Chapter 067: Post-Exam Farce

Jiang Mancheng and his wife were equally furious upon hearing Yuan Jianshe's filthy plan. Jiang Mancheng, unsurprisingly, laughed in anger. He said with a forced smile, "Great, that's great. You think I'm easy to bully if the tiger doesn't show its might, right?"

Chen Jinhua was so angry that she was about to run downstairs and hit someone, but the father and daughter quickly pulled her back, preventing any further trouble. However, her chest was still heaving and her face was throbbing with veins.

Jiang Mancheng snorted heavily and said in a deep voice, "Jinhua, don't be angry. I'm sure I'll teach that idiot a lesson. Xiaonan, take a look at that Dong Jiaojiao. How many lovers does she have? What do they do for a living?"

"Okay." Jiang Nan nodded and said quickly, "This is also a strange one. Her family doesn't seem to care about her reputation. She has a lot of lovers. She has five lovers: high school classmate Jin, headquarters publicity officer Sun, refinery employee Li, junior high school teacher Zhang, and, uh, she's also having an affair with her brother-in-law Liu."

A time management master and orthopedics enthusiast.

Jiang Nan was impressed and continued, "Her brother-in-law Liu is a capable member of the Revolutionary Committee. He has a very evil heart."

Jiang Mancheng's mouth twitched as he analyzed, "Then this Liu must be their family's backer. Does her sister know about the affair? Also, see if Liu has told her about the Revolutionary Committee. The key is whether she has any enemies within the Revolutionary Committee."

Jiang Nan nodded and quickly began to examine it carefully. The Jiang family dinner table was unusually quiet. However, the tranquility was soon broken by Zhou Zhixing's arrival.

Zhou Zhixing looked frustrated, as if he had eaten a fly. He asked Jiang Nan, "Did you see Dong Jiaojiao? What does she want to do?"

Jiang Nan laughed: "Oh, did I tell you? I'm looking at her information, don't disturb me."

Chen Jinhua brought a set of bowls and chopsticks to her future son-in-law: "Xiaoxing, come here, you haven't eaten yet? Let's talk while we eat."

He quickly explained, "Dong Jiaojiao wants to meet you in the grove at nine o'clock. Yuan Jianshe from the building also wants to meet someone in the grove at nine o'clock, but it's Xiaonan. We're trying to figure out how to pair them up and lock them together forever."

Jiang Nan quickly published the information he had read: "Dong Jiaojiao's sister doesn't know about her affair with her brother-in-law. But she probably doesn't care. In Dong Jiaojiao's memory, her sister has had several lovers and doesn't care much about her brother-in-law Liu."

She continued, "As for Liu's enemies in the Revolutionary Committee, Dong Jiaojiao recalls that Liu once mentioned a deputy director named Fu, saying he disliked Liu and had thwarted his promotion to deputy section chief. There must have been a conflict between the two."

Jiang Mancheng nodded. "We don't need to get involved in what's going on there. We just need to tell Fu about Liu's promiscuous relationship. The rest of the fight will be up to them."

He scratched his chin and chuckled, "As for locking them up, I have a clever plan."

Jiang Nan didn't ask any more questions. Her father must be up to something bad again. She was a police officer and didn't want to get involved in this.

She couldn't control her old father, and she felt helpless.

Nine o'clock, in the park grove.

Dong Jiaojiao tiptoed forward, feeling extremely proud. She had said, how could Zhou Zhixing not like her? She was so beautiful, no man could escape her grasp!

Although Zhou Zhixing was in a bad mood, he still slipped a note to her house at around 8 o'clock, asking her to keep an appointment. The note sounded sour, but Dong Jiaojiao decided to forgive him because he was so handsome. After all, to her, being handsome was more important than anything else.

On the way, she giggled and looked at the slowly approaching figure.

The figure was very tall, and the moonlight was hazy, so her face couldn't be seen clearly, but her hands were raised high, probably holding a bouquet of flowers, exactly the same as the 'code' mentioned in the note. Dong Jiaojiao didn't hesitate any longer, and walked forward with a sweet smile, throwing herself into the man's arms, and said coquettishly, "You bastard, why did you come so late?"

Yuan Jianshe was very proud, so he said that Jiang Nan was secretly looking at him and had a crush on him!

Yes, it’s normal for such a tall and handsome gay man to be liked by others.

He is so outstanding and so likable, but sometimes he feels helpless.

Yuan Jianshe, beaming with pride, hadn't noticed that Jiang Nan's voice at night was different from that in the afternoon. But he couldn't notice it, because he quickly lost the ability to think.

