The people sent to follow her reported back from the hospital that Liu Yujie had met a middle-aged woman who had come all the way from Northwest China with her child for medical treatment.
Song Qingyun frowned. Who was this?
*
On Sunday, Zhou Hongyu went back to Zhoujia Village early in the morning to look at houses.
When Chang Meiying got up and didn't see anyone, she sat on the bed in her pajamas and mumbled for a long time until Chang Shuying coaxed her before leaving and promised to bring her candy when she came back in the evening. Only then did her mood brighten and a smile appear on her face.
Chang Meiying said sweetly, "Sister, please give me lots of candy!"
"good--"
Chang Shuying carried a small wooden cart containing painting tools across the threshold.
The courtyard fell silent for a moment. Chang Meiying glanced at the alarm clock; her sister Xianglan would be coming back from the hospital to pick her up soon.
Chang Meiying got out of her warm bed to change her clothes. She had just put on her coat when she heard a noise at the door. She thought her sister had forgotten something, so she giggled and ran to open the door.
"Sister, big maha..."
Who is this?
I don't know him!
A dark-skinned, thin middle-aged woman stood at the door, holding a "big child" who was completely covered up in her arms. To Chang Meiying, he was just a big child!
"Kid, where are your parents?"
Chang Meiying's eyes lit up with alarm. Remembering the ghost stories her teachers and grandmother often told her about child traffickers, she immediately raised her voice and called out, "Grandpa, someone's here! Come out quickly! Has anyone seen my grandpa?!"
Hearing the sound, several heads suddenly popped out of the previously quiet alley.
The neighbors also looked at the stranger who appeared in the alley with suspicion, and some even told Chang Meiying to close the door and stay at home, and to wait for the adults to come back before discussing anything.
The thin, dark-skinned woman hugged her child tightly, her face full of bitterness and resentment: "Neighbors, my husband is the second son's old classmate. My child fell seriously ill and had to come all the way from the Northwest to Beijing for treatment. The illness wasn't cured, and we ran out of money, so I shamelessly came to your door for help. It's cold outside, could you please let me take my child inside first?"
The neighbor shouted sternly, "That won't do either. Who knows if you're telling the truth? Here's what we'll do: you come to my house and stay until Old Man Chang comes back, so as not to worsen your child's condition!"
The dark-skinned, thin woman hesitated, and seeing this, the neighbors began to suspect her motives.
"What exactly are you doing here? Didn't you say you came to the capital to get your child medical treatment? Now the child isn't important anymore? You just had to come into the Chang family home when no one was around and stay with a little girl!"
Chang Meiying blocked the door: "You can't come in even if you want to. My grandma said that strangers aren't allowed in when the adults aren't home!"
It was terribly cold outside, and after several urgings, the dark-skinned, thin woman had no choice but to go to the courtyard across the street.
Chang Meiying felt that the ill-tempered aunt gave her a disapproving look before leaving.
? ? ?
Xianglan hadn't arrived yet, so Chang Meiying sat by the stove, warming herself by the remaining fire, eating the meat buns that had been specially left for her in the pot while waiting for her.
A short while later, Chang Meiying heard a rhythmic knocking sound coming from the front door.
Chang Meiying went out carrying a large meat bun in one hand.
Upon seeing Xianglan, she happily stuffed a large meat bun into her hand.
Xianglan and the woman were holding hands, preparing to head to the hospital, when the thin, dark-skinned woman rushed out from the opposite courtyard.
Hey! Stop right there! We have guests, where are you going?
A thin, dark-skinned woman holding a child stopped them: "You must be Huaying, Xingwang's daughter? I'm the wife of your second uncle's old classmate. I even held you when you were little, don't you remember?"
For a moment, the quick-witted Xianglan was at a loss for words.
Chang Meiying tugged at Xianglan's hand and told the person opposite, "Auntie, this lady is our family's nanny. If you want to wait, wait until my grandfather comes back. We're going to the hospital to see my grandmother now!"
"You've hired a nanny!" the dark-skinned, thin woman blurted out.
The dark-skinned, thin woman had a complicated expression; she hadn't expected the Chang family to be able to afford a nanny!
Her husband graduated from high school in Beijing, but because he didn't have a local household registration, he couldn't find a job and had to go to the Northwest to make a living. That's how Chang Xingwang ended up there.
That day, the husband learned from his mentor that Chang Xingwang was also coming to the Northwest. He rarely smiled, and after drinking, he revealed the truth.
"Everyone said my junior brother was destined for college, but he ended up in the same situation as me!"
Chang Xingwang spent a few days in the Northwest before being packed up and taken away by a list. From then on, the brothers barely maintained contact. However, since they were all in the same area, they would sometimes run into each other. Her husband knew more about Chang Xingwang's situation.
In recent years, her husband has been promoted quickly and has had many more social engagements. Meanwhile, Chang Xingwang's place seems to be in the middle of nowhere with poor communication, which is why they have gradually lost contact.
She was somewhat smug before coming to Shuangdong Hutong. So what if Chang Xingwang was a local? There was no way he could be transferred back!
However, their family was showing some promise, and in terms of future prospects, Chang Xingwang was not someone worth associating with.
Unexpectedly, the Chang family was far wealthier than imagined, and had already started hiring a nanny.
Chang Meiying was displeased and bluntly said, "Auntie, you're so annoying!"
Sister Xianglan is here to take care of Grandma, and no one is allowed to tell!
After the Chang family hired a nanny, rumors started circulating in the alley. Some gossipy men liked to cause trouble and would gossip about Chang Meiying, saying that Granny Chang was lazy, pretended to be sick, and cheated the children in the family.
Chang Meiying would get angry every time she heard this, and then she would start arguing with the gossipy woman.
The thin, dark-skinned woman frowned and scolded, "You child, you have no manners!"
Chang Meiying pouted, completely unmoved: "You better not be mean to me. I'm the most pampered person at home. Be careful, or I'll make sure you can't even get into my house!"
At this moment, the neighbor who had left the dark-skinned, thin woman's belongings at home came out, listened, and nodded.
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