribution to Chinese medicine, her life would have been worthwhile.


    ...


    Xiao Wei, who was across the ocean, returned to China to report on her work. She received news from Zhang Zening that he had been released from prison, so she would have made the trip back even if it were not for her job.


    Fortunately, her superiors took her situation into account and transferred her back to work at the Imperial Foreign Affairs Department.


    Sharing the same flight with her was Secretary Chang.


    Secretary Chang was born in America and knew Xiao Wei; he took good care of her along the way.


    What Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know was that Xiao Wei was the object of Secretary Chang¡¯s unrequited love.


    Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t even know the contents of the parcels that Xiao Wei sent to the children.


    Because some things were simply taken care of by the capable Secretary Chang.


    However, matters involving a woman¡¯s reputation were sensitive, and even Secretary Chang, though single, dared not let others know.


    After all, Xiao Wei¡¯s work was also very sensitive.

 Chapter 542 - 542 536 An Old Friend Returns

    ?Chapter 542: Chapter 536: An Old Friend Returns Chapter 542: Chapter 536: An Old Friend Returns Jiao Jiao¡¯s college entrance exam was right around the corner, and the tension was palpable. She devoted herself to studying from dawn till dusk, and the teachers at school also paid her special attention in all subjects.


    Zhou Hai no longer insisted that his daughter come home every day. As long as Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu didn¡¯t mind, he let Jiao Jiao stay with the He Family, to be tutored by Qiao Qingyu. Although Jiao Jiao was already at the top of her class, Zhou Hai still wanted her to excel even further.


    But just two days before the college entrance examination, Zhou Hai received a phone call.


    The voice on the other end was somewhat hoarse, unfamiliar yet tinged with a trace of familiarity. For a moment, he didn¡¯t react, instinctively asking, ¡°Who is this?¡±


    A light laugh came from the other end, seemingly laced with sarcasm and self-mockery, ¡°Zhou Hai, you must have a short memory for important people. I am Zhang Zening.¡±


    Zhang Zening?


    Zhou Hai¡¯s mind went blank for a second, followed by a sinking feeling in his chest. He furrowed his brow, calculating the time. The man was already out of prison?


    How did he get his home phone number?


    His hand gripping the receiver tightened involuntarily, and his forehead began to twitch, small beads of sweat seeping out.


    At that moment, just as Liu Ying was about to enter the study and speak, Zhou Hai stopped her with a fierce glare.


    Such a look frightened Liu Ying stiff. She awkwardly stood at the threshold, unsure whether to enter or leave.


    Leaving would be a loss of face, and the color drained from her face.


    Biting her lip, an odd thought sprang up in her mind¡ªcould it be Zhou Zijiao¡¯s biological mother on the other end of the phone?


    For a moment, she was itching to rush over and listen to that woman¡¯s voice.


    She held herself back.


    But the next moment, thinking that it was Zhou Hai¡¯s ex-wife on the phone, Liu Ying felt extremely uncomfortable. Her other foot, which had been halted, stepped into the study without a second thought; she hurriedly approached Zhou Hai, and despite his dark countenance, said in a sweet voice, ¡°Old Zhou, whose call is that? It¡¯s time to eat, and all the kids are getting anxious...¡±


    The person on the other end, Zhang Zening, instantly fell silent.


    After a brief pause and a light chuckle, he cut to the chase crisply, ¡°Zhou Hai, let¡¯s meet. I have many questions waiting for you to answer.¡±


    Zhou Hai¡¯s mouth opened, but he didn¡¯t know what to say. Zhang Zening then asked, ¡°Zhou Hai, will you and your wife come to Beijing, or should I look for you both at the Tenghai Research Base?¡±


    Zhou Hai¡¯s expression changed drastically. He absolutely couldn¡¯t let Zhang Zening find the Tenghai Research Base. As for how Zhang got his home phone number, Zhou Hai no longer had time to consider.


    The Zhou Family¡¯s status was no longer what it once was. Now, at the slightest trouble, others were quick to kick them when they were down. Just yesterday, Brother Zhou had called to suggest he settle down and work at the Tenghai Research Base for a few years, and not to return to Beijing just yet, hinting that the situation in Beijing wasn¡¯t favorable. However, Brother Zhou didn¡¯t inform him that Zhang Zening was back.


    Zhou Hai was somewhat annoyed; it had been too long¡ªten years¡ª and he had indeed begun to forget about Zhang Zening.


    Regardless, he had to see Zhang Zening.


    If he hadn¡¯t forgotten, that would have been better. But now, he was truly at a disadvantage.


    Without a second thought, Zhou Hai said, ¡°We¡¯ll come to Beijing. Wait for us at the usual place.¡±


    Once the other end made a soft affirmative noise and hung up, Zhou Hai stood still, holding the phone. Beside him, Liu Ying frowned in displeasure and asked Zhou Hai, ¡°Whose call was that? Where are you going, and with whom?¡±


    Zhou Hai looked at Liu Ying beside him and said softly, ¡°Let¡¯s pack our things and go.¡±


    ¡°Packing? What¡¯s going on, Old Zhou? Talk to me, I¡¯m completely confused...¡± Liu Ying was clearly upset, stamping her foot.


    ¡°Confused?¡± Zhou Hai looked at Liu Ying, his expression complex. ¡°The call was from Zhang Zening. He¡¯s been released from prison. He wants the two of us to go to Beijing.¡±


    Liu Ying¡¯s face turned deathly pale, and she stood frozen in place, her hands clenched tightly at her sides.


    Qiao Qingyu genuinely hadn¡¯t expected that, with only two days left until Jiao Jiao¡¯s college entrance exam, Zhou Hai and Liu Ying would need to return to Beijing.


    They said it was for something very, very important.


    Liu Ying hadn¡¯t come along, and Zhou Hai sat in the living room, his face somewhat flushed.


    He was indeed embarrassed.


    But he had to go back immediately because Zhang Zening was out.


    He carefully calculated the time and realized it wasn¡¯t that he had forgotten¡ªit was that Zhang Zening¡¯s release was earlier than expected.


    He talked to Brother Zhou, who had also just found out and then discovered that Zhang Zening had been released early for merits. He was supposed to serve a full ten years, and though they said ten years, it was actually just nine.


    But the incident was now eleven years past.


    Other things had happened during this time.


    Now, he didn¡¯t even know Zhang Zening¡¯s phone number, and his elder brother had no interest in dealing with Zhang anymore.


    It was said that a senior member of the Ye Family was about to make a comeback.


    The case of Ye Hongyuan¡¯s parents was being re-examined, with rumors that someone had fabricated false evidence and wrongfully accused them.


    Zhou Hai knew his brother was preoccupied. His father and brother had contributed significantly to that affair back then.


    If the Ye Family truly rose again, the first to be targeted would likely be the Zhang Family. But the Zhang Family had now faded into the crowd, becoming very ordinary.


    That included himself, who married Liu Ying. He was likely to bear the brunt of the anger by association.


    Brother Zhou didn¡¯t blame him but merely told him indifferently that since he had insisted on this path, he had to bear whatever the outcome was and not to be a laughingstock.


    The underlying message, he didn¡¯t dare to contemplate.


    So he had to take Liu Ying back, even though he knew what questions Zhang Zening might ask. They indeed needed to resolve these issues face-to-face. But as for the so-called ¡°issues,¡± his mind was a chaotic mess.


    He mustered a forced smile and explained to He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu, ¡°It¡¯s really too urgent, I can¡¯t go into detail, but we have to leave tomorrow morning. Ruoruo will have just finished her exams, so I¡¯ll take Ruoruo and Pengcheng with me. We¡¯ll entrust Jiao Jiao to you. I¡¯m really sorry, this favor¡ªI¡¯ll remember it for a lifetime.¡±


    He Xiuyu waved his hands dismissively, ¡°Brother Zhou, don¡¯t talk like that. If you have things to take care of, go ahead. If you trust us, you can leave the kids here.¡±


    ¡°Trust? Of course, I trust you. These kids have bothered you for some time, and I remember it well,¡± Zhou Hai replied, and then he offered many kind words.


    His usually stiff spine bent a little today. Qiao Qingyu watched from the side, feeling somewhat uncomfortable.


    It was hard to say what kind of person Zhou Hai was.


    She was very curious what sort of earth-shattering event had transpired.

 Chapter 543 - 543 537 The Wind Rises

    ?Chapter 543: Chapter 537: The Wind Rises Chapter 543: Chapter 537: The Wind Rises Qiao Qingyu quickly expressed her agreement at the side. Actually, Jiao Jiao had been coming every day to report in, sometimes spending as much as two hours doing practice questions here. Since Zhou Hai and Liu Ying had to leave Tenghai Research Base, it was better to leave Jiao Jiao here where she could look after her.


    Zhou Hai thanked them profusely as he left. When he got home, Liu Ying absent-mindedly packed their belongings, and he glanced at her, frowning, and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to be scared, either. The responsibility for what happened back then lies mostly with me; it¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    Liu Ying¡¯s lips moved slightly, and deep down, she wanted to say, If it¡¯s not my fault, then why must you insist on me going?


    Perhaps Zhou Hai saw what she was thinking; he rubbed his forehead and let out a sigh, saying, ¡°As husband and wife, we owe Xiao Ning an explanation.¡±


    Liu Ying didn¡¯t say anything further and continued packing. Zhou Hai went to Zhou Pengcheng¡¯s room to find his son and, seeing that he hadn¡¯t started to pack, urged him, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you started packing? We¡¯re leaving tomorrow.¡±


    Although their home in Beijing lacked nothing, the child still needed to bring his summer vacation homework.


    Zhou Pengcheng stood up, the fifteen-year-old boy now standing a head taller than his father.


    Zhou Hai had to lift his head slightly to look at his son.


    But he didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable, only proud.


    Whatever discomfort had settled in his heart had dissipated, and his voice softened, ¡°If you really hate packing, just tell me what you¡¯re bringing, and I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    Normally, Zhou Pengcheng was all laughs and jokes, but today, he was unusually serious. He clenched his hands, thought for a moment, and looking deep into his father¡¯s eyes, he said solemnly, ¡°Dad, I want to stay and be with my sister for her college entrance exam.¡±


    Zhou Hai felt a jolt in his heart. At that moment, he felt as if his son had grown up, but he also felt a pang of guilt.


    Was his son blaming him for not fulfilling his responsibilities as a father?


    ¡°...I have no choice, things in Di are being pushed urgently. We have to leave tomorrow, otherwise, I would definitely stay for your sister¡¯s exam.¡±


    ¡°Dad, attend to your matters, none of us blame you. But my sister only gets one shot at the college entrance exam. I¡¯ve been mischievous, often making her sad. This time I want to see her off for her exam, then pick her up afterwards. I will stay with her for these three days.¡±


    Zhou Hai and Zhou Pengcheng locked eyes for a moment, the room falling silent.


    Zhou Hai felt a lump in his throat and waved his hand, ¡°Alright, then you stay.¡±


    Zhou Zijiao, standing outside the door about to enter, felt her eyes turning red ¨C she also felt warmth in her heart. She had always thought her younger brother didn¡¯t like her, but the reality was quite the opposite.


    In her eyes, her brother was worthless, and whenever others mentioned him, Jiao Jiao felt ashamed. But today, she felt as if there was a warm bundle nestled within her heart.


    Zhou Zijiao turned and went to her room.


    Zhou Ruoruo cried and made a scene, not knowing why, but she just didn¡¯t want to go to Di with Zhou Hai and Liu Ying. Her reasoning was similar to Zhou Pengcheng¡¯s ¨C she also wanted to be there for her sister¡¯s college entrance exam. Ruoruo was a troublemaker and not very likable, but she was very good to Zhou Zijiao.


    Zhou Hai disagreed, and Liu Ying disagreed even more. Frankly, leaving Jiang Zhouzijiao and Zhou Pengcheng was not worrying to her at all.


    Alive or dead, it was none of her concern. After all, they were left in the care of He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu. If there were any problems, they should look to them.


    But Ruoruo was different. That was her own daughter, flesh of her flesh. If something happened to her, how could she ever live with herself?


    Indeed, it must be said that for all of Liu Ying¡¯s faults, her love for Ruoruo was genuine.


    Zhou Ruoruo¡¯s things were all packed, and after much coaxing, they managed to calm the stomping Ruoruo.


    Zhou Hai wasn¡¯t completely focused on his work now; his mind wasn¡¯t even on his job slightly¡ªall he could think about was Zhang Zening and the household matters. Although He XiuYu and his household were looking after things, he still felt uneasy.


    Then, somehow, his gaze fell on Liu Ying, and suddenly he realized that she didn¡¯t seem to care at all about Jiao Jiao¡¯s high school exams happening in two days, which made him uncomfortable again.


    Because she wasn¡¯t her own child, was that it? If it were Ruoruo taking the exams in a few days, would Liu Ying still act this way?


    He didn¡¯t even have to think of the answer himself; it was obvious.


    Zhou Hai turned over, closed his eyes, and decided not to look at Liu Ying any longer.


    Zhou Hai had planned to leave the house keys with He XiuYu when he left.


    However, He XiuYu didn¡¯t take them, telling Zhou Hai, ¡°Our base is very secure, there¡¯s no thieving or looting, let the two kids keep the keys. If they want to stay at my place, I¡¯ll prepare a room for them. If not, they¡¯re welcome to have their meals at my house three times a day. You just go take care of your matters with peace of mind.¡±


    Zhou Hai felt truly embarrassed; he had asked Liu Ying to bring the keys to He XiuYu¡¯s house in the morning, but he didn¡¯t expect that the woman hadn¡¯t followed his instructions at all.


    Giving the keys to someone else at this time, after all the back and forth, really seemed like a waste of time and lacked sincerity. Zhou Hai gritted his teeth and managed a forced smile, saying, ¡°It¡¯s very kind of you and your wife to offer.¡±


    After that, he quickly left with Liu Ying and Zhou Ruoruo towards the jeep parked at the crossroads.


    Zhou Zijiao and Zhou Pengcheng stood at the gates of the Zhou family¡¯s house. Zhou Hai said if all went well, he would return in a week, so there wasn¡¯t much for Zhou Pengcheng to miss. As for Zhou Zijiao, she was indifferent, having never relied on her father, and had never had any expectations of Liu Ying.


    It was actually better this way; with that hypocritical woman out of sight, maybe she could perform even better. That¡¯s what Zhou Zijiao told herself.


    She didn¡¯t go to stay at Aunt Qiao¡¯s house.


    Left with such a large house for just her and her brother, she felt very comfortable, and having meals three times a day at Aunt Qiao¡¯s was simply wonderful.


    School was already out for summer, giving the senior students some buffer time.


    Qiao Qingyu also wasn¡¯t working and spent the two days at home with Zhou Zijiao, cooking delicious meals and reviewing key points with her.


    And then they put the books down the day before the exams.


    This was also arranged by Qiao Qingyu.


    So no one would sleep too much during the day and then be unable to sleep at night, which would definitely affect performance on the day of the exams.


    Qiao Qingyu called Zhou Zijiao over to her house.


    After finishing breakfast and cleaning up, a group of them put on hats and, taking advantage of the cooler morning air, they headed to the Poplar Forest to the east.


    Deep in the forest, there was a waterhole, but over the past two years, the waterhole had turned into a small pond.


    Qiao Qingyu had thrown some lotus roots in there, but unfortunately, they hadn¡¯t grown.


    However, there were quite a few aquatic plants, and He XiuYu brought a bucket of fish fry, which he had released the previous year, and they were now the size of palms.


    Since this was also part of the family courtyard, they decided to put up a one-meter-high railing around the pond, with two areas set with concrete steps.


    It was possible to fish or catch the fish there.

 Chapter 544 - 544 538 Old Place

    ?Chapter 544: Chapter 538 Old Place Chapter 544: Chapter 538 Old Place The pond was almost one meter deep.


    The railing surrounding it was topped with steel bars sharp as javelins.


    Moreover, they were closely spaced, making it difficult for even a fifteen-year-old lad to climb over.


    But then again, danger is everywhere, isn¡¯t it? When you cross the road, you still have to watch for traffic lights, right?


    The pool was naturally formed. This place used to suffer from droughts and was short on rainfall. These years, with the implementation of widespread greening, droughts and limited rainfall had disappeared, but that was no reason to carelessly fill in the pond.


    Fortunately, there were fewer children in the eastern district. Mostly it was Rongrong and Xiao Hu who ran around here, plus Daji, and then also Zhao Yuan.


    But these kids were both clever and obedient.


    So at this moment, they were standing by the concrete pillars, with Xiao Hu and Rongrong keeping a keen eye on Little Chaoxuan, who was gripping the steel bars and staring at the pond.


    This was Zhou Zijiao¡¯s first time coming here to catch fish.


    She was using a net.


    Once she put it into the water, she could see fish as big as a palm swimming around the edge of the net. Zhou Zijiao moved quickly, eyeing a fish that was close to the net and scooped it up with force, and then a fish was caught in the net. Zhou Zijiao shouted excitedly.


    Zhou Pengcheng had come here often to play, but he never caught fish because Liu Ying didn¡¯t know how to cook them.


    Even if he did catch fish, he would take them to Dashun¡¯s house.


    Qiao Qingyu paid extra attention to Zhou Pengcheng, thinking that the boy was different from her first impression, showing that he was also growing up.


    Each family had one net, fair and impartial, only Little Chaoxuan didn¡¯t have one.


    He simply squatted beside the bucket, and when no one was paying attention, he pushed the bucket over.


    Water spilled everywhere, and then the larger and smaller fish inside the bucket started jumping on the grass.


    The child first calmly stood the bucket back up, and then, unafraid, he dashed towards the biggest fish. With his little chubby hands, he grabbed the fish and pinned it under him, then lifted his head and called out with a childlike voice to Qingyu, who was rushing over, ¡°Mommy, Mommy, I caught a fish, I caught a fish.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu watched her son helplessly. Good grief, if you weren¡¯t allowed to catch fish in the water, you¡¯d think of this trick. You sure are capable.


    Zhou Pengcheng was the tallest here, with long arms to match. He put the bucket in the pond and brought up nearly half a bucket of water.


    Then everyone gathered on the grass to catch fish again, and the biggest one was the one caught by Little Chaoxuan.


    Rongrong shamelessly praised her brother for being smart, capable, and impressive, causing the child to puff out his little chest proudly.


    After Qiao Qingyu returned home, for safety¡¯s sake, she processed the big fish into fishballs and used the rest of the meat to make dumplings for the kids, filling them with fish without bones, so by the end of lunch, half a bucket of fish had been devoured.


    Especially the fishballs, they were distributed per person, or else there wouldn¡¯t have been enough for Zhou Pengcheng alone.


    There¡¯s a saying that a growing boy can eat a full-grown man out of house and home, and it couldn¡¯t be truer.


    Even Xiao Hu¡¯s appetite was more than double that of Rongrong¡¯s.


    Time flew by in the blink of an eye, and the high school exams arrived.


    Zhou Pengcheng woke up this early for the first time, but he had only sprung out of bed after seeing Uncle He get up.


    The food was just like always, nutritious, healthy, and light to the taste.


    Qiao Qingyu and Zhou Pengcheng took Zhou Zijiao to the examination hall.


    This time, the National College Entrance Exam venue was set in Yushu County.


    Shen Fen had prepared several large buses early on.


    Today was the first time for the comprehensive school of Tenghai Research Base to send students to the Gaokao, which held extraordinary significance for the school; it was very important for the students and even more so for the parents.


    Therefore, Old Xie had arranged for four additional large buses to transport the parents accompanying their children to the examination hall.


    Some knew about Zhou Hai and Liu Ying rushing back to Beijing, and others did not. They were surprised to see Zhou Pengcheng and Qiao Qingyu escorting Zhou Zijiao, but Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t plan to dwell much on this matter. Smilingly, she skillfully changed the subject.


    Once at the examination hall, the parents gave their children advice over and over again, telling them not to be nervous, to take it as a normal test, to perform as usual without pressure, and so on.


    After all, they were all educated and from the research base, and none of them said harsh words to their children like, ¡°You¡¯d better do well, this concerns your whole life¡± or ¡°If you don¡¯t get in, what will you do with your life?¡± and such.


    Nowadays, the notion of taking over the family business was no longer relevant.


    Workers in the base¡¯s workshops were either admitted through examinations or assigned by technical schools.


    Because whether it was technical school, junior college, or university graduates, the state had job assignments for all of them.


    Those from technical schools were assigned worker status, while those from junior colleges and universities were considered national cadres, and this status would follow them for life.


    Some parents decided not to go back at all, while others hurried back either to work or to prepare lunch for their children.


    It only took half an hour to reach Yushu County from Tenghai Research Base by large bus.


    So everyone had to go home after the exam.


    Moreover, the road conditions were good now, with either willow trees or barley grass or lush crops planted on both sides of the cement road¡ªthe scenery was simply beautiful.


    At this moment, the whole West City, except for the famous desert, had turned from barren wastelands into green mountains and clear waters. No longer could one see the scenes of dusty faces and desolate lands filled with yellow sand¡ªso, this trip also served to relax the students.


    Qiao Qingyu took Zhou Pengcheng and rode the bus back.


    She visited her workplace for a while, then hurried home to prepare lunch.


    Meanwhile, far away in Beijing, Zhou Hai took Liu Ying to the club next to the compound.


    Next to the club was an activity room, which used to be where they and their friends would gather, but it had been locked up ever since that incident.


    The old place mentioned was a movie screening room inside the club.


    Zhou Hai arrived early, and Zhang Zening hadn¡¯t yet arrived when he got there.


    Zhou Hai checked the time; his elder daughter had already entered the examination hall and started answering questions. He didn¡¯t know how she would perform and whether his absence would breed resentment, possibly affecting her emotions and causing her to underperform.


    This was the national unified college entrance examination. He could feel the atmosphere just walking down the street, especially near the school gates where some areas were already closed to traffic. He saw many parents accompanying their children, showing the importance now placed on the Gaokao.


    Zhou Hai clenched his fists, a feeling of irritability rising within him.


    At this moment, rushing to the movie screening room besides Zhang Zening was Xiao Wei.


    Xiao Wei had arrived with Secretary Chang by plane, and then Secretary Chang had helped with her luggage and personally drove her home.


    When Secretary Chang knew Xiao Wei had to come to the movie screening room for some matter, he volunteered to drive her there.

 Chapter 545 - 545 539 The Banquet at Hongmen

    ?Chapter 545: Chapter 539: The Banquet at Hongmen Chapter 545: Chapter 539: The Banquet at Hongmen Secretary Chang, wearing a faint smile, escorted Xiao Wei to the club¡¯s entrance and, without uttering another word, left with confidence since it was the safe and secure clubhouse of the compound.


    He subtly guessed that Xiao Wei had come here for some reason, because her complexion wasn¡¯t great. But Secretary Chang was too clever to go about asking questions. Instead, before he left, he casually mentioned to Xiao Wei that he was planning to go to Xichuan in a few days. Mr. Wu had asked him to deliver something to Qiao Qingyu at the Tenghai Research Base.


    Although Xiao Wei didn¡¯t immediately respond, her eyes showed a trace of interest. Naturally, she knew her daughter and son were currently residing in the family residences at the Tenghai Research Base.


    Speaking of which, it had been more than two years since she last saw her two children. They had gone to the Tenghai Base, and at the same time, she also accepted an important mission. It had been two years since she returned to the country, so she was preparing to head to Xichuan in a few days.


    But hearing Secretary Chang say this, Xiao Wei felt very grateful in her heart. Secretary Chang knew her son and daughter had followed Zhou Hai to Xichuan.


    This matter was no secret, and most people knew it, so there was nothing to hide.


    Secretary Chang drove away.


    Standing at the clubhouse entrance, Xiao Wei saw a man not far away pushing a wheelchair, with another man seated in it. She paused for a moment in surprise¡ªshe hadn¡¯t expected Ye Hongyuan to be here.


    A sudden feeling of unease rose in the pit of Xiao Wei¡¯s stomach.


    But before she could say anything, Ye Hongyuan unexpectedly greeted her with a smile, ¡°Sister Weiwei.¡±


    Those three words made Xiao Wei¡¯s eyes immediately redden.


    She truly felt a mixture of emotions inside. She hadn¡¯t expected that, in her lifetime, she would hear Ye Hongyuan calling her Sister Weiwei again. Her career was thriving, climbing higher with each step, yet her personal and family life were in complete shambles.


    Xiao Wei replied with a bitter smile, ¡°Little Yuan, it¡¯s been many years since I¡¯ve seen you.¡±


    Due to Ye Hongyuan¡¯s prolonged bedridden state, his complexion was very pale, but it made him look even more delicate. However, his eyes were like the weather during the Southern rainy season.


    There was not a glimmer of light, only gloom and dense fog-like clouds.


    The whole person seemed so gloomy as to be oppressive.


    At that moment, the gate was pushed open, and unexpectedly, Zhang Zening came out. He didn¡¯t seem surprised at all to see Ye Hongyuan.


    However, it had been over a decade since the two had last seen each other.


    Ye Hongyuan¡¯s hands clenched the armrests of his wheelchair. Ten years of prison life had changed Zhang Zening as if he were a different person. His temples were white, and he had become significantly thinner.


    He looked at his hands, which everyone had once said were perfectly suited for playing the piano. Privately, he had also mentioned that once things returned to normal, he would apply to a music conservatory. After all, he had been practicing since childhood. Even if he couldn¡¯t become a musician, being a music teacher was entirely feasible.


    But now, his hands were rough. The joints were swollen, obviously deformed.


    Even the hands of an old farmer working in the fields year-round wouldn¡¯t look like his.


    Ye Hongyuan then glanced down at his legs, knowing he would never walk, run, jump, or even play basketball again. All of these were out of reach for him for the rest of his life.


    Not far away stood Zhou Hai and Liu Ying. Liu Ying hadn¡¯t expected Ye Hongyuan to be here.


    She was terrified.


    Her heartbeat was chaotically rapid. She trembled, and then she saw Xiao Wei, her heart sinking. This meeting today wasn¡¯t just about asking a few questions or clarifying matters.


    It was a trap!


    Instinctively, Liu Ying felt it was impossible to leave the club unscathed today.


    She wanted to run away, to leave.


    But she didn¡¯t dare.


    She frantically grabbed Zhou Hai¡¯s arm, pulling herself close to him. Zhou Hai was usually calm and collected, but today he couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit panicked.


    After all, innocent or not, he had married Liu Ying.


    He saw his ex-wife, whom he hadn¡¯t seen since their divorce, but he always seemed to hear news about her.


    Her work was good, and the Zhou family wanted to maintain that relationship.


    Xiao Wei¡¯s gaze was as bright as before, and under such a gaze, the guilt-ridden Zhou Hai unexpectedly avoided eye contact in a fluster.


    Xiao Wei sighed, knowing the urgency of the situation didn¡¯t allow time to adjust, but she couldn¡¯t say much at the moment, so she just asked Zhou Hai, ¡°Old Zhou, as you and Liu Ying have stepped out, how have arrangements at home been made? Today should be Jiao Jiao¡¯s college entrance exam, right?¡±


    Zhang Zening frowned. Was it really time for Jiao Jiao¡¯s college entrance exam?


    He had been out of touch with society for too long; the phrase ¡°college entrance exam¡± felt very foreign to him.


    Zhou Hai said, ¡°...I entrusted her to the neighbor, Aunt Qiao Qingyu, Chief Engineer He¡¯s wife... Jiao Jiao gets along well with her Aunt Qiao. Pengcheng couldn¡¯t make it; he¡¯s accompanying his sister for the exams...¡±


    Chief Engineer He, Qiao Qingyu?


    These names were not unfamiliar to her, especially Qiao Qingyu. Though she had never met her, she knew quite a bit about her.


    She was a remarkable woman.


    With Jiao Jiao¡¯s lofty pride and stubborn temperament, if she got along well with Qiao Qingyu, then surely Qiao Qingyu must have treated her well too.


    She smiled wryly in her heart and said no more.


    Because, concerning all matters related to her children, no matter how compelling the reasons were back then, she now had no right to criticize.


    The conversation ended there.


    Zhang Zening looked from one to the other, his lips carrying a faint, almost imperceptible smile. His smile was cold and chilly, like the ice of deep winter.


    He greeted Xiao Wei, ¡°Sister Weiwei.¡±


    Xiao Wei felt deeply guilty. Back in the day, within the compound, all these young men liked calling her Sister Weiwei and enjoyed discussing matters with her, by then Xiao Wei was already holding a position.


    And that was with the Youth League Committee.


    So she held a lot of prestige among these young people. Whatever she said or did, everyone was willing to listen and follow.


    Xiao Wei hadn¡¯t imagined that not only Ye Hongyuan but also Zhang Zening was still willing to call her Sister Weiwei, yet she felt undeserving of this deference.


    Zhang Zening ushered everyone into the movie screening room, for if they continued standing outside, a large crowd of onlookers would soon gather.


    After all, many people had not forgotten the events of the past, and with the central figures of those incidents gathering at the entrance, it would certainly draw special attention.


    After closing the clubhouse door and entering the movie screening room, Zhang Zening suddenly turned on the overhead lights in the room. A piercingly bright white illuminated the space.


    Liu Ying involuntarily closed her eyes.


    But her hand was still tightly gripping Zhou Hai¡¯s arm. It was as if she was seeking support, or perhaps declaring her own authority.


    From beginning to end, Liu Ying did not speak to Xiao Wei.


    And from beginning to end, Zhou Hai and Ye Hongyuan did not greet each other either.


    He merely scanned the people with his eyes and quickly adjusted his emotions. After all, having been in a position of authority for several years, meeting many people and witnessing many situations, he naturally developed a certain fortitude.

 Chapter 546 - 546 540 If Life Could Start Over (1)

    ?Chapter 546: Chapter 540: If Life Could Start Over (1) Chapter 546: Chapter 540: If Life Could Start Over (1) Zhang Zening greeted everyone to sit down. He didn¡¯t beat around the bush and said crisply, ¡°Let¡¯s skip the small talk, pleasantries, and reminiscing. For us, it¡¯s all utter hypocrisy and quite awkward. I¡¯ve brought everyone together today because I have a few questions I¡¯d like to ask.¡±


    The room fell into silence.


    Ye Hongyuan stared at Liu Ying with a cold gaze. Time seemed to favor this woman exceedingly, as she appeared largely unchanged. Perhaps the only difference was the added allure of a mature woman.


    Ye Hongyuan pressed his lips tightly together and said nothing.


    However, the complexity in his eyes was daunting, truly putting Liu Ying on edge.


    Seeing Liu Ying like this, Xiao Wei¡¯s brows furrowed, betraying a flash of bewilderment.


    They say flies don¡¯t target an intact egg. She never believed that the incident from back then could be blamed solely on Liu Ying. If Zhou Hai hadn¡¯t been led astray by lust and lost his self-control, Liu Ying wouldn¡¯t have been able to wreck their home and lives.


    Xiao Wei had always been rational, be it during her marriage or divorce, and it was the same with how she viewed those past events and the people involved.


    So she felt that Liu Ying¡¯s reaction was somewhat off, yet her years of work experience endowed her gaze with tranquility.


    But no one knew what she was actually thinking.


    Indeed, the past ten years were different from the preceding decade; they were worlds apart.


    Moments later, Xiao Wei¡¯s gentle voice filled the screening room, ¡°Xiao Ning, ask whatever you want to ask. Rest assured, I guarantee that I will tell the truth as long as I know it.¡±


    Zhang Zening gave Xiao Wei a friendly smile.


    He then glanced at Ye Hongyuan.


    Ye Hongyuan even managed a smile, more enigmatic than ever, but he nodded anyway.


    Zhang Zening then looked at Zhou Hai and Liu Ying.


    The couple sat side by side on two chairs, with Liu Ying¡¯s hand clutching Zhou Hai¡¯s arm the entire time.


    Zhang Zening¡¯s smile was laced with mockery but disappeared as quickly as it appeared. He asked, ¡°Zhou Hai, Liu Ying, what do you have to say?¡±


    Zhou Hai couldn¡¯t define his feelings. Xiao Ning, who used to call him ¡®Brother Hai¡¯, now addressed him by name, but what could he possibly do about it?


    With some difficulty, he nodded.


    He still opened his mouth to speak, ¡°...The responsibility for what happened years ago is largely mine. If you must blame someone, blame me. Liu Ying is innocent.¡±


    Liu Ying¡¯s eyes reddened instantly. She hadn¡¯t expected Zhou Hai to protect her in this way.


    Although she was fraught with anxiety, she knew Zhou Hai and the Zhou Family valued their reputation. No matter what happened, Zhou Hai would never abandon her.


    She leaned closer to him.


    The smile on Ye Hongyuan¡¯s face was chilling, while Liu Ying, with her head lowered, didn¡¯t dare to meet Ye Hongyuan¡¯s gaze. Zhang Zening, on the other hand, simply chuckled indifferently, ¡°The first question I am asking is for Zhou Hai and Liu Ying. I¡¯ve been thinking for ten years, and I still can¡¯t understand why you two got married in the first place?¡±


    Zhou Hai¡¯s lips moved slightly, about to speak, but Zhang Zening waved his hand, ¡°Zhou Hai, please hold your comments. My second question is for Sister Weiwei.¡±


    He then looked at Xiao Wei, ¡°Sister Weiwei, why did you agree to the divorce and consent to give custody of the children to Zhou Hai, and even refrained from contacting them before I was released?¡±


    Xiao Wei¡¯s expression changed. She looked at Zhang Zening with complicated eyes, glanced at Zhou Hai and Liu Ying, who now had their hands clasped together, and spoke with a voice hoarse and strained, ¡°It¡¯s been ten years. Now that you are out, I can finally speak.¡±


    Xiao Wei¡¯s gaze became sharp, ¡°...A week after you were locked up, Liu Ying came to me and said she was pregnant and that the child was Zhou Hai¡¯s. She threatened that if I didn¡¯t agree to the divorce, she would accuse Zhou Hai of r***...¡±


    After Xiao Wei spoke, the room first fell into dead silence. Then Zhou Hai suddenly turned his head to look at Liu Ying. How could he not have known about this?


    Zhou Hai¡¯s brows furrowed tightly, and through gritted teeth, he asked, ¡°Liu Ying, is this true?¡±


    Liu Ying turned pale instantly. Her lips moved, attempting to explain, but before she could even speak, Xiao Wei continued methodically, ¡°She also said that if I didn¡¯t agree to the divorce, she would accuse you, Xiao Ning, of r*** her as well...¡±


    As soon as these words fell, Zhang Zening looked at Liu Ying in disbelief.


    His demeanor instantly shifted, rising to his feet. The man who just moments ago seemed to be in control and composed was now incensed.


    His furious gaze bore into Liu Ying, then turned back to Xiao Wei. Meeting Sister Weiwei¡¯s clear and serene eyes, Zhang Zening believed her words. Xiao Wei¡¯s integrity was trusted by everyone in their entire complex, and it was still the same to this day.


    Sitting across from him, Ye Hongyuan simply arched his eyebrows and returned to a calm expression, seemingly unsurprised by the revelation.


    Zhou Hai had already stood up, and Liu Ying did the same, trying to clutch his arm. For some reason, Zhou Hai felt that things were not as he had thought. He looked at Liu Ying with eyes filled with doubt and apprehension. In his memory, Liu Ying had always been meek and delicate; how could she have had the audacity to say such things to Xiao Wei?


    Such words, for the shy and demure seventeen-year-old girl Liu Ying was back then, would have been unspeakably difficult to say.


    Zhou Hai¡¯s eyes, full of shock and uncertainty, simultaneously turned towards Xiao Wei.


    Xiao Wei¡¯s mouth curved slightly, a wry smile on her face.


    ¡°...After all these years, at that time we spoke alone, without a third party. If Liu Ying insists she never said those words, I am powerless.¡±


    However, Xiao Wei¡¯s gaze fixed on Liu Ying, ¡°Liu Ying, what you do is watched by the heavens; I¡¯ve always believed that. You may deny it, but what has been said has been said. Because of your words, I promptly divorced Zhou Hai and even agreed to your unreasonable demands.¡±


    Xiao Wei sighed and continued, ¡°The situation back then was extremely tense. Each of you knows this well, as a single word or action, choosing the wrong side, could have caused our lives to spiral out of control. Especially considering the crimes Liu Ying accused of, if she insisted on accusing Zhou Hai and Xiao Ning of r***, Zhou Hai¡¯s reputation would be ruined, and Xiao Ning in detention might have incurred additional years to his sentence, perhaps even life imprisonment. I had researched similar cases and was well aware of how many had transpired. Plus, it was a time of upheaval; the new regime was taking over, the old had not yet left, the elder had returned, and the younger was in trouble... I assume everyone understands what I¡¯m saying, right?¡±


    Understanding, everyone understood. They all had lived through that era; what was there not to comprehend?


    In the not-so-large screening room, silence reigned. Some stood, some sat, as Xiao Wei looked around, her gaze finally resting on the stunned face of Zhou Hai.

 Chapter 547 - 547 541 If Life Could Start Over (2)

    ?Chapter 547: Chapter 541: If Life Could Start Over (2) Chapter 547: Chapter 541: If Life Could Start Over (2) Xiao Wei¡¯s voice wavered for a few seconds as she said softly, ¡°I have my faults too. I am overly rational in both life and work, so after Liu Ying said those things, I made up my mind.


    However, what ultimately made me decide was when I found out Liu Ying was pregnant, and I turned back to ask you, Zhou Hai. You admitted to me that you had fallen in love with Liu Ying and you two were together. Although it was just once, you indeed had relations...¡±


    At this point, Zhou Hai¡¯s complexion went from pale to ashen, then back to pale again. His mind even went blank for a moment. He stood there, frozen, before his eyes finally landed on Liu Ying.


    Liu Ying looked at Zhou Hai in a panic. Then, taking quick steps, she rushed toward him and grabbed his hand. If it were just the two of them in this movie screening room, Liu Ying would have a trainload of tender words for Zhou Hai. She would tell him how she loved him with all her heart, and that it was for him that she had resorted to trickery.


    Even with Xiao Wei and Zhang Zening standing right beside her, she could have said those words. But there was also Ye Hongyuan sitting in the wheelchair, darkly staring at her.


    Confessions and words of deep affection became stuck in her throat. Her lips trembled, tears flowed freely down her cheeks, and all she could mutter was, ¡°...Old Zhou, Old Zhou.¡±


    Finally snapping back to reality, Zhou Hai stared at the woman in front of him and asked, word by word, ¡°Liu Ying, tell me, is what Xiao Wei said true?¡±


    Zhang Zening let out a scornful laugh, then turned his gaze away.


    Such a laugh made Zhou Hai¡¯s face redden once more.


    His question at this moment truly had no meaning ¨C it was utterly feeble.


    He knew Xiao Wei¡¯s character too.


    They had married following their parents¡¯ wishes. Their marriage couldn¡¯t be called affectionate, but it was harmonious. Back then, he was bewitched by Liu Ying and had fallen for her wholeheartedly, losing control and becoming intimate with her. Yet, at that time, he didn¡¯t want a divorce. Not only because they had a son and a daughter, but also because he didn¡¯t want to leave Xiao Wei.


    But Xiao Wei hadn¡¯t even uttered a single superfluous word.


    Once she confirmed that he was with Liu Ying and Liu Ying was pregnant, she politely went through with the divorce.


    He remembered the way Xiao Wei looked at him then, clear as if it were yesterday.


    Even now, Xiao Wei¡¯s gaze was clear and bright, but back then, as she sat calm and composed, asking him in an even tone about the past details with Liu Ying, with that look in her eyes, that tone of voice, and even laughing gently in the end...


    It all made him feel deeply ashamed and utterly disgraced, and yet, at the same time, it made him furiously resentful.


    So, the two of them swiftly went through with the divorce. An eight-year marriage ended in less than eight minutes.


    This woman also fiercely agreed not to see the children anymore and indeed never appeared in front of Jiao Jiao and Pengcheng again.


    But now, someone was telling him that might not be the whole truth. So, what was the real truth?


    Zhou Hai stood there, while Liu Ying clung tightly to his hand.


    Zhang Zening suddenly spoke at a leisurely pace, ¡°Sister Weiwei, what was the unreasonable demand you mentioned just now? Can you tell us?¡±


    Xiao Wei curled the corner of her mouth, ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t talk about. Liu Ying used this matter to blackmail me into divorcing as just one thing. Secondly, at Liu Ying¡¯s request, I made a one-time payment of twelve years of child support and agreed not to appear in front of you and your husband again. Of course, there¡¯s a time limit to this, which I requested... After I agreed to these unreasonable demands, Liu Ying burned the two letters of complaint and several photos in front of me...¡±


    ¡°Photos?¡± Zhang Zening frowned, puzzled.


    ¡°The photos were of Zhou Hai and Liu Ying,¡± Xiao Wei explained indifferently.


    The people in the room then turned their gaze back to Zhou Hai and Liu Ying.


    At this moment, Zhou Hai¡¯s facial expression was unspeakably vivid and beyond description in words. Right now, it seemed as if his clothes, along with his skin, were being peeled away layer by layer.


    He shook Liu Ying off but then grabbed her hand again, his eyes red, ¡°Liu Ying, can you tell me the truth?¡±


    Liu Ying was crying pitifully, ¡°...Old Zhou, I can explain these things to you. Xiao Wei is lying. There were no complaint letters, no photos. She just wants to ruin our relationship. You can¡¯t just listen to her side of the story. Besides, some things I cannot discuss in front of so many people in this room. Even if I tell you I like you and love you, you can¡¯t believe it right now. We¡¯ve spent so many years together. You should know what kind of person I am...¡±


    Unexpectedly, at this time, Xiao Wei¡¯s clear and calm eyes turned toward Liu Ying, ¡°Liu Ying, turn around.¡±


    Liu Ying did not know what Xiao Wei was about to do. She turned around, her gaze fixated on Xiao Wei, teeth clenched in anger, ¡°No matter how nice you pretend to be right now, a lie is a lie, and it¡¯s impossible for you to reconcile with Zhou Hai. We¡¯ve been together for so many years...¡±


    Xiao Wei curled her lips, but her eyes were fixed on Liu Ying, sharp yet containing something indescribable, making Liu Ying feel a chill, though she still stiffened up to meet Xiao Wei¡¯s gaze.


    After pondering for a moment, Xiao Wei asked, word by word, ¡°Liu Ying, you say the complaint letters and those photos of you and Zhou Hai in bed are all my lies, correct?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing at all,¡± Liu Ying denied immediately, ¡°Absolutely not, you¡¯re lying, Xiao Wei. I never imagined someone of your stature could lie like this, it¡¯s truly shameful...¡±


    Xiao Wei remained unperturbed, looking at Liu Ying for several seconds before finally letting out a resigned laugh, ¡°Okay then, I lied. There are no photos, no complaint letters.¡±


    For some reason, the room suddenly became eerily quiet.


    People measured each other with their eyes, and then all looked toward Xiao Wei, finally resting on Liu Ying¡¯s face, which was changing color.


    Zhang Zening seemed to understand something and asked, ¡°Liu Ying, are you sure Sister Weiwei is lying, that there are no photos, no complaint letters?¡±


    Liu Ying was momentarily stunned, then shook her head vigorously, ¡°No, when I was with Old Zhou, there were only the two of us in the room. If there was a third person taking pictures, not to mention me, Old Zhou would have noticed, right?¡±


    This had always puzzled Xiao Wei, but now that Liu Ying said so, those photos should never appear again.


    Even though their appearance would have nothing to do with her, she worried that if Liu Ying brought them out one day, Zhou Hai¡¯s reputation might be the least of it; it might affect her daughter and son.


    One insisted that nothing happened, the other claimed to be lying; what exactly were these two women up to?


    The other three men in the room were continuously pondering.

 Chapter 548 - 548 542 If Life Could Start Over (3)

    ?Chapter 548: Chapter 542: If Life Could Start Over (3) Chapter 548: Chapter 542: If Life Could Start Over (3) Especially Zhou Hai, who had thought it would be just an ordinary meeting¡ªat worst, he would agree to compensate Zhang Zening within his means.


    Now he felt as if he were standing on trial, his skin being peeled off layer by layer. He struggled to maintain his composure, his complexion so dark it seemed it could drip with moisture.


    Suddenly, the so-called twelve years of child support came to mind¡ªhow was it that he knew nothing about it?


    Looking at Liu Ying, he asked, ¡°Twelve years of child support, is this also a lie?¡±


    Liu Ying was about to speak when Xiao Wei interrupted from the other end, ¡°There are receipts for the child support, signed by Liu Ying herself. If you find it hard to believe, I can present the receipts to the relevant departments for verification.¡±


    ¡°How much in total?¡± Zhou Hai asked through gritted teeth.


    ¡°In total, eight thousand yuan,¡± Xiao Wei revealed the amount, then explained, ¡°I didn¡¯t have this money at all. I had to borrow some from my parents, brother and sister-in-law, as well as colleagues, to make up the total.¡±


    Eight thousand yuan from over a decade ago was a significant amount of money.


    And Zhou Hai had no idea about it.


    Zhang Zening didn¡¯t know what to say about Zhou Hai anymore. Now, he actually felt some pity for him, but it¡¯s said that those deserving of pity often have hateful aspects.


    He had it coming!


    But Zhang Zening knew that although it seemed like all was over, it was in fact just the beginning.


    Zhou Hai, with a dark glare, asked Liu Ying, ¡°Where is the money?¡±


    Liu Ying¡¯s forehead was now slick with sweat, her lips devoid of color, and she could barely stand, her legs like jelly. She collapsed into a chair and whispered, ¡°I didn¡¯t spend the money, I gave it to your mother.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Zhou Hai raised his voice in disbelief.


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying. Go back and you can ask your mother.¡±


    Zhou Hai was thunderstruck. How could his mother be involved? After more than a decade, he was completely unaware, kept in the dark by these two women.


    So, these two women must have been hiding it along with Lian Jiaojiao and Pengcheng.


    Zhou Hai admitted to himself that he was not a good man when it came to marriage matters, even scum, but he never wanted his two children to disown their biological mother.


    In terms of feelings, it was cruel; in terms of reason, it would do no good for the children¡¯s future.


    Yet from the day of the divorce, this woman had unhesitatingly abandoned the two children, caring for nothing, asking for nothing, not even buying the children a piece of candy.


    But today, he discovered it was apparently not the case.


    Xiao Wei frowned. Some things were truly unexpected. She had considered a lot back then, which is why it was essential that she gather the funds to give Liu Ying.


    But she never expected that Zhou Hai had no idea about the money.


    It was her fault; she had been too young and impetuous at the time.


    Too optimistic about people.


    She then said, ¡°Over the years, I¡¯ve sent many things to the children from abroad...¡± Then she looked at Zhou Hai, ¡°There were a lot of items, for boys and for girls. I didn¡¯t just buy things for Jiaojiao, but also for your and Liu Ying¡¯s daughter. Surely you¡¯re not unaware of this too?¡±


    Zhou Hai shook his head, muttering, ¡°I didn¡¯t know, not even seen a single piece of candy from you.¡±


    Xiao Wei gave a bitter smile, ¡°It wasn¡¯t only a piece of candy. I¡¯ve spent my salary over these years on these things.¡±


    Zhou Hai looked at Liu Ying, ¡°Did you receive the things Xiao Wei mailed?¡±


    Liu Ying had a vacant look, her gaze evasive as if she hadn¡¯t heard Zhou Hai¡¯s question. She hung her head, silent.


    Zhou Hai no longer pressed the matter; it was easy to solve. He would just investigate when he got back home. The address Xiao Wei mailed to was their residence, which hadn¡¯t changed in many years.


    Xiao Wei explained further, ¡°After you were transferred to Xichuan, I kept sending things to the old house. After all, it¡¯s a research base. Things mailed from abroad always get checked, and I didn¡¯t want to cause you any trouble.¡±


    Silence ensued in the room for a moment, and Ye Hongyuan¡¯s mouth actually curled into a smile, as if he found the entire drama more thrilling than a movie.


    Had the occasion not been inappropriate, he would have wanted to vigorously clap his hands to express his joy.


    Xiao Wei waved her hand, ¡°These are all trivial matters. Let¡¯s not talk about it.¡± Then she looked at Zhang Zening, ¡°Xiao Ning, your first and second questions should have been answered by the conversation we just had. The beginning of all this was not complicated, but other uncontrollable events occurred in the midst. I don¡¯t know why Zhou Hai and Ye Hongyuan started fighting, but your imprisonment came because of Zhou Hai, and you suffered for his sake. He owes you for that. Back then, as his wife, the only thing I could do for you is what I¡¯ve done. But now, I must say, Xiao Ning, I¡¯m truly sorry. My heart has never been at peace all these years...¡±


    Looking at Xiao Wei¡¯s reddened eyes, along with her gaunt face, Zhang Zening, whose heart had hardened like iron, felt a lump in his throat and a warmth in his eyes.


    What did all this have to do with Sister Weiwei?


    Nothing at all.


    The ones who erred were Zhou Hai and Liu Ying.


    It was he, Zhang Zening, who had acted impulsively.


    But because of this matter, not wanting to add to his sin, Sister Weiwei had paid such a heavy price. And if he hadn¡¯t brought people here, she would have probably kept this secret for a lifetime.


    She was the type of person who does a lot for you but doesn¡¯t want you to feel burdened.


    Why is it that good people always end up suffering?


    Zhang Zening¡¯s severe gaze suddenly turned towards Liu Ying, sitting there.


    Zhang Zening closed his eyes, then opened them again, speaking slowly, ¡°Now that things have come to this, I know what I wanted to know, and understand what was once incomprehensible.¡±


    As he spoke, Zhang Zening¡¯s tone shifted, ¡°However, I still have a question for Liu Ying...¡±


    Yet unexpectedly, Ye Hongyuan, who had been silent all this while, suddenly interrupted Zhang Zening¡¯s words, ¡°Let me ask Liu Ying the last question.¡±


    Zhang Zening looked at Ye Hongyuan, who gave him a slight smirk. In that moment of eye contact, Xiao Wei felt that Xiao Ning and Little Yuan didn¡¯t seem to be the sworn enemies everyone made them out to be.


    Originally, they were indeed enemies.


    The Zhang Family and the Ye Family were, too.


    But now, it seemed like they had reached some kind of understanding.


    Remembering her phone conversation¡ªthat Xiao Ning had visited the Ye Family several times after getting out¡ªshe figured the two must have reconciled. If that was the case, the unease and guilt in her heart would feel lighter.


    Xiao Wei sighed deeply within and silently watched Zhou Hai and Liu Ying.


    Zhou Hai at that moment looked truly pitiable, overwhelmed by the revelations.


    And Liu Ying had all along been sitting with her head bowed and hands clasped, exuding an air of resigned indifference.


    But when she heard Ye Hongyuan speak, she suddenly lifted her head, her eyes frantically searching his.


    Xiao Wei acutely noticed that Liu Ying¡¯s whole body trembled when Ye Hongyuan spoke those words.

 Chapter 549 - 549 543 If Life Could Start Over (4)

    ?Chapter 549: Chapter 543: If Life Could Start Over (4) Chapter 549: Chapter 543: If Life Could Start Over (4) Ye Hongyuan seemed quite satisfied as he looked at Liu Ying in this state.


    He was in no rush, taking his time to survey the few people in the room. Although their ages differed by a few years, they had nearly all grown up together, doing many things behind the adults¡¯ backs that were not permitted, sharing secrets and common interests. When they were together, they talked about the future, their dreams, and their aspirations.


    In those days, they truly were naive to the taste of sorrow, but now, all that had changed, and everything and everyone had become unrecognizable.


    They could never return to the past.


    Ever since that incident, their tightly-knit group had disbanded.


    His gaze settled on Liu Ying, the woman he once deeply loved.


    His eyes were cold and stern, yet his voice was unusually soft, as if afraid of startling Liu Ying.


    ¡°Liu Ying,¡± he said, ¡°DNA testing wasn¡¯t advanced in the past, but now it¡¯s possible. Let¡¯s go do the test to determine whether Ruoruo is Zhou Hai¡¯s daughter or mine. We need a conclusion.¡±


    If the previous shock was not enough, Ye Hongyuan¡¯s statement was like a bolt from the blue, or a huge stone thrown into a calm lake!


    Zhou Hai thought he was hallucinating.


    With bloodshot eyes, he strode towards Ye Hongyuan and grabbed him by the collar, hissing venomously, ¡°Ye Hongyuan, you are out of line, you¡¯re being too presumptuous. Don¡¯t think that I can¡¯t handle you. If you anger me further, I won¡¯t let you off easily.¡±


    Zhang Zening stepped forward, his hands rough and deformed yet powerful, and pulled Zhou Hai away. He spoke with profound meaning, ¡°Let¡¯s talk this out properly. He¡¯s already in a wheelchair now. Do you expect to repeat what happened back then, Zhou Hai? It¡¯s not possible anymore, and I hope you don¡¯t act rashly.¡±


    Zhou Hai¡¯s face turned livid, his eyes blood-red, but Ye Hongyuan disregarded him, only gazing at Liu Ying, ¡°Liu Ying, you slept with me first, and then you slept with Zhou Hai, so it¡¯s hard to say whose child she really is.¡±


    Liu Ying was as pale as a ghost, wishing she could just die then and there.


    Her tears immediately covered her cheeks, and looking at Ye Hongyuan, she shrieked crazily, ¡°Ye Hongyuan, you¡¯re spouting nonsense, you¡¯re slandering me!¡±


    Ye Hongyuan snickered, ¡°Liu Ying, you just don¡¯t see the coffin until you¡¯re crying tears. Do I need to present evidence of your slander? Do you want me to recount the scene that day, describe it here in this projection room?¡±


    ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± Liu Ying abruptly stood up, her body trembling. Staggering a few steps, she grabbed the corner of a nearby table, her eyes filled with hatred. ¡°You promised me you¡¯d never tell anyone. Why break your word, why go back on your promises?¡±


    Ye Hongyuan raised an eyebrow amusedly, ¡°Liu Ying, as a woman who has done so many wrongs, always pursuing your own interests, how can you be so naive as to trust a promise?¡±


    Zhou Hai couldn¡¯t stand to be in the projection room any longer. Without even looking at Liu Ying or anyone else, his mind seemed a bit muddled.


    This blow left him not knowing how to face it.


    Just as he was staggering towards the door, Ye Hongyuan raised his voice from behind, ¡°Zhou Hai, if you agree to the test, we can do it quietly. If you don¡¯t, I will go through legal channels with my lawyer.¡±


    Zhou Hai paused, his trembling hand clutching the doorknob, his veins bulging from the strain. His teeth were clenched tightly, and he felt a stifling sensation in his chest. He jerked the door open with force and, without looking back, left.


    Liu Ying couldn¡¯t care about anything else. She steadied her legs, took a few difficult steps, and then, with a clench of her teeth and a hate-filled gaze, looked at Ye Hongyuan, ¡°Ye Hongyuan, you really are full of it.¡±


    Then, standing tall, she turned her cold voice to Xiao Wei, almost defiantly, ¡°Xiao Wei, you wish to reconcile with Zhou Hai, but that¡¯s never going to happen in this lifetime.¡±


    Xiao Wei¡¯s gaze was deep and silent as she watched Liu Ying, saying nothing.


    And Liu Ying quickly headed in the direction Zhou Hai had gone.


    They all lived in the same compound, never even leaving the main gate, so the three people inside the house were not worried about Zhou Hai and Liu Ying¡¯s safety.


    Xiao Wei let out a sigh, didn¡¯t ask anything, and then said, ¡°Little Yuan, I¡¯ll take you home.¡±


    Ye Hongyuan looked at Xiao Wei, eyes also reddening, and with a choked voice, said, ¡°Sister Weiwei, what I said just now was the truth, and Liu Ying was with me willingly. We were planning to get married... but then my family had an accident the next day, and her family had an accident as well. I think she didn¡¯t necessarily choose Zhou Hai because she liked him so much, but because at that time, Zhou Hai was her best option.¡±


    Ye Hongyuan was, of course, clear about what type of man Liu Ying liked.


    Even though the Zhou family had power and influence, Zhou Hai¡¯s personal appearance really didn¡¯t meet Liu Ying¡¯s standards for choosing a spouse.


    She remembered that once she had inadvertently made fun of Zhou Hai for being too short and of average looks, even questioning how Xiao Wei could have fallen for Zhou Hai.


    And he could have never imagined that, in his moment of desperation, Liu Ying would tell him that she was pregnant with Zhou Hai¡¯s child and that she was going to marry Zhou Hai.


    So in a fit of rage, he wanted to strangle Zhou Hai to death.


    But he had not expected that a fruit knife casually picked up by Zhang Zening would cripple him for life, Ye Hongyuan never to stand tall again.


    Now, speaking of the past grievances and disputes only brought pain and despair, nothing more.


    Not even a trace of happiness was left behind.


    He covered his face, allowing tears to cover his cheeks.


    For that willful youth, those wayward days, he had paid a steep price.


    If only life could be rewound, how wonderful that would be!


    ...


    Whether right or wrong, for the time being, things could only be left as they were. Xiao Wei didn¡¯t pay much attention to the child support or the stuff she sent.


    Because the current state of the Zhou family was definitely chaotic.


    For Zhou Hai, who was kept in the dark, these matters were a deep humiliation, and it would be strange if he could bear it.


    In this matter, Xiao Wei knew that reasoning herself was only one aspect, but not the whole story.


    The biggest factor was that living with Zhou Hai was really a stretch; their philosophies did not align, there was no common language, yet she had to maintain the harmony of the family, to be a good wife, a good mother, so she endured it all.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for Liu Ying, she would have been like many couples, staying together for the sake of the children, settling for a lifetime.


    She could easily agree to the requests made by Liu Ying because, in the end, she no longer had feelings for Zhou Hai, but undeniably, the connection between them wouldn¡¯t break because they still had a son and a daughter.


    But these things could only be buried in Xiao Wei¡¯s heart.


    Therefore, towards Zhou Hai, Xiao Wei had a hint of tolerance.


    She didn¡¯t hate him; on the contrary, if possible, she hoped Zhou Hai would have a happy life and not be affected by her in terms of his marriage and emotions.


    But she hadn¡¯t expected that there were so many things she didn¡¯t know in between.

 Chapter 550 - 550 544 The Wealthy and Boisterous

    ?Chapter 550: Chapter 544: The Wealthy and Boisterous Great-Grandpa Chapter 550: Chapter 544: The Wealthy and Boisterous Great-Grandpa Xiao Wei boarded the train to Xichuan that very night.


    However, she hadn¡¯t expected to run into Secretary Chang on the train, who was also on his way to Xichuan.


    Remembering what Secretary Chang had said to her before left Xiao Wei feeling somewhat embarrassed, so she took the initiative to greet him.


    Secretary Chang¡¯s eyes twinkled with amusement as he said, ¡°I was going to go in a few days too, but Mr. Wu insisted that I come sooner.¡±


    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s my bad. I should have given you a heads-up. If there¡¯s anything you need help with, just let me know,¡± laughed Xiao Wei before realizing, ¡°Look at me, saying all this doesn¡¯t even make any sense.¡±


    Secretary Chang¡¯s voice was gentle, ¡°It means a lot, at least now I know you¡¯re not opposed to being friends with me...¡±


    Friends, I guess that¡¯s about right.


    After all, Secretary Chang had been a big help to her.


    The two of them sat across from each other on the bunk beds, sharing a smile.


    ...


    Qiao Qingyu never would have imagined that Secretary Chang would come to Tenghai Research Base along with Jiao Jiao¡¯s biological mother.


    She was stunned for a moment when she received the call.


    Looking up at the sky, it was already evening, the sunset painting the western sky magnificently like a resplendent silk spread.


    Her gaze then shifted to Jiao Jiao, who was having the time of her life playing with her son under the grape arbor, and Qiao Qingyu decided not to say anything.


    She would play it by ear, and fortunately, Jiao Jiao had just finished her exams.


    When Qiao Qingyu saw Xiao Wei, Xiao Wei radiated tremendous goodwill towards her.


    Qiao Qingyu also had a good impression of Xiao Wei, who seemed to be a clear-eyed and well-intentioned person.


    Perhaps, from a purely familial standpoint, she seemed to be an unqualified mother, as no reason justified her absence from her child¡¯s life over the years.


    After all, she was the one with legs. It wasn¡¯t the ancient times; she had a job and was single, and even if Liu Ying were difficult or Zhou Hai unkind, no one would dare obstruct or criticize her for seeing her child.


    Even visiting the school openly would have been fine.


    Like Liu Ge, whose departure had led to little Rongrong developing autism, yet Liu Ge still didn¡¯t feel any guilt and believed herself to be a wonderful mother, coming and going as she pleased with a carefree spirit.


    Rongrong was powerless against her own mother, but Rongrong had never said she didn¡¯t want her biological mother to visit.


    The bond between mother and daughter, the ties of blood, were irrefutable and could not easily be ignored.


    Yet judging Xiao Wei solely by her character and behavior, she was impeccable.


    She praised Qiao Qingyu generously and straightforwardly.


    And she even subtly revealed a few incidents she had learned about overseas.


    These were things not even He Xiuyu was aware of.


    Sometimes Qiao Qingyu felt that as long as she did her job well, whatever she received in return didn¡¯t matter much; she never held out too much hope for what the higher-ups were thinking.


    But to her surprise, there were people looking out for her without her knowledge, and this moved her.


    By sharing such information with her, it was a sign of deep trust.


    Qiao Qingyu accepted this kindness.


    Xiao Wei and Secretary Chang were staying in the guesthouse at the base.


    The guesthouse was often busy, sometimes without a single room available. The two arrived hastily, without making prior calls, so Qiao Qingyu contacted Old Xie. Even when the guesthouse was packed to the brim, there were always a few rooms reserved for emergency needs, just in case leaders conducted sudden inspections; after all, you can¡¯t have officials sleeping out on the streets.


    Not only was it the case here, but the guesthouses in other places were pretty much the same.


    So, the two sets of suites on the top floor were just right for one family each.


    Mr. Wu had Secretary Chang bring a few books and some materials to He Xiuyu, and then there was the gift for Little Chaoxuan.


    The gift for Little Chaoxuan was specially packed in a beautifully crafted red sandalwood box, which was valuable even empty, let alone containing a kirin charm inside.


    There were kirin charms made of jade, gold, silver, Tiny Leaf Rosewood, and yellow pear wood. In short, the red sandalwood square box symbolizing auspiciousness actually contained over a dozen different materials.


    What was rare was their lifelike diverse forms.


    These items were all prepared for Little Chaoxuan; the old man hadn¡¯t made them specially. At the child¡¯s hundred-day celebration, first birthday, and second birthday, Wu Xiucai, as great-grandpa, had always been generous with his gifts to the child.


    When he visited an old friend and saw that person¡¯s child wearing a kirin ring on their neck, he thought it looked good and that such a thing would bring great fortune if worn by his own great-grandson.


    But he felt hanging something around the neck wasn¡¯t convenient, so he simply made this charm out of various materials.


    The cord was specially woven, looking like silk, but it was actually made of gold threads. The old craftsman who made them had passed away, and his skills hadn¡¯t been handed down. Mr. Wu searched for over half a year before finding an old goldsmith, spending a fortune to make a number of such silk cords.


    There weren¡¯t just a few children in his family, so these items were not going to be left unused.


    And now they had found their use.


    They were all for Little Chaoxuan.


    Children are just curious, playing with them for a while before losing interest.


    Right now, the child was wearing a piece of jade pendant, not big, made of Warm Jade, with no particular significance, just worn like that since the child was still too young.


    Qiao Qingyu packed all these items away, certain that Wu Xiucai wouldn¡¯t play favorites, seeing Rongrong not as an outsider in his eyes but as a great-granddaughter.


    He also brought a lot of things for girls.


    Princess dresses, white leather shoes, pretty sun hats.


    Then he gave her a set of natural pearl jewelry.


    There were also necklaces and bracelets polished from colored stones.


    Even Xiao Hu and Daji, who always played with Rongrong, had one or more gifts.


    So Rongrong, patting her brother¡¯s head, sighed and said, ¡°Xiao Bao, our great-grandpa really is rich and imposing.¡±


    ...


    When the time was right, Xiao Wei found an opportunity to see her daughter.


    She didn¡¯t go to Zhou Hai¡¯s house; currently, Zhou Hai and Liu Ying hadn¡¯t returned, and they hadn¡¯t even made a phone call back, so no one knew what was happening there.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t want the mother and daughter to go to the office area. Instead, she had Xiao Wei and Jiao Jiao go to the room where Wu Qianyun was staying to talk.


    She cut a plate of watermelon and put it on the kang table, alongside a damp handkerchief, and steeped a large pot of water with dried golden lotus flowers.


    A couple of clean cups were also placed next to it.


    Then she closed the door, letting the mother and daughter talk things through properly.


    Rongrong and Xiao Hu exchanged glances, and taking advantage of Chaoxuan¡¯s distraction, they ran out. Little Chaoxuan¡¯s joyful screams soon faded into the distance, and then the He Family¡¯s place quieted down.


    What Xiao Wei and Jiao Jiao talked about, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know, but the mother and daughter stayed together all morning.


    When they came out, both had red eyes.


    Clearly, they had both cried, but Jiao Jiao was visibly much closer to Xiao Wei.

 Chapter 551 - 551 545 Even if Its Acting You Have to Act for

    ?Chapter 551: Chapter 545: Even if It¡¯s Acting, You Have to Act for a Lifetime Chapter 551: Chapter 545: Even if It¡¯s Acting, You Have to Act for a Lifetime Jiao Jiao had grown into a young lady, and Xiao Wei had selectively told her about the events of the past.


    Adult sins, yet the child had to bear them; Xiao Wei candidly apologized to Jiao Jiao.


    No matter how unavoidable it was, she was not a good mother.


    Then everyone knew that over the years Xiao Wei had frequently sent packages to these three children.


    Yes, three children¡ªnot just her son and daughter.


    After discovering that Zhou Hai and Liu Ying had a daughter, she always included that child¡¯s share when sending things, with an all too obvious intention: hopefully, Liu Ying would treat her daughter and son with kindness, to the best of her ability.


    Speaking of the Zhou Family¡¯s situation, the children never lacked materially.


    But Xiao Wei refused to let Liu Ying off the hook.


    She treated her daughter Ruoruo, who had welcomed her with the greatest generosity of spirit, while Liu Ying acted with malice towards her own daughter.


    It was no longer a matter of past grudges; it was a matter of character.


    At the same time, Xiao Wei truly felt immense guilt. During her over half-year of recuperation, the child didn¡¯t suffer so much pain during her periods anymore. Xiao Wei couldn¡¯t fathom how she had managed all these years; thankfully, Qiao Qingyu was there. Otherwise, the child might have been misled by Liu Ying, potentially leading to a lifetime of harm and possibly infertility.


    Xiao Wei did not stay long here; she still had matters to attend to. After being recalled, she was promoted and entered directly into the core department.


    Xiao Wei asked for Jiao Jiao¡¯s opinion. She hadn¡¯t reported for duty yet and was waiting for her daughter¡¯s college entrance exam results. She planned to work wherever Jiao Jiao chose to study.


    There was also Zhou Pengcheng to consider. She intended to have a serious talk with Zhou Hai. To be honest, it might be better for a boy to be with his father¡ªbut that depended on what Pengcheng thought.


    The kid¡¯s grades were simply too poor.


    Xiao Wei left, and then she returned to Beijing with Secretary Chang.


    Qiao Qingyu had finally confirmed it¡ªSecretary Chang had developed feelings for Xiao Wei.


    And these feelings were not light; one could see it in his eyes and brows if they observed closely.


    It¡¯s just that Xiao Wei, being so clever, seemed not to have noticed.


    Or perhaps, she was so clever that she felt it long ago and smartly pretended to be oblivious.


    Secretary Chang had good taste, it must be said. But according to the current standards, Secretary Chang was a golden bachelor too¡ªsingle with no girlfriend, clean and wise, competent in whatever task the elder entrusted him with. Hence, Qiao Qingyu always liked to call him the capable Secretary Chang.


    His character was undoubtedly trustworthy.


    Wu Xiucai had sponsored him since Secretary Chang¡¯s junior high school days and had more or less watched him grow up.


    Not to mention Secretary Chang was handsome and poised.


    But even if Xiao Wei did have feelings for Secretary Chang, she would think it over and over again. She no longer was young for one thing, and on the other hand, she had both a son and a daughter. If she really wanted to remarry, even the mother-son relationship that had taken so long to mend was uncertain.


    Qiao Qingyu was anxious for Secretary Chang, but it wasn¡¯t something to rush into.


    ...


    Having returned to Beijing, Xiao Wei took action.


    Liu Ying was stripped of her position, even her public office was dismissed.


    The reason was that her personal record was fabricated, her resume was fake, and so was her education.