Dong Jiaojiao is a fierce person who dares to attack gay men.

Seeing Zhou Zhixing's chest trembling with laughter, Dong Jiaojiao became increasingly certain that Zhou Zhixing liked her. So what were she waiting for? She stood on tiptoe, hugged this Zhou Zhixing, and began to nibble on him, chewing until the fake Zhou Zhixing, the real Yuan Jianshe, was breathless.

Dong Jiaojiao was extremely aggressive and her hands were not slow. In just a few seconds, most of the buttons on Yuan Jianshe's clothes were unbuttoned.

The speed was so fast that Yuan Jianshe was a little stunned. This 'Jiang Nan' was too shameless. How could such a person be worthy of being his wife!

As Yuan Jianshe's wife, she had to be both a good housewife and a capable woman. She might not be good in bed, after all, there were plenty of women who liked him, and he'd be drawn to them with a single wave of his hand. As a gay man, he always had a good advantage in this kind of situation. But the first two things were essential.

He, Yuan Jianshe, wants to save face.

He, Yuan Jianshe, deserves better.

Although he felt disgusted, he knew it was a waste not to eat it since it was served to him. Yuan Jianshe quickly took the initiative and the two of them started to have a friendly conversation.

In the shadows, Jiang Nan, Jiang Mancheng, and Zhou Zhixing responded: This...this is progressing too fast. This is so sudden, so unexpected.

What about the one who caught the adulterer? Didn't both parties arrange for someone to catch the adulterer?

Could it be that he was also frightened by this tornado-like development like them?

That's right. Although Dong's mother thought her daughter was open-minded, she had never expected her to be so open-minded. Seeing her daughter screaming, she rushed out and screamed, "Stop, Zhou family boy, you pervert, stop now!"

Yuan Jianshe's grandmother, Wang, failed to convince Cao Chuncao's family, and arrived late with her own family. Seeing this, she shouted in a playful manner: "Jiang Nan, you shameless man, how dare you seduce my Jianshe, you..."

Yuan Jianshe was about to enter the port, but he was so frightened that he surrendered his weapons on the spot.

The two groups of people appeared and froze in their tracks. This wasn't right. Something seemed to be wrong.

Before the two sides could figure out what was going on, Cao Chuncao, along with Old Lady Liu, Old Lady Qiu and others, came charging over in a mighty force.

Why such a coincidence, you ask? Well, wasn't it Jiang Nan who sneaked a little note into Old Lady Liu's house? Old Lady Liu is known as the loudspeaker in Building 4. If she knew, everyone in the building would know within ten minutes. So, Old Lady Liu, Old Lady Qiu, Old Lady Cao, even Old Lady Sui, all showed up. These old ladies are old at heart, and they're determined to catch the adulterer.

They are not there to watch the fun, but to eradicate the unhealthy practices in Courtyard No. 1 and create a good growth environment for the children in the courtyard.

Asking is selfless.

The next question is selflessness.

Anyway, there is not a trace of vulgarity in it, no, absolutely not.

Old Lady Liu looked at Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing at the back of the crowd, her eyes filled with confusion. She shouted at Mrs. Wang and Mrs. Dong, "What the hell are you talking about? You can't wrongly accuse someone like that, right? Xiaonan and Xiaoxing are both here. How could they be the ones having an affair?"

Although Mrs. Qiu felt regretful, she also said, "That's right, turn around quickly and don't hide. We caught you on the spot, and you still want to throw dirty water on us?"

Old Lady Cao pouted, put her hands on her hips, and cursed, "Shame on you! You're not only breaking a shoe but also throwing dirty water at me. My little Xing is just standing there obediently, what are you yelling about? Dachui, Dazhuzi, Xiangdong, go, drag them over here! I want to see who's so bold as to wrongly accuse my grandson like this."

The Dong and Yuan families stood in front, their faces as pale as paper, trembling like sieved chaff. Yuan Jianshe's grandmother, Mrs. Wang, shouted, "What do you mean by adultery? Don't talk nonsense. No one is adultering. You are mistaken, mistaken."

"Bah, you think we're blind." Old Lady Sui was finally able to laugh at other people's jokes. Her grandson Xiaoqiang had been so sad these past two days, and it was obvious he hadn't done well on the exam. She'd been feeling down for two days. Now that something was happening to Old Yuan's family, she was overjoyed. She said, "Sister Wang, you're not covering up for someone, are you? Let me guess, is it your second grandson, Jianshe? He's only been here two or three days, and he's already hooking up with someone. He's really casual."

