Chapter 70 Now that we have the means, let's buy it as a keepsake...

Han Jiping told Nie Qingqing about the year when the college entrance examination was first reinstated. The whole country was jubilant, and he was lucky enough to squeeze into a high school classroom that had just resumed classes, to study and prepare for the exam with everyone.

The school also urgently assigned experienced teachers to provide guidance, opened a canteen, and helped them with logistical work. He was very grateful to the former principal for creating unparalleled conditions for students who came to the school for intensive review.

Nie Qingqing remembered this. Back then, her aunt Hu Qiugui worked in the logistics department of that high school. For Tangyuan's father, she gave her aunt half a bag of fine grains and pleaded with her until Tangyuan's father was able to get a spot to study at the school.

"And then what happened? How did it become my problem?" Nie Qingqing asked.

Han Jiping said, "That day I wanted to discuss with the school about postponing the payment of meal fees. I heard people talking in the office and I didn't want to eavesdrop, so I left quickly. At that time, I was proud and there were always many people in the office. I was embarrassed to say in front of so many teachers that my family couldn't pay the meal fees. I planned to talk to Teacher Hu, who was in charge of logistics, privately after school."

Back then, no family was well-off. Nie Qingqing's father passed away, so she no longer had to support her uncle's family. Things were a little better. She and her brother each received a pound of meat coupons every month, which allowed the family to afford meat. They managed to save money and support Tangyuan's father through university. She could understand Han Jiping's situation very well.

She knew the important part was about to be said, so she listened intently.

Han Jiping said, "Who knew that right after school, Teacher Hu rode his bicycle very fast. I couldn't find him and went home disappointed. I wanted to borrow some more grain from my relatives, and then I saw your aunt's bicycle parked in front of my house. My neighbor, Granny Liao, is superstitious and everyone dislikes her. But when something happens, we can't help but chat with her for a bit."

Nie Qingqing's aunt was not a teacher; she only handled logistics. After the college entrance examination was reinstated, she schemed and managed to get a job. She was indeed a bit superstitious and liked to pray to gods and Buddhas when she encountered problems.

Nie Qingqing asked, "Did Hu Qiugui go to pray to the gods and Buddhas?"

Han Jiping shook his head: "It was an interrogation. They asked Grandma Liao if she knew where the child your grandmother had brought back home was. Grandma Liao didn't know, so they were relieved and even gave Grandma Liao some money. When she came out and saw me, her face changed. I quickly mentioned the matter of deferring the payment of food expenses. Your aunt was unusually gentle and understanding and agreed. She also said that your grandmother had introduced a child to relatives in the countryside and asked me not to tell anyone."

How could Nie Qingqing not know about the situation of her relatives? Her grandmother had long since stopped contacting distant relatives in the countryside, and she had never heard of any family adopting a child!

Han Jiping felt extremely guilty and couldn't continue speaking, so Zhang Yunxiu had to take over.

“We were receiving treatment in Hong Kong and were grateful to Lawyer Ho and you. We had plenty of time to chat about the past. When this story came up, I felt something was off. How come a stranger contacted you and then your aunt went to Grandma Liao to ask where the child she had introduced for adoption came from? If she wasn’t a close relative, she wouldn’t have been so eager to ask. Grandma Liao in our hometown is over seventy years old. Who knows how many days she has left to live? So I told Jiping to come back and ask her quickly.”

Nie Qingqing had a vague idea that the two people came to see her because of something her aunt was worried about. Could it be that the adopted child was her father?

...

After calming down for a while, Han Ji was able to continue. He said, "Grandma Liao is hard of hearing and has poor eyesight. It took me a long time to find out what happened. Your aunt was indeed asking about your father. Your grandmother didn't tell anyone, and your aunt found out by mistake but didn't tell anyone either."

Zhang Yunxiu quickly added, "He kept going on and on, but he didn't get to the point. That day, your aunt and Grandma Liao talked a lot. Grandma Liao didn't say anything at first, but your aunt said that someone came to the school and said they saw you and that you looked a lot like your aunt. They even left an address. She told Grandma Liao not to keep it a secret, and that's when she finally told her."