    There were even other instances of violation of discipline, taking advantage of the Zhou Family and Zhou Hai¡¯s influence.


    It was not enough for prison time, but the disciplinary action would haunt her for life.


    This time, Liu Ying had no chance of turning things around.


    The Liu Family was very quiet. After learning why Xiao Wei had struck, Liu Ying¡¯s mother slapped her daughter.


    She cursed her daughter for being superficial and not fit for public appearance.


    And she told Liu Ying to do nothing and let Xiao Wei vent and dissipate her anger.


    Liu Ying was in a state of absolute disarray, then came Xiao Wei¡¯s move, which was just adding insult to injury.


    Although Zhou Hai¡¯s return home did not result in a huge commotion, the entire Zhou Family was still stirred, and Brother Zhou never imagined that such an inside story lay behind the events of those days.


    Brother Zhou was not one to complain, but he could not help but say, ¡°Zhou Hai, what did I tell you back then? I told you that Liu Ying¡¯s character was not trustworthy, a young girl acting like a social butterfly, she¡¯s not someone cut out for a family life. You made a mistake in a moment of confusion, but there was still a way to salvage it. Yet you stubbornly insisted and argued with me, saying you couldn¡¯t live without Liu Ying, that she was the only one you¡¯d ever love in this life. Well then, you must not forget those words, and as you¡¯ve done in the past, you must continue to do now, and even more so in the future. Even if it¡¯s just acting, you have to act it out for a lifetime. Do you understand what I mean?¡±


    Zhou Hai looked gaunt beyond his years, like a small old man in his forties or fifties.


    He covered his face, not speaking or showing any attitude.


    However, he needed to understand why his mother had done such a thing.


    Standing at the top of the stairs, Zhou Hai didn¡¯t even glance at Liu Ying coming out of the room, but Liu Ying seemed indifferent, merely saying, ¡°Zhou Hai, whatever happens, it¡¯s impossible for you to divorce me.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that Liu Ying still loved Zhou Hai. Now that the Zhou Family hadn¡¯t fallen and she herself had lost her job, with so many things happening, she definitely would not divorce, at least not at the moment.


    And just when the three of them had yet to say anything, the door of the adjacent room opened, and Zhou Ruoruo stood timidly at the door with swollen eyes.


    The child knew something significant had happened at home these days, and every elder¡¯s attitude towards her was off. Her voice trembled with a crying tone, ¡°Daddy, Mommy...¡± and then looking at Brother Zhou, ¡°Uncle...¡±


    Liu Ying was in agony. No longer paying attention to Zhou Hai, she rushed forward to embrace her daughter and pulled her into the bedroom, softly soothing Ruoruo before closing the door.


    Brother Zhou couldn¡¯t help but admire Liu Ying¡¯s resilience. She indeed could withstand pressure, seemingly unaffected by these events, no different from usual.


    Brother Zhou even looked at Liu Ying in astonishment. Did she have some kind of backing to be so confident? Perhaps it was their own mother?


    So, they had to make it clear.


    How could they clarify this matter?


    Mrs. Zhou prided herself on being a person of dignity, but her actions in this matter were truly despicable.


    Sadly, Zhou Hai¡¯s mother absolutely refused to agree to a divorce between him and Liu Ying, stating that if they were to divorce, she would rather not live, and the Zhou Family could forfeit their face; she would be their funeral accompaniment.


    Her words were severe, but Zhou Hai still questioned his own mother, ¡°The child support from back then, why did you keep it hidden from me, and you never spent it on the children? Where did you put all the things you¡¯ve received over the years?¡±


    Mrs. Zhou, lying in bed with her head turned away and eyes closed, replied, ¡°In the attic storeroom, I tore off some of the tags and threw out the boxes to use for the children...¡±


    Brother Zhou looked at his mother incredulously, surprised as he said, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re a person of dignity, and you¡¯d surely disdain such petty behavior. Could you tell me why you¡¯ve done this?¡±


    When further questioned, Mrs. Zhou stopped speaking.

 Chapter 552 - 552 546 What You Owe Others You Must

    ?Chapter 552: Chapter 546: What You Owe Others, You Must Eventually Repay Chapter 552: Chapter 546: What You Owe Others, You Must Eventually Repay Brother Zhou and Zhou Hai came down from upstairs, feeling mentally and physically exhausted, only to see the old patriarch return home with a dark expression on his face.


    The patriarch said, ¡°I know what you two went upstairs to do. There¡¯s no need to ask; I¡¯ll tell you the reason...¡±


    Brother Zhou and Zhou Hai exchanged a glance, then followed the old man to the study. An hour later, they emerged with indescribably complex and awkward expressions.


    Brother Zhou hurriedly left, while Zhou Hai, having nowhere to go, locked himself in his room, not even coming out for dinner, and the old patriarch didn¡¯t go upstairs to check on his wife.


    He never thought that this woman had kept secrets from him for a lifetime.


    But at their age, what could be done? They¡¯d have to continue living muddled lives.


    Liu Ying peeked through the crack of the door and saw the old patriarch summoning the Zhou brothers into the study, a smirk played at the corners of her mouth. She knew for sure that the old man must have learned why the old lady protected her and disliked Xiao Wei so much.


    Forget about the eldest, it wasn¡¯t just the second; everyone was more or less the same. If this got out, it wasn¡¯t just her, Liu Ying, who would be shamed.


    In fact, she had known all along, but she had never told Zhou Hai.


    And at this moment, Zhou Hai speculated that Liu Ying was so confident because she probably knew about this relationship already; he tended to believe that the old lady had spoken to her in secret.


    Therefore, Zhou Hai felt a chill in his heart, realizing that in this family they were all outsiders, while perhaps Liu Ying and his own mother were the real family.


    How awkward, it was an indescribable awkwardness.


    Zhou Hai closed his eyes, no longer thinking about the predicaments in front of him, but instead recalled the past.


    His marriage to Xiao Wei had been arranged by his father and Xiao Wei¡¯s father.


    At that time, he had a liking for Xiao Wei.


    Xiao Wei was like the sun, with everyone wanting to revolve around her.


    He was no exception.


    Knowing that she could very likely become his wife, he had been so happy that he couldn¡¯t sleep for several nights.


    He was a man, with a rather thick skin, and Xiao Wei was not one to speak of grievances; moreover, she was very skilled in handling affairs and wouldn¡¯t easily conflict with his mother. Any minor grievances she faced, she wouldn¡¯t tell him about, so he never noticed.


    Now that he thought about it, his own mother always had a cold face when she saw Xiao Wei, and that was not without reason.


    These were things between the previous generation, very simple and not complicated at all.


    His own mother had once had a potential marriage partner who sacrificed himself to save Xiao Wei¡¯s mother.


    Even though she had married his father, she was still haunted by the past.


    It was only that Xiao Wei¡¯s mother was unaware of this affair.


    If his mother had been willing to reveal this event back then, he believed the Xiao Family wouldn¡¯t have allowed Xiao Wei to marry him. So who would he have married?


    At the age he got married, he would never have married Liu Ying.


    So it seems, life¡¯s choices are truly unpredictable.


    One event could change the entire direction of one¡¯s life.


    Zhou Hai had always believed that humans could conquer fate, convinced that there wasn¡¯t anything he couldn¡¯t do if he set his mind to it, nothing he couldn¡¯t accomplish if he tried. But now, he realized there were many things beyond his control, as if everything was predetermined.


    The debts owed to others, after all, had to be repaid.


    ...


    After much consideration, Zhou Hai eventually took the initiative to seek out Ye Hongyuan.


    Medical technology really has advanced. The confiscated items were from the underground lab that Wu Xiujie, that old man, set up. The identification equipment was very state-of-the-art, and then it was taken over by the higher-ups. Now it has become a medical institution, directly managed by them, so there is no need to go abroad¡ªyou can get it done domestically.


    It just takes half a month for the results to come out.


    Zhou Hai tried his best not to take his anger out on Zhou Ruoruo. Whether she was his daughter or not, the love he had for his child over the years wasn¡¯t fake. Yet, precisely because of this, his heart really ached every time he thought of his eldest daughter and son.


    His son looked like Xiao Wei, but those eyes were just like his.


    Jiao Jiao resembled him, especially when she was younger.


    In recent years, the girl had grown up and changed a lot, becoming more attractive, but she still looked a lot like him.


    However, Ruoruo looked like Liu Ying, very much so.


    ...


    In the end, Zhou Hai took Liu Ying and Zhou Ruoruo back to the Tenghai Research Base.


    Zhou Ruoruo was extremely dejected and had lost a lot of weight. Even though Liu Ying was careful and always tried to cheer her up, it did no good because her father, whom she loved dearly, had changed his attitude.


    Zhou Hai also lost a lot of weight but pulled himself together and brought many things to the neighbors.


    This family took care of both children and even offered advice for college entrance choices¡ªHe Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu were the consultants.


    With the advice of these two, Jiao Jiao¡¯s college preferences wouldn¡¯t be wasted. He was assured of that, but his sense of obligation grew heavier.


    After all, his home was still here. He brought back all the things that Xiao Wei mailed over the years that he could carry.


    Among them was something he, a grown man, couldn¡¯t talk about: Liu Ying had not spent that sum of money; it was still saved up now. That was the only thing that gave him some comfort. But was he a man short of money?


    Although Liu Ying didn¡¯t spend that money, she used the things Xiao Wei mailed for Jiao Jiao for herself.


    A grown man, no matter how much he liked Liu Ying, wouldn¡¯t care about what she used during her period.


    He is, after all, a man.


    He couldn¡¯t speak of this; even thinking about it made him feel disgusted.


    It was certain that he could no longer be a husband to Liu Ying, and he didn¡¯t care if this meant severing ties with the Zhou Family and his own mother.


    But the prerequisite was to confirm who Zhou Ruoruo¡¯s father really was. If she was his, what could he do? He now knew that a child without their biological mother is pitiful.


    Liu Ying might have countless faults, but her love for Ruoruo was genuine, as precious as the apple of her eye. If the child wasn¡¯t his own, it wouldn¡¯t matter, but if she truly was, then she would definitely go with her mother after the divorce.


    Liu Ying was a restless woman. Now young and beautiful, she could easily remarry if she wanted.


    But Ruoruo was only twelve¡ªhow could he possibly be at ease letting the child live with a stepfather?


    But as it turned out, he wasn¡¯t a good father himself.


    To remarry, wouldn¡¯t she also have a stepmother?


    So after thinking it over, Zhou Hai simply stopped thinking about it altogether. He would wait for the results of the paternity test before making any decisions.


    He couldn¡¯t possibly talk about the family issues with He Xiuyu and the others, but it was obvious that Zhou Hai wasn¡¯t his usual self. He told He Xiuyu that he would take a week off to rest at home before returning to work.


    Meanwhile, He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu actually knew what was happening in his household.


    Who had told them?


    It was Yuan Hengzhi.


    After learning about it, Yuan Hengzhi was indifferent towards Zhou Hai, but Liu Ying lived next door to the He Family¡ªthis woman was too scheming, and pitilessly so. While the blame couldn¡¯t all be dumped on her alone, she was certainly not free from guilt.

 Chapter 553 - 553 547 Took Action

    ?Chapter 553: Chapter 547: Took Action Chapter 553: Chapter 547: Took Action Ultimately, he knew it was necessary to inform his good buddies what was happening with the Zhou Family.


    So, two nights before Zhou Hai and the others returned, Yuan Hengzhi came over to talk about it.


    After dinner, he left, taking He Juanjuan with him. They had also established a general store on their side and wanted Juanjuan to help bring in some goods to fill the shelves.


    He Juanjuan left with him, excited and cheerful.


    For He Juanjuan, this was a recognition of her abilities, and she was naturally delighted.


    ...


    Half a month later, Jiao Jiao received an admission notice from Imperial University.


    She had discussed this beforehand with Xiao Wei, aiming to apply to Beijing, where her maternal grandparents and mother were, and her grades were good enough for Beijing.


    Reassured by this, Xiao Wei went to report for duty at her unit.


    That same afternoon, Zhou Hai also received a call from Beijing, from the old man, telling him that the results of the paternity test were out. At that moment, Zhou Hai felt his breathing constrict, and his heart skipped several beats.


    Perhaps the gods saw Zhou Hai¡¯s misfortune and finally shone a light on him. Zhou Ruoruo was his biological daughter, and his heart finally settled back into place. But he still had to face being demoted and Liu Ying¡¯s relentless pursuit.


    ...


    Dawn to dusk, clouds rolling and relaxing, no matter the upheaval, the earth remains unshaken, and everyday life continues unchanged.


    The neighbor of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house was still Zhou Hai, who was now in charge of infrastructure projects.


    To make his job easier, Brother Zhou gave up some of his profits, and the old master made a new choice. Consequently, the Zhou Family stabilized for the time being.


    However, Liu Ying was now unemployed, a true housewife.


    She hid inside the house, never going out, while Jiang Xin often came to visit.


    Jiang Xin asked nothing, but Qiao Qingyu thought that Jiang Xin definitely knew about those affairs in Beijing. There was no way that woman didn¡¯t know.


    Thus, when Liu Ying was down and out, Jiang Xin was there to provide warmth.


    Currently, Jiang Xin had taken over all of Liu Ying¡¯s duties and had officially become the director of the Cultural Palace.


    Qiao Qingyu thought women like Liu Ying wouldn¡¯t stand such a situation and would leave, yet except for not going outside, she acted as if nothing had happened.


    However, Zhou Hai didn¡¯t want her to stay like this. Somehow, he convinced Liu Ying to go and work as a temp at a farm.


    Then Zhou Hai hired a nanny to cook for his son and daughter.


    Zhou Hai was ruthless, so Qiao Qingyu felt this was not beneficial for the children¡¯s upbringing.


    But for Zhou Ruoruo, she still had a complete family.


    Everyone was living their own lives. With Liu Ying not appearing before her, Qiao Qingyu thought it was quite good as it was.


    Unexpectedly, when she got off work, she saw Jiao Jiao waiting for her with a troubled look.


    Seeing her return, Jiao Jiao grabbed Qiao Qingyu and dragged her to the study, then shut the door. The young girl gritted her teeth, ¡°Aunt Qiao, that woman Liu Ying is truly evil. She and Jiang Xin secretly planned...¡±


    At this point, Zhou Zijiao¡¯s face turned red, and she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say the rest of the words.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart sank. She didn¡¯t force Zhou Zijiao to continue, but instead asked, ¡°Jiao Jiao, did they plan to drive me out and then have Jiang Xin marry your Uncle He?¡±


    Zhou Zijiao nodded vigorously, ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s exactly it. They are so shameless, really too shameless...¡±


    She had accidentally overheard it.


    The girl was so angry that she stomped her feet vigorously, making the floor thud.


    ¡°There, there, don¡¯t worry,¡± Qiao Qingyu hurriedly comforted the flushed Zhou Zijiao.


    But Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t pursue the matter any further.


    If Zhou Zijiao had been two or three years older, she might have asked outright. But the child had just turned seventeen and was still a minor. Besides, the matters those two women discussed were surely nothing good, just bedroom talk, and then this child had to hear it, truly disgusting.


    ¡°Jiao Jiao, just pretend you don¡¯t know anything. In a few days, you¡¯ll be heading to Imperial University in Beijing. From your perspective, there¡¯s no need for you to clash with Liu Ying, or Jiang Xin for that matter. You¡¯ll hardly have any contact with her in the future, just pretend you don¡¯t know her.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Qiao, I know, but I just feel that they are so disgusting and despicable.¡±


    Before Qiao Qingyu could speak, Zhou Zijiao puffed out her chest, clenched her small hand, and continued seriously, ¡°Aunt Qiao, they didn¡¯t say exactly what they would do, but Liu Ying mentioned finding a way to trick Uncle He into coming to my house, and Jiang Xin said she had a drug that, as long as she could be alone with Uncle He, anything was possible...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s brow furrowed.


    The drug in Jiang Xin¡¯s possession could only be that kind, but no matter which drug, this woman was going to extremes.


    Indeed, at any cost to achieve her goals.


    Even Qiao Qingyu herself knew that, given the current situation and conditions, it would be incredibly difficult for Jiang Xin to disrupt her family.


    Unless Jiang Xin, like Su Yunyao, had scientific research results and was a research genius, then she might have a chance to get close to He Xiuyu. Otherwise, the only ones Jiang Xin could approach were Old Wei and Old Xie.


    So, had Jiang Xin lost her mind?


    Or could it be that Liu Ying couldn¡¯t stand to see her do well?


    After all, wasn¡¯t it by these means that Liu Ying had succeeded back then?


    Thus, Qiao Qingyu naturally couldn¡¯t take this matter lightly.


    That evening, Qiao Qingyu looked at He Xiuyu with a half-smile, ¡°Imagine how foolish you¡¯d have to be to fall into a pit...¡±


    He Xiuyu agreed, ¡°Yeah, if your man fell into a pit, that really would be too stupid to keep.¡±


    Noticing He Xiuyu¡¯s nonchalant manner, Qiao Qingyu still said earnestly, ¡°Don¡¯t just brush it off. There¡¯s a saying that details determine success or failure, and it makes sense. Besides...¡±


    Here Qiao Qingyu paused for a moment, and He Xiuyu, taking the cue, asked, ¡°Besides what?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not without successful examples to learn from. So you understand, right? Do I really need to spell it out for you?¡±


    Understood!


    Wasn¡¯t it just the little things he and Qiao Qingyu knew about?


    That wasn¡¯t the same as Liu Ying and the others. Jiang Xin was even less comparable.


    He had known Qiao Qingyu from a younger age. Saying they were childhood sweethearts who grew up together was a bit exaggerated, but it was true. During those winter and summer holidays, He Xiuyu had always run to Hejia Village.


    Later, when he attended the classes for gifted youths and his studies became heavier, his visits decreased. But deep down, he truly hadn¡¯t forgotten that little girl. Of course, he dared not admit it, lest his character be questioned. But to be honest, at that time, he had no other intentions. He just really liked that sweetly smiling girl who called him big brother.


    He liked her very much, so much that whenever he had something nice, the first person he thought of was Qingyu.

 Chapter 554 - 554 548 Medicine Found in Jiang Xins Dorm Room

    ?Chapter 554: Chapter 548: Medicine Found in Jiang Xin¡¯s Dorm Room Chapter 554: Chapter 548: Medicine Found in Jiang Xin¡¯s Dorm Room On the day he returned to Hejia Village, he met Qiao Qingyu, unaware that her soul had been replaced by another¡¯s.


    But because of his existing impression of her, he did not guard against her.


    Yet, he had to admit, his beginning with Qiao Qingyu was indeed a failed example, but what did that matter? Even if they had strayed for a while, things eventually corrected themselves, which was enough.


    Rarely verbose, He Xiuyu spoke at length as somewhat of a defense for himself, but also to explain to Qiao Qingyu that the reason he hadn¡¯t been wary of her was because they had played together during winter and summer vacations as children...


    So, in the end, it was her fault.


    Qiao Qingyu reached out and playfully pinched the soft flesh around his waist.


    He Xiuyu grimaced in pain but swiftly changed the subject.


    He mentioned that Jiang Xin had medicine in her possession.


    Then, Qiao Qingyu recalled that, perhaps last year, the child Zhao Yuan had mentioned something his mother had once said.


    Now, with the vigorous development of the economy, the class struggle between friends and foes had transformed, no longer a life-and-death fight over territories but had shifted to other tactics.


    Such as in the fields of economic development, and cultural and personnel exchanges¡ªthere were so many possibilities.


    As the nature of the conflict changed, so too must people¡¯s ways of thinking.


    So, was there a connection between the medicine Jiang Xin had and this hospital?


    Seeing that he had successfully shifted the topic, He Xiuyu realized that there were some things Qiao Qingyu could say that he couldn¡¯t¡ªthat whatever Qiao Qingyu said was fine, but whatever he said was wrong.


    So, it was better not to say anything.


    ...


    Zhou Zijiao packed her things, waiting for Xiao Wei to pick her up.


    Zhou Hai wasn¡¯t returning to Beijing for the time being; he had no face to return, but fortunately, Brother Zhou used his connections to allocate more funds for the development of the base, and the factory projects the base had applied for were also approved. With these resources, Zhou Hai could work here for another five years.


    Five years wasn¡¯t particularly long but wasn¡¯t short either.


    Thus, Zhou Hai slowly recovered his spirits; he was competent at his work. Now, aside from the experimental areas, the residential zone of the base had taken on the scope of a city.


    With so many people at the base, its self-sufficiency could support a small city.


    This area was temporarily known as the ¡®Living City.¡¯


    Eventually, schools, hospitals, and stores would relocate there.


    Currently, the comprehensive school, kindergarten, and stores were all connected, and their preparation was managed by the Agricultural Group.


    The Agricultural Group had expanded its territory; in spring, a cereal processing plant was built.


    This was Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu¡¯s plan: to give it three more years, using the Tenghai Group brand to promote all the viable seeds from the space experiments.


    Adding these three years made it ten.


    In three years, Gelle State, the closest area, would also achieve self-sufficiency with the Barley Grass seeds.


    Then, Qiao Qingyu planned to withdraw from the Agricultural Group.


    These three years were also the time Wu Xiucai gave Qiao Qingyu.


    Wu Tai now had health issues, many jobs were beyond his capacity, and Wu Xiucai wanted to rest.


    Moreover, three years later, Qiao Qingyu would need to start learning from scratch at Wulong Group.


    Wulong Group¡¯s current businesses, both domestic and international, were vast and broad-ranging, especially those parts domestically that were invested in without expecting returns.


    This part of Wulong Group was a secret, known by few outsiders because it was related to national concerns.


    So, it would take time for Qiao Qingyu to truly take control of Wulong Group.


    Qiao Qingyu neither agreed nor disagreed; she wasn¡¯t particularly interested in dominating Wulong Group, but she had to admit, she was indeed the suitable successor.


    Qiao Qingyu was, however, very interested in the grain and oil processing that Wulong Group wanted to invest in.


    But currently, the supply of grain and soybeans hadn¡¯t reached an unmanageable surplus.


    So that discussion would have to wait for three years.


    Xiao Wei came to pick up Zhou Zijiao to go to school in Beijing.


    Jiao Jiao said her reluctant goodbyes to Qiao Qingyu, then kissed Little Chaoxuan several times before she and her mother got into the jeep and headed to the train station.


    Those unaware of the details commented that ¡°Sheepskin can¡¯t be attached to a dog¡¯s body,¡± referring to how Zhou Zijiao, cheerful and joyous, followed her biological mother without giving Liu Ying a single glance, regardless of how well she was cared for¡ªcalling her an ingrate.


    Liu Ying didn¡¯t explain but simply smiled and returned home.


    Zhou Hai didn¡¯t know about this; by the time he found out, Jiao Jiao was already about to start school.


    But the base¡¯s comprehensive school hadn¡¯t opened yet, however, the high school juniors preparing for their senior year hadn¡¯t had summer break, and the teachers were giving them remedial classes every day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.


    The comprehensive school¡¯s college entrance examination results were very good this year, with 12 making it into top universities, 35 into first-tier, 30 into second-tier universities, and over 40 into community colleges.


    Almost half of the graduates.


    The results were indeed gratifying, especially since the universities hadn¡¯t yet expanded their admission quotas.


    Jiao Jiao scored first in West City, following in Aunt Qiao¡¯s footsteps.


    Just as things were calming down, suddenly the whole Tenghai Research Base was put under martial law.


    No entry or exit was allowed.


    The atmosphere was tenser than ever before; many people didn¡¯t know what had happened, and managers in every department, office, factory, and even residential areas urged everyone to stay calm, not to panic; the martial law was due to very important medication that went missing from the Biotechnology Laboratory.


    Medication that was crucial¡ªso everyone diligently stayed at their posts, not daring to wander.


    Deploying this measure wasn¡¯t difficult; before Liu Ying and Jiang Xin could even continue planning, a drug was found in Jiang Xin¡¯s dormitory.


    It was an unbranded, unnumbered, dateless and factory-less unknown medication.


    Naturally, Jiang Xin was also in her dormitory when a clear goal to search for this medication was set, Jiang Xin, living alone in accordance with her position, had a private dorm room.


    Jiang Xin thought she had hidden it very secretly, yet Director Lin found it personally during the search.


    At that moment, Jiang Xin¡¯s face turned completely pale, her mind went blank, and she stood rooted to the spot.


    Jiang Xin, along with the discovered medicine bottle, was taken to the security office.


    However, she was still a person of some status, so she was given due respect; she was kept in a room by herself and when Director Lin questioned her, he was gentle, merely seeking to understand the situation.


    Only then did Jiang Xin come to her senses, instinctively beginning to dissociate herself from the situation, insisting the item wasn¡¯t hers, that she had never seen it before, and it must have been someone else who had stealthily placed it in her room. However, as to who that could be, she instead urged Director Lin to thoroughly investigate.

 Chapter 555 - 555 549 Jumping into the Yellow River Wont

    ?Chapter 555: Chapter 549: Jumping into the Yellow River Won¡¯t Wash It Clean Chapter 555: Chapter 549: Jumping into the Yellow River Won¡¯t Wash It Clean Jiang Xin knew the medicine bottle she had could not possibly be the important pharmaceutical missing from the Biotechnology Laboratory, but the medicine had already been taken there for inspection. When she went to cooperate with the investigation, she had said that the substance was not hers, and now it was simply a matter of reiterating that fact.


    So, by now, the medicine bottle must have been under inspection. Those in the lab were all tech moguls; determining what the inspected medicine truly was should be a matter of minutes.


    If they discovered what this medicine was, not only would she be unable to remain at the base, but she would also never be able to hold her head high again.


    Director Lin didn¡¯t ask further, simply nodding and saying, ¡°We¡¯ve inconvenienced you today. You can go back once we have identified what the substance is.¡±


    He then had bedding and toiletries delivered. Jiang Xin¡¯s expression darkened, but she was powerless and unable to contact the outside world.


    The identity of the medicine was quickly confirmed by the Biotechnology Laboratory.


    When Director Lin went to retrieve the test results, he was indeed surprised. Therefore, when Director Lin held the identification results and the medicine bottle, his expression was quite peculiar.


    That evening, he secretly said to his wife, ¡°It¡¯s really surprising, I never would¡¯ve thought Jiang Xin was this kind of person, to have such medicine at hand. Is it for her own use or for Han Chengfeng?¡±


    ¡°Why do you care who it¡¯s for? That woman is just trouble. There are plenty of beautiful and talented women out there, but relying on her looks, she expects everyone to fawn over her. She just rubs me the wrong way.¡±


    His wife had no good impression of Jiang Xin, so when she heard about the situation, she immediately had a lot to say. Director Lin hurriedly whispered a warning, ¡°Don¡¯t talk about this to anyone.¡±


    Director Lin¡¯s wife scoffed, ¡°Even if you told me to spread the word, I¡¯d be too embarrassed to.¡±


    Jiang Xin was quickly released; Han Chengfeng had stepped forward to claim that the medicine bottle had been unintentionally left in Jiang Xin¡¯s dorm by him.


    As for why he possessed such medicine, Han Chengfeng¡¯s explanation was that a friend had deceived him...


    Regardless, his story was full of holes, but as he persisted with his version, no one could do anything about it.


    But Jiang Xin truly loathed Han Chengfeng now.


    She had insisted that she knew nothing about the item, ready to claim that someone had framed her. With an opportunity, her family could intervene and smoothly settle the matter without anyone being the wiser.


    However, Han Chengfeng¡¯s intervention made it impossible to clear her name even if she jumped into the Yellow River.


    Moreover, their supposed relationship was now labeled, seemingly impossible to tear off.


    This was not what Jiang Xin had intended.


    The medicine was not yet regulated by the state to be forbidden for personal possession and use, so it was returned to Han Chengfeng.


    Holding the medicine bottle, a hint of jealousy flickered in Han Chengfeng¡¯s eyes, yet he said nothing and instead made a call to Beijing.


    Half a month later, both he and Jiang Xin were transferred.


    Tenghai Research Base was never short of talent in any field, so soon enough, candidates for the director and deputy director of the Cultural Palace were selected.


    Then, the incident involving Jiang Xin also came to a complete conclusion.


    It was only when Jiang Xin was leaving that she found out everyone knew about the matter.


    Her departure was quite embarrassing.


    Perhaps she would never return to the research base in her lifetime?


    As for the important lost medicine, no one cared by now. The martial law had been lifted, which must mean it had been found.


    Everyone covertly enjoyed discussing the matter.


    Qiao Qingyu also hadn¡¯t expected the issue to be resolved in such a way, but it had to be said that this outcome was the best.


    For her and He Xiuyu, nabbing people with bait and toying with law enforcement were actions only fools would undertake.


    Once tainted with a man-woman scandal, the stain was indeed impossible to wash away.


    Besides, this wasn¡¯t meant for experiments.


    ...


    Wang Laogen drove the horse-drawn cart, loaded with melons, straight to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house. He was now a worker at the Tenghai Research Base and no longer needed to call ahead; he simply brought the cart directly to her front door.


    The watermelons were a new variety, also promoted from Qiao Qingyu¡¯s Space Laboratory.


    Thanks to the long hours of sunlight, coupled with favorable weather this year, the more than a thousand acres of watermelon yielded a bountiful harvest.


    There was no need to haul them out for sale, as many people took advantage of their off-work or holiday time to go directly to the watermelon fields to buy the fruit.


    Because of this, Old Xie had specially placed someone there to manage the payments and keep the accounts.


    Watermelons were seasonal, and the time was just these few days.


    But in just these few days, this area of the watermelon field sold for quite a sum.


    Wang Laogen hurriedly brought over a cart of watermelons; otherwise, the first batch of ripe melons would be snatched up entirely, the second batch somewhat less so, and all that remained now was the underripe ones.


    That night, Little Chaoxuan ate a bit too much watermelon. He lived with his mom and dad, and in the morning, the little guy cried out with a ¡°wah,¡± startling both Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu, who quickly sat up in bed.


    To prevent catching a cold in the stomach, the child was always dressed in a vest for sleep.


    They then saw a wet patch on the vest wrapped around his butt.


    He Xiuyu looked at the bed and saw what looked like a drawn map. Little Chaoxuan was crying miserably, pointing at He Xiuyu with an aggrieved expression, ¡°Mama, Papa wet the bed.¡±


    He Xiuyu, ¡°...¡±


    Seeing the child cry so pitifully, Qiao Qingyu quickly picked up Little Chaoxuan and skillfully removed the urine-soaked vest, while also saying, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, look, Papa wet the bed and he isn¡¯t crying...¡±


    He Xiuyu watched mother and son in stunned silence.


    He had something to say initially, but it unexpectedly turned into his own doing.


    It just goes to show that ¡°bear children¡± aren¡¯t about whether you teach them; it¡¯s in their bones.


    From that day on, He Xiuyu arranged study tasks for Little Chaoxuan.


    He originally wanted to wait a bit longer, but with the child¡¯s energy so abundant, his little head whirling with idle curiosity all day, wasn¡¯t it necessary to find him some tasks?


    Recite ancient poems, count 12345, phonetics aoe...


    Then He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu discovered that the child already knew dozens of poems by heart, understood phonetics and numbers, and could do arithmetic within ten.


    The couple looked at each other, and Qiao Qingyu asked her son in amazement, ¡°Who taught you all this?¡±


    She was home every day, and under her watchful eye, the child had learned so much without her knowing.


    And why hadn¡¯t the child ever shown off his poetry recitation skills to them?


    ¡°Brother and sister taught me,¡± Little Chaoxuan answered nonchalantly, then eagerly asked, ¡°So can I go out to play now?¡±


    He Xiuyu waved his hand, ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    The little guy cheered and ran out to meet up with Xiao Hu and Rongrong.


    Wu Qianyun was also astonished and asked the parents, ¡°You really didn¡¯t know?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu asked Wu Qianyun, ¡°Mom, did you know beforehand?¡±


    Wu Qianyun looked at the two helpless individuals, ¡°I thought you two knew all along.¡±

 Chapter 556 - 556 550 Left Abandoned by the Entire World

    ?Chapter 556: Chapter 550 Left Abandoned by the Entire World Chapter 556: Chapter 550 Left Abandoned by the Entire World He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu felt a bit guilty.


    They really hadn¡¯t paid enough attention to their child in this regard.


    Both felt somewhat self-reproachful.


    However, once they started paying more attention to their child, Qiao Qingyu found that Chaoxuan still preferred the old way.


    Free and unbounded.


    Qiao Qingyu wanted to try her hand at storytelling and started to tell a fairytale, but Chaoxuan interrupted her, ¡°Mom, I know this story... Little Red Riding Hood and her grandmother were eaten by the big bad wolf, but then a hunter came and saved them...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    Chaoxuan, ¡°Mom, that¡¯s not scientific. How big must the big bad wolf¡¯s stomach be to fit both a grandma and a little girl inside? Moreover, there¡¯s stomach acid inside, if he really ate the grandmother, she would definitely be corroded.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was shocked, ¡°Who told you all this...¡±


    Rongrong, having a day off on Sunday, walked over and pouted, ¡°I started by telling him fairytales, but he debunked them all with his theories...¡±


    ¡°Mom, actually this fairytale is influenced by our folk story ¡®Tiger Aunt¡¯. Furthermore, Little Red Riding Hood is neither as brave nor as smart as the child in ¡®Tiger Aunt¡¯, and the plot isn¡¯t as twisting. It¡¯s meaningless. But in ¡®Tiger Aunt¡¯ the little brother gets eaten and isn¡¯t saved, so maybe Little Red Riding Hood should be for four- or five-year-olds...¡±


    ¡°Where did you hear about ¡®Tiger Aunt¡¯?¡± Qiao Qingyu was even more amazed.


    ¡°After listening to Little Red Riding Hood, I asked Dad, and he told me.¡±


    Well, that¡¯s a legitimate source, then.


    What¡¯s it like to have a son who loves to think?


    Qiao Qingyu knew it added a lot of fun.


    But after this, He Xiuyu began to teach the child about the Four Books and Five Classics.


    Qiao Qingyu then realized her man was widely read.


    Indeed, Chaoxuan was very interested and asked many questions, showing Qiao Qingyu that He Xiuyu was giving their child a chance to choose.


    Of course, thinking about the future at such a young age was a bit early.


    ...


    Finally, Chu Ying was done with her busy schedule and returned to Xichuan. Anxious to see her, she went straight to the comprehensive school and waited outside for over an hour until He Xuerong got out of school. When Rongrong saw her, she was momentarily stunned, but then ran over happily, ¡°Aunt Chu.¡±


    ¡°Rongrong, you¡¯ve gotten taller,¡± Chu Ying touched Rongrong¡¯s head, the young girl was almost up to her nose now, ¡°It¡¯s only been a little over half a year, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Aunt Chu, can you rest now?¡±


    ¡°Mhm, they gave me half a month off. Come on, Aunt will take you out to eat.¡± As she said this, she tried to take He Xuerong¡¯s school bag, but He Xuerong stopped her, ¡°Aunt, I need to go home to eat.¡±


    Then she added, ¡°My brother will look for me if he can¡¯t see me.¡±


    Chu Ying considered for a moment, originally intending to escort He Xuerong home, but beside them quietly waited a handsome young boy, Li Mingguang, Mr. Li¡¯s son, and Rongrong¡¯s best friend.


    Besides, she knew if she went at this time, Qiao Qingyu would certainly insist she stay for dinner.


    So Chu Ying said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll visit your house on Sunday when you have a day off.¡±


    Chu Ying and Rongrong chatted as they walked toward the school gate.


    Zhou Ruoruo, trailing behind them not far off, felt uncomfortable. The young girl had grown taller, but her face always seemed to carry a shade of gloom.


    She didn¡¯t understand, not at all.


    He Xuerong¡¯s parents had divorced, one in the far north, the other in the deep south, almost like having no parents at all, yet she seemed very happy.


    She lived at her uncle and aunt¡¯s house, but it was just like her own home.


    Although she didn¡¯t like it, she envied it.


    Not to mention that now someone was coming to school to see her, ready to take her out to dinner.


    Zhou Ruoruo withdrew her gaze, dawdling, not wanting to walk with He Xuerong and Li Mingguang, nor did she want to talk to them, either leading in front or trailing behind, always ensuring she was distanced in terms of both space and time.


    How wonderful it would be if she could move out, never to see these two annoying people again.


    But Zhou Ruoruo knew that her home was no longer the home it had been.


    Though there were now servants cooking delicious meals, the cheerful atmosphere of the past was gone forever.


    For reasons unknown, her parents seemed to be in constant conflict. Every time she saw her mother cautiously trying to please her father, her heart ached.


    Yet she didn¡¯t dare say anything; whenever she spoke up for her mother, her father would become decidedly unhappy, especially since she really didn¡¯t want her mother working on the farm¡ªit was so embarrassing.


    As far as she could remember, her mother¡¯s job had always been glamorous.


    When did she start farming?


    Especially now, during the harvest season, her mother was up at dawn and worked until dusk.


    But what could she, a little child, do?


    Other than studying hard, there was no other solution.


    But what was more distressing was that no matter how hard she tried, she could never catch up with He Xuerong.


    He Xuerong was firmly the top student, both in their class and their grade.


    Then the second and third positions were alternately occupied by her and Li Mingguang.


    Overall, it was a rather bleak situation.


    Her sister had gone to university and hadn¡¯t even called her once since. If she went home, her father would definitely still be at work, and her mother as well.


    Her brother, even if he did come home, would just make a brief appearance before disappearing again.


    Walking sluggishly on the road, Zhou Ruoruo felt like she had been abandoned by the entire world.


    The next day, Chu Ying went to He Xiuyu¡¯s house carrying many items, including nutritional supplements for Wu Qianyun and toys for Chaoxuan.


    Of course, there were also things for He Xuerong.


    It had been a long while since Chu Ying had visited, so it was natural for Qiao Qingyu to invite her to stay for a meal.


    Now that material supplies were timely and abundant, Qiao Qingyu saw that the Northwest, such a previously underdeveloped area, had developed more than five years ahead of schedule.


    Thus, the food on the cafeteria tables at the base was plentiful, except for certain specialty items, like seafood rarities here, but things like beef and mutton were abundant.


    Not only did the base have vegetable greenhouses, but many towns and counties in Xiaxi Town, Yushu County, and even Xichuan also had plenty.


    Even vegetables from Xichuan were being sold outside the province.


    And then there was the fruit.


    Dates were a local specialty, available in several varieties, but thanks to the unique geographical conditions, the dates here were thick-fleshed, sweet, and had small pits.


    The planted apple trees had also started bearing fruit, and these trees, produced from lab-grafted experiments, were now in their fruiting period, with dozens of baskets being shipped out from the orchards daily.


    Thus the term Outer Jiangnan for this place was no exaggeration.


    Chu Ying, crunching on apples, played with Chaoxuan, and after everything settled, she found Qiao Qingyu for a chat.


    They ended up discussing He Xiuwen.

 Chapter 557 - 557 551 Dead Weight

    ?Chapter 557: Chapter 551: Dead Weight Chapter 557: Chapter 551: Dead Weight Chu Ying hadn¡¯t been at the base; she was transferred away eight months ago and had just completed her task. It was only now that Qiao Qingyu learned that during this past half-year, it turns out Chu Ying had been with He Xiuwen.


    Moreover, Chu Ying planned to move in with He Xiuwen.


    As Chu Ying spoke these words, her cheeks were unusually red, and she seemed hesitant to look at Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu smiled and said, ¡°You guys kept it quite tight, now you¡¯re even talking about marriage...¡±


    Chu Ying hurriedly explained, ¡°Not exactly, we just want to coordinate our work first. Besides, I grew up in Yun City.¡±


    At this point, Chu Ying paused, ¡°Qingyu, actually, at first, I was ready to back out. Rongrong is doing very well with you, and you and Chief Engineer He are like her parents. She never sees herself as your niece, even a stranger like me can see that. I thought, if I really pursued He Xiuwen and he liked me back, then we would definitely talk about marriage and forming a family. Then, I would want to have Rongrong come live with us...¡±


    She paused again, then continued, ¡°But at that time, my job was simply not suitable for starting a family. I was so busy with work; how could I find time to take care of Rongrong? It might even add burden to the child, which is not what I wanted. Yet, unexpectedly, my job took me to Yun City, and coincidentally, Brother He was also involved in my work tasks...¡±


    Chu Ying felt too embarrassed to continue.


    But even without her saying it, Qiao Qingyu understood what was implied¡ªover these several months, the two had fallen for each other.


    To be honest, Qiao Qingyu was happy to see this happen.


    It¡¯s not that He Xiuwen had to settle down; if not meeting the right person, it¡¯s better as of now rather than ending up like another resentful couple like Liu Ge. But if he had met the right person, why not join hands and spend a life together?


    Nowadays, girls are independent and strong, but having a loved one by their side brings a different flavor to life.


    With love, life has hope.


    A life filled with hope also makes people feel that their existence is full of charm and motivation.


    Qiao Qingyu asked Chu Ying, ¡°So you mean to settle down in Yun City and then have Rongrong join you, but have you set a time? And have you considered Rongrong is already in her second year of junior high?¡±


    ¡°All of these have been considered. I¡¯ve already checked out the schools in Yun City. With Rongrong¡¯s academic performance, they would certainly welcome her. It¡¯s just that I feel this matter shouldn¡¯t be mine to tell. It should be Brother He coming back and talking to Rongrong personally. Qingyu, do you think my thinking is correct?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu thought about it and believed it really should be He Xiuwen addressing the matter with Rongrong personally.


    But Qiao Qingyu was somewhat worried.


    ¡°Rongrong is actually quite sensitive inside. If it was her dad talking to her, she would definitely think, ¡®After all this time, Aunt Chu knew everything, yet she pretended nothing was wrong and kept it from me.''¡±


    Chu Ying also worried, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I thought too. That child will definitely feel that I¡¯m playing mind games with her.¡±


    That¡¯s the drawback of living in the same research complex.


    However, Chu Ying quickly perked up, ¡°Some things become complicated only when people overthink them. As long as my conscience is clear, there shouldn¡¯t be any problem.¡±


    ¡°If you think there¡¯s no problem, then there¡¯s no problem,¡± said Qiao Qingyu.


    After Chu Ying left, Qiao Qingyu discussed the matter with He Xiuyu.


    He Xiuyu frowned, ¡°I haven¡¯t been in contact with my brother for a while.¡±


    This matter should have been addressed by He Xiuwen, but it was Chu Ying who came back and spoke about it.


    No choice, their relationship was a bit special, living together.


    Chu Ying could arguably not tell Rongrong, not telling He Xiuyu was not really an issue, but not telling Qiao Qingyu would have been improper.


    The two might become sisters-in-law in the future, and about Chu Ying¡¯s pursuit of He Xiuwen, Qiao Qingyu knew it all, even before He Xiuyu did.


    Chu Ying could keep it from everyone else, but could not keep it from Qiao Qingyu.


    But after knowing, Qiao Qingyu would definitely discuss with He Xiuyu.


    So it came full circle back again.


    Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink this, we¡¯ll just see whether Rongrong will be in Yun City or Xichuan after they get married, that¡¯s enough.¡±


    He Xiuyu had some reservations.


    His elder brother was a good brother, a good team leader, but not a good father.


    But Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words also made sense, not to complicate simple matters, especially among brothers.


    If Chu Ying had stayed in Lin City, he would have definitely heard about it from his elder brother.


    So, no one was to blame.


    Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°Objectively speaking, I hope Rongrong will take her university exams here, although the conditions here can¡¯t compare with Yun City, they are not dramatically worse.¡±


    He Xiuyu pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Let¡¯s wait for elder brother to come back before discussing it.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu then dropped the topic. He Xiuwen arrived at the Tenghai Research Base a week after Chu Ying returned to her unit.


    He Xiuwen took the matter very seriously and explained everything to his daughter in detail.


    He Xuerong¡¯s expression changed repeatedly; although she was prepared, to tell the truth, she still felt a bit uncomfortable.


    Especially over the past week, she saw Aunt Chu every day.


    But Aunt Chu never mentioned it.


    What did that mean?


    Was everyone aware of it and just hiding it from her?


    Why hide it from her?


    Was it because they thought she was a burden?


    Thinking about this, He Xuerong¡¯s expression worsened, and her eyes reddened.


    She said to He Xiuwen, ¡°Sister Jiaojiao was admitted to Imperial University from our school, I want to follow in her footsteps.¡±


    Without even considering, He Xiuwen said, ¡°Alright, Rongrong, we¡¯ll do as you wish.¡±


    He Xuerong looked at He Xiuwen strangely, ¡°Dad, what about Aunt Chu? Are you not getting married anymore?¡±


    He Xuerong was precocious and understood a lot. Each time her mother and Uncle Wu were sweet together, she felt sorry for her dad. She also hoped that her dad would have a woman by his side to share affection, just like her little uncle and little aunt.


    After getting to know Chu Ying, she truly got along well with her.


    Earlier, her thoughts had skewed, but actually, Aunt Chu was a good person, simple-minded, transparent, and pure, without any complications, and that¡¯s why she liked being with her.


    Besides, Aunt Chu was prettier than her mother and deserved her dad.


    Although she had some reservations about Chu Ying just now, hearing what her dad said, Rongrong felt she was being a bit unfair to Aunt Chu.


    ¡°The two of us have discussed it, and everything will be based on your opinion. If you like it here, dad will arrange to move to Xichuan.¡±


    He Xuerong hesitated for a moment, ¡°But dad, don¡¯t you have a great dream? Isn¡¯t your great dream about to be realized...¡±


    He Xiuwen patted his daughter¡¯s head, his eyes full of affection, tenderness, and mostly guilt.


    ¡°Your dad owes you a lot. Compared with my dreams, my daughter is very important too.¡±

 Chapter 558 - 558 552 So You Love Me Too

    ?Chapter 558: Chapter 552 So You Love Me Too Chapter 558: Chapter 552 So You Love Me Too He Xuerong¡¯s tears suddenly spilled over. She had been on the verge of storming out of the room in a huff, but instead turned around and flung herself into He Xiuwen¡¯s arms, her voice choked with emotion, ¡°Dad, you really do love me.¡±


    ¡°Rongrong, from the moment I knew you were coming into this world, I have never stopped loving you.¡±


    He Xuerong sniffled and clung to her dad for quite some time.


    He Xiuwen also felt a deep ache within him, knowing he owed his daughter far too much.


    He thought that if he didn¡¯t make amends soon, his daughter would grow up and no longer need him.


    After Rongrong was comforted, the two brothers had a long talk.


    He Xiuyu said, ¡°Big brother, I know what you¡¯re thinking.¡±


    He Xiuwen took a sip of green tea, and with a noncommittal smile, replied, ¡°Ah Yu, perhaps it¡¯s age catching up to me¡ªI find myself thinking more and feeling softer. Whenever I think of Rongrong, I feel increasingly that I owe her too much. I know she¡¯s safe with you; you and Qingyu treat her like your own daughter.¡±


    He paused, then continued, ¡°My current phase of work has come to an end. I would very much like to witness the birth of great moments, but I¡¯m not indispensable there. Chu Ying was only assigned temporarily anyway. If it weren¡¯t for those foreign engineers she persuaded to join, this temporary assignment wouldn¡¯t have even happened...¡±


    Some things didn¡¯t need to be spelled out. He Xiuyu understood and then asked, ¡°Chu Ying is easy to handle¡ªshe can just go back to her original position. Given her contributions, even though she¡¯s a female engineer, she qualifies for a housing allocation. But what are your plans? Do you still intend to travel far and wide like before?¡±


    He Xiuwen pondered for a moment, then looked at He Xiuyu with a smile and asked, ¡°Ah Yu, what do you think about big brother changing careers?¡±


    Even someone as composed as He Xiuyu was taken aback by the question. No one knew better than him how much his big brother loved the special forces team, how much he enjoyed spending every day with his teammates, and he even doubted whether his big brother could endure the dull, indifferent domestic life if he ever came home.


    Although big brother was just past thirty, it was a time when a man was in his prime.


    With his qualifications, climbing up the ranks wouldn¡¯t be difficult, and there was still a lot of room for advancement.


    If he were to settle down locally, it would really be a pity.


    Since joining the special forces at sixteen, nearly twenty years had passed, and no one knew better than He Xiuyu how reluctant his big brother was to leave.


    However, some things were not immutable, requiring many considerations. But right now, He Xiuyu was more convinced that big brother¡¯s decision was 70% for Rongrong.


    Indeed, to put it in plain terms, if he didn¡¯t start dealing with his child now, she would soon grow up¡ªhead to university, work, start a family¡ªthen he as a father would truly become redundant.


    Without mentioning others, just look at Zhou Hai and Liu Ying. Once close, now estranged, yet they still grit their teeth and endure all sorts of anguish, all for the sake of giving their child a complete home.


    He fully supported big brother¡¯s decision, on the condition that Rongrong liked it.


    Hearing He Xiuyu¡¯s concerns, He Xiuwen laughed and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll file my report this afternoon. It¡¯ll probably be approved in half a month.¡±


    He Xiuyu was momentarily stunned. Given big brother¡¯s position and qualifications, how could it possibly be approved in just half a month? Wasn¡¯t that a bit too fast?


    However, He Xiuyu didn¡¯t ask further, sensing there must be more to the situation than he knew.


    ...


    Chu Ying once again went to the school gate to pick up He Xuerong, who had ignored her for the past couple of days.


    Chu Ying stared at the White Rabbit Creamy Candy in her hand, fretfully thinking that the child had lost interest in these things now.


    Rongrong didn¡¯t seem to lack anything.


    With the Wu family¡¯s great-grandpa and Secretary Chang flying domestically and internationally, the child always had the best and most fashionable items.


    Not to mention, she had a little aunt who was the purchasing director.


    To He Xuerong¡¯s surprise, when Chu Ying brought out two bags of Big White Rabbit cream candies, the girl¡¯s taut face softened instantly. As Rongrong exchanged glances with Li Mingguang, both children couldn¡¯t help but recall the times they used to deceive for a taste of sweets.


    Clearly, Chu Ying had forgotten, oblivious to the ambiguous glances exchanged between the two children.


    He Xuerong took the two bags of candy from her hands, handing one to Li Mingguang, then said to him, ¡°You go straight home. I¡¯m going to the restaurant with Aunt Chu.¡±


    Nowadays, with the comprehensive opening-up policy, a series of restaurants had opened around the newly constructed department store building.


    They served all kinds of delicious food, and their culinary skills were impressive, mostly invested in by the families of the base personnel.


    Chu Ying quickly added, ¡°Xiao Hu, if you¡¯re not busy, why not join us?¡±


    Li Mingguang had heard Rongrong grumble and complain about Aunt Chu before, even saying a few days ago that she wanted to unilaterally cut ties with Aunt Chu and ignore her forever.


    Things had improved a bit in the past few days,


    Now it seemed Rongrong had let go of her grudges and Aunt Chu definitely had something to say to her. Li Mingguang politely replied, ¡°Auntie, you go with Rongrong. I have to go home and help my mother with some things...¡±


    Chu Ying didn¡¯t insist.


    Currently, the whole West City was busy with the autumn harvest, not to mention the Agricultural Group.


    Qiao Qingyu was also very busy; it had been several days since she had seen her.


    Chu Ying knew about the conversation that had taken place between He Xiuwen and He Xiuyu, and was aware of He Xiuwen¡¯s choice.


    Although Chu Ying was not a person without her own opinions, in this matter, she tended to side with the decisions of He Xiuwen and Rongrong.


    He Xuerong originally intended to share her thoughts directly with Chu Ying, but observing Chu Ying¡¯s expression, He Xuerong suddenly felt playful and pretended to look unhappy. When they reached the crossroad, Li Mingguang would turn left, while Chu Ying continued straight ahead with He Xuerong, towards a restaurant that also sold egg cakes.


    Chu Ying thought that after the meal, she would buy some egg cakes to take back for Qiao Qingyu and others. The store was new and its egg cakes were reputed to be especially delicious.


    Making small talk, Chu Ying asked He Xuerong, ¡°Rongrong, that store sells especially tasty egg cakes. How about we buy some to take back for your grandma and brother after we finish eating?¡±


    He Xuerong looked up at Chu Ying. She was initially going to retort, but then pursed her lips and nodded.


    Chu Ying felt a relief in her heart; she knew what was making the child act so stubborn.


    At the restaurant, they ordered all of Rongrong¡¯s favorite dishes and asked for two bowls of rice. Then Chu Ying began to explain why she didn¡¯t tell her and her father immediately upon her return to the base.


    The more she talked, the less flushed Chu Ying¡¯s face became, but while speaking about such matters in front of someone else¡¯s daughter, she still felt somewhat feverish.


    Normally fluent in speech, she was now somewhat stammering.


    In any case, it was a bit awkward.

 Chapter 559 - 559 553 Simple Wedding

    ?Chapter 559: Chapter 553 Simple Wedding Chapter 559: Chapter 553 Simple Wedding He Xuerong ate halfway, looked at Chu Ying talking without eating, swallowed the food in her mouth, took out a handkerchief to wipe her lips, then raised a smiling face.


    This child was quite eloquent.


    ¡°Chu Ying, welcome to my father¡¯s and my home, from now on we are family.¡±


    Her words came so unexpectedly.


    Chu Ying was even stunned for a moment before she laughed, though her eyes were somewhat moist.


    He Xuerong sighed, ¡°Aunt Chu, really, you have very good qualifications in every aspect. You wouldn¡¯t have become my stepmother if you hadn¡¯t fallen for my dad, right?¡±


    Chu Ying, somewhat moved, didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry.


    ¡°Xuerong, don¡¯t keep saying ¡®stepmom.¡¯ Regardless of now or in the future, however you call me is fine, but I¡¯ll do my best to take good care of you.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Chu, I believe you.¡± He Xuerong paused here, blinked her big eyes, and said impolitely, ¡°I¡¯m very capable of caring for myself, so I shouldn¡¯t be too much trouble for you.¡±


    Chu Ying couldn¡¯t help but laugh, sometimes talking to Xuerong couldn¡¯t be like talking to a child, but not quite as an adult either, she was a quite complex being.


    But this child was especially sharp, she enjoyed being with Xuerong.


    She loved He Xiuwen, so naturally she would love his children, too.


    Of course, this child had her own mother, and they were still in contact, so some issues should be avoided as much as possible.


    She could do as Qiao Qingyu did, but then again, not exactly.


    Because the relationship was still quite awkward.


    After things got explained here, everyone was relieved.


    As expected, He Xiuwen¡¯s report was quickly approved. Holding the report, He Xiuwen felt a complex emotion, indescribable.


    But he knew, arms are iron, warriors are fleeting, it was his own choice, and he was going with the flow, so He Xiuwen then proceeded to the Xichuan Police Department.


    He Shan had known about this for a while, Meng Siqi actually wanted her eldest son to return to Beijing.


    Ahead of time, He Xiuwen had discussed this matter with He Shan, he was supportive when he submitted his report.


    In this regard, Meng Siqi always tended not to interfere.


    She left her sons to fend for themselves.


    Before reporting for duty, He Xiuwen took Chu Ying back to Beijing, planning to get married, he naturally wanted to introduce his bride-to-be to his parents.


    Meng Siqi knew about her two sons¡¯ marital affairs, she seemed powerless and unable to intervene, and if she did interfere, she¡¯d likely face resentment.


    So Meng Siqi had become wiser now, and with two more seniors in the family, she had some concerns even if she didn¡¯t need to do much, she wasn¡¯t as idle as before.


    After seeing Chu Ying, she was really satisfied, she was prettier than Liu Ge and also a very impressive scientist.


    Speaking of which, she and Chu Ying¡¯s mother were not strangers; they knew each other, but had never interacted before.


    Chu Ying¡¯s mother was very pleased with He Xiuwen; a son-in-law like He Xiuwen truly left nothing to be desired, even though he had now gone to the Xichuan Police, but everyone knew it was a form of training¡ªBeijing¡¯s National Security Department had already reserved a position for him.


    However, the only trouble was that He Xiuwen¡¯s daughter was already over ten years old, currently in the second year of junior high.


    For Chu Ying¡¯s mother, having her daughter be the stepmother to such a grown girl felt somewhat unfair to her daughter.


    Inability to withstand the daughter¡¯s consent, the parents turned a blind eye and having a meal together was tantamount to agreeing to the marriage.


    Both of their households had now moved to Xichuan, so getting married would mean going back there.


    The couple didn¡¯t put on a grand affair, opting for a simple and sincere wedding ceremony instead.


    He Xiuwen and Chu Ying felt that a pompous ceremony might upset Rongrong, and that was the last thing they wanted.


    In such situations, one had to consider more factors.


    Besides, both of them naturally preferred simplicity.


    They had their wedding ceremony on National Day. Unexpectedly, right after the holiday, an uncle from the Qiao Family Team called Qiao Qingyu and informed her that the rural villa was completed. He hoped that Qiao Qingyu could find time to come and see it.


    He was extending this invitation on behalf of the Qiao Family Team.


    It would be even better if He Xiuyu and Chaoxuan could also come along.


    Qiao Qingyu was already aware of the development situation of the Qiao Family Team and the progress of the houses, as her family called every now and then to keep in touch.


    After thinking for a while, Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°Uncle, I am also busy here, and so is He Xiuyu, but this is an important matter. Although our circumstances are incomparable to before, my mom has lived in the Qiao Family Team for decades¡ªfrom thatch-roofed houses to adobe houses, then to half-brick houses, and now a villa. We should at least get her to stay in the new house for a while.¡±


    ¡°Qingyu, your uncle thinks the same. So arrange it, and once you have, I¡¯ll come to pick you guys up.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give you a call once we¡¯ve decided.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu hung up the phone and began discussing the plan with Wu Qianyun, who said, ¡°A few days ago, your dad also mentioned that the house was almost ready. I was thinking that if you¡¯re both too busy with work, I could take Chaoxuan back myself. If the kid misses you, he could stay for a shorter period; if not, he can stay longer¡ªI planned it like this.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu thought it over; Chaoxuan was a wild child, and a trip out would definitely excite him.


    However, the journey was long, and she was worried the child might feel homesick after a few days of novelty at the Qiao Family Team.


    So, it would be better if she could go back with him.


    Unexpectedly, that afternoon, she received another call from Village Chief Sun, who warmly and formally invited Qiao Qingyu back to the Qiao Family Team for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.


    ¡°Never forget who dug the well when you drink from it,¡± Uncle Sun said to Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu felt warmth in her heart. Although there was no need for anyone to sing her praises, she did like being remembered.


    After all, she had indeed devoted a lot to the Qiao Family Team.


    Qiao Qingyu was busy too; the season was in the midst of autumn harvest.


    This year¡¯s scale had doubled compared to last year, leading to more responsibilities as the enterprise expanded.


    Work was one aspect, but Qiao Qingyu was also worried about Rongrong being left unattended.


    Chu Ying was getting accustomed to her new job, and He Xiuwen had just gone to Xichuan. The most pressing issue was the matter of the housing; according to He Xiuwen, the house would be allocated in Xichuan, but Rongrong was studying at the comprehensive school at the base, and Chu Ying was also working there, so they inclined toward Chu Ying getting the house there.


    According to Chu Ying¡¯s qualifications, she could be allocated a two-bedroom apartment.


    And timing-wise, it was also convenient, as the apartment was expected to be completely handed over in about a month, with utilities like water, electricity, and heating all set up.


    The house wouldn¡¯t be allocated until it was completely built.


    Of course, this was excluding other privately-owned properties.


    So, Qiao Qingyu asked the couple how exactly this family should settle down?

 Chapter 560 - 560 554 Going Home

    ?Chapter 560: Chapter 554: Going Home Chapter 560: Chapter 554: Going Home He Xiuwen learned from He Xiuyu that the Qiao Family Team¡¯s villa district had been completed, and the Village Chief had invited Qiao Qingyu to return, using official connections.


    He said to the couple, ¡°Rongrong has me and Chu Ying here. If you can manage to get away from work, then both of you go back together. If you can¡¯t, Qingyu can take little aunt and Chaoxuan back for a visit. Decide on a day to leave and call me, I¡¯ll arrange your train tickets.¡±


    He Xiuwen was always a decisive person in both actions and words.


    Chu Ying also learned the news.


    She ran to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s office and promised to take good care of Rongrong while Qiao Qingyu was not home.


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry a little.


    He Xuerong, the little girl with so many schemes up her sleeve, was facing such a pure-hearted stepmother, which made it easy for both of them to get along.


    Even if Chu Ying and He Xiuwen had children of their own in the future, it was estimated that there wouldn¡¯t be any significant conflict.


    He Xiuyu obviously wanted to return to the Qiao Family Team with her.


    But in his case, it was a matter of whether he could arrange his work.


    When they went home in the evening, Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°...We can always go back another time. Don¡¯t let this affect your work.¡±


    He Xiuyu replied, ¡°I¡¯ve already arranged my work... I¡¯m going to pack my things; we¡¯ll leave tomorrow.¡±


    This was indeed fast.


    As the times developed and various aspects continuously improved, the train service to North City had added another trip, and the speed had also increased.


    Moreover, the country had also started to crack down on road and rail bully practices and the chaos of black-market trading along the railways and on trains.


    Even in the hard seat section, it was much cleaner than before.


    Of course, there were still many people.


    Even with an additional train service, there were still a lot of people traveling.


    Upon arriving in North City, someone was sent specially to pick them up.


    Three jeeps were arranged.


    It was Chaoxuan¡¯s first long trip. With his shiny black eyes, he curiously looked outside at the landscape, which was different from the Northwest, with mountains and forests unique to this region.


    Especially the trees here, which were rarely seen in the Northwest.


    Lots of pine trees were planted along the road.


    Chaoxuan asked his mother which were camphor pines and which were larches?


    Qiao Qingyu certainly knew, as she had grown up seeing them and was familiar with them.


    However, it was unexpected that this child even knew about camphor pines and larches.


    He Xiuyu, sitting beside her, told Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Knowing we were coming to North City, he made me introduce him to the geographical location of North City as well as its vegetation distribution.¡±


    Qiao Shengbao, who was driving, was greatly delighted and kept glancing back at the little child seated between him and He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu.


    The child was really handsome, like the children in New Year prints.


    And he was so smart too.


    He was already acquainted with He Xiuyu, but this was the first time he remembered He Xiuyu formally bringing his wife and child back to the Qiao Family Team.


    Qiao Shengbao told Qiao Qingyu that the family was waiting for them.


    Chaoxuan thought his uncle, who kept looking back, was really fun.


    So he stood up and reached out to grab his uncle¡¯s hair. Qiao Shengbao quickly turned around, his face blooming into a smile, ¡°Chaoxuan, let uncle give you a hug.¡±


    Chaoxuan shook his head, ¡°Mom said I have lots of uncles, aunts, brothers, and sisters back in Qiao Family Team.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, they haven¡¯t met you yet and have been longing to see you.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll be responsible for introducing me to them.¡±


    Qiao Shengbao nodded earnestly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t miss a single one.¡±


    Chaoxuan had never imagined that he would suddenly have so many relatives.


    Although there was no snow in North City in October, it was the end of autumn and the beginning of winter. The crops were harvested, and the vast land was visible to the eye, covered with fallen poplar leaves. When the wind blew, the leaves danced in the air, and then you could see people in the Poplar Forest gathering them in sacks.


    Chaoxuan was familiar with this. Near their home in the East, the Poplar Forest would shed a lot of leaves in autumn, and then folks from the base would gather them in sacks.


    These leaves could be used for heating kang beds.


    Further in, a brand new and beautiful rural town unfolded before everyone¡¯s eyes.


    Qiao Shengbao was proud and took Chaoxuan in his arms, slinging him onto his neck. Chaoxuan was often carried this way by Li Mingguang, so he was used to it now. His little feet rested against Qiao Shengbao¡¯s chest while Qiao Shengbao held his little hands, running along the clean cement road toward the front.


    While running, he shouted, ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, Mom, Second Uncle, little Uncle, my little aunt and sister, and my brother-in-law are back!¡±


    Inside the clinic, Qiao Ye was tidying up things on the sanitary station swiftly.


    A faint smile played on her lips as her little aunt and uncle would be back soon. Dr. Jiang gave her two days off, and she had a lot to say to her little aunt whom she missed quite a bit. To her, her little aunt was not just an elder but also like a close sister.


    It was a kind of feeling that was quite different.


    Just then the door opened and looking up, Qiao Ye paused for a moment ¨C the one who entered was Qi Feng.


    Qi Feng had a plastic bag in his hand, filled with herbs to the brim.


    He was smiling brightly, his voice cheerful, ¡°I found these while surveying water conservancy with my colleagues in the mountains and thought of you; they might be useful here so I brought them over.¡±


    Qiao Ye smiled and, being busy, didn¡¯t coyly refuse but accepted it graciously, ¡°Brother Qi, just place it on the table, thank you.¡±


    After putting the plastic bag filled with herbs on the table, Qi Feng didn¡¯t leave. Instead, he stood with his hands in his pockets, scanning the room, and making conversation for the sake of it, ¡°Dr. Jiang isn¡¯t here, huh?¡±


    It was a rhetorical question; she was the only one in the clinic.


    Still, Qiao Ye nodded, ¡°Dr. Jiang went to the county town.¡±


    Qi Feng continued, ¡°I heard your little aunt is coming back.¡±


    Having finished her tasks, Qiao Ye took off her rubber gloves, washed her hands, and glanced outside the window, ¡°Brother Qi, is there something you need? If not, the clinic is going to be locked temporarily. My little aunt should be arriving home soon.¡±


    ¡°...Okay.¡± Qi Feng, with his long legs, quickly left the clinic but didn¡¯t go far and instead stood at the doorway.


    After changing, Qiao Ye took her bag, locked the clinic, and turned to see Qi Feng still standing nearby. She smiled at him and headed towards her home.


    The man had been behaving like this lately, but she left other thoughts unsaid.


    Unexpectedly, Qi Feng caught up again, ¡°I heard your little uncle is also coming?¡±


    Qiao Ye, ¡°...¡±


    Hadn¡¯t they already talked about this?


    Although she found it a bit odd, she still nodded earnestly, ¡°Yes, my little uncle is also coming back.¡±


    ¡°Chief Engineer He is very capable, and I¡¯m not sure if he has the time but I¡¯d love to consult with him about water conservancy projects.¡±

 Chapter 561 - 561 555 Surprise

    ?Chapter 561: Chapter 555: Surprise Chapter 561: Chapter 555: Surprise Qiao Ye thought to herself, unsure if her uncle-in-law knew anything about hydraulic engineering, but she couldn¡¯t voice this thought and vaguely said, ¡°It depends on whether uncle-in-law has the time.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s the point,¡± Qi Feng agreed, following Qiao Ye¡¯s lead.


    Unaware, they had reached the crossroads, not far from the villa area.


    Qi Feng stopped at the crossroads, not moving forward. Qiao Ye waved at him and hurried towards her home, seeing the jeep at the entrance and knowing her aunt and uncle-in-law had returned.


    The villa was already tidied up and ready for occupancy, but a ceremony was required first.


    The ceremony was set for tomorrow.


    This was decided by everyone after hearing the news of Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu¡¯s return.


    The Qiao Family Team had bought many firecrackers, and some leaders would attend the ribbon-cutting.


    After moving in, the old houses here would gradually be demolished to make room for dormitories for the base staff.


    It was said that the dormitory plans were already designed, just waiting for the funds next year to officially start construction. Workers like Qi Feng could settle down here and be allocated a house.


    Qi Feng watched as Qiao Ye¡¯s figure sped up, and a slight smile formed on his lips.


    Then, without thinking, he flexed his knees.


    This girl was impressive, unhesitating with her acupuncture, and believe it or not, she truly healed his leg.


    Qi Feng leisurely turned around and went back to his office.


    At the same time, Qiao Zhicai was entering the new house with his wife, daughter, son-in-law, and little grandson.


    After setting down their belongings, Qiao Zhiyuan and Qiao Zhicai glanced at each other. Qiao Zhiyuan cheerfully suggested, ¡°Qingyu, Xiu Yu, do you two want to go out for a walk with me?¡±


    The old lady glared at Qiao Zhiyuan, ¡°Having just gotten off the car, hardly setting foot on the ground, and already wanting to stroll around! Don¡¯t you know how tiring and arduous traveling is for them?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu quickly responded, ¡°Grandma, we traveled in a sleeper carriage, and even had a ride after getting off the train; it was quite comfortable. Let¡¯s just take a little stroll, we¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    He Xiuyu had already met the Qiao family members.


    The current villa belonged to Qiao Zhicai¡¯s family.


    It had two floors, a front yard, and a small vegetable garden in the back. Compared to before, the living space was much larger, although the garden was much smaller.


    But no one dwelled on that.


    Compared to such a beautiful house, what was a small garden? Besides, the remaining garden was enough to feed the family.


    The house was made of red bricks; inside, the walls were stark white, the floors cemented, and heating was installed, with gas supply promised once everyone had moved in.