Wang cursed: "What nonsense! My family is upright and honest, so I didn't collude with anyone..."

Old Lady Sui didn't give her a chance to speak. She stared at Dong's mother and shouted, "You are Dong Shengli's mother upstairs in the back. I know! That woman is your daughter, right? What's her name?"

She looked like she had something to say but couldn't. She quickly slapped her thigh and screamed, "I remember now. Her name is Dong Jiaojiao. That girl is Dong Jiaojiao, right? Yuan Jianshe and Dong Jiaojiao, aren't they the two of you? What's wrong? You have the guts to mess around but don't have the courage to come out, right? You're hiding behind like a coward? Ugh, you're so despicable!"

Although Wu Dachui was a middle-aged man, men also gossip. He finally had the chance to laugh at other people's relationship problems. He shouted, "Yuan Jianshe, if you're a man, come out. We've been caught in the building. There's no way to escape. You'd better come out obediently."

Indeed, with such a loud commotion, not only did everyone in Building 4 come out, but everyone in other buildings who heard the noise also rushed out to watch the excitement. Although Yuan Jianshe was an ordinary man, he was not a fool. He knew that if he didn't have an explanation today, he would have no chance of getting away.

His hands were shaking as he buttoned his shirt, and he glanced at the disheveled woman across from him with disgust. Was it possible that such a brilliant man like him had to marry such a lewd woman?

The more he thought about it, the more unwilling he became. Yuan Jianshe suddenly shouted, "It's all her fault! It was this woman who seduced me! I came to take a walk in the woods, and this woman suddenly rushed out, hugged me and kissed me. I didn't want to. How could I, such a good person, fall for her? She seduced me."

Dong Jiaojiao looked up in shock. Although she was a bit of a flower fanatic, she wasn't attracted to just anyone. At least, she didn't fancy Yuan Jianshe at all. He wasn't good-looking, and he came from the countryside. She had been in Courtyard No. 1 for so long, and she hadn't even glanced at him. But just because she despised him didn't mean Yuan Jianshe could despise her!

She took two or three steps forward, slapped Yuan Jianshe in the face, and said viciously: "I was forced by him. I will sue him for being a hooligan to me. I want him to go to jail."

Well, outsiders haven’t made a judgment yet, but the parties involved are already biting each other.

Old Lady Liu and the others opened their eyes wider than bells, wishing they wouldn't blink at all, just to see how the scene would develop.

Jiang Nan, Jiang Mancheng and Zhou Zhixing: It’s wonderful. Watching others perform is wonderful.

Yuan Jianshe froze, staring at Dong Jiaojiao in disbelief. If he really sued her, he would be in big trouble.

Although Yuan Jianshe came from the countryside, he had also been to the county town to witness the struggle sessions and knew too well the consequences of hooliganism. Yuan Jianshe acted decisively, dropping to his knees and hugging Dong Jiaojiao's waist, sobbing and wailing, "Jiaojiao, I was wrong. I shouldn't have wronged you. I really like you too much, and I know you like me too. Can we get married? I know you're not a virgin, but I don't care."

He continued, "You're from the oil field headquarters, right? The headquarters is in the city. I heard the revolutionary situation there is very good. How about we hold the wedding there? I don't care if you have a bad reputation."

Dong's mother shuddered. This Yuan Jianshe actually threatened them! How dare he! Her family had connections in the Revolutionary Committee. She shouted, "Stop talking nonsense! My Jiaojiao is innocent. There's no such thing as a virgin. If you say that again, we won't be polite to you."

Yuan Jianshe shuddered and said hesitantly, "Aunt, I know, I... Jiaojiao and I have already made a fait accompli, and you don't want to. But I can wait, really, I can wait for Jiaojiao. I don't care about reputation, chastity, none of that matters. I only like Jiaojiao as a person, even if she has slept with seven or eight men, I don't care."

"Oh no."

The crowd erupted in exclamations. Some young women's eyes changed when they looked at Yuan Jianshe. What kind of affectionate man is this? He doesn't care about being cuckolded seven or eight times. Oh, oh, oh, how can there be such a good man?

The men's eyes were complicated. Some felt strange and couldn't figure it out. Some were eager to wear a green hat. What is this, the Green Hat Man? Some stared at Dong Jiaojiao obscenely, thinking about contributing to the Green Hat Man's career.

The old sparrows sneered in their hearts and continued to perform.