Nie Qingqing couldn't understand: "My grandmother already has an uncle as a son, so why would she go to such lengths to adopt another one as her own?"

Han Jiping felt quite sorry for him, but still said, "I also asked Grandma Liao about this. She said that your grandma said your uncle was too mediocre and was afraid he would suffer in the future, so she adopted a kind-hearted person and loved him even more than her own child. She taught him to be filial and obedient to his parents. In the future, when your father takes care of your uncle's family, he will not disobey. Only then will your uncle have someone to take care of him for the rest of his life."

Nie Qingqing was speechless, her eyes wide with astonishment.

How vicious she must be! Her grandmother was very good to her father before he got married. After the marriage, conflicts between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law began. Her father was caught in the middle and always favored his grandparents, giving his grandmother money to manage. She was so vicious, yet she kept her mouth shut, not even telling her uncle and aunt.

If it weren't for Han Jiping's matter, Nie Qingqing wouldn't have known about this.

She was truly grateful: "I don't know how to thank you enough for all the trouble you've gone to inquire about this."

Compared to Nie Qingqing's help, this matter is really nothing. Zhang Yunxiu said, "Now only your aunt knows the address left by the person who came here. We can't help with this."

Nie Qingqing said, "It's okay, I'll figure it out myself."

...

Whether or not to find my father's relatives is one thing, but we must get the address that my aunt is hiding.

Song Zhao analyzed: "In the past, your aunt's family was well-off, and she was high and mighty. If you asked her, you might be able to get something. Now that you and your brother are better off than her children, and she has been left behind by her son and daughter-in-law to live alone, she is resentful and probably won't be able to get anything out of her."

Nie Qingqing knew her aunt too well; how could she possibly say that?

She said, "My cousin-in-law is a compassionate and reasonable person. Let's ask her."

Song Zhao offered a suggestion: "We didn't have much of a relationship before. If we ask them like this, they might be willing but not very motivated to help. Why don't we help them first and then ask them?"

Nie Qingqing asked, "How can we help them?"

Song Zhao said, "It's nothing more than money and work. Tangyuan's fried chicken business has high profits, so I'll help her open a chain store."

Nie Qingqing hesitated for a moment: "It doesn't feel right to be so attentive with an ulterior motive."

Song Zhao laughed and said, "It's still summer vacation now, so the two of us don't need to get involved. We can get the glutinous rice balls ready."

...

Tangyuan was thrilled with the task and rushed to Nie Yaoxiang and Meng Hongxiao's house. Since "cousin" and "aunt" didn't sound very affectionate, he dropped the "cousin" part and called them "uncle" and "aunt" in a more intimate way.

He also said that his mother accidentally learned about his maternal grandfather's background and lost her appetite. He felt extremely distressed seeing this and begged his uncle and aunt to have a change of heart and help him get the address from his great-grandmother. He had no way to repay her, so he opened a fried chicken restaurant for his aunt.

It was originally Nie Yaoxiang's mother who was in the wrong and acted immorally. Tangyuan had already asked for favors and promised benefits, so Nie Yaoxiang had already agreed to most of it in his heart.

Meng Hongxiao has a strong sense of justice, and Tangyuan said that he and Tanggao are cousins ​​with their uncle and aunt's children. If they get along well, they can continue to visit each other in the future.

These words made Meng Hongxiao completely put aside her hesitation. It wasn't that she wanted to take advantage of her relatives; she was thinking about something else entirely. Tang Yuan said that if they could be relatives, they could also be enemies. She didn't want to bring back a few enemies for her child. She promised Tang Yuan that she would definitely get his address.

...

Meng Hongxiao visited her mother-in-law, Hu Qiugui, and discussed with her: "The children are older now. Xiang wants to discuss with me about bringing you back to reunite with the family. What do you think, Mom?"

Hu Qiugui had suffered a stroke and was not very mobile. She had a bad temper to begin with and was complaining about everything. When she heard that she could go back to live with her son and grandson, she finally smiled and said, "You guys have a conscience. I'll move in today."