    The houses owned by Qiao Zhicai¡¯s family and the old lady, damaged by Wang Mei¡¯s fire, had no roofs left, just left standing, waiting for a unified demolition.


    So, Qiao Zhicai had been staying in Yun City recently, while Qiao Qingyu¡¯s grandparents had been living with Qiao Zhihai.


    After the house was built, it was Qiao Qingyu¡¯s first visit here; she was very pleased with it as they passed by earlier. She admired the picturesque and tranquil surroundings, the convenience of having a house there ¨C now connected by cement roads unlike the muddy ones after a rain in the past.


    It was rumored that in summer, the muddy-footed farmers would feel out of place walking on the clean cement surface.


    Qiao Zhiyuan led Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu forward.


    As they turned the corner, the sound of the jeep approached from a distance, soon stopping at the entrance of the villa area, and within a short while, Uncle Sun arrived, laughing heartily.


    Although Uncle Sun had been transferred to the township, he had gone alone, with his wife and young son still living in the Qiao Family Team.


    So the villa naturally also belonged to Uncle Sun.


    Qiao Qingyu greeted Uncle Sun with a smile, and Uncle Sun warmly shook hands with He Xiuyu.


    He patted He Xiuyu¡¯s arm sentimentally and said affectionately, ¡°Xiuyu, I don¡¯t want to treat you like a guest. You¡¯re not only the son-in-law of the Qiao Family Team, but you¡¯re also one of us. Your hometown, your roots, are right here.¡±


    He Xiuyu gently agreed, ¡°Uncle¡¯s right, I¡¯ve actually come home.¡±


    Uncle Sun laughed heartily.


    Qiao Zhiyuan glared at him, ¡°He¡¯s our Qiao Family¡¯s son-in-law.¡±


    Uncle Sun glared back, ¡°And isn¡¯t he also a child of Hejia Village?¡±


    That statement was faultless.


    Qiao Qingyu interjected, ¡°Big Uncle, Uncle, didn¡¯t you say you would show me around? From which direction shall we start?¡±


    Uncle Sun pointed straight ahead.


    This time Qiao Zhiyuan said nothing, although Uncle Sun was a leader, during official matters, Qiao Zhiyuan wouldn¡¯t mix socializing and humor as casually as he was now.


    Qiao Zhiyuan was very good at gauging these nuances.


    That¡¯s why these two always worked well together as a team.


    So Qiao Zhiyuan walked ahead as the guide, Uncle Sun accompanied He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu close behind.


    They walked and talked, giving introductions.


    He Xiuyu quickly took everything in and had to admit, this new modern rural town had international standards.


    It wasn¡¯t just for show either. The drainage was well done, and considering the toilet habits of some elderly farmers, they built four public toilets in this villa area.


    Listening to everyone¡¯s opinions, they even built dry toilets. Though dry, they were clean and sanitary.


    The management of waste was handled separately.


    Crops flourish on dung¡¯s command.


    Even with chemical fertilizers now available, no one took these manures lightly.


    Moving forward, they reached the edge of the villa area where a river branch appeared, and, not yet frozen, flowed turbulently and not gently.


    Rivers in the north always flow this way, their sound audible from afar, grand and majestic, as if ready to shatter everything.


    A dike had been built along the river with a pedestrian path, and willow trees were planted along the bank.


    But these weren¡¯t the focal points, Uncle Sun laughed and pointed toward a villa up ahead, asking Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qingyu, what do you think of this villa? Isn¡¯t the scenery around beautiful?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked and agreed indeed, nodding, ¡°It¡¯s really nice here. One could walk along the river in the summer heat, but there might be a lot of mosquitoes.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan pointed toward a net-like thing hanging in the woods, saying, ¡°Those are mosquito traps. In the summer, there really aren¡¯t many mosquitoes here, and it¡¯s especially cool in the evenings.¡±


    ¡°This sounds like a great place indeed.¡±


    Hearing Qiao Qingyu say this, Uncle Sun¡¯s face bloomed with a smile, ¡°Qingyu, Xiuyu, this house is now yours.¡±


    Both of them were stunned momentarily, looking simultaneously at Uncle Sun and Qiao Zhiyuan.

 Chapter 562 - 562 556

    ?Chapter 562: Chapter 556 Chapter 562: Chapter 556 Then Uncle Sun and Qiao Zhiyuan just chuckled.


    Uncle Sun said, ¡°Old Qiao and I were just keeping it a secret. I instructed him not to tell you beforehand so we could give you both a surprise. Even if you don¡¯t come back to live here, the Qiao Family Team will always have a house for you. This will forever be your home.¡±


    Uncle Sun¡¯s words were heartfelt and sincere.


    Qiao Qingyu truly hadn¡¯t expected this.


    Because no one had mentioned it to her beforehand.


    Even if she had made great contributions, her household registration was at the Tenghai Research Base.


    Which was very far from here.


    Before Qiao Qingyu could express anything, Uncle Sun and Qiao Zhiyuan pushed open the big door.


    The place was empty, but the plumbing and heating had already been installed.


    And it was clear that someone had deliberately cleaned the place, with the window frames, glass, and sills all wiped spotlessly clean.


    Even the white lime splatters by the door were not present here.


    Clearly, preparations had been made in advance.


    Uncle Sun took out a kraft paper bag from his black briefcase and opened it to reveal a property deed from that era.


    The name written on it was Qiao Qingyu.


    This gift was a heavy token of sentiment, and Qiao Qingyu happily accepted it.


    By this time, most of the Qiao Family had already left, but Qiao Tianbao¡¯s wife hadn¡¯t. She was all smiles, bustling about after having bought pastries, fruit, canned goods, and even braised pig¡¯s head and pig¡¯s trotters from the county town.


    She and Qiao Qingyu weren¡¯t very familiar, but she knew that as long as she pleased little aunt Wu Qianyun, that would be enough.


    Her current job was easy and prestigious, and her relatives all looked up to her a bit more, her former classmates were excessively warm and cordial when they saw her.


    These glories were all brought to her by Mr. Wu.


    And whom did Mr. Wu respect for all this? Of course, it was for her little aunt¡¯s sake, and Tianbao¡¯s wife was very clear about this.


    She felt she wasn¡¯t that ungrateful, either.


    When her family was in difficult times, she and Tianbao would only keep half of their salaries, sending the other half back home to her in-laws.


    As the Qiao Family¡¯s patriarch and the eldest brother, her father-in-law was caring towards his two younger brothers, especially towards the youngest, Qiao Zhicai.


    But truly speaking, little aunt had also been very good to all these nephews and nieces-in-law. She never forgot the beautiful and comfortable clothes and shoes little aunt made for the kids when they were little.


    She wasn¡¯t the kind of woman who took things for granted.


    Tianbao¡¯s wife was clever, or else she wouldn¡¯t have used that strategy to force her family to change her job for her. Once she landed the job, she became much more humble, greeting everyone with a beaming smile.


    Moreover, the family¡¯s days had improved. Before, she and her husband would occasionally subsidize the Qiao Family, but now such situations were almost nonexistent, so she became even more generous.


    With money, many things ceased to be problems.


    Because Doudou and Feifei were studying in Yun City, Qiao Genbao and his wife hadn¡¯t returned, and Tianbao¡¯s wife had specially taken a few days off, which her superiors granted readily. It was an unspoken understanding, and the leaders had even hinted, could a word be passed to invite Chief Engineer He for a meal?


    Tianbao¡¯s wife, who came with a mission, was even more attentive, busily cooking in the kitchen and saying, ¡°Little Aunt, you just rest well. Leave the kitchen to me and Qiao Ye.¡±


    Wu Qianyun was getting on in years and indeed tired. However, Chaoxuan had been taken out to play by Shengbao, and she needed to see where he had gone. Although it wasn¡¯t very cold outside, she had cared for Chaoxuan so tenderly; the strong wind and cold air could harm his face, and she would be heartbroken.


    So, seeing that she wasn¡¯t needed here, Wu Qianyun went out to look for Shengbao and Chaoxuan.


    Just as she stepped out, she ran into Liangbao¡¯s wife coming over to help.


    Liangbao¡¯s wife carried a large basket filled with black fungus, mushrooms, dried potatoes, and fresh vegetables.


    Knowing that the little aunt was looking for Chaoxuan, Liangbao¡¯s wife smiled and pointed westward, ¡°Little Aunt, Shengbao and the others took Chaoxuan to play near the school.¡±


    Then she added, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, Aunt. They¡¯re having a good time. I just saw them; little Chaoxuan was giggling with joy. His face is wrapped in a scarf and a hat; he won¡¯t catch cold. You should go back and get some rest. You look pale.¡±


    Qiao Zhicai, who had followed behind, said, ¡°The kang is warm, go and take a rest.¡±


    Wu Qianyun didn¡¯t insist, so she turned around and went back to her room.


    By the time Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu returned, dinner was ready.


    Wu Qianyun had rested for a while and felt much better. Shengbao had also returned with Chaoxuan. The Old Qiao and Old Lady Qiao, who lived nearby, came to the villa area for dinner accompanied by Qiao Zhihai.


    When everyone learned that the township had gifted Qiao Qingyu a villa, they all felt proud.


    Old Lady Qiao nodded and said, ¡°Although we¡¯re not educated and worldly, and some have shallow eyes and a sharp tongue, most of us know how to be grateful in our hearts.¡±


    Qiao Zhicai agreeably nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s the principle, but we shouldn¡¯t be complacent about our achievements. It¡¯s enough to be clear in our hearts, stay the same as before. Our fellow villagers aren¡¯t cunning¡ªjust interact with each other normally.¡±


    And indeed, the Qiao Family knew their limits; being too noisy and boisterous could sometimes attract resentment.


    The Qiao Family may have wanted to keep a low profile, but the township, the Qiao Family Team, and the relevant department heads were not willing to be understated. As for the up and coming rural town, they wanted to make a statement, which naturally couldn¡¯t remain low-key.


    The next morning, the villagers didn¡¯t go to work but first gathered for a meeting at the Team¡¯s office. It was Sunday, and the school students had a day off. Holding sticks and little red flags with red pointers, they were responsible for welcoming. The county¡¯s cultural propaganda team had also arrived early, including Fang Yulan, who had become a formal worker.


    This time she was leading the team, in charge of the cultural activities after the ribbon-cutting ceremony.


    The stage was set, and everyone was in place.


    Drums and gongs filled the air, and the sound of loudspeakers echoed; firecrackers burst from the village entrance all the way to the villa area¡¯s gate.


    The leaders stood at the gate, with Qiao Qingyu also standing above. Initially, they had invited He Xiuyu to come forward, but he had declined politely, holding his son and watching his wife with a smile in the crowd.


    It was supposed to be her ribbon-cutting, but Qiao Qingyu offered the opportunity to a county official.


    She was young and did not seek the limelight. Besides, being asked to cut the ribbon was a mark of esteem, but she couldn¡¯t take it for granted.


    Sure enough, the official was delighted. To be honest, he had invested a lot of effort in the Qiao Family Team. Whether it was construction, projects, or plans, none could be completed by a single individual. It required comprehensive cooperation, from top to bottom, inside and out, lacking any part could not be.

 Chapter 563 - 563 557 The Capital of Boasting

    ?Chapter 563: Chapter 557 The Capital of Boasting Chapter 563: Chapter 557 The Capital of Boasting This small town in the countryside is indeed the result of collective wisdom and unity.


    As well as today¡¯s good policies.


    All of these are indispensable.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t speak. The person in charge delivered a passionate speech, and the local people clapped until their hands were red. Unsurprisingly, he was skilled in propaganda work, rallying the people¡¯s hearts like no other.


    Qiao Qingyu also stood by with a smile in her eyes.


    After the speech, the person in charge and Village Chief Sun slowly opened the large iron gates of the villa community.


    Then the sound of gongs and drums started again. The people turned around and ran to their homes. When moving, it¡¯s not certain if the good furniture will come, but the pots and axes must be the first to enter the house, and then food and green onions must be put in the iron pot.


    This is a custom in Yushu County, also known as ¡®lighting the bottom of the pot.¡¯


    All villas were allocated, and not a single one was empty, so with everyone moving like ants, it was especially lively.


    After watching at the gate with a smile for a while, the leaders went to the Qiao Family Team¡¯s canteen for a meal, led by Village Chief Sun.


    After eating and resting for a while, there were more activities in the afternoon.


    For the Qiao Family Team, October 16th was a day of universal celebration.


    Even though the north wind had already blown over and the air had become cold, everyone¡¯s hearts were burning hot.


    Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu didn¡¯t go to their home, and Qiao Zhicai had only just found out. If he hadn¡¯t just learned about it, he would have already prepared furniture and bought things for them.


    But he was even happier to live with them.


    For the elderly, fingers on one hand stretch out differently, and he had two sons, but his favorite was still his daughter. And now that his daughter had given birth to a grandson, he loved the child as if it were the apple of his eye. He had stayed for more than a month right after the birth before hurrying back. Now, he truly wanted to keep the child with him.


    Of course, he knew this was impossible. How could such a small child be away from its parents? He was considering, once everything was settled here, to follow them back to Xichuan. His only concern was that he might become a nuisance to his daughter and son-in-law.


    But speaking of this matter, Qiao Qingyu had an idea. In winter, the Agricultural Base would quiet down. This year she specifically asked Zhou Xiaoqin to carefully select some corn leaves and wheat straw, and the farm workers had harvested reeds by the puddles in autumn.


    She discussed with her father, ¡°Dad, I mean to hire you as a teacher under the name of Tenghai Agricultural Group to teach idle workers how to weave handicrafts. But this depends on your opinion,¡±


    Even Wu Qianyun was startled at Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words, and then she looked at her husband. He couldn¡¯t recognize big characters in a basketful, yet he was going to teach?


    Qiao Zhicai was suddenly stunned. He had been sitting cross-legged on the kang like an old lord, but suddenly he couldn¡¯t sit still any longer. He got off the kang and asked Qiao Qingyu, who was sitting in a chair, ¡°What did you just say? Say it again.¡±


    Wu Qianyun gave him a disdainful glance¡ªsuch lack of ambition.


    Qiao Qingyu repeated her earlier words with amusement and added, ¡°Dad, this was something Zhou Xiaoqin discussed with me before leaving. Since it will be winter, and some workers will be idle, we wondered if we could set up a processing factory or something similar. I thought of you... I wanted to ask you when we met if you¡¯d be interested. If you are, I¡¯ll get it organized. If not, no worries.¡±


    Qiao Zhicai paced back and forth in the room, hands behind his back. Wu Qianyun couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just sit down calmly? The room isn¡¯t big, and you¡¯re making my eyes blur with your pacing. Do you really need to consider such a small matter for so long? If you¡¯re afraid of others learning your skill, then don¡¯t teach. If you aren¡¯t, then be the teacher. When you get older, you can boast about having been a teacher, right?¡±


    Qiao Zhicai looked at his wife and analyzed her words. Hmm, his wife agreed with him going.


    He was a bit excited. In fact, he really wanted to go, but he was just a bit dazed at the moment. His hesitation wasn¡¯t about fear of his skills being learned by others. He was worried about being embarrassed and bringing shame to his daughter.


    He voiced his concerns to Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu said with a smile, ¡°Dad, why would you think that? You¡¯re teaching them a skill. You¡¯re the master, the teacher. Valuing teachers and their teachings has been our nation¡¯s tradition, regardless of what¡¯s being taught, it¡¯s always respected.¡±


    Qiao Zhicai sat opposite Qiao Qingyu, excitedly saying, ¡°Okay, I agree.¡±


    Old Man Qiao and the old lady were truly happy to learn that Qiao Zhicai was going to be a teacher.


    No matter what, having their uneducated younger son become a teacher was like smoke rising from the Qiao Family¡¯s ancestral grave.


    Everyone who knew about it was envious, but some people still said to Qiao Zhicai, ¡°Old Qiao, are you silly? By teaching so many people this craft, your family¡¯s sales will surely suffer, and you¡¯ll earn much less.¡±


    The words made sense, but also did not.


    Qiao Zhicai had made a good amount of money from weaving corn leaves these past few years, but there was a limit. Like Boss Chen, who always wanted their goods, said, without creating scale, it¡¯s all just trifling. But for Boss Chen¡¯s small shop, trifling was quite enough.


    But what if it really scaled up?


    Raw materials could be readily sourced locally. Without claiming abundance, the land was certainly not lacking. Moreover, handicrafts, with current technology, couldn¡¯t be mass-produced by an assembly line or machines. Just like those intricate decorative items he had crafted, machines could never produce them; it had to be manual. With manual work, there¡¯s a limit to quantity. Boss Chen mentioned that the overseas market still had a large gap.


    So Qiao Zhicai didn¡¯t view this matter as very important.


    Busy as ever, three days passed in the blink of an eye.


    The villa area remained lively. Some people were bringing in new furniture, or moving out items from old houses if they didn¡¯t fit the new ones.


    On the streets, people joked and laughed. Some would say, ¡°Old Zhang, that rickety table of yours must be fifty years old by now, shouldn¡¯t you just chop it up for firewood?¡±


    Old Zhang glared at the old man in front of him, ¡°You don¡¯t know anything. The older the table, the more valuable it becomes. Haven¡¯t you heard? Some tables go for hundreds of thousands in Beijing.¡±


    The old man across laughed loudly at him, ¡°The ones worth hundreds of thousands are made of precious woods like red sandalwood, Tiny Leaf Rosewood, or yellow pear wood. That¡¯s real value. This shabby pine wood table of yours, all cracked¡ª even if you kept it for a thousand years, it wouldn¡¯t be worth anything.¡±


    Someone chimed in, ¡°That¡¯s not exactly right either. If it¡¯s from a thousand years ago, it might really be worth something...¡±


    Everyone laughed together.


    Some were carrying belongings, and some who found the items they moved in to be unsuitable were taking them back out again. The place buzzed with the festive bustle of the community.

 Chapter 564 - 564 558 Snobbish

    ?Chapter 564: Chapter 558: Snobbish Chapter 564: Chapter 558: Snobbish While Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu were strolling in the distance, they remembered the bustling scene when they first moved into the base housing complex.


    He Xiuyu told Qiao Qingyu, ¡°I need to go out this afternoon and might come back late tonight, you don¡¯t have to wait for me.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t ask He Xiuyu where he was going, as these past few days seemed to be his most leisurely.


    As the two of them walked along the river towards the east, they unexpectedly saw two figures standing by the river upon turning a corner¡ªone was Qiao Ye, and the other, surprisingly, was Qi Feng. They weren¡¯t far, yet not too close, one looking up and the other looking down, and from a distance, their conversation couldn¡¯t be heard.


    But Qiao Qingyu knew about Qiao Ye¡¯s past pursuit of Qi Feng, and she thought Qiao Ye had put that part of her past behind her.


    Of course, standing together and talking didn¡¯t necessarily mean anything.


    Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu exchanged glances, wondering if this encounter might be awkward.


    There were several large willow trees nearby; they could turn around without being noticed, but to their surprise, before they could turn, the two people in the distance spotted them.


    Qi Feng whispered something to Qiao Ye, then quickly walked towards He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu. Since they¡¯d run into each other, they had to say hello.


    Although Qi Feng had a bit of a rebellious personality, his work couldn¡¯t be faulted.


    Qi Feng, visibly surprised to see He Xiuyu, was very excited.


    He had been busy these days too, always looking for a chance to meet He Xiuyu. Given that they wouldn¡¯t be here for many days, he worried about missing the opportunity. Just as he had returned from the mountains and met Qiao Ye, he saw them walking over.


    It really was a coincidence.


    Enthusiastically shaking hands with He Xiuyu, they introduced each other. Upon hearing Qi Feng¡¯s invitation to check out the water conservation project nearby, He Xiuyu readily agreed.


    That gave Qi Feng a sigh of relief as he quickly led He Xiuyu away.


    Qiao Ye then turned to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Little aunt, he just told me he wanted to meet uncle, but then you two came walking over right as he mentioned it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what a coincidence,¡± Qiao Qingyu replied, looking in the direction where the two men had gone, now out of sight.


    She asked Qiao Ye, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you at the clinic?¡±


    At that moment, Qiao Ye was carrying a medicine box on her back. She pointed to the box and said, ¡°Master Qiao can¡¯t walk well to the clinic; I¡¯m going to his place to give him some acupuncture. The weather has been cool these days, and many elders are suffering from arthritis.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu sincerely praised Qiao Ye, ¡°You¡¯re really incredible, beyond what little aunt could have imagined. I didn¡¯t expect you to have grown so much in just a few years. Keep it up, who knows? Maybe you can become a great national doctor one day.¡±


    Although Qiao Ye had only been studying Chinese medicine for a few years, she knew what a great national doctor meant. She quickly shook her head, somewhat nervous, ¡°Little aunt, I wouldn¡¯t dare say that. If I can grasp a little understanding in this lifetime, that would already be remarkable.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu patted her shoulder reassuringly, ¡°Even grasping a little is good, but why not dare to dream? Set a goal and strive for it. Whether you achieve it or not, you won¡¯t have regrets, right?¡±


    Qiao Ye seemed thoughtful and nodded.


    Yet, she couldn¡¯t help but turn her head, looking several times in the direction where Qi Feng and He had disappeared.


    Qiao Qingyu chuckled, ¡°Why, are you getting familiar with Qi Feng now?¡±


    Qiao Ye¡¯s face turned red instantly, then she pulled Qiao Qingyu behind a big tree that could block the wind coming from the north.


    Facing them was the azure sky, distant haze-covered hills, and a shimmering reservoir.


    Such scenery could clear one¡¯s mind. Qiao Ye bit her lip, a look of loss in her eyes mixed with something complex and indescribable. Her voice was somewhat hoarse as she said, ¡°Little aunt, do you think people are all just opportunistic?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu paused, ¡°Ah, what do you mean by opportunistic? Where is this coming from?¡±


    Master Qiao remained silent, merely lowering his head and kicking a stone away with his brown leather shoe, then hooking it back with the tip of his shoe. It was unclear why she was doing this, but it must have meant she was troubled about something.


    Qiao Qingyu laughed and said, ¡°As for being opportunistic, one can¡¯t generalize it. People do tend to be somewhat power-seeking, like those who admire strength or love flashy appearances; it¡¯s only human nature.¡±


    Qiao Ye murmured, ¡°Little aunt, let me tell you about this, but don¡¯t talk about it with others first.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t talk to others. So, what happened? Who was being opportunistic?¡±


    ¡°Brother Qi.¡±


    ¡°Qi Feng?¡± Qiao Qingyu blinked, ¡°Qi Feng doesn¡¯t seem like... an opportunistic person.¡±


    Hearing Qiao Qingyu say this, Qiao Ye immediately replied, her voice filled with irritation, ¡°He used to ignore me and find so many excuses to reject me, but now he finds a reason to come to the clinic every day, bringing this, taking that. A few days ago, he even went as far as to tell me directly to give him a chance, saying he likes me and wants to be with me.¡±


    Though her voice carried anger, Qiao Ye¡¯s cheeks still flushed.


    Human emotions are strange. Qiao Ye thought she had moved on from Qi Feng, but upon hearing his words, her calm heart was in turmoil.


    Even a tinge of secret delight and pleasure surfaced, as if bubbles of happiness were fizzing up.


    It felt like the person I had a secret crush on finally liked me back.


    Upon realizing this truth, no matter how gloomy the sky, it would turn radiant and beautiful.


    Qiao Ye was no exception, but once she calmed down, a wave of anger surged from within. You looked down on me before, and now you come to me.


    This could be said in modern terms¡ªToday you ignore me, tomorrow you¡¯ll find me out of your reach!


    Qiao Ye felt aggrieved and unfairly treated, ¡°Little aunt, what kind of person is he? Is he too opportunistic? I¡¯m really disappointed, I didn¡¯t expect him to be like this.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at Qiao Ye and asked, ¡°So, did you accept his offer?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t accept it. I told him that I¡¯m currently focused on studying medicine, and I don¡¯t want anything else.¡±


    ¡°And what did he say to that?¡±


    ¡°He said he¡¯s not in a hurry, as he doesn¡¯t want to settle down so soon either. He said he would wait for me.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu frowned, ¡°Do the villagers know?¡±


    Qiao Ye lowered her head, ¡°Dr. Jiang seems to have noticed, but she pretends to know nothing.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu breathed a sigh of relief. Before the two of them made their relationship official, it wouldn¡¯t be good for Qiao Ye if everyone knew. If that were the case, she would definitely confront Qi Feng.


    This topic made Qiao Ye feel even more wronged, ¡°What my mother once told me, I really think it makes sense.¡±


    ¡°What did she say?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked curiously.

 Chapter 565 - 565 559 Secret Love Comes True

    ?Chapter 565: Chapter 559: Secret Love Comes True Chapter 565: Chapter 559: Secret Love Comes True Sister-in-law Liangbao was a woman of few words, so she was really curious about what she would say.


    Qiao Ye, ¡°In poverty, no one asks about you in a bustling market, while in wealth, distant relatives appear even in the mountains.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Had the conversation really come full circle?


    She then asked Qiao Ye, ¡°Da Niu, if Little Sister asked you, suppose Qiao Feng preferred the old you instead of the current you, would that mean he is not a social climber?¡±


    Confusion flickered in Qiao Ye¡¯s eyes. What was she like before?


    People say that as you walk along, you forget the path you came by, and as you walk, you forget what you used to be like, but she would never forget.


    A few years ago, she was a genuine farm girl, hands rough from frequent farm work, complexion darkened by the wind and the sun.


    Back then, her biggest dream was to buy a bottle of face cream at a town store, and then to enjoy a baked bun.


    She didn¡¯t know how a girl should live to truly be living. She probably had an empty mind, muddled and aimless, without any goals.


    But what was she like now?


    She looked into Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes, and Qiao Qingyu quietly looked back at her, some things were not so absolutely black and white, right and wrong.


    It all depends on what you want to do, and what you think in your heart.


    Qiao Ye had always considered herself a farm girl, yet she was not the same farm girl as before.


    She had self-studied and completed a community college course and obtained her diploma. She held a medical practice license and had passed the Traditional Chinese Medicine exam in the province.


    With these certificates, wherever she went, she was respected.


    Now everyone called her Dr. Qiao.


    She was confident in her medical skills. Dr. Jiang had said she was born for this profession, that while others might spend ten or even twenty years learning acupuncture, she managed it in five.


    She memorized various prescriptions, meticulously studied them, and had all the medicinal herbs in her mind; she was fluent in discussing the characteristics, growth habitats, functions, and contraindications of any given herb.


    She could even recollect several prescriptions that included the herb on the spot.


    She took care of her family¡¯s health. Her grandfather, who had been laid low by her grandmother¡¯s passing, and her great-grandparents, who had been critically ill, were nursed back to health by her carefully devised herbal formulas and treatments tailored to their conditions.


    Now, her grandfather was hale and hearty.


    And her great-grandparents, who previously couldn¡¯t even walk, were now capable of digging up potatoes in the fields after a period of her acupuncture treatment.


    This was her capability, as well as her achievement.


    Her status within the Qiao Family was not the same as before.


    She was vastly different from her former self, and she often felt proud of herself.


    Now, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words had prompted Qiao Ye¡¯s heart to suddenly shift from one line of thought to another.


    She stared blankly at Qiao Qingyu, not saying a word.


    Qiao Qingyu continued, ¡°I¡¯m not speaking for Qi Feng; I¡¯m simply stating a fact. For instance, Qiao Ye, I want to ask you, if your Brother Qi wasn¡¯t as he is now, just a regular, uneducated farmer with not much money, even struggling to find a wife, would you still like him?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words were gentle, yet they held a sharpness.


    The world, in reality, was both genuine and cruel.


    ¡°Would the Prince actually fancy a Cinderella with nothing to offer?¡±


    ¡°Maybe he would, but only if this Cinderella was exceptionally beautiful, as beautiful as a fairy.¡±


    ¡°Just like those girls from ordinary families who marry into wealth in later generations, there is always something striking about them, something to show off¡ªeither extraordinary abilities or stunning looks.¡±


    ¡°People always crave something from the other party, men and women alike.¡±


    ¡°Take the ending between He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu in this book, for example.¡±


    ¡°He Xiuyu wasn¡¯t one to focus on appearances, so someone like Han Liuya would never catch his eye; hence, in their original world, they had no children, which proves they were never together.¡±


    ¡°The birth of their son, Chaoxuan, proved both this body and He Xiuyu were fine.¡±


    ¡°Of course, she wouldn¡¯t say too much about it, young girls still hold a dream for love, preferring to wrap themselves in a beautiful, pure, and unsullied gauze free from worldly touch.¡±


    ¡°Just like the song popular on the streets and alleys now says: women love the free and easy, men love beauty.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with that.¡±


    ¡°When Qiao Qingyu spoke these words, Qiao Ye didn¡¯t immediately blurt out a response; she even hesitated for a long while, her face turning red with a mixture of shame, sadness, and an indescribable complexity.¡±


    ¡°In fact, she and Brother Qi are the same type of people.¡±


    ¡°The words of my niece may not sound nice, but they make sense. Put yourself in their shoes. Not to mention now, let¡¯s go back to the year Brother Qi arrived; there were young men in the village who could only farm, had no education, and couldn¡¯t even afford a bride price.¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t know if she would like such people, but at the time, she definitely didn¡¯t think highly of them.¡±


    ¡°Qiao Ye then felt she was being somewhat pretentious.¡±


    ¡°Niece, you have a point, I am not that great myself,¡± Qiao Ye simply admitted, sighing, ¡°If Brother Qi wasn¡¯t from the city, didn¡¯t have a job, and wasn¡¯t educated, what would have I liked about him at that time?¡±


    ¡°But Qiao Qingyu then changed the subject,¡± ¡°At that time, Qi Feng had a bad reputation, getting into fights over a girlfriend, and even losing his job; such impulsiveness isn¡¯t reassuring to any parent. It¡¯s his honor that you could like him.¡±


    ¡°Qiao Ye looked at Qiao Qingyu and, for some reason, burst out laughing, and the whole mood lightened; she reached out to hold Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand, leaned in close, and affectionately rubbed her shoulder.¡±


    ¡°She knew what to do now.¡±


    ¡°Why worry about the details?¡±


    ¡°Right now, Brother Qi truly likes me, respects me enough, and is very careful not to let his feelings for me affect my reputation.¡±


    ¡°And to tell the truth, I still love him.¡±


    ¡°There are too many marriages in this world in name only, staying together just for the children or other unknown reasons.¡±


    ¡°And she might actually have a marriage based on mutual love and affection.¡±


    ¡°As for the future, why worry about something so distant?¡±


    ¡°I have medical skills, and no matter where I end up, I can ensure I provide for myself.¡±


    ¡°Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t say any more. This kind of thing isn¡¯t like a math problem where you can simply add, subtract, multiply, and divide to get a clear answer¡ªsometimes, matters of the heart are just a muddled mess.¡±


    ¡°She tousled Qiao Ye¡¯s hair affectionately, saying, ¡°You¡¯re a smart girl. I believe you will handle this well and make yourself even happier.¡±¡±


    ¡°Niece, I will.¡±


    ¡°And Qiao Ye was true to her word. On the day before Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu were set to leave, she brought Qi Feng through the door of Qiao Liangbao¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡°She introduced him openly, saying, ¡®This is my boyfriend; we are dating with the intention to get to know each other better before getting married.''¡±

 Chapter 566 - 566 560 Magnetic Field Anomaly

    ?Chapter 566: Chapter 560: Magnetic Field Anomaly Chapter 566: Chapter 560: Magnetic Field Anomaly Liangbao¡¯s wife couldn¡¯t quite identify the feeling inside her heart. Qi Feng was a good kid, but in the past, she hadn¡¯t agreed, so why did she agree now?


    But at the same time, she felt very happy and proud.


    Her daughter was no longer the girl of the past. There¡¯s a saying, ¡°A daughter is sought after by many families.¡± In the last couple of years, there had been many suitors coming to their door. If it weren¡¯t for Qiao Ye refusing because she wanted to continue her studies and improve herself, this match would have been settled long ago, and some of these young men were not inferior to Qi Feng.


    Even so, a mother-in-law¡¯s fondness for her son-in-law grows with time.


    She personally caught a big hen from the chicken coop and, after killing it, put it in a big iron pot with vermicelli and dried mushrooms, and it stewed and bubbled away in a large pot.


    With this dish, Qi Feng knew that he could almost take this wife home.


    By the time Qiao Ye brought Qi Feng to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house, Wu Qianyun had already prepared the alcohol. He Xiuyu and Qi Feng sat at the kang table and drank a few cups together, although the topic they talked about the most was water conservancy.


    He Xiuyu had also dabbled in this area and spoke a lot. Qi Feng even took out a notebook and began to jot down notes.


    For him, this was a rare learning opportunity.


    ...


    Time flew by, and before he knew it, he would be leaving the Qiao Family Team.


    Wu Qianyun began to pack.


    Standing at the doorstep, Chaoxuan looked inside the house and then turned to look outside, thinking how much fun it was here. Every day, he was carried around by a bunch of older kids running wild, something that had never happened in Xichuan.


    Big brother Xiao Hu was good to him. So were Dashun and Daji, and Zhou Jiapengcheng was also good to him and often carried him around to play. But still, there were too few of them.


    They couldn¡¯t even muster a proper troop for a game of war.


    How come there were so many kids here, dozens of them?


    If they played war, they could easily split into two armies.


    Especially their games of hide-and-seek at the foot of the mountain, it was just too fun.


    If he said he didn¡¯t want to leave, would that be okay?


    But then he glanced outside the window again. He didn¡¯t know what mom and dad were talking about by the door. If he stayed, his parents would definitely have to go back to work. After some thought, biting his fingertip, the little guy took his small, short legs and went trotting toward Qiao Qingyu¡¯s direction. He tugged on his mother¡¯s clothes and said with a soft and sticky voice, ¡°Mommy, mommy, can we come here for New Year¡¯s? Big brother Zhu Zi said it¡¯s really lively here during New Year¡¯s, with firecrackers, fireworks, ice lanterns, snowball fights... and we can go ice skating and skiing...¡±


    The more he talked, the more he felt that winter here seemed even more fun than summer.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t brush the child off and thought seriously, ¡°If you want to come, you can ask Grandma and Granddad to bring you over.¡±


    Old Lady Qiao, who had just finished lunch and was out for a walk, said, ¡°It might as well let the child stay here. It¡¯s only a few months until New Year¡¯s. It¡¯s too much trouble to go back and forth.¡±


    Chaoxuan felt there was reason to that, but he still said, ¡°But I will miss daddy and mommy. I¡¯ll go talk to grandma...¡±


    The little guy turned around and ran back inside the house.


    And as Qiao Qingyu and Qiao Qingyu¡¯s house were about to enter the house, the sound of a jeep came from not far away, heading in this direction.


    He must have come to find them.


    Qiao Qingyu looked outside.


    The approaching jeep was somewhat unfamiliar.


    Then the vehicle stopped right at the Qiao Family¡¯s front gate.


    Unexpectedly, the people who got out of the car were Wu Hong and another young man, carrying things in their hands and with smiles on their faces, they said, ¡°Qingyu, Ah Yu, we just found out that your cousin and her husband have returned, luckily, we made it in time.¡±


    One does not slap a smiling face, besides, every time Liu Ge went to the Tenghai Research Base, she always had Wu Hong accompany her, never caring about the appearance of impropriety.


    In her own grandfather¡¯s home, she didn¡¯t care at all about how to interact with Wu Hong.


    Unless Liu Ge cut ties with the He Family and never saw Rongrong again, she would meet them every two or three months, and every time Wu Hong came, he never arrived empty-handed.


    Even for her son¡¯s one-month celebration, he brought a gift. So there was no need for Qiao Qingyu to deliberately draw a clear line.


    She let Wu Hong into the house.


    Wu Hong and Wu Qianyun were naturally familiar with each other.


    But Wu Qianyun¡¯s attitude had always been indifferent, yet that was already quite good.


    After all, these two were actually blood relatives.


    Moreover, the relationship was not distant; he was her cousin.


    After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Wu Hong revealed the other purpose of today¡¯s visit; he wanted to take them to Lianjiang Village.


    Wu Hong continued to explain, ¡°Our family elders indeed want to meet the two of you.¡± He looked towards He Xiuyu, his voice carried a hint of enticement, though also very low, ¡°Chief Engineer He, we¡¯ve discovered a place where the magnetic field is abnormal, I really think you should go have a look.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s expression was calm as he replied indifferently, ¡°Magnetic field anomaly? The place you¡¯re speaking of, is it owned by your Zhang Family, or is it local property?¡±


    Wu Hong understood what he meant right away.


    ¡°This land has also been leased by us and belongs to our Zhang Family, the lease term is thirty years, you don¡¯t have to worry at all, this is purely a private invitation with absolutely no relation to any official business.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s gaze was deep as he looked at Wu Hong standing before him with an earnest look in his eyes.


    Considering Wu Hong¡¯s demeanor, very modest and seemingly begging him to take a look, He Xiuyu moved his fingers slightly. A magnetic field anomaly?


    He decided to go and see it; after all, the piece of land with the anomaly had already been leased to the Zhang Family.


    He Xiuyu wanted to go by himself, but Qiao Qingyu insisted on accompanying him.


    He Xiuyu thought about it and then didn¡¯t insist any further; it was now the afternoon, and even though the sunlight was bright, the air was a bit cold. Watching mom and dad drive away in the car, Chaoxuan cheered and ran towards the backyard; he wanted to go play with Uncle Shengbao...


    Uncle Shengbao always managed to come up with lots of fun things to play with him.


    Wu Qianyun had originally planned to take a nap with the child at noon, but in the blink of an eye, Chaoxuan ran to the backyard. Wu Qianyun simply gave up on the idea of taking a nap and told Qiao Zhicai to keep an eye on Chaoxuan and the others while she continued to pack up. This time, they estimated they would be staying in Xichuan for at least a year.


    Lijiang Village was not far from the Qiao Family Team, and once you left the Qiao Family Team, the concrete road turned into Yellow Sand Road, but even the Yellow Sand Road had been repaired. The once bumpy spots had been smoothed over, and since it had not rained, the road was dry and even, just quite dusty.


    It took just over ten minutes to reach Lianjiang Village.


    Lianjiang Village, as its name implies, had a small stream winding through the village at its entrance, which came from the larger river.

 Chapter 567 - 567 561 Riding on Luck

    ?Chapter 567: Chapter 561: Riding on Luck Chapter 567: Chapter 561: Riding on Luck Qiao Qingyu was not unfamiliar with this place.


    She thought she would never have a chance to visit this village.


    Yet, unexpectedly, she had returned after a few years.


    Seeing Qiao Qingyu, many people greeted her warmly, asking about this and that, but nobody mentioned anything about the Han Family.


    There was a road leading directly to the leased land.


    It was a concrete road, but it wasn¡¯t wide, just wide enough for one car to pass through.


    This area was to the southeast of Lianjiang Village, where a few plastic greenhouses and a row of red-brick bungalows had been built quite properly.


    Qiao Qingyu knew that Han Lishi lived here, but she never had dealings with the Han Family.


    It was as if Eldest Han and Han Lishi were strangers.


    Perhaps it was because Han Liuya, with the intelligence of a mere child, had become a burden.


    Of course, the previous Han Liuya hadn¡¯t been much better.


    Hearing the sound of a jeep, an elderly man came out from the red-brick house, his hair and beard white, yet he appeared very sturdy and looked to be over eighty years old.


    He Xiuyu knew that this man was actually over a hundred years old.


    But that wasn¡¯t something extraordinary.


    There were many centenarians nowadays.


    Zhang Xuanzi, upon seeing Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu alight from the car, squinted his eyes slightly.


    Strictly speaking, this was the first time Zhang Xuanzi had met He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu; he hadn¡¯t been familiar with these two before and had become interested in them because of Han Lishi and Han Liuya.


    Especially because Han Liuya¡¯s obsession had surprised him.


    But now, the Han grandparents and grandchild had made a full circle and had returned quite embarrassingly.


    The aura and the faint air around these two individuals made it evident that He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu were indeed people of great destiny.


    Zhang Xuanzi had seen many people with great destinies, either rich or noble, dragons or phoenixes.


    But now certain things were no longer valued, and people preferred scientific explanations; and if anything more mystical was mentioned, it could be labeled as feudal superstition.


    Thus, Zhang Xuanzi remained very calm and low-key, yet even so, he was momentarily stunned upon seeing Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu.


    His eyes dimmed and twinkled, not knowing what he was thinking, but after a moment, he regained composure and smiled, actually taking the initiative to come forward.


    The surrounding people glanced at each other curiously but said nothing.


    The elder of the Zhang Family must have had his reasons for doing so.


    Nevertheless, this was already a hundred-year-old man. He Xiuyu quickly covered the few steps and said, ¡°Elder Zhang, it¡¯s quite windy outside. If there is something to discuss, let¡¯s go inside.¡±


    Wu Hong breathed a sigh of relief and also felt he might really have been unnecessarily suspicious.


    Although He Xiuyu was a proud person, overall, he was a calm and imposing individual. Regardless of any entanglements or issues with Han Lishi, he demonstrated the necessary etiquette when facing Zhang Xuanzi.


    After all, there hadn¡¯t been any conflicts between them up to this point.


    He Xiuyu was aware that many people were covertly interested in the Zhang Family.


    But so far, both sides had lived in harmony, proving that the Zhang Family had not overstepped boundaries, and as long as they had not, they should be respected as elders.


    Zhang Xuanzi was very pleased with He Xiuyu¡¯s demeanor and took He Xiuyu¡¯s hand as they entered the red-brick house.


    Meanwhile, Wu Hong took the gifts prepared by Qiao Qingyu from the car.


    Cigarettes, alcohol, sugar, tea¡ªindeed, these were the four items.


    The cigarettes are good, the liquor is fine, the sugar is of a high grade, and the tea is indeed quite delightful.


    Qiao Qingyu carried two items, which were warmly received by others, while the rest were held by Wu Hong.


    He Xiuyu was taken into the house by Elder Zhang.


    For someone like Zhang Xuanzi, it was rare to show such affectionate gestures.


    Wu Hong¡¯s eyes deepened, and he chuckled silently.


    His own family ancestor was shamelessly thick-skinned; this was to rub off some good fortune. Even with his close acquaintance with He Xiuyu, he wouldn¡¯t dare to cling so affectionately.


    The current family ancestor really acted like someone who wouldn¡¯t miss any advantage to gain benefit.


    The interior of the house, unlike what was imagined, was warm, comfortable, and also luxurious.


    It seemed the Zhang Family also enjoyed their luxuries.


    After some warm and friendly words, Zhang Xuanzi went straight to the point and led them into a building.


    This place was different from others.


    A sign that read ¡°Breeding Center¡± hung outside, forbidding entry to unrelated personnel.


    It was Wu Hong who had the keys to open the main door.


    Inside, it was a sea of white ceramic tiles, clearly structured like a laboratory with some equipment laid out on the counters. However, there were no seeds, no experimental tools, and no sprouts¡ªor anything of the sort. It was empty and eerie, but this wasn¡¯t all.


    After opening the door, there was unexpectedly a foyer.


    Then, a staircase leading downward became visible; there was a basement.


    He Xiuyu stood at the door without moving, glanced at Qiao Qingyu, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t follow me inside.¡±


    Zhang Xuanzi laughed beside him, sounding very affectionate, ¡°Ah Yu, it¡¯s just a basement. Wu Hong must have told you about some anomalies in the magnetic field here. Both of you can sense what they are like. Don¡¯t worry; it¡¯s not dangerous.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°Elder Zhang, flaunting the land lease like this, are you digging for treasures here or creating them?¡±


    But she stood on the staircase and did not go down.


    ¡°You¡¯re always too curious, girl. I can¡¯t believe you don¡¯t know what I¡¯m up to.¡±


    ¡°Elder Zhang, I really don¡¯t know what you intend to do, and surely there must be a difference whether we see this basement or not. Does this not also dictate some relationship boundaries?¡±


    He Xiuyu stood by silently.


    Actually, it was of no consequence; people were paying attention to the Zhang Family¡¯s activities here, even though he held no data himself. He had heard from his elder brother about the affairs of the Zhang Family.


    They were whimsically searching for a gateway through space and time, hoping to travel to another world¡ªa scientific notion. But in terms of the Zhang Family¡¯s mysticism, it was about opening the Heavenly Gate to achieve immortality.


    And it was said that this place was the starting point to open the Heavenly Gate.


    Because their work was conducted in strict secrecy, nobody around knew about it. If this were exposed, the Zhang Family would have long been expelled by the authorities.


    Inside the authorities was a special department keeping an eye on them, probably watching us someplace unknown right now, also seeing me and my wife enter.


    But this wasn¡¯t troublesome.


    The trouble was with Elder Zhang of the Zhang Family, letting the two of us see so openly inevitably led to some concerns.


    Wu Hong was about to speak at the side, but Zhang Xuanzi waved his hand, and at this moment, only he could speak convincingly enough for the other two to truly listen.


    ¡°Don¡¯t complicate simple matters. You two carry a significant fortune, or maybe it¡¯s the merits from your past lives that you bring into this one, you should understand this, right?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded, ¡°Elder Zhang, I guess I understand.¡±


    ¡°So maybe it¡¯s fate. If you two hadn¡¯t come here, I wouldn¡¯t have asked Wu Hong to invite you. But since we¡¯re all here, go take a look. Think of it as just sightseeing and enjoying the view. Once you leave, you can choose to remember or forget about this place. Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t cause you any trouble.¡±


    Since Elder Zhang put it that way, Qiao Qingyu readily agreed this time, ¡°Since you say so, let¡¯s take a look together then.¡±

 Chapter 568 - 568 562 Watching Them Like Fools

    ?Chapter 568: Chapter 562: Watching Them Like Fools Chapter 568: Chapter 562: Watching Them Like Fools Since Qiao Qingyu agreed, He Xiuyu took her hand, led by Wu Hong with narrow steps that were just wide enough for two.


    Zhang Xuanzi, however, followed leisurely with his hands behind his back.


    This formation seemed like being sandwiched from front and back, but it must also be said, it was the most reasonable way to walk.


    Of course, that¡¯s somewhat redundant to mention.


    After all, they were headed to an underground chamber¡ªa place wholly unfamiliar to He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu.


    But it seemed unlikely that Zhang Xuanzi would pull any tricks here; first, it was dangerous, and second, it was unnecessary.


    The staircase didn¡¯t lead straight down but turned four corners.


    Then they stood on a patch of ground swallowed by darkness.


    It was hard to see around, but there were specks that seemed like starlight drifting about, resembling fireflies or maybe stars.


    Just as they tried to look closer, lights on the walls were turned on and the underground chamber was lit up bright as daylight, revealing its large size with several large pillars supporting it.


    The chamber was quite tall, about three meters. These pillars weren¡¯t made of cement but wood.


    The wood was thick, seemingly about a hundred years old.


    Zhang Xuanzi didn¡¯t linger and led everyone forward, and then Qiao Qingyu saw in the center of the chamber something resembling a flowerbed.


    Up close, it was surrounded by rocks, forming a small mountain built of stones, with something in the middle of the stones that couldn¡¯t be seen from their distance.


    Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu exchanged a glance, subtly.


    The two then casually fixed their gaze on the pile of rocks.


    Their expressions were calm, but their hearts were not.


    He Xiuyu softly grasped Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand.


    The stones were too familiar, almost identical to the energy stones outside Qiao Qingyu¡¯s Space Device.


    Qiao Qingyu sensed around, detecting nothing unusual.


    That is, the energy stones in another dimensional space couldn¡¯t resonate or communicate with this pile of stones.


    Standing before the stones, Zhang Xuanzi spoke, ¡°Frankly, it took our Zhang Family a long time to find this place, and surprisingly it turned out to be in Lianjiang Village.¡±


    He Xiuyu stepped forward, picked up a stone, and turned to ask Zhang Xuanzi, ¡°Elder Zhang, did you transport these stones from somewhere else or are they local?¡±


    ¡°They are local.¡±


    He Xiuyu pondered for a moment, ¡°As far as I know, there are no mines nearby, and the pebbles from the river do not match these.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, we found an unusual magnetic field here, and then I leased this land and built a house. In the place where the energy was most active, the Zhang Family began to dig the underground chamber.¡±


    Zhang Xuanzi pointed at the stones in front of them and then around, ¡°Back then, this place resembled a grave, and the pit was filled with such stones.¡±


    He Xiuyu smiled, ¡°Elder Zhang, in your Taoist beliefs, do these stones aid in cultivation?¡±


    Unexpectedly, Zhang Xuanzi shook his head, ¡°Logically, such stones should have been called Divine Stones in ancient times. They indeed contain energy, but they are of no use to us.¡±


    ¡°So why build this underground chamber?¡±


    Zhang Xuanzi smiled, ¡°Ah Yu, with so many stones gathering together, there¡¯s substantial energy. Do you think all this energy could open another space?¡±


    Then he added, ¡°Not from the perspective of our Taoist teachings or the Xuan Sect, but analyze it from your scientific standpoint.¡±


    He Xiuyu looked intensely at the pile of stones, surprised within himself. To his knowledge, this kind of stone did not exist in this land.


    And each time for his research, he extracted from outside his Space Device.


    There was also a laboratory built there.


    He did not dare to bring these stones outside.


    But the stone on Yuan Hengzhi made him realize, perhaps the world wasn¡¯t as he had imagined. So after Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s stone was destroyed by an unknown force, he found a substitute.


    He didn¡¯t know what relation that stone had with Yuan Hengzhi, but as if fate linked them, it still remained on Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s body.


    And Yuan Hengzhi knew, hence had never taken it off.


    Yet now, he was in an underground chamber beneath the land of a small mountain village in northern China, discovering so many stones.


    This land had been meticulously explored by surveyors.


    Decades had passed, and if there had been a mine with such energy stones, it would have been discovered¡ªthus, these stones must have been transported from some unknown place.


    He Xiuyu did not make light of it but earnestly said, ¡°Elder Zhang, haven¡¯t you turned these stones over?¡±


    Elder Zhang smiled as he replied, ¡°How could we have not? It¡¯s just that there has been no resolution till now.¡±


    He Xiuyu paused, as he didn¡¯t know about this, but it was normal given the myriad scientific research institutes in the country.


    Each had their own research projects and personnel. Even he, reliant on the miraculous space of the Space Device, had only researched the bare essentials of the energy stones, extracting trace elements for use in urgently needed military hardware parts.


    But he knew that the true purpose of these energy stones was to release energy and maintain the operation of the Space Device.


    Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s stone discharged a faint energy that allowed Yuan Hengzhi to survive, but what was the released energy from this pile of stones supposed to do?


    Wu Hong, who stood by, said, ¡°We¡¯ve analyzed it as well, and this place existed many years ago. Not to hide it from you, Ah Yu, there¡¯s most certainly a space-time portal here, though no one has ever managed to open it.¡±


    He Xiuyu raised an eyebrow, surprised by this revelation.


    ¡°Elder Zhang, have you used the power of the Xuan Sect?¡±


    ¡°The power of the Xuan Sect is too weak. Even if all members of the Zhang Family came together, we couldn¡¯t open the space-time portal.¡±


    Zhang Xuanzi¡¯s voice held regret and helplessness; after all, the Xuan Sect had declined generation by generation and was deteriorating further. If it had been their prime, with the force of the Xuan Sect coupled with so many Spirit Stones, ascending to Heaven would have been possible.


    But now, it was too elusive.


    He had tried with his family, even invited several old members of the Xuan Sect, and included Han Lishi, but the area showed no change, making them look like fools engaging in foolish acts.


    And those secretly monitoring them probably saw him the same way.


    Dreaming a fool¡¯s dream.

 Chapter 569 - 569 563 Is the World Beyond the Door the Place

    ?Chapter 569: Chapter 563: Is the World Beyond the Door the Place You Want to Go? Chapter 569: Chapter 563: Is the World Beyond the Door the Place You Want to Go? Although it seemed beneficial for them, Zhang Xuanzi felt powerless for the first time since returning from abroad.


    This matter had to be continued or terminated now.


    Qiao Qingyu had been silent all this while, but now she couldn¡¯t help but ask Zhang Xuanzi, ¡°Elder Zhang, may I ask you a question?¡±


    Zhang Xuanzi was very polite to Qiao Qingyu. This girl was beautiful and radiated a full spirit, and anyone who genuinely supported her benefitted from doing so.


    So, he said, ¡°Feel free to ask anything.¡±


    ¡°Elder Zhang, even if you manage to open the gate of time and space, can you be sure that the world beyond is the one you wish to visit?¡±


    Zhang Xuanzi exchanged a glance with Wu Hong and couldn¡¯t help but reveal a hint of surprise, as if they had never considered this question.


    Qiao Qingyu found it somewhat amusing, perhaps this was a case of ¡®missing the forest for the trees.¡¯


    If the gate of time and space was indeed opened under strong obsession, would the world on the other side definitely be the Immortal Realm?


    Indeed parallel universes existed, her Space Device was the best proof of that, and Earth and humans were not solitary, they had companions, just undiscovered yet.


    However, what those companions and their places were like was hard to say.


    After a moment of contemplation, Zhang Xuanzi still responded, ¡°Whether it¡¯s the place we long for or not, if we really can go to another world, it would prove that the existence of our Zhang Family and Xuan Sect is justified.¡±


    If they couldn¡¯t prove this, the sect might not be mentioned again in the decades to come.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t want to say anything more.


    Zhang Xuanzi looked at He Xiuyu and asked softly, ¡°Ah Yu, do you have any suggestions for us?¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s voice was calm, ¡°Elder Zhang, since today¡¯s meeting is a private invitation, I really don¡¯t have any suggestions.¡±


    His words were clear. If it were official business, the approach to the stone in front of them and even the control over this area would have been different and beyond Zhang Xuanzi¡¯s grasp.


    His family would definitely have to withdraw.


    Understanding this, Zhang Xuanzi just smiled wryly and said, ¡°Alright then.¡± Feeling reluctant, he then suggested, ¡°Ah Yu, why don¡¯t you take a stone back for study?¡±


    He Xiuyu declined, his voice apologetic, ¡°Elder Zhang, my current science projects are very pressing. I really can¡¯t spare the time, plus haven¡¯t you already had officials take some for study? I believe the research results will surely emerge in time.¡±


    Zhang Xuanzi then laughed heartily, speaking to Wu Hong, ¡°Ah Yu is truly a brilliant man. I had my doubts when you told me before, but today I believe it.¡±


    Wu Hong also chuckled beside him, realizing there was no need to stay any longer; they left the basement.


    Then, Wu Hong drove Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu to the Qiao Family Team.


    However, they did not enter the village but stopped at the entrance, spoke a few words, and then Wu Hong drove away.


    By now, it was already after four in the afternoon. Winter nights were long in the north, and the sun set earlier. Although it wasn¡¯t the winter solstice yet, the sky was already dim.


    The two quickened their pace, planning to have dinner with the Qiao Family that evening since they were leaving the Qiao Family Team soon, and it was uncertain when they would return next.


    The two went directly to the elders¡¯ home.


    The elders also owned a villa now. Although it wasn¡¯t the same as living together like before, they weren¡¯t far apart, so they didn¡¯t feel the house was empty or lonely.


    At this moment, this house was almost filled by the family.


    Right upon opening the door, they could hear Chaoxuan¡¯s loud laughter.


    The child had truly been wild these days.


    He would need to calm down a bit after returning.


    Granny beckoned, motioning Qiao Qingyu to sit next to her.


    Her granddaughter had grown up and married, not as easily seen daily as before, and at her age, every glimpse was precious.


    Her eyes turned a bit red, yet she couldn¡¯t spoil the mood by crying or wailing; that would make everyone uncomfortable and was unnecessary.


    Things were different now. Today, there were trains and cars for travel, and a phone call could directly connect you to hear the other person¡¯s voice.


    Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°Grandma, once you and Grandpa feel healthier, why don¡¯t you come and stay in Xichuan for a while? It wasn¡¯t good before, the sandstorms made it a bad comparison to here. But now Xichuan also has its scenic beauty.¡±


    ¡°Sure, as long as your Grandpa and I can travel, I¡¯ll come and visit your home next year.¡±


    Her aunt looked at He Xiuyu and said, ¡°Ah Yu, your uncle¡¯s cousins have said they¡¯ll see you off at the station.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s uncle was He Shan¡¯s cousin, and since the senior family members, including He Xiuyu¡¯s elder uncle, had passed away, Old Lady He, who only had He Shan as her son, found the two families weren¡¯t as closely knit as before.


    But for He Family members in Hejia Village, it wasn¡¯t the same; Beijing¡¯s He Shan was their pride and beacon and a major support.


    You never knew when the youth of the family might need He Shan¡¯s help.


    So, when He Xiuyu came, without waiting for him to visit Hejia Village, these cousins came to see him. Yesterday, He Xiuyu, along with Qiao Qingyu, not only visited these relatives of the He Family but also those of Qiao Qingyu¡¯s aunt.


    Speaking of which, Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu truly bonded in Hejia Village.


    But that¡¯s digressing.


    He Xiuyu nodded slightly, addressing the Qiao Family aunt, ¡°Aunt, about the matter with my second cousin, I¡¯ll talk to my older brother when I return. However, you should also be prepared. The special unit is a tough place to be; they have to go on missions frequently. There isn¡¯t constant danger, but the risk is always there.¡±


    The aunt waved her hand dismissively, ¡°No worries, what isn¡¯t dangerous these days? To tell you the truth, someone might trip over a stone and take a big fall on the road, or even choke while eating.¡±


    Her second cousin, whose eyes shone with excitement, said eagerly, ¡°My mom¡¯s right. Some people fall into a shallow pit and still manage to drown.¡±


    The conversation was becoming more absurd by the minute.


    Old Lady Qiao, irritated, banged the table a few times, ¡°Let¡¯s eat, just eat properly. What nonsense are you spouting? It¡¯s not as bad as that.¡±


    Her second cousin burst into laughter, considering he also addressed Granny Qiao as Grandma.


    Chaoxuan was already able to use chopsticks, but not very adeptly. He was sitting on He Xiuyu¡¯s lap, and He Xiuyu patiently helped him with his food.


    Today, five tables were set up in the old lady¡¯s place, each gathered by several families.

 Chapter 570 - 570 564 Cant Stop Your Mouth

    ?Chapter 570: Chapter 564: Can¡¯t Stop Your Mouth? Chapter 570: Chapter 564: Can¡¯t Stop Your Mouth? Tianbao¡¯s wife was singing Chaoxuan¡¯s praises at another table.


    Then everyone else joined in.


    Someone teased Qiao Ye, suggesting how nice it would be if she also invited Qi Feng to join them for a meal, since he knew Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu anyway. With a blushing face, Qiao Ye spoke in a low voice, ¡°Why invite him? He¡¯s not part of our family.¡±


    ¡°But it looks like he¡¯s already part of the family, how can he not be?¡±


    ¡°Da Niu, you¡¯re quite impressive now, but Qi Feng is also a popular guy among many girls, you better hold on tight.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t let someone else snatch him away.¡±


    In her heart, Qiao Ye thought that if there was going to be any snatching, it would have happened a long time ago, and she wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance, but she couldn¡¯t say that aloud. Mortified, she took a piece of chicken breast and put it in her sister-in-law¡¯s bowl, huffing, ¡°Eat, eat. Doesn¡¯t this delicious meat shut you up?¡±


    The room erupted into hearty laughter.


    Laughter filled the room, causing the people outside to crane their necks in curiosity.


    When you think about it, the Old Qiao Family really has a lot of members.


    It could be considered the largest household in the Qiao Family Team.


    After returning to the Tenghai Research Base, Little Chaoxuan indeed took several days to get used to everything, but even so, when talking with Rongrong and Xiao Hu, he always referred to ¡°our village¡± of the Qiao Family Team, even though he had only stayed there for half a month.


    Once Qiao Zhicai arrived in Xichuan, he started teaching.


    The old shops had all been moved to the department stores in New City, leaving the old premises vacant, so temporarily, a craft factory was set up there.


    Zhou Xiaoqin had handled the matter efficiently after receiving Qiao Qingyu¡¯s call, so by the time they arrived in Xichuan, the factory personnel and other necessary facilities were already in place.


    Then Qiao Zhicai officially took up his post.


    Some called him Mr. Qiao, others Master Qiao. No matter what they called him, Qiao Zhicai felt honored.


    And then the first snow fell.


    Chaoxuan had been looking forward to making a snowman, and once the heavy snow had stopped, he, along with his son, Rongrong, and Xiao Hu, swept all the snow from inside and outside the courtyard together, really piling up a huge snowman next to the grape trellis.


    When it got colder, Qiao Zhicai made some ice lanterns for his little grandson using iron buckets.


    These ice lanterns weren¡¯t easy to make, as it wasn¡¯t just a matter of freezing water in a bucket.


    Firstly, the bucket had to be special: wide at the top and narrow at the base, what Northern people typically call a ¡®feeding trough¡¯.


    Using such small buckets, the ice lanterns looked beautiful outside with red candles placed in them in the evenings, although they were quite simple.


    When it was possible to keep ice lanterns lit outside all night, it meant that the Spring Festival was near.


    They said they would take the kids back to the Northern area for the New Year¡¯s celebration, and easy as it sounded, it wasn¡¯t that simple. The craft factory was busy, Qiao Zhicai was out early and back late, then Wu Qianyun had to cook at home and take care of Chaoxuan.


    He Xiuyu was even busier, seldom coming home once every three to five days.


    Qiao Qingyu, after submitting the financial report of the Agricultural Group, went over to Professor Feng¡¯s place.


    The breeding base had developed on a fairly large scale, and they had assigned him quite a number of people.


    Among them was Li Bo.


    Although Li Bo was no longer Professor Feng¡¯s graduate student, working here as an assistant was still a learning experience. After all, Li Bo had graduated from the Agricultural University, and it would be a waste for her to only do clerical work. She had no intention of doing so anyway.


    She wanted to do real work with Professor Feng and Qiao Qingyu.


    So that winter, Qiao Qingyu and Li Bo completed the cultivation, observation, and recording of several new varieties in Professor Feng¡¯s laboratory.


    These achievements were Qiao Qingyu¡¯s assignments and homework, while for Li Bo, they served as a stepping stone.


    Professor Feng¡¯s work wasn¡¯t just supervising graduate students. After all, Li Bo hadn¡¯t made it into the first group of graduate students. Once Qiao Qingyu and the others graduated, Professor Feng would take on another group, and by then she should be ready, although she would be somewhat older than usual.


    With this in mind, Li Bo was truly diligent and hardworking.


    She even volunteered to take duty during the Spring Festival holiday.


    Professor Feng had worked hard these years. His hometown was in the Southern region and he had a house here where his spouse and children would come to visit him during the Spring Festival. Qiao Qingyu and Li Bo had helped him tidy up the house, and after picking them up, they managed to give Professor Feng a break.


    But for Professor Feng, how could he possibly stay home all day? So, every day he would still visit the laboratory.


    Mr. Zhao encouraged Li Bo¡¯s ambition. At the Tenghai Research Base, what they needed were people with strong abilities. The survival of the fittest would gradually weed out those who were less capable.


    He really did not want Li Bo to be eliminated.


    Huang Ling was transferred, not to avoid Mr. Zhao and Li Bo.


    It was because Professor Feng had always been critical of Huang Ling, but he never held back in terms of technical knowledge. Then, he introduced Huang Ling to Professor Wang at the Jiangbei Base.


    After Huang Ling was transferred there, she became capable of handling her responsibilities independently.


    She was a product of Professor Feng¡¯s personal teaching.


    Because of this, Li Bo decided to join the breeding base.


    Li Bo¡¯s child and Qiao Qingyu¡¯s son were born around the same time. Her little girl was very pretty and quiet. The nanny took care of her and rarely took her out in the winter.


    Unlike Chaoxuan, who was full of energy, running around several times a day.


    Qiao Qingyu had warned her own mother not to indulge Chaoxuan¡¯s every whim, reminding her to look after her own health.


    Wu Qianyun glared at her daughter, saying nonchalantly, ¡°I¡¯ve looked after several children with my own hands, including the three of you, Doudou and Feifei, as well as your elder uncle and second uncle¡¯s children. I¡¯ve helped with all of them.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you young then?¡±


    Wu Qianyun laughed, ¡°I was young then, but we were not well-off. Now, we eat well, live well, and I¡¯m in a good mood. I actually feel like my mentality is even better than before.¡±


    Wu Qianyun¡¯s room had a pot of Soothing Grass. She ate well, slept well, and didn¡¯t worry about things. Qiao Zhicai was also here now, taking care of some matters.


    When Qiao Zhicai was at home, he would be in charge of the children, so Wu Qianyun really looked healthier than in previous years.


    Only then did Qiao Qingyu feel at ease.


    When you think about it, it makes sense. If an elderly person can no longer look after children, that means they¡¯re truly old. But if they can still run around and play with the kids, that proves they¡¯re still quite young at heart.

 Chapter 571 - 571 565 Planting Red Sage

    ?Chapter 571: Chapter 565: Planting Red Sage Chapter 571: Chapter 565: Planting Red Sage In March that year, Qiao Qingyu was unexpectedly selected as a national ¡°March 8th Red Banner Bearer¡±.


    She had to go to Beijing for a meeting.


    This honor was truly rare for Qiao Qingyu, so everyone from top to bottom took it very seriously. He Xiuyu made time specifically to accompany Qiao Qingyu to Beijing and brought along Chaoxuan.


    When Meng Siqi saw Qiao Qingyu again, her face was all smiles.


    She let Qingyu¡¯s two children stay at home without having to worry about them anymore.


    As one gets older, they begin to really enjoy being around young children.


    But to tell the truth, Meng Siqi was now quite afraid of facing Rongrong.


    Previously, she never felt there was anything wrong with her actions; in fact, many times she thought she had done quite well. Not throwing the child out was her mercy. But after so many things had happened, Meng Siqi absolutely couldn¡¯t think like that anymore.


    Her reluctance to meet Rongrong was also because she felt guilty towards her own elder son.


    Thus, she was particularly nice to Chaoxuan.


    This time He Xiuyu came to Beijing, firstly to accompany his wife to the meeting, and secondly to attend the opening ceremony of the Huaxia Fifth Pharmaceutical Factory.


    After years of experiments and clinical trials, the juice extracted from the Soothing Grass to make the Anxin Yangshen Pill had been officially approved for production.


    There were those who were skeptical of this new medicine and those who were eager to get it in their hands, with the skeptical ones being the manufacturers of Western medicines, some of whom also produced in joint ventures with foreign companies.


    The eager ones were several Chinese medicine factories, as the Anxin Yangshen Pills were Chinese proprietary medicines.


    Eventually, the Fifth Pharmaceutical Factory won the contract.


    The Fifth Pharmaceutical Factory in Yanjing was an established factory, founded along with the nation, producing many urgently needed medicines during difficult times by the workers working overtime.


    After the economic reform, some pharmaceutical factories closed while others took the opportunity to rise.


    The Fifth Pharmaceutical Factory, not having brought in foreign medicines or wanted a joint venture, was now facing some difficulties.


    It originated as a maker of Chinese proprietary medicines, with many experienced craftspeople in the factory, most of whom were succeeded by their children after retirement.


    This kind of succession led to some issues in skills transmission; some didn¡¯t learn any of their parents¡¯ techniques and had to take other jobs, yet still occupied positions.


    Also, due to various factors, the factory was divided into two factions, one preparing to bring in new types of medicines and purchase production lines for Western medicines, while the other faction didn¡¯t want to abandon the existing equipment and techniques, planning to continue processing Chinese medicines.


    But it¡¯s unavoidable after the economic reforms, with many foreign products impacting the domestic market, although pharmaceuticals hadn¡¯t yet, but Western medicine now dominates nearly 80% of the medical field.


    Fortunately, the old leaders of the factory stood firm against the pressure, bringing back the retired craftspeople, planning to continue producing Chinese medicines and seeking to enhance them. Thus, at such a time, they acquired the Anxin Yangsheng Pills.


    The country, of course, would invest, as everyone knew this was a veritable golden goose.


    He Xiuyu naturally wanted to witness such a moment, so he came to Beijing with Qiao Qingyu.


    Their itinerary for the next few days was packed.


    Qiao Qingyu first went to register, then visited the Agricultural Research Institute, and afterward the Agricultural University; they said they were bringing the kids to Beijing, and only after the meetings ended did the couple finally find some time.


    With the kids, they visited a few places he had wanted to go before.


    When they returned to Xichuan, the whole Agricultural Group began to get busy again.


    While Qiao Qingyu went to an area called Pingliang Dam in the northwest of Xichuan.


    This region was the last to achieve greening but was now gradually entering the profit-making phase.


    This time, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s laboratory and seed cultivation room provided Pingliang Dam with 50,000 kilograms of red sage seeds.


    These were seeds harvested after successful cultivation at the experimental base.