Dong's mother was a bit of a snob. She snorted coldly and said, "Stop pretending here. My daughter Jiaojiao is from the city. She wouldn't look down on a peasant like you. Let's go. I've never seen a peasant harassing a city girl. What's with all that slut talk? Let's go."

These days, being a slut and a hooligan can get you shot. No one was that mean; they could watch the fun, but they didn't want anyone killed. Upon hearing this, they didn't stop Dong's mother from leaving. Perhaps they were just shocked by the two people's outrageous behavior, and they just stared blankly at them as they walked away.

Mother Dong held her head high, still thinking about how to let her eldest son-in-law teach the Yuan family a lesson. However, she would soon find out that her eldest son-in-law had fallen.

This big show is missing one person, who do you think it is?

Of course it’s Tiger Aunt Chen Jinhua.

She had an important mission, which was to ride her bike to the headquarters overnight and give an anonymous letter to Fu, the deputy director of the headquarters' revolutionary committee, in order to stir up internal strife and ensure that both Fu and Dong Jiaojiao's brother-in-law would suffer losses.

The Chaoyang Oilfield headquarters was in Baishui City, a place where the average person would need a four-hour bike ride. But Chen Jinhua, a strong woman, was able to reach the site in just three hours. By the time she reached Building No. 4 after the round trip, it wasn't even four in the morning.

She was panting, but her expression was extremely excited. As soon as she got home, she gulped down two glasses of water and muttered angrily, "How dare they plot against my daughter? I'll kill them."

Jiang Mancheng hadn't slept yet, waiting for someone. He opened the door when he heard the noise and whispered in agreement, "Yes, whoever plots against our family will never get rich, never get promoted, have a disharmonious family, and have unfilial children..."

Chen Jinhua wiped her mouth: "Mancheng? Why aren't you asleep yet?"

Jiang Mancheng yawned. "It's okay. I'm watching the Dong family back there. Who knows if they'll cause any more trouble? I'll keep an eye on them to feel at ease. We have to go buy some preserved vegetables later. I'll go get Xiaonan. It's over 200 kilograms. The three of us have to go."

In the novel, the Chaoyang Oilfield is located in a similar way to the Northeast in later times, where winters are exceptionally long. Every household hibernates, requiring a wide array of food preparations. Winter vegetables are a must-buy each year, including cabbage, radishes, potatoes, and green onions. Simply stock up on whatever is available. Cabbage is particularly important, as it can be pickled, kimchi, or eaten fresh, making it far more popular than radishes.

Cabbage at this time is generally divided into three grades, with first-grade cabbage being the best. Not only is it delicious, but the cabbage is also tightly packed, allowing it to remain tender even after a winter, making it a delicious dish even in cold dishes. While expensive, first-grade cabbage is still a good value compared to third-grade cabbage, which is less flavorful and spoils easily over time. These days, people line up early to get first-grade cabbage.

Jiang Nan was woken up in a daze, and without thinking, he asked, "Caught cheating again?"

"Hey, you ignorant kid, you're dreaming and still watching the fun?" Jiang Mancheng patted Jiang Nan on the head and urged, "Get up and buy some winter vegetables. Pickle more sauerkraut and kimchi this year. Last year's was not enough. Hurry up, your mom and I have changed our clothes."

Jiang Nan rubbed his eyes, sat up, and asked, "I see. Dad, will grandma and the others trade mushrooms with us this year? Let's trade more. Mushrooms are delicious."

"Of course it will be changed. Let's get up. If you want to talk, we can talk while we're waiting in line. If you're late, you won't be able to buy the first-class dishes."

Jiang Nan chuckled twice and happily washed and changed his clothes. These days, the mountain products like mushrooms, hazelnuts, and walnuts are all the most authentic and delicious. Every year, my family would save up some cloth coupons and industrial coupons to exchange with my uncle and his family.

It was already the last day of September, and the early morning weather was still quite chilly. Jiang Nan put on a small padded jacket, a standard Northeastern cotton jacket made of green fabric with large flowers.

Even though people in later generations may laugh at it as unfashionable, it was very fashionable in those days. At least when Jiang Nan was queuing in this outfit, he received envious looks from Cheng Gaigai and Qiu Paner.

Jiang Nan was very proud. What's wrong with being rustic? The earthiness belongs to the world and that's what's fun.

She sings songs according to the mountain she is on. Since she is here, she is very good at adapting to local customs.

