Wang Hongxi wasn't stupid; he knew that Hongmei's lack of closeness to him stemmed from issues with the women and daughters in her family.

Thinking back to the first time I took Wang Xiaorui out, she and Hongmei didn't get along. If I had kept an eye on Xiaorui back then, things might have turned out differently.

It's too late to say anything now. Luckily, Hongmei found the job for Jianshe. Sigh! Be content.

They got home after four o'clock, just in time for the children to come down the mountain. There was nothing there today, just a few children.

"Grandpa, you're back!"

"Yes, Weiyu, this is your third maternal grandfather's eldest uncle."

"Is that Pengfei's father?"

"right."

"Hello, Uncle!" Several children came over to greet him.

"Hongxi, would you like to have a seat at home?"

"I'm not going. I have to go home and let my family know, cough!" Wang Hongxi turned and left.

They entered the house. Liu Jianguo was a little nervous, but he still followed the children into the old lady's room.

Several children were talking to the old lady when Zhang Hongmei saw Liu Jianguo behind them.

"Grandma, Hongmei, I'm back." Liu Jianguo was a little embarrassed, as the old lady didn't even look at him.

"Alright, you can all go out and have some fun." Zhang Hongmei told them to leave.

"Mom, let's take a walk around the village," Zhenye told his mother.

"Go."

After Zhenye and the others left, even Annie left with them.

The old lady then looked at Liu Jianguo. "Did you think I didn't know this was home?"

"Great-Grandma," Liu Jianguo said, lowering his head in shame.

"Brother Jianguo, I've come back several times, but you haven't shown up. You've only called twice. Don't you recognize me anymore?"

“Hongmei, you know perfectly well that’s not how it is.”

"What does it look like? Tell me!" The old lady slammed her hand on the table in anger.

"Grandma, I have no face to see you."

"Your parents have been living in the capital with the child for over eight years, haven't you ever thought about going to visit them? The child is so grown up, how can you be such a father?"

"Grandma, I don't dare. I'm afraid my parents will be disappointed."

"You spineless coward, is it worth it for a woman? Besides, you've been divorced for so many years, are you just going to let it go like this?"

"Grandma, don't be angry. Brother Jianguo, you should go wash up first, it'll be time to eat soon."

Zhang Hongmei was truly at a loss, looking at Liu Jianguo who was staring blankly at her. She couldn't even muster the energy to get angry.

Hu Aifen sighed after learning what had happened. "Neither you nor Jianguo have eaten. These pancakes are ready, why don't you eat first?"

"No need, let's wait and eat together. I'll go check on Weiyu and the others."

"Go ahead, be back in half an hour, the food will be ready."

Lu Jing prepared hot water for Liu Jianguo so he could wash up.

Back in the house, the old lady asked him to sit on the kang (a heated brick bed).

“Jianguo, so many years have passed, you should let it go. Your parents are fine, but you should still visit them often.”

"Grandma, I understand. I will definitely go and visit her in the future."

"Brother Jianguo, you really can't go on like this. Why don't you go to the capital too?" Zhang Hongmei was at her wits' end looking at this increasingly docile man.

"I won't go. My current job is fine."

"So you're going to be alone? You should find someone else. They'll be companions when you get older." The old lady was truly exasperated.

"Grandma, I really don't have any such thoughts at all." Liu Jianguo was also quite embarrassed. He hadn't remarried for so many years, not because he still had feelings for Yao Yufen, but because he was used to living alone and didn't want to cause himself any more trouble.

“Jianguo, let me tell you, this isn’t right. You may not feel it now, but what about when you get old? If you have a headache or fever, you won’t even have a cup of hot water to drink,” the old lady said earnestly.

"Yes, Brother Jianguo, this really won't do. If you don't want to go to the capital, you should hurry up and get married. You don't know how worried my third aunt is about you right now."

"You work in a cotton mill, there are many women there, aren't there any suitable ones?"

Liu Jianguo was taken aback. "I haven't noticed that."

"Jianguo, how about we go to the countryside and find you someone? We can have your aunt arrange it."

"Grandma!" Liu Jianguo called out anxiously.

"I'm just finding you a wife, not trying to harm you. Look at your expression!"

"Grandma, I'm afraid that if I find someone else, it won't be good for my parents and Pengfei."

"It's alright, just ask around. If you're really unlucky, find someone like that, and then you should teach her properly. Don't just jump to divorce at the drop of a hat. If your wife is bad, it's because the man is incompetent." The old lady looked at Liu Jianguo with disdain.

Liu Jianguo was speechless; he truly knew he was incompetent.

"Brother Jianguo, you should listen to Grandma. We don't want to see you lonely for the rest of your life. You're almost forty, how many more years do you have left to squander?"

"Grandma, okay, just let my aunt take care of it for me. My parents aren't home, and I'm not planning on having a wedding. I'll just wait until I'm pregnant and then go to the capital to let my parents meet me."

"Yes. You should also be careful. If it's all workers, there will be far fewer problems."

Liu Jianguo thought for a moment. "Grandma, I have a good relationship with the director of the Women's Federation at our cotton mill. I'll go back and ask her for help."

"That's great, it saves women from staying at home all day and overthinking."

Just then, the sound of children's voices came from the yard. They came in immediately.

"Mom, I've made a few friends too." Zhang Weiyu sat down next to Zhang Hongmei.

"That's great, the children here are all very innocent."

Zhang Weiyu didn't take it seriously. They weren't exactly innocent, but they only saw each other once a year, so it didn't matter whether it was good or bad.

"Grandma, Mom, Uncle, hurry up, my grandma is calling us for dinner."

After dinner, Liu Jianguo stayed there; it was too cold at home.

The children said goodbye and went outside; they had their own world to explore.

Liu Jianguo also sat on the kang. "Hongmei, this Jinsong is really no good. He's actually getting really close to that widow and her daughter next door. I don't even know what to say about him. The mother and daughter aren't a big problem, and their reputation outside is alright, but you're just a young man, how can you not know what's important?"

"Sigh! He's taken after his family. I thought he was a good kid."

"Yes, I don't know how he became like this. Maybe if I hadn't taken him in, he wouldn't be like this."

“Hongmei, you’re overthinking it. If it weren’t for you, I don’t know if he would even be alive. Licun is like that, and he’s stuck with a mother who’s not very bright. It’s just bad luck for this child.”

"It's not that scary. I think I neglected him. Maybe if I had taught him properly, this wouldn't have happened. I always feel really guilty."