    They had already developed mature cultivation management experiences, and this herb was also one of the ingredients in the Anxin Yangsheng Pills.


    Thus, as long as it was planted and harvested, Yanjing Fifth Pharmaceutical Factory would take as much as was grown.


    It was now the planting season, belonging to seed propagation, but it was necessary that a thin plastic film be used, and Wulong Chemical Factory was now producing this kind of ground film and plastic film for greenhouses in large quantities.


    Qiao Qingyu also brought several technicians, and this time she had to stay here for at least half a month.


    She again left everything at home to her own mother.


    The area suitable for planting red sage was located in the western part of the Pingliang Dam, where the terrain was somewhat complex, but the soil was indeed suitable for planting red sage.


    This time it was planting as planned, following the Agricultural Group¡¯s operational model, led by the local government, employing farmers from surrounding areas.


    Actually, at the beginning, they wanted to distribute these seeds for the farmers to plant themselves, the local even offered interest-free loans, but after more than a month of mobilization, only a few households agreed.


    Everyone simply did not believe planting this could make money; as far as they were concerned, it was already good if the land could grow grass, better if it could grow crops, then they would have food to eat, but growing ginseng here, are you kidding? Ginseng couldn¡¯t just be planted, it was said to be found deep in the forests and needed a red string to be dug up.


    Nobody knew how these rumors had spread.


    Although there were leaders, the few numbers did not form a scale and were still dispersed; then He Xiuyu helped the local leader reach a preliminary procurement agreement with the Fifth Pharmaceutical Factory.


    This settled their minds, securing the fund smoothly.


    As long as it grew and sold, and money was seen, the subsequent work would be easier to carry out. As long as they didn¡¯t encounter a major natural disaster, a year later, this vast expanse of land would create unimaginable economic value for them.


    Who said that red sage had to be dug up in deep forests with a red string? If so, none of the pharmaceutical factories would want to deal with Chinese medicine.


    And the Fifth Pharmaceutical Factory needed much more than just one type of medicinal material.


    Hence, the existing operating model was simply adapted from the Agricultural Group.


    To be cautious, they still invited Qiao Qingyu over.


    Unexpectedly, here Qiao Qingyu saw Sun Xiuyuan, whom she had not seen for a long time.


    After graduation, Sun Xiuyuan went directly to the city¡¯s Youth League.


    This time she came here following the city¡¯s poverty alleviation office; the main content of this work was organized jointly by the Youth League and the poverty alleviation office.


    This was still about organizing the young and able-bodied labor to get rid of poverty and enrich their cultural knowledge.


    Also, there were still quite a few remote villages where the selling of women was a severe issue.


    Of course, there was also child trafficking.


    Relying on the remoteness from the Emperor¡¯s reach, some small villages, even if aware of such phenomena, couldn¡¯t really proceed with their work or stop it because many villages were clannish and especially united.


    This time, taking advantage of the widespread cultivation of red sage in the region, Sun Xiuyuan brought her work team along with the poverty alleviation office.

 Chapter 572 - 572 566 The Gentleman Does Not Stand Under a

    ?Chapter 572: Chapter 566: The Gentleman Does Not Stand Under a Collapsing Wall Chapter 572: Chapter 566: The Gentleman Does Not Stand Under a Collapsing Wall In the simple tent, Sun Xiuyuan actually gave Qiao Qingyu a warm embrace.


    Qiao Qingyu looked at Sun Xiuyuan, surprised that a few years of effort had really made a difference, with much of that arrogant air about her having been subdued.


    However, looking at the other members, Qiao Qingyu still felt obliged to remind them, ¡°Your work group¡¯s Combat Power seems a bit weak.¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan looked at her, puzzled, ¡°We¡¯re not going to fight anyone.¡±


    ¡°Have you done any advance investigations? Do you have specific villages in mind? Do you have a grasp on the local personnel? And after you go in, can you understand the real situation...¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan felt that Qiao Qingyu was kind of annoying.


    Just as she was about to speak, Qiao Qingyu said with a smile that was not quite a smile, ¡°I¡¯m just kindly reminding you, don¡¯t misinterpret my good intentions.¡±


    If it were before, she wouldn¡¯t have bothered wasting her breath on Sun Xiuyuan.


    Sun Xiuyuan thought for a moment and pouted, ¡°I know you mean well, but how could we go without doing an investigation?¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring any police officers with you?¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan frowned, ¡°We applied for support, but the police officers won¡¯t be in place for another two days.¡±


    Both stepped out of the tent, and pointing in the direction of the Northwest, Sun Xiuyuan said, ¡°There are two villages over there that we¡¯ve never been to. We¡¯re going in first to get a feel for the situation. It¡¯s much easier for us to investigate now that you¡¯ve mobilized people to cultivate red sage.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu knew of many such cases, of course, not from present knowledge, but from reports she read online decades later.


    Some villages nearly all shared the same surname, descended from one ancestor, so under the principle of ¡®the law does not punish the masses,¡¯ they even had their own clan rules. To manage things better, they simply let the clan leader serve as the village head.


    The women who had been bought found it was not so easy to run away; the whole village kept an eye on her.


    Even when the police came to investigate, they could be driven out with hoes and rakes.


    Some cases came to nothing, while others did lead to rescue.


    But the process was fraught with difficulty.


    Qiao Qingyu still urged her, ¡°I think it¡¯s better for you to wait for the support from the police officers you¡¯ve applied for before you enter the village.¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan blinked and grabbed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand, ¡°A lot of people here seem to know you; why don¡¯t you come with me?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t object, but pointed to the busy scene before them, ¡°I¡¯m really swamped here and can¡¯t get away.¡±


    ¡°But if you came with us, it would make things much easier, and the reputation of the Tenghai Agricultural Group is quite impressive in this land.¡±


    This was undeniable, the reputation of Tenghai Research Base¡¯s Agricultural Group had been rising rapidly, well-known throughout Xichuan and even all of West City.


    Qiao Qingyu then said, ¡°Then you¡¯ll have to wait for me for three days, which works out well since the police you¡¯ve asked for support from will also have arrived. Wouldn¡¯t it be safer to go together then?¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan thought it over, didn¡¯t agree, but said vaguely, ¡°Then you go ahead with your work, I¡¯ll be heading back.¡±


    With that, Sun Xiuyuan left.


    At that moment, someone came looking for Qiao Qingyu, and she quickly put the matter to the back of her mind.


    The busy day passed quickly; Qiao Qingyu had come with Li Bo and several other technicians.


    The number of people planting red sage was really not small, nearly ten thousand people. Each village was divided into a group, with the village head as the group leader, and responsibility contracts were signed.


    With vast land, a large number of people, and not insignificant seed costs, if they were to slack off, the efforts of the Pingliang Dam region would be wasted, and no one could afford such a loss.


    Patrol and inspection teams were also established, and this time Lu Ye had brought a few people over as well.


    A round-faced young man ran over from a distance to say that Lu Ye had encountered a problem and asked for Qiao Qingyu to come over or send a technician to have a look.


    Qiao Qingyu had something to discuss with Lu Ye anyway, so she decided to go herself.


    This area isn¡¯t a plain, but it also lacks high mountains, being made up of slope after slope forming a zone.


    After crossing over one hillside, Qiao Qingyu frowned as a large expanse of land ready for bundling lay before her eyes, now in the midst of being covered with thin plastic film.


    However, it was only halfway done, with several bundles of plastic film weighed down by large stones as a big group of people gathered around, seemingly discussing something.


    Qiao Qingyu walked forward; the place was brimming with people engrossed in their work.


    The patrol team also noticed and began loudly reminding, ¡°It¡¯s not break time yet. We need to pick up the pace. Your village is the slowest.¡±


    She glanced at the nearby sign, which bore the name of the village: Shuiwa Village.


    Qiao Qingyu moved towards the crowd, but before she could speak, a panting teenager ran up from a distance, exclaiming, ¡°Dad, dad, please hurry home! If you don¡¯t return soon, mom will be taken away.¡±


    What was this about?


    But one middle-aged man¡¯s complexion drastically changed; he dropped his hoe and scurried toward the north. His abrupt departure sparked the others to discard their tools and run after him.


    Their figures quickly vanished.


    This large group sprinted so fast that they disappeared at the end of the hill in the blink of an eye.


    The patrolman ran over, with only a dozen or so people still laboring in the field, he asked in frustrated bewilderment, ¡°What¡¯s going on? What happened to make everyone run off?¡±


    One old man huffed in anger, ¡°If we don¡¯t run, our boy¡¯s bride will be gone.¡±


    What did that have to do with anything?


    And what did it have to do with planting red sage?


    Nevertheless, Shuiwa Village was over ten miles from the encampment. These people lived here, with their rudimentary tents supplied with water and food, though they brought their own luggage.


    After the red sage was planted, they could return home.


    Everyone had already received their allotment of prepaid provisions.


    Then, upon completion of the task, each laborer would be given an additional twenty yuan.


    So, everyone should have been working enthusiastically.


    Naturally, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t just run off with them, but a sense of unease arose within her, instinctively feeling that this issue likely involved Sun Xiuyuan¡ªthe woman was not at the base.


    How audacious she was.


    But considering the situation, nearly a hundred people had left in a rush, full of aggressive energy. If it was indeed Sun Xiuyuan and her group, the three girls and two boys would be at a disadvantage.


    If any other mishaps occurred, that would be even worse.


    With this in mind, Qiao Qingyu grew anxious; she dashed to Lu Ye and quickly relayed the situation to him.


    Lu Ye, with furrowed brows, didn¡¯t say much. He set down what he was holding, entrusted a few words to someone nearby, and then instructed Qiao Qingyu, ¡°You head back to headquarters. Don¡¯t follow along. I¡¯m going to call for help right now.¡±


    After speaking, Lu Ye entered the tent.


    There was a temporary communication line and a generator in place, allowing the call to be made.


    Lu Ye contacted Brother Sun, Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s elder brother, who was taken aback upon hearing of the incident.


    He had thought his sister had finally become more stable and mature, yet she was still proving to be inexperienced.


    A gentleman would not willingly stand under a wall in danger, and her headlong action was inviting trouble.


    He was well aware of the local customs of that area...

 Chapter 573 - 573 567 Land Beyond the Law

    ?Chapter 573: Chapter 567: Land Beyond the Law Chapter 573: Chapter 567: Land Beyond the Law After putting down the phone, Brother Sun¡¯s hands were trembling. He quickly contacted the relevant personnel, took the lead, and drove several Jeeps and a big truck toward Shuiwa Village, as Qiao Qingyu had indicated.


    Xichuan was some distance from Shuiwa Village; it would take the Jeeps more than three hours, no matter how fast they drove.


    Lu Ye rushed to the jurisdiction of Shuiwa Village. The remaining people were either ignorant or possibly knew everything but refused to tell.


    Their eyes were darting around suspiciously.


    Lu Ye, anxious and with no time for detailed questioning, couldn¡¯t make any arrests without evidence, nor did he have the authority.


    But there were no lawless lands left. Even a small village was under someone¡¯s watch. Did they really think they were the mountain king?


    There was a Village Chief above Shuiwa Village, and above the Village Chief, there was a line manager.


    Some places had already disbanded the militia, but the armed department was still there.


    The villagers who could work had healthy bodies, running up and down the slopes like rabbits, and more than an hour had already passed back and forth.


    Without hesitation, Lu Ye and a few people from the Village Chief and the armed department borrowed several three-wheeled motorcycles and sped towards Shuiwa Village.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyebrows remained furrowed.


    It would have been better not to know, but now that she did know, how could she not worry?


    At that moment, Sun Xiuyuan did not expect that her first investigative trip to a village would yield such significant results, and at the same time, she was furiously outraged.


    This Shuiwa Village really acted as if it was beyond the law, with 80% of the wives in the village bought. Some had become grandmothers, while others were mothers-in-law.


    But many had been bought in recent years, with one having been lied to by human traffickers from abroad during the Spring Festival.


    The human trafficker sold her to a bachelor at the head of the village for 500 yuan.


    500 yuan! It was a profitless trade. The girl was tormented so badly she was nearly out of her senses.


    Ordinarily, these things were not for them to discover, but because they were now organizing the cultivation of red sage, all the young and strong laborers of the village had gone out to work, leaving only the elderly, women, and children in the village.


    After entering the village without a specific purpose, they casually knocked on a household¡¯s door.


    Not having managed to open the main gate, they heard sobbing sounds from the courtyard, and when the work group¡¯s young men kicked the door open, they discovered a woman tied up in the woodshed.


    It was no longer just about human trafficking; this was a crime!


    The village was small, with a little over a hundred households.


    The group of five began a house-to-house investigation to collect evidence.


    Halfway through, a large group of young and middle-aged men poured into the village entrance.


    They approached Sun Xiuyuan and her two companions with fury and quickly surrounded them.


    Sun Xiuyuan regretted it.


    The other two young girls in the work group turned pale with fear.


    Even if these men did nothing, their menacing appearance was frightening, especially their menacing gaze.


    The two young men also faced such a situation for the first time.


    Even if they could fight ten men each, they could only knock down twenty, while the sea of people numbered nearly a hundred.


    By their side, several women who had been rescued had already been dragged back by their current men, some simply beaten and kicked before Sun Xiuyuan, cursing, ¡°Trying to run? I spent 300 yuan to buy you. Alive, you¡¯re mine; dead, you¡¯d still be my ghost...¡±


    A few men, emboldened by the man who led the beating of the woman, also raised their fists, relenting only when the women pleaded, crying that they would not run away, that they would not go back anymore.


    One woman stayed silent throughout, her eyes bruised and face swollen. After the man stopped beating her, she struggled to stand up and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Zhao Cheng, let them go. This has nothing to do with them.¡±


    The man called Zhao Cheng shoved the woman away, cursing, ¡°Wait until tonight, I¡¯ll deal with you...¡±


    The woman fell to the ground in despair.


    Sun Xiuyuan, trapped in the crowd, trembled all over, her teeth chattering.


    It was hard to tell if she was angry or scared.


    Tears streamed down her face.


    Such a scene was a first for her and her work group.


    Before when they entered villages, they had security officers and the Village Chief accompanying them. After a round of investigation and finding nothing, they would leave.


    If it weren¡¯t for the cultivation of red sage, such a village would still remain undiscovered.


    Sun Xiuyuan was the group leader, and she clenched her fists tightly, her voice trembling as she spoke, ¡°Where is the Village Chief of Shuiwa Village?¡±


    The man who had led the beating, Zhao Cheng, came forward.


    He brazenly looked Sun Xiuyuan over, ¡°Our Village Chief is ill, went to see a doctor out of town.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re doing wrong,¡± she said.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the wrong? It¡¯s natural for a man to beat his wife. There¡¯s no law that says a man can¡¯t beat his wife, is there?¡±


    ¡°Here, many women were bought by you, and you still abuse and mistreat them. That¡¯s even a greater crime.¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan mustered the courage to shout loudly.


    The girls next to her were petrified, tugging at Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s clothes, their voices trembling, ¡°Stop talking. Let¡¯s leave quickly... leave here quick.¡±


    Zhao Cheng swept his stern gaze over the five people.


    He asked the two standing next to him, ¡°Are you sure? It¡¯s just the five of them, no other companions?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re sure. Nobody followed but, on the way back, some rangers and people from other villages saw us.¡±


    Zhao Cheng thought for a moment. ¡°No matter.¡±


    The villagers were united as one family, with almost the same ancestor.


    Thus, when things like this happened, they united against outsiders.


    To continue hiding the village¡¯s secrets, these five could not be allowed to leave.


    A few men pulled others aside to talk.


    Meanwhile, Sun Xiuyuan and her group were encircled by people, some holding sticks, some wielding kitchen knives. The five dared not move.


    Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s mind was blank, while Li Qing and Lin Feng had also never witnessed such a scene.


    They say a single tiger can¡¯t withstand a pack of wolves; escaping from here was difficult, so they could only hope these villagers would be rational and let them go.


    Li Qing tried to keep his voice gentle as he spoke to a villager nearest to him, ¡°Uncle, we¡¯re just here to count the village population. Since you say there¡¯s no problem... we¡¯ll just leave now.¡±


    Lin Feng suppressed his anger and echoed Li Qing, attempting to convince the villagers they were harmless and they should be wary of their status.


    After all, this not a time of war but of law; it was an era of rule by law.

 Chapter 574 - 574 568 The Villain

    ?Chapter 574: Chapter 568: The Villain Chapter 574: Chapter 568: The Villain Shuiwa Village was not an outlaw stronghold, and these men were no bandits.


    Saying the right thing could have made them cautious enough to leave peacefully.


    Otherwise, these two young men might be fine, but what about the three female comrades?


    At this moment, it seemed like that man had reached a consensus with several others.


    He directly said to a few people, ¡°This is your fault, not ours, so we can¡¯t let you leave. Just stay here. Shuiwa Village is pretty good, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    He even turned back to the men beside him and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t it nice here?¡±


    The men just laughed heartily.


    Zhao Cheng, the leader, pointed at Sun Xiuyuan, ¡°Keep that woman for me, as for the other two, do as you please...¡±


    Then the crowd charged at them, quickly separating the five, with Sun Xiuyuan screaming in terror, and the other two girls no longer able to stand, were dragged away by some villagers.


    Li Qing and Lin Feng had not anticipated that the situation would take such a drastic turn, with these people boldly attempting to detain them.


    They had never seen such bold villagers before; they were no different from bandits of the past.


    No longer certain of what would happen next, Li Qing and Lin Feng frantically fought with the people around them, with Lin Feng even snatching a kitchen knife and slashing at the nearest person.


    The man beside him was caught off guard and cut on the arm, blood spewing out immediately, then Lin Feng was struck on the back of the head with a rod, falling to the ground, his life or death unknown.


    Sun Xiuyuan, from childhood to adulthood, had never even seen such a scene in movies or on television.


    Several people gripped her tightly; she couldn¡¯t move at all.


    Trembling all over, consumed by boundless fear, a moment of clarity finally broke through her panicked mind, and she yelled frantically, ¡°Don¡¯t think no one knows we¡¯re here. Qiao Qingyu... Manager Qiao from Tenghai Agricultural Group, she¡¯s my college classmate. I told her before I left, if the five of us don¡¯t return to headquarters tonight, they would eventually come looking for us here...¡±


    Zhao Cheng stared fixedly at Sun Xiuyuan.


    Qiao Qingyu, he knew her¡ªthe beautiful woman like a fairy, the deputy general manager of Tenghai Agricultural Group.


    Privately, they said that a night with such a woman would be worth dying for.


    But publicly, they had to treat her with respect.


    Because she was the god of wealth, capable of helping them earn more money.


    Zhao Cheng stepped forward, glaring viciously at Sun Xiuyuan. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier, you wretched woman?¡±


    He glanced at Lin Feng, lying on the ground.


    He waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Just lock them all up for now.¡±


    Now that things had gone this far, it seemed there was no turning back. Might as well hide them all until after the incident was over.


    But just then, one of the guards at the entrance of the village came running into the village toward Zhao Cheng, gasping, ¡°Big Brother, there¡¯s trouble. There are quite a few people coming this way from the mountain hollow, riding on three-wheeled motorcycles.¡±


    The crowd buzzed and scattered.


    A young man, who looked about sixteen or seventeen, turned pale. ¡°Uncle, what should we do? Will we be arrested?¡±


    Zhao Cheng stared fiercely at the young man and slapped him, sending the youth staggering to the ground. He cursed fiercely, ¡°Why would they arrest us? We¡¯ve done nothing.¡±


    Someone hastened to add, ¡°This road isn¡¯t easy to travel. Even if they see us, it will take them a while to get here.¡±


    Indeed, that was the terrain there. If you stand on one hill you see someone on another, you might think you¡¯re close, that a wave would make you visible, and you could meet easily, right?


    Wrong. To meet the other person, you have to go downhill first, and that slope might be steep.


    Then you have to climb another hill, a long and difficult climb.


    To meet them might actually take almost a whole day.


    It¡¯s not an exaggeration; this is the most realistic portrayal of the Pingliang Dam area.


    So, a majority of the people were not in a hurry.


    You think riding an electric scooter is fast, but it might not even match walking, this isn¡¯t the cement roads of the city.


    But Zhao Cheng was still somewhat annoyed.


    Yet there was no time for remorse now; he would either be caught red-handed or clean up the site. It wasn¡¯t their first time doing such a thing. He looked at the disarray among the crowd and barked, ¡°What¡¯s there to fear? Just like before, move quickly, and don¡¯t let them corner us. There¡¯s safety in numbers; they can¡¯t see anything, can¡¯t catch anyone, and could they really arrest all of us, several hundred people here? No place is big enough to hold us. What are we afraid of?¡±


    After Zhao Cheng said this, people began to move towards the village entrance. It wasn¡¯t long before a group of four or five people scattered, each dragging someone away; Lin Feng, who had collapsed, was also carried off.


    The area soon cleared, leaving behind only half of the populace, who even meticulously smeared the bloodstains on the ground with their feet.


    The village, being on loamy soil, showed no signs of the recent turmoil once the crowd dispersed.


    On the road, Lu Ye and the Chief of the Armed Forces also realized the problem, especially the Chief, who was indeed very anxious.


    Who was Sun Xiuyuan? He did not know at first, but he did now.


    The Chief wasn¡¯t clear on the specific situation in this village but knew the local customs of the area well. County officials had made several deployments regarding such matters, but without solid evidence, even if someone was detained, they¡¯d have to be released the next day.


    Regardless of whether anything happened in this village, those five young people were defenseless lambs, and he could only hope that the villagers were not vicious wolves.


    Driving the motorcycle over a hill, the Chief got off, and Lu Ye also sensed the problem.


    He left the motorcycle behind, and the Chief, along with a few others and Lu Ye, ran wildly towards Shuiwa Village.


    At the same time, Qiao Qingyu saw He Xiuwen at the headquarters.


    He Xiuwen hadn¡¯t come alone; he brought two police officers with him.


    Qiao Qingyu thought He Xiuwen had come for Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s workgroup.


    She knew well who He Xiuwen was. With him around, there should be no serious problems. She pointed straight ahead, ¡°Big Brother, if you go straight along this mountain path, you¡¯ll reach Shuiwa Village. Maybe Lu Ye and the others are almost there too.¡±


    He Xiuwen raised his eyebrows in surprise. ¡°Qingyu, what¡¯s happening? Shuiwa Village?¡±


    Only then did Qiao Qingyu realize that He Xiuwen knew nothing about this matter.


    She briefly explained the situation about Sun Xiuyuan.


    He Xiuwen frowned slightly, and told the two people beside him, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Shuiwa Village.¡±


    As for what he had come to do, He Xiuwen didn¡¯t explain. When Qiao Qingyu tried to ask, he had already disappeared from view.

 Chapter 575 - 575 569

    ?Chapter 575: Chapter 569 Chapter 575: Chapter 569 At the time, before they could even enter the village, Lu Ye and the armed forces¡¯ elder, Old Xu, and a few others were stopped by Zhao Cheng and his group, who were leaving the village.


    Zhao Cheng looked at the group in front of him with surprise, revealing a naive smile as he nervously rubbed his hands together and stuttered, ¡°... Lea... leaders, we¡¯re going to go back to work right away, really sorry, we¡¯ll work extra and stay up at night to make up for the delay.¡±


    Lu Ye and Old Xu exchanged glances, and Old Xu directly asked, ¡°Did the city¡¯s work team come to your village for an investigation?¡±


    Zhao Cheng pretended to be stunned for a moment, rubbed his large hands, then scratched the back of his neck in a confused manner, saying, ¡°What work team? We don¡¯t know, haven¡¯t seen any.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you all not working and running back here, even saying that your wives are about to be taken away by others?¡±


    That was what Qiao Qingyu had heard, but no more words could be pulled out of those people¡¯s mouths.


    Of course, there truly wasn¡¯t any time to ask; if given time, how could there possibly be a shell that couldn¡¯t be cracked open?


    A man who was older than Zhao Cheng just smiled naively and said, ¡°Ah, that thing... well, aren¡¯t we all out working? The wives and mothers at home got into a fight, so we were worried and quickly ran back, but then it turned out to be nothing, so we¡¯re hurrying back to work...¡±


    Lu Ye stared grimly at the group in front of him, some holding sticks, some holding hoes, some standing empty-handed at the entrance of the village, a dark mass of people, but one could feel that these people were very united. Saying they were a single entity wasn¡¯t an exaggeration.


    Old Xu didn¡¯t want to waste words with them; a search through this village would reveal the truth.


    He reached out his large hand and pushed Zhao Cheng away, who was blocking his path, ¡°Don¡¯t stand in our way; we have official business today.¡±


    Zhao Cheng grabbed hold of Minister Xu, ¡°Leader, what do you mean? What mistake have the people in our village made?¡±


    ¡°Yes, what mistake have we made? You¡¯re blocking us here indiscriminately; we still need to go back to work.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, exactly. It¡¯s almost noon, how will we manage the afternoon work without a full meal? We can¡¯t delay planting ginseng; that¡¯s a serious matter...¡±


    There¡¯s truth in the saying that there¡¯s safety in numbers.


    At this moment, even with Minister Xu and Lu Ye, and a few armed forces personnel behind them, their voices were not as loud as those of the people in front of them, who were like a bronze wall and iron barricade at the village entrance, simply not allowing them in.


    Minister Xu pulled out his weapon, a gun he carried at his lower back.


    With his many years of experience, he was sure there was a problem with this village.


    Holding the gun, he shouted loudly, ¡°Shut up, all of you, let us through.¡±


    The crowd instantly fell silent, virtually speechless.


    Zhao Cheng was the first to dash towards the side of the road, and just like that, a path was opened at the village entrance.


    The faces of the crowd turned pale.


    Their gazes involuntarily shifted towards the leading Zhao Cheng, and Minister Xu, who saw clearly where their eyes were looking, swept his sharp gaze towards Zhao Cheng on the side and noticed his clenched fists.


    Minister Xu raised his voice, ¡°I am the armed forces minister from the county, my surname is Xu. Today, I am here on official duty. It has been reported that the city¡¯s work team entered your village but did not leave. Anyone who is not related to this matter but simply following the crowd or was forced into doing something, I guarantee will not be pursued...¡±


    Minister Xu¡¯s words silenced the scene for a moment.


    Then two older people from the crowd spoke up, ¡°We really haven¡¯t seen any work team, but if you, Minister Xu, don¡¯t trust us, feel free to come into the village and look around, search anywhere, in these hundred-plus households, nobody can run or fly away.¡±


    Someone else chimed in, ¡°Yeah, go and search, once you¡¯re done, we¡¯ll go back to work.¡±


    Even one person spoke loudly, ¡°When you¡¯re done, we¡¯ll walk together; maybe we can help you find the work team on our way.¡±


    Zhao Cheng¡¯s hanging heart finally eased; Shuiwa Village was still the same Shuiwa Village.


    Facing a great foe, they remained very united. He couldn¡¯t help but lift the corners of his mouth with pride, but he quickly reverted to his original expression, yet Lu Ye caught sight of it.


    At that moment, the Village Chief and another work personnel finally caught up, and Minister Xu¡¯s group grew to eight.


    The Village Chief¡¯s face was ashen with anger, also dripping with sweat. Regardless of whether the big leader¡¯s daughter was in this village or not, the scene was unsightly.


    The fact that such a large group from Shuiwa Village didn¡¯t even greet him and just ran back filled him with unease.


    As a Village Chief who was born and raised here, he was aware that in this county, many wives in these thousands of villages were bought.


    But for many years it had been like this: the bought women, some would stealthily flee, some were beaten, others obediently gave birth and raised their children here, and then some truly made this place their home.


    Women, after all, have limited strength, their arms can¡¯t twist thighs, and in the end, they have to give in.


    However, in recent years, there was more and more publicity on this matter, and he had also been cracking down strictly.


    But he was still worried about the thorn in his side like Shuiwa Village.


    The infuriating thing about this village was that they were almost all of the same surname. Although it was called Shuiwa Village, almost everyone here was surnamed Zhao.


    The Village Head was an outsider by surname, but since he became the head, he fell sick every other day, and so, Zhao Cheng came to manage the place.


    In the past year, there hadn¡¯t been any issues; it wasn¡¯t different from any other village.


    Thus, the Village Chief had a glimmer of hope, looking at Zhao Cheng standing in front, he said irritably, ¡°You disregard the organization, you have no discipline; you¡¯re not allowed to run back here before the workday or home time is up. Who allowed you to come back? What are you doing gathering at the entrance? What exactly happened?¡±


    Zhao Cheng was just about to speak when Minister Xu waved his hand, ¡°Village Chief, no rush, let¡¯s first go find people in the village.¡±


    The Village Chief nodded his head then glared fiercely at Zhao Cheng, who in turn pretended to be timidly frightened, saying softly, ¡°Village Chief, we came back because the wives and mothers at home started fighting, then others joined in the melee, making the fight get out of hand... so the kids came to tell us, and I rushed back. Who knew they would follow, it¡¯s my fault, we will make up for the work we¡¯ve missed.¡±


    While Zhao Cheng was still making promises to the Village Chief, Minister Xu had already led his people into the village.


    These people also followed them in.


    Minister Xu, along with Lu Ye and the others, began searching every household, leaving no corner untouched, no cellar unchecked. There were many cave-like dwellings here, making the search not too difficult.


    After more than an hour, they found nothing.

 Chapter 576 - 576 570

    ?Chapter 576: Chapter 570 Chapter 576: Chapter 570 Zhao Cheng sighed with relief.


    He had hidden it meticulously; how could they possibly know?


    Upon looking at the villagers, he noticed fear still etched on some of their faces.


    After all, those who had come included the Village Chief and the leader of the county¡¯s armed forces.


    It had been over thirty years. Some of their fathers had passed away, and those who survived became more cowardly by the day.


    Yet, there was a saying, the brave die, and the cowardly starve.


    And now, turning themselves in would not absolve them of their guilt; it made more sense to deny everything stoutly.


    Unexpectedly, Zhao Cheng¡¯s younger cousin whispered anxiously beside him, ¡°Brother, it¡¯s bad news; three more people in uniforms are running this way, and they look like police.¡±


    Zhao Cheng¡¯s face darkened¡ªcould this issue not be covered up and was about to escalate?


    He gave his younger brother a meaningful glance.


    For some reason, perhaps instinct, Lu Ye kept his eyes on Zhao Cheng.


    He noticed a man speaking to Zhao Cheng, and afterward, Zhao Cheng¡¯s expression changed notably; he walked over and asked with a furrowed brow, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Zhao Cheng¡¯s brother was startled, then pointed toward the entrance of the village, stammering, ¡°It¡¯s... it¡¯s just that three more people have come.¡±


    Lu Ye furrowed his brows¡ªthree people?


    That didn¡¯t seem right; given the timing, Brother Sun and his group couldn¡¯t have arrived yet. Who could it be?


    The newcomers approached rapidly.


    Xiao Lai and Xiao Jia were experienced comrades who had served life-threatening missions with He Xiuwen and were viewed as brothers. When He Xiuwen transferred to Xichuan, they followed him.


    Accustomed to the local environment, they often took on tasks together; occasionally others joined, but it required an adjustment period one couldn¡¯t just integrate seamlessly into.


    Lu Ye didn¡¯t recognize Xiao Lai and Xiao Jia, but he knew He Xiuwen.


    He didn¡¯t know why He Xiuwen was here, but his presence was definitely a relief.


    With brisk steps, Lu Ye walked toward He Xiuwen. Old Xu, too, noticed and certainly knew who he was. Although they were of similar age, they came from different backgrounds, but Old Xu had long admired He Xiuwen and always hoped to meet him.


    He Xiuwen was his idol, and being on good terms with him would be beneficial for him.


    When the uniformed men stood in the village, the villagers truly become frightened; some even cast resentful glances at Zhao Cheng. If there hadn¡¯t been outsiders around, they undoubtedly would have spoken up, but even so, some people had already started retreating.


    A young boy whom Zhao Cheng had previously beaten was squatting by the roadside.


    He was genuinely scared.


    His father didn¡¯t know what the working team¡¯s young man¡¯s name was, but he remembered that his father had struck the young man on the back of the head following Uncle Three¡¯s urging to ¡°Hit him, hit him quickly!¡±.


    Now, he wasn¡¯t sure if that man was alive or dead. What would happen if his father were to be arrested?


    Likewise resentful glances were directed at Zhao Cheng. It was all his fault for being an oppressive bully in the village, and now, he had drawn such calamity upon them, keeping those five people.


    They should have just let the five leave for good; such timid souls wouldn¡¯t dare speak out once they were gone. Moreover, they weren¡¯t traffickers, just men who had paid for brides. It wasn¡¯t a crime punishable by execution.


    But now, things seemed even more serious.


    He Xiuwen didn¡¯t exchange pleasantries; his piercing gaze swept through the village, then over the crowd.


    Although he couldn¡¯t grasp every detail, he had a good overview of the situation.


    He had gathered a rough understanding of the situation; no one had seen the five men enter the village, and the villagers denied their presence. He and his team had indeed found no trace of them after a thorough search.


    The village was small, just over a hundred households, and some of the houses were quite small, almost entirely visible at a glance.


    Although He Xiuwen couldn¡¯t purely base his judgment on Qingyu¡¯s suspicions and the men returning to the village, there was one thing he could ascertain¡ªhe had spotted a woman among the crowd who seemed to have been trafficked here.


    Her name was Liang Xiaocui.


    She was from the Southern.


    Despite Liang Xiaocui¡¯s bruised face, He Xiuwen, who excelled at extracting specific details from a wealth of data to construct a coherent picture, recognized her.


    He walked directly forward, passing through the crowd to stand in front of Liang Xiaocui.


    Liang Xiaocui¡¯s mind was somewhat murky; during the recent search for the five men, they had all been brought out. Just before coming out, her mother-in-law had whispered a threat in her ear¡ªthat if she dared speak of what shouldn¡¯t be spoken, once these people left, she would let all the men in the village...


    It was a scenario as horrific as hell itself.


    Just the thought chilled Liang Xiaocui to the bone, and her mind fluttered between clarity and confusion, leaving her standing there dazed, like a zombie.


    But unexpectedly, a man now stood before her¡ªa handsome man in uniform, his dignity commanding, standing there making everything around suddenly seem less fearful.


    He exuded a stabilizing force.


    She heard him call out three words, ¡°Liang Xiaocui.¡±


    That name hadn¡¯t been called in fifteen years, and in this village, no one knew what she was really called; she never mentioned it.


    Everyone simply called her ¡°Chengzi¡¯s wife.¡±


    He Xiuwen knew he hadn¡¯t misidentified her by the shock on the woman¡¯s face before him.


    This wasn¡¯t his assigned mission, nor the case he was originally handling. She was the sister of a subordinate who had died in the line of duty.


    Before dying, he had shown him a photo, saying, ¡°Captain, this is my sister. She¡¯s been missing for ten years. I joined the special forces mainly to look for my sister. I never thought I¡¯d lose my chance. I...¡±


    He had struggled to speak these words.


    They were broken, and he never got to finish his sentence; his eyes remained wide open in death.


    He had accepted the photograph, placed it in his chest pocket, and closed his subordinate¡¯s eyes, knowing what he had intended to say.


    Thus, whenever he was out on missions, whenever there was a chance, he took his team to search for his sister.


    His name was Liang Aijun, and his sister was Liang Xiaocui.


    He Xiuwen¡¯s cold gaze shifted to the man approaching. He had noticed him from the beginning and had sharply assessed that he was the leader here, as many people¡¯s eyes unconsciously followed him.


    Their gazes were complex, and he didn¡¯t have time to analyze, but knowing this was the village¡¯s central figure was enough.


    Now, with an anxious expression on his face, the woman in front of him was likely his woman.

 Chapter 577 - 577 571 No One Can Escape

    ?Chapter 577: Chapter 571: No One Can Escape Chapter 577: Chapter 571: No One Can Escape He Xiuwen¡¯s warning gaze swept over Zhao Cheng.


    Such a gaze actually made Zhao Cheng freeze in his tracks!


    He had never seen such a gaze before, one that made one¡¯s entire body chill, as if one¡¯s blood could stop flowing, as if the next step he took forward would prompt this man to kill him.


    Indeed, he stood still, his mouth opening and closing, until he finally spoke up, ¡°Leader... leader, this is my wife, she¡¯s gotten into a tangle with my mother, and I need to take her home for a look. She has injuries on her face, I need to put some medicine on them...¡±


    He Xiuwen¡¯s fierce eyes swept toward Zhao Cheng again, but this time, ignored him.


    He took an old photograph out of his pocket. It was black and white, of a girl with two braids, wearing a round-necked dress, holding a book, smiling brilliantly.


    He showed the photograph to Liang Xiaocui.


    Liang Xiaocui glanced at it once, and her heart started to beat wildly.


    Tears came pouring out in an instant.


    This was her photograph, her own photograph!


    It was from her younger days, fifteen years ago.


    ¡°Is this you?¡±


    ¡°...Yes, it¡¯s me.¡±


    Before He Xiuwen could say anything else, a disturbance arose in the crowd. Zhao Cheng tried to push forward but was held back by two older men beside him. He looked around and his gaze suddenly fixed on something.


    Minister Xu had been carrying a weapon all this time, and no one dared to stand close to him. Following He Xiuwen¡¯s gaze, he frowned.


    Then, in the next moment, He Xiuwen took several quick steps forward, and Minister Xu¡¯s face changed color as he reacted. He shouted, holding the gun up, ¡°Back off, everyone back off.¡±


    The people, showing their fear, really did back off. He Xiuwen knelt down, brushed away the yellow earth, and turned up a stained piece. It was blood.


    And it was fresh, not yet completely coagulated.


    He Xiuwen stood up, looked at the two colleagues beside him, and pointed at Zhao Cheng, commanding, ¡°Take him into custody.¡±


    Upon He Xiuwen¡¯s command, the two men moved like smoke, swiftly taking Zhao Cheng down, while someone on the side pulled out handcuffs to restrain him.


    Zhao Cheng fought desperately. He was strong and seemed to know some moves, but his limited skills were not nearly enough against two experienced special forces members.


    The onlookers were frightened, in part because Minister Xu was still holding his weapon, and seemingly the most terrifying figure was He Xiuwen, the man who had arrived last.


    Zhao Cheng struggled with the special forces members and shouted loudly, ¡°What are you all staring for? I¡¯m telling you, if I really get taken in, none of you will escape.¡±


    What Zhao Cheng meant was that he wanted the villagers to stand with him in solidarity, to unite as they had in the past.


    Yet, what he didn¡¯t expect was that not all of the hundred or so people shared his sentiment. If he hadn¡¯t spoken up, perhaps out of fear for him and being complicit, they wouldn¡¯t have dared to make a sound.


    But after his outburst, the young man he had beaten was the first to hoarsely shout, ¡°It¡¯s all because of you. If you hadn¡¯t told everyone to hide the person, why would they come to arrest us?¡±


    After this shout was made, the noisy courtyard immediately fell silent.


    Zhao Cheng glared at the young man with a fierce hate, angry with himself for being too lenient; he should have beaten this wolf pup until he couldn¡¯t get up or speak.


    At this moment, in the cave dwellings behind the village.


    Sun Xiuyuan was tied up with ropes, a disgusting rag stuffed in her mouth that made her want to vomit but couldn¡¯t, her tears seemed to have run dry, her eyes ached a lot, and her whole body was still trembling nonstop.


    She was held captive together with Lin Feng, who was lying on the ground motionless.


    And she was tied to a wooden post inside the room.


    Such scenes should only appear in movies, not in real life; was everything in front of her a dream? Was she watching a movie at the cinema?


    Sun Xiuyuan cried with muffled sobs, desperately trying to make a sound, to call out to Lin Feng, but this pitch-dark place was like a cave. She only knew that Lin Feng was lying on the ground, motionless, and she couldn¡¯t see anything else clearly.


    Desperate Sun Xiuyuan truly regretted her actions; it was her stubbornness. If she had listened to Lin Feng, or even to Qiao Qingyu, she wouldn¡¯t have fallen into this situation today.


    In the village, Zhao Cheng was pinned to the ground by two team members, their knees pressed against his waist, forcing him to clasp his hands behind his back.


    After Zhao Cheng was restrained, the villagers of Shuiwa Village finally panicked, but they also calmed down.


    At this time, Liang Xiaocui, with her hands clenched tightly, staggered over to where Zhao Cheng, who had been grabbed and was standing there.


    Zhao Cheng also glared back at her with the same fierce hate.


    And just at that moment, two children crying and shouting squeezed through the crowd; one hugged Zhao Cheng, and the other embraced Liang Xiaocui. They were two boys, the elder one looked about twelve or thirteen years old, and the younger one seven or eight.


    These were the children of Zhao Cheng and Liang Xiaocui; the older one had stopped going to school after finishing elementary school, and the younger one had not yet started schooling.


    Getting an education was truly difficult here, with the need to traverse mountains and hills because there was no school in the village, only the option to go to the township to learn, which took a three-hour round trip from their village.


    As a result, very few of the village children were able to continue their schooling, but a few years back there was a policy that spoke of relocation, of moving these remote mountain villagers together to form a new village town, equipped with schools, health clinics, and shops.


    Yet, with such a favorable policy, these people adamantly refused to leave, especially some of the elderly, who even banded together, hundreds of them, to sit-in protest at the gates of what was then the commune¡¯s township office.


    The difficulty of leaving one¡¯s native soil was strong; they believed that it was their root and the root for the younger generation, and nobody should leave, so the matter eventually came to nothing.


    Thus, there were hardly a few individuals with a high level of education in the village.


    But Zhao Cheng¡¯s older son had also become sensible early on, and he cried out loudly, ¡°Dad, Mom, where are you going to go? What¡¯s going on? What happened?¡±


    Liang Xiaocui looked down at her younger son, who was hugging her and crying loudly; a trace of softness flickered in her bloodshot eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a look of ruthless determination as she pushed her younger son away with all her strength.


    Caught off guard, the child fell to the ground. His older brother hurried to help him up, looking at their mother in disbelief.


    And Zhao Cheng was looking at this woman before him with same disbelief.


    Liang Xiaocui breathed heavily, clenching her fists tight. She looked around; although this was just a small mountain village, it was a hell, and she had lived like a ghost in this hell for fifteen years.


    She thought she would die here, but she never expected to live to see this day.

 Chapter 578 - 578 572 Scared to Death

    ?Chapter 578: Chapter 572: Scared to Death Chapter 578: Chapter 572: Scared to Death Liang Xiaocui mustered all her courage and glared fiercely at Zhao Cheng, as if a multitude of past events, like surging waves, overwhelmed her¡ªall laced with venom.


    The venomous waves engulfed her entirely, daring not to reminisce about her fifteen-year ordeal, which was nothing but pain and despair.


    She was only thirty-two this year, yet she looked over fifty.


    She was sold here when she was only seventeen.


    She had run away time and again, only to be dragged back and face beating after beating, until she became pregnant and, later, became utterly heartbroken.


    This place was too remote; sometimes, it was as if no one cared about what happened here.


    Even when someone took notice, the villagers were very united. They all shared the same surname, and most of their wives had been tricked or bought from outside.


    Thinking of this, Liang Xiaocui ceased to heed her sons¡¯ cries and Zhao Cheng¡¯s curses.


    She even twisted her mouth into something between a smile and a cry or, perhaps, a release of suppressed anger and pain.


    She looked at the uniformed men standing before her, their eyes clear and their aura upright, which slightly calmed her agitated heart, enough to speak without trembling.


    She pointed at Zhao Cheng but her gaze was on He Xiuwen and Minister Xu.


    ¡°Leaders, I report a crime. A working group of five entered the village but were detained by Zhao Cheng and his people. One was beaten.¡±


    Liang Xiaocui pointed towards the Northwest, ¡°Behind the village, there¡¯s a haystack and shrubs... and behind that, a cave where two people are being held...¡± As she said this, she looked toward the crowd, biting her lip hard, ¡°You can ask this man, Uncle Zhao. The other three were hidden away by him and his accomplices.¡±


    Uncle Zhao, being named, tried to slip away, but Minister Xu wouldn¡¯t let him escape and, with the help of two others, they pinned him to the ground.


    Following that, He Xiuwen also drew his weapon, his voice stern, ¡°Everyone go to the wall and squat down, hands on your heads.¡±


    After Liang Xiaocui spoke these words, her children forgot to cry, and Zhao Cheng forgot to struggle, just staring at Liang Xiaocui in disbelief.


    In a murmur, he said, ¡°Fifteen years, we¡¯ve lived together for fifteen years. Haven¡¯t I warmed your heart? How dare you betray me? How could you sell me out?¡±


    Liang Xiaocui clenched her teeth, ¡°Zhao Cheng, I told you before you would get your comeuppance. Look, today is your day of retribution.¡±


    Having said that, Liang Xiaocui stopped looking at him and took off in the direction she had indicated, following He Xiuwen and Lu Ye.


    One of the team members subdued Zhao Cheng, while another followed Minister Xu to bring the crowd under control.


    Minister Xu found the young boy and spoke softly, ¡°You are a good kid, a brave young man. You know that what they¡¯ve done is wrong. We have more people coming; go lead them here.¡±


    The people nearby were startled¡ªthere were more people coming?


    The pale-faced boy looked like he wanted to say something, but ultimately, he took off running towards the village entrance.


    The objects blocking the entrance of the cave dwelling had been moved, and sunlight flooded in all at once. A few people stood at the doorway, and Sun Xiuyuan looked at them in disbelief. Then she shook her head frantically, whining and sobbing, with tears streaming down her face.


    Among those people, she only recognized Lu Ye, and Lu Ye knew that Sun Xiuyuan was calling out to him.


    Sun Xiuyuan looked extremely disheveled, but fortunately, her clothes were still intact on her body.


    However, seeing Sun Xiuyuan in such a state, he was a bit relieved; if she had truly been mistreated here, he couldn¡¯t bear to imagine what the scene would have been like.


    Fortunately, they had arrived in time. If no one had discovered or paid attention to this, in this remote little mountain village, with no phones, no electricity, no form of communication, with one hill slope after another, it truly would have been a situation with no prospect of assistance¡ªjust like the woman Brother He called Liang Xiaocui.


    Her whole life would have been ruined here.


    Without further hesitation, Lu Ye made his way to Sun Xiuyuan in a few quick strides, first removing the rag stuffed in her mouth. Sun Xiuyuan burst into tears, ¡°Brother Lu... Brother Lu, Brother Lu...¡±


    At the same time, the ropes tied behind her were cut by a team member with a dagger. Sun Xiuyuan threw herself into Lu Ye¡¯s arms, shouting incoherently for Lu Ye, calling out for Brother Lu.


    She was indeed terrified, trembling all over her body, her eyes filled with fear. Lu Ye also held Sun Xiuyuan tight, quickly soothing her with a gentle voice, ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s alright, don¡¯t be scared now...¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan came to her senses and suddenly thought of Lin Feng in the corner. She pointed to the corner, ¡°That¡¯s Lin Feng, he¡¯s injured. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s alive or dead; please save him quickly...¡±


    While she was talking, He Xiuwen and the others had already located Lin Feng in the room.


    He Xiuwen, who had learned first aid, checked Lin Feng and breathed a slight sigh of relief; fortunately, he was still alive, unconscious, possibly from hitting his head or from a severe fright, but the main thing was that he was alive.


    Being alive meant there was hope for rescue.


    When He Xiuwen and the others came out of the cave with Sun Xiuyuan and Lin Feng, the people brought by Brother Sun had also rushed over.


    The people of Shuiwa Village were completely subdued; things were not as they were before the establishment of the new China.


    They didn¡¯t have the boldness to resist.


    Even though Zhao Cheng tried to crazily instigate them, it was to no avail.


    Of course, there were still a few who tried to resist and fight back. They knew very well what they had done, and once captured, they might not expect to see the outside world again in their lifetime.


    As these people were led out of the village, Zhao Cheng suddenly let out a few loud laughs towards the direction behind him before screaming with all his might, ¡°You wench, it¡¯s been fifteen years, and you never told me your surname or name. So your name is Liang Xiaocui, huh.¡±


    Liang Xiaocui was standing together with Sun Xiuyuan, looking in the direction of the village entrance.


    The next moment, to everyone¡¯s surprise, Zhao Cheng bumped the person next to him and charged forward. Everyone thought he was trying to escape, so several hands quickly reached out to grab Zhao Cheng¡¯s body. But unexpectedly, Zhao Cheng suddenly fell to his knees with a thud.


    His voice was heart-wrenching, ¡°Xiao Cui, I¡¯m begging you, don¡¯t leave. If you must go, take both kids with you. I¡¯m a bastard, I¡¯m not human, I¡¯m a beast; I deserve to be shot. But our two kids are innocent. I¡¯m begging you, please don¡¯t abandon them, Xiao Cui, I¡¯m begging you. In the next life, I¡¯ll be your ox and horse; I just ask that you don¡¯t leave them behind...¡±


    There might have been much more he wanted to say, but he was not allowed to continue; Brother Sun¡¯s men quickly dragged him away from the entrance of the village.


    His mouth was gagged, and he could no longer make a sound.

 Chapter 579 - 579 573 Live Well

    ?Chapter 579: Chapter 573: Live Well Chapter 579: Chapter 573: Live Well Liang Xiaocui stood dumbly at the entrance of the village, her gaze filled with resentment and loathing, fixed on the direction Zhao Cheng had left. This beast really seemed unwilling to let her go even in death.


    For some reason, at this moment, Liang Xiaocui¡¯s face was covered with tears.


    Zhao Cheng¡¯s mother, gripping her two children, prevented them from getting any closer. She watched Liang Xiaocui with a hateful stare, cursing her incessantly in her heart. If it weren¡¯t for all the government officials around, she would not have let this woman off easily.


    She cursed herself for being too soft-hearted. She had told her son long ago that her heart was made of stone, incapable of warmth and that they should have killed her and ended this trouble earlier. Now everyone was suffering as a consequence.


    At the same time, fear and anxiety gripped her. If it were like before¡ªthey were caught and then let go again¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t worry, but she had also done quite a few misdeeds alongside her son...


    Zhao Cheng¡¯s mother, pulling her two children, quietly retreated to the edge of the crowd.


    Although things were orderly at this moment, there were still over a hundred women and elders, and dozens of children.


    Some were crying inconsolably, while others were talking non-stop. Even though their voices were not loud, the noise added to the chaotic atmosphere.


    But no one remaining dared to take the situation lightly.


    This place was proving to be a testament to the kind of place it was, the five-person work team was the best proof.


    Moreover, Liang Xiaocui had told them this village was descended from horse thieves. Back then, a horse thief by the surname of Zhao had taken several women and a cache of gold, silver, and jewels, along with his two male cousins, and run to this village. They had pretended to be good people, peasants, and shockingly managed to die a peaceful death here.


    It was said they haven¡¯t stopped doing evil deeds over the years; they would commit crimes outside and then run back here, where nobody could catch them.


    Thus, there was truly a lot to investigate, and Sun Xiuyuan was really terrified. Even seeing her own brother come to her, she clung tightly to Lu Ye and wouldn¡¯t let go.


    Brother Sun¡¯s eyes were red.


    Looking at his sister, whose face was pale and who was in a disheveled state and trembling with fear, he struggled to hold back his tears.


    He cast a malicious glimpse at the villagers, at Zhao Cheng.


    Under the bright sky above, there were still people bold enough to commit such deeds.


    This time, they absolutely had to conduct a thorough investigation and show no mercy!


    At this moment, Lu Ye didn¡¯t dare to shake Sun Xiuyuan off.


    He knew the girl had feelings for him. But she was also haughty and proud ¨C once she knew he didn¡¯t return her affections, she stopped bothering with him, and he had even breathed a sigh of relief. But who could have imagined she had this side to her?


    However, on the other hand, he truly admired her courage. The girl was a good person, just a bit too reckless.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for Qiao Qingyu, the consequences would have been unimaginable.


    Everyone knew this truth. Moreover, this case could be said to be extremely heinous. It was already the late 1980s, yet these people still acted like bandits, daring to detain a work group from the government.


    This place had really become a lawless land, and everyone from the top down was shocked.


    It wasn¡¯t just because the daughter of Sun Leader was involved.


    An evil person¡ªcould you believe they¡¯ve committed only one evil deed in their lifetime?


    Nobody would believe that. No one. So digging deeper might unearth a whole bunch of dirt along with the radish¡ªwhether there was any collusion, any contamination. Others might think this was a remote, desolate, and impoverished little mountain village, but in truth, the people in this village were quite wealthy.


    Beneath the kang bed and at the base of the mountain, they were hiding quite a lot of gold, silver, and jewels.


    If supervision was lax, they would stealthily take it out to exchange for money, and in the past, they even went along the railway to steal grains and various kinds of supplies.


    Just from Zhao Cheng¡¯s house alone, several bank books were found.


    This little mountain village, truly underestimated, nearly every household has tens of thousands of yuan.


    Their money comes from hateful and filthy sources.


    After Qingyu found out, she was truly shocked; regardless of whether they are descendants of horse thieves, it is said that good timber does not grow with ease, and one¡¯s origin alone does not determine their morality, but in recent years Zhao Cheng has done many bad deeds, and it is uncertain whether he might have blood on his hands.


    If she hadn¡¯t been someone with keen intuition, willing to ponder further, who knows when these five individuals would have been discovered.


    Thus, for Sun Xiuyuan to encounter Qiao Qingyu was truly to her great fortune and blessing.


    Zhao Cheng and his group were taken away, more than twenty people in total.


    First, they were brought into the armed forces office in the county town, then transferred to the county detention center. Unexpectedly, that very evening, Zhao Cheng escaped.


    Now, the situation had escalated greatly. Even Qiao Qingyu received a notification because at the scene Sun Xiuyuan had called out Qingyu¡¯s name, and it could be considered that it was Qingyu who reported the incident. Regardless of whether anyone knew or not, Director Lin took two cars to escort Qiao Qingyu away.


    The cultivation of red sage at Pingliang Dam was halted; all personnel were gathered to be investigated one by one.


    This would definitely impact the progress, and leaders from both the county and the district were so anxious that they were practically losing their voices.


    Qiao Qingyu was also somewhat worried, but there was no choice; a human life is of utmost importance. With someone as brutally evil as Zhao Cheng, who knows what he could do?


    But how did he escape from such a strictly guarded detention center?


    The truth was soon uncovered. A temporary worker in the detention center was from Zhaojia Village. Although now a temp worker, he had also committed plenty of wrongs, serving as an accomplice to evil. With these people now captured, he intended to turn himself in, but he was too afraid to do so; taking advantage of the lack of vigilance, he met with Zhao Cheng.


    Zhao Cheng promised him benefits, and with gritted teeth, the worker released Zhao Cheng, who was held in solitary confinement, and then pretended to have been beaten and injured.


    All these petty tricks could not escape the notice of He Xiuwen.


    Thus, the man was quickly apprehended, and two other individuals were isolated and investigated in connection with the escape.


    However, the most urgent task was to capture Zhao Cheng.


    Upon learning of Zhao Cheng¡¯s escape, Liang Xiaocui was terrified like a frightened bird.


    She knew all too well what kind of person Zhao Cheng was.


    He had a malicious heart, no compassion, and was like a demon.


    The only ones he ever treated kindly were his mother and his two children.


    He Xiuwen assigned a few more protective personnel to Liang Xiaocui¡¯s location.


    Liang Xiaocui told He Xiuwen, ¡°Zhao Cheng most cares about his mother and two children; right now, the person he hates the most is me, and last year he went out for a few months and brought back many things. I don¡¯t know what he hid in the slope behind, he said with those things, in a few more years he could go to Di to buy a big house...¡±


    He Xiuwen pondered for a moment, ¡°Don¡¯t worry; there are people here to protect you. After this is all over, I will personally take you back home.¡±


    Liang Xiaocui¡¯s eyes immediately turned red. She had already learned about the situation back home from He Xiuwen.


    After she had disappeared, her parents searched tirelessly for her. They passed away together after a few years, and her brother had died in the line of duty five years ago; now there was only her grandmother at home.


    Liang Xiaocui lowered her head, trying hard not to cry again in front of He Xiuwen and cause him any more trouble.

 Chapter 580 - 580 574 Disintegration

    ?Chapter 580: Chapter 574 Disintegration Chapter 580: Chapter 574 Disintegration He Xiuwen sighed softly and said, ¡°Live well. Those hard days have passed, and things will get better from now on.¡±


    At this point, He Xiuwen paused, then continued, ¡°Your grandmother has been cared for by us these past few years, but she is still very lonely, living alone in the nursing home. When you go back, she might live a few more years.¡±


    Liang Xiaocui¡¯s tears still flowed down as she nodded vigorously but couldn¡¯t utter a word.


    He Xiuwen quietly gave a few instructions to the people guarding the door and then left the hostel. He had to arrange the capture operation.


    He had people positioned at several possible locations.


    Back at the command center, it was ultimately decided to make public the fugitive¡¯s situation, encouraging the locals to actively come forward with information, even offering a reward.


    After all, having such a dangerous individual at large was unsettling.


    As for the people from Shuiwa Village, they were held separately to prevent them from corroborating their stories.


    Then, under the pressure of an intense psychological campaign, this so-called ironclad small group crumbled surprisingly quickly.


    Consequently, a dozen more people were taken from the village, among them Zhao Cheng¡¯s own mother.


    Before everything had gone wrong, aside from finding Zhao Cheng overbearing, the villagers followed him because there was food to eat and money to spend with him.


    But now, everything had turned upside down, with all the men who could support their families taken away.


    Those who were already living in fear and unrest were now even more resentful towards Zhao Cheng.


    Hatred was directed at Zhao Cheng¡¯s mother and even his two sons. Before she knew how to handle it, Zhao Cheng¡¯s mother was taken away too.


    At night, the air was dry and slightly cold.


    There was no moon, and the darkness surrounded everything, the ridges of the mountains laying like night demons upon the land.


    In a hollow of the hills, Zhao Cheng clutched his son¡¯s hand, his hoarse voice whispering earnest instructions.


    ¡°Dawa, this is the first and last time your dad will talk so much with you. You have to listen well, even if you don¡¯t understand, you must remember it in your heart.¡±


    Dawa¡¯s mind was in turmoil, crowded with numerous foreign thoughts as if it might explode.


    Dawa didn¡¯t know why he was crying. He looked at his father, both familiar and strange before him.


    But under Zhao Cheng¡¯s fierce and sharp gaze, Dawa instinctively nodded hard.


    ¡°Listen to dad. I¡¯m not a good man. What your mother did was right. She¡¯s been harmed by me her whole life.¡±


    It was the first time Dawa had heard such words. He asked in bewilderment, ¡°How did you harm my mother?¡±


    ¡°I...¡± Zhao Cheng hesitated, looking into his son¡¯s clear eyes, feeling all the filth swept up by the night¡¯s darkness enveloping him.


    The words reached the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back. Those words might have boasted to other men, but speaking them to his twelve-year-old son, he felt disgusted with himself.


    After some thought, he finally said, ¡°Your mother and her parents, along with her grandparents and younger brother, lived a happy life in the Southern region. The year your mother was accepted into university, she was supposed to go to school but I took a liking to her. I put rat poison in her family¡¯s food. They all got poisoned, and I stuffed your mother into a sack and snatched her away to our Shuiwa Village...¡±


    ¡°Rat poison?¡± Dawa was stunned. Although he might not have understood everything else, he was clear about the rat poison¡ªit was deadly when ingested.


    There was a woman in the village who had died from drinking rat poison.


    Dawa¡¯s face, already panicked, turned even whiter with fear.


    ¡°...Dad is no human being, to have snatched her away and not treated her well, and not even let her see her own family... I¡¯m not a good person, you and Erwa must never blame your mother. You have to treat her well, be filial, and beg her to take you back home...¡±


    Zhao Cheng wiped his face hard as he spoke, ¡°Even if your mother doesn¡¯t let you stay with her, you must kneel and beg her. Even if you have to rent a house close to her and live there with your brother, given enough time, she will no longer hate me and will take care of you. Your brother is still young, and you are only twelve. It will be years before you¡¯re grown up. You cannot stay in Shuiwa Village. Your grandmother is not a good person either. Don¡¯t believe any words she said in the past or what she says now. From now on, she won¡¯t be able to look after the two of you anymore. Your only hope is your mother...¡±


    Zhao Cheng wished he could pour out all he wanted to say to his son and wished his son could understand everything he meant.


    Once the villagers realized what had happened, they would definitely blame him for insisting on keeping those five people, which led to a chain of events.


    Life for his two sons in the village would surely be hard. He knew the temperaments of most of the people here too well¡ªhardly any of them were good. If the brothers weren¡¯t protected, they might not even survive.


    Their own mother had also done quite a lot of harm¡ªsome she had even initiated and directed. Despite her old age, she would be locked away for several years. By the time she got out, it was uncertain if her sons would still be alive.


    And as for himself, even if he died without confessing, others would.


    He was bound to be executed by firing squad.


    Zhao Cheng grabbed his son and leaned in, whispering in his ear, ¡°In that hollow on the hill where I often took you to hunt rabbits, under the large rock you always liked to sit on, I¡¯ve hidden something for you and Erwa. It¡¯s for the two of you to use to get married.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t follow in Dad¡¯s footsteps. Grow up well, be good people, honestly take wives, and establish your lives. Then even if I¡¯m dead, I can rest in peace.¡±


    Not far away, behind a hill, He Xiuwen was with Xiao Lai, Xiao Jia, and another police officer, lying in ambush.


    Just as He Xiuwen had predicted, Zhao Cheng did call his son out alone.


    And the risk he took to run out and find his son must have been to give his final instructions.


    They were close enough to hear what Zhao Cheng was saying to his son.


    Xiao Lai elbowed He Xiuwen lightly, and He Xiuwen slowly shook his head.


    Xiao Lai dropped his hand.


    He understood the captain¡¯s intention¡ªthey shouldn¡¯t startle the young boy.


    A sudden gust of mountain wind howled in; Zhao Cheng let go of his son¡¯s hand and said harshly, ¡°Whether you understand what I¡¯m saying or not, just do as I tell you. Tomorrow morning, take Erwa and go find your mother, do you hear?¡±


    ¡°...Dad, I...I heard you, I¡¯ll go.¡±


    Zhao Cheng took one last look at Dawa. Maybe this was karma, leaving him no chance to see his sons grow up.


    He scolded sharply, ¡°Don¡¯t stand there daydreaming or crying. Run home quickly and take care of your brother.¡±


    Dawa didn¡¯t move. Zhao Cheng pushed him, then kicked him. Under Zhao Cheng¡¯s fierce gaze, Dawa took off running towards the direction of the village, soon disappearing down the slope.


    Zhao Cheng, on the other hand, ran quickly in the opposite direction.


    As he had just crossed over a hill, suddenly several dark figures rushed towards him at great speed...

 Chapter 581 - 581 575 Dawa Has Arrived

    ?Chapter 581: Chapter 575: Dawa Has Arrived Chapter 581: Chapter 575: Dawa Has Arrived The cultivation of red sage at Pingliang Dam had delayed for two days, but fortunately, conditions had returned to normal on the morning of the third day.


    Qiao Qingyu once again drove to the Pingliang Dam, arriving there shortly after ten in the morning.


    The work here resumed in an orderly manner, with local leaders more anxious than anyone; it wasn¡¯t just about their performance but also concerned the livelihood and salaries of the local people.


    Although reforms and the opening up policy were encouraging the development of individual and free economies, there was still an old saying, ¡°A clever wife cannot cook without rice.¡± Without anything in hand, there was nothing much one could do.


    Qiao Qingyu did not inquire too much about the matters of Shuiwa Village, but Lu Ye had come to her to discuss the events of the past few days.


    After finishing, he said to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°I sneaked out, otherwise Sun Xiuyuan would have clung to my arm and not let go.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu did not joke and seriously replied, ¡°Sun Xiuyuan has received a double blow, both mental and psychological, which greatly frightened her. A pampered girl like her had never witnessed such events before, even if she had been involved in various investigations and activities, she was always surrounded by smiling faces indulging her. You appeared at her moment of despair, and her dependency on you was bound to be stronger.¡±


    The nonchalant expression on Lu Ye¡¯s face faded, and this time, without any complaints, he deeply agreed, ¡°The other two girls are the same, the lights in the hospital room cannot be turned off, they stay on twenty-four hours a day.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, there are no psychologists available, they should really undergo some psychological counseling.¡±


    ¡°Psychological counseling?¡± Lu Ye knew about it, but it was still a new term for him.


    Upon learning that Lin Feng had passed the critical period, Qiao Qingyu asked, ¡°How is Lin Feng¡¯s recovery now?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been moved to a general ward, and his condition has mostly stabilized.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Qiao Qingyu exclaimed, ¡°Those two male comrades are truly commendable.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, they are commendable, though still lacking in social experience.¡±


    Although Lu Ye said this, he also felt that under such circumstances, the performance of these two men had been very commendable.


    These past few days, he had been pondering; if he were one of them, how would he have solved the problem?


    The final answer was that there was no perfect solution when facing a group of ruthless criminals who feared neither heaven nor earth. When humanity is abandoned, what can you do?


    Speaking of which, Lu Ye mentioned the cunning and shamelessness of Zhao Cheng.


    He did not know if Liang Xiaocui would take her two children back to her hometown.


    Qiao Qingyu also did not know.


    Liang Xiaocui was a victim; sadly, she was also the mother of these two children.


    Nobody wants to empathize with such a situation because it is profoundly painful and despairing.


    Thus, no matter how Liang Xiaocui chose, she was right.


    Liang Xiaocui, having heard what Zhao Cheng had said to Dawa, calmly spoke, ¡°Director He, let¡¯s solve this issue slowly; I want to go back home first.¡±


    It certainly wasn¡¯t possible to take both of them with her now; as for the future, they would take one step at a time.


    By this time, He Xiuwen had already brought Liang Xiaocui to Xichuan.


    He was also preparing to send Xiao Lai and Xiao Jia to personally escort Liang Xiaocui home.


    But he hadn¡¯t expected the security guard at the door to say there was a boy over ten years old at the entrance of the unit looking for him.


    He Xiuwen glanced outside and sure enough, it was Dawa; he had come after all, but it seemed he was alone.


    He looked into the distance and saw no other child.


    He Xiuwen looked at Dawa, whose eyes showed a slight panic, yet also a hint of resoluteness; He Xiuwen was somewhat surprised. This child seemed different from the Dawa he had met in the hollow of the mountain. What exactly was the feeling? He had probably grown up, seemingly becoming much more sensible overnight.


    But he didn¡¯t know what exactly he had understood.


    He Xiuwen scrutinized the boy from head to toe without a word, then led him to the security room, but as they went further inside, the child refused to walk, saying nervously, ¡°Director... Director He, I... I just want to talk to you for a moment... and then I¡¯ll leave.¡±


    To put it accurately, Dawa was in good health and not malnourished. One could imagine that some villagers really had a good life in that mountain hollow.


    But this child obviously hadn¡¯t seen much of the world, the furthest he had gone being the school in the town and then just around the village.


    He hadn¡¯t been involved in bad deeds with adults; it should be said that Zhao Cheng had a bit of conscience, not letting his two sons jump into the mire with him.


    So for people like Zhao Cheng, cunning, deceitful, and malicious, the slight bit of conscience they possessed was probably only for their own parents or children.


    Other people¡¯s children were not regarded as children; only his own children were innocent.


    But at this moment, He Xiuwen wouldn¡¯t express any opinions. He simply asked, ¡°Did you come very early this morning?¡±


    Dawa hesitated for a moment, then nodded.


    That meant he hadn¡¯t even had breakfast.


    ¡°Are you hungry?¡±


    ¡°Not hungry, not hungry,¡± Dawa hurriedly shook his head. Although the man in front of him seemed mild in demeanor and voice, he still had an instinctive fear of him.


    He also had some other, indescribable complex feelings; anyway, he just wanted to say what he had come to say and then, as long as he didn¡¯t do anything bad, never meet him again in his life.


    Unexpectedly, although he thought this way, his stomach betrayed him, rumbling loudly.


    Dawa clutched his stomach and dared not look at He Xiuwen. He Xiuwen smiled, reached out his hand to touch his head, and instructed, ¡°Stay here, don¡¯t run around, I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    Before Dawa could say anything, He Xiuwen had already hurriedly left the security room.


    Dawa sat in a chair in the corner, head down, hands nervously clasped together, not daring to utter a sound, but it wasn¡¯t long before he smelled a delicious aroma¡ªchildren have an instinctive craving for food.


    Especially since his grandmother had also been taken away, he and Erwa had barely eaten.


    He looked up at He Xiuwen, who brought seven or eight buns into the room in a convenience bag.


    For a twelve-year-old boy who was somewhat between childhood and adolescence, he couldn¡¯t let him eat everything; He Xiuwen filled a large tea mug with porridge for him, also containing a peeled egg.