The three of them went downstairs at 4:30, and by the time they arrived at the supply and marketing cooperative, it was still before 5:00. However, there were already over 40 families lined up ahead of them. Everyone was clamoring, hands in their pockets, stamping their feet, and chatting as they waited.

"Is it going to snow soon? It's getting cold pretty early."

"What's so early? It snowed at this time last year. Have you forgotten? Back then, when we were buying winter vegetables, there were still snowflakes falling."

"I remember, I remember, that year the cabbages were hit by frost and they were so sweet."

"I remember that time we didn't buy enough, and I regretted it so much. I have to buy more this year."

"My family is the same. We plan to buy 200 kilograms and pickle them into sauerkraut. How can we not eat sauerkraut in this winter..."

One by one, they were chatting animatedly.

Upon hearing this, I thought, "Oh, it's just a matter of cabbage and radishes, but every household is so enthusiastic about it. Winter vegetables are a matter of life and death for the whole winter, so no one can be careless. Come early to pick the best. Those who come late will only buy what others have left. For the same price, who doesn't want to buy the best?"

Jiang Nan joined the queue and couldn't help but stretch his head to look. Wow, most of the people in the queue were elderly women or aunts, and there were hardly any men.

Jiang Nan curled her lips and said, "Men, tsk tsk, they are so unreliable."

Jiang Mancheng, one of the few reliable men, caught a glimpse of Chen Jinhua's expression and began to nag Jiang Nan: "I told you to dawdle. Look, there are so many people here. If you can't grab the first-class dishes, you can just wait for me to cut you."

Jiang Nan giggled and ignored her father's words. Seeing Zhou Zhixing and Old Lady Cao already in line not far away, she smiled and replied, "Dad, why are you so anxious? We're sure we can buy it. If more than 40 households can buy it all, it means the supply and marketing cooperative has too little stock. There's something wrong."

Chen Jinhua said sternly, "We're out there, don't talk nonsense. Don't just talk about Xiaonan all over the city. You're not moving fast enough yourself. Lazy people are always busy, so I don't even bother to talk to you."

Jiang Mancheng chuckled: "Wife, how can this man control the cycle of reincarnation, right? You see, I am the second one to go downstairs in our family. It’s mainly because of my daughter. My daughter is unreliable and dawdles..."

He ignored Jiang Nan's glaring protests and resolutely stepped on his daughter to get to the top and curry favor with his wife.

Jiang Nan snorted and began to exhale white air for fun. In her previous life, she had seen videos showing how freezing cold the Northeast winters were. In some places, pouring hot water would freeze. While the Chaoyang Oilfield wasn't as extreme, it was still this cold before October, and this was the first time she'd experienced it. In her previous life, in Shanghai, long johns weren't necessary in October. Now she was wearing a cotton jacket.

Jiang Nan exhaled again, watching the white smoke rise and disappear, having a lot of fun.

Chen Jinhua patted her daughter's shoulder in annoyance: "You are so grown up, but you are still acting like a child. What's the fun in this? You've blown away all the warmth in your stomach. Now, stop blowing and line up properly!"

Jiang Nan immediately stood up obediently and smiled at Chen Jinhua ingratiatingly.

Jiang Mancheng immediately responded: "That's right, she's really ignorant. Jinhua, don't be angry, I'll teach my daughter a lesson. Xiaonan, you're sixteen, almost seventeen..."

Chen Jinhua ignored the two unreliable father and daughter and walked over to greet them: "Aunt Cao, Sister Huang, Xiaoxing, you are here so early."

Old Mrs. Cao, still holding her sewing basket, knitted as she replied, "Jinhua, you don't know how sensible my little boy Xiaoxing is. Even at such a young age, he cares about me so much that he insisted on getting up early to come with me to buy winter vegetables. Oh, he's worthy of being my grandson, he knows how to care for me."

Having said this, she straightened her face, glanced ahead, and snorted, "I have such a good grandson, and there are still people who want to throw dirty water on me, bah."

Chen Jinhua followed Old Lady Cao's gaze and looked ahead. There they were, four or five people ahead, standing next to them, Dong Shengli and his family. Dong Shengli was hunched over, and his wife was thin and petite, her clothes patched. Even though Old Lady Cao's voice was as resounding as a bell, the two of them were deaf and didn't dare to look back.

Chen Jinhua consoled her, "Aunt Cao, don't be angry. The public's eyes are sharp. Everyone has seen what happened, so no one will believe it even if others try to smear you."

"That's right, Sister Cao, don't be angry. We can all testify for Xiaoxing."

