What's the plan in Chapter Forty-Four?

There was still no news from Shu Yao's parents, but another piece of news spread throughout the alley: Sun Yaozu had returned and was standing at the gate of the Sun family home.

I hadn't seen him for over ten years, and he looked more mature and composed. He had a car from who-knows-where, was dressed in a suit and leather shoes, and had slicked-back hair; he looked quite Westernized.

"Oh, is Yaozu back?"

Sun Yaozu was very kind to his neighbor, nodding politely. "Yes. Aunt Xu, how are you feeling?"

"Okay, okay." Aunt Xu didn't know what to say next. Her departure had caused quite a stir. Some said he started the fire, but the scene was a mess and there was no evidence. Now she's back, with Meng Xi and her husband—it's all very intriguing.

“My father, my aunt, do you know what happened after I left? How could he leave so quickly?”

By this time, it wasn't just Aunt Xu anymore; a group of neighbors had gathered around. Hearing his question, the kind-hearted and quick-witted ones had already offered their answers.

“Your father lost all his energy as soon as you left. I saw him go to see Shu Yao, and then he just died at home.”

"Really? Then who lives in my house now?" There are signs of habitation; it must be Meng Xi and her daughter.

"Your wife and daughter, of course. Who else could it be?"

It was indeed them. Sun Yaozu looked at the padlock on the door and remained silent for a moment. Learning that Meng Xi worked both morning and afternoon shifts, he simply found a rock and pried the padlock open in one go.

This was his own home, and no one dared to say anything. He pushed open the door and entered, and some curious people followed him inside.

The part of the Sun family courtyard that has been preserved is not large, but it is not small either. Previously, the two elderly people of the Sun family lived in the main house, the husband and wife lived in the side house, and the side rooms and sheds were used for cooking.

"Has only the mother and daughter lived in the courtyard all along?" He entered the main house, which was clearly uninhabited for a long time, covered in dust.

"Yes. Meng Xi rented the house to someone before, but the person left after less than six months. They said the house was haunted."

Sun Yaozu didn't reply, silently observing everything that was familiar. The onlookers around him had originally wanted to ask him where he had been all these years, but his aura was cold and imposing, and his attire inspired awe, so they didn't ask anything.

"Shu Yao and Sun Yaozu seem to have made it big, you better watch out." Aunt Xu came over to gossip to Shu Yao: "He looks like he's here for revenge, his face is so dark it could drip water."

"I have no grudge against him, do I?" Shu Yao frowned, not expecting Sun Yaozu to return first. Having been reborn, he naturally knew how things were unfolding. Most people had been observing the situation quietly for the past few years, harboring doubts about the mainland. But he understood that history wouldn't rewind. His dark expression was likely directed at Meng Xi.

"Oh, right. He was probably angry with Meng Xi."

Aunt Xu came to talk to her in the afternoon, and by evening she heard noises from next door. Meng Xi was yelling that someone had broken her lock and that she was going to call the police. She was then told it was Sun Yaozu who had returned, and she was stunned into silence.

She returned home feeling completely lost, and only when she sat down in a chair did she realize that her whole body was trembling. It was fear and terror; the aftereffects of that fire were far more than just the scars on her face.

The slightest noise startled her, making her jump up from her chair. It turned out her daughter had come home from school. Shuyin put down her schoolbag and looked around.

"I heard my dad's back?"

"I haven't seen anyone. I only heard about it from my neighbors."

"I heard he was dressed very smartly, in a suit, tie, and leather shoes, and his hair was slicked back."

"Why do you need to ask so many questions?" she suddenly snapped. "Hurry up and do your homework. Children shouldn't ask so many questions."

"Mom, what are you panicking about?" She had heard some rumors from the outside world, but she didn't know the specifics. She only remembered her parents arguing loudly, and some people said that her father had started the fire that almost killed her mother, but she thought that was nonsense. How could her father set fire to her mother? Even if they were arguing, it shouldn't have been fatal.

"Who said I'm panicking?" Meng Xi retorted loudly. "Go do your homework now."

Her mother's voice was hoarse; she sometimes did this over the years, and Sun Shuyin had gotten used to it. Since her mother didn't want to talk about it, she decided not to ask anymore. Her father would definitely come home when he returned; they'd see how things went then.

Meng Xi was so restless that she forgot to put salt in her dinner and kept glancing back at the door. Even the slightest noise made her heart race. She didn't sleep a wink all night when no one came.

Shu Yao was working the night shift when she ran into the other person at the factory in the morning. But time was short and there was no time to talk. She hurriedly went into the workshop, and Shu Yao rode off on her bicycle.

