Chapter 136 If it doesn't work during the day, then let's try at night.

She still had her arms crossed, a forced smile on her face, and said, "Sister, brother-in-law, it's broad daylight, and you two are hugging and cuddling in the kitchen. If someone sees you, it'll look bad."

Jiang Wanqiu was caught by her younger sister being intimate with a man. Her face instantly turned bright red. She was both ashamed and angry, and she pushed Zhao Wenchang away forcefully.

Zhao Wenchang was pushed back half a step by her, but he was in no hurry to let go. Instead, he took advantage of the situation and pinched her slender waist again. His voice was tinged with a mischievous smile as he whispered in her ear, "If it's not possible during the day, then we'll talk about it tonight."

"You...you shouldn't say such things in front of people!" Jiang Wanqiu was both ashamed and angry. She stomped her foot and finally managed to break free from his embrace. She quickly walked to the stove and pretended to go look at the blazing fire.

Watching the two flirting, Jiang Wanxia felt even more stifled and rolled her eyes in disdain.

But what woman wouldn't want her man to love, pamper, and dote on her like that? The thought of Wang Jianjun in her room immediately chilled her heart.

She silently scooped hot water from the pot, turned around, and left the kitchen.

Inside the main room, Wang Jianjun tilted his head back, spat out a mouthful of phlegm with a "ho-pui" sound, and then took the teacup handed to him by Jiang Wanxia.

He gulped down a few mouthfuls of water, then wiped his nose and casually smeared it under the table leg.

Jiang Wanxia felt nauseous at the sight. When she turned her head again, she saw Zhao Wenchang leading Jiang Wanqiu out. He was leaning against the window, tilting his head, and whispering something to Jiang Wanqiu.

The afternoon sun in winter shone through the paper window and fell on his handsome profile, revealing his thin lips, white teeth, and smiling eyes. He looked so clean and pleasant.

Comparing the two... Jiang Wanxia doesn't dare to make any comparisons at all now.

"Hey, Wanqiu, come quick and see how my pickled cabbage is going!" Zhao Xiaohua entered the house with a bowl of pickled cabbage freshly taken from the vat, her face beaming. "By the way, I have something to tell you. The village chief's daughter, Zhao Hui, is getting married after the New Year. Her fiancé is that young man who came from the city recently, what's his name... yeah, Li Qingfeng. He's our brigade's agricultural technician now. They've invited us to their wedding feast!"

She put the sauerkraut bowl on the table and added, "This year, many couplets in the village were written by that young man. His calligraphy is really beautiful! Let's go to his place to get some couplets in a couple of days."

Jiang Wanqiu looked up in surprise. Zhao Hui? She remembered this girl. She had once pestered Zhao Wenchang for a while. She didn't expect her to get married so soon.

In the afternoon, the sky darkened, and a wind picked up, making the eaves whistle.

Zhao Wenchang looked out the window at the gray sky, his brow furrowed in worry.

Ping An hasn't come back yet.

He stood up and grabbed the cotton-padded coat hanging on the wall: "No, I have to go back into the mountains to look for it again."

“I’ll go with you!” Jiang Wanqiu immediately put down what she was doing.

“Don’t go,” Zhao Wenchang pressed her back into her chair without saying a word. “It’s windy in the mountains, and it’s freezing cold. You’re not well, so don’t go running around like that.”

“That’s right,” Jiang Wanxia said coldly from the side, “Why bring him back? This heartless bastard, you bring him back and he’ll run away again the next day. Just let him go, if he’s going to commit suicide, no one can stop him.”

In her past life, the person Jiang Wanxia couldn't get along with the most was this brat named Ping An.

She found Ping An annoying, and Ping An found her even more unpleasant. That kid was incredibly naughty; every few days he would catch toads and big green caterpillars and throw them at her. She wanted to hit him, but Zhao Xiaohua always protected her.

"Jiang Wanxia, ​​watch your mouth!" Jiang Wanqiu turned her head and warned, "It's the New Year, stop cursing people! Be careful, the retribution will come back to you!"

Jiang Wanxia let out a cold laugh and said nothing more, but in her heart she was thinking: Retribution? She knew better than anyone what Zhao Ping'an's final fate was.

"Old Zhao!" Zhao Xiaohua exclaimed anxiously, shoving her husband Zhao Shan. "Don't just sit there, hurry and go out with Wenchang to search! It's getting dark, we can't let anything really happen!"

The father and son put on their coats, braved the cold wind, and hurried out the door.

As soon as the man left the room, Wang Jianjun started acting all high and mighty again: "Wanxia, ​​go get me some water to wash my feet! And bring me a pair of clean socks! I need to soak my feet! What a lousy place, my feet are freezing!"

Jiang Wanxia moved reluctantly, serving him while glaring resentfully at Jiang Wanqiu, who was sitting not far away reading a book.

"Wanqiu, come here." Zhao Xiaohua suddenly beckoned to Jiang Wanqiu, took out a brand new red paper packet from her pocket, and stuffed it into her hand.

Jiang Wanqiu squeezed the wad of cash; it was a thick stack. She opened it and her eyes widened in surprise—it contained three 10-yuan bills, a full thirty yuan! Underneath was a stack of colorful ration coupons: cloth coupons, grain coupons, oil coupons—you name it.