"Yes, we all believe in Xiaoxing and Xiaonan. No matter what others say, they are just guessing."

Old Mrs. Cao held her head high, looking like a victorious rooster. She pulled Chen Jinhua and said, "Jinhua, how much cabbage will your family buy this year?"

Chen Jinhua: "Let's buy 200 kilograms first. This time, we'll pickle sauerkraut and kimchi. Next time, we'll store the remaining cabbage so we can eat it fresh. By the way, Aunt Cao, when are you going to pickle the cabbage? I'll come and make it with you. You know what, your pickling skills are amazing. Everyone in my town says they can't pickle it to the same taste as you do."

Old Lady Cao's smile grew more smug as she said, "Why not? Let's mix the ingredients together. It's nothing special. It's just a few marinade ingredients. I didn't add anything extra. It's really an exaggeration to say your family is famous all over the city."

Jiang Mancheng asked Jiang Nan to stand in line and rushed over to compliment her, "It's not an exaggeration, not at all. Aunt Cao, this is how good you are at pickling vegetables."

He gave a thumbs-up and asked quietly, "What's going on with the Dong and Yuan families? Are they making trouble again?"

Old Lady Cao sent Zhou Zhixing away: "Go and talk to Xiaonan. I have something to say to your Uncle Jiang and Aunt Chen."

After seeing them leave, she whispered, "I didn't sleep all night. I went downstairs with Liu Daya, Xu Dani and others to keep an eye on things. There wasn't any movement from the Yuan family. I guess Yuan Jianshe didn't dare to make a fuss anymore. He went to the Dong family to show his courtesy early in the morning. The Dong family was still arguing late at night. It was so fierce that we could hear it downstairs, howling. Dong Shengli's wife even wanted to drive Dong's mother away, but Dong Shengli refused. From what she said, as soon as the post office opens today, Dong's mother will send a telegram to the oil field headquarters, asking her eldest son-in-law to avenge her daughter Jiaojiao. Mancheng, do you think anything will happen? Why do I feel that the eldest son-in-law of the Dong family is not a good person!"

Old Lady Cao was a shrewd old woman. Although the four people were hiding something from her, she guessed that there might be more to the story. Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence that one family was called Xiaoxing and the other was called Xiaonan, and they just happened to meet? There was no such coincidence in the world! After crawling into bed, Old Lady Cao couldn't sleep the more she thought about it, so she simply threw on her clothes and prepared to keep an eye on them. Unexpectedly, Old Lady Liu and Old Lady Qiu were also gossip fanatics, and they kept an eye on them even when they were not asleep. With the three of them together, they got the latest first-hand gossip.

"It's okay, Aunt Cao, don't worry. Her eldest son-in-law is probably in trouble and can't help her." Jiang Mancheng sneered, "Just wait for Dong Jiaojiao and Yuan Jianshe's wedding candy."

Only then did Old Lady Cao feel relieved. Huang Yuxiu and Zhou Zhidao pricked up their ears. Although they didn't understand, they were determined not to miss a single word.

Jiang Mancheng: "I know, why didn't your dad come?"

Zhou Zhidao's ears twitched and he chuckled: "My dad is on duty at the hospital."

Old Mrs. Cao sighed, complaining and distressed. "What's so good about being a doctor? You're always busy, away from home, either on duty or performing surgery. You don't have time to take care of the family. Yuxiu has to take care of everything at home and outside. It's really hard for me, your wife."

Huang Yuxiu raised the corner of her mouth. Her mother-in-law was indeed worthy of being a building manager. She was a sensible woman. Huang Yuxiu waved her hand and said modestly, "Mom, what are you talking about? Yuanqing is a doctor, saving lives and healing the wounded. It's only natural that he should be busy. I work in a pharmacy. Since I have time, it's only natural that I should take care of the family more."

Jiang Mancheng rolled his eyes and complimented, "Oh, Aunt Cao, Sister Huang, you two are truly a model mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship, worthy of being called the "Three Good Families" in the building. Judging by the situation, I'm definitely going to vote for your family again this year. I've never seen a more harmonious mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship than yours!"

These days, being a "Three Good Families" is quite an honor. Not only do they receive a certificate, but they also receive a material reward. While it's usually just an enamel teacup, it's still quite a bit. And who says too much stuff these days?! Everyone wants to be recognized.

After hearing Jiang Mancheng's words, the people around him all cursed him as a flatterer in their hearts. However, Mrs. Cao and her daughter-in-law laughed so hard that they fell backwards, their hearts bubbling with joy.