Seeing that she was in a bad mood, Zhou Aili came over during the meal. "What's wrong? You seem distracted?"

"fine."

Feeling uneasy, she chose to remain silent. Every conversation with Zhou Aili ended unhappily, and this was something she couldn't discuss with outsiders.

After work, she rushed off to find Wu Erhu, and the two found a secluded spot. She spoke in a very low voice, "Sun Yaozu is back."

"What?" Wu Erhu was also stunned, his expression somewhat flustered. That fire back then had truly terrified him; he understood the rage a man feels when he's been cuckolded. Now that the man had returned, would he still harbor resentment?

"Don't contact me again. We're done."

"Wu Erhu, you son of a bitch!" Meng Xi was furious. This dog of a man was indeed unreliable. Last time, when danger struck, he ran away first; this time, hearing that Sun Yaozu was back and danger might return, his first reaction was to distance himself from her.

"You woman," Wu Erhu's face darkened. "What else can we do? If you provoke him again, we'll both die this time."

"You can't be so heartless. We were together for a while, and we have a daughter..."

"Please don't mention your daughter again." Wu Erhu waved his hand in fright. "Keep it straight, she's Sun Yaozu's daughter, and has nothing to do with anyone else."

"You..." On the surface, I've always been adamant, but you can't just ignore me behind my back, can you? But just as she was about to say something conciliatory, Wu Erhu had already ridden away on his bicycle.

"Don't contact me again."

Wu Erhu fled as if his life depended on it, leaving her alone, bewildered in the wind. She returned home in a panic, subtly inquiring about the situation from her neighbors. Hearing that Sun Yaozu hadn't returned today, her heart remained heavy with worry.

This is the Sun family home, Sun Yaozu's home. He can come back anytime. Filled with fear, she fetched two buckets of water and cleaned the long-unoccupied main room thoroughly. She also took out the bedding his parents had used, dusted it, and restored it to its original state.

I couldn't sleep for a long time at night because I was so worried. I finally managed to sleep for a few hours in the middle of the night because I was so tired. I was on tenterhooks for many days, but I still didn't see any sign of Sun Yaozu.

Unable to bear the fear and worry any longer, she went next door to find Shu Yao after work. Her aunt, seeing it was her, immediately gave her a cold shoulder and tried to kick her out.

Shu Yao was counting money inside when she heard the noise and quickly put the money into a small box. These days, she hadn't had time to cause trouble, and her business was going very well. This time she had stocked up on a lot of goods, and the high-quality, low-priced items were selling very quickly. She roughly estimated that her daily net profit was several times her salary.

"What do you want?" She came out of the house on her own initiative, probably because Meng Xi wanted to talk about Sun Yaozu.

"Did you see Sun Yaozu that day? Are you sure it was him?"

"No. I just heard about it."

Seeing that Shu Yao had taken care of things, Third Aunt went into the kitchen to cook. She made steamed buns for dinner, first steaming the pumpkin until cooked and then mashing it into a puree. Everyone liked pumpkin buns, so Su Xiangdong brought back a whole sack of them.

"Shu Yao, how come you're not scared at all?"

Why should I be afraid?

“Sun Yaozu is a madman. He kept saying that your twins were his children. Aren’t you afraid he’ll cause trouble for you now that you’re back?”

"You know best whether he has the guts or not. Let him dream, who can stop him?"

"You're just relying on the fact that you have a man in your family and Su Xiangdong backing you up. How are you any better than me? You're just lucky to have found a good man. If you hadn't divorced and remarried, you would be the one who's worried and scared now."

"I don't need to divorce and remarry, and I don't need to worry or be afraid."

Meng Xi didn't understand what she meant, but Sun Yaozu understood perfectly. In their past life, he and Shu Yao had always appeared to be very harmonious. He was assigned to sweep toilets, and Shu Yao was assigned to sweep the streets. She would do these jobs overtime, only asking for his help when there was absolutely no time left.

For ten years, she worked tirelessly, supporting the family with her frail shoulders. She cared for her in-laws until their deaths, accompanied and encouraged him, and most importantly, helped him solve his problems. When he was depressed, he would stay at home for months without leaving the house. He resented fate and even his parents, but he never resented her.

Sun Yaozu, standing outside the gate, looked up at the sky, his expression complex and indescribable. By the time Meng Xi left the Su family home, he had already left again. Hearing from the neighbors that he had returned and had just been standing at the Su family's gate, she felt a chill rise from her feet to the top of her head.

What exactly does he want to do?

"This suit isn't the same one he wore before, and he's changed his tie too. He's also driving a car; he looks really impressive."

"Meng Xi, just wait and enjoy your good fortune, the man has returned with his fortune."

