Chapter 226 Adding to the Chaos

Think about the cost of a train ticket south.

Imagine if Li Hongwei turned around and tried to persuade him: "The person is gone, but the money is still on the table. If you don't sell it, are you going to let it get moldy?"

"wait."

Zhao Lin said softly, his voice almost carried away by the wind, yet remarkably clear, "Now we can only wait."

In the distance, the lights of a bus approached, their yellow glow piercing the twilight.

The wheels rolled over the road, making a low rumble.

Zhao Lin glanced at Shen Cuifen, then gently pushed her in front of him, shielding her: "Get in the car."

"Mom, there's a seat!"

Zhou Nuli didn't come home all night, and the house was so quiet it was unsettling.

Zhou Anguo didn't return until midnight, staggering back without even taking off his shoes before collapsing onto the kang (a heated brick bed).

Zhao Lin lay under the dim light of a kerosene lamp, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. His eyelids were heavy, but he felt no sleepiness.

Just as she was drifting off to sleep, a low laugh suddenly came from outside the door—the voice was flirtatious and familiar, like a needle pricking her eardrum.

It was Zhou Nuli, and there was a woman with him.

She suddenly opened her eyes, held her breath, and listened intently.

She knew who it was as soon as she heard the laughter.

It's a chrysanthemum.

"You'd better leave now, and don't get handsy. What if Aunt Zhao sees you? Would that be appropriate?"

Caiju spoke in a low voice, her tone tinged with panic and reproach.

Zhou Anguo grinned maliciously, his voice hoarse and flippant from the alcohol: "Don't go, stay here. My mom definitely won't find out. Her ears are as deaf as drum skins. What could possibly happen if we just talk for a bit at the door?"

Caiju snorted coldly, but did not leave immediately, as if hesitating.

After a moment, she said firmly, "Don't give me that! If you really want me, marry me openly and honestly, don't sneak around like this, like a thief! I'm not that kind of person!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she walked away without looking back.

Their footsteps were crisp and clean, the soles of their shoes making a clear sound as they walked away, disappearing into the night.

Zhou Anguo was so angry that he stomped his feet. He had nowhere to vent his anger, so he kicked the wooden stool next to the door.

The stool tipped over with a thud, one of its legs broken.

Regardless of whether anyone inside was asleep or not, and ignoring the neighbors who might hear, he spat and muttered, "What are you pretending to be so high and mighty for! It's not like you've never slept with someone before, and now you're putting on airs!"

After he finished cursing, he slammed the door shut, the door panel hitting the frame with a "bang," making the window paper shake violently.

The room fell silent, with only his heavy breathing and the creaking of the bed remaining.

Zhao Lin turned over so his back was to the window and pulled the blanket over his head, but his ears felt as if they were nailed shut, unable to block out the sounds.

She couldn't fall asleep at all; it felt like a stone was pressing on her chest, making it hard to breathe.

Money was all I could think about—I had to get some money quickly, I couldn't delay any longer, I couldn't lose that piece of land.

That was something she and Lao Zhou had painstakingly saved up for half their lives; it was the foundation they were leaving for their children, and they absolutely could not let anyone take advantage of the chaos to steal it away.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking and the rooster crowed for the first time, Zhao Lin got up.

She silently pulled a crumpled banknote from the lining of her old cotton-padded coat, stuffed it into Zhou Anguo's hand, and said nothing.

Zhou Anguo was stunned for a moment, looked down at the money, then at his mother's cold face, and didn't dare to ask any more questions. He shrank his neck and went out the door.

She pulled Shen Cuifen out of the house in a hurry, and they hurried towards the county town along the dirt road that was still wet with dew.

The two walked in silence, the only sound being the soft crunch of their footsteps on the pebbles.

When they arrived at Brother Li's grocery store, the mother and daughter found a corner to sit down.

Zhao Lin took out a crochet hook and a ball of gray yarn from his cloth bag. His fingers flew, and the stitches were so dense that they resembled the heads of people at a market, one after another, without the slightest slackening.

She crocheted a little sweater for her doll, the ball of yarn rolling around on her lap like a docile kitten.

I also distributed the work to several of my sisters-in-law, and each of them took on a few pieces, making sure that no child was left out of the winter sweaters.

Every household is rushing to make small sweaters, and no one wants to be left behind.

Shen Cuifen noticed that she was absent-minded, her brows were constantly furrowed, and although her fingers were moving quickly, her eyes kept glancing towards the door.

She asked softly, "Mom, can you teach me to knit? I can help you with some chores so you don't have to work so hard."

Zhao Lin gently shook his head, his hands still moving, while he gently patted his daughter's hand with his other hand: "You should take the money and buy a magazine to read. Before you read a book, take a good look at the cover and table of contents so you have a general idea. Don't do these kinds of jobs. You're still young, don't ruin your eyesight. You'll need to study and go out into the world in the future."

Upon hearing this, Brother Li peeked out from behind the counter, his face beaming with enthusiasm: "Buying magazines is too expensive! If Cuifen loves reading, why don't you go to the city library and get a library card? It's free! You can borrow books for a month and read different ones!"

Sister Liu immediately interrupted, her voice shrill: "Don't give me any nonsense advice! Without a city household registration, it's impossible to get it done! There's a sign at the entrance saying 'Priority for local residents,' and they won't even register you! Isn't this just making the kid run around for nothing? It's a waste of effort and it's disheartening!"

Zhao Lin kept his eyes fixed on the door, his fingers trembling slightly, the knitting needle almost slipping from his grasp.

Suddenly, she saw a familiar figure in the distance—Li Hongwei, wearing a dark blue Zhongshan suit and carrying a briefcase, was walking briskly towards her.

She immediately stood up, so excited that she almost knocked over her teacup. The knitting needles in her hand fell to the table with a "thud," rolled twice, and stopped at the corner of the table.

Shen Cuifen noticed that Li Hongwei's palms were sweating with nervousness, so she quickly ran over and grabbed Li Hongwei's hand. She looked up at him with a pleading voice, "Uncle Li, my mother didn't sleep a wink last night. She's been waiting for your news... Please speak gently, okay? She's anxious and can't take being scared."

Li Hongwei was taken aback for a moment, then smiled, revealing a set of neat white teeth: "It's done! It's done! Don't be nervous, this is fantastic news! Your mother is really lucky this time!"

Zhao Lin jumped up on the spot, his voice trembling with ecstasy: "Great! It's really great! God has opened his eyes! I didn't stay up all night for nothing!"

Li Hongwei urged, "Let's go sign the contract right away. Come on, I'll go with you. There are a lot of people at the land bureau; if we're late, we won't even be able to get a turn!"

Zhao Lin hurriedly pulled a crumpled business card from her pocket, her fingertips trembling slightly: "I need to find a lawyer to go with me. I'm just a rural woman, I can't read much, I don't know anything, I'm afraid of being scammed... and even more afraid of causing you trouble. I can go by myself, you just guide me, I'll handle the rest."

Upon hearing this, Li Hongwei immediately understood her concerns—she was worried that he would take advantage of the situation or sabotage her.

He couldn't help but smile and said gently, "Alright then, I won't bother you any longer. I'll go back to work now. Aunt Zhao, today's matter has gotten off to a good start. I wish you all the best and that things will go as you expect!"

Zhao Lin nodded in agreement while picking up his phone and dialing a number.

As she waited for the call to connect, she waved to Li Hongwei, her voice filled with warmth and politeness.