"You, you're being completely unreasonable!"

"What's the point of reasoning with someone like you who starts demanding exorbitant prices? Did I say I wouldn't acknowledge it? Show me the proof!"

Looking at the broad, kind back standing in front of him, Li Dashun felt a mix of emotions.

Even without her, I could have handled today's events myself; it just might have required some maneuvering.

I never expected to meet her on the train, and she even helped me!

Meng Shuyun took out eighty yuan before the woman finally gave up.

Looking back, the blond-haired boy was staring blankly at him, lacking a maturity beyond his years.

This is the expression that a child his age should have.

Still just a child, Meng Shuyun didn't soften her heart and held out her hand for money: "One hundred yuan, hurry up and pay me. I'm getting off at the next stop, and if you run away, where am I going to find you?"

He's someone who's been in the newspapers, someone who can easily pull out a hundred or two dollars, how could he be short of money? A hundred dollars wouldn't even be enough for him.

Li Dashun, who had just been touched, suddenly came back to his senses.

He said, "There's no such thing as kindness without a reason..."

"I don't have any money on me, I can't take it out," Li Dashun said honestly, he really didn't have that much money on him.

“You have no money and you still want my help! The appearance fee is 20, not a penny less.” Meng Shuyun tapped him on the head.

Li Dashun easily dodged the question, disdaining to lie, his expression unmoved, "I have no money, that's true."

Meng Shuyun put her hands on her hips, saw a student help her write an IOU, gave him two candies as a thank you, and then took it to Li Dashun, threatening him.

"Put your fingerprint here, and you can pay me back when you get back. If you don't, I'll take the IOU to your grandfather."

Li Dashun signed the note and said coldly, "He's not my grandfather, so it's no use you looking for him. Come find me on the first day of next month."

Meng Shuyun glanced at the signature on the IOU—Li Dashun.

It's obvious that an old man named him; could that person be his grandfather?

He carefully put away the IOU, looked at the now indifferent blond-haired boy, and took out two candies to put in his hand.

"You little brat, always wearing such a grumpy face, it's really unsightly. I'll be looking for you on the 1st, don't even think about running away."

When Meng Shuyun heard the train conductor announce the station, she took her luggage and got off the train.

I had to ask around to find out the exact location. I took a bus and changed buses twice, and it got dark.

These days, roads are full of potholes. Meng Shuyun got out of the car, carrying her luggage and holding her back, feeling as if her bones were being shaken apart.

I found a guesthouse nearby, two yuan a night, with hot showers. I had just paid when I turned around and saw Little Yellow Hair Li Dashun.

Meng Shuyun and Li Dashun stared at each other, wondering if the world was really that small. They could run into him everywhere.

"You're following me!?" Li Dashun preemptively asked, looking warily at Meng Shuyun, who was carrying a bag across from him.

"You kid, why would I need to follow you?"

I haven't even questioned you about whether you've been stalking me, and you really think you can treat me like your mother?!

"Alright, alright, didn't you say you had no money? You'll stay in my room tonight, two yuan a night, it'll be on an IOU."

Li Dashun...

Meng Shuyun, worried about Xiuju, woke up early. Li Dashun, who was curled up on the bench, immediately opened his sleepy eyes when he heard the noise.

Wow! They're quite wary.

Meng Shuyun quickly got up and packed her things. The two left the guesthouse at the same time, heading in the same direction.

"I'm telling you, you don't really want me to be your mother, do you?"

That's impossible. I don't like sons, so there's no way you can have one.

Meng Shuyun looked at Li Dashun with suspicion, bought four steamed buns, and gave him two.

"Once you've eaten my steamed buns, don't follow me anymore. I only took you in out of kindness last night, so don't be too touched. You're not allowed to follow me anymore."

Li Dashun looked at the steamed bun in his hand and fell into deep thought.

The steamed bun was a little hot to the touch, warm, and it seemed to warm my heart, which had been cold for so long.

Yes, I did give him an IOU last night. This steamed bun was originally his.

The slight discomfort I felt instantly turned into a sense of entitlement.

He doesn't have the habit of owing favors to others.

Meng Shuyun found out about the minibus going to Hongqi Commune and got on it.

Early in the morning, several women, carrying cloth bags, were chatting away.

"Aunt Hong, I never expected Zhu Zi to be so capable. He rescued a damsel in distress and brought back a wife who is also an intellectual. Your family will surely become a family of scholars in the future."

“That girl is so pretty. If Zhuzi sleeps with her tonight, she’ll be obedient. If she has a big, healthy son, he’ll be part of your family. Everyone in the surrounding villages is envious. Aunt Hong, you’d better keep a close eye on her.”

"He can't run away. He's locked up inside, and only I have the key. He was being disobedient at first, but after a few beatings, he behaved himself."

The woman called Aunt Hong was in her fifties. Her dark yellow face was creased with smiles. The cloth bag at her feet was bulging, and the cloth sack was open, containing red candles and other items.

Meng Shuyun could easily imagine that, based on what they said and what they had, the woman had a happy occasion to celebrate at home.

"Oh my, young lady, is your family celebrating a happy occasion? Congratulations! I have some candy here, everyone can sweeten their mouths and wish you good luck! Congratulations!"

He took out some milk candy from his pocket and gave one to each person. The women on the bus beamed with joy at the sight of candy.

Seeing that the group was completely unguarded, Meng Shuyun began to probe for information.

"Are you ladies from the Red Flag Commune?"

Aunt Hong instinctively didn't want to tell the truth to a stranger, but one of the quick-tongued people couldn't control himself and blurted it out.

Could it be that brat's mother who's coming at this time?

"Yes, we're all from Hongqi Commune. Are you going to Hongqi Commune? You don't look like you're from our village at all. What are you doing here?"

Meng Shuyun knew that these country folk were xenophobic, so she didn't reveal her true purpose and simply explained with a "hey".

“I came to pick up my son and bring him back to the city. He said in the letter that he had too much luggage, so I took the liberty of coming over to help him carry it back with me. He is my only son, and I haven’t seen him in a long time. I missed him a lot, so I came over.”

After saying that, she stuffed another handful of candy into her mouth. The woman in the car didn't suspect anything when she heard her explanation, and even took the initiative to mention the mother of a certain educated youth.

"You've come just in time! Give us your gift money, have a meal at Aunt Hong's house, and then head back!"

Meng Shuyun smiled and agreed, then continued to probe for information. These women were unsuspecting and, having received her bribes, said everything they should and shouldn't have said.

The information gleaned from these women, when pieced together, reveals a wealth of details.

Upon hearing this, Meng Shuyun's smile froze, her hands clenched into fists, wishing she could rush out right now and kill all those heartless bastards!

These beasts imprisoned Su Xiuju and are now forcing her to get married and have children.

They're trying to drive Xiuju to her death!