Seven days after Qi Zhifang left, Xiao Hu returned to Beidaihe. His pension was halved due to illness, leaving him with only fifty-three yuan. Even so, he still managed to give twenty yuan to Qi Zhifang. He was truly a victim of injustice! His own children didn't receive a single penny! But no, he still had to ask for forgiveness from them, promising to be their servants in his next life.

After Wang Fang was released from prison, she was not as lucky as Qi Zhifang. She lost her job and had nowhere to live. Qi Zhijun's side room had already been rented out. So she started looking for Qi Zhifang again and finally found out about her through roundabout means. She took her luggage and went there.

Qi Zhifang flew into a rage the moment she saw Wang Fang, and raised a kitchen knife to chop her up! "You worthless wretch, you haven't harmed me enough, I'd rather kill you and pay with my life than let you have another chance to harm me!"

Wang Fang quickly dodged, "Mom! Mom! What's wrong with you? I know I was wrong! Don't use the knife! You just got involved in an affair and even dared to hurt someone. Now is the time for strict crackdowns. If you get arrested again, you'll be executed! Don't be impulsive!"

Qi Zhifang was stunned, not because Wang Fang frightened her, but because she saw Xiao Dai! Her mind was buzzing. She had been cooped up at home for several days, afraid that something might go wrong, and hadn't even gone to see Lao Xiao. And just like that, when Wang Fang came, Xiao Dai also came.

Qi Zhifang collapsed to the ground, the knife slipping from her hand. Her mind was filled with the thought that it was all over, all over! Xiao Hu had given up his job and future for himself, but Wang Fang, this jinx, had made him avoid her everywhere after just a few words from her.

Even Lao Xiao cared, let alone Xiao Dai! Thinking this, he glared at Wang Fang with murderous intent, completely at a loss for how to ease the awkward situation. Wang Fang then pulled another stunt: "Mom! Don't pretend to faint! Do you think I don't know what your body is like? This trick won't work on me! We're still connected by blood, I don't care about your reputation being ruined, what do you have to complain about? Look at you, you've had three children, who else can take care of you in your old age? Who else can you rely on? I heard that you can't have any more children because you've had too many miscarriages!..."

Oh no, she's really passed out this time! Wang Fang cried like a dutiful son or granddaughter, kneeling on the ground, grabbing Qi Zhifang's shoulders and shaking her violently, crying and shouting, "Mom! What's wrong with you?..."

Xiao Dai came out and called a few people to take Wang Fang to the hospital. Wang Fang was older, and she recognized Xiao Dai. She said, "Are you Uncle Dai?!" Judging from his clothes, he was doing quite well.

Xiao Dai glanced at Wang Fang briefly before leaving. Wang Fang pursed her lips, put her things back, reserved a room for herself, locked the door, and leisurely went to the hospital.

On the hospital bed, Qi Zhifang looked like an old woman, listless, as if her time was coming to an end. Xiao Dai would just stand by her side, neither trying to persuade her nor leaving, just watching her.

Even Qi Zhifang couldn't hold back any longer and said, "Go away! Don't come looking for me again. After I'm discharged from the hospital, I'm going to find a place to live..."

Xiao Dai said coldly, "Is that all you're telling me? Don't you have anything to explain?"

Qi Zhifang pulled the blanket over her head and cried, "What else are you asking? Didn't you already believe everything? What do you want me to say? They wronged me, and you wronged me too, didn't you?"

Xiao Dai said softly, "I'll believe you if you say so!"

Qi Zhifang poked her head out and looked at Xiao Dai's expressionless face, saying, "He was just sitting in my room. We're both this age, what can we do? Only those with dirty minds would think that way! I'm innocent..."

Looking at Xiao Dai's ambiguous smile, Qi Zhifang was overcome with grief. "I knew it! There's always trouble around a widow's door; even a storm can brew! I deserve to die; I should have died back then..."

"Enough!" Looking at Xiao Dai's gloomy face, Qi Zhifang's lips trembled. "What do you mean? You look down on me too? What did I do to deserve your contempt?"

Xiao Dai stood up and said, "What you do is none of my business, and we have no connection whatsoever!"

Qi Zhifang didn't even bother to put on his shoes before grabbing Xiao Dai from behind and hugging her tightly. He could feel Xiao Dai stiffen, her tears falling onto his back as she choked out, "Give me a straight answer today: do you have feelings for me or not? If you say no, I'll give up. I'll marry Lao Xiao and go to Beidaihe with him! I'll never go back to Beijing again!"

Qi Zhifang just kept crying, and Xiao Dai didn't move. Qi Zhifang lost her patience and punched Xiao Dai twice in the back. Xiao Dai turned around and grabbed her hand. "Let go of me! Let go of me!" Seeing Qi Zhifang struggle, Xiao Dai suddenly laughed. "Aren't you afraid I'll let go of you? You were just saying one thing and meaning another back then, and you haven't changed a bit all these years!"

Qi Zhifang turned her face away, snorted, and missed Xiao Dai's expression. She only heard him say affectionately, "You really want to be family with me? Hmm?"

Qi Zhifang turned her head, staring with her large, now-shy but still clear and foolish eyes, then pouted again. Xiao Dai chuckled, "Tell me, do you want to or not!"

"How could you be so mean? You know perfectly well, why are you still asking me? I'm not telling you!" He turned his head away again!

"If you don't tell me, I'll take it as you don't want to! I'm leaving!" Before the words were even finished, Qi Zhifang said urgently, "I want to! I've dreamed of this for over twenty years! You have to give me an explanation! Anyway, I won't marry anyone but you in this life!"

Xiao Dai just looked at her and nodded gently. "Okay, give me half a month. This time I will definitely keep my promise, and we will be a real family!"

Qi Zhifang protested, "Why does it have to be another half month? I don't want to wait anymore, not even a day! I beg you! I don't want to wait anymore!"

This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!