Zhao Xiaohua patted her hand with a smile: "Here, this is for you. Before you go back to the army on the third day of the Lunar New Year, buy some good food and nice clothes to take with you. Life is tough in the army, don't skimp on yourself."

Jiang Wanxia's eyes were glued to the red paper packet in Jiang Wanqiu's hand, as if hooked by a hook, her eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

In her past life... Zhao Xiaohua also gave her New Year's money, although not as much, but still ten yuan.

She still remembers that as soon as she received the money, that little brat Ping An came over and shamelessly asked her if he wanted candy.

I wasn't happy about it at the time.

"You bastard from out of town, you have no parents, you eat our food and drink our water, and you still dare to ask me for money to buy candy? How dare you!"

As a result, the little brat ran out crying after being scolded like that.

Finally, it was found at the bottom of a steep cliff in the back mountains. By the time it was found, the person was already frozen stiff.

Although the cause of this life is somewhat different from that of the previous life, the result is the same—Zhao Ping'an went to that mountain again.

Her gaze swept over Jiang Wanqiu's face, which was even more radiant with joy, and then fell on Wang Jianjun, who was picking his toes to the side. Her eyes darted around quickly.

A brilliant idea instantly formed in her mind.

As the sky outside gradually darkened, it became as black as spilled ink.

The north wind whipped up snowflakes, pelting against the windows with a loud "pitter-patter," a sound that sent shivers down one's spine.

Seeing that it was time, Jiang Wanxia quickly stood up, feigning great anxiety: "Sister, no, we can't just wait like this any longer! It's freezing cold in the mountains at night! Besides, what if we run into a bear again..."

Zhao Xiaohua frowned.

It was almost Chinese New Year, and every family was busy preparing for their reunion dinner. She didn't want to make a big fuss about everyone's needs for her family.

But now it seems we have no choice but to trouble others. Zhao Xiaohua said to Jiang Wanqiu, "Wanxia is right. I'll go find the village chief and ask him to call a few more people. If that doesn't work, the whole village will go up the mountain to search!"

After saying that, he hurriedly left the house.

Only the Jiang sisters and Wang Jianjun remained in the house.

"Sis, let's pack up and go help out."

Although it was unclear why the woman, who had seemed to be hoping for a peaceful death that morning, had suddenly changed her attitude, in the current situation, having more people meant more help: "Then let's go now."

Wang Jianjun had just taken off his shoes and put his smelly feet on the edge of the brazier to warm them when he heard that they were going up the mountain. He immediately stiffened his neck and became unhappy: "What are you looking for? That little brat ran away on his own, what does it have to do with us! It's dark and cold outside, let whoever wants to go go!"

Jiang Wanxia had anticipated his behavior. She walked up to him in a few steps and dragged him outside, saying, "Get up right now! My brother-in-law and his father have gone up the mountain, and you, as his brother-in-law, are just sitting in the house warming yourself by the fire? What will the villagers think of you? What will your brother-in-law think of you? You don't even have this much sense. Do you still want people to help you in the future?"

Wang Jianjun's arrogance immediately subsided upon mentioning Zhao Wenchang.

He dared not provoke that man.

He clicked his tongue reluctantly, slowly put on his shoes, and muttered under his breath, "Bad luck! What a damn bad luck!"

Soon, all the able-bodied men in the village were gathered together, each carrying a torch or flashlight, and they set off in a grand procession toward the back mountain.

The wind and snow intensified, stinging like knives against one's face. The faint beam of the flashlight swayed erratically in the dark forest, unable to illuminate very far.

In her past life, Jiang Wanxia had accompanied someone to collect Zhao Ping'an's body. Although she couldn't remember the exact location, she had a general idea of ​​the direction. She deliberately pulled Jiang Wanqiu and Wang Jianjun to walk at the side and rear of the group, gradually separating them from the main group.

“This way! I think I saw footprints over here!” she said, pointing to a fork in the road with certainty.

After walking for a while, we could no longer hear any other sounds around us, only the sound of the wind and snow.

They had reached the woods not far from the cliff.

"Found it!" Jiang Wanxia squatted down and pointed to a mark half-covered by snow under an old pine tree. "These are Ping An's footprints, I recognize them!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wanqiu quickly went over to take a look.

"Sister, look, these footprints lead that way!" Jiang Wanxia pointed into the depths of the woods. "You follow this path, I'll go check over there! Jianjun, come with me!"

She didn't give Jiang Wanqiu a chance to refuse, and forcibly dragged Wang Jianjun into another alley.

Jiang Wanqiu was worried about the children. After glancing into the woods, she only told them, "Be careful, everyone," before braving the wind and snow and trudging along in the direction Jiang Wanxia had pointed.

Meanwhile, Jiang Wanxia led Wang Jianjun through a maze of turns and soon arrived at the edge of a barren cliff.

A howling wind swept up from the bottom of the cliff, making it difficult for people to stand.

"You crazy woman! You're just looking for trouble! What did you bring me to this godforsaken place for!" Wang Jianjun, his nose running from the cold, cursed loudly, "I'm not looking anymore! I'm freezing to death! Give me your hat and scarf!"

As he spoke, he actually snatched the dog-skin hat from Jiang Wanxia's head and the woolen scarf from her neck, quickly putting them on himself while muttering, "I'm going down the mountain first, you can just stay here and starve!"

Jiang Wanxia didn't say anything, she just stared at him intently.