When I get home, there will be chaos again. Just thinking about how my wife and kids will definitely object fiercely makes me feel powerless.

My wife is a bit pretentious. She's not as materialistic as her family, but my mother just can't approve of her. The children are also spoiled, and my mother doesn't like them either.

Being caught in the middle is really tough. On one side is your own mother, and on the other is your beloved wife and children.

I can't afford to offend either side. I can't afford to mess with either of them.

Xiao Wu saw Liu Changhai approaching with a gloomy expression. Without daring to speak, he opened the car door, invited Liu Changhai to get in, and then got into the driver's seat and drove away.

They remained silent the whole way until they were almost in the city. Liu Changhai then said, "Take me straight home, and then you can go and rest."

Regardless of how Liu Changhai resolves things after returning home, Zhang Hongmei is living quite comfortably.

I go to school during the day and tidy up the space at night. There's about an acre of land left, so I planted corn on it.

Now that there's one less corn mountain in the space, Zhang Hongmei felt uneasy, so she started planting new ones, just as the saying goes, "With grain in hand, one has nothing to fear."

It's almost August, and she wants to stay home this month instead of going back, but reality doesn't allow it.

Zhang Hongmei had just returned from the post office with the newspaper and was munching on a tender cucumber when she heard a knock at the door.

"Third Master? What brings you here?" Zhang Hongmei was startled by Liu Changhai. The man, who usually appeared gentle and polite, now had a sharp look in his eyes and didn't care about his appearance anymore, with a slovenly beard.

“Hongmei, come back to Liujiatun with me.”

"Okay, what happened?"

"Let's talk after we get in the car." Liu Changhai seemed particularly anxious and impatient.

Zhang Hongmei was puzzled, but she didn't say anything. She went inside, took out her handbag, locked the door, and got into the car.

Actually, Zhang Hongmei is a little scared and regretful now. Although she knows Liu Changhai, she doesn't trust him enough. She shouldn't have gotten on the bus.

So after Zhang Hongmei got on the bus, she sat in the back seat and didn't say a word.

The car was unusually quiet, with only the soft breathing of the three people inside.

Xiao Wu has been living in dire straits lately; the mayor is like a firecracker, ready to explode at any moment.

There was a constant fighting at his house, so much so that he was too scared to go inside and always waited in his car.

Today was even more intense. I really don't know what's wrong with them. Why do they have to argue and fight every day when they could be having a good time?

Liu Changhai took a while to calm down before letting out a breath. He looked in the rearview mirror and saw Zhang Hongmei's nervous expression, and couldn't help but smile.

"They're still just kids." "Let's go back and see your great-grandmother, that's all."

Zhang Hongmei thought to herself, "Why are you pulling me along? Do you expect me to break up your fight when you're getting beaten up?"

Zhang Hongmei was right about part of it. Liu Changhai wasn't afraid of being beaten; he had called Zhang Hongmei along mainly to ask her to put in a good word for him, as he was currently in a terrible predicament.

His wife wants a divorce, and the children don't want to live with him. Yesterday, Aimin secretly came to see him; the old lady had already sent him to the Capital Daily to publish a notice severing ties.

I make things difficult for myself in every way, and no one can understand me.

It's not convenient to talk about this on the bus right now. You'll find out when we get home.

Zhang Hongmei finally breathed a sigh of relief when they arrived at Liujiatun. Was they safe now?

Zhang Hongmei glanced at Xiao Wu, who hadn't gotten out of the car, and Liu Changhai, who was hesitating at the door, and realized she had just asked for trouble.

Having no other choice, I had to bite the bullet and go into the yard. "Grandma, I'm back to see you. You have to give me something good to eat this time. I didn't bring you anything."

"All you ever think about is eating." The old lady came out leaning on her cane and saw her youngest son standing at the gate. She knew what was going on.

"In a little while, I'll have your aunt make you some cold soup, tomato and egg sauce, and then stir-fry some soybean paste with cured meat."

"Grandma, my great-grandmother said to make noodles. Oh, and make extra soybean paste so I can take some back with me."

"Okay, I'll stir-fry a big bowl for you and take it all back with you. You stay with your great-grandmother, I'll go make it right away." Liu Changhe's wife glanced at Liu Changhai worriedly, but ultimately didn't dare to say anything and got up to go to the kitchen.

Liu Changhai watched as this girl became so comfortable in his home, getting along so naturally with his mother and sister-in-law, and felt a little envious. He wondered if he hadn't experienced this since he got married.

"Grandma, my third uncle pulled me back. You can give him a bowl of noodles later too."

"Okay, I'll listen to you."

"Just listen to me, and you won't lose weight. Look at you, you don't have any energy."

"You brat, you're always meddling. Hongmei, go pick some tomatoes and cucumbers in the vegetable garden. Liu Changhai, come in here."

Liu Changhai reluctantly followed her into the house. Zhang Hongmei, not wanting to make a fool of herself, quickly picked up the cage under the eaves and went to the vegetable garden behind the house to pick vegetables.

Seeing the tender pumpkins and small chili peppers on the pumpkin vines, I thought for a moment, put down the cage, and ran to the kitchen.

"Grandma, could you pick a small squash and stir-fry it with chili peppers?"

"Okay, go pick them. I'll make whatever you want to eat."

"Big Mom, you're so kind."

"Is it good that you've been given food? Stop being silly and go now."

The old lady only came out of the house after the noodles were cooked, the soybean paste was stir-fried, the eggs and tomatoes were served, and even the chili peppers and zucchini were cooked. Liu Changhai, however, did not come out.

"Grandma, don't eat too much of the spicy squash, it might upset your stomach."

"I'm so old, how could I be as greedy as you?"

"Honestly, you're saying I'm greedy again. Even if I really am greedy, I can't say it out loud, or I won't be able to find a husband."

"It's okay, just come to my house if you can't find it."

"Hehe!" Zhang Hongmei didn't respond. It was just a joke, and she couldn't take it too seriously.

Liu Changhe's wife also served the old lady a bowl of noodles and placed it on the table. She hesitated to speak, but in the end, she had no choice but to tug at Zhang Hongmei's clothes.

Zhang Hongmei had no choice but to ask, "Grandma, where's my third uncle? The noodles won't be chewy in a bit."

"Don't worry about him, he'll come out when he's hungry."

"Oh, shall I go and call it?"

"No need, eat yours, have more, this bowl is enough for me."

"Honestly, I'm not a glutton. Two bowls are enough for me at most. My aunt's stir-fried soybean paste is just the best."

The mother and daughter sat at the table, chatting idly while eating noodles.

Zhang Hongmei's second bowl of noodles was made with stir-fried soybean paste and shredded cucumber, and it actually tasted a bit like old Beijing fried sauce noodles.

Thinking of this, he remembered carrots and slapped his forehead, realizing he had forgotten to ask Xiaoshun to help him find carrot seeds and cilantro seeds.

No, I'll go back and leave this for Zhang Xingguo to write a letter to.