She directed her daughter-in-law to pack the things, and pointed to her most treasured box-within-a-box, saying, "You carry that box yourself, you can't lose it."

Curious, Meng Hongxiao held the box in her arms and examined it from all angles, asking, "Mom, what kind of treasure is locked in this box?"

Hu Qiugui said, "They're all jewelry; they'll be left to you eventually."

Meng Hongxiao knew where her mother-in-law kept the key, so she quietly and slowly packed away other things, taking the opportunity to slip the key into her pocket.

Hu Qiugui has two granddaughters. Her grandson was born in violation of the one-child policy, which cost her son and daughter-in-law their secure jobs. She threatened suicide to force them to agree to have the baby. She loves this grandson the most, and even though she had a stroke because of the argument, she felt it was all worth it.

When the topic of her grandson's poor academic performance came up, she gave her daughter-in-law some advice: "Your two daughters are adults now, so you don't need to worry about them anymore. Your son is still young, and you and Yaoxiang can't keep an eye on him forever. Let me tell you, you should find someone who can read faces, and then go to an orphanage to adopt a young, forgetful child with an honest and kind face. Move away from where you live now, and you can stay home and take care of the child. Make the adopted child think that he is your own son, so that he will be grateful and take care of his older brother in the future. That way, you'll never have to worry about anything for the rest of your life."

Meng Hongxiao suppressed her trembling and forced herself to remain calm as she asked, "Mom, did you learn this idea from someone else? Grandma has always been mean to Second Uncle's family, and Yaoxiang and I can't understand it. Now that you've said this, it seems that our Second Uncle wasn't adopted by Grandma like this?"

Hu Qiugui quickly said, "Don't talk nonsense, your second uncle is your biological second uncle."

Meng Hongxiao already knew the truth and was too lazy to argue. She pretended to go to another room to collect something, then took the key and opened the box. Sure enough, among a pile of various jewelry, there was a note with an address written on it.

She quickly put the note in her pocket, came out and said, "Mom, I'm going out to buy some food, I'll come back to clean up in a bit."

...

Hu Qiugui waited for a long time but her daughter-in-law didn't show up. Suddenly, she remembered something and hurriedly went to open her small box. When she opened it, she found that the jewelry and valuables were still there, but the note was missing.

She cursed and immediately called her son: "What is your wife doing? She took my things, tell her to give them back right now!"

Nie Yaoxiang understood that his wife had obtained the address, which meant that what his cousin Qingqing had said was true.

He has a sense of morality and conscience. In recent years, he has been overwhelmed with troubles over the issue of having more children than allowed, and he feels resentful towards his biological mother.

He said, "Mom, please don't come here anymore. Hongxiao said she would divorce me if you came. I can't take care of you and the family at the same time. If you really care about me, please stop making a fuss. I'll hire a nanny for you and give you all my salary."

Hu Qiugui was furious and hung up on her son.

...

Nie Qingqing obtained the address from her cousin-in-law, Meng Hongxiao.

My cousin's wife was initially skeptical, but after receiving the note, she was certain it was unintentional and kept apologizing: "I really didn't expect my mother-in-law to be so tight-lipped. She could keep such a big thing a secret for twenty years."

Yes, I don't know how my aunt can sleep.

Nie Qingqing wouldn't hold a grudge; she only felt grateful: "You weren't married into the family yet back then, so it has nothing to do with you."

However, she did get the benefits. Her cousin-in-law repeatedly assured her, "My mother-in-law had a stroke and can't move around much now. She won't bother your family anymore. Besides, I took the note, so you can't be blamed."

Nie Qingqing was grateful for her cousin-in-law's help: "Thanks to you for finding a way to get the address for me, I will remember this favor."

My cousin-in-law sighed, "I don't know if it's my mother-in-law's fault, but things haven't been going well in the family these past few years. Now that I've gotten over this, I have a clear conscience. I hope things will get better in the future."

...

After receiving the address, Nie Qingqing hesitated. Indeed, her own experience and the experience of others made her mindset different.

She told Song Zhao, "I finally understand why Le Han didn't dare to look for her father's biological family back then. I don't dare to go there either. If the situation there is good, I'm afraid people will say we're here to freeload. If the situation is bad, I'm afraid I'll be dragged down in the future. I really don't know what to do."