    Steaming hot and emitting an appetizing scent, Dawa couldn¡¯t help but continually swallow saliva.


    After placing the food on the table, He Xiuwen gently said, ¡°Eat slowly, start with the porridge to warm your stomach, then eat the buns. Take the leftovers back for your brother.¡±


    This kid had definitely missed several meals. If he ate all the buns, it might hurt his stomach; better to let him take them back.


    Sure enough, after saying this, Dawa couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, grabbing a bun and gobbling it down without minding the heat, finishing it in just a few bites.

 Chapter 582 - 582 576 Dawas Decision

    ?Chapter 582: Chapter 576 Dawa¡¯s Decision Chapter 582: Chapter 576 Dawa¡¯s Decision Fortunately, the buns were still warm, and so was the millet porridge.


    Dawa ate all the millet porridge in the jar along with the eggs in it.


    He only had two buns and put the rest in a plastic bag, looking up at He Xiuwen, He Xiuwen nodded, ¡°If you can¡¯t eat it all, take it back with you.¡±


    Dawa stood up, ¡°Thank you for buying buns for me and my brother.¡±


    Then he bowed deeply to He Xiuwen.


    He Xiuwen didn¡¯t stop him, children who knew gratitude and manners¡ªif they could keep it up¡ªwould not harm society in the future, even if they couldn¡¯t become successful.


    Only then did he ask Dawa, ¡°What do you need from me?¡± Then, pausing briefly, he continued, ¡°Call me Uncle He.¡±


    Dawa¡¯s tears suddenly started falling.


    That night, after parting with his dad in the mountain hollow, he had held his brother and couldn¡¯t sleep all night. By morning, someone was standing at the village entrance, crying and cursing loudly.


    He and his brother were too scared to leave the house.


    In the kitchen, there were only two leftover steamed cornbreads, which he had mostly let his brother eat. He had learned to boil water and start a fire. He wanted to learn from the villagers how to steam cornbread, but he was afraid to ask because the villagers no longer looked at him with kindness. Their eyes were filled with resentment and anger, as if they wanted to devour him and his brother.


    Yet even so, he couldn¡¯t leave Shuiwa Village.


    That¡¯s what he told He Xiuwen.


    ¡°Uncle He, my brother and I are not going to see our mom,¡± Dawa said.


    He Xiuwen, raising his eyebrows in surprise, hadn¡¯t expected that. He was still contemplating how to bring the kids to see Liang Xiaocui.


    Of course, that depended on whether Liang Xiaocui wanted to see the children. If not, he would take Dawa back to Shuiwa Village.


    He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Why?¡±


    Dawa was silent for a long while before saying, ¡°Dad said that he killed my grandma and grandpa with rat poison, and that he did a lot of bad things. He wronged my mom, and I don¡¯t know if what he said about the rat poison is true, but he was really bad to my mom. We were bad too. When my dad beat my mom, my brother and I never intervened... My brother and I also wronged my mom. We don¡¯t have the face to go with her, and we can¡¯t go with her... Seeing us will only remind her of everything that¡¯s happened in this village...¡±


    As the child spoke, he became somewhat incoherent, but He Xiuwen managed to understand the gist of it. He hadn¡¯t expected Dawa to think this way.


    He didn¡¯t speak, just stood quietly to the side and listened.


    Dawa wiped away tears, his voice choked, ¡°Just let my mom go back to her hometown alone. I¡¯ll take care of my brother here in Shuiwa Village. I¡¯m not young anymore, I¡¯m twelve this year. I¡¯m sure I can raise my brother. When we grow up and can make money, if my mom wants to see us, we¡¯ll go to her. If she doesn¡¯t, I will send her money to show our filial respect.¡±


    He Xiuwen couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Did someone else tell you these things, or did you think of them yourself?¡±


    ¡°Half of it I thought of on my own, and the other half I heard from people in the village when they cursed at my brother and me outside our door... They weren¡¯t wrong,¡± Dawa said.


    ¡°Uncle He, please, I¡¯m sorry to trouble you, but could you tell my mom these words? My brother and I won¡¯t be a burden on her. Tell her not to think about anything, to forget... everything here, and to go back to her hometown,¡± Dawa pleaded, breaking into tears as he spoke, crying and wiping away his tears, yet the more he wiped, the more they flowed. He Xiuwen sighed, handed the boy a handkerchief.


    Dawa didn¡¯t take it; the handkerchief was too clean. He had run out from Shuiwa Village with a face covered in dust and mud, his hands all muddy. He rubbed his hands on his pants and, with a nasally voice, said, ¡°Thank you, Uncle He.¡±


    He Xiuwen didn¡¯t offer any comforting words.


    As for him, deep down he supported Dawa¡¯s decision, but he was quite surprised by the child¡¯s resolve. He Xiuwen had indeed come to view Dawa with newfound respect.


    He asked slowly and deliberately, ¡°You said your name is Dawa; that¡¯s your nickname, right? What¡¯s your full name?¡±


    ¡°Uncle He, my full name is Zhao Xiangyang, and my younger brother¡¯s name is Zhao Xianghong.¡±


    ¡°So you really aren¡¯t going to see your mother now?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. If she sees us, she might become soft-hearted, but seeing us will definitely remind her of the things my father did, and she¡¯ll feel even worse. I¡¯m leaving now.¡±


    As the child spoke, he lifted his foot and headed towards the door. He Xiuwen called out to him, ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Then, he tied up the plastic bag on the table and handed it to Dawa, ¡°You can eat this when you get hungry on the road.¡±


    Dawa took the plastic bag, thanked He Xiuwen again, and then pushed the door open and walked out.


    Still, He Xiuwen felt uneasy about this twelve-year-old child.


    Even though he was the son of a villain.


    He couldn¡¯t just ignore it and finally said, ¡°There happens to be a car going to your township for business, it can drop you off on the way. You should take the car back to Shuiwa Village.¡±


    Dawa hesitated for a moment but ultimately nodded.


    When the two were halfway there, Dawa suddenly grabbed hold of He Xiuwen¡¯s arm.


    He Xiuwen looked at him questioningly, and Dawa, ensuring no one else was around, lowered his voice and said, ¡°Uncle He, the night my father sneaked back, he told me there¡¯s something valuable hidden under a large rock.¡±


    This was news to He Xiuwen.


    ¡°Uncle He, I don¡¯t know if these things were stolen or robbed, but my brother and I can¡¯t take them. Maybe you can send someone to haul it all away; that way, my brother and I will be safe too.¡±


    He Xiuwen reached out and patted Dawa¡¯s head.


    This child would have had a bright future if he had grown up in a normal family.


    ¡°You¡¯re a smart kid. Since you want to live in Shuiwa Village, let it be then. Besides, Pingliang Dam won¡¯t stay like this forever. Your village head has come back; he¡¯s been removed from office, and a new village head has been appointed, an experienced official from the township. If you have any problems, you can go to him.¡±


    Rarely so caring, He Xiuwen gave the child some earnest advice and then saw him onto the jeep that was heading to the township. After watching the vehicle drive away, he went to meet Liang Xiaocui and conveyed to her exactly what Dawa had said.


    Naturally, Liang Xiaocui couldn¡¯t harden her heart completely but also knew she really couldn¡¯t take them both back to her hometown.


    Her health wasn¡¯t good, and Grandma was also struggling, so they had to put it off for later.


    He Xiuwen took out a small package wrapped in cloth from his pocket and handed it to Liang Xiaocui. He said, ¡°This is from Dawa; he said it¡¯s all your stuff, hidden away by his Grandma...¡±


    Inside were a pair of silver earrings, a silver bracelet, an introduction letter, and a wooden comb.


    These indeed were her belongings. After she had been trafficked to Shuiwa Village, Zhao Cheng had taken them, and she had not seen them since.


    He Xiuwen had seen too much of the world¡¯s sadness and pain.


    Despite the oppressive and painful atmosphere in the room, he still calmly discussed with Liang Xiaocui how to send her back to her hometown.


    As for Dawa and Erwa, he did not mention a word.

 Chapter 583 - 583 577 Harboring Filth and Tolerating Evil

    ?Chapter 583: Chapter 577: Harboring Filth and Tolerating Evil Chapter 583: Chapter 577: Harboring Filth and Tolerating Evil The interrogation work was done quickly, but the wrap-up work took much longer because many things and many people required careful verification.


    He Xiuwen had organized the information Zhao Cheng had provided and made a copy to give to Sun Leader in the city office.


    Sun Leader put aside his current work, took the material, and began to read it from start to finish. Despite only reading one page, his hands started to tremble uncontrollably; Zhao Cheng was a devil.


    He was a downright devil with no shred of humanity, guilty not only of murder but also of destroying countless women.


    It was a miracle that Liang Xiaocui was still alive.


    At this moment, Sun Leader couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine what would happen if his daughter fell into the hands of this devil.


    What good would it do to dismember this devil a thousand times over by then?


    The damage had been done and could never be mended, an outcome that no one could bear.


    After Sun Leader finished reading these materials, he was not only sweating profusely from his forehead but also from his back.


    The five children included not only his biological daughter but also a second daughter from an old friend¡¯s family and the only child of a pair of teachers.


    The other two young men had just left school not long ago.


    Sun Leader calmed down and began to convene an emergency meeting.


    The main reason for the phenomenon of Zhao Cheng was not merely poverty but also the lack of regulatory oversight, with a legal consciousness so weak to the extreme that the village head and the village committee were in name only, playing no role in leadership or management.


    The place had become a lawless land simply because it was remote and the elders in the village did not want to leave.


    Were there only one Shuiwa Village, or were there many such corners hidden across this land?


    The previously shelved new immigrant work had been restarted, this time with much greater intensity.


    Shuiwa Village was unsightly with neither clear mountains nor beautiful waters, not to mention no roads, surrounded by areas where not even weeds could grow. Children in the village couldn¡¯t go to school, and the elderly had to rely on folk remedies when they fell ill.


    Such a dirty and filthy village had no need to continue existing.


    And it wasn¡¯t just this village; perhaps there were many more. After the emergency meeting, this work was urgently initiated.


    ...


    Shuiwa Village was in chaos for a few days until a new village head and two militiamen arrived, and then everyone fell into line.


    Those who had no issues continued to grow red sage.


    Those who were problematic remained detained; some would be sentenced or sent to re-education through labor.


    As for Zhao Cheng, there was no objection to his death sentence, which was to be carried out immediately.


    Dawa, also known as Zhao Xiangyang, told the police about the hiding place where Zhao Cheng had secretly informed him, which yielded many valuables after excavation.


    These were all turned in.


    With the help of the village head, Dawa and Erwa applied for aid and received it quickly, with daily necessities and food delivered to their homes by the village head.


    With food, they would not starve to death.


    Although everyone hated the Zhao Family, both Dawa and Erwa had committed no wrongs, and they needed to be taken care of.


    ...


    The work on new immigration was also progressing vigorously.


    Lu Ye had also become one of the team members. He thought Sun Xiuyuan would never leave her house again, but to his surprise, upon hearing about the formation of the work group, she actively asked to join.


    Sun Xiuyuan had a lot of research on various villages, making her a qualified member of the work group.


    After much consideration, it was agreed upon.


    The other two were still resting at home, but Li Qing and Lin Feng also decided to join.


    In total, more than a hundred work groups were formed.


    Lu Ye was more familiar with this land than with his own backyard.


    Over the years, he had traversed every desolate desert in the area.


    Originally, there were thoughts to have him serve as the deputy director of the command center, but Lu Ye already had too many titles, and he wanted to do something within his capacity.


    Unexpectedly, he became the team leader, with Li Qing, Lin Feng, and Sun Xiuyuan as his team members.


    Before departure, Sun Xiuyuan and Lu Ye asked for leave because Qiao Qingyu had been at Pingliang Dam all this time, and she had also been staying in the hospital, so they hadn¡¯t had the chance to thank Qiao Qingyu. Upon hearing this, Li Qing and Lin Feng naturally wanted to join as well. After all, they really owed Qiao Qingyu. Otherwise, Lin Feng¡¯s life would have been at great risk.


    Lu Ye simply drove them to Pingliang Dam.


    Qiao Qingyu was in the tent, checking the progress of planting red sage.


    The plantation of red sage was now coming to an end.


    Then she saw these four people at her tent.


    Qiao Qingyu glanced at Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s complexion and said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯ve recovered well. What¡¯s this, you¡¯re starting to work?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Sun Xiuyuan said with a complex expression looking at Qiao Qingyu, her voice much more sincere, ¡°Before we leave, we wanted to come and thank you.¡±


    ¡°Thank me for what? It was just a coincidence that I happened upon you. You should be thankful for your luck, and that Lu Ye and his team got there in time.¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan glanced at Lu Ye and said with emotion, ¡°When I saw Brother Lu appeared at the cave entrance, I thought I was hallucinating.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lu Ye arrived without any delay,¡± Qiao Qingyu replied.


    Lu Ye waved his hand, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s all in the past now, let¡¯s try to forget about it slowly.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu packed up the things on the table and said decisively, ¡°But I hope your work group will be careful. Shuiwa Village is not the first, nor will it be the last.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± nodded Lu Ye, ¡°The city will make unified arrangements for safety and security.¡±


    After talking for a while longer, Lu Ye led them away.


    Qiao Qingyu, however, was wondering to herself, aside from growing red sage, what else could she do?


    ...


    The planting of red sage ended, and the work on the new immigrants at Pingliang Dam progressed in full swing. It was said that Lu Ye¡¯s team had the highest efficiency.


    After this crackdown, phenomena like Shuiwa Village would not reoccur, but each team was still assigned two security guards.


    Next came the Labor Day holiday, and an open and desolate area was chosen for the construction of a new immigrant town.


    The Wulong Chemical Factory didn¡¯t even wait for the call from the city before voluntarily donating a million RMB.


    The timing of the money couldn¡¯t have been better, touching those in charge to the point of tears.


    With this money, housing could be built, and roads planned.


    The work on immigration would be much easier.


    Not to be outdone, Wu Hong quickly established a brick and cement factory.


    They began recruiting workers en masse.


    Unlike the chemical factory, the brick and cement factories required more workers, so villagers from remote areas could all find employment there.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Qingyu contracted several thousand acres of land for red sage plantation.


    Pingliang Dam firmly refused to charge a lease fee, on the condition that experienced individuals be hired to manage the cultivation of the extensive area.


    Qiao Qingyu readily agreed and decided to establish the Wulong Herbal Medicine Production and Processing Plant in the name of Wulong Group.

 Chapter 584 - 584 578 Fell into the Dust

    ?Chapter 584: Chapter 578: Fell into the Dust Chapter 584: Chapter 578: Fell into the Dust The early stages required a substantial investment, and Wu Xiucai was very supportive. He was only worried that Qiao Qingyu wouldn¡¯t put any effort into it; as long as she did, he¡¯d be pleased, no matter what the endeavor was.


    You should know that for a while, the old man had been somewhat dejected. He had been at odds with his older brother for a lifetime, resulting in deaths and injuries and many incidents. There were many people coveting his Wulong Group and its assets, but his beloved granddaughter didn¡¯t seem to care at all about the Wulong Group.


    How could he bear this?


    Thus, when he heard Qiao Qingyu¡¯s suggestion, Wu Xiucai, with a wave of his pen, immediately transferred five million over.


    This money was enough for the initial operations.


    With this kind of support, the cultivation of medicinal materials and the relocation of remote mountain villages in the Pingliang Dam area went much more smoothly.


    The old man found the place lively and left a few people in Yun City to handle affairs while he headed to Xichuan with his suitcase.


    This time, the old man was there to stay.


    Wu Qianyun took Chaoxuan to Xichuan.


    Qiao Zhicai accompanied the craft workshop manager on a business trip, first to Imperial Capital Yun City and then to Nangang City.


    The purpose was to sell the third batch of crafts they had produced.


    Given the current situation, weaving was no longer the main issue; the most important thing was finding a market.


    It was different from the past. In the era of planned economy, sometimes the demand exceeded the supply for produced goods. But now, in the era of market economy, you and I both make crafts, you open a factory and I open a company, you run a small shop and I run a large business; doing business wasn¡¯t as simple as one might imagine.


    So, the usually bustling He Xiuyu¡¯s house suddenly quieted down.


    The Zhou Hai household next door was also not lively.


    Zhou Hai often went on business trips. With the construction of New City nearing completion, he shifted his focus back to the Tenghai Agricultural Group.


    Liu Ying still worked at the farm.


    She was still a temp but had moved into an office position.


    You really had to admire her; when she needed to swallow her pride, she truly could.


    It¡¯s also not hard to understand. For someone like Liu Ying, whether in personal or professional matters, she always put her own interests first.


    As long as she believed it was best for herself, no matter who was in front of her, she would find a way to overcome or even unscrupulously seize opportunities, as she did in her attempts to destroy Zhou Hai¡¯s marriage to Xiao Wei.


    She casually greeted people passing by on the street.


    At the door, she shouted towards the east, ¡°Pengcheng, Pengcheng, come back for lunch soon.¡±


    From not far away, Zhou Pengcheng responded, ¡°Got it.¡±


    Liu Ying stood at the door for a moment and saw Qiao Qingyu and Rongrong talking in the courtyard; she smiled towards Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Qingyu, you¡¯ve just come back, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t just come back; I¡¯ve been home since this morning,¡± Qiao Qingyu also smiled, her face naturally cheerful.


    At the same time, she gained a deeper understanding of Liu Ying¡¯s ability to humble herself.


    However, the two didn¡¯t interact much further; how Liu Ying was didn¡¯t really matter much to her.


    Qiao Qingyu then entered the house with Rongrong.


    Liu Ying watched He Xuerong¡¯s retreating figure, marveling at how much the girl had grown in the past year, almost as tall as Qiao Qingyu now.


    The young girl was beautiful, the prettiest one at the base.


    Famous far and wide as a blossom.


    Boys and girls alike loved to hover around her.


    Her father had remarried.


    His bride was none other than Chu Ying from the base.


    For He Xuerong¡¯s convenience with schooling, they settled in a new family building at the base, yet the girl still frequently headed towards He XiuYu¡¯s house.


    Even if He XiuYu and Qiao Qingyu were not home, she gravitated towards the elderly lady and Chaoxuan.


    They got along well, and laughter, both adult and child, often echoed from the courtyard.


    By contrast, her own yard felt much emptier.


    Liu Ying, unconcerned, pursed her lips and pushed open the door to enter the house. Her daughter had been home for a while; the bedroom door was open and she saw her daughter¡¯s back.


    Liu Ying, who had been smiling moments before, could not smile now.


    Her eyes carried a touch of sorrow.


    She did not blame her daughter for the coldness; as her mother, she felt inadequate in bringing greater glory to her daughter and had embarrassed her, so the girl remained resentful towards her.


    Standing at the door, Liu Ying softly said, ¡°Ruoruo, I¡¯ll go make dinner for you right away.¡±


    Zhou Ruoruo put down her pen, bit her lip, and as she stood up from the chair, she still couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Mom, if you don¡¯t like greeting Aunt Qiao, just ignore her.¡±


    Liu Ying froze for a moment, her eyes reddening slightly soon after.


    Zhou Ruoruo continued, ¡°Mom, my brother might seem carefree, but he¡¯s actually very smart. Don¡¯t treat him like a fool.¡±


    Liu Ying¡¯s hands, hanging by her side, clenched tightly.


    She had thought Zhou Pengcheng would follow Xiao Wei to Beijing; she would have been pleased to see that. Now, with Zhou Hai, there was no need to maintain appearances anymore; these things were no longer necessary for her. All she needed to do was raise her daughter well, protect everything that belonged to her.


    But unexpectedly, Zhou Pengcheng hadn¡¯t left and was still living with them. To avoid worsening their relationship, she had to act as before.


    She handled some matters very discreetly. Zhou Pengcheng was a boy; of course, he would not notice. But, unexpectedly, it was her own daughter who spoke these words. She answered somewhat dryly, ¡°Ruoruo, what do you mean by this? I¡¯ve never dared to treat your brother like a fool.¡±


    She added another line, ¡°He¡¯s really smart, he just doesn¡¯t like studying. But there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. I¡¯ve hit him, scolded him, your dad has given up, even his own mother doesn¡¯t care anymore. What can I do? I¡¯m just a stepmother, no matter what I do, it¡¯s wrong.¡±


    Zhou Ruoruo bowed her head, fiddling with a fountain pen in her hands.


    It was evident she did not agree with Liu Ying saying this. Liu Ying softened her tone and said, ¡°Ruoruo, I¡¯m going to cook for you; your brother will be back soon.¡±


    She felt what she was doing was already good enough. All pretenses had been stripped away. Was she still expected to coddle Zhou Pengcheng?


    What a joke; she was already trampled into the dust.


    Liu Ying turned and was about to enter the kitchen, but Zhou Ruoruo behind her spoke again, ¡°Mom, Aunt Qiao is actually very capable, and Aunt Chu is no simple character either... I know what you¡¯re thinking. You probably want my brother to date He Xuerong and then affect her grades so she doesn¡¯t get into a good university. Just to take revenge for me...¡±


    Liu Ying, stunned, stood in the doorway to the kitchen, her empty hands unsure of what to do, feeling indescribable inside, never expecting these words to be spoken by her own daughter, Ruoruo.

 Chapter 585 - 585 579 Many Thieves with a Hearts Eye

    ?Chapter 585: Chapter 579: Many Thieves with a Heart¡¯s Eye Chapter 585: Chapter 579: Many Thieves with a Heart¡¯s Eye Did she harbor such thoughts?


    Yes, she did!


    She was well aware of her own actions. Recently, she had been intentionally or unintentionally encouraging Zhou Pengcheng to hang out with He Xuerong. She also made a point of praising He Xuerong¡¯s beauty in front of Zhou Pengcheng and mentioning how many boys liked her, along with other suggestive but not overtly inappropriate comments.


    But what of it?


    Even if this matter were brought to light, she wouldn¡¯t have a problem.


    The He Family had a good background, but Zhou Pengcheng¡¯s family background wasn¡¯t too far behind.


    Not to mention that Zhou Pengcheng¡¯s biological mother, Xiao Wei, held a high position.


    If the two of them did end up together, who¡¯s to say it wasn¡¯t a match made in heaven?


    But none of that was important.


    What was important was that her daughter was only twelve years old. How come she knew so much, and why did she speak of dating so calmly¡ªa calmness that caused Liu Ying¡¯s back to break out in cold sweat.


    She had been busy with spring farming lately. Although she had escaped the fate of fieldwork to take up clerical jobs, she was still at the farm, even under the supervision of that woman, Zhou Xiaoqin.


    Those people she had once looked down upon could now command her, but what could she say? She could only endure it, waiting for the opportunity to rise again, which was why she was in no hurry.


    But the work was indeed exhausting, so she had really neglected her daughter a lot recently.


    Liu Ying took a few steps forward, not expecting Zhou Ruoruo to suddenly close her bedroom door.


    A door blocked Liu Ying¡¯s view.


    Liu Ying walked forward to push the door open, only to find that Zhou Ruoruo had locked it from the inside. She knocked a few times and raised her voice, ¡°Ruoruo, mom knows you¡¯re upset and prone to overthink things, imagining all sorts of scenarios. You¡¯ve misunderstood mom; I wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. From now on, I won¡¯t let Pengcheng run errands to the He Family either. Please don¡¯t think otherwise, and focus all your energy on your studies, do you hear me?¡±


    After a long while, Zhou Ruoruo¡¯s muffled voice came from the room, ¡°Mom, I understand. Go cook; brother will be home soon.¡±


    Liu Ying, hearing that Zhou Ruoruo¡¯s voice was no longer as sharp, felt relieved.


    But she also clenched her teeth tightly.


    Her daughter shouldn¡¯t be this way now. The main reason her daughter had become like this was that He Xuerong, the little bitch from the neighbor¡¯s house.


    And Li Mingguang, who was like a fly circling that little bitch.


    And at this moment, Li Mingguang was with Zhou Pengcheng, in the poplar forest to the east.


    Just the two of them.


    Li Mingguang looked serious. In a year, the young boy had turned into a handsome teenager, almost reaching one meter seventy in height, straight and elegant like bamboo after the rain.


    His bright eyes were intently focused on Zhou Pengcheng, who was as carefree as ever, smiling nonchalantly, lazily leaning against a tree trunk. He even cocked an eyebrow, which could be interpreted as a provocation. And the corner of his mouth curled up¡ªone side arching higher. The two were of similar height; Zhou Pengcheng wasn¡¯t as handsome as Li Mingguang, but with his thick brows, big eyes, and tall stature, coupled with his indifferent demeanor, there were plenty of schoolgirls who secretly fancied him.


    He was a few years older than Li Mingguang, but he knew that the boy across from him was full of mischief and definitely not a good character.


    At first, he didn¡¯t pay much attention and they each went about their own business. After playing together, he suffered losses under the other¡¯s hands several times.


    But after all, he was older and very generously opened his mouth, ¡°Little brother, what do you need from your big brother, looking so serious?¡±


    Li Mingguang frowned but still spoke up, ¡°Zhou Pengcheng, do you know what your stepmother has been telling people these past few months?¡±


    Zhou Pengcheng glanced at Li Mingguang, thinking the little rascal was going to warn him to stay away from Rongrong.


    But he didn¡¯t expect him to say this; it seemed like he had heard something?


    So he said directly, ¡°Just spit it out if you have something to say, no need to mumble and mutter like a woman. Let that woman Liu Ying say whatever she wants, it¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know what kind of person she is.¡±


    Li Mingguang¡¯s expression grew colder, ¡°You can be foolish on your own, but I don¡¯t want you to drag others down with you. Your stepmother tells everyone that you and He Xuerong, although you didn¡¯t grow up together, are practically childhood sweethearts and that you play so well together...¡±


    Zhou Pengcheng slowly stood up straight, ¡°Did Aunt Li tell you this?¡±


    ¡°My mom doesn¡¯t know, it¡¯s something I heard from someone else.¡± Then he added, ¡°If my mom knew, Aunt Qiao would definitely know. Your stepmother is slandering behind the back and tarnishing Rongrong¡¯s reputation. They won¡¯t let you off easily.¡±


    Women naturally like to chat about this and that when they get together. Sometimes the speaker means nothing and neither does the listener, but sometimes the listener does take it seriously, and yet these words are not to be spread casually for the time being.


    Liu Ying¡¯s words were many, and it all depended on how you took them. You could take them the wrong way if you wanted, or you could take them the right way, and that¡¯s what was so annoying about them.


    Li Mingguang continued, ¡°Because of the issue with your sister, your stepmother really dislikes Rongrong and even hates Aunt Qiao, so from now on, you should keep your distance from Rongrong and avoid talking to her.¡±


    The young boy¡¯s warning was somewhat naive and childish, but it did have some credibility.


    And Zhou Pengcheng was at an age where he was afraid of neither heaven nor earth, so how could such words scare him?


    He spat out the leaf he had been chewing, flipped his hair, and believed it to be his most carefree and handsome gesture. Then, looking sideways at Li Mingguang, he said, ¡°Little brother, you¡¯re really too naive. Both our families are neighbors and schoolmates, and we all live in the base residential compound. We¡¯re not strangers here. If I suddenly stop talking to her, wouldn¡¯t that exactly confirm what they¡¯re calling it, that thing... what¡¯s it called...¡±


    ¡°Never mind what it¡¯s called here. You can try to stay away from Rongrong. Then you can see if your stepmother will tell you to get closer to Rongrong. If she doesn¡¯t, then you¡¯ll always be my big brother!¡±


    Zhou Pengcheng¡¯s eyes brightened.


    He looked at Li Mingguang thoughtfully, and Li Mingguang simply looked back at him.


    These were two options.


    Being Li Mingguang¡¯s big brother, either temporarily or forever, seemed to have a much greater appeal than loitering around Rongrong.


    You should know that Li Mingguang was really tough, and didn¡¯t the kids around him all call him ¡®big brother¡¯?


    But this bratty kid would never change his tune.


    He would always call out ¡°Zhou Pengcheng, Zhou Pengpeng¡± without any respect, and after a few lessons, unexpectedly he was the one who suffered a loss instead. In terms of fighting, this bratty kid was even not inferior to himself.


    Not to mention, he even did better in his studies.

 Chapter 586 - 586 580 No Silver Here Three Hundred Taels

    ?Chapter 586: Chapter 580: No Silver Here Three Hundred Taels Chapter 586: Chapter 580: No Silver Here Three Hundred Taels Li Mingguang glanced at Zhou Pengcheng¡¯s expression without a trace, and continued in a much more earnest voice, ¡°I know you¡¯re smart and not fooled by your stepmother¡¯s seemingly kind exterior, but really be careful. That woman is extremely crafty, and they say you should never underestimate someone who can handle matters heartlessly¡ªshe¡¯s just like that. She doesn¡¯t say those things for your benefit at all, she might be plotting to ruin both of you.¡±


    Zhou Pengcheng scratched the back of his head, speaking dismissively, ¡°I think the one with more schemes might be you. Even if she means harm, how could she have the capacity to ruin both of us? How would she do it? I don¡¯t engage in wrongdoing, and Rongrong doesn¡¯t either...¡±


    Li Mingguang looked at Zhou Pengcheng with a look of frustrated concern, ¡°I don¡¯t care how she might ruin you, but if you drag Rongrong into this, I, Li Mingguang, will never forgive you!¡±


    At that moment, from a distance came Liu Ying¡¯s voice, ¡°Zhou Pengcheng, come back for a meal.¡±


    Zhou Pengcheng thought for a moment then asked Li Mingguang, ¡°Were you serious about what you just said?¡±


    ¡°Of course I was serious, ¡®A gentleman¡¯s promise is as fast as a mustang!''¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re clever and your brain works well; earlier when I asked you what this place was, why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Zhou Pengcheng asked with a sideways glance of dissatisfaction.


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t know either,¡± Li Mingguang replied innocently.


    Zhou Pengcheng looked suspicious, ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡±


    Li Mingguang spread his hands, ¡°I really don¡¯t. Why don¡¯t you go home and ask your sister? Your sister is very capable.¡±


    Indeed, although that little girl hadn¡¯t always ranked first in her class, this term and the last, she had never scored lower than Zhou Ruoruo.


    One must admit, some people are naturally quick-witted.


    The two chatted as they walked shoulder to shoulder out of the Poplar Forest, crossed the concrete road, Li Mingguang continued forward while Zhou Pengcheng pushed open his home¡¯s door.


    The table was already set with food, and Liu Ying was a woman not to be underestimated; when she put her mind to something, she really did it well, at least her culinary skills were genuinely impressive.


    Grinning broadly, ¡°Wow, this smells wonderful, Auntie, your cooking skills are getting better and better.¡±


    He and his sister had never called Liu Ying ¡®Mom.¡¯ Firstly, Zhou Hai didn¡¯t approve, and Liu Ying herself didn¡¯t have the desire, so for many years they had always just called her Auntie.


    Liu Ying, unlike before, did not respond warmly. Her gaze at Zhou Pengcheng was somewhat inscrutable. Then she remembered something her daughter had said and quickly averted her gaze, urging Zhou Pengcheng, ¡°Hurry and go wash your hands.¡±


    She also called out to her daughter in the bedroom, ¡°Ruoruo, your brother is back. Hurry up and come out to eat.¡±


    Zhou Ruoruo opened the door just as Zhou Pengcheng went to the bathroom to wash his hands. Zhou Pengcheng stopped in his tracks and asked with a smile, ¡°Ruoruo, what¡¯s the phrase about this place?¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about an idiom or a proverb?¡±


    ¡°Four characters, an idiom, I remember the phrase is quite long¡ªit¡¯s not an idiom, is it?¡± Zhou Pengcheng was uncertain.


    ¡°There are many phrases that start with this place, ¡®This place isn¡¯t to linger¡¯?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the phrase.¡±


    ¡°This place bears no three hundred taels of silver!¡± Zhou Ruoruo spoke again.


    Zhou Pengcheng¡¯s eyes lit up, he clapped his hands and gave a thumbs-up, ¡°Ruoruo, you¡¯re really smart. Yes, that¡¯s the phrase, ¡®This place bears no three hundred taels of silver.¡¯ That darn Li Mingguang knew and he wouldn¡¯t tell me.¡±


    Hearing Li Mingguang¡¯s name, Zhou Ruoruo, who intended to go eat, stopped in her tracks and casually asked, ¡°Brother, you were just with Li Mingguang what were you two talking about?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much, just boys¡¯ stuff. Don¡¯t be nosy, sweetie. Go eat now.¡±


    With that, Zhou Pengcheng strode off towards the bathroom.


    Zhou Ruoruo stood still for a while, then headed to the dining room.


    Just as she was about to sit down, the front door opened. She glanced outside, her eyes suddenly lighting up, her face all smiles, ¡°Mom, Dad is back...¡±


    Then she ran outside like a butterfly fluttering away.


    Liu Ying¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Although she harbored resentment and even some contempt for Zhou Hai in her heart, she was still excited when she heard he had returned.


    She knew that she was able to do her job now because of Zhou Hai¡¯s influence.


    But lately, she had new ideas.


    Zhou Hai had just returned, and she wanted to discuss them with him.


    With the arrival of a spring rain, it seemed that the grass turned green in the blink of an eye.


    The water-fed trees nearby also sprouted tender green buds.


    Even the wind felt much softer.


    Qiao Qingyu was starting to tend to her little plot of land again.


    Usually, during such times, He Xiuyu was at home.


    This year, the courtyard was much quieter. Chaoxuan was now living in Xichuan with his grandpa and great-grandpa.


    The two of them had taken their holidays together, yet they didn¡¯t sleep in. They got up early, finished breakfast, and smoothed over the front and back vegetable gardens.


    This year was easier because at the start of spring, Qiao Zhicai had already turned over both patches of the vegetable garden.


    Now, only minimal work was required.


    The back yard still grew cabbages and radishes, and a few ridges of potatoes were planted in the north. Although the base had plenty of vegetables, those grown in their own garden were more convenient to consume.


    Besides flowers, the front garden also housed cabbages, lettuce, green onions, cilantro, tomatoes, cucumbers, and green beans¡ªalmost enough to guarantee summer meals.


    Farming was hard work. When the sun came out, He Xiuyu asked Qiao Qingyu to rest under the roof¡¯s eaves. He hadn¡¯t farmed before, but over the years, he had become quite skilled.


    He prepared the ridges, dug holes, added base fertilizer, and then scattered the already sprouted vegetable seeds into them.


    In the afternoon, they planted cabbages and radishes and selected good-quality potatoes that had been processed in the lab¡¯s equipment, sprouted, and then directly buried in the soil.


    Old Lady Zhao had gone back to her hometown, so in the vacant space beneath the wall in the back garden, Qiao Qingyu planned to plant pumpkins and horned melons.


    She had grown them before, but Old Lady Zhao, who liked to climb over the wall, had damaged quite a few.


    There wasn¡¯t much she could say or scold about it, so she simply left the space near the wall empty.


    Last year, they had harvested quite a few pumpkins and horned melons there.


    Farming was tiring, and they sweated profusely. After taking showers, the couple nestled on the couch watching TV.


    For the two of them, it was a rare moment of leisure.


    Such days, just the two of them, seemed very rare since they got married.


    He Xiuyu turned to look at Qiao Qingyu, who was leaning against him.


    Her eyes were moist, her skin delicate and fair; despite all her traveling these years, it seemed not to have left any traces on her face.


    He Xiuyu couldn¡¯t help but lean in, his gaze affectionate as he kissed her gently and intensely. As they kissed, they moved to another place and drew the curtains.

 Chapter 587 - 587 581 Why Is It Called a Cellphone

    ?Chapter 587: Chapter 581: Why Is It Called a Cellphone? Chapter 587: Chapter 581: Why Is It Called a Cellphone? After the commotion subsided, the sky had already turned dark.


    He Xiuyu was the first to get up. There were leftover rice and dishes from lunch in the kitchen, so he made fried rice with eggs and seaweed soup, and also mixed a dish of chopped chili peppers.


    After he had finished cooking, he went to the western room to call his wife to get up.


    The two of them had tossed and turned for a while before sleeping a bit, and Qiao Qingyu was woken up. She glanced at the darkness outside ¨C could she even fall asleep again at this hour?


    Regardless of whether she could sleep or not, she had to eat first.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s egg fried rice was exceptionally good. Qiao Qingyu was also hungry. Although it wasn¡¯t what one would call nourishing, it was also not good to eat too much at night, as feeling stuffed was uncomfortable.


    He Xiuyu just watched her with a smile.


    Qiao Qingyu wanted to say something, but just then, the phone in the study started ringing. He Xiuyu got up to answer it, and after a short while, his voice came from the study, ¡°It¡¯s Chaoxuan on the phone, he¡¯s calling for you.¡±


    When Qiao Qingyu put down her rice bowl and entered the room, He Xiuyu was speaking softly and sweetly with his son, mushy with affection, an exchange of ¡®I miss yous.¡¯ It was unbelievable to see this father and son pairing act like this on the phone, quite different from when they were face to face.


    He Xiuyu promised over the phone that he would go to see him with Qiao Qingyu next Sunday.


    Thinking about it, He Xiuyu also missed his child. Becoming a father and having a child truly changed life, and it was a substantial change at that.


    It was a different feeling from the love for a spouse.


    That¡¯s what they call a blood connection.


    He handed the phone back to Qiao Qingyu, and on the other end, Chaoxuan, articulate as ever, asked, ¡°Mommy, what did you eat tonight?¡±


    With patience, Qiao Qingyu listed tonight¡¯s dishes for her son as if reciting a menu. Then Chaoxuan, very seriously, said, ¡°Daddy and Mommy, you work so hard, you need to eat nutritious food so you won¡¯t be too tired.¡±


    Her son was showing concern for his mother, which touched Qiao Qingyu. She asked her child, ¡°Do you miss Mommy?¡±


    Without any hesitation, Chaoxuan replied, ¡°Of course, I do miss you.¡±


    ¡°And then what?¡± Qiao Qingyu continued, following his line of thought.


    ¡°...Then, staying with Grandma and Grandpa at great-grandpa¡¯s hasn¡¯t been too bad.¡±


    Then Wu Xiucai¡¯s voice could be heard laughing and scolding over the phone, ¡°You little ingrate, you¡¯ve been having a blast, how can you say it hasn¡¯t been too bad?¡±


    After that, Chaoxuan went on to inquire about his various older friends one by one, such as Li Mingguang, Dashun, Daji, Zhou Pengcheng, and even asked whether Zhou Ruoruo was talking with her sister now?


    This little one sure knew a lot.


    After talking for almost twenty minutes, Chaoxuan at the other end said he was tired and didn¡¯t want to talk anymore. He handed the phone to Wu Qianyun, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m going to watch cartoons with great-grandpa now.¡±


    Wu Qianyun took the phone with a laugh and asked how everything was at home, whether she needed to come back now, and also mentioned to Qiao Qingyu that the child hadn¡¯t really missed home these last few days. When he started missing home, she would bring him back, especially since it wasn¡¯t far anyway.


    Then Wu Qianyun remembered to ask Qiao Qingyu, ¡°Have you two finished eating?¡±


    Upon learning that they hadn¡¯t finished yet, she quickly hung up the phone without any hesitation.


    Back at the dining table, they continued their meal, thankfully none of the dishes were cold.


    Suddenly, the pace of life slowed down. It felt like the day passed in the blink of an eye but also as if it had been very long, and they had done so many things.


    After dinner, the couple didn¡¯t go for a walk but instead went directly into the Space Device.


    He Xiuyu was now mainly working on heavy industrial machinery, but the communication tools that Shen Haoze and his team were in charge of were about to go into mass production.


    In Nangang City, the term ¡°bricks¡± had already appeared, referring to the large, cumbersome early mobile phones, and terms like network communication had also started to surface in this land.


    He Juanjuan initially planned to buy a ¡°brick¡± for everyone in her family, but when she learned that the research base had developed a communication tool that outperformed ¡°bricks¡± in functionality and was smaller in size, and that it was soon to enter the market, she held off on the purchase.


    These ¡°bricks¡± were not cheap and were also difficult to acquire without pulling strings. With her connections, a single ¡°brick¡± would cost her 20,000 yuan, not to mention the additional fees involved.


    At that time, owning a ¡°brick¡± was a symbol of identity and status, a sign of financial and capability prowess.


    Soon, there would also be pagers.


    However, history was bound to take a slight turn here.


    This communication tool was named a mobile phone by Su Yunyao.


    Why was it called a mobile phone?


    Those in the know understood perfectly what it meant, yet this mobile phone was destined to bring about earth-shattering changes to this land.


    The only regret was that although the communications base¡¯s construction was booming, base stations and signal towers were still sparse and focused around a few major cities, and for the time being, mobile phones couldn¡¯t be aimed at the ordinary populace.


    The cost was still very high.


    But Su Yunyao had already guaranteed that this issue would be resolved in three years; the focus now was to capture the market.


    Therefore, the launch of China¡¯s mobile phone would deal a heavy blow to the ¡°bricks¡± that had taken the world by storm.


    The market was a huge cake, which up to that point belonged entirely to foreign telecommunications companies.


    Once China¡¯s mobile phones launched, this enormous cake would be redistributed, and the ensuing problems would not be as optimistic as imagined, but these should be left for specialized agencies to resolve.


    Qiao Qingyu knew that the base had recently increased its security forces.


    The daughter of Shen Haoze and Su Yunyao was named Shen Suzhao, also affectionately called ¡°Zhaozhao,¡± a particularly cute and beautiful little girl.


    The couple was doing quite well.


    Especially after having a child.


    These matters were difficult to express, so, inevitably, her arrival had changed the fates of many people.


    Shen Haoze and He Xiuyu naturally kept in touch, and they often brought their children along as well.


    For a while, Zhaozhao was left in Beijing in the care of the Shen and Su Families, but she was later brought back. Shen Haoze¡¯s mother retired early to help her son with the child, and now she lived in the first batch of family buildings at the base.


    A few days ago when Qiao Qingyu saw her, she mentioned that she had wanted to bring great-grandpa over too, but now the base was under martial law. It was better not to come. They would talk about it later.


    Old Mrs. Shen probably understood what all this meant.


    Meanwhile, He Xiuyu¡¯s research on Energy Stones had broken through to another level.


    Therefore, he spent more time in the vicinity of the Space Device recently. Generally, when he needed to go in, it was no problem for Qiao Qingyu to wait outside.


    But more often than not, as long as Qiao Qingyu was free, she would accompany him.


    The secrets of the Space Device had not been completely uncovered, and as its master, if any issues arose, she would be able to resolve them promptly.


    Sitting in front of the experiment table, looking at the equipment, various test tubes and vessels, as well as pieces of Energy Stone, Qiao Qingyu turned her head toward the mist-shrouded area ahead and suddenly remembered the basement Zhang Family had built in Lianjiang Village.


    The Zhang Family was still active in that area, having built several more houses, and then they really started planting vegetables in the greenhouses, practicing what they called vertical farming,

 Chapter 588 - 588 582 Shocking Press Conference

    ?Chapter 588: Chapter 582: Shocking Press Conference Chapter 588: Chapter 582: Shocking Press Conference After being approved, the Zhang Family once again introduced foreign vegetable seeds.


    It is said that the seedlings have now grown more than ten centimeters tall.


    And not a single member of the Zhang family was missing, which meant they still hadn¡¯t achieved their goal and wishes.


    Qiao Qingyu said to He Xiuyu who was busy working beside her in a low voice, ¡°I wonder how the research on the Energy Stone is progressing at the other research institute.¡±


    He Xiuyu, ¡°There has been no progress, it is still at the same stage as we know, but there¡¯s also no rush. Even if we manage to analyze all the components of the Energy Stone, applying it in practice would still require a long process. What I am doing now is trying to shorten this process as much as possible.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu had never actually asked He Xiuyu what his ultimate goal was, or to what extent he planned to take his research. Now curious, she asked, ¡°What stage do you aim to reach? To travel to another world, or to create another Space Device?¡±


    He Xiuyu chuckled, ¡°I don¡¯t have grand ambitions like you imagine. If I can double the speed of transportation vehicles in my lifetime, making people¡¯s travel simpler and faster, that would already be an epoch-making feat.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu also wanted to say that in a few decades, the high-speed rail would achieve just that.


    But she couldn¡¯t say it. It was the late 1980s, and many scientific and technical fields were in their infancy or research stages. It wasn¡¯t until after the year 2000 that world technology would advance rapidly.


    So in a way, it¡¯s a case of great minds thinking alike.


    Qiao Qingyu patted He Xiuyu on the shoulder and said earnestly, ¡°Keep it up!¡±


    Those who are engaged in research and scholarship, after all, value practicality, so He Xiuyu made steady progress without bragging or making empty promises. Yet Qiao Qingyu believed that, given time, he might indeed be able to replicate the Space Device.


    As for transportation? What problems could there be?


    ...


    Soon enough, Tenghai Research Base appeared at an international product launch held in Beijing, with their new type of communication tool.


    It must be said that their secrecy this time was excellent, catching many foreign powers and capitals completely off guard.


    The news was truly shocking. A country they had never taken seriously suddenly developed a communication tool even more effective than the first-generation mobile phones. They thought it was a hoax.


    Because that¡¯s how China is, isn¡¯t it? Fond of boasting and keen on keeping up appearances, they were skeptical even when they attended the launch, primarily out of curiosity for the spectacle.


    But little did they expect that the communication tool they saw was only the size of a palm, light and compact, with a small display screen and number keys below.


    The name of this mobile phone was Huaxia.


    It integrated the functions of both car phones and pagers, allowing one to see text messages edited and sent by another phone on the display.


    This was known as a text message.


    This launch amazed the whole world, almost in line with the initial predictions. These proud folks have always looked down on China, so they regarded this phone, which was more than a decade ahead of the global competition, with contempt and disdain.


    There were no large orders placed, nor any intentions to collaborate, but behind the scenes, intelligence agents from these countries sprang into action.


    All eyes turned towards Tenghai Research Base.


    They were naturally prepared for this as well.


    Our country¡¯s military development was also progressing rapidly, but many measures were conducted in secrecy for safety.


    We are a peace-loving nation, never the aggressor in war, but we are also not afraid of others¡¯ guns and bombs.


    The top leader, after fiddling with the mobile phone in his hand for a long time, made a call to his old partner using a number that had been set up in advance.


    The old partner was in the room next door.


    Incredibly, the mobile phone even had a ringtone, and the tune was ¡°The East is Red¡±.


    The pleasant and melodious ring resonated; the second-in-command stared for a while as it continued ringing persistently before he picked up the phone.


    It felt slightly heavy in the hand, but indeed it was much more convenient than the bulky ones. This one could fit into a pocket.


    The leader¡¯s voice came through, with no difference from the usual, and was especially clear. Perhaps it was because they were close by?


    Throughout the morning, unless one was incredibly busy, everyone was testing the communication features of this mobile phone.

 Chapter 589 - 589 582 Shocking Press Conference Part 2

    ?Chapter 589: Chapter 582: Shocking Press Conference Part 2 Chapter 589: Chapter 582: Shocking Press Conference Part 2 They were all proud and triumphant.


    In Beijing, you didn¡¯t need a landline; walking down the street, one hand in your pocket, neck craned forward, you could effortlessly have a chat on the phone with friends from Nangang City.


    Of course, for now, this was only among the upper echelons.


    After all, the infrastructure was still weak and the initial phase was all about getting products out to capture the market and secure a head start. This technology was firmly in our hands; it hadn¡¯t been introduced abroad, which certainly meant they lacked this capability. If they wanted to cooperate, they¡¯d have to show some sincerity.


    The Foreign Affairs Department began to take action, starting with some countries that had good relations with us.


    As for the others, their day to yield would surely come.


    Our research wouldn¡¯t stop; it would quickly become widespread, and its performance would keep improving.


    Tenghai Research Base received a vigorous commendation. This time it was a public affair, unlike the past when they were commended for their contribution to the defense industry but in a more subdued manner.


    This time, it was much more high-profile.


    With solid backing. Standing tall and straight.


    For the researchers, this was just the first stage of success; there were second, third, and even unknown stages to come.


    Qiao Qingyu held her phone in her hand, a special model that only circulated among the higher-ups in red¡ªit was stunning and, in this era, could be considered cutting-edge technology.


    Naturally, not everyone around Qiao Qingyu had phones, but a good number did.


    Wu Xiucai and Qiao Family Team¡¯s Qiao Zhiyuan both had one, and the one Qiao Zhicai had was specially procured for him by He Xiuyu.


    The numbers were still low for now. Once mass production started, it wouldn¡¯t be like it is now, currently, the phones were somewhat like futures contracts, but you had to admit their communication function was really great.


    Naturally, the research base had the best signal, which had expanded to the surrounding Xichuan.


    The person in charge at Pingliang Dam, where red sage was planted, got a hold of a China-made phone after some effort. Once all the necessary numbers had been exchanged, Qiao Qingyu received a call from there.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s phone was in her messenger bag; she answered it while walking down the street.


    Many people saw her talking while walking and were quite envious. After Qiao Qingyu ended the call, they crowded around her, asking when such a device would be available for sale in stores.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t know, but she thought that with Su Yunyao¡¯s personality, since she had embarked on this path, she wouldn¡¯t rest until she had made something of it¡ªshe was really quite persistent.


    Qiao Qingyu promised the person in charge at Pingliang Dam that she would set off in the afternoon.


    Nearly two months had gone by, and the red sage was growing well. Rain had been scarce this year, but it had been just enough, so it seemed like even the heavens were helping them.


    They became even more meticulous in caring for these ten thousand mu of medicinal herbs.


    The resettlement work was going smoothly; the houses had already been built, with everything happening concurrently.


    Some elderly in the mountain villages were reluctant to leave, but young people no longer heeded the elders because outside they were being offered job opportunities. Whether it was at the medicinal herb processing factory, brick factory, or even cement factory, they could find work and receive a monthly salary.


    If not too demanding, this job could support a family of three.


    So everyone was eager, and Qiao Qingyu was to take the technicians to provide guidance for the second phase of red sage cultivation.


    Rongrong would occasionally stay here, but most of the time she lived with her father. Now, half of the summer vacation had passed.


    She was holding a plastic bag with a few muskmelons in it. Taking the bag from her, Qiao Qingyu asked Rongrong, ¡°What would you like for lunch?¡±


    He Xuerong thought for a moment, ¡°Little aunt, I¡¯d like some cold noodles.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu clapped her hands, ¡°No problem, little aunt will go make the dough right now. The cucumbers in the yard are just delicious.¡±


    Indeed, adding them to some cold noodles would be very refreshing.


    Upon hearing voices outside, He Xuerong ran out.


    The front door was open, and Qiao Qingyu glanced outside.


    Rongrong was standing in the shade of the doorway; outside were Zhou Pengcheng and Li Mingguang, who greeted He Xuerong at the door and then ran side by side toward the woods to the east.


    Qiao Qingyu pulled her gaze back and called out to He Xuerong, ¡°Rongrong, it¡¯s hot outside, come in.¡±


    ¡°Little aunt, I¡¯m just going to pick a couple of tomatoes, I¡¯ll be in soon.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu continued to knead the dough.

 Chapter 590 - 590 582 Shocking Press Conference_3

    ?Chapter 590: Chapter 582 Shocking Press Conference_3 Chapter 590: Chapter 582 Shocking Press Conference_3 Making cold noodles, the dough must be kneaded until it¡¯s chewy, cut into narrow strips and boiled. After scooping them out, rinse with cold water, then pour on the prepared sauce and mix well. One bite of the cool, chewy, and tender noodles, and you couldn¡¯t imagine how delicious it is.


    Not only does He Xuerong love it, but the He family all enjoyed it.


    Even Chaoxuan could eat a big bowl.


    Qiao Qingyu was busy at one end and didn¡¯t bother what those kids were up to.


    At that moment, Zhou Pengcheng and Li Mingguang were standing face to face under the shade of a tree. Zhou Pengcheng scratched his head and admitted, ¡°Yesterday, Auntie urged me again to go play with Rongrong. She even said she could get some nice videotapes with movies that young girls like to watch. She even suggested I invite Rongrong to our house, hide out, and then let me watch movies with Rongrong inside...¡±


    Zhou Pengcheng didn¡¯t know what the movies were about, and even though Li Yun Guang was mature for his age, he didn¡¯t know either. However, he thought to himself that they surely weren¡¯t anything good, otherwise why all the secrecy about just Zhou Pengcheng watching them with Rongrong?


    It must be something unsavory.


    The young boy¡¯s expression darkened, and his gaze even held a trace of menace as he asked Zhou Pengcheng, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Zhou Pengcheng chuckled, ¡°Little brother, today I can tell you, so what do you think I said...¡±


    ¡°How would I know? I¡¯m not you.¡±


    Zhou Pengcheng didn¡¯t answer Li Mingguang¡¯s question, but took a step forward, smilingly asked, ¡°Now can I be your big brother forever? Come on... call me big brother and let me hear it.¡±


    Li Mingguang curled his lips slightly and without a change in expression, he stepped back and leaned against a tree trunk, crossing one leg casually, smiling enigmatically as he looked at Zhou Pengcheng, ¡°Do you remember what I told you back then?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I remember,¡± said Zhou Pengcheng, looking suspiciously at Li Mingguang, sensing that something was off. Still, he went on, ¡°You told me to try staying away from Rongrong, not talk to her, and see if my stepmother would talk to me about getting close to Rongrong. If she didn¡¯t mention it, then I¡¯d always be your big brother!¡±


    Li Mingguang coolly countered, ¡°So, did she mention it?¡±


    ¡°She did,¡± Zhou Pengcheng blurted out.


    Li Mingguang just kept gazing at Zhou Pengcheng with a half-smile.


    Zhou Pengcheng, though direct, was not stupid. His eyes shifted around, and then he finally realized.


    Fuming, he shouted, ¡°You sly little scamp! Playing tricks on me¡ªif she didn¡¯t mention it, then I¡¯d always be your big brother, but if she did, then I wouldn¡¯t be. Now she has... so you set me up, right?¡±


    As he said this, he lunged forward, trying to grab Li Mingguang, but Li Mingguang quickly darted out from under the trees and ran towards his home.


    However, right at He Xiuyu¡¯s house¡¯s entrance, Zhou Pengcheng grabbed him.


    The two boys went back and forth under the sun, too far away for Qiao Qingyu, standing at the doorway, to hear what they were discussing.


    Rongrong leaned in the shadow of the porch door, squinting her eyes at them.


    Qiao Qingyu came out from the house, having seen Li Mingguang and naturally brought his share of the noodles. She stood at the doorway, then noticed Zhou Pengcheng and Li Mingguang with their heads close together, whispering things she couldn¡¯t hear.


    Qiao Qingyu remarked somewhat emotionally, ¡°These two boys have such a great relationship.¡±


    He Xuerong sneered, sympathetically glancing at her little aunt.


    Her little aunt could think what she wanted.


    Who knew what these two were actually scheming, but the fact they were arm in arm didn¡¯t necessarily mean they were close. They might just have been pretending since little aunt came out¡ªthey might be competing with each other even now.


    Qiao Qingyu then called out, ¡°Li Mingguang, Zhou Pengcheng, I made cold noodles. Do you want to come and eat?¡±


    Since they were together, she couldn¡¯t just call Li Mingguang; Zhou Pengcheng was a good kid too. Besides, Zhou Zijiao sent her a letter every month, occasionally mailing some items as well. Though Qiao Qingyu did not know if Xiao Wei had taught her this, such behavior was indeed commendable.


    So, whenever possible, she took care of Zhou Pengcheng too, then Qiao Qingyu suddenly realized, it had been over a month since she had last seen this boy.


    Perhaps she had been too busy.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t think further, and the two young men were still gripping each other¡¯s wrists, confronting each other. Hearing Qiao Qingyu¡¯s shout, they glared back and forth.


    Zhou Pengcheng looked at Li Mingguang. ¡°Shall we both let go?¡±


    Li Mingguang nodded, and true to his word, he released his hold.

 Chapter 591 - 591 583 Bewitchment

    ?Chapter 591: Chapter 583: Bewitchment Chapter 591: Chapter 583: Bewitchment Zhou Pengcheng also released his grip at the same time and then quietly rubbed his wrist, adjusted his expression, and turned to look at Qiao Qingyu.


    Li Mingguang politely said, ¡°Aunt Qiao, I¡¯m going home to eat.¡±


    Zhou Pengcheng pointed at his own courtyard, all smiles, ¡°Aunt Qiao, so am I.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t speak again. Li Mingguang gave Zhou Pengcheng a warning look, then disappeared around the corner of the street with a quick trot.


    Zhou Pengcheng, meanwhile, smirked at Qiao Qingyu before darting into his home like a rabbit.


    He Xuerong retracted her gaze; these two were up to something secretive, definitely hiding unspeakable deeds. She decided she would get to the bottom of it later.


    ...


    Chen Tianliang held a China-made phone in his hand.


    He was no longer the director at the office; he had been transferred to Yushu County.


    Many people did not understand his decision. His family nearly fell out with him over it. He was of an age where it wasn¡¯t easy to control or reprimand him, especially since, due to past events, Mrs. Chen felt guilty. She hadn¡¯t expected that her actions years ago would lead a girl to leave this world in the prime of her life.


    As people age, they often reflect on their actions in youth, unless they are utterly irredeemable.


    Of course, Mrs. Chen wasn¡¯t young anymore at that time, but compared to now, she was.


    She had thought her actions had been right, whether towards her son or the girl. How could a match between unequal social statuses ever be happy?


    Moreover, she didn¡¯t see any use in that girl for her son; she quite looked down on her.


    Now, whenever she remembered that period, Mrs. Chen felt very sad.


    But what was done was done; what else could she do?


    Time couldn¡¯t be reversed; no one could undo the past.


    She could only harden her heart and think that the girl was too weak, never considering her biological parents.


    Life couldn¡¯t all be about love and affection; one couldn¡¯t live purely off those. Parents give life; you don¡¯t have to repay them, but you shouldn¡¯t let them down.


    Yet now, although her son hadn¡¯t let them down, he had become increasingly distant from them.


    He had even once remarked that it was as if he didn¡¯t exist to them.


    If only she had known what would come, would she have acted as she did?


    Mrs. Chen could only let go, resigned, for she too had aged, unable to manage things now as her body and vigor weren¡¯t what they used to be. So what else could she do? Therefore, Chen Tianliang was working alone in Yushu County now.


    Now, he was in charge of Mr. Wu¡¯s woolen mill investment.


    The wool processing workshop was located in Xiaxi Town.


    The area had changed completely from what he remembered; except for an occasional familiar scenery, everything else seemed foreign.


    The local people had also grown wealthier; they dressed and ate well, their complexions rosy and their postures upright, which had a lot to do with the country¡¯s growing prosperity.


    However, the visions that appeared in his dreams while he sat in the jeep didn¡¯t include a mobile phone.


    Cell phones were seemingly first developed by foreigners.


    Where was the discrepancy?


    Chen Tianliang couldn¡¯t sit still any longer. He went to the office¡¯s car depot, informed his superiors, and drove a jeep toward Tenghai Research Base.


    He knew He Xiuyu; they had some interactions through work, though not frequent, but he could still gain access inside the base.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s secretary escorted Chen Tianliang to He Xiuyu¡¯s office.


    Although the two knew each other, this was Chen Tianliang¡¯s first visit to He Xiuyu¡¯s office.


    After a politely exchanged few words, Chen Tianliang drained the tea from his cup and sat there, seemingly hesitant about how to broach the subject with He Xiuyu. What he needed to talk about was normal in the future, but it seemed absurd now, and he couldn¡¯t necessarily confirm whether it was a dream or merely illusionary fixation.


    He was desperate for an answer, and he had come to He Xiuyu because it was he who could realize his dream in the visions.


    But to voice such thoughts felt too reckless and unbelievable; even he couldn¡¯t muster the words, a trace of melancholy crossing his face.


    He Xiuyu refilled his teacup.


    Then he directly asked, ¡°Brother Chen, is there something troubling you?¡±

 Chapter 592 - 592 583 Bewitchment_2

    ?Chapter 592: Chapter 583: Bewitchment_2 Chapter 592: Chapter 583: Bewitchment_2 He Xiuyu thought that if he didn¡¯t ask, Chen Tianliang would be stuck wondering for who knows how long. It wasn¡¯t that he disliked the man; he simply didn¡¯t have much time.


    Chen Tianliang looked at He Xiuyu and finally began to speak slowly. ¡°Chief Engineer He, do you believe that time can travel backward?¡±


    He Xiuyu was initially taken aback, as he hadn¡¯t expected Chen Tianliang to ask such a question.


    He smiled, ¡°Such a question involves many factors, it¡¯s not as simple as believing or not believing.¡±


    Chen Tianliang got up from the sofa and started pacing back and forth in the room. Ordinarily, he was a calm and composed person, but at that moment, he couldn¡¯t sit still because the statement he was about to make was utterly bizarre. He had gathered enough courage to speak.


    ¡°Chief Engineer He, I¡¯ll get straight to the point. Do you remember when I first joined the inspection team and encountered you and Comrade Qiao Qingyu halfway to Xichuan?¡±


    He Xiuyu paused for a moment to remember, then nodded. ¡°I remember.¡±


    ¡°...During that trip, I fell asleep in the car and then I dreamed about many things from the future.¡± As Chen Tianliang spoke, his eyes displayed both eagerness and confusion. ¡°You might think I¡¯m spouting nonsense here, but I¡¯m speaking the truth. I remember many of those visions quite clearly. You¡ªChief Engineer He, the foremost scientist in China¡ªyou invented a machine that could traverse time and space...¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s demeanor turned serious and his eyebrows furrowed slightly. ¡°Brother Chen, don¡¯t you think that¡¯s an absurd dream?¡±


    A machine that traveled through time and space¡ªif such a research project succeeded, it couldn¡¯t possibly be common knowledge. Such research would definitely need to be carried out in secret. How could Chen Tianliang know about it if it were real?


    Moreover, He Xiuyu wasn¡¯t in doubt of his own capabilities, but he thought that researching time and space travel was unnecessary at present.


    His goals lay elsewhere, which meant he wasn¡¯t likely to spend a lifetime on such a scientific endeavor.


    To his knowledge, many were secretly conducting this kind of research. The purpose was merely to unlock the mysteries of the universe, ultimately aiming to make people¡¯s lives more efficient and usher in the era of technology.


    The ultimate purpose of technology should still be to serve humanity, not without conditions or limitations.


    It can¡¯t be said that everyone harbors the thought of returning to the past, but it can certainly be assumed that more than 90% of people have harbored some form of regret over their past years.


    If such a machine really were invented, the implications for the world would be unimaginable. The desires to mend, to save, to change¡ªeven the desire to become overnight billionaires...


    It wouldn¡¯t be a beneficial scientific outcome. Even if discovered, it certainly would not be made public.


    That could lead to the collapse of social order, and with the collapse of social order, humanity might not be far from extinction.


    Such a basic truth should be understood by anyone with a semblance of intelligence.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always thought it was an absurd dream, yet occasionally I still dream of such episodes; they seem so real.¡± Chen Tianliang paused and then looked intently at He Xiuyu. ¡°I don¡¯t know whether you are conducting this research, but I can tell you this much: you will be much younger when you invent the machine that travels through time and space, only about seven or eight years older than you are now, you...¡±


    He Xiuyu interrupted Chen Tianliang, asking sternly, ¡°Brother Chen, even if such research existed, in what capacity would you be privy to it?¡±


    Chen Tianliang was momentarily taken aback, his brow furrowed.


    Indeed, how could he have known about it? Initially, he had some memory of it, but then it faded.


    He was sure, however, that he indeed knew about it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I did in the world of my dream, of course it wouldn¡¯t be my current job, but you know about my family connections, so if necessary, it¡¯s still possible to find out...¡±


    He Xiuyu softened his tone and spoke gently, ¡°Brother Chen, whether it¡¯s a dream or even if you foresaw the future, if it¡¯s really researched then it needs to remain classified and not be known to outsiders. However, I can assure you, Brother Chen, that we are currently not conducting this kind of scientific research.¡±


    There are simply too many things he wanted to do.


    Now, the situation has just begun to improve, but we still have a long way to go to catch up with developed countries. Not to speak of leading or keeping pace, but just reducing the gap requires the dedication and hard work of countless people.

 Chapter 593 - 593 583 Bewitchment_3

    ?Chapter 593: Chapter 583: Bewitchment_3 Chapter 593: Chapter 583: Bewitchment_3 Chen Tianliang suddenly became anxious, ¡°Chief Engineer He, why not conduct the research? Isn¡¯t this a great scientific opportunity? If it really were accomplished, we could avoid so many regrets and detours, even going back to the wartime years to quickly drive out the invaders and protect our homeland.¡±


    ¡°Brother Chen, have you thought about the possibility that some people might want to go even further back, to nip the war in the bud? Wouldn¡¯t that be better?¡±


    Chen Tianliang was momentarily stunned, his face flushing red. Indeed, he was behaving abnormally at this time, unable to contain himself.


    Moreover, He Xiuyu was right; human desires are endless and greedy. If it really became possible, there would be endless tracing back.


    Chen Tianliang was grateful that He Xiuyu hadn¡¯t driven him out like a madman and was thankful He Xiuyu listened patiently and seriously to his words.


    Chen Tianliang¡¯s eyes reddened, ¡°Chief Engineer He, I sincerely hope you can initiate this research. I¡¯m willing to volunteer, to be the subject of experiments, no matter how they¡¯re conducted, I will have no complaints or regrets, and I¡¯ll cooperate fully.¡±


    He Xiuyu gently shook his head, guessing why Chen Tianliang was so desperate to return to the past; it must be for Xinghua, the daughter of Village Chief Qian.


    ¡°Brother Chen, this is no time to act rashly.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about acting rashly, I truly am committed. You can use me for the experiment; whatever the consequences, they won¡¯t be your responsibility. I can sign a waiver.¡±


    He Xiuyu sighed. Chen Tianliang, always calm and composed, became anxious and restless like ants on a hot pan when it came to matters like these.


    This was not what He Xiuyu wanted to see.


    ¡°Brother Chen, what¡¯s past is past. We should live in the present. That¡¯s the best and wisest choice,¡± He Xiuyu still patiently advised.


    ¡°Chief Engineer He, I¡¯m older than you are, you call me Brother Chen, and although you might think my words are childish, unreasonable, or even foolish, I am indeed serious in discussing this matter with you. You¡¯re so intelligent, if you really undertook this research, it could succeed within a few years. Truly, believe me.¡±


    Then he added, ¡°At that time, no one on this earth could replace your status.¡±


    He Xiuyu clasped his hands together, ¡°Brother Chen, have you been under a lot of work pressure lately? I think you should take a good rest, or maybe take a few days off from work, go on a trip, relax a bit.¡±


    ¡°Chief Engineer He, I know how foolish I must seem in your eyes, but if heaven really has given me a glimmer of hope, how can I not seize it? My hope lies with you. I don¡¯t know what has changed, something is different than in my dreams, but I truly hope you can continue the research.¡±


    By now, Chen Tianliang had gradually calmed down, his voice sincere, almost mesmerizing, ¡°Chief Engineer He, I too am a materialist. I don¡¯t believe in reincarnation. I believe that living each day well is most important. But this dream made me realize, the world is not as simple as it appears. What we currently see, is that all the world allows us to see?¡±


    He Xiuyu gave a surprised raise of his eyebrows; those last few words Chen Tianliang said made a lot of sense.


    Even he could not claim that Earth is the only planet in the universe with intelligent life.


    ¡°Brother Chen, even so, what of it? Science cannot tolerate any falsehood, scientific research must not violate natural human laws or societal norms.¡±


    ¡°I know, I understand that, and if the research succeeded, it wouldn¡¯t be made public; that would throw the world into chaos. It would be within a very limited scope. Your research findings, truly, Chief Engineer He...¡± he lowered his voice, ¡°you are a genius, a rare genius in this field. Whereas scientists from other countries might struggle their whole lives without even scratching the surface, you could penetrate to the core. You are undeniably a very great scientist. I don¡¯t know what stopped you from engaging in this research now, but it¡¯s not too late to start...¡±


    He Xiuyu remained silent, his gaze gentle upon Chen Tianliang.


    He thought, these words must have been pent up in Chen Tianliang¡¯s heart for a long time, because it had been several years since they first met.


    Let it out, perhaps it will feel better afterward.


    Otherwise, he would always live in such a fantasy, eventually driving himself insane.

 Chapter 594 - 594 584 Virus

    ?Chapter 594: Chapter 584: Virus Chapter 594: Chapter 584: Virus He Xiuyu hadn¡¯t planned on taking too much time, but in this moment, he too was somewhat sighing endlessly.


    He sat quietly, serving as a competent listener.


    Chen Tianliang, growing agitated as he spoke, gradually lowered his voice.


    He looked at He Xiuyu, and after a moment, Chen Tianliang slumped onto the sofa, covering his face with both hands.


