Chapter 274 I Won't Let Go

Shen Cuifen, who had been standing silently beside her, suddenly gripped Song Yu'an's hand tightly upon hearing this. Her brows furrowed slightly, and a hint of worry appeared in her eyes. She hesitated and whispered, "Mother, Dajun and Xiaoshui just returned to the village today, and the house is bustling with activity. Is it really appropriate for us to go back now? What if we offend someone and cause gossip..."

Upon hearing this, Song Yu'an sneered, a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth, but his eyes were as cold as a blade, exuding an undeniable ruthlessness.

Her gaze was fixed straight ahead, her voice low but clear: "Go, why not? We should go now! Zhou Nuli gets off work early, if we leave now we'll definitely get there before him. Let him see that he's not the one who calls the shots in this house!"

Zhang Daqiang didn't say much after hearing this, but readily agreed.

He turned around and shouted twice into the courtyard, quickly summoning two young and strong apprentices.

Without saying a word, the two rolled up their sleeves and got to work.

They worked quickly and efficiently, first lifting the furniture pieces one by one onto the tricycle, and then securing them securely with ropes.

After arriving at the new home, everything was carried upstairs and placed in the appropriate locations according to Song Yu'an's requirements. He even asked carefully about the orientation of the cabinets.

Song Yu'an saw this and was satisfied, so he didn't hesitate to give.

She quietly took out a few more banknotes from her pocket, stuffed them into Zhang Daqiang's hand, and whispered, "Master, thank you for your hard work. This money is a thank-you gift for the apprentices. Please help distribute it."

Zhang Daqiang declined a couple of times, but then accepted it with a smile.

This gesture of courtesy is both a sign of respect for the master and a way to secure a future for oneself.

After seeing the workers off, it was nearly dusk.

Song Yu'an picked up the broom leaning against the door, rolled up his sleeves, and got to work.

She bent over, sweeping the dust and debris off the ground with swift, uninterrupted movements.

Shen Cuifen stood at the door without moving, her gaze fixed on the old wall clock. The second hand ticked away, as if striking her heart.

Her voice was soft, tinged with hesitation and unease: "Mom, don't sweep anymore, let's go home first? We're tired today, we can clean up another day..."

Song Yu'an didn't even look up, continuing to sweep intently until he swept the last bit of dust into the dustpan before straightening up.

She clapped her hands, picked up a bag of bright red apples from the corner, turned around and smiled at Shen Cuifen, saying, "Why are you worrying so much? If we go back today, I'm afraid no one will welcome us, especially you, Cuifen. But the more that's the case, the less we can hide. If we hide, they'll think we're guilty."

Shen Cuifen lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes, her eyes slightly red, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible: "Mother, I'm not afraid of being mistreated, really. But your eldest son is back, a time for family reunion. If I, as his daughter-in-law, go back and cause trouble, wouldn't that make things difficult for you? I don't want to be a stumbling block..."

Upon hearing this, Song Yu'an felt a pang of sadness, and his eyes welled up with tears.

She strode forward and grabbed Shen Cuifen's hand. The hand was rough but warm. She pressed her daughter's hand firmly against her chest, her voice low but firm: "I know exactly who treats me sincerely. I've seen too many hypocrites who call me affectionate but stab me in the back."

She paused, took a deep breath, and continued, "I used to think Zhou Dajun was reliable, the child I relied on most in my life. But what happened? He's just a fool, never taking responsibility for anything, and always looking out for personal gain. Now, you're my only daughter, someone who truly loves and protects me. Others? Humph, I don't care. At this age, what I crave isn't excitement, but peace of mind."

Shen Cuifen felt a warm glow in her heart, and tears welled up in her eyes, but she held them back.

But she couldn't help but think: How could she really not care about her own son?

We are connected by blood and flesh; we came together from the womb. How can we sever it so easily?

Even if things don't go well, they're still blood relatives...

After they finished packing, the two finally walked back to their old house in the village together.

As soon as I entered the house, I saw the shiny black sedan parked steadily at the gate. The car was still covered in dust from the road, so it had obviously just arrived.

Song Yu'an immediately recognized that it was the car that Zhou Nuli had asked someone to buy, and he felt a surge of displeasure.

She didn't say anything, but simply gripped Shen Cuifen's hand tightly and walked straight into the house, her steps firm and showing no sign of backing down.

Inside, the lights were dim and the room was filled with the noise of people.

Zhou Dajun and Xiao Shui sat side by side on a long bench in the main room, surrounded by a large group of relatives, young and old, all staring at them with scrutiny and expectation.

A subtle tension filled the air, as if everyone was waiting for a play to begin.

Zhou Xiuli was the first to speak. Standing at the front of the crowd, her tone was accusatory and aggrieved: "Big brother, you've been away for so many years, and you don't even recognize us when you come back? Where's Dad? Have you forgotten him too? He loved you the most when he was alive, and he was still calling your name before he passed away!"

Zhou Dajun frowned, looking confused, staring at Zhou Xiuli as if she were a stranger. His face was full of disbelief and impatience, as if he didn't understand why she would say such a thing.

He replied coldly, "What exactly do you want? I just got back and haven't even recovered yet, and you're already pressuring me like this?"

Just then, Zhou Nuli stood up from the corner and slowly walked over.

He looked Zhou Dajun up and down a few times, then suddenly grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, and said in a relaxed tone, "It's good that you're back! You're safe and sound, so everything is negotiable. We're family, nothing else matters."

Xiao Shui kept her head down, her fingers nervously gripping the hem of her clothes.

Just then, Zhou Xiuli suddenly grabbed her hand. She was startled, then looked up, forced a smile, and continued, "Nuli, Xiaoshui said that you came back today to get your household registration booklets to report to the military and the police station. Our Dajun can't be an unregistered resident, can he? He'll need his identity for everything in the future."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Nuli immediately jumped up from his chair, his movements so swift they almost created a gust of wind, and with a powerful push of his feet, he rushed into the inner room.

He hurriedly opened the old-fashioned wooden cabinet against the wall. The cabinet creaked, and dust flew up with the vibration.

He rummaged through drawers and cabinets, papers and miscellaneous items scattered all over the floor, and finally pulled out the yellowed household registration book from an old tin box, with a faded label still attached to the cover.

Clutching the notebook, he turned and ran outside, shouting as he ran, "It's here! It's here!"

Xiao Shui reached out to take it, her fingertips just touching the cover, when Song Yu'an, sitting next to her, suddenly reached out and blocked her, snatching the household registration book away first.

Her movements were swift and decisive, her eyes sharp, giving no one a chance to react.

Zhou Nuli is the head of this household. The household registration book lists his name, followed by Song Yu'an, Shen Cuifen, and Jiang Guifang. Each person's name, date of birth, and relationship are clearly written down.

Zhou Nuli used to hide this notebook very well, always carrying the key with him, so Song Yu'an couldn't find it no matter how hard he tried, and he was so angry that he could only grit his teeth and do nothing.

But now, the notebook is firmly in her hands, how could she possibly let go?