Enjoying life? She was terrified! She didn't dare say a word, anxiously waiting for Sun Yaozu's next move.

Without Meng Xi causing trouble, Shu Yao's business went much more smoothly. But a person's energy is limited; while she was busy with her own small business, she wasn't as focused on her work.

When her supervisor talks to her at work, she nods and agrees, but in reality, she continues to act the same way. She does what she's supposed to do within her responsibilities, but she doesn't care about what's outside of those responsibilities. She has no interest in being an advanced worker or a model worker these days.

Just like in her previous life, after those ten years, she developed an almost unreasonable craving for money. In her previous life, she survived those ten years on the small amount of money her parents gave her, and in this life, she spent a considerable amount as well. When faced with hardship, she felt powerless, but money was still an option.

She was busy working and making money, so she told Su Xiangdong about her sourcing channels. He brought back a batch of goods for her when he went on a business trip. He suggested that she do this business with him, but she firmly refused.

"Why?"

"If I get arrested, the worst that can happen is I lose my job. But you're still at home; we need someone to support us." It's not time to fully liberalize things yet; you need to stay alert and prepare for the future in the business world.

"But you're working so hard, it breaks my heart to see you like this."

He didn't know how much savings the family had. But he knew exactly how much grain they had and what they needed to buy. For those ten years, she traveled back and forth, but since he returned to work, she had never had to worry about anything at home.

Every day when she came home, there was hot water and a hot meal. He would lovingly prepare water for her to wash her feet, always telling her not to overwork herself. Before, when she went out at night, he would secretly follow her. She wouldn't let him go, but he would give her a lecture. He could keep an eye on things for her, and if anyone caught them, he could run fast.

"You help me with the purchasing, and you do all the housework. You even secretly keep me company at night. You've already done so much."

"Actually," he wanted to say, "the two of them earn quite a bit now, and their salaries are enough to live on." But then he remembered saying that before, and how his wife was so obsessed with making money; it must have been something that had deeply affected her over the past ten years. Money really is a person's confidence and courage.

"The winds of deepening reform are gradually blowing in. Perhaps I should do something too?"

“The time isn’t right yet, you should wait.” She smiled and took his arm. “I’ll accumulate some funds first, and then I’ll invest in you. You can run the business, and I’ll be a shareholder.”

"It's all yours." He smiled and stroked her hair. "If we really do it, then we'll register it in your name, and I'll work hard to earn money for us."

"Um."

During the day, she runs her small business by herself without him accompanying her, so he can only assist her as much as possible. He categorizes and puts her things away neatly, and tries to build relationships with people beforehand. This year, the rules aren't as strict, but it's still good to have connections in case of any problems arise.

Shu Yao is busy earning money, and her aunt is in good health and can cook perfectly well. Su Xiangdong is also meticulous, and with the three children not at home, there's not much to worry about. Working eight hours a day, then walking around the streets for another four or five hours, and then having about ten hours left before getting home, it's not tiring at all.

As she watched her money accumulate, she felt incredibly happy. That evening, she overheard Meng Xi next door scolding her daughter again; the tension was palpable even through the courtyard wall – she was clearly agitated and restless.

Sun Shuyin was equally annoyed by her scolding, but she had nowhere else to go besides home. She went to the kitchen to cook dinner, only to be criticized for not tasting good.

"Mom, what's wrong with you?"

Meng Xi closed her eyes, feeling her heart pounding in her chest, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, the irregular heartbeat making her feel terribly uncomfortable. Suddenly, it felt like someone was grabbing her heart, making it hard to breathe. She clutched her chest tightly, lowered her head, and felt like she was about to die.

"Mom, Mom, what's wrong?"

The child quickly poured her some water, and after drinking a few sips of warm water, she slowly calmed down. She waved her hand, too exhausted to argue with her daughter any longer, and went inside without eating.

Sun Yaozu, if you're going to kill me or torture me, just do it quickly. Stop torturing me like this! A surge of anger welled up inside her. If she knew where Sun Yaozu was, she would have wanted to run and confront him directly. This constant fear, this feeling of having a knife hanging over her head, this perpetual worry that it would fall, was pushing her to the brink of a mental breakdown.

That night, she developed a high fever, and her daughter got up and gave her a tablet of Analgin. She took the next day off, staying home listlessly, silently praying for relief. Whether Sun Yaozu killed her or she committed suicide, she was truly fed up with this life.

She hadn't slept well all night, and Sun Yaozu returned the next day at noon. He stood in the courtyard, and she trembled with fear. It was as if she saw him outside the firelight; his face was now as cold as it had been then.

"You're really bold, and you've got a thick skin."