    This was to prevent He Xiuyu from seeing his expression, perhaps.


    After calming himself, he raised his head and slowly exhaled.


    Speaking it out had relieved much of the burden.


    Yet in his mind, he suddenly felt as if he didn¡¯t know what day it was today, as a hint of bewilderment flashed through his eyes.


    He Xiuyu poured a cup of hot tea and placed it in front of him, saying in a gentle voice, ¡°Brother Chen, have some water to calm your emotions...¡±


    Chen Tianliang¡¯s voice was a bit strained, ¡°Xiuyu, I¡¯m embarrassed in front of you, I¡¯m sorry, I lost my composure.¡±


    ¡°Brother Chen, there¡¯s no need for formalities between us. I understand your feelings very well. If I were in your shoes, if I had such a dream, it wouldn¡¯t be possible for me not to think about it. Even if you predicted the future, it still contains many variables; everyone has regrets in life. When looking back, one always thinks, if I had done this or that, then what would have happened...¡±


    At this point, He Xiuyu paused briefly, ¡°But that is life, it seems warm and tender yet it¡¯s incredibly cruel.¡±


    Chen Tianliang bowed his head, remaining silent for a long time.


    He Xiuyu was planning to have a meal with Chen Tianliang and had also called Qiao Qingyu. However, Chen Tianliang politely declined, his eyes slightly moist. After composing himself, he spoke softly, ¡°Sorry to trouble you, let¡¯s have a drink together when we have time.¡±


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t insist on him staying.


    Carrying a complex mood, Chen Tianliang arrived at the base and left with the same complex feelings. Now, he needed to process his thoughts thoroughly. It would be best if he could take in some words, but he hoped not to be too stubborn even if he couldn¡¯t.


    To be honest, even if he really developed a machine that could travel through time and space, it wouldn¡¯t be immediately applied to humans.


    Moreover, the issues involved in this were too many. He Xiuyu wasn¡¯t doubting himself; he just didn¡¯t feel there was a current need to research this machine.


    He Xiuyu walked Chen Tianliang out to the main gate of the base. He had arrived in a Jeep, and He Xiuyu asked Chen Tianliang, ¡°Brother Chen, how about I arrange for someone to drive you back?¡±


    Given his mental state, He Xiuyu was worried about him driving back.


    After some thought, Chen Tianliang, feeling slightly apologetic, said to He Xiuyu, ¡°Okay, Xiuyu, I¡¯ll trouble you.¡±


    ¡°Brother Chen, no need to be so polite; just give me a moment, I¡¯ll make a call.¡± He Xiuyu then called Zhao Guoqiang, the head of the vehicle unit, asking him to send a driver to the main gate of the base immediately.


    Soon, a young man hurried over. After He Xiuyu gave him a few instructions, he got into the car. Chen Tianliang shook hands with He Xiuyu without saying anything. His silhouette was indeed a bit dispirited. He watched the Jeep disappear from his view before turning back to his office.


    The logistics vehicle of the base was currently in the county. After dropping off Chen Tianliang, the driver could conveniently hitch a ride back.


    However, the person who answered the call just now wasn¡¯t Zhao Guoqiang; he was said to be not at the unit, having taken leave to go to the hospital.


    He Xiuyu frowned.


    Zhao Guoqiang¡¯s recent mental state seemed a bit off; Sun Dazhi had already reported it to him twice.


    He Xiuyu called Old Wei and mentioned Zhao Guoqiang¡¯s issues.


    Though he was the head of the vehicle unit, he usually drove as well.


    For a driver, a good working condition is also a safety guarantee.


    ...


    He Xuerong called Li Mingguang out.


    She bluntly asked him, ¡°What have you and Zhou Pengcheng been sneaking around doing? Exactly what are you hiding from me?¡±


    Li Mingguang looked at He Xuerong, who used to be taller than him, whereas now he was much taller than her.


    He looked left and right, not having spoken yet when He Xuerong pushed him, ¡°What are you looking at? What are you and Zhou Pengcheng up to? And Zhou Pengcheng, recently he wouldn¡¯t even talk to me, then suddenly starts talking again, is he mad or what...¡±


    Actually, He Xuerong saying this about Zhou Pengcheng made sense to Li Mingguang. Zhou Pengcheng could be very annoying sometimes, unlike Zhao Yuan who was well-behaved. Zhao Yuan, this younger brother, used to always follow them, running behind them for over a year, then he was selected for a training camp held by a science and technology university¡¯s youth class to participate in an international mathematics competition, and now he is still studying in Beijing.

 Chapter 595 - 595 584 Virus_2

    ?Chapter 595: Chapter 584: Virus_2 Chapter 595: Chapter 584: Virus_2 The child was sweet and well-behaved when around He Xuerong, just followed whatever He Xuerong said, which was especially satisfying.


    So now, when He Xuerong faced a young man who had grown taller than her, she couldn¡¯t quite describe what she felt inside.


    But Li Mingguang had still honestly told He Xuerong what Zhou Pengcheng had said to him.


    At this moment, Zhou Pengcheng was lying on the wall of his house, watching He Xuerong and Li Mingguang talking from a distance.


    Li Mingguang picked up a stone from the road and threw it towards Zhou Pengcheng¡¯s direction, hitting the top of the wall accurately. Zhou Pengcheng yelped, then flipped over the wall and ran a few steps, trying to grab Li Mingguang. Li Mingguang quickly dodged behind a tree. Zhou Pengcheng gritted his teeth and said, ¡°You little traitor, didn¡¯t you say you wouldn¡¯t speak? Why did you still tell?¡±


    Li Mingguang glared at Zhou Pengcheng, ¡°For something like this, how could I possibly not tell Rongrong? Not only did I tell Rongrong, but I also need to tell Aunt Qiao.¡±


    Then Qiao Qingyu found out about the matter.


    How should it be said, this matter could be big or small.


    And there was no evidence yet.


    Because no one knew what kind of videotape Liu Ying intended to show the two children...


    Qiao Qingyu stroked Rongrong¡¯s head and warned, ¡°Liu Ying isn¡¯t a good woman. From now on, stay away from her, especially if she asks you to come to her house. No matter what the reason, refuse firmly. Or if someone comes to school looking for you, telling you there¡¯s something wrong with your father, your little uncle, little aunt, or even Chaoxuan, don¡¯t leave the school or your home. Don¡¯t worry about anything, and if there¡¯s really something wrong at home, there¡¯s no need for you to show up. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡±


    He Xuerong blinked her big eyes. Although she felt it wasn¡¯t that serious, seeing the little aunt¡¯s stern face, she still nodded vigorously, ¡°Little Aunt, I got it.¡±


    One must not harbor intentions to harm others, but one must not be without the means to defend oneself.


    Especially since He Xuerong was a girl, and an increasingly beautiful one at that.


    He Xiuyu worked an extra hour, and by the time he arrived home, it was already getting dark.


    Rongrong was picked up by Chu Ying, leaving only him and Qiao Qingyu at home.


    Tomorrow was Sunday, and the two planned to visit the elderly and children in Xichuan.


    Dinner was on the lighter side.


    A stir-fry of asparagus lettuce, and another of tomatoes with eggs.


    They cooked rice made from a mix of white and millet, which they had started doing in earlier years due to the scarcity of white rice. Now, it was eaten this way not because white rice was rare, but because the mix made the meal more fragrant and chewy.


    Especially when sprinkled with some crushed chili pepper, it was irresistible.


    The two were eating in the living room when they heard Liu Ying calling Zhou Pengcheng for dinner from the next yard, indicating that Zhou Pengcheng had gone out to play again.


    Qiao Qingyu frowned and said to He Xiuyu, ¡°It seems that woman Liu Ying is targeting Rongrong.¡±


    He Xiuyu paused and asked, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    So Qiao Qingyu, with a somber look on her face, told him what Rongrong had said to her that day.


    He Xiuyu put down his chopsticks, and his face darkened.


    The two looked at each other, both adults by now and having been married for so long. There were some things they couldn¡¯t say in front of Rongrong, but they could to each other.


    He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu had the same thought: since Liu Ying had bad intentions, whatever videotape she showed these two children was definitely not something decent.


    After the country opened up, the floodgates were wide open, and all sorts of things, both good and bad, were pouring in. The state was actually very strict in this area, but under the motivation of profit, or perhaps in a small segment of the market, some ¡°colorful¡± videotapes also flooded in.


    Once, Shen Haoze secretly got hold of one, and He Xiuyu made him destroy it.


    Now, not to mention Yushu County, even Xiaxi Town has video parlors.


    Fortunately, Xichuan had He Xiuwen.


    He was quite strict on this issue.


    It was said that not long ago, more than a dozen parlors like this were raided, both public and underground. Legal operations were okay, but illegal operations were all caught and penalized. If there was a sentence to be served or a fine to be paid, they would ensure it¡ªno leniency was shown.


    Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help theorizing, ¡°Do you think someone wants to take this opportunity to get back at Big Brother?¡±


    It¡¯s said that it takes thunderous methods to show a Buddha¡¯s compassion.


    But there are always some people with dark hearts; they are black through and through, so their actions cannot be judged by another person¡¯s conscience and humanity.

 Chapter 596 - 596 584 Virus_3

    ?Chapter 596: Chapter 584: Virus_3 Chapter 596: Chapter 584: Virus_3 So, this possibility may not be out of the question.


    ¡°I¡¯ll remind big brother to be careful, but why is Liu Ying doing this?¡±


    ¡°I think the biggest possibility is revenge,¡± Qiao Qingyu said as she cleared the dishes and tableware, ¡°Leave this matter to me. I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    Hearing Qiao Qingyu say this, He Xiuyu actually nodded, believing in his wife¡¯s capabilities.


    So, he took over the dishes and tableware voluntarily, ¡°You rest, I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Nowadays, they say men and women are equal, but in reality, they are not.


    For instance, in double-income households where both husband and wife work, it is mostly the wife who cooks after work.


    So, tell me, has the status of women risen or declined? It¡¯s truly a case where both sides have their own valid points.


    Anyway, in a household, it is usually the women who do most of the housework, and this holds true even at Tenghai Research Base.


    Luckily, He Xiuyu was especially considerate in this aspect.


    As long as he was home, as long as he was capable, he would not let Qiao Qingyu do the work.


    Qiao Qingyu tied an apron around him, making a butterfly knot at the back and affectionately nuzzled his back a few times.


    He Xiuyu turned his head and looked down at his petite wife.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Just feeling that you are really wonderful.¡±


    He Xiuyu¡¯s lips curved up in a smile, his whole demeanor radiating joy.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re wonderful too, wonderful in every way.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu just chuckled, her eyes brimming with warmth.


    After they were done, the two settled on the couch to watch television.


    That¡¯s when He Xiuyu spoke to Qiao Qingyu about Chen Tianliang¡¯s situation, including the visions of the future he could foresee.


    Discussing such a topic might seem incredible to others, but it was quite normal with Qiao Qingyu.


    ¡°I was in Xiaxi Town not long ago, and someone told me that Chen Tianliang is treating Mr. Qian really well now, almost as if he is atoning for something. Indeed, Chen Tianliang is living quite miserably,¡± Qiao Qingyu remarked thoughtfully.


    ¡°Chen Tianliang said he would like to volunteer, and at that moment, I was somewhat tempted, but I couldn¡¯t accept it.¡±


    Moved by the thought, Qiao Qingyu ask He Xiuyu, ¡°If, and I mean if, this machine is really developed, would you want to go back to the past?¡±


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t even think before shaking his head, ¡°No.¡±


    He reached out and pinched Qiao Qingyu¡¯s nose, ¡°Everything I want is right here and now, why would I go back?¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re not that interested in this project anymore.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m uninterested. If time allows, I still want to study it. Actually, Chen Tianliang¡¯s foresight might not be mere fantasy. After all, we do have a Space Device, and with it as our foundation, it is not impossible to succeed in our research.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was not shocked, but still quite surprised, ¡°You really think so?¡±


    ¡°I have this idea, but not this kind of machine that could send people back to the past, but it could still be utilized in other ways.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu felt that, in reality, He Xiuyu¡¯s thoughts were practical.


    ...


    He Xiuyu also had Old Wei keep an eye on Zhao Guoqiang, the little car team leader, and then received a call from the hospital stating Zhao Guoqiang had suddenly developed a high fever, was somewhat delirious, and was currently being rescued.


    It was evening, right after work hours, and Zhao Guoqiang had taken a few days off and was on vacation. He was eating in the canteen and felt extremely unwell, prompting others to send him to the hospital, where he then developed a high fever.


    Suddenly, He Xiuyu remembered the dream Zhao Yuan¡¯s mother had.


    An hour later, two more patients with sudden high fevers were admitted to the hospital.


    He called the hospital¡¯s director, instructing him to immediately set up an isolation ward, place Zhao Guoqiang in it for observation, and initiate level-one defense measures.


    Those two patients also required special attention.


    Then, he called four researchers from the Biotechnology Laboratory to come to the hospital immediately.


    This action was prompt, as Tenghai Research Base indeed had strong research capabilities, and they had talents in all aspects, allowing them to quickly confirm that Zhao Guoqiang was infected with a new, extremely contagious, and deadly virus.


    Thus, in the hot summer, the entire Tenghai Research Base had no choice but to go into immediate lockdown.

 Chapter 597 - 597 585 Her Revenge

    ?Chapter 597: Chapter 585: Her Revenge Chapter 597: Chapter 585: Her Revenge The epidemic prevention departments of the provincial cities and the county towns all sprang into action and sent relevant personnel to Tenghai Research Base, while also phoning their superiors to report the situation.


    The authorities took it incredibly seriously.


    In Beijing, just two hours after they received the call, Xiao Wei hurried with a set of documents to her leader¡¯s office.


    It was a detailed report about the X virus.


    Someone carrying the virus intended to sabotage Tenghai Research Base.


    Tenghai Research Base, that was the place that produced significant scientific achievements every year, a large-scale research facility with hundreds, if not thousands, of engineers and technicians. It was the largest of its kind in our country and was gaining more and more attention.


    We had been so vigilant, but who could have anticipated the enemy would use such a tactic?


    Moreover, this method was extremely malicious, impossible to guard against, more terrifying than subverting a scientist.


    It was an attempt to destroy our very foundation.


    The documents Xiao Wei obtained were not easily come by.


    But the virus had already spread throughout Tenghai Research Base. They were maintaining phone communication with the base at all times and would be the first to know the current epidemic situation. Fortunately, because of Zhao Guoqiang¡¯s abnormal behavior, He Xiuyu had Mr. Qi¡¯s people keep a close watch on him; without that surveillance, the discovery might not have been made so timely.


    Still, he had come into contact with quite a few people.


    It was a situation that was utterly infuriating and exhausting, because the outbreak happened so suddenly, there was just no time to develop the necessary medication.


    We can only hope it won¡¯t spread.


    Subsequently, several more infections were found. Children were now detained in their homes, not allowed to leave, and the same was true for the whole of New City.


    The moment Zhao Guoqiang was admitted to the hospital, Director Lin had already sent people to control Zhang Yurou.


    Many people thought Zhao Guoqiang would divorce his rural wife.


    After all, no matter how you looked at it, that woman was the weaker party, and even though she had given birth to a genius son, it couldn¡¯t cover up the fact that she was uneducated and in every way unsuitable for Zhao Guoqiang. However, to everyone¡¯s surprise, these two managed to stay together.


    Nobody knew what their life together was like, yet it was evident that Qian Guizhi must have taken very good care of Zhao Guoqiang.


    He loved to wear white shirts, had worn them in the past, but after a few days, they were no longer clean. However, now, his white shirts were immaculately clean every day, as were his outer clothes and shoes.


    Whenever he left the house, just look at his shoes: polished to a shine, not a speck of dust on them.


    And he, too, looked radiant and healthy.


    Men, actually, are quite complex creatures.


    There is a kind of devoted man who, when in love with a woman, is blind to everything else but her, seeing all else as inconsequential. For that woman, he would do anything.


    Then there is the kind of man who keeps love and marriage separate.


    He enjoys being served by Qian Guizhi with the utmost care as if she were attending to an Emperor, yet he hadn¡¯t cut off contact with Zhang Yurou. Even after Organization spoke with him, he swore he would never do anything wrong. Ever since Qian Guizhi arrived, he and Zhang Yurou had been completely proper.


    But who can really tell with such matters?


    Not sleeping in the same bed means innocence?


    If you like me and I like you, then it¡¯s already not innocent.


    Just because two people haven¡¯t slept together, there¡¯s no issue with conduct? That¡¯s a joke.


    But what can you do about it?


    Qian Guizhi was content, and no one, including Zhou Xiaoqin, who went to see her several times, could do anything about it. What good is such a man to her?


    Qian Guizhi¡¯s reasoning was very simple: her child bore the name Zhao, now with the name Zhao Yuan. She couldn¡¯t let her child be without a father or a mother.


    As for herself, she didn¡¯t even have any thoughts on the matter.


    Yet, she was very competent, and not clumsy with work either. She had even become a small team leader on the farm.


    She was truly skilled at farm work, and nobody who worked alongside her could help but praise her.


    Initially, with someone like her as the team leader, others would definitely have been dissatisfied, but when Zhou Xiaoqin posted the promotion notice on the door, surprisingly no one said a word.


    From this, it was clear that people genuinely respected Qian Guizhi.

 Chapter 598 - 598 585 Her Revenge_2

    ?Chapter 598: Chapter 585: Her Revenge_2 Chapter 598: Chapter 585: Her Revenge_2 They didn¡¯t yet know that Qian Guizhi had lived a tough life since childhood, and it was no exaggeration. She began to work as early as five or six years old.


    Nevertheless, this woman was far too humble when it came to love and marriage, yet that was a personal choice¡ªno one else could comment on it.


    Hence, the two of them lived on like that, while Zhang Yurou continued to keep in touch with Zhao Guoqiang. However, they did not commit any serious wrongdoing¡ªit was just unpleasant for others to watch and yet there was nothing they could do about it.


    As time passed, people stopped paying attention to them, and they were left to live their lives as they saw fit. As long as they were happy, that was all that mattered.


    No one expected that the source of the virus would be found within Zhao Guoqiang, and before this, he had only been in contact with Zhang Yurou.


    Qian Guizhi was also quarantined. Lying in the hospital bed, she breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as if a boot that had been hanging over head for years had finally fallen to the ground.


    Fortunately, luckily, her child was now training in Beijing.


    But the dream she had, she couldn¡¯t share it with anyone.


    Coming from the countryside as she did, if people from the base accused her of engaging in feudal superstition and fired her after she had worked so hard to become a permanent employee, to become a small team leader, and to obtain a respectable job that did not embarrass her son and husband, she could not afford to lose all of that. Yet she felt that the most likely person to be suspicious of was Zhang Yurou.


    Thus, when Director Lin came to investigate, Qian Guizhi expressed her suspicions in a different manner. She did not mention her dreams, but suggested that Zhang Yurou, being upset and holding a grudge for not agreeing to a divorce, could have harmed Zhao Guoqiang.


    Because she worked at the hospital.


    By causing harm to Zhao Guoqiang, she was indirectly harming Qian Guizhi, who rarely visited the hospital and never had any contact with Zhang Yurou. Even if she wanted to harm Qian, she wouldn¡¯t have found an opportunity, so the only way was through Zhao Guoqiang.


    By this time, Zhang Yurou had already been placed under quarantine observation.


    Security was tight outside her hospital room.


    It was fortunate that the source was discovered early, and because there had been preparations made in this regard, the situation was not met with panic but handled in an orderly manner, with epidemic prevention measures put in place.


    The research team was now working overtime to study the origin of the virus and develop medication to treat this disease.


    It was believed that results would be forthcoming soon, and currently, a total of eighteen people had been quarantined.


    Zhao Guoqiang¡¯s condition was worsening.


    Dressed in a protective suit, Director Lin returned to Zhao Guoqiang¡¯s bedside. Although he had already asked before, Zhao Guoqiang said nothing and did not admit to receiving anything from Zhang Yurou that caused his illness. He only said that he had caught a cold¡ªsweating profusely during the peak of summer, then taking a cold shower was something his age could not handle, leading to fever.


    When pressed further, he remained silent, and Zhang Yurou flatly denied everything.


    But she had no fever. She appeared entirely normal.


    Which proved nothing. The important task at hand was to contain the virus and prevent its spread.


    Otherwise, the consequences would be too dire to contemplate.


    After a tense half month and with the count at eighteen people, the nineteenth person under suspicion, Zhang Yurou, had shown no fever or other abnormalities, which was quite puzzling.


    After careful arrangements and deployments, a male doctor came into the view of everyone.


    He had arrived at the base hospital the year before last, initially as an intern, and had now become a permanent staff member.


    He was young, a graduate of the Medical University, with a good temperament and medical skills, already capable of performing surgeries independently, with a promising future ahead.


    Moreover, he had a positive mindset, always seeking to progress. From all perspectives, he seemed an unlikely subject of suspicion. However, in recent times, someone had reported that the male doctor had been very close to Zhang Yurou.


    The doctor¡¯s name was Fang Yuchun.


    Everyone affectionately referred to him as Doctor Xiao Fang.


    And they all respected him greatly. His arrest came as a shock, but nobody dared to say anything during these extraordinary times.


    A few days later, Xiao Wei arrived at the Tenghai Research Base by helicopter with two people in tow.


    Despite the exhausting journey, after the plane landed at the local air base and they transferred to a jeep, they made a beeline for the base without stopping.


    Upon arrival, they went straight to Director Lin¡¯s office.


    After donning protective suits, Xiao Wei, accompanied by the two individuals and carrying a stack of documents and some evidence, appeared directly in front of Doctor Fang.

 Chapter 599 - 599 585 Her Revenge_3

    ?Chapter 599: Chapter 585: Her Revenge_3 Chapter 599: Chapter 585: Her Revenge_3 Doctor Fang stared at the two individuals, completely stupefied. He had never expected to encounter them here.


    Much less did he anticipate that they would bring his superior with them.


    It was a terrifying situation.


    His psychological defenses crumbled instantly.


    Faced with the human and material evidence, he had no choice but to confess.


    Zhang Yurou was his accomplice, whom he had turned against him last year. Harboring resentment, she believed Zhao Guoqiang to be a bastard, a deceiver, and she constantly sought an opportunity for revenge. Then, as Doctor Fang got to know her better, he recruited her to his side.


    And promised her a significant sum of money to send her abroad once the plan succeeded.


    Zhang Yurou agreed readily, without even considering the consequences.


    Her only thought was to exact revenge on that detestable man and his wife, wishing to send them both to the afterlife. The people at the base were no better; they always looked at her with such judgmental eyes. Each one of them, like moral guardians, she wished they would all perish, especially those living happily, be it adults or children.


    Knowing they couldn¡¯t hide the truth, both of them confessed.


    Naturally, they faced a dire fate. Then, Director Lin took these testimonies to Zhao Guoqiang¡¯s hospital room to tell him that Zhang Yurou had infected him with a virus, not wanting him to live.


    Zhao Guoqiang was having trouble breathing.


    Regret flickered in his eyes.


    Struggling, he said to Director Lin, ¡°... Old Lin, I really didn¡¯t do anything with her. I didn¡¯t pester her. She said, as long as we didn¡¯t lose contact... that she could live well, that even just talking or glancing at her from afar would satisfy her. Otherwise, she would seek death. That was her words... I have my duties, if she had said it directly to me... to me...¡±


    Unable to continue, he then went into emergency treatment.


    Fortunately, the medical team had already developed their first treatment plan, and he was pulled back from the brink of death. Everyone was surprised; Zhao Guoqiang was the most critically ill, and while he hadn¡¯t improved, his condition hadn¡¯t worsened either, which meant that the first medical plan was effective.


    It was then administered to the others, who had milder cases. However, an elderly man who was already frail¡ªZhao Guoqiang¡¯s neighbor, who had spoken to him face-to-face¡ªcontracted the infection.


    The old man didn¡¯t survive the rescue attempt.


    The remaining seventeen patients, including Zhao Guoqiang, were stable.


    Qian Guizhi, with her robust health, recovered the fastest.


    Then, the special medical team introduced second and third treatment plans, followed by the use of corresponding medications.


    Half a month later, the lockdown was lifted, and all seventeen patients were discharged. Regrettably, since Zhao Guoqiang had the most severe illness, he was left frail, always coughing, and was now recuperating at home.


    But his health was not what it had been before. By the state of his body, he was now in an elderly condition, though he was actually in the prime of his life.


    There was no helping it; one reaps what one sows. His words were nothing but excuses. If he had stood upright and dealt cleanly with his marital life, this disaster might have been avoided. Nor would it have implicated others.


    Nevertheless, it must be said that Zhang Yurou had sunk to a certain level of moral decay.


    Such individuals are truly dangerous. Had it not been for this incident provoking her, some other matter might have led her to commit equally deranged acts.


    Finally, Qiao Qingyu could go outside again. During this period, everyone was confined to their homes. Fortunately, with televisions and radios, they weren¡¯t too lonely¡ªjust isolated in their own yards.


    Qiao Qingyu was wary of her neighbor Liu Ying using this time to harm Rongrong. However, she discovered that Liu Ying was extremely timid.


    It wasn¡¯t so much that she was cowardly but that she was quite concerned about her own survival, a delicate egoist.


    During the quarantine, she behaved impeccably.


    And she protected her daughter well. For almost a month, Qiao Qingyu, wandering around the yard, didn¡¯t see the other family outside.


    And if they did come out, they were fully armed with face masks.


    It must be said, she truly took great care of herself.


    Even so, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t want her to often stay at the base and appear before Rongrong.


    Thus, with an order, she transferred Liu Ying to the red sage planting technical guidance center of the Tenghai Agricultural Group at Pingliang Dam, appointing her office director¡ªa newly added department. For the current Liu Ying, it was a promotion.


    She hadn¡¯t made any mistakes at present, so they couldn¡¯t do much to her, and in truth, she didn¡¯t dare do anything to Rongrong.


    Because she had a daughter.


    Liu Ying was a woman who deeply loved her daughter. The foremost reason for her thick skin was her desire to be by her child¡¯s side.


    But caution was still necessary.

 Chapter 600 - 600 586 People Go and the Tea Cools

    ?Chapter 600: Chapter 586: People Go and the Tea Cools Chapter 600: Chapter 586: People Go and the Tea Cools Liu Ying, initially happy about being reassigned, soon found the job extremely arduous.


    Even with a commuter bus, she wouldn¡¯t return home until late in the evening.


    Upon reaching home, she was so exhausted that she wanted to do nothing, and since assuming this so-called office director position, her conversations with her daughter had dwindled.


    However, her daughter seemed pleased, even commending her, so Liu Ying gritted her teeth and persevered.


    But after a month, Liu Ying really didn¡¯t want to do it anymore.


    She had already contemplated quitting to start a business, a concept that had become trendy; many government officials and others with jobs better than hers had taken the plunge, earning more than she could in a lifetime.


    Liu Ying felt that, with her intelligence, capability, and connections, if she were to start a business, she would surely build a substantial enterprise, making Zhou Hai¡¯s trinkets unworthy of her concern.


    Thus, when Zhou Hai returned, Liu Ying discussed the matter seriously with him, ¡°Old Zhou, I want to resign.¡±


    Zhou Hai frowned, his feelings for her had long since faded, and he attributed his current mediocre status to this woman.


    The Zhang and Ye families were also unexpectedly rising.


    The Zhou Family¡¯s fortunes were no longer smooth sailing; even if they weren¡¯t outwardly undermined, there were plenty of covert schemes, and his older brother had suffered silently numerous times but was helpless.


    He didn¡¯t know what this woman intended to do¡ªdid she want to resign and have him provide for her?


    But if she were truly content to settle down, it wouldn¡¯t be unacceptable; nowadays, they even had to hire a nanny for cooking, and with the increasing wages, the financial pressure was undeniable.


    ¡°If you resign, stay home, take good care of the house, cook, wash, look after Pengcheng and Ruoruo¡ªthen go ahead and resign.¡±


    She was okay with looking after the daughter but not interested in caring for Zhou Pengcheng.


    Liu Ying had realized that Zhou Pengcheng, seemingly naive, was actually extremely shrewd; outwardly obedient, he would betray her behind her back.


    She wasn¡¯t a fool; she had figured out long ago that her transfer was He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu¡¯s doing, yet she had to swallow these injustices silently.


    Because, no matter what, compared to her previously unscrupulous self, she had essentially returned to her old ways.


    Such a position was coveted by many; she didn¡¯t want it, but there were plenty eager to take her place¡ªthe moment she resigned, someone else would step in.


    But Liu Ying didn¡¯t want to continue this way, she was desperate to secure something tangible.


    ¡°Old Zhou, look, the living conditions of the common people in Xichuan have improved, business folks are abound, and the north-south trade is smooth; I too want to venture into business...¡±


    Zhou Hai¡¯s brows furrowed as he looked at Liu Ying sitting across from him.


    He often traveled beyond just this base and was aware of the Southern scene. People like Liu Ying might indeed carve out a path if she went into business.


    Zhou Hai felt a temptation.


    But then he rationalized again; Liu Ying was different from other women, especially in the business world.


    Women in business inherently faced difficulties, and as a man, he knew the reasons well; even if you did nothing wrong, people might assume you did, and Liu Ying was hardly a paragon of virtue.


    If Ruoruo hadn¡¯t been exceptionally outstanding, he would have divorced her long ago. An old scheme had hurt many people, and though he had his faults, he regretted not resisting Liu Ying¡¯s temptation and remaining with Xiao Wei¡ªhe and his family of four would have been happy, and his career smooth.


    But now it was too late.


    ¡°If you go into business, I can¡¯t be at ease; we don¡¯t lack the money, and my salary is sufficient to support you and the children. If you insist on doing business, we should divorce,¡± Zhou Hai said bluntly.


    ¡°Why would you do that? There are so many people doing business; just because I join them, you want a divorce?¡±


    Liu Ying truly hadn¡¯t expected Zhou Hai to react this way upon learning of her intention to enter business.


    Impatient, Zhou Hai waved his hand, ¡°I am in a crucial period now; although there¡¯s no explicit ban on family members doing business, business by family members is ultimately taking from the people. I may not be a paragon of virtue, but I understand there will come a time when it is regulated, and that will stain both of us.¡±

 Chapter 601 - 601 586 People Leave and the Tea Turns Cold

    ?Chapter 601: Chapter 586: People Leave and the Tea Turns Cold (Part 2) Chapter 601: Chapter 586: People Leave and the Tea Turns Cold (Part 2) Although his voice was somewhat cold, Zhou Hai did indeed say these words with genuine feeling.


    Liu Ying, furious, stood up, her eyes red as she looked at Zhou Hai, her voice slightly choked up, ¡°Old Zhou, let¡¯s not talk about anyone else today, just you and me. You should know how I¡¯ve treated you over the years. Even if that calculation back then was shameless of me, what did you lose?¡±


    At this point, Liu Ying paused because she saw Zhou Hai¡¯s face darken, but she pretended not to notice and continued, ¡°My family background is no worse than the Xiao Family¡¯s. I¡¯m younger and prettier than Xiao Wei. Marrying me wouldn¡¯t have disgraced you.¡±


    Zhou Hai least wanted Liu Ying to bring up the past. He stood up and kicked the chair in front of him away, seething with rage, ¡°You still have the face to bring up the past! And Liu Ying, let me tell you, if you want to continue staying in this family, just be an honest and virtuous wife and mother. After Pengcheng graduates, I¡¯ll send him to the army. Only Ruoruo will be left at home, and you¡¯d better be willing to take good care of her. Don¡¯t even think about getting involved in business.¡±


    He certainly didn¡¯t want to be cuckolded again.


    Liu Ying, infuriated, felt tears welling up in her eyes, but she was powerless against Zhou Hai.


    After all, their being together was not out of love, but because they had slept together first and then had no choice but to stay together.


    Feeling both aggrieved and angry, Liu Ying went to the yard.


    In her yard, in addition to flowers, she also grew some vegetables which she couldn¡¯t be bothered to care for, so they just grew haphazardly.


    Then Liu Ying looked up and saw He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu in the neighboring yard.


    The two were under the grape trellis.


    The grapes of the He Family hung in bunches under the trellis at this time of year.


    Now many people in the base also grew grapes, copying their trellis design, and they often went to ask Qiao Qing for advice on grape cultivation.


    She used to look down on them, but now, as she watched He Xiuyu pick a bunch of purple, lustrous grapes and hand them over to Qiao Qingyu, she couldn¡¯t help but notice.


    Qiao Qingyu plucked a grape, tasted it in her mouth, nodded slightly, unintelligible in what she said, but then she picked another grape and stuffed it into He Xiuyu¡¯s mouth.


    In Liu Ying¡¯s heart, she thought about how it must be nice to be tall; if her family built a grape trellis, Zhou Hai would need to stand on a chair to cut grapes.


    In the depths of her heart, in a corner unknown to others, she always habitually compared Zhou Hai to these people and felt that she had been too hasty back then. Perhaps, if she had waited, a different outcome could have been possible.


    Instead, she was now like a street rat, so notorious that she dared not return to Beijing.


    But she was truly very jealous of that Qiao Qingyu, smiling as she ate the grapes.


    Qiao Qingyu was not unaware of the gaze from next door, but she pretended not to see it, turning her back; after all, she wasn¡¯t keen on greeting her. There was nothing to say, as she had managed to get Liu Ying assigned to the office as director over in Pingliang Dam. If she had done her job well, perhaps some past matters would have slowly faded away. After all, she had no blood on her hands, just some disgusting and sordid incidents.


    But in truth, Liu Ying had still gotten off lightly.


    Yet she herself felt wronged, with no hint of guilt towards Xiao Wei or Zhou Pengcheng and Zhou Zijiao.


    He Xiuyu continued to cut grapes and then placed them in a willow basket in the shade.


    They planned to bring these grapes to Wu Xiucai¡¯s place in Xichuan.


    Speaking of which, since the end of the pandemic, their work had become busier than before, and they hadn¡¯t visited the children and the elderly in Xichuan for a long time.


    After the two arrived in Xichuan, Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the great changes there over the past two years. Not to mention the green space, which everyone knew about, but the economy had also changed due to shifts in climate and environment.


    On wastelands where Barley Grass was planted, there were now herds of cattle and sheep because, with the wool mill, many farmers were allowed to raise sheep since their wool would always be purchased.


    With the cement plant, the roads of Xichuan were being renovated every year.


    The streets were widened, and Willow Wood was planted along the roads, with Barley Grass on the lawns.


    These are now the two characteristic plants of Xichuan.


    They are also the two most planted species in the Northwest region.

 Chapter 602 - 602 586 People Leave and the Tea Turns Cold

    ?Chapter 602: Chapter 586: People Leave and the Tea Turns Cold (Part 3) Chapter 602: Chapter 586: People Leave and the Tea Turns Cold (Part 3) Greening had gradually extended to the north, and it brought along the uplift of the local economy.


    ¡°They say clear waters and green mountains are our gold and silver mountains.¡±


    When they arrived home, Chaoxuan was in the courtyard, riding the children¡¯s tricycle that He Xiuyu had made especially for him, racing around.


    Seeing the gate open, he quickly rushed over, then came to a screeching halt upon seeing it was mommy and daddy, and happily threw himself at them.


    ¡°Daddy, Mommy.¡±


    The child was overjoyed beyond words.


    Wu Xiucai sat on the rattan chair, watching them with a smiling face.


    Hearing the noise, Wu Qianyun hurried out from inside the house and while watching He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu move things inside, she complained, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you two call ahead? I could have made something nice for you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mom, we¡¯ll eat whatever is available at home; otherwise, let me know what you want and I can go to the market and get it for you.¡±


    Their daughter¡¯s cooking was great, but as a mother, she still didn¡¯t like her daughter to have to do the cooking.


    ¡°We have plenty of vegetables, just rest well, the kids have been missing you these past few days.¡±


    Then Wu Qianyun instructed, ¡°I¡¯ve almost finished cooking the meal. I¡¯ll stir-fry one more dish; you don¡¯t need to help in the kitchen, just attend to your own things.¡±


    Since it was so, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t go to the kitchen. After washing up and giving their son a couple of kisses, she handed him over to He Xiuyu standing beside her.


    He Xiuyu reached out, scooped up their son, and put him on his neck.


    Father and son took several turns around the courtyard.


    Chaoxuan howled loudly, and soon, the yard became lively again.


    This child had so much energy; he alone could match ten others.


    Wu Xiucai then called Qiao Qingyu over, ¡°Come here, I have something to tell you.¡±


    He talked to Qiao Qingyu about the grain and oil company they were preparing in North City.


    The preparations for this grain and oil company were almost complete; the location was in the suburbs of the provincial town.


    It was somewhat central¡ªNorth City had now become one of China¡¯s main grain-producing bases.


    In fact, North City¡¯s rice was nationally famous and was currently one of the high-yielding mains.


    It¡¯s worth mentioning that this year the government had abolished the agricultural tax.


    As far as Qiao Qingyu knew, in the real world, it would be almost ten years later.


    Thus, the farmers¡¯ enthusiasm was high.


    However, Wu Xiucai was talking about another matter, ¡°Qingyu, over these past years, I¡¯ve quietly observed your uncle. This man indeed has solid character and has quite a handle on agriculture...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked a little dazed at Wu Xiucai, wondering how the conversation had shifted to her uncle?


    In the yard, there was a small stove, on it, a clay pot was simmering with an old hen inside.


    The pot bubbled up fragrantly, attended by Qiao Zhicai, who paused and accidentally touched the pot, hissing due to the burn.


    Qiao Zhicai and his father-in-law had spent a lot of time together, yet even now, he couldn¡¯t quite figure out the man, sometimes not knowing what he intended to do or say, and sometimes the old man¡¯s words carried multiple meanings.


    With his understanding, trying to remember what others explained, let alone analyze it himself, was challenging.


    Thus, Qiao Zhicai simply stopped bothering or worrying about it¡ªas things were before, so they remained¡ªand yet, these two got along quite harmoniously. However, Qiao Zhicai was aware of Wu Xiucai¡¯s taboos and would never speak on behalf of the Qiao Family to gain benefits.


    And now, after so many events, the Qiao Family no longer relied on others, and instead, were doing quite well, apart from the elder brother reaching retirement age.


    The elder brother felt somewhat unwilling because, over these years at the Qiao Family Team, he had indeed invested too much.


    To say he built his kingdom there wasn¡¯t an exaggeration.


    Of course, in this, his own daughter also had significant merits.


    A couple of days ago, he had gotten a bit drunk and mentioned during a phone call that age required him to step down, even though the Qiao Family Team had now become a banner of rural prosperity in Huaxia, turning into Xiao Kang Village, he couldn¡¯t keep clinging to his position.


    Young people needed their turn.


    And indeed, many people were eyeing his position.


    Qiao Zhiyuan was unwilling; being the leader of the team wasn¡¯t the same as not being one.


    Because once people leave, things cool down.


    Everyone understood this logic.


    Thus, he also stared dumbfounded at his father-in-law.


    Qiao Qingyu nodded in agreement, ¡°My uncle is indeed as you described, an upright and solid man, one who accomplishes real tasks, and he¡¯s flexible-minded in the field of agriculture, no one has more experience than him in both new and old methods...¡±


    Wu Xiucai gave a slow and thoughtful nod, then said leisurely, ¡°Qingyu, I plan to appoint him as the deputy general manager of Wulong Grain and Oil Group Company...¡±

 Chapter 603 - 603 587 Give Him Three Years of Time

    ?Chapter 603: Chapter 587: Give Him Three Years of Time Chapter 603: Chapter 587: Give Him Three Years of Time Qiao Qingyu looked up at her grandfather, knowing that his words were serious and strictly from the perspective of her eldest uncle.


    It wasn¡¯t because the man was her father¡¯s older brother and her uncle that he spoke; the relationship itself was irrelevant.


    Of course, it couldn¡¯t be said that it had no relation at all, but the fact that her grandfather appreciated her eldest uncle made Qiao Qingyu very happy.


    Standing in front of the stove, watching the old hen soup simmer, Qiao Zhicai felt somewhat touched.


    However, this was a big matter, and all he knew was hand knitting. After all, times had changed, his horizons had widened, and he knew he shouldn¡¯t approach, so he cheerfully picked up Chaoxuan and said to Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu, ¡°You two talk to Grandpa, I¡¯m taking Chaoxuan to the market to buy a watermelon.¡±


    The watermelons were local, and it was the prime season for them; those grown in greenhouses were not as delicious as those grown in the open, especially since they had plenty of sunshine recently, making them particularly sandy and sweet.


    Every day, farmers would drive their four-wheel tractors into the city to sell watermelons.


    Besides, Qiao Zhicai knew that Wu Xiucai probably wanted to speak privately with his daughter, so it seemed inappropriate for him to stay.


    Qiao Zhicai led the elated Chaoxuan out the door.


    He Xiuyu sat next to Wu Xiucai.


    As it was almost dinner time and there was no need for tea, He Xiuyu moved the tea cup aside and asked, ¡°Grandpa, is your grain and oil company a joint venture or is it solely invested by Wulong?¡±


    ¡°At first, Wulong planned to invest alone, but later I thought it better to make it a joint venture.¡±


    Grain and oil are vital national affairs and crucial to people¡¯s livelihoods, so one must be cautious in such businesses.


    Qiao Qingyu felt her grandfather was being too cautious¡ªgiven her grandfather¡¯s current reputation, the higher-ups would only be pleased and wouldn¡¯t suspect him of having any sinister motives; there was really no need for that.


    Not to mention the enormous help provided by the technological data her grandfather had secretly contributed.


    Wu Xiucai looked at Qiao Qingyu and said earnestly, ¡°Qingyu, there¡¯s reason in what you say, but you should know that caution helps you navigate life safely. There are rules in business, and the relationships that should never be mixed in are also the ones that least withstand erosion.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°Grandpa, I understand that, but a joint venture has many pitfalls too. North City is bound to contribute personnel; just blending together will take time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I want your eldest uncle to be the deputy general manager.¡±


    Wu Xiucai realized that although Qiao Zhiyuan came from a farmer¡¯s background, he had his own survival tactics.


    ¡°Who will be the general manager?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked curiously.


    It definitely wasn¡¯t her because she simply had no time now. She was still responsible for the medicinal planting at Pingliang Dam and had her hands full with the Agricultural Group and the Seed Laboratory. If not for her competent subordinates, she would be overwhelmed, especially since it was already August.


    However, Qiao Qingyu then grinned and said, ¡°Actually, I think Secretary Chang would be quite suitable.¡±


    Her words had a hint of teasing.


    Wu Xiucai gave Qiao Qingyu a peculiar look, ¡°Do you know something, girl?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything,¡± Qiao Qingyu denied.


    ¡°Do you really not know why Secretary Chang is staying in Beijing now?¡± Wu Xiucai asked skeptically.


    ¡°Heh, Grandpa, I actually figured it out when he visited the base last time, but I think it¡¯s a bit doubtful¡ªXiao Wei isn¡¯t so easily moved.¡±


    ¡°Secretary Chang said, ¡®True sincerity moves heaven and earth, thus I agreed for him to stay permanently in the Beijing headquarters, but I¡¯ve given him three years; if he cannot marry the girl within that time, then he should forget about it for life.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu just laughed.


    Wu Xiucai spoke more relaxedly, ¡°I¡¯ve already decided on the candidate for the general manager, he will be returning from M Country in a few days, you should meet him then; it¡¯s been many years since you¡¯ve all gathered.¡±


    Wu Tai had returned to M Country, for the medical technology there was much more advanced than in China, and since his initial surgery was done in a renowned hospital there, subsequent treatments and rehabilitation had to continue there.


    Then he and his son would handle operations in M Country.


    As for the technology firm, it was managed by Qiao Qingyu¡¯s fourth cousin, Chen Ze.


    For several years, Chen Ze and his brother had been closely following Wu Xiucai.


    He was one of Wu Xiucai¡¯s most trusted people.


    ¡°He¡¯s your fourth cousin, called Chen Ze. Due to certain reasons, you haven¡¯t met him yet, and even when he comes, his visits are brief, but this time I intend for him to stay longer.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu hadn¡¯t had much interaction with this fourth cousin.


    But anyone trusted by her grandfather was surely of good character.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be back in the country in a few days, Qingyu, take some time off and come with me to North City.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Qiao Qingyu agreed readily and then asked Wu Xiucai, ¡°Grandpa, should I inform my eldest uncle about this beforehand?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you should. Call him and tell him it¡¯s my idea, but of course, his opinion is the priority. If he feels it¡¯s fine, he can start handling his retirement now; if he doesn¡¯t want to do it, then it¡¯s alright.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, you worry too much. He¡¯s in good health currently and has ambitions unfulfilled after serving in the Qiao Family Team for only a few years. He would definitely be happy about this opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully.¡± Wu Xiucai waved a hand, ¡°Go and call.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s home now had a telephone installed. Although landlines hadn¡¯t become widespread, most ordinary families had them installed. Last year, the installation fee was three thousand yuan, but it dropped to fifteen hundred yuan this year due to the advent of mobile phones.


    Even though mobile phones were still considered a luxury, they had indirectly driven down the cost of landline services.


    Even Old Lady Qiao¡¯s house had a landline installed, and she shared her phone number with Qiao Qingyu the first day it was installed.


    Qiao Qingyu picked up her mobile phone and called her eldest uncle, who also had a mobile phone; it was a gift from He Xiuyu in Tenghai.


    The call connected smoothly, and from the other side came Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s booming voice, ¡°Qingyu, are you busy? How¡¯s your grandpa¡¯s health? How are your mom and dad....¡±


    He began with a series of greetings.


    He inquired about everyone, even including Rongrong.


    After Qiao Qingyu briefly updated him, she directly asked, ¡°Uncle, are you in the team¡¯s office or at home now?¡±

 Chapter 604 - 604 588 The Sudden Surprise

    ?Chapter 604: Chapter 588: The Sudden Surprise Chapter 604: Chapter 588: The Sudden Surprise Now that there are cell phones, everything is great, except that you can¡¯t be sure where someone is because this matter is currently confidential, so we can only tell Uncle Qiao in advance, and then we can¡¯t let anyone else know.


    ¡°I¡¯m by the river, there¡¯s no one around, it¡¯s quiet¡ªgo ahead, what do you need to see Uncle Qiao for?¡±


    Uncle Qiao knew Qiao Qingyu was looking for him for a reason, and unconsciously, his voice also became much lower.


    ¡°Uncle, Grandpa is going to establish a grain and oil group company; have you heard about this?¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan¡¯s heart skipped a beat and he nodded eagerly, ¡°I know, I heard Village Chief Sun talk about it. The preparation is almost done, and I¡¯ve been there once. I¡¯ve seen the base warehouse and the factory buildings as well as those machines. It¡¯s really advanced.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa wants to know your thoughts; he¡¯s planning to hire you as the deputy general manager of Wulong Grain and Oil Group Company. If you¡¯re interested, you can start the retirement process now. Grandpa said that your opinion is what matters most, and if you¡¯re not interested, that¡¯s okay too.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu spoke these words calmly, and then there was no response on the other end of the line for a long while.


    Qiao Qingyu anxiously said ¡°hello¡± several times before Qiao Zhiyuan on the other end came to his senses, his voice filled with surprise, ¡°Qingyu, did Grandpa tell you this himself, or...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t wait for Qiao Zhiyuan to finish his sentence and directly said, ¡°Uncle, rest assured, this isn¡¯t about looking at anyone¡¯s face; Grandpa just thinks that you are very suitable to be the deputy general manager of the grain and oil group company. He asked me to give you a heads up. If possible, proceed with retirement and we¡¯ll head to North City in a while.¡±


    There was another pause on the other end, and then a voice tinged with barely suppressed excitement, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯d be overjoyed, Uncle. I¡¯m still in good health, and I¡¯d really like to work there for a while, of course, that¡¯s if your Grandpa is willing to employ me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a very suitable candidate, Uncle. Since you agree, then it¡¯s settled.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Qingyu, thank my Grandpa for his consideration. I¡¯m very moved, thank him for me. Tell your Grandpa that I¡¯ll start the retirement process now, and then I¡¯ll wait for you all here.¡±


    Qiao Zhiyuan was so delighted he would have jumped and shouted if not for his age.


    You know, he was eligible for retirement six months ago.


    He knew this well, but to be honest, he wasn¡¯t obsessed with his official status; he truly didn¡¯t want to leave his current position at the Qiao Family Team.


    But there were many eyes on it.


    When going to the county for meetings, the leaders, fearing he might have other ideas, didn¡¯t even mention it, which implied they wanted him to keep working.


    But others would make snide remarks, saying things like Qiao Zhiyuan from the Qiao Family Team wanted to die in his position as team leader without ever moving aside.


    He was planning to turn the Qiao Family Team into his own private property...


    Talk like this was all too common.


    But now, things couldn¡¯t be better.


    The grain and oil group¡ªI like it there, and I could work for another ten years.


    ¡°Uncle, there will be a general manager above you, who will be returning from America soon. He¡¯s my mom¡¯s fourth cousin; I now call him ¡®Uncle.¡¯ His name is Chen Ze, a really great guy.¡±


    ¡°I know, there are no bad people approved by Grandpa.¡±


    The two of them chatted a bit more before hanging up, and by this time, Qiao Zhicai had walked into the yard, one hand holding a watermelon and the other hand pulling Little Chaoxuan.


    By now, the meal was ready, and Qiao Qingyu cut the watermelon into small chunks, filling a big plate with them. It has to be said, this is the best time to eat watermelon.


    Wu Qianyun also found out about her father¡¯s plan to hire Qiao Zhiyuan as the deputy general manager.


    She didn¡¯t understand business matters and never got involved.


    Although she didn¡¯t live on the Qiao Family Team, she was very generous with her respect for Old Man Qiao and his wife during holidays and even normal times. No matter what, among all the sons, before she recognized her father, the old man and the old lady were most supportive of their youngest son, and this eldest brother was indeed respectable, always taking care of his two younger brothers without neglect.


    She also said, ¡°My eldest brother¡¯s health is good enough to last another ten years working.¡±


    Wu Qianyun had brewed a jar of grape wine a while ago, which was now a great time to bring out for drinking. Everyone poured a small glass and Qiao Zhicai raised his to Wu Xiucai, ¡°Dad, thank you.¡±


    Wu Xiucai chuckled, accepting the thanks with ease.


    Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu had settled down here, and Chaoxuan was sleeping with his parents, twisting and turning in between, one moment his chubby legs resting on Dad¡¯s stomach, the next minute sprawled across Mom¡¯s chest.


    Cloyingly sweet like a piece of malt sugar, it was enough to melt anyone¡¯s heart.


    Patting their son¡¯s chubby behind, Qiao Qingyu turned to He Xiuyu, who was pinching their son¡¯s chubby feet, ¡°Grandpa said he¡¯d be going back in half a month. Mom and Dad, and also Chaoxuan, will go together. Do you want to come along?¡±


    It had already been more than a year since their last visit.


    As an arts and crafts weaving teacher, Qiao Zhicai had taught all that he could. Although he still held the title of teacher, artisan teachers had already mastered the sales craft, and some even came up with quite a few new designs, so Qiao Zhicai planned to resign from his teaching position.


    But you know, this year he made more than ten thousand yuan.


    Having money in hand makes everything easier, just like before, as a farmer, he had never considered spending money to buy watermelon, but now, he could spend several yuan on a watermelon without a second thought.


    This was unimaginable in the past.


    Qiao Zhicai still wove his handicrafts.


    Once finished, he would give them to Zhou Xiaoqin to sell collectively. Of course, Qiao Zhicai had experience; he was an old craftsman of several decades. Even during tough times, he supported his family by weaving mats.


    People from villages dozens of miles away would come to buy his mats just by hearing about them.


    The same was true for his crafts now. Although he made fewer, each was a work of art.


    Some decorative pieces, after his skilled weaving, could sell for tens of yuan, which was equivalent to a factory worker¡¯s monthly salary.


    So Qiao Zhicai was now really beaming.


    Of course, he also wanted to return to the Qiao Family Team. After all, in Xichuan, the house belonged to his father-in-law, but in the Qiao Family Team, that little western-style building truly belonged to Qiao Zhicai himself, and of course, to his wife as well.


    So when he heard the old man was going back, and the whole family would go together, he was very happy.


    He Xiuyu of course knew about this too and said while pinching his son¡¯s feet, ¡°There¡¯s a project starting soon and I won¡¯t be able to take time off, so you go with our son.¡±


    Indeed, the back and forth traveling was very tiring. This year, his wife hadn¡¯t had many quiet days to just sit at home...

 Chapter 605 - 605 589

    ?Chapter 605: Chapter 589 Chapter 605: Chapter 589 He Xiuyu spoke in a deep voice, ¡°If one day you¡¯re tired from running and don¡¯t want to go anywhere, just stay at home. You can do whatever you want, read books, watch TV, knit sweaters, plant flowers, or even just sleep in...¡±


    Chaoxuan immediately understood and hastily grabbed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s hand, ¡°Mommy mommy, please get tired from running soon so you can stay home with me every day.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu gently touched her son¡¯s head and spoke with a hint of guilt, but still said, ¡°Mommy will try to make time to be with you.¡± She then asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy here?¡±


    Wu Xiucai had turned the courtyard into a playground, combining two yards into one, nearly as big as the traditional three-section compound of wealthy families.


    However, this one was clearly arranged with a row of red-brick houses, a large courtyard, a wooden horse and small slide installed in the east, and sand, especially brought in, densely covering the ground below.


    The courtyard also had specially made bicycles to ride from east to west, from south to north, all with plenty of space.


    In his bedroom, his grandpa from his mother¡¯s side had bought him many toys from abroad, including a small train set with tracks.


    And there were lots of children around.


    When the weather was good and they went out to play, a call would bring together a large group, even more than those of the same age at the base.


    He Chaoxuan wasn¡¯t lacking in toys or playmates. Honestly, aside from occasionally missing his parents, Chaoxuan found his days filled with fun.


    Hearing his mom asking this, Chaoxuan blinked, showing some confusion, and said softly, ¡°Mommy, I feel like you¡¯re making up excuses not to be with me.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu laughed, ¡°Where did you get that feeling? Are you not having fun here?¡±


    ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re twisting my words,¡± Chaoxuan stated seriously, trying to keep a straight face.


    Then he turned to look at his dad, who was only focused on pinching his chubby feet, not paying him any attention. Chaoxuan felt wronged. He understood what his mom meant; she was saying that as long as he was having fun here, he shouldn¡¯t have any demands on his parents, which really seemed unfair. He was their child, wasn¡¯t it normal for him to have requests for his parents?


    Feeling aggrieved, his lips pouted.


    Then, two tears pooled in his eyes.


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart softened and, no longer teasing him, she held her son and hastily said, ¡°Honey, mommy was just joking. Just because you have fun here doesn¡¯t mean you don¡¯t miss or want to be with us. So, how about you come home with daddy and mommy tomorrow, okay?¡±


    Chaoxuan, feeling pitiful, was about to nod when he suddenly remembered something. He spoke hesitantly, ¡°...Mommy, can we go back home a few days later...¡±


    He Xiuyu finally spoke up, ¡°Why a few days later?¡±


    ¡°Dad, Erhu said his dad had leased a fish pond in the suburbs, and they¡¯re going to drain and catch the fish next week. I want to go and play with them.¡±


    ¡°Who are you planning to go with?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked curiously.


    ¡°Grandma will take me, and Erhu also invited great-grandpa, who agreed as well...¡±


    Then with a hopeful look in his eyes, ¡°Mommy daddy, why don¡¯t you come too on that day? Grandma said the fish caught right then are delicious, and she will make us fish dumplings and fish balls.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t impossible, and the two of them started talking about how many factories were now facing closure, employees were being laid off, and some active-minded people, just like Erhu¡¯s dad, had run off to the suburbs to lease land or take over fish ponds with their families.


    Though it was tough work, it was certainly profitable in the beginning.


    He Xiuyu received a last-minute notification and joined an inspection team heading to Su Guo, as the former big brother was facing dissolution, and following that, many heavy machinery pieces faced either public sale or private dealing.


    It was a good opportunity, so another inspection group was hastily assembled. They had organized one before, but it resulted in only a small amount of gains. This time, they were set to acquire much more.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s party first took a flight to North City, then boarded a new shuttle bus purchased by the township to head to the Qiao Family Team.


    Living conditions had improved substantially; changes in food, clothing, shelter, and transportation reflected that fully.


    Now, the main road leading to the Qiao Family Team was made of concrete. There weren¡¯t many cars, no large trucks, and the road maintenance was well done, so the journey was smooth throughout.


    Shengbao came to receive them; he had set up an arts and crafts factory and also learned to drive. It was now the end of August, and Qiao Mubao had been admitted to a graduate program, spending his days shadowing his mentor. He said he would return to his hometown at the end of August, but due to a sudden business trip with his mentor, he couldn¡¯t make it, otherwise, it would have been even livelier.


    Chaoxuan¡¯s eyes widened as he continually asked about childhood friends he remembered while looking out the car window.


    Shengbao patiently told him that some were at home, while others were attending school.


    The two chatted quite happily.


    Qiao Zhiyuan, on the other hand, was discussing this year¡¯s harvest with Wu Xiucai.


    This was critical for the Wulong Grain and Oil Group.


    The amount of grain reserves was tied to the company¡¯s operations.


    The team leader of the Qiao Family Team was currently still Qiao Zhiyuan, but his retirement procedures were underway. As for who would succeed him, Qiao Zhiyuan wasn¡¯t focused on that, to avoid any appearance of bias.


    After all, he had worked here for so many years.


    Yet, his spirits, compared to a few days ago, were completely different.


    They soon arrived at the Qiao Family Team, where Uncle Sun and several leaders were waiting in the village.


    Naturally, greetings were exchanged warmly.


    Wu Xiucai was accommodated at his daughter¡¯s house, and Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t go to her own home but stayed with them as well.


    After exchanging a few words, everyone else took their leave.


    Qiao Ye came with Qi Feng; the couple had already obtained their marriage certificate but had not yet had their wedding ceremony.


    Hearing that Qiao Qingyu and the others were coming, they set the wedding date for three days later.


    To Qiao Ye, it was really important that her sister-in-law be present and bless her on her wedding day.


    She attributed her success to her sister-in-law. Without her guidance and support, a country girl like her couldn¡¯t have become what she was today.


    Therefore, Qiao Ye was especially grateful to Qiao Qingyu. She had previously mentioned over the phone that she wanted Qiao Qingyu to attend her wedding. Luckily, the timing worked out this time.


    Qiao Ye and Qi Feng also had a house in the village, which was already tidied up, and all necessary purchases had been made. The Qiao Family Team might still go by that name, but right on the village edge, there was now an inn and three restaurants.


    These establishments were built by the villagers themselves. There used to be a small shop, but as it could no longer meet the needs of the villagers, it has since been replaced by a large store.


    Neighbors from surrounding villages came here to shop and even dine out, and the area was swiftly becoming like a small town.

 Chapter 606 - 606 590

    ?Chapter 606: Chapter 590 Chapter 606: Chapter 590 Qiao Ye and Qi Feng¡¯s wedding feast was held in the restaurant. When Qiao Qingyu and the others arrived in the village, they saw the restaurant owner, Fourth Uncle Qiao, hurrying back with a horse cart full of ingredients.


    This was all in preparation for the wedding three days later.


    Then, Village Chief Sun also booked a table, to host a dinner tomorrow at noon to welcome and entertain Mr. Wu¡¯s family.


    After Wu Xiucai arrived, everyone found out, no wonder Qiao Zhiyuan, who was supposed to retire, was still so delighted. It turned out he had such a great opportunity awaiting him.


    This opportunity was much better compared to the Qiao Family Team, quite a stroke of luck indeed, something unimaginable in the past. Now, every eligible member of the Qiao Family had risen up.


    As for everyone¡¯s envy, Old Qiao readily accepted it.


    Qiao Ye went to help her mother in the kitchen, cooking for Qiao Qingyu and the others.


    After the meal, Qiao Qingyu received a call from Lu Ye who asked her, ¡°What are the requirements for recruiting staff at the pharmaceutical factory this time?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu had already planned this out, ¡°We¡¯ll mainly employ female workers, allowing women from a wide area around us to step out.¡±


    She continued, ¡°Of course, there are entry requirements, but we can¡¯t set them too high. I heard from Sun Xiuyuan that 80% of the housewives in the entire Pingliang Dam area are illiterate, so we need to lower our standards.¡±


    If they required a middle school diploma or higher, it would be good if they could recruit a few dozen people.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to think this way, but if we really do it, our immigration work will be successfully completed before the first snow this winter.¡± Lu Ye then added, ¡°Thank you, you¡¯ve really fired up our efforts.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu just laughed, ¡°It¡¯s not entirely for the immigration work, I¡¯m mainly considering these women. ¡®Women¡¯s liberation¡¯ and ¡®gender equality¡¯ have been advocated for decades, yet reaching this standard isn¡¯t easy. But, let¡¯s start by providing these women with jobs and incomes, then we can do more.¡±


    Indeed, Lu Ye strongly agreed because the recruitment was now under the control of the command center. Qiao Qingyu also shared some precautions with him, considering they were all female comrades, and if any issues arose, it wouldn¡¯t be good, but thankfully they had Liu Ying at the Pingliang Dam Herbal Medicine Base. Although the herbal medicine processing factory was independent of the Tenghai Base, they could still cooperate.


    ¡°In fact, this kind of work is very suitable for female comrades, and they will be paid the same as their male counterparts. The dormitories and cafeteria will all be in place, so this year¡¯s immigration work can indeed end very smoothly as you mentioned.¡±


    Lu Ye nodded repeatedly in agreement, and Qiao Qingyu instructed him to select fair and capable women for management roles.


    Nowadays in Yushu County, including Xichuan City and even the whole of West City, many factories were struggling to survive, and securing a job wasn¡¯t easy.


    Phones on Lu Ye¡¯s end were ringing off the hook; many were eager to work here, so the requirements she mentioned were not difficult to meet. In this era, for a period, there was an excess of labor which devalued its worth significantly, and many foreign enterprises took advantage of this to exploit the laboring masses.


    Therefore, Qiao Qingyu acted quickly, deciding to use the herbal medicine processing factory as a benchmark to set an example for future private enterprises, urging them to follow the standards set by the Wulong Herbal Medicine Processing Factory.


    Then, there were many more tasks to be undertaken, and Qiao Qingyu returned to Xichuan half a month later.


    She said, ¡°Lu Ye, you arrange the recruitment first. Of course, not just anyone will do, but now that we¡¯ve promised people retirement and medical insurance, along with minimum wage, it must be honored¡ªyou can include that in the recruitment notice. Don¡¯t worry, we can deliver on all these promises, and it isn¡¯t just a flash in the pan...¡±


    With Qiao Qingyu¡¯s words, Lu Ye breathed a sigh of relief. Now they could not only arrange for local rural women but also some laid-off workers.


    Actually, the environment in Xichuan had already improved. If it weren¡¯t for the ongoing greening initiatives and the significant layoff wave, life for the lower echelons would have been truly difficult.


    Now, there were many companies to choose from in Xichuan. There were chemical plants, cement factories, wool spinning factories, herbal medicine processing factories, and even many new hotels and restaurants. So, some of the workers from older units had smoothly transitioned to other units.


    Xichuan had a unique advantage being close to the Tenghai Research Base. Although the Tenghai Research Base was small, it was fully functional, and they still profited considerably from this proximity.


    The mechanical factory in Yushu County had expanded again. With a change in factory manager through cooperation with Tenghai, the economy was revived once more. Currently, they mainly produced small and medium-sized agricultural machinery. Orders might not be flying in like snowflakes, but overtime had become the daily norm, and the factory manager was considering opening a branch.


    After a few more words, both of them hung up.


    Lu Ye pocketed his phone and glanced at Sun Xiuyuan, who was standing not far away. Sun Xiuyuan was also gazing at him intently. Their eyes met, and somehow, Lu Ye felt his face grow hot, the same with the tips of his ears, and he thought to himself, ¡°Sun Xiuyuan, this girl, has such a fiery look in her eyes when she looks at a man.¡±


    Yet he didn¡¯t want to evade. He braced himself and walked toward her, though his gaze drifted sideways.


    It was known to their commands, their respective units, and even their friends that Sun Xiuyuan liked Lu Ye¡ªno secret there. But as for Lu Ye, it wasn¡¯t exactly flirtatious; it seemed more like he would avoid it if he could, yet there was no sign of dislike in his eyes.


    Anyway, times were changing. Nowadays, dating wasn¡¯t as bashful as in years past, and everyone enjoyed watching the excitement from the sidelines.


    The two, standing together, indeed looked very compatible.


    At this moment, they were at the red sage planting base.


    Due to proper management, they expected to harvest the first batch of red sage in November.


    The harvested red sage would be processed and prepared at the Tenghai Herbal Medicine Processing Factory, located ten kilometers away, then shipped to the Fifth Pharmaceutical Factory in Yanjing.


    Hence, there were no issues or concerns about sales.


    The management team of the herbal medicine processing factory was already in place, with Qiao Qingyu as the first person in charge, and Wu Xiucai had assigned several others to participate in management.


    They frequently contacted the people at the planting base.


    After trailing Lu Ye for half a year, nearly all traces of pride had vanished from Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s face, but she still pouted unconsciously when she saw him.


    Nonetheless, she had secretly made up her mind.


    This time, Sun Xiuyuan wasn¡¯t prepared to let Lu Ye avoid her!

 Chapter 607: 591: The Person You Like Also Likes You

    Chapter 607: Chapter 591: The Person You Like Also Likes You


    Sun Xiuyuan looked straight at Lu Ye, her bravery bolstered by sheer nerve, ¡°Lu Ye, just give me an honest answer, are we actually dating or not?¡±


    Lu Ye reacted as if someone had stepped on his tail, almost jumping up in surprise, his face flushing red and neck swelling in disbelief. He looked at Sun Xiuyuan, then glanced around irritably and said, ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? There are people all around us. As a young lady, how can you not mind the influence of your words or consider these things?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to consider? What should I be mindful of? I haven¡¯t done anything illegal or disorderly. I just want to know what you really mean.¡± She then furrowed her brows, looking at Lu Ye with suspicion, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be leading me on, would you? Keeping me on the line while looking for someone else?¡±


    Lu Ye, ¡°...¡±


    Thinking he was keeping her as an option while looking for others, she really dared to think.


    He didn¡¯t even know where the metaphorical ¡®bowl¡¯ or ¡®pot¡¯ was.


    But the next moment, seeing Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s hands trembling nervously, something clicked and Lu Ye¡¯s heart softened.


    He sighed softly, stepped closer, and gently said, ¡°What are you talking about? What¡¯s this about having someone in the ¡®bowl¡¯ and looking at someone in the ¡®pot¡¯? I have neither in my ¡®bowl¡¯ nor in my ¡®pot,¡¯ so stop thinking about all these messy things from now on.¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan hadn¡¯t expected Lu Ye not to run away but to step closer instead. Her heart suddenly began to race, her cheeks flushed, and her hands stopped trembling as she entwined them together.


    This was a problem she developed after an incident last time; whenever she got nervous, her hands would start shaking, followed by the rest of her body. If it got severe, her whole body would convulse, which was why she tried her best to avoid tense situations. That also explained why, despite her grassroots work, she never went to glamorous events or meetings or interacted with people for work¡ªit was all due to this reason.


    Now, she stood in the field where red sages were planted, with her colleagues not too far away¡ªnothing and no one there made her nervous.


    If she were to pinpoint something, it would be the man right in front of her, Lu Ye.


    In fact, she hadn¡¯t liked him that much before, but somehow, he had become someone she couldn¡¯t get out of her mind.


    Whenever she thought of him, her heart felt a mix of sourness, softness, and sweetness, making her particularly sensitive to Lu Ye¡¯s changes in expression.


    As Lu Ye¡¯s attitude softened and he spoke to her gently, Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s eyes began to redden, tears swirling around but refusing to fall. She tilted her head up slightly, took a breath, then turned her blushing face away and whispered, ¡°Then what did you really mean by the answer to the question I just asked you?¡±


    This girl really was persistent.


    Lu Ye¡¯s gaze fell on Sun Xiuyuan again. He had always known she was pretty, but this was the first time he had really looked at her closely.


    With delicate eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, and an oval face, she possessed the very features that the elderly adored. His own grandfather had met her a few times and mentioned he had a favorable impression of her¡ªapart from being a bit spoiled and vain, there were no other faults. She was simple-minded and transparent.


    But he didn¡¯t like her spoiled attitude or her vanity, especially those incidents at school had left him with a very poor impression of her, to the point of avoidance.


    He had thought she would cling to him like other girls, but after he had coldly rejected her once, she never approached him again and would even avoid him whenever possible.


    That incident was never mentioned again.