Song Zhao said, "Now that we have the address, we should discuss it with Mom and my older brother and make a decision together."

These things can't be explained clearly over the phone; it's best to talk about them in person.

Nie Qingqing said, "Why don't we have Mom come and stay for a while, and talk things out in person?"

Song Zhao agreed: "If you call, Mom will definitely ask questions. If I call and invite her over, Mom will know something is wrong and she will definitely come."

Song Zhao made a phone call, and Tang Guizhi bought train tickets that same day and came over with Nie Weibin.

Nie Qingqing then told them the whole story in detail.

“We’ve always been puzzled as to why Grandma never liked Mom, me, or my brother. By chance, we learned some information from Han Jiping, and with the help of my cousin-in-law, we finally understood that Dad was a child that Grandma bought through a middleman. He wasn’t her biological child; he was raised by Grandma to be a dutiful son and grandson to take care of my uncle’s family.”

Tang Guizhi listened in stunned silence for a long time. Things that couldn't be explained before, she could finally make sense now.

The past is the past, and now her children are doing well, and she is at peace with herself.

It's just a pity: "Think about your dad, it's really pitiful and tragic. He died without ever knowing the truth. That's your dad's family. Whether he acknowledges it or not, whether he goes to look for it or not, I have no opinion."

Nie Qingqing asked Nie Weibin, "Brother, what do you think?"

Nie Weibin didn't feel deeply about it and said, "Dad's parents are gone, so we have even less of a bond with our peers. I don't care whether you look for him or not. You're the one who found out about this, so you should make the decision."

Nie Qingqing still wanted to find him; otherwise, what was the point of all this trouble?

She said, "I still think we should go and find her. Let's go quietly. If we can recognize her, we will; if not, we'll come back. We can't let my aunt get her way. After we find her, I'll have to go to her house and ask her questions."

...

This was Nie Qingqing's first time in the capital, and she never expected it was to search for her relatives.

She intended to inquire discreetly, but things didn't go as planned. As soon as she reached the gate, she was recognized by the people in the courtyard.

As soon as people saw her face, they rushed out and wouldn't let her leave. They greeted her and made phone calls, saying that the address she had left back then had worked, and a girl who looked very much like her great-aunt had come looking for her after twenty years.

None of the older generation came; they were all of Nie Qingqing's generation.

Everyone was quite happy and said, "If we had come a few years earlier, we could have seen our parents, oh, your father's older brother and sister. The three of them were raised by their great-aunt. Among us younger generation, you really resemble your great-aunt the most. No wonder my father was so eager to find you back then, but unfortunately, he couldn't find you."

From the recounting of her relatives, Nie Qingqing finally understood that her uncle had taken his children back to their hometown to help the younger generation take the college entrance examination. He saw Nie Qingqing on the way but couldn't catch up. When he inquired about her, he was misled by his aunt.

Now that the younger generation all have their own places to live, each family takes turns staying in this old courtyard house left by my great-aunt for a year, just to wait and see if the relatives my great-aunt cares about will come back one day.

Nie Qingqing's cousin is the eldest child in the family, and now he has a grandson.

He said, “Back then, my great-aunt didn’t marry, but she was willing to take care of our parents. She especially loved your father. But he was the one who was lost. Before she passed away, my great-aunt instructed that the three families should divide this courtyard house equally. If we can’t find your father, we only have the right to live here. If you don’t come looking for him, we can only live in this courtyard house and we can’t sell it.”

Nie Qingqing repeatedly explained to her relatives, "I found out about the news by accident. I just wanted to come and see them. It's really not about the money."

The eldest cousin laughed and said, "Look, we've been waiting here for you to come, haven't we? Auntie made us younger generation swear at her bedside that we would never take your father's share. We dare not disobey. Now our two families want to sell the house. Can you persuade your family to sign the papers so we can sell the house? We have other uses for the money."

Of course, that's possible. Nie Qingqing made the call, and her mother and older brother had no objections, letting her make the decision.

