Xiao Hua breathed a sigh of relief when He Yan didn't show up for the past few days, but the child asked several times why her father wasn't coming.

Xiaohua made up a random excuse, saying that her father was away on a business trip and might not be around for a while.

Mao Dani's leg has healed, so she can go back to rest. Xiao Hua took the children to the train station to see them off and take the train home.

When Ye Dazhuang learned that Xiaohua was determined not to remarry He Yan, he got angry with her and stopped talking to her. Xiaohua thought to herself, "Say what you want, but this guy is biased towards outsiders and doesn't side with his own daughter."

Mao Dani wanted to say a few words to her daughter, but Ye Dazhuang's glare scared her into silence. Xiaohua understood her mother's intention and pulled her aside.

"Mom, just say what you want to say. Why are you so afraid of Dad? He's not going to eat you!"

Mao Dani patted Xiaohua's hand: "Daughter, do you really not want to be with He Yan anymore? Even for the sake of the child."

It's He Yan again, so annoying!

Xiaohua explained with a headache: "Mom, when have I ever been with He Yan? I've been separated from him for so many years since I got pregnant with Kang An. I'm used to being alone. Look at me, I've been raising my child on my own all these years and I'm doing just fine, isn't that? It proves that I don't need a man to support me."

Mao Dani thought about it and agreed.

Whether it was Ye Dazhuang's cancer surgery or her own leg surgery, it was all thanks to He Yan.

I should repay this debt of gratitude!

But she didn't know how to persuade her daughter.

"Mom, don't overthink things. As long as I'm okay, that's all that matters! Why do you care who I'm with!"

Mao Dani knew that her daughter's mind was made up, and that there was no point in saying anything more.

"It's up to you. I'm too old to control you anymore, but sometimes you can't be too willful. Mom knows you're capable of supporting yourself and your child, but we women always need a man to rely on in our lives. He Yan is someone you can rely on. You see, he cares deeply about me and your father. Just from that, you can see that he's a responsible man. Whether he loves you or not isn't important; being responsible for you is more important than anything else."

Mao Dani is illiterate and not good at speaking, but these are her heartfelt words, and she hopes that Xiaohua can at least listen to them.

"Okay, I understand. I'll think about it seriously. You and Dad get in the car. You two take good care of yourselves at home. Don't be stingy with money. I've put all the money in your bag. Buy whatever you want to eat when you get back. Don't be frugal. Life is short. Think less about others and more about yourselves."

Xiao Hua put 5,000 yuan in Mao Dani's bag. In the 1990s, 5,000 yuan was a huge sum of money. A rural family might not even earn 5,000 yuan a year.

“Why would you give me money? Your father and I have money to spend. Besides, if your sisters-in-law knew you gave me money, they would be worried. This time, you paid for the hospital visit all by yourself, and your brothers didn’t even offer to split the cost with you.”

Mao Dani is not the kind of parent who uses their daughter as a blood bank to support their son.

“If you don’t tell your sisters-in-law, how will they know I gave you money? You can’t help but go out and brag about how filial your daughter is to you. If you tell others that I gave you money, of course they will be thinking about it. But everyone’s life isn’t very wealthy, so it’s understandable that they’re thinking about this money. When I’m able to do something in the future, I will take care of my brother, sister-in-law, nephews and nieces. But right now, my ability is limited. It’s already very good that I can take good care of you two.”

The child isn't the type to put on a brave face; she simply doesn't have the capacity to support her extended family, so she won't force herself to do so.

"Okay, okay, I know. I definitely won't tell anyone when I go back this time. Sometimes, don't you just want others to know how filial my daughter is to me? How will others know about your filial piety if I don't tell them!"

That's how it is with elderly people in rural areas. If their children show them even a little filial piety, they'll claim to be extremely filial in public, just to make others envious of them.

"Hua'er, Mom, I still want to ask you something. Is all the business you're doing legitimate? Is it legal?"

Mao Danni knew that Xiao Hua had made some money doing business outside, but he didn't know what kind of business Xiao Hua was doing. He was always worried that Xiao Hua was doing illegal business.

Although the Ye family was poor, they had lived a clean life and never done anything to wrong anyone. They could die peacefully without being cursed by others at their coffins.

Xiaohua was speechless and helpless: "What are you thinking? I'm a legitimate businessman, what illegal things could I do? Don't worry, every penny I earn is clean. Spend it freely."

Mao Dani nodded.

Kang An pulled the child to the front: "Sweetie, say goodbye to your grandparents. Your grandparents are getting in the car to go home."

Kang An waved: "Goodbye, Grandma and Grandpa."

Ye Dazhuang gave Kang An a slightly nicer look: "Kang An, be a good boy. Listen to your parents at home, don't be naughty, and study hard."

Kang An nodded.

"Grandpa, my dad is away on a business trip. I don't know when he'll be back."

"He's away on a business trip? No way, he came to see us early this morning."

After Ye Dazhuang finished speaking, Mao Dani nodded in agreement: "Yes, He Yan came this morning before you arrived. He said he had class later and wouldn't take us to the train station. He wasn't on a business trip. He just said he was going back to school for class."

After hearing what her grandparents said, Kang An looked up at her mother, somewhat angrily: "Mom, why did you lie to me? Dad clearly didn't go on a business trip. Is it because you don't want Dad to come and see me?"

Xiaohua felt embarrassed by her daughter's questioning.

"Your dad probably isn't planning on going on that business trip again. I don't know either!"

Her explanation sounded somewhat flustered.

Ye Dazhuang looked at Xiaohua with a displeased expression.

"You can dislike He Yan and refuse to see him, but you can't stop the child from seeing her own father!"

Xiaohua was afraid her daughter would misunderstand, so she quickly explained, "I didn't. He didn't come by himself, and I didn't say he couldn't see the child."

Ye Dazhuang sighed and got into the car with Mao Dani.

Xiao Hua couldn't understand He Yan. He hadn't come to see the child for several days, but then he went to see her parents early in the morning.

Haven't they already fallen out? Wasn't he going to use his power to intimidate her and take the child away from her?

Why did she run to see her parents so early in the morning? What's going on here?

"Mom, I miss Dad." Kang An looked dejected and clearly unhappy.

Xiao Hua couldn't help but frown. It's only been a few days, does she really miss him that much? She didn't have a father for three years, and she was happy like a fool!