    So why had they grown familiar again, and how had they come to the situation they were in now?


    It must have been because of that incident in Shuiwa Village.


    Then there was the period of going door to door, mobilizing the villagers to relocate and conducting surveys.


    Undeniably, the girl had shed all traces of her spoiled and vanity-loving ways, and not a hint of them could be seen on her.


    Lu Ye said gruffly, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a girl with such thick skin like you. You know what kind of person I am. If I really disliked you, I wouldn¡¯t have let you join the work group. If I really disliked you, I wouldn¡¯t be standing here letting you ask so many questions.¡±


    After saying that, Lu Ye felt his ears burning, but fortunately, as he had grown older, his own skin had indeed thickened quite a bit.


    Life was just like that, wasn¡¯t it? If he were to spend a lifetime with this girl... Imagining such a scene in the depths of his heart, it seemed there was nothing to reject.


    Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, shimmering, as if they were studded with countless stars, ¡°You don¡¯t dislike me, which means you¡ª¡±


    Like me¡ªthese three words were, no matter what, unspeakable.


    But Lu Ye understood. This time, he didn¡¯t avoid the girl¡¯s sparkling eyes and nodded solemnly instead.


    Then he saw the girl smile. So it turned out she looked so beautiful when she smiled, like a blooming flower. His heart also fluttered, and he couldn¡¯t help but blurt out, ¡°Once we¡¯re done with this busy period, I¡¯ll go to your house to propose.¡±


    A sudden wave of happiness swept over Sun Xiuyuan like a tide.


    The greatest joy in the world was nothing more than having the person you like also like you back.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for the improper setting, if it hadn¡¯t been for the business of the day, Sun Xiuyuan would have wanted to grab Lu Ye¡¯s hand and head straight to her house to propose.


    Sensing her thoughts, Lu Ye coughed lightly, a bit embarrassed, and made a gesture with his eyes for her to look around.


    Only then did Sun Xiuyuan notice, and when she looked around, she realized that aside from the workers who were unaware of what was going on between them, familiar colleagues, though busy with their hands, were casting glances at them, and the smiles on their faces were of that teasing, playful kind.


    Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s face turned even redder, feeling feverish, and she spun around and ran away.


    Lu Ye walked forward a few steps, and Brother Zhu, not far off, reminded him, ¡°What are you standing there for? Go after her, quick.¡±


    Several people nearby burst into laughter...


    ¡°Mr. Lu, when will you invite us to your wedding feast?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, Mr. Lu, you two are a perfect match. Seeing how you used to be so hesitant, I was really anxious for you. Now it¡¯s all good, you¡¯ve finally punctured through that paper window.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, what era is it now? If you like someone, pursue them boldly, or else the bride will become someone else¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, nowadays, desirable young men are in high demand, and the same goes for a good girl.¡±


    ¡°Go chase her, have a good talk together. There¡¯s nothing for you here, no need to worry.¡±


    Being goaded by their words, Lu Ye really grew restless and without further hesitation, lifted his legs and started chasing in the direction Sun Xiuyuan had run off to.

 Chapter 608: 592: Celebration

    Chapter 608: Chapter 592: Celebration


    The problem was that the girl panicked and ran thoughtlessly. She headed towards the wild grassland in the north. Although it was safe there now, it was still best to be cautious.


    Of course, he was probably overthinking at this point. However, when he descended the slope, he saw Sun Xiuyan standing behind a bush, smiling at him.


    For some unknown reason, his heart settled down comfortably in that moment.


    Lu Ye stood still, his face full of smiles.


    The sun shone brilliantly, the azure sky dotted with fluffy white clouds. The warm autumn breeze whisked the fallen leaves around a few times before whisking them away in the blink of an eye.


    For a moment, neither of them moved, and from a distance, they truly resembled a beautiful painting.


    ...


    From ancient times, medical practitioners have been respected.


    And to be honest, no fool would look down on a doctor.


    Now, the Qiao Family Team could be described as a modernized small town, and that wasn¡¯t an exaggeration. Where could one find any hint of the rural village that people imagined? Nowadays, even the construction in the city wasn¡¯t as good as the Qiao Family Team¡¯s, nor was the quality of life of city workers as high as that of the villagers there.


    Years ago, one might still see peasants wearing shoes that exposed their toes, but now, none were to be seen.


    Though not glamorous, they were dressed neatly and had healthy ruddy complexions.


    These were the thoughts of Qi Feng¡¯s family who had hurried from the city to attend the wedding.


    Prior to this, Qi Feng had naturally told his parents all about it.


    Qi Feng¡¯s parents were open-minded. They had worried about the past incidents, fearing retaliation, and were anxious that their son, foolishly attached, wouldn¡¯t let go. They feared that would ruin him, but they hadn¡¯t expected such a bright turn of events.


    Although the bride came from a rural area, she was highly skilled in medicine. Speaking bluntly, her family background wasn¡¯t considered low either; after all, her younger aunt¡¯s grandfather was a wealthy man, not to mention that nowadays half of the Qiao Family were highly successful.


    This girl was more than suitable for their son.


    Of course, everyone thinks highly of their own child, and a bit of scrutiny was inevitable. But overall, things were acceptable. The marriage certificate was already obtained, and the wedding date had been set recently, awaiting the young aunt¡¯s return to hold the wedding.


    Qi Feng¡¯s mother felt this arrangement was quite good. After all, having Mr. Wu and Qiao Qingyu attend the wedding lent them prestige.


    The wedding was quite grand. After all, they were welcoming a bride, not engaging in a bridal kidnapping. The main wedding day was set in the city, with banquet and bridal chambers well prepared, which meant there were now celebratory arrangements both in the city and at the Qiao Family¡¯s location.


    If in one place, both families would have hosted together, but with the distance, they initially managed their own separately.


    However, with cars making travel convenient now, the son personally drove them over, also as a chance to acquaint them with Qiao Qingyu. Although it wasn¡¯t particularly advantageous, it certainly wasn¡¯t harmful either.


    Mrs. Qi hadn¡¯t expected so many distinguished guests; even her former boss from her unit attended.


    Seeing her, he was all smiles and playfully chided her, ¡°How could you keep it so secret? Had I not attended the wedding, I wouldn¡¯t even know you were now related by marriage.¡±


    Mr. Wu almost knew everyone; his Grain and Oil Group Company was now the most important investment project in North City.


    The old boss was also invited by Mr. Wu to the newly established trade union as a vice-chairman.


    It must be said that the grain and oil group company established by Mr. Wu had set a high standard with substantial investments, providing good treatment and benefits for its workers. Importantly, departments here were fully equipped, and the union truly had the power to exercise its rights.


    As for social security and medical insurance, these were still novel concepts at the time.


    Pension funds were something rural people didn¡¯t even know about, while urban residents knew of them, but they had not yet been deducted from their wages.


    Retirement was based on one¡¯s file and years of service, distinguished by whether one was an official, a worker, a contract worker, or an educated youth.


    However, it was not like this at the Wulong Grain and Oil Group Company.


    There was no distinction between officials and workers, only capability and contribution mattered.


    As for medical insurance, when one fell ill, their hospitalization was reimbursed by the company at a significant rate.


    Currently, too many people couldn¡¯t afford to stay in hospitals.


    It had to be acknowledged that Wulong had taken the lead in the private sector.


    But to speak in detail, at various companies and factories of Wulong Group in Huaxia, the system was gradually being implemented.


    Of course, behind closed doors, many capitalists cursed Wu Xiucai; some even ground their teeth in hatred. They invested in this impoverished land only because they valued the lowest labor costs, practically like not spending money at all.


    No overtime pay, no days off!


    Working twelve hours a day without a word of protest; such wonderful labor that created tremendous wealth for them. In Nangang City, some capitalists had made more money in just two years than they could in ten years before; they saved a lot on human resources.


    This was exploitation.


    It was worth mentioning that Wulong Group currently had the same rest day as governmental units, Huaxia did not yet have weekends, only one rest day per week, but working hours were eight hours a day, and this was also the case for companies under Wulong Group.


    Therefore, the Wulong Grain and Oil Group was now a coveted employer; active workers wanted to transfer there to do something, not to mention the retired leaders.


    Having a position there was highly enviable.


    Mrs. Qi actually felt quite favored by fortune; previously in her workplace, such leaders were only seen from a distance. An ordinary worker like her hardly had the chance for face-to-face, smiling conversations with such leaders.


    So, Mrs. Qi felt that perhaps things in this world were simply destined.


    Her son had gone through so much, perhaps ultimately to come to the Qiao Family Team to marry Qiao Ye. But no matter what, even though today¡¯s banquet was hosted by the bride¡¯s family, the Qi Family also felt honored.


    Especially Mrs. Qi, when the marriage was agreed upon, her sisters-in-law back home, old colleagues, and neighbors in her building had all mocked her covertly and overtly.


    Some even came to comfort her, saying that given her son¡¯s situation, marrying a rural daughter-in-law wasn¡¯t too bad.


    Now, it was their turn to be envious.


    After all, who doesn¡¯t harbor some vanity in life?


    The next day during the bridal procession was even livelier; Qi Feng unexpectedly came to pick up his bride riding a tricycle.


    Behind him, his urban friends each rode a motorcycle, lining up in a convoy of dozens of vehicles, followed by several minibuses and jeeps adorned with big red flowers and festive decorations; the scene couldn¡¯t be livelier.


    When they returned, the bride and groom sat in the jeep.

 Chapter 609: 593: Suddenly Disappeared

    Chapter 609: Chapter 593: Suddenly Disappeared


    The Qiao Family sat in the minibus at the back.


    Whether it was yesterday¡¯s bridal banquet or today¡¯s wedding reception, both were bustling and went smoothly.


    Unexpectedly, after the wedding ceremony ended, an Uncle from the Qi Family suddenly collapsed while drinking.


    The Uncle had happily drunk a few extra glasses, and with preexisting blood pressure and heart conditions, the excitement caused his heart to stop beating.


    This was a wedding reception hosted by the Qi Family, with the bride¡¯s family seated at the front.


    Everything happened so suddenly; at first, no one realized what was happening. The room was noisy, with the tape recorder and speakers blaring festive songs, and a few representatives from the groom¡¯s side were diligently drinking with the bride¡¯s family.


    That¡¯s the way it is with our people: only when there is alcohol can the dinner table liven up, a time to ¡°make merry over wine.¡±


    So for a while, no one paid attention to that corner, and even when someone yelled, it was drowned out by the clamor.


    However, Qiao Ye, standing at the front, immediately noticed something unusual, perhaps because she was a doctor.


    She didn¡¯t have time to say anything to Qi Feng by her side, but she quickly ran towards Uncle Qi¡¯s direction. Only then did everyone realize something was amiss, and they all turned their attention to one of the tables in the center.


    It was then that the problem was realized. Everyone stopped drinking, and the MC hurried to switch off the tape recorder. Calm orders were given by Qiao Ye, and then everyone saw Qiao Ye¡¯s sister dash to the nearby rest area and quickly return with a bag containing the silver needles that Qiao Ye often used.


    At that moment, Uncle Qi lay motionless on the hotel carpet, his face ashen, the area cleared around him, and a 120 call had been made.


    Mr. Qi and Mrs. Qi looked pale; Uncle Qi was their elder and had always had a good relationship with them.


    The third Uncle was old and could not be expected to drink, so he was left to chat with former colleagues and leaders from his previous unit. Who would have thought that as they were talking, half a glass of white wine would be gulped down?


    And then, trouble happened.


    Mrs. Qi¡¯s face turned deathly pale. If something really went wrong at her son¡¯s wedding...


    But her anxiety was palpable. Then everyone witnessed the bride of the day, with slender, ivory hands, swiftly inserting the silver needles.


    In the blink of an eye, she had inserted over a dozen needles near the chest.


    Then on the forehead, then on the fingers.


    By this time, the ambulance still hadn¡¯t arrived, as it had only been a few minutes since the emergency call, and they couldn¡¯t arrive that quickly.


    The Qiao Family members also came over. Qiao Qingyu saw Qiao Ye, as if transformed into another person, and suddenly remembered Da Niu, the dirty, crying girl she had seen squatting in the corner back at Qiao Family Team.


    At this moment, the solemn expression on Qiao Ye¡¯s face slowly softened.


    Suddenly, Qi Feng¡¯s trembling voice rang out, ¡°Great-Uncle.¡±


    The old man slowly opened his eyes.


    His complexion showed a slight improvement.


    Moments before, the room of several hundred people had fallen so quiet that you could have heard a pin drop. Then, it seemed like everyone exhaled in unison.


    Then the ambulance also arrived, and the doctor, after examining the patient, turned out to know Qiao Ye.


    He told Mr. Qiao and Mrs. Qiao that the patient¡¯s treatment had been very timely, warning firmly that in the future, he must never drink alcohol, especially since he took antihypertensive medication in the morning.


    Uncle Qi¡¯s family also followed him to the hospital.


    Qiao Ye also breathed a sigh of relief. Saying she wasn¡¯t nervous would have been a lie, especially when she felt his pulse at the very moment the old man¡¯s heart had stopped. Thankfully, he was discovered and treated in time, and it wasn¡¯t due to a pathological issue but rather an accidental shock.


    The wedding banquet continued, but aside from the people of Qiao Family Team who knew of Qiao Ye¡¯s medical skills, the city dwellers present saw her in a new light and felt a surge of honor and pride.


    She was nothing short of a miracle doctor.


    And a miracle doctor had emerged from their Qi Family and had become their daughter-in-law.


    What this signified was clear to everyone!


    No one avoids illness in a lifetime of consuming grains, and even as medical standards rise, there are still many things that cannot be cured. Today, they had witnessed firsthand, Qi Feng¡¯s wife using her needles, bringing someone back from the brink of death.


    So, from then on, no one dared to look down on Qiao Ye again. Then, after the honeymoon period ended, the hospital doctors even invited Qiao Ye to lecture at their integrative medicine department.


    The lecture was about how to treat conditions like the one that befell Uncle Qi at the wedding reception.

 Chapter 610: 593 Suddenly Disappeared_2

    Chapter 610: Chapter 593 Suddenly Disappeared_2


    Then Qiao Qingyu and the others were waiting to return to Xichuan after the opening ceremony of the Grain and Oil Group Company.


    The opening of the Wulong Grain and Oil Group Company also meant that the grain processing in North City would soon go international.


    Everyone from top to bottom placed great importance on it.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t get involved in the management of the Grain and Oil Group Company, but she followed the whole process. According to Wu Xiucai¡¯s intentions, everything would be handed over to her eventually. She might not hold an official position yet, but this company was also part of the group under her future responsibility.


    When Qiao Qingyu and the others left the Qiao Family Team, both North City and West City had begun the autumn harvest.


    Once they arrived at their destination, they rested for a few days and then started to get busy.


    This year was much busier than last year because this year there was also the addition of red sage cultivation. Especially since it was the first harvest, everyone was taking it seriously. The farmers were all watching keenly¡ªafter more than a year of arduous cultivation, they wondered if it could finally improve their own day-to-day lives.


    Even people from the newspaper and TV station had come.


    Qiao Qingyu was naturally invited to the scene, and then she noticed that something seemed off between Lu Ye and Sun Xiuyuan. After a closer look, oh, it turns out the two of them had fallen in love.


    Qiao Qingyu laughed. She really hadn¡¯t expected these two to end up together, but who could ever predict these things accurately?


    Anyhow, the way these two interacted seemed rather promising, and there should be no obstacles for them to be together. After all, both had similar family backgrounds. A marriage between them could mean mutual support, something both the Lu Family and the Sun family would be prelude to see.


    Liu Ying was busy handling everything; being the office director, she was in charge of receiving the newspaper and TV station staff. Although she was a bit scheming, she was particularly adept in this area, managing to host the staff from the TV station and newspaper quite well.


    Then she saw Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu, with her hands in her coat pockets, strolled around looking leisurely. Liu Ying glared at her, then quickly masked her expression and said pointedly, ¡°Manager Qiao, it¡¯s so busy today, and yet you seem like you¡¯re here to watch the spectacle?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was speechless.


    This person really was looking for trouble.


    ¡°I see that you have arranged everything well; there¡¯s no need for me,¡± she said, then quickly turned the conversation. ¡°Director Liu, are you overwhelmed? If so, let me take over your reception duties, and you can take a break...¡±


    Liu Ying¡¯s heart skipped a beat. What a joke! She had finally built a good relationship with the media, and she was going to follow through with the next interviews and shootings, having set plans all along. Did Qiao Qingyu think she could just step in and take the credit?


    She would love to say just that but restrained herself and dryly laughed, ¡°No need. Everything is almost handled here, and there¡¯s not much left to do.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu said meaningfully, ¡°Oh, then you might as well take it easy now.¡±


    Watching Qiao Qingyu¡¯s smiling face, Liu Ying really wished she could slap her fair little face. Unfortunately, she knew she wouldn¡¯t dare¡ªand also realized that she shouldn¡¯t trouble herself unnecessarily. Every time she got angry and tried to provoke Qiao Qingyu, she was the one who ended up embarrassed.


    So Liu Ying didn¡¯t say anything further and just turned and walked away.


    Sun Xiuyuan came over to Qiao Qingyu and patted her, laughing, ¡°You really don¡¯t spare anyone with your words.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was very sincere, ¡°I really meant what I said, I honestly wanted to help her share the burden.¡±


    She then sighed, ¡°It¡¯s really hard to do my job. If you don¡¯t help her out, she accuses you of shirking responsibilities, and if you do help, she thinks you¡¯re stealing her thunder. It¡¯s very difficult to strike the right balance.¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan chuckled, but she didn¡¯t reiterate any complaints about relentless speech.


    Some things, after being said, indeed could make oneself unpopular. She had a good relationship with Qiao Qingyu and certainly didn¡¯t want to ruin it, so she whispered softly, ¡°Qingyu, I¡¯m getting married.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s eyes brightened, though she already guessed who it was; she still playfully said, ¡°Boy, you really kept it tight. Since when have you been in a relationship, and now you¡¯re getting married?¡±


    Sun Xiuyuan bashfully pushed her, ¡°It¡¯s next New Year¡¯s Day, still several months away. We just confirmed the relationship. It¡¯s Lu Ye.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu blinked, reached out her hand, and pinched Sun Xiuyuan¡¯s beautiful cheek, sincerely saying, ¡°Congratulations on your wish coming true.¡±


    After saying this, Sun Xiuyuan wasn¡¯t shy anymore because she had already confided in Qiao Qingyu about her feelings for Lu Ye. She even wanted Qiao Qingyu to help matchmake, but Qiao Qingyu had tactfully refused.

 Chapter 611: 593: Suddenly Disappeared_3

    Chapter 611: Chapter 593: Suddenly Disappeared_3


    Qiao Qingyu knew all too well about Lu Ye¡¯s feelings for her, and it was not just for a year or two.


    To be honest, anyone in the world could introduce Lu Ye to potential partners, anyone but her.


    The two of them chatted and laughed here, while on the other side, the event was being set up. There were enough people, so they weren¡¯t needed for anything; just coordinating and assigning tasks was fine.


    Naturally, Professor Feng had also arrived. He had been involved throughout the process of raising red sage seedlings, providing constant participation and guidance. The breeding base wasn¡¯t too far from here, and the old gentleman even found time to cycle over for a visit.


    The two graduate students he brought with him came too, one of which was Li Bo.


    After she was done with her tasks over there, she came here to find Qiao Qingyu. All three of them graduated from the same college and naturally had a lot to talk about. Then, several other alumni came over.


    Some students who graduated from Xichuan Agricultural College in those years had changed careers and moved into office jobs, but there were also many who truly devoted themselves to agricultural development.


    One should not underestimate this force; they really played a significant role.


    Qiao Qingyu knew that if one were to judge by the pace of development, the late 80s in this world were equivalent to around the year 2000 in another world.


    That is to say, the development had been much faster.


    This field meeting was extremely successful.


    The harvested red sage was taken away by large trucks to the Wulong Herbal Medicine Processing Factory.


    Currently, all the workers in the factory were women.


    Each team leader had undergone three months of training. They adopted a method of mentoring and apprenticeship. Processing medicinal herbs was both difficult and easy; as long as one followed the procedures, it could be done.


    After the first batch of herbs was harvested, the funds from Wulong Group were transferred over quickly.


    Then, in addition to their monthly grain ration, the villagers who planted the red sage also received money.


    However, they were paid as workers, not as contractors.


    The leaders of Pingliang Dam were so pleased that they couldn¡¯t sleep all night. If this trend continued, Pingliang Dam¡¯s annual production value would be more than the total of the previous ten years.


    They were no longer the last in the rankings.


    So their confidence was even stronger.


    Just as the leaders¡¯ confidence was bolstered, so was the confidence of the villagers who planted the red sage.


    As for how Pingliang Dam would manage, allocate, and contract the lands, that was no longer a concern for Qiao Qingyu and her colleagues. In the future, as long as there were those who wanted to plant, they would provide superior seeds and seedlings.


    The autumn harvest work came to an end, and another winter arrived.


    This day was a rest day, and then she received a phone call from Wu Hong.


    Wu Hong called Qiao Qingyu directly. Although his voice was as gentle and courteous as usual, one could faintly detect some urgency, ¡°Qingyu, I¡¯m outside the main gate of the base right now. I won¡¯t come in; can you come out? I have something to discuss with you.¡±


    He Xiuyu was also at home, teaching his son English.


    After hanging up the phone, Qiao Qingyu briefly explained the situation.


    He Xiuyu frowned slightly, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu thought for a moment and then said, ¡°This man is fairly reasonable and has always seen himself as a gentleman. He wouldn¡¯t do anything inappropriate.¡±


    While she was speaking, she began to dress, and He Xiuyu said from the side, ¡°Could it be about that woman Liu Ge having some issues?¡±


    ¡°Who knows.¡± Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t sure either.


    Since He Xiuwen got married, Liu Ge hadn¡¯t visited much. She probably felt awkward visiting He Xiuwen and his new wife¡¯s home to see Rongrong. And now that phone contact was convenient, she just made calls at most.


    Moreover, Liu Ge was pregnant.


    The news of her pregnancy was actually relayed to Qiao Qingyu by He Xuerong; if anything, Liu Ge was quite capable ¡ª she didn¡¯t keep her pregnancy a secret from He Xuerong and even said she wanted to give her a little brother, which was rather speechless.


    Wu Hong had helped Qiao Qingyu quite a bit over the years.


    She should, both emotionally and rationally, go and check what was going on.


    He Xiuyu wasn¡¯t at ease and certainly wouldn¡¯t just let it go. As Qiao Qingyu went out, he slowly put on his overcoat and followed unhurriedly behind her.


    Standing under a poplar tree at the gate of the base was a man in a black down coat, wrapped with a scarf around his neck; it was Wu Hong.


    There was a jeep not far away, too far to tell if anyone was inside. But seeing Qiao Qingyu approach, Wu Hong¡¯s eyes lit up and he quickly stepped forward, first apologizing, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for calling you out at this time, but I couldn¡¯t speak over the phone, and I had to bother you.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu got straight to the point, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Without hesitation, Wu Hong straightforwardly said, ¡°Three days ago, the eldest of the Zhang Family suddenly disappeared from the basement...¡±

 Chapter 612: 594: The Bizarre Space

    Chapter 612: Chapter 594: The Bizarre Space


    Qiao Qingyu was momentarily stunned because she had long forgotten the exact location of the place in Lianjiang Village that contained the Energy Stone. Once she gathered her thoughts, she pressed Wu Hong with a question, ¡°Are you sure that he disappeared in the basement?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely, there were two other elders with us. The four of us were in the basement when we heard a man and a woman talking. We started looking around; initially, there were four people in the room. You know, there were lights in the basement, and we could all see each other, but when we turned around, only three of us remained; the elder... he just vanished into thin air...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at Wu Hong skeptically; not a hint of joy was on his face. She asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t this the outcome you guys had hoped for?¡±


    Wu Hong hesitated for a moment, then slowly shook his head with a firm voice, ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t supposed to be like this.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu wanted to say, how would you know what achieving immortality is like if you haven¡¯t seen it yourself?


    But it wasn¡¯t necessary to say that.


    Not hiding her intentions, Qiao Qingyu directly asked, ¡°So, what did you want to ask me?¡±


    After pondering for a brief moment, Wu Hong looked steadily at Qiao Qingyu, his voice slightly strained, ¡°Perhaps we heard wrong, but these past few days I¡¯ve been thinking that the voices of the man and the woman sounded somewhat like you and Chief Engineer He...¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Three days ago, she and He Xiuyu had indeed entered the Space Device, but that was in an external laboratory. As for talking¡ªof course, there had been conversation.


    Fortunately, having experienced much, Qiao Qingyu managed to keep her composure. Her face showed just the right amount of shock.


    ¡°You must be joking, how could it be the voices of me and He Xiuyu?¡± Qiao Qingyu paused, ¡°We did visit the Qiao Family Team recently, but we didn¡¯t go to your place.¡±


    A trace of confusion flickered across Wu Hong¡¯s eyes, ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure because the voices sounded extremely distant at the time, and I couldn¡¯t make out what was being said. But I knew it was a man and a woman.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu quietly breathed a sigh of relief.


    She wasn¡¯t overly worried, it¡¯s just that with the Space Device, there were always too many unknowns, and Qiao Qingyu dared not take it lightly.


    Then Qiao Qingyu directly inquired, ¡°The person suddenly disappeared, did you report it to the police?¡±


    And then added, ¡°By the way, everyone has cell phones, didn¡¯t you make a call?¡±


    ¡°We tried calling, but couldn¡¯t get through; it seemed like there was no signal whatsoever. We haven¡¯t reported to the police yet, you know, the Energy Stone in the basement is known to the relevant departments, but the local police station is still unaware.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you try contacting a responsible person in the relevant departments?¡±


    ¡°We did, this is no trivial matter. We contacted the responsible person in the relevant departments the next day,¡± Wu Hong explained.


    Those people also visited the scene, employed advanced equipment, but found no place where a person could hide.


    And Wu Hong and the others insisted that the person had vanished right before their eyes, so the matter was kept within the smallest circle possible, with very few people in the know.


    Wu Hong actually wanted to contact Qiao Qingyu back in Lianjiang Village because the elder had said that these two were people of great fortune, as long as they did no evil, any affair involving them would likely have a favorable outcome.


    But such matters were secret and better discussed in person.


    Thus, he hurried straight to Xichuan.


    At present, it seemed there was no clue, and he felt that being so far removed, Qiao Qingyu and her group couldn¡¯t possibly know or affect the elder¡¯s fate.


    Not to mention, how could their voices be heard in the basement?


    Frowning, Wu Hong sighed and managed a weak smile, realizing that this trip might indeed have been meaningless; he would have to think of other solutions. He then said, ¡°It¡¯s quite cold outside; you should head back, I¡¯m sorry for taking up your time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright, don¡¯t worry too much, your elder might not be in any danger and could return soon.¡±


    A light sparked in Wu Hong¡¯s eyes as if struck by a thought, and he hastily replied, ¡°I appreciate your kind words.¡±


    He also inquired about He Xuerong¡¯s current situation and then ran to the jeep, opened the door, and took out several paper bags, ¡°These are for the elderly and children; I won¡¯t come in.¡±


    Wu Hong had always been meticulous about etiquette. Whether passing by or visiting on purpose, he never came empty-handed.


    So when Qiao Qingyu unexpectedly saw Wu Hong under the tree with empty hands, she found it a bit odd. Although the two families didn¡¯t have overtly warm interactions, they had an unspoken understanding.

 Chapter 613: 594: The Mysterious Space_2

    Chapter 613: Chapter 594: The Mysterious Space_2


    Especially Mr. Wu, he didn¡¯t like him, but he didn¡¯t hate him either.


    Qiao Qingyu took the paper bag, watched Wu Hong drive the jeep away at high speed, and turned around only to see He Xiuyu standing not far away.


    Qiao Qingyu stamped her foot, grabbed her things, and ran towards him, saying as she approached, ¡°It¡¯s quite cold today.¡±


    ¡°If you knew it was cold, why didn¡¯t you bring the person in to talk?¡± He Xiuyu said with displeasure as he warmed her hands.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t talk much; he came and left in a hurry,¡± explained Qiao Qingyu.


    After returning home, Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t explain the situation to He Xiuyu in detail right away because it was not convenient.


    He Xiuyu didn¡¯t ask. When they were alone, Qiao Qingyu quietly told He Xiuyu all about the matter Wu Hong had discussed with her.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly, and after a few breaths, he stood up, closed the door of the room, and said in a low voice, ¡°Let¡¯s go into the space.¡±


    This time, they entered the periphery of the Space Device¡¯s laboratory.


    The place where they always appeared never changed; one could say it was as though they were standing outside a courtyard, with their house behind them, but surrounded by walls with locked gates, and they stood outside the wall.


    Furthermore, the wall here was different from those around a solitary courtyard: to the north lay the end of the Space Device, and the same was true on the east and west sides. The ground beneath them was formed from a vast accumulation of Energy Stones.


    Wooden items could be brought in, so not far away was a laboratory without electricity, but it was always daytime, although no sun could be seen, nor blue sky or white clouds¡ªjust another space that transcended the world of today.


    Another point to mention is that they could bring their cellphones in here, but using them to make or receive calls was impossible in this place.


    The two stood still, looking around left and right.


    There was nothing different from usual.


    Thinking, Qiao Qingyu said, ¡°I thought back to the time when the elder of the Zhang Family disappeared, at that time, we were both in the laboratory.¡±


    The two exchanged glances, and He Xiuyu pondered, ¡°That is to say, the Energy Stones in these two places have still produced some kind of connection unknown to us at present. Perhaps at that moment, the energy wave generated by the Energy Stones caused some spatial matter to change. It¡¯s like a radio wave linking two places, and then they heard us talking...¡±


    Even He Xiuyu spoke with an uncertain tone in his voice.


    Because even Wu Hong could not guarantee 100% at this moment that the voices of a man and a woman they heard belonged to He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu.


    Now, the hypothesis He Xiuyu proposed actually made some sense, and Qiao Qingyu¡¯s gaze suddenly shifted towards the east.


    Naturally, He Xiuyu also directed his gaze towards that place, and in the next second, his eyebrows twitched, ¡°Stay here, I¡¯m going to check it out.¡±


    Afterwards, He Xiuyu strode towards the direction they both had just seen.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t insist, and she went back to the laboratory again, revisited the scene at the time, then stepped out of the laboratory again to look at He Xiuyu in the distance.


    He stood at a spot that seemed to have a crack.


    Qiao Qingyu asked him, ¡°Did you see anything?¡±


    He Xiuyu turned his head and waved her off.


    After that, he remained standing in the distance, seemingly researching something.


    At this moment, the two of them still did not know what kind of scene was on the other side of the spot where He Xiuyu stood.


    If one were to look down from the highest place, one would see that the Space Device was constructed in a tic-tac-toe grid pattern, with the center box being the current laboratory of He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu.


    The eastern grid was another space, no different from this one, except there was no laboratory.


    The surrounding walls, made of an unknown substance, looked like fog, but upon closer examination, one would realize your hand could not penetrate it; the walls were very hard, high, and smooth, making climbing impossible.


    The ground was still covered in a large amount of Energy Stones, no different from inside the center box.


    However, this place was not enclosed, having walls on only three sides, with an exit at the forefront.


    The area covered by the Energy Stones was vast, nearly 1000 square meters, and in the middle, at this time, there was actually a person crouching.


    With a dagger in hand, he was digging out Energy Stones.

 Chapter 614: 594: The Mysterious Space_3

    Chapter 614: Chapter 594: The Mysterious Space_3


    This person turned out to be the ancient ancestor of the Zhang Family that Wu Hong had mentioned, who had suddenly disappeared.


    The dagger was something he carried with him, and at that time, following routine, four people once again visited the basement for inspection. It was always a pity that so many Energy Stones could not be utilized by them. Moreover, touching the Energy Stones indeed brought joy to the heart and comfort to the body.


    Yet they dared not wear the Energy Stones on their person.


    Therefore, it was necessary to go down and check every day. That day was the same, when they heard an intermittent male and a female voice in the room; the direction was unclear, and what they were saying was indiscernible, but somehow familiar.


    At the time, the ancient ancestor of the Zhang Family was overjoyed. He believed that it was likely that a gate to another world had opened, or perhaps their cultivation had truly reached a certain realm, and the gate to the Immortal Realm had opened for them.


    Thinking of this possibility, he was too excited. Before he had a chance to share his thoughts with the other three, he stepped forward. The next moment, darkness enveloped his vision, followed by a burst of light; he found himself standing in this space.


    Here, the cellphone in his pocket had no signal at all.


    Trying to contact the outside world was impossible, but deep down he was pretty certain that this was another world. The ancient ancestor of the Zhang Family was, of course, shocked and ecstatic¡ªit was indeed an extraordinary encounter. Moreover, the ground here was covered with Energy Stones; it seemed like the peak of a mountain, or as if the entire land had been paved with Energy Stones.


    He first observed for a while, looking towards the exit and never imagined that the exit would lead to the real world.


    Because he was not wearing much, he did not expect it to be the cold winter outside, with heavy snow falling down. He stood at the exit, looking at the sky and land, everything a vast expanse of silvery white. In the distance, he could see the outline of mountains, and more abundantly, vast primeval forests¡ªjust wind, snow, and bone-chilling cold.


    After taking only a few steps outside, the ancient ancestor of the Zhang Family hurriedly retreated.


    He did not know how long he had been there, but before he started to dig up Energy Stones with his dagger, he had observed almost everything here and confirmed that this was indeed another space, although he did not know where.


    He also did not know why this space would have something similar to a space-time gate.


    The ancient ancestor of the Zhang Family was rather calm. After wandering around for a while without much of a find, he began to study the weather outside. Then he discovered it was always icy and snowy, with temperatures about minus fifty or sixty degrees Celsius. With his current physique, even if he wore a cotton coat for warmth, he could not last more than a few minutes outside. So with no other option, the ancient ancestor of the Zhang Family began to dig up Energy Stones.


    When he dug up the first Energy Stone, he thought for a moment and then threw it out into a pile of snow where it sank and disappeared from sight.


    There were still no changes around; no signs of human habitation, no cities or villages.


    He did not know if he would be trapped here forever, nor did he know if he would suddenly be transported away¡ªbut having lived to his age, he was cautious about life yet not afraid of death. The unknown fascinated and attracted his soul. He thought, if he could get the Energy Stones out, that would be a good thing.


    The reason there weren¡¯t significant energy waves in the basement was probably because there were so few of those stones.


    The ancient ancestor of the Zhang Family was quite insightful; even at home, he always carried essential things with him. So there was a watch on his wrist, a cellphone in his pocket, and a dagger for self-defense, as well as a set of tools hanging on his belt, made of fine steel, very small and handy for many uses.


    The Energy Stones on the ground could be pried up with a flick of the dagger, though the larger ones were more difficult to lever up. He gathered all these items in one place.


    But he felt tired and lay down to sleep.


    While he slept, the ancient ancestor of the Zhang Family did not know that the outside world had changed.


    The snow melted, spring came, life revived, and the greenery flourished.


    Then another winter came, the cycle repeated, no one knew for how many years.


    Gradually, there were signs of human activity here, and as spring turned to fall, the place became a small town. Then, a young man discovered a stone, thought it pretty, and put it in his pocket.


    The young man wore a magua, a traditional Chinese overcoat, and sported a braided queue.


    His last name was Yuan, and he was the eldest son of the county magistrate of the nearby city.

 Chapter 615: 595: Outsiders, Out!

    Chapter 615: Chapter 595: Outsiders, Out!


    The young master from the Yuan family was not in good health and spent years bedridden. On the day he found the stone, he had been feeling particularly gloomy, so with the support of his attendants, he went outdoors to brighten his mood and happened upon the stone.


    He believed it might be a piece of jade because when he held it in his palm, he felt a unique comfort throughout his body. Thus, he wore it on his person.


    After that, his health gradually improved. Later, he married and had children, and the item continued to be handed down as a family heirloom through the generations, even as dynasties changed.


    Seasons shifted and time flew by, and the stone was eventually hung around the neck of Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s grandfather. Yuan Hengzhi had been frail as a child, often suffering from inexplicable fevers, but once he wore the stone, his body started to grow stronger day by day.


    Of course, only Yuan Hengzhi¡¯s grandfather knew about this within the Yuan family. However, the old man had passed away, and how the stone was originally found had ceased to be mentioned over the years.


    Even Yuan Hengzhi himself had forgotten the occasional stories his grandfather used to tell him.


    In any case, this was a valuable heirloom, beneficial to any family member who was unwell.


    But these details are an aside.


    Moving on, after the Zhang Family elder woke up, he was pleasantly surprised to find himself in a place he recognized well.


    He knew it all too well, in fact. In recent years, he often stayed there with Wu Hong and several other Zhang Family elders, and even He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu had visited.


    What was strange, though, was the absence of Energy Stones¡ªthere was no altar they had meticulously arranged for the stones.


    Yet, it seemed to be the site of a naturally occurring formation.


    The place was exceptionally quiet, and the Zhang Family elder did not dare step into it immediately, furrowing his brow in thought, wondering what exactly was going on. Despite his confusion, he couldn¡¯t deny feeling a deep appreciation for such an extraordinary experience and did not feel too panicked or fearful.


    He had other concerns now. He thought, since this door had opened, he might soon leave this space or perhaps vanish from it altogether. In any case, before he took his last breath, he resolved to gather as many stones as he could.


    Even if he perished, his family had other descendants, especially Wu Hong, who would continue leading the Zhang Family forward. After settling his intent, the Zhang Family elder began to dig for stones with all his might, using their outer garments to carry the stones and then placing them in the middle of the underground cellar.


    Meanwhile, He Xiuyu suddenly widened his eyes in an expression rarely seen on this reserved and composed man.


    He quickly turned and called over to Qiao Qingyu, who had been studying the west wall on the opposite side.


    Qiao Qingyu hurried over, standing next to He Xiuyu. At that moment, an unknown material seemed to faintly reveal a slit in the wall. Behind the slit was a glow of light, and through the crack, they could clearly see the Zhang Family elder digging with a dagger.


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    The scene was rather horrifying.


    He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu instinctively held their breaths. It was apparent that even when the Zhang Family elder paused to rest and scope out his surroundings, he did not see the two of them. They sighed a slight relief, but for caution¡¯s sake, still refrained from speaking.


    The reality before them informed the pair that the missing Zhang Family elder had appeared inside the Space Device. So, was this related to those Energy Stones again?


    But what should they do now?


    The two of them were uncertain of the consequences that the old man¡¯s tireless digging of Energy Stones might bring.


    They watched as the Zhang Family elder quickly carried a bundle of stones toward a small door-like area opposite them. From their distant vantage point, the details were unclear.


    But that place was likely another world, different from this one.


    Where could that other world be?


    Qiao Qingyu really wanted to step through and take a look, and at that moment, she truly didn¡¯t care if the Zhang Family elder knew she had access to this world. Since he could enter, naturally, others might as well.


    Who knew where this was.


    However, the two could only peer at the opposite space through the small crack; they were unable to do anything else, definitely not cross over.


    Unable to resist any longer, Qiao Qingyu prepared to use her telekinesis to try and make the elder leave.

 Chapter 616: 595: Outsiders, Get Out!_2

    Chapter 616: Chapter 595: Outsiders, Get Out!_2


    She clasped his hand, still in need, and softly closed her eyes.


    He Xiuyu had no idea what she was doing, but he quietly lowered his gaze to watch Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu was silently chanting, ¡°Outsiders, leave!¡±


    After finishing the sentence, she opened her eyes, and the two of them looked across again, then both were full of shock.


    He had disappeared¡ªthe old ancestor from the Zhang Family, who had just been there mining Energy Stones, was gone!


    On the ground, you could vaguely make out the bottoms of large and small stones that had been pried open.


    But there weren¡¯t many, after all, those stones weren¡¯t that easy to knock off.


    Then, the two of them watched as the small door across them snapped shut.


    But the gap was still there.


    It was only then that He Xiuyu found time to ask Qiao Qingyu, ¡°What did you do just now?¡±


    ¡°...I was just thinking in my mind, ¡®Outsiders, leave.¡¯ And when I opened my eyes, he really did leave,¡± Qiao Qingyu herself found it unbelievable.


    After a moment of silence, He Xiuyu laughed, ¡°I guess it¡¯s because you¡¯re the owner of the Space Device.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it either. Don¡¯t you think this is really incredible?¡±


    ¡°We can also leave now, and we should be able to wait for Wu Hong¡¯s call.¡± Saying this, He Xiuyu seemed to think of something, and the corners of his mouth actually carried a rare smile, and this smile even had a bit of wicked amusement.


    Qiao Qingyu slapped his arm, ¡°What are you laughing at? Spill it, if you¡¯ve got an idea, tell me quick.¡±


    He Xiuyu couldn¡¯t help but snort with laughter, saying while laughing, ¡°Qingyu, guess if the pile of stones that first appeared in the underground chamber of Lianjiang Village... were actually dug out by the old ancestor of the Zhang Family from your Space Device?¡±


    Though the words were a bit of a tongue-twister, Qiao Qingyu understood immediately, staring at the smiling He Xiuyu, then she couldn¡¯t help but lean into his chest and giggle.


    And truth be told, that was a real possibility.


    Knowing there was nothing abnormal here anymore, the two of them left. It was deathly quiet, and it was now past ten o¡¯clock at night.


    They didn¡¯t know if the old ancestor of the Zhang Family had returned or perhaps had gone somewhere else; in any case, they still had to wait for Wu Hong¡¯s call.


    But it was quite late; they probably wouldn¡¯t call.


    Yet, just as she was thinking this, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s phone started to ring.


    However, after two rings, it abruptly stopped. Looking at the phone number, it was actually Wu Hong.


    Qiao Qingyu sighed with relief. No matter what, the old ancestor of the Zhang Family had shown them a great deal of kindness, so she also didn¡¯t want to accidentally send someone to some inexplicable place.


    But at that moment, Qiao Qingyu truly realized that the Space Period was indeed hers. She was the queen; she could invite whoever she wanted in, and whoever she wanted out must leave immediately.


    And no one else knew.


    He Xiuyu pulled over the blanket and nestled his wife in his arms, whispering, ¡°Sleep, sleep, my queen!¡±


    The He Xiuyu who spoke had laughter in his voice, and it was rare indeed to see him so relaxed.


    No one had expected this.


    But whether it was true still waited on Wu Hong¡¯s call.


    Unexpectedly, the next morning, Wu Hong did call. It seemed that it had been too late the previous night, so although he had called, he had immediately turned it off as well.


    Wu Hong¡¯s voice was a bit hoarse, ¡°Qingyu, the old ancestor of the Zhang Family has returned. He appeared in the underground chamber last night, but by that time, he had already passed out.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was a bit anxious, ¡°How is he? Did you take him to the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s been checked by a doctor. It¡¯s just some mental exhaustion, nothing else seems to be wrong for now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± But since Qiao Qingyu already knew about this affair, she didn¡¯t shy away from asking, ¡°This is so strange, did he tell you where he went, what happened to him?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s question sounded calm, but it was indeed probing because she knew the inside story.


    Unexpectedly, Wu Hong was fairly honest, not detailing too much about the space, but he essentially told Qiao Qingyu what happened to the old ancestor of the Zhang Family.


    That was normal after all. They didn¡¯t have a particularly good relationship, how could you expect him to spill everything, keeping nothing back?


    But, it also indirectly proved that Wu Hong, despite his many schemes, was still quite honest with them.

 Chapter 617: 595: Outsiders, Get Out!_3

    Chapter 617: Chapter 595: Outsiders, Get Out!_3


    Qiao Qingyu appropriately exhibited shock.


    On the phone, Wu Hong¡¯s voice was somewhat complex as he said, ¡°You probably can¡¯t even imagine that the pile of stones... those inexplicably existing stones in the basement, they were actually brought there by our old ancestor himself.¡±


    ¡°How could that be possible?¡± Qiao Qingyu appropriately expressed her disbelief.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s a long story and not easily explained, but the old ancestor also mentioned that initially, right outside his door was a landscape of icy tundra, and he didn¡¯t know where it was. Anyway, there were mountains and forests, and it was heavily snowing, so he just casually threw a stone out there.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also confused and at a loss now. Who knows where that stone ended up, or maybe it still hasn¡¯t been discovered by anyone.¡±


    After a few more sentences, the call ended.


    But after hanging up the phone, Wu Hong felt that what the old ancestor said was correct. Look, after he had told Qiao Qingyu about this matter, that very same night, the old ancestor returned.


    And from leaving Xichuan to getting home, it took only a little over an hour.


    Despite being very tired, he was still very excited. After all, this proved that there indeed was another world beyond our own.


    It¡¯s just that the other world was too small, not a place where people could live.


    It was very likely akin to what the old ancestor narrated about the ring space of a cultivator.


    He excitedly ran to find the Zhang Family¡¯s old ancestor again, and at that time, the most important members of the family surrounded him, listening to the excited elder describe his extraordinary adventure.


    Of course, the old ancestor himself was very pleased.


    Although he did not go to the Immortal Realm, he realized their perseverance was justified, and what was amusing was that the stone turned out to be one he had mined himself.


    One might say, fate in this world indeed has its cycles.


    So, it came full circle and returned to the same point.


    Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu went to work together, laughing about this incident on their way, but He Xiuyu analyzed that the stone might very well have ended up with the Yuan Family.


    Otherwise, there was no good explanation for the stone Yuan Hengzhi wore.


    ...


    After the winter, the Agricultural Group¡¯s base was not as busy as it during the spring and autumn, but the breeding base and the greenhouses were still bustling.


    The office at Pingliang Dam had been withdrawn, so Liu Ying came back.


    Her work was impeccable, so she was reassigned to logistics according to her position as an office director.


    Liu Ying breathed a sigh of relief.


    She was genuinely worried she wouldn¡¯t be able to return.


    This time, she became much more cautious and dared not bring up Zhou Pengcheng and He Xuerong again.


    Meanwhile, she genuinely resented her situation deep down. It was truly a case of ¡®a fallen tiger being bullied by dogs¡¯; if it had been the old her, who would dare to treat her like this?


    Liu Ying harbored these resentful thoughts deep in her heart.


    Especially when she saw those she once looked down upon having a better life than her, it made her feel quite unbalanced.


    After this incident, He Xiuyu also realized that the Space Device was not safe.


    What if one day they were inside the Space Device and others inexplicably barged in? What would they do then?


    However, Qiao Qingyu was the master of the Space Device and had absolute control here. Currently, it seemed unlikely that such a scenario would occur.


    Nevertheless, He Xiuyu accelerated his research efforts.


    Only when they completely uncovered the secrets of the Space Device would it truly become Qiao Qingyu¡¯s own.


    Otherwise, it was still very dangerous.


    ...


    As winter departed and spring arrived, years passed.


    He Xuerong, who was about to take the college entrance examination this year, walked down the street with her brother, Chaoxuan, and Li Mingguang, who were also in school.


    Li Mingguang, now nearly 1.8 meters tall, glanced sideways at He Xuerong.


    In recent years, aside from night study sessions, he seldom did homework with Rongrong.


    Because they lived far apart, there were fewer chances for them to walk home together.


    Furthermore, He Xuerong always had someone pick her up after night study.


    But that was no matter.


    Li Mingguang wouldn¡¯t fuss over such trivialities.


    Yet, Rongrong remained uncertain about which university she wanted to apply to, merely saying she needed to think it over.


    He planned to attend the same university as Rongrong.


    For that goal, he had been working hard, even harder than others.


    ¡°Rongrong, still undecided?¡±


    Li Mingguang asked He Xuerong.


    He Xuerong looked up at Li Mingguang and responded with a question, ¡°Where do you want to go?¡±


    Li Mingguang answered naturally, ¡°I¡¯ll go anywhere you go.¡±


    He Xuerong frowned, ¡°Don¡¯t you have any thoughts of your own?¡±


    Li Mingguang looked at He Xuerong, somewhat puzzled as to why she would say that...

 Chapter 618: 596: She Wouldnt Mind Having Ten More of Her

    Chapter 618: Chapter 596: She Wouldn¡¯t Mind Having Ten More of Her


    He Xuerong looked at Li Mingguang, puzzled, and stomped her foot in frustration.


    But unexpectedly, she stepped on Chaoxuan¡¯s foot, causing him to yelp and jump up, ¡°Sister, why did you step on me?¡±


    He Xuerong quickly placated him, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it was an accident. Does it hurt?¡±


    Chaoxuan glanced suspiciously at He Xuerong, then at Li Mingguang, and pouted, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it doesn¡¯t hurt that much.¡±


    Li Mingguang immediately picked up Chaoxuan, holding his backpack with his left hand and placing Chaoxuan on his shoulder with his right, then sprinted toward the He Family¡¯s direction.


    While running, he said, ¡°Brother will carry you, it¡¯s all right...¡±


    Then, Chaoxuan¡¯s laughter echoed down the street.


    He obviously enjoyed being carried around like that.


    When He Xuerong returned, she confided in Qiao Qingyu quietly, ¡°Little aunt, why doesn¡¯t Xiao Hu have any opinions of his own?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at the young girl standing gracefully in front of her, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Whatever university I apply for, he wants to apply too. Doesn¡¯t he have any ideas of his own? His grades are good enough for many universities, and he is physically fit; he could even get into military academies,¡± He Xuerong said in a complaining tone.


    ¡°Wait, do you want him to attend a military academy?¡±


    ¡°Little aunt, you can¡¯t say that. Who am I to him? Can I just dictate where he should go? I was only speaking hypothetically,¡± He Xuerong became a bit flustered and her cheeks flushed with annoyance.


    Qiao Qingyu stopped teasing her and soothed her, ¡°Is it worth getting so upset over this? Xiao Hu grew up with you; you know what kind of kid he is. He¡¯s like your little shadow; of course, he wants to go to the same university as you.¡±


    ¡°He shouldn¡¯t choose a university just to be with me; he should follow his own desires.¡±


    Hmm, it was the first time Qiao Qingyu had heard He Xuerong say something like this. She looked at He Xuerong seriously, realizing that the girl meant what she said quite earnestly.


    She suddenly felt a bit of a toothache.


    It wasn¡¯t that she expected the two kids to develop romantic feelings; after all, they were still young and hadn¡¯t experienced anything special. They had grown up safely, which also means changes were bound to happen. So, Qiao Qingyu truly had no particular expectations; just let nature take its course.


    Although she privately thought Li Mingguang was a truly fine boy, and he matched well with He Xuerong knowing each other¡¯s backgrounds.


    But now He Xuerong seemed to have opinions about Li Mingguang.


    ¡°So you think Xiao Hu lacks opinion, is that what you mean?¡± Qiao Qingyu pondered for a moment before asking.


    He Xuerong lowered her head in silence, apparently conceding to Qiao Qingyu¡¯s statement.


    Glancing out the window, she noticed Li Mingguang had already left after putting Chaoxuan down.


    ¡°Rongrong, have you told Xiao Hu which university you want to apply to?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided myself.¡±


    He Xiuyu hesitated for a moment before still telling Qiao Qingyu.


    ¡°No matter what, you are going to attend one of our country¡¯s top universities for sure, so whichever university you choose, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem for Xiao Hu to apply there too.¡±


    ¡°But I still hope he has his own wishes. Like me, for instance, I am also considering several universities in Beijing.¡±


    ¡°Actually, there¡¯s no rush. We can discuss it after the entrance exams are over,¡± Qiao Qingyu suggested.


    ¡°Mhm.¡± He Xuerong nodded lightly.


    ¡°Rongrong, you and Xiao Hu have been playing together since you were little and know each other very well. If you have your own ideas, you can tell him. Xiao Hu is smart, but sometimes boys¡¯ minds can be a bit crude; he might not figure it out.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say that. He would definitely be hurt if I did. He would think I don¡¯t want to go to the same university as him.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the case?¡± Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t help but retort.


    He Xuerong immediately countered, ¡°Not really. I would like to go to the same university as him, but only if he genuinely wants to go there himself. Besides those, I¡¯m even considering whether to go to Police University or Agricultural University. After graduation, I could work with you, little aunt.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    She had never instilled such an idea in He Xuerong. If Liu Ge or Meng Siqi found out, they would definitely blame her for influencing He Xuerong.


    After all, with her grades, she could surely aim for top-tier universities. In their eyes, Agricultural University was regarded as a second-tier institution; they would expect her to aim for the most prestigious universities.

 Chapter 619: 596: She Wouldnt Mind Ten More of Her_2

    Chapter 619: Chapter 596: She Wouldn¡¯t Mind Ten More of Her_2


    ¡°You¡¯re joking with your little aunt, aren¡¯t you?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked with a smile.


    ¡°Little aunt, I¡¯m not joking,¡± He Xuerong responded, her eyes sparkling, ¡°These past few years, everyone thought I would apply to Qinghua or B University, but what I¡¯ve really been thinking about the most is applying to Imperial Agricultural University.¡±


    ¡°In that case, you¡¯ll have to consider it carefully. The majors at the Agricultural University are quite specialized, and after graduation, unless you go to the Ministry of Agriculture, you will likely end up working at the grassroots level. Of course, there¡¯s also the Agricultural Research Institute, but overall, it¡¯s very tough.¡±


    ¡°Little aunt, I¡¯m not afraid of hard work. I actually really like it,¡±


    Qiao Qingyu looked at the child she had practically raised by herself, feeling a blend of complex emotions. This child definitely was not saying this just to please her; she truly wanted to go to the Agricultural University, her eyes were even sparkling when she talked about it.


    In fact, they had already discussed this last year. However, her family naturally prioritized her wishes regarding her choice of university. This child was pretty, and she also had a great singing voice; she could have gone to the film academy.


    Of course, except for Liu Ge, everyone else was against the film academy.


    However, through all the discussions, nobody suggested that she should apply to the Agricultural University.


    Qiao Qingyu suddenly realized something, looking at He Xuerong, ¡°Rongrong, you might be feeling conflicted because you want to apply to the Agricultural University, and you think it¡¯s not ideal for Li Mingguang, right?¡±


    Although He Xuerong did not nod, her expression let Qiao Qingyu know that she had indeed guessed her concerns correctly.


    If He Xuerong applied to the Agricultural University, then Li Mingguang would also want to apply there. Getting admitted was certain; every year, the Agricultural University enrolls about ten students from this area in Xichuan.


    But the real problem was whether Sister-in-law Li would agree to Xiao Hu applying to the Agricultural University.


    Despite her being in charge of the agriculture sector, she might not actually like the idea of her own child getting into this field. Qiao Qingyu herself felt the same way initially; she wasn¡¯t very supportive when she heard that He Xuerong wanted to apply to the Agricultural University.


    This line of work really is very tough.


    ¡°Have you decided?¡± Qiao Qingyu asked He Xuerong.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet,¡± He Xuerong sighed, ¡°I¡¯ll see after I finish my exams.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu continued chatting with He Xuerong while she rolled out a large round sheet of dough; they were going to have boiled noodles today.


    Since Chaoxuan started school, Wu Qian Yun had left the family compound with Qiao Zhicai to stay by Wu Xiucai¡¯s side. As Wu Xiucai was getting older, although he was healthy, he needed someone to take care of him.


    These three elders were now living in Yun City, Qiao Qingyu¡¯s elder brother and sister-in-law¡¯s store selling northern specialty products in Yun City had expanded into a supermarket, earning a good income each year. Now, these two people have really changed a lot, appearing much more vibrant.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Mubao had finished his master¡¯s degree and was preparing to start a PhD.


    The family didn¡¯t need him to earn money to support them; as long as he wanted to study, his family wholeheartedly supported him.


    While speaking of which, Qiao Qingyu had been at the base for over a decade now, and their residential area hadn¡¯t changed much¡ªcentral heating, running water, and large front and back yards were provided, and it was quiet. The leaders didn¡¯t plan to demolish the houses to build apartment buildings.


    Qiao Qingyu herself really liked living in this kind of house too.


    She had lived in high-rise buildings before, but honestly, they weren¡¯t as nice as this small courtyard.


    Now, Qiao Qingyu had to prepare all three meals by herself, as He Xiuyu was the one who cooked when he was home. Recently, Chu Ying had been busy, and with the college entrance exams approaching rapidly, Rongrong decided to stay at her uncle¡¯s place.


    In the evenings when both of them got off work, they helped her highlight key points and catch up on her studies.


    Dinner was always catered to the child¡¯s preferences, focusing on brain and nutritional supplements. It was essential to eat well and stay healthy. Indeed, the standard of living had improved; with abundant resources and money in hand, even in Xichuan, you could find almost anything you wanted in New City.


    Because of the use of greenhouses in winter, fresh chili peppers were already available in the market.


    Qiao Qingyu had bought fresh pork, chopped it into dices, and with chili and broad bean paste, made a big bowl of spicy minced pork.


    The quality of the wheat had also improved after being bred, boasting great elasticity and a particularly nice aroma.


    Qiao Qingyu had finished cutting the noodles and placed them on the strainer; at the other end, He Xuerong was already urging Chaoxuan to wash up and get ready for the meal.


    Soon, the door to the courtyard was pushed open¡ªHe Xiuyu was home from work too.

 Chapter 620: 596: She Wouldnt Mind Ten More of Her_3

    Chapter 620: Chapter 596: She Wouldn¡¯t Mind Ten More of Her_3


    He Xiuyu lowered his voice while washing his hands in the restroom and said to Qiao Qingyu, ¡°I just ran into Xiao Hu when I came back, why is this kid asking me about which university Rongrong is planning to apply to?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu glanced outside the door and quietly told He Xiuyu that Rongrong was thinking of applying to Agricultural University.


    He Xiuyu was indeed a bit surprised. Given the child¡¯s grades, it really would be a pity for anyone to see her go to Agricultural University.


    Although the entry scores for Agricultural University are not low now, they are already a lot lower compared to those two universities.


    He Xiuyu thought for a moment and then said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it after the exams.¡±


    That was all that could be done.


    Qiao Qingyu mixed cilantro and chili to make chopped chili. The paste was made by Wu Qianyun last year, a full vat, and now half of it had already been eaten.


    However, the paste made by Wu Qianyun had a particularly strong flavor.


    Qiao Qingyu fried some tomatoes and eggs. Yesterday¡¯s cooked pork elbow was compressed under a cotton cloth and then cut into slices, served on a plate with garlic dipping sauce, and everyone helped themselves to another big bowl of noodles.


    The noodle broth wasn¡¯t wasted either; green onions, cilantro, and a little salt were added and served in a porcelain basin.


    The whole table was truly a feast for the senses.


    Before even starting to eat, saliva began to secrete unconsciously in my mouth.


    He Xuerong knew Chu Ying was a good mother. Honestly, since she never tries hard, there¡¯s really nothing awkward about her. It¡¯s just that her cooking skills really aren¡¯t up to par, not even close to the little aunt¡¯s, let alone Grandma¡¯s.


    Usually, she would stay at her uncle¡¯s house and didn¡¯t want to go home.


    So He Xuerong thought about how to tell her parents to have another baby.


    But then again, this was an awkward topic. However, having another brother or sister would indeed be fun. Thinking of this, He Xuerong glanced at Chaoxuan, who was almost burying his face in his bowl.


    This smart yet mischievous little brother, although irritating at times, was genuinely affectionate, adorably so. She wouldn¡¯t mind having ten more like him.


    After dinner, He Xuerong took Chaoxuan to do his homework.


    After Qiao Qingyu finished cleaning up, He Xuerong grabbed Qiao Qingyu¡¯s arm and discussed, ¡°Little aunt, after my college entrance exams, I want to go to Yun City to visit great-grandpa and the grandparents.¡±


    Then she added, ¡°I miss them.¡±


    ¡°If you want to go, that¡¯s fine. Just that it will be very hot in Yun City after your exams.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Great-grandpa told me the new swimming pool is now in use. Doudou and Feifei are already swimming so well.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu, ¡°...¡±


    Grandpa must have done it on purpose.


    ¡°When did you talk to great-grandpa?¡± Qiao Qingyu quirked her eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re quite something, girl. I didn¡¯t even know our house had a swimming pool.¡±


    ¡°You are so busy every day, who would have time to tell you these things.¡± She then continued, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I would like to take Chaoxuan with me.¡±


    Thinking about it, this suggestion wasn¡¯t bad. There would be over a month of summer vacation. She and He Xiuyu were not always at home, and leaving Chaoxuan alone at home would definitely be worrying.


    So they happily decided on it.


    Little Chaoxuan was overjoyed and even began to pack his things.


    ...


    The college entrance examination arrived. Qiao Qingyu took leave, Chu Ying stopped working overtime, and He Xiuwen did the same. Even if there was little they could do, he could accompany the children to the examination venue.


    This time the examination venue was still in Yushu County.


    After the exams, He Xuerong and Li Mingguang estimated their scores; the two were probably about ten points apart.


    At this point, naturally, they had to discuss which universities to apply to. However, with their scores, there was no pressure in choosing any university.


    After dinner, Li Mingguang found an opportunity to speak to He Xuerong, ¡°Rongrong, I¡¯ve thought it through these days. It¡¯s not that you don¡¯t want to go to the same university as me. You just want me to choose based on what I like, and then be able to study with you. Actually, I thought about it, with your scores, whatever school it is, it¡¯s also where I want to go. But if I really had to say which I especially want to go to, there are two schools...¡±


    He Xuerong¡¯s eyes shone as she watched Li Mingguang. It wasn¡¯t easy, but this rascal finally understood her painstaking efforts.


    ¡°Quick, tell me which two schools?¡± He Xuerong urged eagerly.


    ¡°One is Imperial Agricultural University...¡± Li Mingguang said deliberately slowly.

 Chapter 621: 597: Suspension with Pay Retention?

    Chapter 621: Chapter 597: Suspension with Pay Retention?


    He Xuerong¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, and she couldn¡¯t help but cover her mouth with her hand. At this moment, she even wondered if little aunt had shared her thoughts with Li Mingguang, then dismissed the notion. Little aunt wasn¡¯t that kind of person; she wouldn¡¯t talk about it.


    So it must be his true feelings.


    She couldn¡¯t help but asked, ¡°Why do you want to go to the Agricultural University?¡±


    Li Mingguang scratched his head, ¡°There¡¯s no particular reason. I¡¯ve been exposed a lot to this field over the years. Our country¡¯s economic development is important, but in the end, you¡¯ll find, agriculture remains the most important. It¡¯s the nation¡¯s foundation as well as the foundation of people¡¯s livelihood. It¡¯s definitely going to be like this in the future. I think learning about it couldn¡¯t hurt, and I could even work with my mom or Aunt Qiao in the future...¡±


    He Xuerong¡¯s eyes sparkled, proud of her playmate for thinking so similarly.


    However, Li Mingguang had mentioned that there were two universities he was especially interested in, one of which was Imperial Agricultural University.


    ¡°And the other one?¡± He Xuerong asked curiously.


    Li Mingguang replied, ¡°The other one is Imperial Capital Medical University.¡±


    Go figure, these two schools were indeed different from what everyone expected them to attend.


    Li Mingguang¡¯s aspirations seemed a bit scattered; one in agriculture, the other in medicine.


    ¡°Xiao Hu, have you discussed this with Aunt Li and the others?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. My mom probably won¡¯t manage me, but my dad might have some opinions. He would prefer me to go to B University.¡± He paused, then continued, ¡°He also said B University was his dream school back in the day. He hopes I can fulfill that dream for him.¡±


    This was normal. Many parents placed their hopes on their children, wishing their children could achieve what they themselves did not.


    The two of them squatting in the corner analyzed the situation and found their families did tend to prefer those two universities.


    Now that she knew Li Mingguang¡¯s true intentions, He Xuerong stopped worrying and laughed carefree like in the old days, pushing Li Mingguang as she brought up summer plans, ¡°After submitting our university choices, I¡¯m going to Yun City, and I¡¯m bringing Chaoxuan along this time. Are you going?¡±


    Li Mingguang¡¯s eyes lit up; he nodded eagerly, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m going! Just follow my lead. I can help carry bags, take pictures for you...¡±


    While that was said, Li Mingguang didn¡¯t make it to Yun City because Zhou Xiaoqin, on her way to the farm, fell into a ditch while riding her bicycle and broke her leg.


    Now she was recuperating at home. Fortunately, spring plowing was already over, and although there was a summer harvest, Qiao Qingyu was overseeing it, which allowed her to rest at home.


    Sending He Xuerong and Chaoxuan to the station was Secretary Chang.


    With Secretary Chang there, Qiao Qingyu was truly relieved.


    Secretary Chang was enjoying his success; he actually did win Xiao Wei over within three years, and the couple had already registered their marriage. They hadn¡¯t had a wedding feast, but Zhou Zijiao had a good impression of Secretary Chang and didn¡¯t object to her mother finding her happiness. As for Zhou Pengcheng, he didn¡¯t care much as he had become a special forces soldier in the military and seldom came home.


    But he often wrote letters to Li Mingguang and He Xuerong.


    When Zhou Hai found out Xiao Wei got married, and the groom was the young, handsome, and wealthy Secretary Chang, he drank heavily and locked himself in his room with a bottle, crying bitterly.


    After the tears dried, life had to go on.


    As for Zhou Ruoruo, her scores were nearly the same as Li Mingguang¡¯s, and she had no objections; she applied to both universities.


    The system of university choice back then differed from the later parallel application system: submit the choices first, then receive the scores.


    Zhao Yuan still hadn¡¯t been able to return to the family quarters to study. He had entered a certain university of science and technology, the alma mater of He Xiuyu, and planned to work at Tenghai Research after graduation.


    So Zhao Zhiqiang honestly stayed at the Tenghai Base.


    It appeared he had no other intentions.


    Yet, following this round of examinations, nearly two dozen kids from the base¡¯s family quarters went their separate ways.


    Almost all the children living in the eastern district were going away to study.


    Qiao Qingyu was very sentimental about this, looking at herself in the mirror again and again; her reflection revealed a fair complexion, still delicate and beautiful.


    He Xiuyu too leaned in; the mirror wasn¡¯t big enough for the two of them. Qiao Qingyu pushed his face aside with a sigh, ¡°I still remember when we first came to the base, Rongrong was just a little girl. Now in the blink of an eye, she¡¯s grown up and about to be a university student. I feel like I¡¯ve aged myself.¡±

 Chapter 622: 597: Suspension with Pay Retention?_2

    Chapter 622: Chapter 597: Suspension with Pay Retention?_2


    He Xiuyu looked at his wife seriously.


    He said earnestly, ¡°You don¡¯t look old at all; you still look like you¡¯re eighteen.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu playfully hit He Xiuyu on the shoulder. Although she was pleased inside, she still said, ¡°Eighteen? Our son is already seven years old.¡±


    As she moved the mirror aside, she spoke with gravity, ¡°Why was the resignation report I submitted rejected? Didn¡¯t we both agree on this earlier?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu had handed in a resignation letter after Rongrong¡¯s college entrance examinations were over. She currently held a formal position at Tenghai Research Base, and her resignation letter was, in fact, for unpaid leave, which was the most fashionable thing to do at the moment.


    Many people from within the system were going into business while keeping their official status through unpaid leave. Currently, there was no talk of actual resignation.


    Wu Xiucai was getting on in years; his health was robust, but he was no longer as vigorous. She had once suggested that her grandfather transfer all his business to Wu Tai and his son.


    But Wu Xiucai disagreed. He knew that family was decent, kind-hearted, unlike that old rascal.


    Somehow that old rascal had managed to hang on to life, but he had fallen seriously ill, now struggling to survive. Yet even so, he was unwilling to hand over his business to his descendants.


    Wu Tai also firmly disagreed. Even though he had once been covetous of the business, his attitude changed after experiencing so much. Especially remembering his little aunt who had taught him to read and write with love and care, he held no interest in the business. All he wanted was to follow his uncle¡¯s wishes and do everything within his power to make his uncle happy and relieved.


    Thanks to China¡¯s reform and opening up in recent years, he had made a lot of money. Honestly, the wealth he had amassed was enough for his children to squander.


    So now, the only suitable successor was Qiao Qingyu.


    But Tenghai Base wasn¡¯t letting her go.


    They had sent her resignation letter back again.


    The room was rather warm, and neither had turned on the fan. He Xiuyu casually picked up a fan, rested a hand on his forehead, and fanned his wife lying on the bamboo cooling mat, saying leisurely, ¡°Once you submitted your resignation letter, it really caused quite a stir. Some sincerely want you to stay, while others are eyeing your position. A lot of people are now making their moves behind the scenes.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu showed interest, half-closing her eyes to ask, ¡°Who are they?¡± Before He Xiuyu could answer, she continued, ¡°I bet Liu Ying is among them.¡±


    He Xiuyu nodded, ¡°Naturally, she couldn¡¯t be absent, but she¡¯s not suitable. Not to mention me, the Zhang Family and Ye Family from Beijing would not let her get her way.¡±


    Not seeking vengeance was already very magnanimous and kind-hearted of those two families.


