“I did attend school, but I dropped out before finishing elementary school. My younger brother, however, is in school now and is in the second year of junior high.”

“It’s great to have a reading mindset. The country is gradually paying more attention to education, and people who read more will definitely have more opportunities for development.” Sun Shengli’s words reassured everyone.

Qiao Qiqi, possessing her memories, naturally knew this.

Realizing that Sun Shengli's words were mainly addressed to Su Shangjin, she remained silent.

Sure enough, Su Shangjin said the next moment, "Knowledge is productivity. The brigade has been doing propaganda every day, and now 80% of the children in the village are in school, mainly teenagers, because high school is in the county, and the cost is relatively high, which most families cannot afford..."

This problem exists everywhere, not just in the north.

Sun Shengli patted Su Shangjin on the shoulder, "This stage is destined to be tough, but it will be alright once you get through it. Your supervision is still necessary."

"Understood." Su Shangjin nodded.

Having said all he needed to say, Sun Shengli withdrew his hand and began to formally say goodbye, "Alright, let's hurry up and go, so as not to disturb the young people's rest and baby-making."

Qiao Qiqi never expected that this leader was such a scoundrel.

She immediately blushed and lowered her head.

Su Shangjin was reminded that Qiao Qiqi should have two adopted children. He looked up at the yard and, seeing no one, was puzzled.

So as Sun Shengli turned to leave, he quickly walked up to Qiao Qiqi and whispered in her ear, "Where are your two children?"

Qiao Qiqi said, "It's at my parents' house."

A strange look flashed across Su Shangjin's eyes.

Seeing that Qiao Qiqi had sent the child back to her parents' home, and considering Sun Shengli's words, he assumed that she and Qin Huai were really going to have a baby. An unnatural look flashed across his face, and he quickly turned and left.

Before leaving, he reminded Qiao Qiqi not to forget to come over and cook lunch tomorrow.

"Don't worry, I won't forget."

After everyone had left, Qiao Qiqi said to Qin Huai, "Go to my house and bring Chenchen and Xinxin back."

Qin Huai looked up, about to speak, but Qiao Qiqi had already turned and gone inside.

He stood there with a complicated expression, watching Qiao Qiqi walk into the house before turning away with a hesitant look and going out to greet her.

Qiao Qiqi returned to the room, found paper and pen in the kang music cabinet, drew a few strokes on the paper, and soon a face that looked very much like Sun Shengli appeared.

Parents in the 21st century place great emphasis on their children's all-round development. Under her parents' guidance, Qiao Qiqi has also learned many skills, one of which is drawing.

She studied sketching for three years and is particularly good at portrait drawing.

To make it easier for Chenchen to see clearly, Qiao Qiqi added more details, and soon the person in the drawing came to life.

"Sister!" Chenchen and Xinxin returned just then.

Qiao Qiqi immediately took out the portrait and asked Chenchen if she had seen it before.

Chenchen stared at the person in the portrait for a few moments, then shook her head. "I've never seen this person before."

"Okay, let's go to sleep then!"

Originally, she hadn't held out much hope, but now that Chenchen was certain she hadn't seen him, Qiao Qiqi gave up.

The next day arrived in the blink of an eye.

Because the leaders of Beijing were there, the black market in the town was closed, and the streets were definitely cracking down on it. Since Qiao Qiqi couldn't sell goods, she could only stay at home doing nothing.

Around 10 o'clock, she got up and went to the Su family's house.

"Director Sun said he wanted to eat braised noodles for lunch when he left this morning, and I've already scooped out the noodles." Zhang Hongyan greeted Qiao Qiqi with a smile as soon as she arrived.

Making noodles is much simpler than cooking dishes, so Qiao Qiqi had no problem with it and immediately started kneading the dough.

Then I went to the garden and picked two eggplants and two tomatoes.

Since she didn't know what everyone's tastes were, Qiao Qiqi planned to make two kinds of sauces: one for eggplant and one for tomatoes and eggs.

She was most skilled at making gravy, and soon two plates of fragrant gravy were ready.

Next, you roll out the dough and cut the noodles.

In this era, there were no noodle machines; everything was done by hand.

Qiao Qiqi wasn't very good at using a rolling pin, but fortunately, practice makes perfect. She had tried it twice at home before, and now she was much more skilled.

Soon, two large bowls of noodles were ready.

Su Limin is still at home today, responsible for tending the fire.

For some reason, she was unusually well-behaved today, standing silently to the side without provoking Qiao Qiqi.

Qiao Qiqi sensed it; to be honest, she was a little unaccustomed to the fact that she was no longer being provoked.

However, since no one was provoking her, she naturally wouldn't cause trouble for herself. After rinsing the noodles in cold water twice, she washed her hands and called it a day.

When she left today, Zhang Hongyan didn't stop her, perhaps because noodles weren't anything special and she felt bad asking her to stay for a meal.

Qiao Qiqi hurried back. She had prepared the dough in the morning and planned to make pancakes for lunch.

Thinking about how she had brought Qin Huai two hard, dry steamed buns that morning because she was angry, Qiao Qiqi felt a little regretful.

She quickened her pace, thinking she would go back and cook quickly so she could deliver it to Qin Huai before noon.

Just as I was about to turn the corner and reach home, an elderly woman suddenly walked towards me. Upon seeing me, she hurriedly walked towards her.

"Qin Huai's wife, you'd better hurry to your mother-in-law's house! Something terrible has happened there!"

Qiao Qiqi's heart tightened, and she immediately grabbed the other person's arm and asked, "What happened at my mother-in-law's house?"

“That Ma Guizhi, that’s Qin Huai’s aunt, beat her mother-in-law out of her house. Now Cui Fengzhen is crying and making a scene in your mother-in-law’s yard with her luggage. Your mother-in-law isn’t home, only your father-in-law is in the yard. I was just about to go to the fields to find your mother-in-law and bring her back.”

Qiao Qiqi frowned, thinking of Ma Guizhi's insatiable face—

A bad feeling suddenly arose in her heart.

"Auntie, don't go and call my mother-in-law, I'll go check on her myself." After quickly leaving those words, Qiao Qiqi ran off.

The old woman paused for a moment, then shook her head when she saw that she was about to deal with it.

“That Cui Fengzhen is notoriously difficult to deal with. How could you, a mere wife, be a match for her? You’re definitely going to suffer this time. No! I’d better go find Qin Huai and tell him to come back quickly and stop her, otherwise his wife will definitely be at a disadvantage.”

Qiao Qiqi was unaware that although her aunt hadn't gone to see Wang Guihua, she had gone to see Qin Huai instead.

She ran quickly to her in-laws' house, and even from dozens of meters away, she could hear the wailing coming from the yard—

"Unfilial descendants! I toiled for that family my whole life, and now that I'm old, they despise me for being useless and have kicked me out!"

"What's the point of me living? I might as well be dead!"

"Don't hold me back! Let me die! Anyway, I'm an old man who can't make any money. Living is a waste, so I might as well die!"