After easily coaxing the people and hearing the good news, Jiang Mancheng and Chen Jinhua returned to the team with satisfaction.

At this time, Jiang Nan and Zhou Zhixing were whispering about Wu Chunli's letter.

Wu Chunli has been in the countryside for almost a month. Yesterday, she wrote a letter to Jiang Nan, describing the brigade in Hai Province where she's been working as a resident. She said the brigade leader is a decent person and won't bully the educated youth. She also said the villagers are generally easy to get along with, and while there are a few scoundrels, overall, they're a very nice bunch. She's full of anticipation for her future life in the countryside.

The contents of the letter were basically consistent with what Jiang Nan had learned from the system. She whispered, "It seems Chunli is fine now."

Zhou Zhixing shook his head slightly: "Don't jump to conclusions so soon. After all, there's still so much time left. Who knows what will happen in the future? Don't forget, there's also the ticking time bomb that is Fan Taohua."

Jiang Nan understood and was about to say something else when Old Lady Liu behind him interrupted him forcefully, "Fan Taohua?"

Old Lady Liu's eyes rolled around, and her voice was like a high-decibel bomb. She said, "Xiao Nan, have you also heard that Fan Taohua is going to remarry?"

Seeing Jiang Nan's confused face and Mrs. Liu's excited face, she clapped her hands and said, "Oh, you don't know."

She grabbed Cheng Gaigai, who was standing by, and asked her granddaughter to help her get in line. Then, she ran over like a flying bird, saying, "I'm telling you, I know everything about this! My best friend's sister-in-law's third daughter-in-law's family lives in a fiberglass residential complex. She told me that Fan Taohua, for some reason, suddenly decided to get married! Do you know who she's marrying?"

Jiang Nan added, "Oh, Grandma Liu, please stop keeping us in suspense. Tell us quickly! I'm getting so anxious."

Old Lady Liu held her head high, her expression extremely arrogant. She said, "She's going to marry Projectionist Nian's father! Do you remember Projectionist Nian? Oh, he's not a projectionist anymore. He used to be, and now he's a toilet sweeper. Anyway, when he was a projectionist, he was having a good time with Sun Lingling, and then he married a young widow. Then, for some reason, he was arrested and released. Remember that guy?"

Seeing Jiang Nan nod, Old Lady Liu continued in a shrill voice, "His father used to live with this guy. Now that guy has a bad reputation, the old man can't hold his head up among the old men in the community. Look, I don't know how this woman Fan Taohua hooked up with him. She said she doesn't mind him and is willing to marry him to take care of the old man. Think about it, the old man is over fifty years old, and Fan Taohua is only about thirty-seven or thirty-eight, and she's good-looking. It would be strange if the old man didn't want her! It is said that the two have already obtained the marriage certificate and were planning to have a wedding. Before the New Year, the projectionist said he had no money, so the old man stopped showing off."

Jiang Nan was puzzled: "The projectionist was arrested before the New Year. Isn't Fan Taohua afraid of being implicated?"

Old Lady Liu slapped her thigh and said, "What do you know, little girl?! Before the New Year... Oh, Xiaonian, let's just call it Xiaonian. Xiaonian was released, so there must be nothing wrong. Otherwise, why would the police release him? Don't you think so? Oh, you're a police officer yourself, and you don't even know this."

Jiang Nan was embarrassed. She was looked down upon by the aunt for eating melons. She twitched her lips and said apologetically, "Oh, I was just listening to you and didn't think too much about it. You're right, you know more."

Old Lady Liu raised her head higher and higher, her mouth almost reaching her ears. She said, "Of course not. I'm not exaggerating. Among the old ladies in Building 4, I am the best."

She gave a thumbs up, very arrogantly.

Old Lady Sui behind them was getting anxious. She urged, "Hey, Liu Daya, stop bragging. Tell me, why did Fan Taohua marry such an old man? Isn't she afraid of being implicated by Xiaonian?"

Although Old Lady Sui spoke in a bad tone, Old Lady Liu was very proud. Look, she knew the most and was the number one gossip queen, none other than Liu Daya.

She snorted and said disdainfully, "Why are you so stupid? Why would you marry an old man? Of course it's for money."

Old Lady Liu had a wise expression on her face that said, "Don't try to hide anything from me." "Don't you think about it? That old man used to be a projectionist. Back in the early days of the People's Republic of China, projectionists were a skilled trade, and they were in high demand, don't you understand? If you showed movies in the countryside, wouldn't the village head, party secretary, and so on have to show some respect? That old man's former neighbors said his family never lacked for food! Think about it, he's been doing this for so many years, how could he not have money?! What did Fan Taohua want by marrying him? It must have been for the money, or maybe it was because he was old."