    He Xiuyu suggested, ¡°There¡¯s no rush on this; let¡¯s discuss it later.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu was not in a hurry, but Wu Xiucai was urging her because the old Mr. Wu was planning to relocate the headquarters, although he had not yet decided where.


    It was still the Wulong Group, with companies under its banner such as grain and oil firms, woolen mills, medicinal herb processing plants, chemical plants, and more. There was also a research institute and a shipping company at sea, which served as his unique channel and was not public knowledge.


    The old man was also preparing to venture into real estate, and Qiao Qingyu was supportive of this.


    However, the old man had no plan to retire just yet. He wanted to leave the business to Qiao Qingyu so he could use his remaining years to build schools.


    He wanted to build schools for children in remote mountain areas and construct roads for them to travel out of the mountains.


    It was a grand ideal, a great plan, something to try that would require a massive amount of manpower, materials, and financial resources, but it was what the old man wanted to do most at the moment.


    His business ideals were intended for Qiao Qingyu to carry out.


    He himself was planning to invest in education.


    Then Qiao Qingyu, after much deliberation, submitted her resignation.


    Qiao Qingyu sighed contentedly, saying, ¡°I never thought I¡¯d become so coveted.¡±


    He Xiuyu smiled, reached out, and pinched his wife¡¯s fair cheek before saying, ¡°You¡¯ve worked very hard these years. I would actually prefer if you didn¡¯t do anything and just took a good rest at home.¡±


    After thinking it over, Qiao Qingyu suddenly suggested, ¡°What do you think about relocating the headquarters to Xichuan?¡±


    That way, she wouldn¡¯t have to be apart from He Xiuyu, and she could also take care of the family and children.


    ¡°It¡¯s not quite suitable; Xichuan is booming now, but geographically, it¡¯s still somewhat remote.¡±

 Chapter 623: 597: Suspension with Pay Retention?_3

    Chapter 623: Chapter 597: Suspension with Pay Retention?_3


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem. Nowadays, roads crisscross everywhere, and soon the trains will be faster. Building another airport in Xichuan shouldn¡¯t be an issue,¡± Qiao Qingyu said excitedly, planning ahead. ¡°In the future, maybe there will be tourist routes developed to the north of Xichuan, so prioritizing transportation infrastructure is definitely a must.¡±


    In private, He Xiuyu hoped that Qiao Qingyu would really set Wulong Group¡¯s headquarters in Xichuan, yet if one considered the long-term development, it was better to be in Beijing¡ªa group¡¯s development wasn¡¯t just about the subordinate factories.


    But if they were set in Beijing, that would mean real separation for him and Qiao Qingyu.


    Deep down, he didn¡¯t want that.


    Of course, the immediate priority was Qiao Qingyu¡¯s request for an unpaid leave, which simply wasn¡¯t approved. To the higher-ups, Qiao Qingyu had made significant contributions over the years in seed breeding and turning deserts into oases. She had a strong foundation and capability in this area, making her the most suitable person to lead at this critical stage of development and construction.


    Some even suggested that maybe Qiao Qingyu felt slighted as a deputy and was trying to force Old Xie out to take over his position.


    Of course, these thoughts were discussed in private and were quickly refuted. They all knew Qiao Qingyu well; she was neither career-obsessed nor power-hunting. On the contrary, she was quite good at delegating power, including technical aspects of seed breeding.


    So thinking of her in such a way was indeed the conjecture of mean-spirited individuals.


    It was a matter of her salary being too low.


    But her salary was now almost on par with Old Xie¡¯s.


    Lack of unity in the leadership team?


    That wasn¡¯t it either. Old Xie¡¯s leadership team, including Zhou Hai, might have minor frictions and disagreements, but they all maintained a big-picture perspective. They were a leadership group greatly appreciated by the superiors, who always encouraged others to learn from them. So, there was no question of disunity.


    The remaining possibility was that Mr. Wu was eager for his granddaughter to take over the family business.


    This guess, therefore, seemed most plausible.


    Consequently, leaders, under the pretext of work inspections, went to speak with Qiao Qingyu in person.


    The visitors were all respected senior leaders who had greatly supported Qiao Qingyu over the years. The success of her work was inseparable from the support from many individuals. Facing them, Qiao Qingyu naturally couldn¡¯t bluntly state her wishes. Seeing the situation, the senior leaders appealed to her emotionally and logically; in truth, she was also reluctant to leave her current project.


    Even though she had made some money in seed breeding, it should be known that those were products of her Space Device. If one were to truly calculate their value, she had been operating at a loss all these years.


    Qiao Qingyu was familiar with Xichuan¡¯s land, not having traversed all of it, but still knowing it like the back of her hand. Such knowledge would have seemed inconceivable to her in the past, but she had truly acquired it now.


    Many were envious, for no one on unpaid leave had been retained by the leadership, particularly by the senior leaders, as frequently as Qiao Qingyu.


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t persist. She agreed not to continue with the unpaid leave and to keep working in Tenghai. However, she did make a request to the senior leaders¡ªto also look after her grandfather¡¯s business.


    The leaders specially convened a meeting that lasted over two hours and, in the end, agreed to her request.


    She would arrange her own time, as long as there was a clear distinction between public duties and private matters, and it didn¡¯t affect her health.


    On her end, Qiao Qingyu called Wu Xiucai and mentioned the situation, her voice apologetic, ¡°Great-grandpa, I didn¡¯t turn it down and will continue to work. However, in a few years, I should be able to hand over this responsibility, so I suggest temporarily setting the headquarters in Xichuan, is that okay?¡±


    On the other end, Wu Xiucai didn¡¯t hesitate at all and directly agreed, ¡°Fine, you decide.¡±


    At that moment, they heard Chaoxuan shouting from the side, ¡°Great-grandpa, great-grandpa, come quickly...¡±


    They were playing in the swimming pool.


    Rongrong mentioned that the swimming pool was really beautiful, with water the color of the sea.


    The pool was large, suitable for swimming and even boating. She had learned to swim and was simply overjoyed.


    You could also hear the happy laughter of Feifei, Doudou, and Rongrong.


    On this end, Wu Xiucai quickly said, ¡°Jade, we have a mature management team; you don¡¯t have to handle everything. But whatever you decide, I will support you. You go ahead, your great-grandpa has to go and play with them...¡±


    Then he confidently hung up the phone, without asking a single extra question.


    Qiao Qingyu was caught between laughter and tears.

 Chapter 624: 598: Accident

    Chapter 624: Chapter 598: Accident


    Her own grandfather really trusted her, but she began to doubt her own life. Did she really have such great capabilities? Was she capable of managing both the Agricultural Group and Wulong Group with one hand each?


    Oh, my goodness!


    Qiao Qingyu covered her face with her hand. Why did the burden on her shoulders feel so heavy?


    But it wasn¡¯t as busy and tense as she had imagined.


    Wu Xiucai had an excellent management team in his hands.


    He had built this management team himself, and it had been around for several decades.


    The team consisted of people he trusted.


    Initially managed by Uncle Chen, brought from Yun City, after Uncle Chen¡¯s death, Ye Lan, who had extensive management experience, took over the management team.


    Ye Lan then brought Secretary Chang into the team, who learned the ropes there for a few years. Later, Secretary Chang stayed with Wu Tai and consequently had always been mainly based in China with Wu Xiucai.


    So, Qiao Qingyu also had quite a few hands on deck.


    Ye Lan had sent back two people from the US, who were in charge of the headquarters¡¯ construction in Xichuan, facilitating centralized management.


    And just like that, it was almost September.


    Rongrong had already taken Chaoxuan back to Xichuan. She and Li Mingguang had both received their university admission notices. After much discussion, they decided to attend the same university:


    That was the Huaxia University of Science and Technology.


    These two children planned to return to Tenghai after graduating.


    After returning, Rongrong didn¡¯t stay for many days. She packed her things and went with Li Mingguang by train to Beijing. From then on, this child¡¯s time spent at home was bound to gradually decrease.


    That day, Qiao Qingyu was checking her son¡¯s homework while He Xiuyu cleared away the dishes and cutlery in the kitchen.


    Qiao Qingyu had originally wanted her son to recite a text, but then she saw Chu Ying walking in through the window. They had eaten dinner early, and it was just past five o¡¯clock.


    Qiao Qingyu hurriedly went to greet her, but before she could say a word, Chu Ying pulled her by the hand to the room where Wu Qianyun used to stay, then shut the door.


    She passed by He Xiuyu without saying a word to him.


    He Xiuyu put the dishes in the cupboard, then turned his head to look at the closed door, frowning. What was up with his sister-in-law?


    But he couldn¡¯t follow and ask, as it was likely a private matter. If it had been a matter concerning He Xiuwen or Rongrong, she wouldn¡¯t have passed by without saying anything.


    After He Xiuyu tidied up the kitchen, he went to the study to watch his son do homework. Generally speaking, Chaoxuan didn¡¯t need their worry regarding his studies, as he had already skipped a grade. But after discussing with Qiao Qingyu, they decided that he would just stay at this grade level in primary school and not skip any more grades, as he wanted to play with his friends.


    In this child¡¯s heart, play and playmates still weighed heavily.


    He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu were democratic parents. Frankly, it wasn¡¯t a given that children of high IQ parents would be ever so smart. They were already very satisfied with how Chaoxuan was doing and wouldn¡¯t press him excessively.


    After He Xiuyu checked his son¡¯s homework, finding no issues, he put away the exercise book.


    He Xiuyu turned back to supervising Chaoxuan practicing calligraphy.


    The child was quite mischievous and mostly couldn¡¯t sit still, and practicing calligraphy was a good way to temper his impatience.


    He Xiuyu¡¯s gaze occasionally drifted towards the tightly closed door. They hadn¡¯t come out yet. What were they talking about?


    At that moment, Qiao Qingyu was getting anxious too. Chu Ying was always straightforward and outspoken. Being with her meant not knowing reticence or shyness; she would say whatever came to her mind.


    However, today, seeing her sit in the chair, hesitating to speak, was quite surprising. Qiao Qingyu couldn¡¯t hold back and asked, ¡°Sister-in-law, what¡¯s really going on? Did you and my brother have a fight?¡±


    ¡°No, we didn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t fight with your brother,¡± Chu Ying hurriedly explained.


    ¡°Then why did you bring me to this room all mysteriously? What do you really want to say?¡±


    Chu Ying clasped her hands together, hung her head, and didn¡¯t speak. Suddenly, as if a lightbulb went off, Qiao Qingyu looked Chu Ying up and down and blurted out, ¡°Sister-in-law, you couldn¡¯t be pregnant, could you?¡±


    Chu Ying was stunned, suddenly stood up because she rose too quickly, and staggered to the side. Qiao Qingyu was startled and hurried over to support her.


    Oh my goodness, she really guessed right.


    ¡°Sister-in-law, you really are pregnant! How can you still be so careless? Please be more careful,¡± Qiao Qingyu then asked, ¡°How many months are you?¡±

 Chapter 625: 598: Accident_2

    Chapter 625: Chapter 598: Accident_2


    ¡°It¡¯s been over two months, I just found out.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu helped Chu Ying sit down on a chair. Although it wasn¡¯t necessary to be so delicate and careful at this time, Chu Ying had just discovered it herself, so perhaps she was a bit overwhelmed.


    ¡°Did you go to the hospital for a checkup? How is it...¡±


    ¡°I did, the doctor said everything is normal, but I need to rest.¡± Then, Chu Ying looked at Qiao Qingyu with a face that seemed both troubled and a bit embarrassed. She looked at a vase in the room and lowered her head, ¡°Actually, Xiu Wen and I had already agreed not to have children. Just having Rongrong is enough for us, we¡¯ve always been careful with birth control, really...¡± She then looked up at Qiao Qingyu, her expression serious and her voice urgent, ¡°Qingyu, you must believe me, I really was... very careful. I didn¡¯t expect to get pregnant, how could this happen?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu also put away her playful demeanor, sat opposite her, and took her hand, comforting her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry for now, don¡¯t get too worked up. Being pregnant is a delicate state, especially during the first three months, which can be quite dangerous.¡±


    Chu Ying didn¡¯t speak, but Qiao Qingyu thought for a moment and still asked, ¡°Sister-in-law, from what you¡¯re saying, it sounds like you¡¯re not really looking forward to or happy about the arrival of this child?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t really explain it, my feelings are so mixed right now. When I just got married, I promised Rongrong that she would be an only child, I wouldn¡¯t have any more. But now, I¡¯m going back on my word, not keeping my promise. Besides, I¡¯m busy with work, and if I were pregnant, I¡¯d really have to put aside my tasks.¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law, don¡¯t worry about Rongrong, and don¡¯t feel any burden about it. If you and my brother have another little brother or sister for her, Rongrong won¡¯t oppose it. On the contrary, she will definitely be very happy.¡±


    Chu Ying nodded slightly, ¡°I know Rongrong is a good child. She mentioned it to me indirectly before, but I didn¡¯t take it to heart. I didn¡¯t intend to get pregnant. Rongrong is my own daughter, and things are good as they are now, and also...¡± As she spoke, Chu Ying ran her fingers through her hair, ¡°Taking care of children seems so exhausting.¡±


    Well, that¡¯s a bit of anxiety right there.


    Although Chu Ying, who usually had clear logic, appeared a bit incoherent today, Qiao Qingyu could still understand her.


    Rongrong was indeed one concern, even if she sincerely hoped they could have their own child, but Chu Ying still felt like not keeping her promise.


    And Chu Ying was very conscientious and responsible at work; perhaps she really felt that pregnancy would hinder her work. But such thoughts were not to be encouraged unless she truly didn¡¯t like children. If that were really the case, no one could force her.


    Qiao Qingyu still asked quietly, ¡°Sister-in-law, tell me the truth, do you dislike the idea of having a child with my brother?¡±


    Chu Ying looked up at Qiao Qingyu, thought for a moment, and initially looked pleased but then grimaced, ¡°But I¡¯m worried I won¡¯t take good care of them.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t worry about that. Our base now has daycare and kindergartens. Besides pregnancy, which no one else can take over, after the birth, you can hire a nanny, I can also lend a hand, and if you don¡¯t oppose our mother-in-law... she would definitely be very happy to help you out, or even your own mother could...¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    After hearing the news, Chu Ying didn¡¯t even go home but came directly to Qiao Qingyu. Deep down, she somehow felt that Qiao Qingyu was the closest person to her, she didn¡¯t even understand why she felt this way.


    ¡°Of course, if it wasn¡¯t so, then let it be. But now that it¡¯s here, you should joyfully welcome its arrival. Remember, your mood can affect the child,¡± Qiao Qingyu said earnestly.


    Upon hearing this, Chu Ying paused for a moment, then placed her hand on her abdomen, ¡°Can it really affect them?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t feel like answering her, ¡°You¡¯re a scientific researcher, so highly educated, do I even need to say this? But sister-in-law, have you told my brother about this?¡±


    ¡°...Not yet, your brother is still at work, I haven¡¯t told him.¡±


    Qiao Qingyu smiled, ¡°Go tell my brother, he will definitely be very happy. Then on Saturday, also call Rongrong.¡±


    Although Rongrong wouldn¡¯t oppose them having another little brother or sister, she would absolutely hate He Xiuyu and Chu Ying if they really had a child and kept it secret from her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely tell Rongrong,¡± Chu Ying said. At this point, her somewhat muddled mind cleared up a bit, and she spoke somewhat sheepishly, ¡°You see, I was too rash. This matter was so sudden, I had no mental preparation, my mind was a bit fuzzy.¡±

 Chapter 626: 598: Accident_3

    Chapter 626: Chapter 598: Accident_3


    ¡°This is normal, because no one expected it, but from now on, there are some things you need to be careful about. Come, let me tell you some precautions for pregnant women...¡±


    The two of them had an intimate conversation inside the house for a long time, and by the time they went outside, it had already gotten dark.


    Their place of residence was not far away, and the streetlights alongside the road had already lit up.


    Not far away, under a streetlight, there was a tall silhouette walking in her direction.


    It was He Xiuwen coming to meet her.


    Chu Ying was initially stunned, then quickly ran towards He Xiuyu. However, she had only taken a few steps when she remembered Qiao Qingyu¡¯s instructions. Although she wasn¡¯t that fragile, since she was already pregnant, she needed to make sure she gave birth healthily and happily for her child¡¯s growth. That was a mother¡¯s responsibility, so she definitely had to be careful, especially since she had the means now.


    Chu Ying soon slowed her pace and leisurely walked forward. He Xiuwen found it a bit surprising; the girl had started with a jogging pace but suddenly transformed into a demure lady.


    He Xiuwen helplessly shook his head. When Chu Ying reached him, He Xiuyu reached out his hand, the light under the streetlamp somewhat dimly yellow. He grabbed Chu Ying¡¯s hand, holding it in his palm.


    A single autumn rain brings the chill of winter, after it had rained yesterday, today¡¯s temperature had suddenly dropped.


    Then, he heard Chu Ying quietly say beside him, ¡°I have something to tell you.¡±


    He Xiuwen casually responded, ¡°Mm, go ahead.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pregnant!¡±


    ¡°Oh...¡± He Xiuwen responded very calmly and continued walking forward.


    But Chu Ying was stunned.


    What did that mean?


    Why so calm?


    Just this one word, was he not pleased?


    When Qiao Qingyu found out she was pregnant, his eyes were wide with surprise. Why would He Xiuwen react like this?


    Chu Ying¡¯s heart sank, as though dropping into an ice cellar, and suddenly, He Xiuwen stopped walking, turned around sharply, and looked at Chu Ying who had already stopped in her tracks, his gaze unblinking and direct, ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    Chu Ying was speechless; apparently he hadn¡¯t heard her clearly.


    She felt a bit angry. She rarely threw tantrums, but for some reason, she felt somewhat wronged at the moment; she was not usually like this, so Chu Ying attributed this to the fact that she was pregnant.


    She ignored He Xiuwen and quickly walked towards home.


    He Xiuwen hurriedly caught up in a few steps, blocking Chu Ying and gently pulling her into his arms, his voice soft and low, ¡°Tell me again, I didn¡¯t hear clearly...¡±


    ¡°Not saying it again, good words aren¡¯t repeated twice.¡± Chu Ying childishly mumbled in his embrace.


    Unexpectedly, seeing Chu Ying like this made He Xiuwen¡¯s eyes soften instantly, and he chuckled lightly.


    Then he gently closed his eyes, opening them slowly again after a few moments.


    He wasn¡¯t new to being a father. He remembered his reaction when he first found out Liu Ge was pregnant; however, he was too busy at the time and had learned about the pregnancy over the phone.


    It¡¯s said that He Xiuwen held no resentment towards Liu Ge¡¯s betrayal, towards her choices, and he never interfered, nor did he ever badmouth Liu Ge in front of Rongrong.


    But this time, he was truly happy.


    He held Chu Ying tightly in his arms, gently saying, ¡°I¡¯m so happy. I¡¯m going to be a father again.¡±


    Far away in Beijing, He Xuerong received a call from He Xiuwen.


    He Xuerong felt she should be very happy, but when the day actually arrived, she couldn¡¯t quite describe how she felt.


    Nevertheless, she expressed her joy enthusiastically, and asked He Xiuwen when she would be able to see her new little brother or sister.


    Calculating the time, that would have to wait until He Xuerong¡¯s summer vacation next year.


    He Xiuwen, for the first time in his life, was so careful, even choosing his words cautiously, afraid of hurting his daughter.


    Although deep down, He Xuerong also felt a tinge of discomfort, the careful tone of her father on the phone made her relent, ¡°Dad, you don¡¯t need to do this, I¡¯m truly happy. As much as I love Chaoxuan, I¡¯ll love him just the same, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t mind.¡±


    He Xiuwen was moved, again affirming her place in his heart, and after talking for a long while, finally hung up the phone.


    Walking on the street, He Xuerong suddenly thought of Liu Ge.


    Her mother was pregnant too, probably almost due now.


    She had called her bubbly and excited.


    He Xuerong didn¡¯t know why, but she let out a sigh.


    At that moment, she suddenly missed Li Mingguang.

 Chapter 627: 599: Trouble Brewing

    Chapter 627: Chapter 599: Trouble Brewing


    She and Li Mingguang were not in the same college, so she had to call him in advance to arrange a time to meet at the library.


    Since the beginning of school, He Xuerong had only seen Li Mingguang a few times, but now she really wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk with him since there were some things she couldn¡¯t say to anyone else.


    When she arrived at the library, she saw a tall, handsome young man standing at the entrance, his eyes smiling, the light from the roadside casting a soft yellow glow that enveloped him, giving him a familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar appearance, and at the same time, a faint stirring arose within He Xuerong¡¯s heart.


    This was something she had never experienced with Li Mingguang before; He Xuerong didn¡¯t move forward but stopped where she was.


    Li Mingguang was puzzled, but he didn¡¯t just stand there waiting foolishly; he quickly walked toward He Xuerong. They were not very far apart, and with his tall stature and long legs, he was in front of He Xuerong in the blink of an eye, gently asking, ¡°Rongrong, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    He Xuerong was stunned for a moment before she realized what was happening, and she shifted uncomfortably to the side.


    Li Mingguang didn¡¯t notice but continued, ¡°It¡¯s cold outside; let¡¯s go into the library.¡±


    As he spoke, he naturally reached out to grab He Xuerong¡¯s hand. Normally, He Xuerong wouldn¡¯t mind, but today she suddenly pulled her hands behind her back.


    Li Mingguang finally realized that He Xuerong was acting unusually.


    The young man¡¯s face turned pale, and a wave of unease suddenly rose in his heart.


    What¡¯s wrong with Rongrong?


    Was she trying to keep her distance and draw a clear line between them?


    The current mode of their relationship had even been tacitly approved by both families, though he had never clearly expressed his feelings, but he thought Rongrong should understand.


    Just then, several classmates walked by; one of the girls had short hair, a round face, and big fluffy eyes, looking very cute.


    When she saw Li Mingguang, her eyes instantly lit up, and leaving her classmates aside, she stood next to Li Mingguang and coquettishly said, ¡°Li Mingguang, you¡¯re going to the library too? I found some material today; we could study together.¡±


    Li Mingguang glanced at his classmate, shook his head, and said softly, ¡°I have other things to do; I can¡¯t study with you.¡±


    Fang Shanshan was displeased.


    However, she didn¡¯t say anything else but looked at Li Mingguang with a poor expression, then turned her gaze to the girl opposite her, pretending not to recognize her, she asked Li Mingguang, ¡°Who is this? She doesn¡¯t seem like a student from our college.¡±


    This time, He Xuerong finally snapped back to reality, not having time to think about other things, she instinctively lashed out at Fang Shanshan like a cannon.


    ¡°Fang Shanshan, what are you pretending for? We¡¯ve met twice already, we introduced ourselves the first time, and we even talked the second time. Have you gone senile that you don¡¯t remember me just a week later?¡±


    Fang Shanshan probably never expected He Xuerong to be so straightforward; normally, people would just subtly express their displeasure.


    And she really hadn¡¯t encountered a girl with such a personality before.


    Fang Shanshan¡¯s face turned pale, and she involuntarily stepped back, feeling as if He Xuerong might hit her. She glanced at Li Mingguang standing nearby.


    At this moment, Li Mingguang actually breathed a sigh of relief, smiling without even looking at her, his gaze fixed solely on He Xuerong.


    He Xuerong was the prettiest girl in their school, the most beautiful girl on campus, where there weren¡¯t many girls, especially ones as pretty as her, so to say she didn¡¯t know her would indeed be feigning ignorance.


    No one who could get into this university was a fool, even if naive and innocent, given the situation, it wouldn¡¯t be possible to shamelessly stick around.


    If Li Mingguang had shown any interest, it might have been different, but he didn¡¯t even give her a glance, and staying there would only bring her humiliation.


    Fang Shanshan¡¯s face flushed red, and she turned and ran away angrily and embarrassedly.


    Watching Li Mingguang laugh, He Xuerong, with anger fueling her, extended her hand and swung a punch towards his chest, just like usual, ¡°What are you laughing at, reveling in misfortune? I never expected you, Li Mingguang, to attract so much attention from girls.¡±

 Chapter 628: 599: Trouble Brewing_2

    Chapter 628: Chapter 599: Trouble Brewing_2


    Li Mingguang, tall and sturdy, was barely shaken by the punch from the petite He Xuerong, but he couldn¡¯t pretend nothing had happened. He stepped back, clutching his chest, yet moved two steps forward, bringing him closer to He Xuerong. He lowered his head, and his towering figure instantly enveloped her.


    Li Mingguang wasn¡¯t foolish; even if boys have simpler minds, he roughly understood something.


    If not now, then when?


    ¡°Rongrong, we grew up together. You know me the best and you surely understand my feelings for you.¡±


    After what had just happened, He Xuerong had lost her complex little schemes. She glared at Li Mingguang and said unabashedly, ¡°Your feelings for me are up to no good, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    Li Mingguang chuckled softly and reached out to ruffle her hair, messing it up before he finally pulled his hand back, satisfied. Just as He Xuerong was about to hit him, Li Mingguang simply grabbed both her hands.


    The campus had become much more open these days, with couples everywhere, especially holding hands on campus roads at night.


    There was a small grove behind the campus, said to be the perfect spot for private meetings. At night, many couples would go there for intimate moments, though the school was strict about it.


    Dating was fine, but other activities were not, as they could adversely affect the school¡¯s reputation. There were patrols at night, so people generally didn¡¯t dare do anything too outrageous.


    But Li Mingguang, holding He Xuerong¡¯s hands and standing under the streetlight¡¯s glow, appeared very intimate, certainly attracting attention.


    Just as He Xuerong was about to speak, Li Mingguang timely let go of her hands but didn¡¯t step back. Instead, he spoke in a low voice, ¡°Rongrong, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s bothering you, but I...¡± He paused, the youth¡¯s smile slightly bitter yet bright, ¡°Rongrong, I like you, and that¡¯s indisputable, unchanging for a lifetime. But I won¡¯t force you, nor should you feel burdened. I meant to wait until after graduation to tell you, but I changed my mind just now. If I waited four more years to express my feelings, that would make me a scoundrel, deserving of contempt.¡±


    He Xuerong turned her face away, refusing to look at Li Mingguang, so different from her fiery demeanor moments ago, yet she didn¡¯t immediately show opposition, which for some reason made Li Mingguang feel a slight joy.


    ¡°We¡¯re still young, and we need to focus on our studies in college. I don¡¯t want you to be distracted or worry about these things. You just need to understand my feelings.¡±


    Then he added, apologetically, ¡°My words today are a bit incoherent and lack logic, but I think you can understand my feelings, right?¡±


    This time, He Xuerong hummed softly, then feigned impatience. ¡°Okay, okay, stop rambling.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t ramble.¡± Seeing the opportunity, Li Mingguang stopped, his face wearing a doting smile. He Xuerong¡¯s face turned quietly red.


    Then silence fell around them, as if the voices of students passing by and the sound of the wind rustling the branches gradually faded away, leaving just the two of them.


    At that moment, He Xuerong felt quite content. He had always been by her side, and she was used to it. She couldn¡¯t accept anyone else in his place.


    What was love, really? She wasn¡¯t sure, but she surely liked him too.


    Then He Xuerong laughed, and Li Mingguang completely relaxed. This time he didn¡¯t hold her hand but took the books she was carrying, and they walked shoulder to shoulder towards the library¡¯s entrance.


    Then He Xuerong completely forgot what she had intended to tell Li Mingguang about her parents soon having a baby.


    It wasn¡¯t until she was about to sleep that night that she remembered, finding it somewhat unbelievable but also very sweet.


    She savored the moments she had spent with Li Mingguang in great detail.


    These details, unlike with anyone else, almost formed an ocean.


    Alright, she thought before sleep, no more awkwardness.


    When Qiao Qingyu received a phone call from He Xuerong, she felt the girl had changed somewhat. It was a subtle and hard-to-describe change, but she sensed the child was in a very good mood, almost bashfully so.

 Chapter 629: 599: Trouble Brewing_3

    Chapter 629: Chapter 599: Trouble Brewing_3


    Qiao Qingyu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Could it be that Rongrong was in love?


    Who could it be?


    Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t fixate on the idea that it had to be Li Mingguang; as long as Rongrong liked him, if he had good character, ambition, and no messy family issues, she would have no objections.


    Soon after, Qiao Qingyu stared at herself in the mirror and started feeling melancholic again. In the blink of an eye, Rongrong had grown up. In a few more years, she would truly become an elder.


    Although that¡¯s what she thought, seeing her still youthful appearance in the mirror didn¡¯t trouble her at all, especially considering her mischievous son had gotten her called to his school several times.


    He really did have good grades. Not to mention his classmates, even the teachers were envious. A sharp mind is always an advantage. This little guy always ranked first in every test. No matter how mischievous he was, no one could catch up to his grades. However, discussing his mischief did present a problem.


    Furthermore, the boy had a strong influence. Despite their jealousy, his classmates genuinely admired him. In school, whether they were good or bad kids, everyone looked up to those who excelled academically.


    That day, Qiao Qingyu had just returned from school when she was called in again. Her expression was less than happy¡ªChaoxuan¡¯s mischief had gone too far.


    The class was an extracurricular session, and the teacher had already assigned a task earlier. They were to talk about how caterpillars turn into butterflies, and the teacher had instructed the children to find related extracurricular materials, books, and even fairy tales on the subject after school.


    In fact, this method of teaching was quite flexible. There were many children who truly didn¡¯t know that butterflies came from caterpillars.


    Chaoxuan knew all along, but he actually caught a caterpillar and put it in a jar, unbeknownst to Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu. In class, because of his good grades, the teacher let him speak first. He then emptied the caterpillar from the canning jar. The caterpillar was alive¡ªa specimen he claimed to have cultivated especially, although caterpillars at this time of year would have already turned into chrysalises and hidden away. He had prepared this just for the class.


    He even sought the help of Grandpa Feng in the lab.


    Grandpa Feng was none other than Professor Feng, an old man with a fondness for the child. He was an agriculturist and, not that he intended for the boy to follow in his footsteps, but he liked Chaoxuan¡¯s clever and mischievous nature.


    Professor Feng had even specially created a biology corner in the lab for him, so Chaoxuan really did know a lot more in this area than the other children, and he was more composed because of it.


    Chaoxuan had prepared a lot to say, and he felt quite wronged about it. When talking to the teacher, tears were welling up in his eyes.


    This class wasn¡¯t easy for him, and he had planned to describe in detail to his classmates the process of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. He also wanted to express that not all caterpillars become butterflies; some would become moths.


    But he hadn¡¯t even managed to utter a single word of it...


    His desk mate was a little girl, the daughter of Mr. Zhao and Li Bo.


    She was the apple of their eyes¡ªbeautiful and delicate with a particularly faint heart, her worst fear had always been caterpillars.


    At that moment, curious, she watched wide-eyed, eager to see what treasure Chaoxuan would bring out, only for her face to turn pale when she saw him pull out a canning jar. Then, as Chaoxuan tipped the jar¡¯s contents, she let out a piercing scream.


    She had leapt up from her chair so hastily that she bumped her leg, fell to the ground, then stood up again and started hopping around on the spot, eyes closed, screaming and crying shrilly.


    She was truly terrified.


    Naturally, the class didn¡¯t proceed as planned. It was quite chaotic at the time; the caterpillar had dropped to the floor in the commotion and was trampled to death.


    Oh, the girl who stepped on the caterpillar was terrified out of her wits, removing her shoes and crying barefoot in the classroom. At that moment, the classroom was truly in an uproar, and the teacher hadn¡¯t been able to react before the situation had spiraled out of control, turning into a complete mess.


    He was a new graduate that year, and now students from Shifan University who had finished their studies were always looking to innovate, no longer as rigid as before. Additionally, there was a push for comprehensive development in morality, intelligence, and physical fitness, with extracurricular and extended education being urgent matters¡ªthey couldn¡¯t let students know only about language and math.


    That¡¯s why he had meticulously prepared for this class, with a series of specimens about the caterpillar evolving into a butterfly all set up on the teacher¡¯s desk, yet he had no chance to display them...

 Chapter 630: 600: A Lesson

    Chapter 630: Chapter 600: A Lesson


    Soon after, the principal and other teachers from the school had already rushed over upon hearing the news.


    Mr. Zhao and Li Bo¡¯s daughter, Guo Guo, had already been so frightened that she had fainted.


    The teachers carried the children in a bustling hurry towards the hospital; another one was better off, as she had stopped crying and hadn¡¯t fainted, but her eyes were lifeless, clearly truly scared, so she was also sent to the hospital. Additionally, due to the chaos, some students were hit by desks, some were stepped on by classmates; in a class of more than thirty students, over ten were sent to the hospital.


    Actually, Chaoxuan didn¡¯t mean any harm and he wasn¡¯t even being naughty, but this time, the trouble he caused was indeed substantial.


    Although He Chaoxuan himself felt wronged, seeing so many classmates scared into the hospital because of that insect, he couldn¡¯t understand it, he even wanted to suggest to the teacher that the students should be exposed to these little creatures more often so they wouldn¡¯t be scared; it was just a caterpillar after all.


    Seeing his confident demeanor, He Xiuyu didn¡¯t say much.


    Apologizing was definitely necessary, he took his son away to apologize to the school teachers; for the students who were either scared or injured, he would take care of all the medical expenses¡ªthere was no way around it, a father has to cover for the troubles caused by his son.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Qingyu hurriedly paid the medical bills, bought nutritional supplements, made a big fuss, then went to the shops in New City and, after meeting up with He Xiuyu, took her dejected son again to the hospital, apologizing to these parents one by one, especially to Mr. Zhao and Li Bo¡¯s family for Guo Guo.


    The little girl was truly terrified, now lying on the hospital bed, not yet awakened.


    Qiao Qingyu was genuinely remorseful, although Guo Guo was shy and timid, but living in the same front and back yards, Li Bo often took her out to play.


    She was very fond of this easy-to-blush, softly spoken little girl.


    Chaoxuan also quite liked playing with her, remembering how Chaoxuan always said she was timid; back then, he even boasted that one day he would make her braver, saying Guo Guo only needed to see more and then she¡¯d be afraid of nothing.


    At the time, she had scolded him; yet, the child, secretly rebellious, obviously ignored her words, especially when she had actually told him that some girls have a natural fear of soft-bodied creatures like caterpillars and snakes. How could you train her? If she was afraid, she would still be afraid; it was a physiological and psychological fear.


    It wasn¡¯t a disease, just simple fear; just don¡¯t look, and it affects nothing.


    Now, it seemed the child hadn¡¯t taken her words to heart at all.


    Chaoxuan also knew he had caused trouble, his little face pale, losing his usual energetic bounce.


    He looked down at his timid desk-mate, pursed his lips, and clenched his small fist, standing obediently in front of the hospital bed without a word, knowing his apology would be in vain as his desk-mate hadn¡¯t awakened yet.


    Qiao Qingyu apologized to Li Bo with a heavy sense of guilt.


    Li Bo wasn¡¯t angry; not only because the child was Qiao Qingyu¡¯s son but also because she should be magnanimous even if it were any other colleague¡¯s child.


    But she was worried inside, her complexion not very good, and with a sigh, she said, ¡°Qingyu, Guo Guo is too timid; Old Zhao and I have thought of many ways, but to no avail, she is just born timid, and I¡¯m worried, you know, a girl who¡¯s so shy will go to school or into society in the future, isn¡¯t that just setting her up to be bullied?¡±


    That made sense.


    Being too timid, whether a boy or a girl, indeed isn¡¯t a good thing.


    But those words can¡¯t be said here, even if you want to say them, you can¡¯t say them in front of Li Bo.


    ¡°Girls are all delicate, not exactly shy; I think Guo Guo is usually quite fine, besides, it¡¯s not Guo Guo¡¯s fault. Not just her, at times, I¡¯m startled by such things too.¡±


    Li Bo immediately nodded, ¡°Right, right, so am I; look at my age, I¡¯m still scared of those things.¡±


    Chaoxuan heard the conversation between the two, but had no reaction, only looking at the little girl lying on the hospital bed with her eyes tightly closed.


    Then, under his hopeful gaze, Guo Guo¡¯s eyelids moved, and she slowly opened her eyes.


    But upon seeing the few people before her and remembering something, Guo Guo¡¯s face turned pale and with a cry, she sat up from the bed, Li Bo hurriedly rushed over, embraced Guo Guo in her arms, continuously patting her back, as Guo Guo cried breathlessly.


    Then the doctor and nurse came in, checked her, and said that there was nothing serious and that she should go home and rest well.

 Chapter 631: 600: A Lesson_2

    Chapter 631: Chapter 600: A Lesson_2


    Mr. Zhao came in, his heart aching terribly, and when his daughter cried, he cried too. Qiao Qingyu watched, feeling rather uneasy. Chaoxuan stepped forward, apologizing to each person. He hadn¡¯t expected a caterpillar to cause such a huge ordeal.


    No one would really hold a grudge against a child, but He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu took Chaoxuan to apologize to another little girl who was scared.


    Although it wasn¡¯t entirely Chaoxuan¡¯s fault, the incident was ultimately triggered by him.


    It wasn¡¯t until the evening that things began to calm down a bit.


    The children had all gone home. No one had classes that day and happily, aside from Guo Guo, the others weren¡¯t badly affected. After the initial shock passed, everything went back to normal, the only serious case being that of Guo Guo.


    Qiao Qingyu moved a pot of Soothing Grass for Li Bo from home.


    This Soothing Grass was an experimental sample at Professor Feng¡¯s, very precious, and no one was allowed to touch it. Qiao Qingyu didn¡¯t have much left either, as the plant couldn¡¯t regenerate. Fortunately, as long as it was well taken care of, it would continue to grow.


    It only needed its useless parts pruned appropriately every spring.


    Putting the Soothing Grass by Guo Guo¡¯s bedside, Qiao Qingyu glanced at Li Bo, who immediately understood. Some things didn¡¯t need to be said as she naturally knew what was going on. ¡°Thank you, Qingyu.¡±


    Soothing Grass is indeed a rare treasure.


    It could be said that it was worth its weight in gold.


    ¡°Thank me for what? This mess was caused by my son. Without him, Guo Guo wouldn¡¯t have had to suffer. Let¡¯s leave the Soothing Grass here. Take a week off for the kid, and then have Chaoxuan come over every night to tutor Guo Guo and do homework together.¡±


    Li Bo didn¡¯t object; this arrangement was really quite good. Although Chaoxuan was mischievous, his academic performance was excellent. Her child had average grades, middling in the class and not much better in the whole grade.


    That¡¯s why she went to great lengths to arrange for her to sit beside Chaoxuan; actually, the teacher also considered her good relationship with Qiao Qingyu, and Chaoxuan didn¡¯t oppose it either, after all, he and Guo Guo always played together.


    Now that he was helping her with her studies and homework, she felt relieved.


    After the busy day, the family of three finished dinner already past nine o¡¯clock.


    Chaoxuan was no longer feeling aggrieved. He came to apologize to He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dad and Mom. I was too reckless, did not think things through, and scared Guo Guo and the other students, causing such a huge trouble for you both. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°What will you do differently in the future?¡±


    He Xiuyu pondered for a moment and then asked.


    Chaoxuan thought about it and seriously said, ¡°Dad and Mom, my intentions for the incident were right. The preparations I made did help the students.¡±


    He Xiuyu and Qiao Qingyu exchanged glances, and Qiao Qingyu sighed a relief. It¡¯s not that she was biased or overprotective towards her own son. Rather, it was about this incident; although Chaoxuan¡¯s actions were inappropriate, this wasn¡¯t a reason for him to become overly cautious in the future.


    If this incident were to leave any psychological scars and hinder him from daring to act again in the future, it wasn¡¯t what Qiao Qingyu and He Xiuyu would want to see.


    They were also educating him that he must take responsibility if he did wrong, understand where he went wrong, but also guide him on how to achieve good outcomes in what he wants to do.


    It¡¯s not that having good intentions automatically leads to good results; sometimes, good intentions can still lead to bad outcomes.


    Pausing for a bit, Chaoxuan continued earnestly, ¡°Dad and Mom, this incident also taught me a lesson. I can¡¯t just do whatever I want; I have to consider the tolerance of those around me. I won¡¯t be so impulsive in the future. You can rest assured, I¡¯m a good kid who learns from his mistakes, right?¡±


    Qiao Qingyu nodded, while He Xiuyu stayed silent by the side, his expression unreadable.


    Chaoxuan felt a bit uncertain; after thinking it over, he felt that his apology was sincere and he hadn¡¯t glossed over his mistakes. Seeing his genuine attitude, his dad shouldn¡¯t hold this against him.


    Still, Chaoxuan took the initiative, ¡°Please believe in me, I will definitely stay with Guo Guo, and ensure she won¡¯t be scared or left with any psychological trauma. I will tutor her every day, do homework with her.¡±


    Then his eyes brightened, ¡°I can also tell her stories and teach her to play the keyboard. I¡¯ve heard that music can relieve stress.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s leave it at that. Do as you said.¡± He Xiuyu gestured with a sweep of his hand for Chaoxuan to go rest.

 Chapter 632: 600: A Lesson_3

    Chapter 632: Chapter 600: A Lesson_3


    He Chaoxuan also quietly heaved a sigh of relief.


    Thankfully, although his parents reproached him sternly, they still reasoned with him.


    Zhu Yufeng, a boy in his class, had parents who never talked things through with him. The moment he was naughty, a slap would come flying his way without a chance to explain himself.


    His parents were still the best.


    Chaoxuan was now grown up and didn¡¯t share a room with his parents anymore. He now stayed in another room, which Qiao Qingyu had cleared out for him at the start of autumn¡ªit was the guest room in the house.


    Visitors would stay there.


    Here in Xichuan, it was still necessary to have a heated brick bed in the winter. Qiao Qingyu had chosen blue and white checked bed sheets for him, and Chaoxuan had picked out the curtains himself. The colors were simple and refreshing, exactly what boys liked, without wanting a single flower on them.


    Chaoxuan was very self-sufficient. After washing up, he lay down in his bed, pondering whether he should take the electric piano to Zhao¡¯s house after finishing his homework, to play music for Guo Guo.


    He was determined to help Guo Guo forget the incident and overcome her fear.


    Indeed, He Chaoxuan did as he said. The next day after school, he carried the electric piano to Mr. Zhao¡¯s house. Guo Guo was much better. When she saw Chaoxuan come in, she seemed to remember something, and her little face went a bit pale.


    He Chaoxuan pretended not to notice, proceeded to explain the lesson and assign homework, then wrote the homework together. By the time they finished, it was past nine in the evening, and he even played soothing children¡¯s songs for Guo Guo.


    Guo Guo held a fruit platter and, using a toothpick, brought a piece of apple to Chaoxuan¡¯s mouth, saying in a soft voice, ¡°Eat the apple.¡±


    Chaoxuan bit into it and crunched away, all the while smiling and swaying his head to the ding-dong tunes he played.


    Outside the door, Mr. Zhao and Li Bo breathed a sigh of relief.


    Things seemed to be going better than imagined.


    A week later, Guo Guo went back to school.


    It was as if she had forgotten the fright from a week before.


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, it was the National Day holiday, and all the schools began their vacations.


    At that time, there wasn¡¯t a long holiday, but there was a so-called ¡°Seasonal Holiday,¡± which lasted seven days.


    Of course, this ¡°Seasonal Holiday¡± was only for boarding college and technical school students.


    Li Mingguang didn¡¯t accompany Rongrong. When he was little, he could visit Rongrong¡¯s grandparents¡¯ house with her without any qualms.


    But now that he was older, it was necessary to be more cautious.


    Moreover, Li Mingguang planned to use the holiday to start a company. He was studying Electronic Information Science and Technology, a major that had just been added in recent years. His teachers were hired from abroad, and although they taught for only a month, he had indeed learned a lot. As a child of the scientific research base, he was occasionally taken by his teachers to visit accessible labs and workshops. He also had a good relationship with Uncle Shen, and Aunt Su had even taken him for a tour of their electronic factory.


    The path he wanted to take in the future had already been mapped out. The first thing he needed to do now was to consult about the certifications and qualifications required to establish such a company as a student.


    As for He Xuerong, of course, she had to return to her grandparents¡¯ house for the holiday.


    Especially in the last few years, as her great-grandparents had aged and their health declined, He Shan would call her during the holidays, and she would immediately agree to come.


    She didn¡¯t bring much home, just bought some fruits along the way. He Xuerong carried her backpack off the bus, and after walking a few hundred meters, she arrived home. The He Family still lived in the large courtyard house.


    Compared to the bustling city center, it was much quieter here, and the environment was good.


    In October, the air in Beijing wasn¡¯t chilly, but the leaves had already fallen, while the Evergreen Pines remained lush and verdant.


    Some families had flowers in their yards, still blooming stoically with a flower or two.


    He Xuerong was in a fairly good mood. She used to dislike visiting her grandparents, but now, they treated her like a precious gem from top to bottom, and she was naturally happy to go.


    The food in the school cafeteria could never compare to the food cooked at home. He Xuerong was also considering asking the family¡¯s aunt to help her make some beef sauce. There were also pickled vegetables at home; she thought to take a couple of jars as well.


    Then she sighed, wishing she lived closer to her little aunt¡¯s house. The beef sauce and pickled vegetables her little aunt made tasted especially good. She had brought two jars at the beginning of school, which were soon gone, and not because she had eaten them all herself. As soon as she brought them out at mealtime, they were devoured by her classmates.


    There was nothing she could do; that was how everyone was. In a dorm with eight people, any tasty food was shared. And although there were two selfish students with their own agendas in her dorm, as far as outward appearances were concerned, they were able to get along harmoniously.


    So of course, any good food was to be shared with everyone.


    As He Xuerong¡¯s mind was preoccupied with these thoughts, she heard a girl¡¯s voice ahead of her, frantic and on the verge of tears, chiding, ¡°Go away, I don¡¯t want to go out with you. I don¡¯t want to play with you. I don¡¯t know you at all, go away, don¡¯t block my way...¡±


    He Xuerong was a bit stunned. Why did that girl¡¯s voice sound so familiar?


    Oh, she remembered now, wasn¡¯t that Zhou Ruoruo?

 Chapter 633: 601 Threats and Displaced Anger

    Chapter 633: Chapter 601 Threats and Displaced Anger


    Zhou Ruoruo didn¡¯t apply to the same university as the other two, she applied to University B.


    After graduation, she didn¡¯t want to return to Xichuan. Zhou Ruoruo planned to bring her mother to live together in Beijing.


    That¡¯s why she applied to this university.


    But why would Zhou Ruoruo be here?


    Zhou Family should be in another direction.


    Then she heard a boy¡¯s voice, sounding somewhat frivolous, ¡°Stop pretending, we¡¯ve long known what kind of person you are. They say ¡®like father, like son; like mother, like daughter.¡¯ A rat¡¯s son will dig holes, and you¡¯re Liu Ying¡¯s daughter, how are you any different from Liu Ying?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, do you think your mom is so great? She got my uncle imprisoned, yet she roams free. Where on earth is there such a cheap bargain?¡±


    ¡°My uncle still sits in a wheelchair because of her, and both your mom and your dad are the culprits, none of them are good. How can they live so peacefully without any guilt?¡±


    ¡°The son pays for the father¡¯s debts, and the daughter for the mother¡¯s; let me tell you, Zhou Ruoruo, agreeing to hang out with us is still negotiable, but if you don¡¯t agree, we fellows will go to your school and publicize your mother¡¯s ¡®great deeds.¡¯ Let all the students know what disgusting things she has done, and then let¡¯s see how you can stay in school.¡±


    Then came Zhou Ruoruo¡¯s sobbing, ¡°You have no shame, what are you talking about? I¡¯m going to report to the police, I want the public security to catch you...¡±


    But her voice trembled with humiliation.


    Then there were a few sharp screams from a girl...


    He Xuerong quickly ran forward and upon turning around the corner, she saw three or four boys surrounding a girl.


    The girl was Zhou Ruoruo, her face pale and tear-streaked, continuously backing away, but clearly panicked and frightened.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± He Xuerong¡¯s clear voice suddenly rang out.


    The boys turned their heads, one of whom He Xuerong recognized, a boy surnamed Zhang named Zhang Ming.


    She didn¡¯t know what was going on, but by this time, He Xuerong had already approached them. Seeing her, Zhang Ming frowned and said unhappily, ¡°He Xuerong, mind your own business, this is a personal grudge between us and her.¡±


    Then he reached out to grab Zhou Ruoruo, preparing to pull her into his embrace.


    Zhou Ruoruo screamed in terror, while Zhang Ming and another person, perhaps because of a personal grudge against her mother, felt this matter was a private affair, not amounting to breaking laws or discipline, so they were especially audacious, to the point of lawlessness.


    The two of them each grabbed one of Zhou Ruoruo¡¯s arms, preparing to drag her into a nearby alley.


    Another boy harshly warned He Xuerong, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, act as if you¡¯ve seen nothing, otherwise, we guys definitely won¡¯t let you off easy.¡±


    He Xuerong¡¯s face changed color. Although the area was generally safe, this was a blind spot, and further back was a high wall; inside the wall was a warehouse.


    There was security on the other side of the high wall, but not on this side.


    This side was all residential buildings, some of which were being demolished, and some not yet, looking messy...


    That is to say, there weren¡¯t many people around here, but in the area being demolished, there would be people gathering usable bricks or cleaning up some junk.


    This area used to be quite lively, but now, due to development and construction reasons, it had been decided to demolish it, but they couldn¡¯t reach an agreement with the residents because what was offered and what was demanded were not the same. However, some families were short on money, so they quickly signed the agreement and moved out.


    Then their houses were demolished. If all had been demolished, it would have been better, but only a few households were affected, so the place looked rundown. He Xuerong chose this place to go home because there was a small gate here; entering through the gate made it much closer to her home.


    Who would have thought that in broad daylight, such a thing would happen, and that she knew one of them.


    He Xuerong became angry. Regardless of her relationship with Zhou Ruoruo, she couldn¡¯t stand such things happening.


    She quickly stepped forward, kicking directly at Zhang Ming¡¯s stomach. He Xuerong, despite appearing petite in front of Li Mingguang, was not short among these few people. Her long legs kicked accurately hitting Zhang Ming¡¯s stomach. Zhang Ming, pained, twisted his face, let go of his hold covering his stomach, not expecting He Xuerong to kick him over again.

 Chapter 634: 601 Threats and Displaced Anger_2

    Chapter 634: Chapter 601 Threats and Displaced Anger_2


    He Xuerong suddenly grabbed Zhou Ruoruo, looking fiercely at Zhang Ming, who was sitting on the ground holding his stomach. She yelled, ¡°Zhang Ming, you¡¯re not an idiot. Since you all know who Zhou Ruoruo is, how dare you bully her like this? Are you tired of being outside and want to switch to a different environment?¡±


    Zhang Ming looked at He Xuerong in shock. This damn girl was so strong, but he really didn¡¯t dare to fight back, especially since his stomach was in pain. Gritting his teeth, he said, ¡°He... He Xuerong, this has nothing to do with you. Mind your own business.¡±


    Then he pointed at Zhou Ruoruo, ¡°You wait for me. Sooner or later, I¡¯ll take care of you.¡±


    Zhou Ruoruo¡¯s pale little face was smeared with tears, and regarding the grudges between her parents, the Zhang Family, and the Ye Family, the past her didn¡¯t know, but now she did, and it wasn¡¯t just today that she found out; it was after she went to Beijing to study that her sister had told her.


    The reason Zhou Zijiao had told her this was to let her know the complex relationships involved so that later, whether at school or elsewhere, if she came across people from the Ye Family or the Zhang Family, she would be better off staying out of their way.


    After all, her mom was Liu Ying, which made her situation different.


    Zhou Zijiao¡¯s mother was Xiao Wei, who, to a large extent, had sacrificed her own family happiness to protect Zhang Zening.


    If Liu Ying¡¯s threats had been successful back then, considering the severe enforcement atmosphere of the time, a death sentence would have been handed down, and at that time the execution of death sentences was incredibly swift, practically immediate upon confirmation.


    Even if she were vindicated later, what then?


    Dead people can¡¯t be brought back to life, so the Zhang Family kept this debt of gratitude in their hearts, but Liu Ying¡¯s daughter was a different matter. Although now disasters didn¡¯t extend to the family members, the word ¡®resentment¡¯ still applied.


    This was the first time Zhou Ruoruo had encountered such a situation, trembling all over, yet she clung tightly to He Xuerong¡¯s arm.


    Speaking with teeth chattering from cold, despite the weather not being that cold, as if in the deep of winter, she said, ¡°Rongrong, take me home. I... I want to go home.¡±


    ¡°Ruoruo, what are you afraid of? If these bastards want to bully you, we absolutely can¡¯t let them get away with it.¡±


    ¡°We weren¡¯t trying to bully her.¡±


    A boy nearby, seeing the situation was unfavorable, quickly spoke up, ¡°We weren¡¯t trying to bully her.¡±


    ¡°Then why were you dragging her into the alley?¡± He Xuerong demanded fiercely.


    The group exchanged glances, and it was that same boy who explained, ¡°We just wanted to scare her.¡±


    He Xuerong was skeptical, but it wasn¡¯t the time for that discussion. Just then, the security guard inside the high wall heard the commotion, climbed the stairs to the top of the wall, looked down, and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Zhang Ming¡¯s face changed color, and he had someone help him up, clutching his stomach. Grinding his teeth, he pointed at He Xuerong, ¡°You damn girl, you¡¯ve messed up my plans; I won¡¯t let you off for this.¡±


    The security guard didn¡¯t recognize Zhang Ming, but he did recognize He Xuerong. Frowning, he asked, ¡°Rongrong, do you know these people? Are they threatening you?¡±


    He Xuerong¡¯s expression darkened. Saying she wasn¡¯t nervous would be a lie because it was actually the first time someone had threatened her like this. But then she thought, she hadn¡¯t done anything wrong; why should he threaten her?


    So, He Xuerong quickly started calling the police with her phone. Swift in her actions and words, she pinpointed their location in the blink of an eye.


    Zhang Ming and the boys were startled, not expecting He Xuerong to actually call the police. One of the boys let go and ran off without looking back, while Zhang Ming, still clutching his stomach, fell back to the ground and furiously shouted, ¡°He Xuerong, you¡¯re looking for trouble. What does this have to do with you? Why are you calling the police? This is far from over between us.¡±


    Before He Xuerong could respond, Zhou Ruoruo, hearing the police had been called, gradually got her wits back, and with the guard uncle standing atop the wall behind, she suddenly felt more confident and less afraid. Though she was still visibly scared by Zhang Ming¡¯s expression, she still mustered the courage to say, ¡°I know about the issues between our parents, but if you kill me, won¡¯t you have to pay with your life?¡±


    Her face grew even paler as she thought of something, gripping He Xuerong¡¯s hand more tightly, ¡°No matter what you want to do, you will have to pay the price. This is a society governed by the rule of law. And this has nothing to do with He Xuerong. The person you want to target, the one you hate, is me, so don¡¯t threaten her.¡±

 Chapter 635: 601 Threats and Displaced Anger_3

    Chapter 635: Chapter 601 Threats and Displaced Anger_3


    He Xuerong glanced at Zhou Ruoruo, and Zhou Ruoruo was also looking at her, her eyes filled with gratitude¡ªa situation that had never occurred before. Whenever Ruoruo saw her before, she was either seething or seething, with not much emotion involved. The two seldom played together, and even rarer were their good conversations. Although neighbors, they were no different from strangers. Even during college entrance exams, sitting at adjacent desks, they wouldn¡¯t speak. They then went to different universities.


    Zhou Ruoruo was truly grateful to He Xuerong. She leaned very close to He Xuerong, almost clinging to her, holding on to her hand without letting go. Realizing she might be holding too tightly, she loosened her grip slightly, but she did not let go.


    He Xuerong pointed at Zhang Ming and said, ¡°You asshole, one of your cronies has already fled, but though you can run, you can¡¯t hide. Even if you all escape, the police will come to your home to arrest someone. This incident is far from over.¡±


    It was truly unexpected for He Xuerong that, in this compound where they were, which had always had very good security due to the presence of guards¡ªespecially important areas like the warehouse¡ªeven though it was a residential area, they had never experienced incidents of petty theft, let alone someone blocking a young woman on the street and trying to drag her into an alley.


    Therefore, He Xuerong thought Zhang Ming was incredibly foolish and recklessly brazen.


    Zhang Ming stood up, though the other two did not leave.


    They were clearly scared. One of them said, ¡°Ming, what should we do? Should I call my uncle?¡±


    His uncle was none other than Ye Hongyuan.


    ¡°What call? They can¡¯t find out.¡±


    Zhang Ming urgently stopped his companion from using the phone to call Ye Hongyuan, an action that reminded Zhou Ruoruo.


    She immediately opened her handbag, took out her phone, took a deep breath, and called Zhou Zijiao, her older sister.


    Ever since her sister had gone to university, they were not as close as before, but when faced with trouble, she still thought of her.


    Zhou Zijiao was already working, had a boyfriend, but there was no settled plan for when they would marry.


    She lived with Xiao Wei.


    Hearing Zhou Zijiao¡¯s voice, Zhou Ruoruo started to cry, ¡°Sister, big sister.¡±


    Zhou Zijiao jumped at the sound of Zhou Ruoruo crying. Though their parents had many disputes, Ruoruo, though delicate and somewhat cunning, was not very brave and had never been in any serious trouble. When at home, they got along quite peacefully.


    ¡°Ruoruo, what¡¯s the matter? Don¡¯t cry, tell me clearly.¡±


    ¡°Big sister, can you come over? Some boys are trying to bully me...¡±


    Zhou Zijiao abruptly stood up from her chair, her face turning pale, ¡°What happened exactly? Where are you? I¡¯m coming right now...¡±


    Her anxious tone caused Zhou Ruoruo¡¯s tears to flow even harder. He Xuerong, feeling indescribably troubled, watched as Zhou Ruoruo cried breathlessly, unable to speak. Thinking to herself, she better not scare Sister Jiaojiao too much, she snatched the phone and crisply said, ¡°Sister Jiaojiao, I happened to come across them. It¡¯s all right for now, but I¡¯ve called the police. If you have time, please come over. We¡¯re in the alley behind the logistics department¡¯s warehouse.¡±


    ¡°Okay, you guys wait there for me. I¡¯ll be right there.¡±


    Zhou Zijiao hurriedly put on her coat. Her workplace wasn¡¯t far from there, and taxis were available in Beijing now. She walked out of her office, hailed a cab, told the driver the destination, and sped towards them.


    When she arrived, two policemen were already at the scene.


    They then took them all to the nearby police station.


    Zhang Zening, upon receiving the call, was furious. Having spent ten years inside, he knew too well what it was like. Though his sentence was wrongful, legally, he had committed a crime¡ªhe had indeed harmed Ye Hongyuan, and now, just thinking he could be forgiven by Ye Hongyuan was unimaginable.


    Yet he hadn¡¯t expected his nephew to be such an asshole, trying to bully Zhou Ruoruo with a few friends.


    Regardless of whether his nephew was merely trying to scare Zhou Ruoruo, Zhang Zening was furious. When he arrived, the boys were sitting on chairs, heads hung low, looking very dispirited.


    Seeing him approach, his nephew¡¯s eyes lit up, thinking perhaps he was there to rescue him?


    What a fantasy!

 Chapter 636: 602: Foolish Motive

    Chapter 636: Chapter 602: Foolish Motive


    Zhang Zening stepped forward and grabbed Zhang Ming, immediately starting to hit him and scolded through clenched teeth, ¡°You little bastard, have you lost your mind? Are you so full that you¡¯re acting up? What do your elders¡¯ affairs have to do with you, or any young girl for that matter? You troublemaker who can¡¯t tell right from wrong, did you feed all those years of schooling to the dogs? Keeping you around is a danger to society; I might as well beat you to death today...¡±


    The police officers standing by didn¡¯t recognize Zhang Zening, but they had gotten wind of the backgrounds of these few individuals just now. It wasn¡¯t that they couldn¡¯t provoke them, but they were offspring from prestigious compounds too. Seeing Zhang Zening looked like he was seriously going to beat the child to death, they hurriedly stepped forward to restrain him and said, ¡°Comrade, no hitting allowed; this is the police station. We are in the middle of gathering information, please do not disrupt our work.¡±


    Zhang Ming still thought he was in the right, stubbornly shouting with anger swelling in his throat, ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m standing up for you, and you¡¯re hitting me without knowing the facts?¡±


    As he talked, tears started to form, incensing Zhang Zening again who cursed loudly, ¡°I don¡¯t need you to stand up for me, you idiot.¡±


    Zhou Zijiao¡¯s face was not looking good, Zhou Ruoruo had stood behind her the whole time, her face pale and body trembling. Ruoruo wasn¡¯t pretending, she was truly terrified.


    Zhou Zijiao was genuinely angry too, regardless of what kind of person Liu Ying was, if Dad found out about this, who knows how upset he¡¯d be.


    Although Dad could be very arbitrary and often careless about many things, he had to be acknowledged as a good father who treated all three of them equally.


    But Liu Ying herself was never a good person. Some things might have been misunderstood as a child, but thinking about it when she got older, she realized all of Liu Ying¡¯s words and actions carried malice.


    Now that she understood, she sometimes harbored resentment towards Zhou Hai, but more often, Zhou Zijiao admitted that her father was barely passing as a good dad and did protect them.


    The injustices she suffered were in female-related matters, areas where Dad couldn¡¯t interfere, didn¡¯t even think to consider. She had endured a lot of wrongs, and to say she held no resentment would be a lie, but one cannot always look backwards; there is a need to look ahead too.


    Living with resentment was a misery for herself.


    But she couldn¡¯t bring herself to take it out on Ruoruo.


    She couldn¡¯t forget the image of a young and cute Ruoruo following her around begging for hugs and calling her big sister.


    But eventually, Dad would find out about this matter.


    However, now was the time of the investigation. Zhang Zening was already sitting quietly on one side, so she couldn¡¯t say anything.


    At that moment, the Ye family arrived too.


    Simultaneously, Grandpa Zhou pushed the door open with his spouse in tow.


    Grandpa Zhou was also furious. He disliked Liu Ying and was somewhat disappointed in Zhou Hai, but this did not mean that his granddaughter could be bullied by the Zhang family and the Ye family at will.


    Things were getting chaotic here. Since it wasn¡¯t a major case, the police station handled things by the book, needing to thoroughly investigate before making any decisions.


    So, everyone was in the office; they hadn¡¯t been taken to the detention room. Naturally, family members of the involved parties had also squeezed in.


    If not for someone restraining him, Grandpa Zhou¡¯s heavy hand would have undoubtedly flown again.


    In the end, what everyone involved wanted to find out was the motive; that much was apparent. But what was their ultimate goal?


    This would require individual interrogation, so all unrelated personnel were asked to leave.


    He Xuerong saw that Ruoruo¡¯s family had all arrived and that it wasn¡¯t late yet, so she took her leave.


    Zhou Zijiao sincerely said, ¡°Rongrong, thank you so much.¡±


    Not every girl possesses the courage and audacity of He Xuerong.


    Indeed, like father, like daughter!


    ¡°Sister Jiaojiao, what¡¯s there to thank for, we¡¯re practically family. No matter what, Ruoruo and I grew up together.¡± Then she looked towards Zhou Ruoruo with an uncharacteristically gentle voice, ¡°Ruoruo, don¡¯t be afraid, go home and rest well. Grandpa Zhou will stand up for you.¡±


    Zhou Ruoruo nodded her head, her eyes brimming with tears.


    He Xuerong left.


    When she reached the door, to her surprise, it was Grandpa¡¯s secretary Xiao Wu who had come to pick her up. She didn¡¯t expect Grandpa to get the news so quickly, but yes, it made sense since they were not far from the logistics compound, and the security uncle must have called Grandpa already. He Xuerong got into the car and left.


    Zhou Zijiao glared hatefully at the enraged Zhang Zening and asked through gritted teeth, ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for Rongrong passing by just in time, your nephew and that nephew of the Ye family would have really bullied my sister, so I want to know when the grievances of the older generation will spill over to the children. Are you teaching this at home? Otherwise, why would he think of standing up for you...¡±

 Chapter 637: 602: Foolish Motive_2

    Chapter 637: Chapter 602: Foolish Motive_2


    Zhang Zening was in a terrible mood, but he wasn¡¯t pleased with Zhou Zijiao¡¯s accusations, ¡°What do you mean by setting an example? Many people knew about the incident back then, but we never mention it at home. I¡¯m not so foolish as to incite my nephew to do bad things.¡±


    Zhou Zijiao snorted coldly and turned her head away.


    The masterminds behind this were Zhang Ming and Liu Qiang.


    Liu Qiang was Ye Hongyuan¡¯s nephew.


    Having arrived here, they confessed honestly. They wanted to bully Zhou Ruoruo a little, show her some colors, and vent their spleen, but not in the way bullying usually happens.


    These boys didn¡¯t have the guts or the depravity; they just wanted to drag Zhou Ruoruo into an alley. Simply to scare her, make her frightened, hoping she¡¯d have nightmares every night, and ultimately, to make Zhou Ruoruo hate her own parents.


    Ideally, to have them destroy each other while they reap the benefits.


    They even felt pity that Zhou Hai and Liu Ying weren¡¯t in Beijing; if they were, they thought there would be good drama to watch.


    Such stupidity, Zhang Zening and Ye Hongyuan were really at their wits¡¯ end.


    But they still had to be taught a lesson; otherwise, it would have caused a calamity they would regret, especially Zhang Zening.


    But Zhou Hai found out about it.


    Zhou Hai was livid, his face ashen. He knew his daughter well. Of his three children, she was the most delicate and timid, although competitive and always concerned about her reputation. This event would definitely have a huge impact on her; even her grandfather said Ruoruo had been having nightmares every night.


    Zhou Hai thought about it and decided not to tell Liu Ying, but Liu Ying found out anyway.


    Although those boys were punished, the consequences weren¡¯t severe; it was just a light reprimand, and after a few days of detention, they were all back home. But his daughter was so frightened that she had nightmares every night.


    Liu Ying went to Beijing with Zhou Hai.


    By the time they reached Beijing, the seasonal holidays had ended, but Zhou Ruoruo took another half month off.


    She was at home recuperating. It had only been a month since they¡¯d seen her, but Ruoruo had lost a lot of weight and was so pale that Zhou Hai almost burst into tears.


    And Liu Ying¡¯s heart ached as if it were being sliced.


    At that moment, Liu Ying finally made up her mind, she would take unpaid leave to earn money and then move abroad with her daughter. She couldn¡¯t stay here any longer. As long as she lived, the Zhang Family and the Ye Family¡¯s issues with her would never end.


    Liu Ying had never expected this to affect her daughter.


    Now, Liu Ying knew it was too late for regrets. She didn¡¯t know whom to hate or whom to take revenge on. The only thing she could do was to earn money and leave.


    Liu Ying was under Qiao Qingyu¡¯s jurisdiction. When she submitted her resignation, Qiao Qingyu wasn¡¯t surprised.


    Liu Ying, always scheming and not very likable, was a good mother, Qiao Qingyu knew. Once Ruoruo went to college, Liu Ying wouldn¡¯t stay here long. Besides, Liu Ying and Zhou Hai had been estranged for years.


    Liu Ying left decisively. Without waiting for the approval of her resignation, she had already boarded a train bound for Nangang City.


    Finally, Zhou Family had only Zhou Hai left.


    The two hadn¡¯t even processed their divorce; for now, they just dragged it out¡ªone in the south and one in the north.


    However, Zhou Hai also warned Liu Ying, as he knew all too well how cunning Liu Ying was. Smart and unscrupulous in her methods, Nangang City, despite its prosperity, was a mixed bag due to its openness as a city. He didn¡¯t want Zhou Ruoruo to have a mother in jail or, worse, a traitor as a mother, especially not the latter, which he absolutely couldn¡¯t tolerate.


    Actually, it had already been relaxed a lot. If it had been earlier, someone like Liu Ying wouldn¡¯t have been allowed to leave at all.


    Liu Ying didn¡¯t take Zhou Hai¡¯s words to heart. Those concerns were irrelevant to her now. If she still cared about them before, now she no longer did.


    As long as she had money, whether across from Nangang City in a bigger city or in another country, anywhere was better than staying here.


    And Zhou Ruoruo didn¡¯t know her mother¡¯s plans, consuming Nourishing Spirit Pills produced by Yanjing Fifth Pharmaceutical Factory every day.


    She stopped having nightmares, and after a week, she went back to school.


    Half a month later, Zhang Zening and Ye Hongyuan brought out their nephew and grandson, as well as two other boys who had been implicated. Everyone gathered together for a severe reprimand.


    Zhang Ming and Liu Qiang had already regretted their actions deeply.