As Lu's mother watched her grandson run away crying, she felt resentment but didn't know who to vent it on, and she had things to say but didn't know who to confide in.

Lu's mother sat quietly on the sofa, her mind a jumble of thoughts, unsure how to sort it out.

Why aren't you turning on the light? What are you thinking about sitting here?

When Mr. Lu returned home, he thought no one was home; it was pitch black and there was no smell of food.

"Ah! It's getting dark, and I haven't cooked yet."

Lu's mother didn't know what was wrong with her. She sat there all afternoon, not really understanding anything, just spacing out.

"What's wrong? Is something the matter? You don't look well."

Seeing his wife's pale face, Mr. Lu became anxious. Although the two had their share of arguments, they had spent most of their lives together and their relationship was still very deep.

"No, it's just that Xiang Qiang got into a fight with a child this afternoon, and I felt really upset."

"Oh dear, isn't it normal for kids to fight?"

Mr. Lu felt that his wife was making a fuss over nothing. Children fight today and make up tomorrow; they have no perseverance. Adults shouldn't get involved.

“Why should I worry about a fight? That kid overheard the adults gossiping and started saying that Xiang Qiang’s mother divorced him and didn’t want him anymore, that his mother ran off with a rich man and that he would have a stepmother. He said a lot of things, and that’s why Xiang Qiang fought with him. After the fight, he cried and hid back in his room. It’s been all afternoon, and I don’t know if he’s still crying.”

"well!"

After hearing the reason, Mr. Lu sighed. There was no way to change it; the divorce was a fact, and they couldn't silence everyone. However, the two children were still young, and they couldn't keep hearing all this gossip.

"I'll discuss it with Shukang later and see if we should move or what. We have to find a solution; the child is innocent."

Father Lu pushed open the door and went out to see if Shu Kang had returned.

"Dad, did Mom really run off with a rich man and abandon me and my brother?"

"Who said that? They're talking nonsense. Your mother and I just had a disagreement that we couldn't reconcile, so we had to separate. Those people are just spouting nonsense and gossiping. Don't pay any attention to them. If you don't like listening to their nonsense, Dad will buy a house as soon as possible, and we'll move away from them."

Lu Shukang has already found a house he likes. It's an old-style staff housing building near the school where he teaches. It's quite large, over 70 square meters, with three bedrooms and a living room. What he likes most is that the house has an ensuite bathroom.

Lu Shukang brought his two children out, intending to go out for a meal. He couldn't cook, so he had to discuss with his mother about taking care of the children for a while, otherwise what would he do?

"Dad, have you eaten?"

“She hasn’t eaten yet. Your mom has been spacing out at home all afternoon and hasn’t cooked anything. She’s been thinking about the unpleasant things the neighbor’s kid said, and it’s making her upset too.”

Looking at Xiang Qiang, whose eyes were red from crying, and Xiang Wei, who was quiet and well-behaved, Lu's father also felt a pang of sadness in his heart.

"Xiang Qiang, people can say whatever they want. We can't control what they say, but we can control our own hearts. Just forget the hurtful words. Right and wrong aren't for any one person to judge. In any case, the responsibility doesn't lie with you kids."

"I know, Grandpa, I'll try my best, but I still feel so bad! Waaah..."

The child's cries, like those of a small animal, were so heartbreaking that they brought tears to one's eyes.

I ate a simple meal at a small restaurant near my home, but I didn't have much of an appetite, so I went back to Lu's father's house.

"Shukang, what are your plans?"

"Mom and Dad, I want to move and transfer our two children to a primary school near ours. That way, away from our old neighbors and classmates, there won't be any gossip, and the children will be better off."

Lu Shukang graduated from university and entered a key high school in the district, where he taught first-year high school Chinese. His school had junior high and senior high sections, as well as an elementary school, which was very convenient.

"That's fine. Transferring schools is easy. But what about housing? Where will you live?"

"I've found an apartment I like, about 70 or 80 square meters, three bedrooms and one living room. If all goes well, the transfer of ownership will be completed tomorrow. When that happens, could you and Mom come over and help me look after the kids? I'm really sorry to trouble you two, but I have no other choice."

Lu Shukang got 10,000 yuan back from Wang Mengyao's lover, and with his family's savings, it was barely enough to buy that house. He really needed his parents' help; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to make ends meet.

"Which floor is it on? Is there a restroom there?"

Ever since seeing Shu Rui's family's indoor bathroom, Lu's mother has been longing for a toilet with flushing capabilities.

"On the third floor, there is an indoor bathroom, but the kitchen is shared."

"Alright, you decide what to do. Your dad and I can't just watch the kid go hungry and live like a wild child. We'll come back when you've settled down."

Mother Lu wanted to move away from this area. The neighbors knew her too well, knew everything about her family, and everyone knew about her life. She was fed up with it. She dreaded being asked why Shu Rui and his family hadn't taken them to live in the garden villa they bought, and whether their daughter-in-law was providing for them now that she was earning money…

It was so annoying to hear. Her relationship with Yu Yin was just so-so. Yu Yin wouldn't even give her a second glance. Her punches felt like hitting cotton; they were useless.

“Okay, once the house is ready, your mother and I will come over to help take care of your child.”

Mr. Lu didn't want to go, but there was nothing he could do. The child was too young and couldn't take care of himself. Shu Kang hadn't done any housework in all these years, and he couldn't even cook.

The next day, Lu Shukang came home from get off work and said that the house transfer was complete and they could move in anytime.

Lu's mother said she would go over tomorrow to see if it needed to be tidied up before moving in.

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