Xia Wenhua didn't leave empty-handed when she entered the supply and marketing cooperative, and her basket was also full when she came out.

Chang Yingying was easier to talk to than usual today. Whatever Xia Wenhua needed, if their supply and marketing cooperative had it, she tried her best to get it for Xia Wenhua.

She used to act a little haughty, afraid that Xia Wenhua would think that her things came too easily and disrespect her.

Knowing that the person was leaving, she still needed Xia Wenhua's help, hoping to get the sauce back in the future, so she naturally tried her best to make a good impression.

Pei Songbai waited for Xia Wenhua near the station with his two children. When Xia Wenhua approached and saw what was in her basket, even the usually composed Pei Songbai couldn't help but glance at her.

"Wow, Comrade Xia, you've brought almost the entire supply and marketing cooperative here, haven't you?"

Normally, if you need to buy something from the supply and marketing cooperative, it's a little easier to buy if they happen to be restocking. Otherwise, you can't find anything you want.

That's the current situation; people are scrambling to buy things.

Pei Songbai had heard many complaints, but he had never seen anyone go to the supply and marketing cooperative like Xia Wenhua, as if they were buying goods.

Xia Wenhua handed the basket in her hand to Pei Songbai without any hesitation: "Commander Pei, this is what they call social etiquette. You still have a lot to learn!"

She raised her chin, deliberately putting on a proud look, and Pei Songbai chuckled quietly.

Hearing Xia Wenhua's words, the two children, even though they didn't understand what they meant, mischievously looked up at Pei Songbai and said, "Dad, you still have a lot to learn!"

"There's a lot to learn!"

Xia Wenhua couldn't hold back any longer and immediately burst into laughter.

"Haha, what a pair of clowns!"

She was holding two children's hands, laughing so hard she could barely stand up straight.

Moving to a new place was not in Xia Wenhua's plan, and when everything was finally settled, she was in a pretty good mood.

The two children will be able to go back to see their grandmother soon, and their laughter and joy never ceased on the way.

Pei Songbai's wife and children were with him, and he was in a good mood. The train back seemed to run faster than the one that came.

They only came home because of Pei Songbai's transfer, and they would only stay for one night at most before leaving, so Pei Songbai did not send a letter home in advance.

They arrived at Hongshan Village at night, and there were a few old men chatting at the village entrance.

There are usually no strangers in the village, but when an old man saw someone walking over from a distance, he took two steps forward.

"Pine and cypress?"

From a distance, he recognized him as Pei Songbai and asked a question first.

"Uncle Hongqi, it's me."

Pei Songbai, being a young man, certainly had better eyesight than the old man and recognized him immediately, quickly responding.

The man he called Grandpa Red Flag was their neighbor, a kind old man. Pei's father had passed away early, and the neighbors had helped them a lot.

Pei Songbai was very respectful, and Xia Wenhua and the child also greeted him respectfully.

When they got closer, Pei Hongqi finally confirmed that the person was Pei Songbai and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Those little brats even said it was your plan not to take your mother to the doctor. I knew you were a good person, Songbai, and you wouldn't be like them. You're here to take your mother to see a doctor, right?"

Pei Hongqi's voice turned somber as he recalled how his younger sister had devoted half her life to caring for her children, only to fall ill and be left to fend for herself in bed.

Everyone grows old eventually, and we all feel a sense of shared sorrow. They are about the same age, and seeing how the Pei family treated Pei's mother today, he couldn't help but wonder if he would also be disliked by his children when he gets old.

Pei Songbai slowed his pace: "Uncle Hongqi, what do you mean? My mother is sick?"

The family of four was already walking in the crowd. Pei Songbai was carrying things, just like when he came home to visit relatives.

Everyone assumed Pei Songbai was in a hurry to go home and didn't talk to him, but they were all stunned by Pei Songbai's question.

Pei Hongqi was closest to Pei Songbai, and it was he who first brought up Pei's mother. Pei Songbai took a cigarette and offered it to Pei Hongqi first.

"Uncle Hongqi, you said my mother is sick?"

He was a good person; after asking Pei Hongqi, he didn't forget to offer cigarettes to the others.

Life was hard for farmers; they were lucky if they could even afford to roll their own cigarettes. Industrial cigarettes were a rare treat.

Only someone like Pei Songbai, who had been out there making a living, could share some with them when he came back, so people always had more respect for those who had been out there making a living.

After accepting Pei Songbai's cigarette, before Pei Hongqi could speak, the others started talking all at once.

"Songbai, didn't you know your aunt is sick?"

"Yes, I heard it's cancer. But the barefoot doctor said it's not certain, we'll have to go to a big city to get checked to find out."

“Your younger brothers said they’ve already discussed it with you and that they won’t go if the family doesn’t have the money.”

"..."

The others chimed in, piecing together the gist of the matter, which successfully turned Pei Songbai's smiling face dark.

He immediately turned to go home: "I'm going back to take a look."

"Songbai, wait a minute." Xia Wenhua, who hadn't said a word, quickly grabbed Pei Songbai.

She noticed that Pei Hongqi hadn't said anything, so she gestured for Pei Songbai to look at Pei Hongqi.

"Uncle Hongqi?"

Pei Hongqi had been observing Pei Songbai's behavior ever since he finished asking the question.

He used to think that the Pei family's children were all good, and if it weren't for Pei's mother's illness, probably everyone in Hongshan Village would have thought so.

He was a kind-hearted man. Knowing that the Pei family wasn't planning to pay for Pei's mother's medical treatment, he made a special trip to visit the Pei brothers a couple of days ago to talk to them.

Pei Hongqi was full of enthusiasm, but the Pei brothers were completely unreasonable and cursed him in a few words, calling him a shameless old man and saying that he had an improper relationship with Pei's mother.

He had been proud for half his life, and now he was being unfairly blamed like this, which almost made Pei Hongqi furious.

When he saw Pei Songbai return, he subconsciously thought that Pei Songbai had come back to treat Pei's mother's illness, so he became a little more enthusiastic. But when he saw that Pei Songbai knew nothing about the matter, Pei Hongqi felt a chill run down his spine.

Is Pei Songbai genuinely unaware, or is he like the other heartless bastards in the Pei family, unwilling to treat Pei's mother's illness?

Xia Wenhua's words interrupted Pei Hongqi's gaze. Pei Hongqi stared at Pei Songbai with sharp eyes: "Big kid, give your uncle a straight answer. Do you not know that your mother is sick, or do you think like them and not plan to treat your mother?"

His tone was serious, and Pei Songbai immediately straightened up.

"Uncle, what are you saying? My mother raised us all by herself, acting as both father and mother. If I don't even care about my mother, am I even human? What exactly happened? How did my mother get cancer? Who went to see her?"

Pei Songbai's firm reply made Pei Hongqi breathe a sigh of relief, and he patted Pei Songbai on the shoulder.

"You're a good person, I didn't misjudge you. Come on, let's go home and talk!"