When Sun Yaozu spoke, she felt as if she had been plunged into an ice cellar. She tried to explain herself, but he just sneered and wouldn't listen to a word. When Shu Yao returned from work, she found that Sun Yaozu had already packed her up and thrown her out of the yard.

The neighbors were all watching the spectacle, and Auntie San pulled her along, squeezing through the crowd. Meng Xi threw her things on the ground, and she slumped down on the floor. Seeing that a large enough crowd had gathered, Sun Yaozu bowed to them.

"All of you neighbors are here, please bear witness. Meng Xi and I broke down a long time ago. If I hadn't left, we would have been divorced by now. But it's not too late, we can divorce now. This house is my Sun family's ancestral property, it has nothing to do with Meng Xi. She's lived here for free for so many years, I'll let it go for my daughter's sake."

Everyone was talking about it, many saying they had already guessed this outcome. Meng Xi had been insisting on leaving back then, but now she had no choice but to go. Despite all their persuasion, Sun Yaozu remained unmoved and simply threw her and her belongings out.

Everyone was criticizing her, saying she must have done something to wrong Sun Yaozu back then, and that she deserved this fate. Just then, a woman rushed in, punching and kicking her while hurling insults.

"Meng Xi, you shameless bastard! You've been seducing my man for so many years, and even now you're like this, you're still trying to get him to give you money. Are you a prostitute? You whore! I'll beat you to death today, and see if you dare to seduce other people's men again..."

Wu Erhu's wife beat and verbally abused her. The fact that the victim herself intervened further confirmed her behavior. People were very conservative at that time; such things might happen in secret, but in public they would be scorned and gossiped about. She originally wanted to fight back, but under the accusations of the crowd, she was powerless and was overpowered by the two women, her forehead bleeding and her body covered in filth.

"Bitch, if you dare to see my man again, I'll kill you."

"Yeah, you slut."

In later generations, even a third party would be looked down upon; now, she was utterly ashamed. She kept her head down the entire time and limped away.

Shu Yao turned and went home; she wasn't about to say anything more to Sun Yaozu. Watching Meng Xi's disheveled figure, she finally felt her anger subside. Meng Xi had made her faint with anger back then; now she was finally getting the treatment she deserved.

Sun Shuyin was stunned when she came home from school; she hadn't expected this. However, her father had given her many gifts—clothes, toys, and a schoolbag. After weighing her options, she decided to stay and live with him.

“Sun Yaozu’s move was ruthless,” Su Xiangdong sighed, shaking his head after returning and learning about the incident. “They’ve been married for years, and he’s gone too far. He kicked her out but then adopted her daughter. Considering the rumors, isn’t this a clear indication that Meng Xi did cheat on him, but he himself is fertile? He’s saving face by putting Meng Xi in the spotlight.”

Auntie San also shook her head: "That's ruthless enough. That's really what people are saying outside. No matter what the truth is, after so many years of marriage, they're practically enemies."

Shu Yao was very clear about this; Sun Yaozu was inherently cold and ruthless. "When dogs fight, they both get hurt; they're both incredibly cruel."

Su Xiangdong nodded, agreeing with his wife. "Yes, Meng Xi isn't exactly innocent either. They spread rumors that he's infertile, trying to pin everything on him. If he hadn't run away, he would have suffered terribly all those years."

Third Aunt nodded in agreement. She had previously felt sorry for Meng Xi, but now that she heard this, she felt she deserved it. The couple was indeed in a terrible situation; neither of them was doing well.

After saying that, Su Xiangdong brought up his own business. "It's getting colder and colder, so maybe we should suspend this business for now."

"No way." She swallowed the food in her mouth. "That's how much money it costs. Now that I'm skilled at it, I'm making a good profit every day."

"Then I'll stay with you tonight." Seeing that she was about to refuse again, he became firm. "Either you agree to my request, or you stop. How can I leave you alone in this freezing weather?"

He smiled and comforted her. "The land in the north of the city has been approved to build a large wholesale distribution center. I've already asked someone to buy me a stall. You can do whatever you want then, I definitely won't stop you."

"Really? You've already pulled some strings?" Of course she knew this wholesale market, and she had enough money to buy it. But before she could say anything, he had already anticipated it.

"Yes. You can rent or buy. Sales haven't been particularly smooth due to the impact of previous years, but good locations still need to be acquired early. By the way, it comes in three tiers with different sizes. Which size do you want?"

"The biggest one."

"good."

Many people hesitated to make a move, but how could Shu Yao, a reborn person, let such a good opportunity pass by? A few days later, accompanied by him, she went to choose a location and paid a deposit.