A sudden realization echoed through the crowd. Jiang Nan gave Old Lady Liu a thumbs-up, but in her mind she was asking the system, "Is Fan Taohua really married?"

[Yes, host. She was frightened by the 'Anmenzi' case and no longer dared to do business, so she thought about getting married. That old man was the best condition she could find.]

No wonder, Jiang Nan muttered in his heart, the couple from Anmenzi, in this day and age, were doing that kind of business openly and would be sentenced to at least ten years in prison, which must have scared Fan Taohua.

Old Lady Liu satisfied her desire to spread gossip, and went back to queue up with a proud and confident look, looking very proud.

Jiang Nan took the opportunity to quickly check the probability and happily shared it with Zhou Zhixing and Jiang Mancheng and Chen Jinhua who had rushed over: "The probability has dropped. It's now 62%."

The three of them were delighted to hear this. They'd been waiting in line for half an hour, and no one had cut in line. Just kidding! Buying winter vegetables was crucial to the family's winter diet. Food was paramount, so who dared cut in line at this hour? If anyone dared to incur public wrath, they'd be punished.

Just as Jiang Nan's feet were beginning to feel cold, the doors of the supply and marketing cooperative finally opened. When the buying really started, the line moved quickly. Chen Jinhua borrowed a small cart from the labor union, and the three of them, pushing a full 200 kilograms of cabbage, chatted and laughed as they returned to the family compound with Old Lady Cao and her family, who were pushing 300 kilograms.

Mrs. Cao: "This year's first-class vegetables look better than last year's. They are packed tightly, and the leaves look big and fresh."

Jiang Mancheng: "That's right. I went home a few days ago, and everyone at home said that the weather is good and the harvest is better than last year."

Tian Jiaguang, wearing a mask, strolled out of the yard. When he saw Jiang Nan, his eyes lit up and he smiled: "Jiang Nan, can you lend me your stroller? You know, Pan'er is pregnant, and having a stroller to help her can also relieve her pressure..."

Jiang Mancheng snorted and turned to see Qiu Pan'er struggling to hold six large cabbages. Old Mrs. Qiu next to her was no less busy, holding eight cabbages at once, piling them so high that they blocked her view. He said disdainfully, "Tian Jiaguang, I didn't see you in the queue. Why? The grandparents and grandchildren have already reached the family compound gate, and you're showing off."

Tian Jiaguang showed a hurt expression: "Uncle Jiang, you misunderstood me. I have had a fever these days. I took medicine last night and slept soundly. I didn't wake up today. Otherwise, I wouldn't let Pan'er, a pregnant woman, move winter vegetables."

He sighed, as if he had been deeply hurt. He trotted to Qiu Pan'er's side, took the cabbage from her arms, and said distressedly, "Pan'er, I'm sorry for making you suffer. I'm really useless. You know, I'm from the south. I didn't know it was so cold in the north in September. I accidentally caught a cold..."

Qiu Paner glared at Jiang Mancheng. He was talking nonsense without understanding the situation. Her Jiaguang didn't do it on purpose, so why did he need to meddle in other people's business? She quickly stopped him and said, "Jiaguang, stop talking. I know everything. Let's go. We don't have much winter vegetables to buy at home, so we don't need a cart."

Tian Jiaguang nodded heavily: "I knew you were the most reasonable, Pan'er. Let's not rush, let's go slowly. You have a body, so you can't rush anything."

Jiang Nan rolled her eyes. Tian Jiaguang wasn't just a Phoenix Man; he also had a bit of a histrionic personality. And for someone like Qiu Pan'er, who desperately needed love and secretly yearned to be the center of attention, they were a perfect match.

By the time the dishes were carried upstairs and stacked in the hallway, Jiang Nan had already collapsed on the sofa. She said weakly, "Ah, why do I still have to go to work? Why?"

Jiang Mancheng nodded in agreement, with the same look of despair on his face.

"Okay, drink some malted milk." Chen Jinhua was strong and moved the things a few times as if nothing had happened. "I'll go cook."

Jiang Mancheng: "Just make some rice porridge. We have egg cakes at home, so there's no need to make anything else."

Chen Jinhua nodded. Although she was tired, her family were all working people in the 1960s, so they quickly finished their breakfast and went to work.