Her father should have grown up here. Now that he's been found, they're going to sell the ancestral home. Nie Qingqing feels empty inside.

Song Zhao could tell that she didn't want to sell, so he said, "If both families insist on selling, why don't we buy it and keep it as a memento?"

That's fine too. Now that we have the means, let's buy it as a keepsake.

...

Nie Qingqing did not haggle over the quoted price, which pleased both families. They even said that since they were family, they would leave all the large, hard-to-move furniture to her.

Song Zhao called the factory and wired a sum of money. The two of them stayed in the capital to complete the transfer of ownership, which was registered under Nie Qingqing's name. Then, she transferred half of the money to her older brother.

Nie Weibin said on the phone, "Do you really have to calculate this so precisely?"

Nie Qingqing said, "It's not mine, it belongs to Dad. It was originally supposed to be half for us siblings. You can keep the money I sent you. Ask Mom if she wants to come and see. If she does, I'll wait two more days."

Tang Guizhi wasn't interested in coming and didn't want to make the trip, saying, "I'll go another time if I have the chance. I won't make a special trip."

Tangyuan is coming! Summer vacation isn't over yet, and they said they'd like to come and check out the house, the Forbidden City, and the Great Wall.

Tangyuan also said, "Could there be treasure in these old houses? I need to look carefully."

Nie Qingqing: "Your relatives have lived here for decades. Do you think you're entitled to a treasure? If you're thinking like that, don't come."

Tangyuan was coming, and Tanggao and Xiaoyuan had been wanting to visit the Forbidden City and climb the Great Wall for a long time, so they all came together.

Nie Qingqing said, "Alright then, your dad and I won't wait for you. When you arrive, go find the agent to get the keys."

...

After the house was settled, she and Song Zhao had a meal with their relatives.

After hesitating for a while, Nie Qingqing still asked, "My mom and brother live in Shanghai. Would any of you like to go visit them?"

The two families had just received the money and were busy with their own affairs, including planning to go abroad. They said, "We're too busy in the second half of the year, so we'll get together again when we have the chance."

Nie Qingqing had only mentioned it casually; if they didn't want to go, she wouldn't bring it up again.

The house is just sitting here empty; it needs someone to take care of it, but I don't know who to ask right now.

Having no other choice, Nie Qingqing said, "How about we find a real estate agent, pay him a monthly fee, and have him come and manage the property for us?"

As for the money, he said, "For now, we can only entrust it to him. We'll also ask an agent to help us find a place of similar size and buy two more sets. We need to leave one set for each of the three children."

Nie Qingqing laughed and said, "Why buy so many things if you're not coming to stay here?"

Song Zhao said, "Fairness means everyone should have it, otherwise, who do you plan to leave this system to in the future?"

That's true. If you want it, you'll have it. Before leaving, I told the agent to keep an eye out for potential buyers. I don't have the money to buy one this year, but I'll help them find one next year, one the year after, and so on.

The agent was very enthusiastic and made all the promises.

...

Before returning to Pengcheng, Nie Qingqing made a detour to visit Hu Qiugui.

After her daughter-in-law stole the note, Hu Qiugui's health deteriorated further.

When she saw Nie Qingqing arrive, she knew that the secret she had kept for twenty years had been revealed. Nie Qingqing already knew about her father's background and might even have found her relatives.

"That note, my good daughter-in-law stole it, and used it to ask you for a favor, didn't she?"

Nie Qingqing nodded: "Do you still remember the student who caught you talking to Granny Liao back then? His surname was Han, and his name was Han Jiping."

Hu Qiugui certainly remembered; she was only hemiplegic, not suffering from dementia. She asked, "Did you run into Han Jiping?"

Nie Qingqing nodded: "I work in real estate, and Han Jiping went to university to work in design. It was such a coincidence that we met. I even helped him out. In return, he asked Granny Liao about your conversation back then. I then went to my cousin's wife, and she helped me get the address. I also went to meet her."

It's truly fate that this happened; Hu Qiugui is extremely jealous.

"I bet you revealed your background in the past because you wanted to claim a share of the inheritance. It's definitely not going to be that easy, is it?"