The second floor is directly opposite the stairwell, where the highest foot traffic is. The second floor mainly sells women's clothing, accessories, and women's skincare products, which is exactly the scope she plans to operate.

"We'll set up a shop on the first floor later to sell home appliances."

"Okay." He's gotten used to his wife's way of thinking now; when it comes to doing business, she wants to set up a stall right away. She wants to run everything.

Having secured the stall, Shu Yao promised him she wouldn't go out at night this winter. If she was working the night shift, she would only go out for a few hours in the afternoon; if she was working the day shift, she would stay home to rest in the evening. Su Xiangdong reluctantly accepted, and the two reached an agreement.

It was already October in the lunar calendar, and the temperature at night was quite low. She had been out for two hours after get off work and was hurrying back. She was riding her bicycle with a basket on her shoulder when she ran into Sun Yaozu in the alley.

The man remained impeccably dressed and gentlemanly, resembling the image she remembered from her past life as he aged. She knew what the future held, and Sun Yaozu, being a reborn individual, naturally knew as well. She'd heard he was now involved in import/export trade; his appearance certainly had the makings of a convincing impersonator.

"Shu Yao," he called out.

"You're still alive?" Shu Yao asked coldly. His expression was so similar to when she discovered his infidelity in the hospital in her past life, which made her unable to hold back her anger.

"Yes." This person, who is usually quick to anger, can still maintain a good face despite her sarcastic remarks. It seems that her temper has been tempered quite a bit; she has matured over the years abroad.

"Your parents should be back soon. You must miss them a lot after all these years, right?"

Shu Yao had initially planned to ignore him, even though seeing his familiar face infuriated her. It reminded her of how he had cheated on her during their marriage, using her earnings to support a mistress. But to get revenge, she needed to have the power to back her up. Talking to him was pointless. However, when he suddenly mentioned her parents, she couldn't help but turn back.

"Have you seen them?"

"yes."

Shu Yao quickly calmed down and said nothing. Her parents were definitely alright. They had already asked someone to contact her, and she would see them soon. That bastard must have smuggled himself abroad to find her parents; his shamelessness was comparable to Meng Xi's.

"I am very grateful to them."

He thought he could use this bait to get Shu Yao to talk to him a bit more, but she remained as indifferent as ever. She didn't say anything more and turned to go home. She was clearly annoyed and didn't bother with him much. She really is a reborn person; she's so calm and collected.

After getting into bed that night, the couple chatted for a while before the wife happily wrapped her arms around his waist. She placed her feet on his lap; in winter, he was practically a natural fireplace, and because of his good personal hygiene, he was warm but didn't smell bad.

"Stay away from Sun Yaozu. I feel there's something sinister about his return this time."

She gave a soft "hmm," and said, "I also think there's something wrong with him."

Having spent a lifetime together in their past life, and having grown up together, she knew Sun Yaozu quite well. He was petty and self-centered. With most of his life gone, if there was anything he still resented, it was probably being twins.

"He looked very calm, like the kind of gentleman people talk about abroad. But I felt that there were strong emotions hidden deep in his eyes, and his appearance was all an act."

"Um."

If anyone should be blamed for wronging him, it's Meng Xi. She cheated on him, completely ripping him off his blissful dream. He was already in a state of madness then, and now she's further hurting Meng Xi. Dogs fighting, serves them right.

Genetic testing had already emerged abroad at this time, so they were still wary of Sun Yaozu trying to have twins again. He might not cherish what he gains, but he would probably try every means to get back what he has lost.

“His father came to you on his deathbed to ask about the two children, which shows that carrying on the family line is very important in their family. Now that his father has passed away, and he has no other children of his own, you should be wary of him trying to take advantage of He Xu.”

"I know." She was deeply moved. They were indeed husband and wife, lovers, with identical thoughts and ideas.

"But his plan was futile. We did it flawlessly. Not to mention outsiders, even the two children never doubted their origins."

Without genetic testing, this would be considered a done deal, and no one could overturn it. But with the advancement of technology, and with Sun Yaozu's rebirth, he knew deeply that it was his child; all that was lacking was evidence.

"If the two kids find out in the future... as their father, don't have any reservations. They might be a little shocked at first, but they'll understand over time. Give them time to process it..."

“You…” he chuckled softly. “You’re overthinking it. The child I raised is mine. I have confidence in my child. If Sun Yaozu wants to go back, there’s no way he can get back, not even a door.”

Shu Yao smiled softly; she had indeed been overthinking things. Both children had been so close to her in their past lives, and in this life, they had always regarded him as their father. Twenty years of emotional connection and psychological preparation couldn't be shaken by such a fragile blood tie.