As Shen Heng was about to bend down and pick up Bai Jiaojiao, Bai Jiaojiao kicked him away, saying, "What are you doing in broad daylight!"

Shen Hengqiang hugged Bai Jiaojiao and kissed her, shamelessly saying, "It's cloudy today." Then he was glared at by Bai Jiaojiao.

“My sister said that her husband went to town today to find Zhigao’s two uncles. When they come over, they’ll probably have a big argument with me.”

"What are you afraid of? Those two have been beaten by me a lot since they were kids."

Shen Heng didn't take it seriously; he thought the Su brothers would try bullying Bai Jiaojiao.

Bai Jiaojiao did the math: "Brother Heng, judging from Zhigao's age, his father shouldn't be that old either, so how come Zhigao's grandmother is so old... at least seventy years old, right?"

Shen Heng said, "She's not that old. Everyone in the village looks old. She's had a hard life and her health isn't good." He thought for a moment, "She's probably in her sixties. She was fighting when she was young. Maybe she had several babies, but they all died young. Su Zhigao's father might not be the eldest son."

Shen Heng wasn't entirely clear on the inside story either. After all, there hadn't been many changes in the villagers, and even if some things seemed unreasonable, everyone was used to it and no one bothered to investigate.

Bai Jiaojiao accepted Shen Heng's statement and nodded with a smile: "Even if his two uncles come back today, they might not dare to cause trouble for your sake."

Bai Jiaojiao was initially trying to figure out whether Su Zhigao's two uncles were middle-aged or young people, but after hearing what Shen Heng said, she realized they were probably the same age as them, just a few years older.

With that in mind, Bai Jiaojiao was no longer afraid.

We're all of the same generation, so who can bully whom?

At noon, Bai Jiaojiao steamed white rice and made a bowl of seaweed and egg drop soup for Su Zhigao to eat.

Su Zhigao had never lived such a life before. He could eat as much refined rice and flour as he wanted, with oil and eggs all around. He ate with great relish and didn't waste a single grain.

Shen Heng wanted to stay home and not go to work in the afternoon under the pretext of studying, but Bai Jiaojiao kicked him out.

Bai Jiaojiao waited at home for news of Su Zhigao's uncle's return, but she waited until dark.

When Shen Heng returned, he couldn't help but ask, "What did his uncle say?"

Bai Jiaojiao rummaged through her belongings and found a slingshot that Shen Heng had made before for Su Zhigao to play with. It was just a small tree branch, but he could quietly sit by and caress it all day.

When Shen Heng asked her, Bai Jiaojiao shook her head: "He didn't come at all."

"They didn't come?" Shen Heng raised an eyebrow. "Did they not come back at all?"

"Anyway, I haven't heard any news." Bai Jiaojiao's heart sank. What kind of people were those two? They didn't even come back when their own mother died.

Bai Shiqing was also anxious at home at this time.

"Mom, Shuxian hasn't come back yet. Did something happen to him on the way?"

Bai Shiqing became increasingly sensitive after becoming pregnant, and this emotion was amplified three times more than before.

"It's normal for the roads to be slippery in snowy weather," Li's mother comforted her.

Li Shuxian had walked the road to town eight hundred times; nothing should happen to him.

Li's mother was also worried, but her main concern was to comfort Bai Shiqing.

"Mom, how about I go and greet Brother Ying?"

Li Shuhong, the second son of the Li family, asked.

Li's mother nodded: "Okay, take Shutao with you and go to town to greet your older brother."

After Li Shuhong finished speaking, he left with his younger brother. Bai Shiqing looked towards the door with some worry, and Li's mother squeezed her hand to comfort her.

Li Shiqing returned later than everyone else who had finished work. Hearing that Li Shuxian hadn't returned yet, and seeing Bai Shiqing's worried expression, he didn't show his own concern: "There's snow outside, it's safer for the oxcart to go slowly."

"Pretty much. Shuxian isn't a rash person, he'll be fine. Shiqing, you eat first."

Her in-laws persuaded her, and no matter how worried she was, Bai Shiqing had to listen to their advice.

"That kid Shu Hong, if he can't get a ride back, he should come back quickly. What's he showing off outside for?"

Li's mother kept muttering to herself, but who knew they would wait until midnight.

"Mom, I'm going to find Shuxian!"

Bai Shiqing simply couldn't sit still any longer.

"Shiqing, don't move. Your brother and I will go find them." Li Shiqing led his third son, Li Shucheng, out. Li's mother said, "You guys shouldn't wander around. Honestly, those who went out haven't come back, and those who were looking for people have lost them. If you two go out again without any news, we won't even have anyone to rely on."

"Then what should we do?"

Li's mother raised her chin: "Go find some of his cousins ​​and go together. If relatives aren't of any use at a time like this, when will we ever get around to doing anything?"

Li Shiqing thought about it and agreed: "Then I'll go and tell my brothers."

Bai Shiqing was constantly on the go at home, unable to sit still for a moment.

Bai Jiaojiao was woken up in the middle of the night by Bai Shiqing knocking on the door, saying she wanted to borrow a bicycle.

Bai Jiaojiao looked at Bai Shiqing's panicked face: "Sister, what's wrong? Heng-ge, bring the bicycle out."

Their bicycles are all kept in the woodshed; they wouldn't bear to let them be exposed to the wind and rain outside.

"Please come in and sit down."

"I'm not sitting here anymore, I'm going to town. Your brother-in-law has hired someone to beat me up."

"Was it done by the Su family?"

Bai Jiaojiao guessed it immediately, seeing Bai Shiqing nod.

"You can't just ride your bike to town in this weather. Otherwise, I'll go with you."

"My mom carried me on her back," Bai Shiqing said, grabbing the bicycle and quickly leaving. Bai Jiaojiao vaguely saw a figure approaching from a distance and hurriedly leaving with Bai Shiqing.

"Li Shuxian got into a fight with his uncle?" Shen Heng lowered his voice in the courtyard. "I think that's about right. Those two caused quite a scene when they left the village. Everyone says they never intended to come back."

What happened back then?

Bai Jiaojiao asked.

"Come in and speak."

Shen Heng took Bai Jiaojiao home. Bai Jiaojiao wanted to go see Li Shuxian, but Su Zhigao was still at their house and they couldn't leave him alone.

Shen Heng and Bai Jiaojiao returned to the house. He said to Bai Jiaojiao, "Back then, Zhigao's father was preparing to transfer back to civilian work, but he sacrificed his life and never came back. His work position became vacant. The commune said that his two brothers could take over the position, but they made a huge fuss and neither of them would give in."

“Going to work in town is almost like escaping to heaven. You go from being a farmer to a worker, and your social class is completely different.”

Bai Jiaojiao shook her head, indicating her understanding.

"They fought, and as they fought, the two brothers somehow conspired to force their mother to take out all the money in the house, borrow a lot of money from the brigade, and buy a job for them so that they could go to town."

"So they had Grandma Su borrow money to send them to work, and then abandoned her, leaving this old woman in the village to pay off their debts?"

I just can't understand Bai Jiaojiao's part.

Shen Heng nodded: "I've always been too lazy to get involved in these family matters, but because this incident was so ugly back then, even someone like me knows about it. Zhigao's mother was also in dire need of money because her family was struggling financially, and she felt she couldn't make ends meet. After giving birth to him, she ran away after her postpartum period."