“You guessed wrong. Before I even said anything, they recognized me just by looking at me. According to my great-aunt’s dying wish, they wanted me to sign the papers to sell that courtyard house together. I’ve already bought it, so I can go back and visit it anytime in the future, to see the place where my dad should have grown up carefree.”

Hu Qiugui sneered in a fit of rage: "So what? Your father is dead. He can never go back to the place where he was born!"

Nie Qingqing wasn't angry, but she spoke just as viciously as her aunt.

"Do you know? My great-aunt is a very famous neurologist. If you had helped back then, she would definitely have repaid you and sent my uncle to the capital for treatment. Perhaps he wouldn't have died so young. You and my uncle were so close. If he were still here, how could my cousin have dared to leave you here to fend for yourself?"

Hu Qiugui felt even more distressed. She didn't want to think about what might happen; how could she live like that if she did?

"Are you filled with hatred in your heart?"

"Fortunately, my brother and I just inherited Dad's rightful inheritance a little later. But what about you? Because of your selfishness and jealousy, you missed the only opportunity your uncle should have had to go to the capital for medical treatment. For the rest of your days, you'll have to think about what kind of life the path you didn't choose would have led you to. You must be feeling even worse, right?"

...

Two days after Nie Qingqing and Song Zhao returned, the children called back, saying they had visited the Forbidden City, climbed the Great Wall, and searched for treasures inside and outside the old house.

Nie Qingqing asked with a smile, "Did the three of you find the treasure?"

Tangyuan laughed on the other end of the phone: "No, but this trip was worthwhile. We did everything we wanted to do."

Tanggao snatched the phone: "Auntie, I have something big to tell you! Although we didn't find any treasure in the house, Tangyuan has encountered other treasures!"

Hearing the sound of Tangyuan covering Tanggao's mouth on the other end, Nie Qingqing asked, "What's wrong? Tangyuan, is there something you're embarrassed to talk about?"

The glutinous rice balls and sugar cakes were making a fuss and didn't have time to talk.

Xiao Yuan took the phone and said, "Mom, we met a girl. Tangyuan and she stared at each other for at least a minute, and they even exchanged contact information. They said they wanted to be pen pals and keep in touch by writing letters."

Tangyuan covered Xiaoyuan's mouth again, freeing Tanggao, who continued to laugh: "Tangyuan, you've really fallen for someone this time. Maybe when we graduate, Auntie, you'll be a mother-in-law! Just thinking about how I'll be the youngest, most beautiful, and most adorable mother-in-law makes me want to laugh."

Nie Qingqing laughed along, "Really? I'm really looking forward to it."

Having already said it, Tangyuan had no choice but to deny it, saying, "We're just pen pals, isn't that what's popular these days? Mom, don't overthink it, I need to focus on my career first."

Song Zhao listened with a smile on his face. After the call ended, he asked, "Tangyuan must have fallen in love at first sight, right? Aren't you nervous?"

Nie Qingqing was quite relaxed about it: "What's there to be nervous about? Even my mother couldn't persuade me back then, so how can I control Tangyuan? Whoever he wants to date or like, as long as he feels happy, that's all that matters. But Tangyuan is at this age, so he probably won't settle down yet. Let them develop naturally."

...

Before the end of the year, Nie Qingqing heard that her aunt had passed away on the very day her cousin's fried chicken restaurant opened.

My cousin's wife had no choice but to postpone the opening date, complaining, "Your mother is really vengeful; she'd rather die on the day of my opening."

Nie Yaoxiang advised, "If you're angry, don't say such things. Death absolves all debts, so let it all go."

Meng Hongxiao thought to herself, how could it be erased? Her mother-in-law's actions had brought her retribution for the rest of her life, and the family had also been plagued by bad luck for several years. She began to believe in karmic retribution. She returned immediately after the funeral, not lingering for a moment longer. She let her husband handle the funeral arrangements himself, and she would open her business as soon as she got back.

Meanwhile, Nie Qingqing was also busy with the mall's opening at the end of the year. The mall, which had been in preparation for two years, was now set to perform well in the opening month.