Chapter 32. Some are happy, some are sad. ...
Some are happy, some are sad.
The Yu family found their two lost bicycles and were overjoyed.
Old Wang was so angry that he lost his appetite for breakfast. Cheng Xiuying was becoming more and more outrageous; the way she spoke showed her no respect for him, an old man.
After being praised by the county once, he lost all sense of direction.
The Xu family's house was no longer lively. Old Mrs. Xu sighed, "How come they're so lucky? They even found their stolen car and refurbished it! Is that thief playing games?"
Actually, it had nothing to do with her that the Yu family found the bicycle, but she felt bad that her enemy was doing well.
She cooked porridge, heated up some steamed buns, and mixed some pickled vegetable shreds, then waited for her son and grandson to get up and eat.
Wang Cuifen would go out to check every now and then, her face growing increasingly pale.
Old Mrs. Xu scolded, "You wretched thing, who are you trying to impress with that dejected look? You've squandered all the good fortune in the family."
Wang Cuifen was completely at a loss. "Mom, Changjin and Dali aren't home. What did they go to do?"
Granny Xu was taken aback. "What are you talking about? I haven't seen Changjin and Dali since I got up. Where else could they be but in the house?" For some reason, she felt a sense of panic.
Wang Cuifen was both shocked and frightened: "Mother, I didn't know."
Granny Xu pushed Wang Cuifen aside and ran into the house. Xu Changjin wasn't on the bed. She looked into the west room and saw only Xu Jinbao sleeping with his butt sticking up. She grabbed Wang Cuifen by the collar and yelled, "Where's Changjin? You two were sleeping in the same room, and you don't know?"
Wang Cuifen asked tremblingly, "Where did all that meat and chicken come from at home lately?"
Granny Xu opened her mouth. "Changjin brought these back from outside. My youngest son has grown up and brought them back as a gift for his old mother. Not only are there pork and an old hen, but also more than fifty yuan."
How can one improve their skills?
She dared not think too much, but she couldn't help thinking about the bicycle that the Yu family had found.
Wang Cuifen: "Mom, tell me. Did Changjin and Dali do something illegal?"
Granny Xu retorted, "Don't you want your husband and son to be better? He's probably just gone out for a little while, just wait and see."
But Xu Changjin and Xu Dali did not return. The two went out for a walk but could not find them.
Granny Xu and her daughter-in-law grew increasingly uneasy, as if two heavy weights were pressing on their chests, making it hard for them to breathe.
Granny Xu made up her mind: "I'll go to the Yu family and ask them about it."
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The Yu family had already prepared cured pork rice, one large bowl for each person, with a thin layer of cured pork on top.
This cured pork is marinated to perfection. After steaming, it becomes crystal clear, like a fine work of art. It has a rich and mellow cured flavor that makes your mouth water. The rice is also delicious, with every grain infused with the aroma of the cured pork. It's so good that you can't stop eating it.
Cheng Xiuying felt that this was the kind of life the Yu family should be living.
When Granny Xu arrived at the door in a panic, Cheng Xiuying greeted her with a smile, "What's wrong? Why do you look so pale?"
Granny Xu didn't dare to ask directly, in case it had nothing to do with their family. Asking like that would be bad for her son and grandson. She said, "Where did you find your car? Who was the thief? How dare they be so bold."
Cheng Xiuying gave a half-smile: "The car thief at the scrap yard in the suburbs, the police won't let us talk about him, and you certainly don't want to know. Alright, I'm having dinner at my house, I won't keep you any longer."
Granny Xu became increasingly uneasy. After she left, Cheng Xiuying said, "If the police hadn't told us not to talk nonsense, I would have given Granny Xu a good beating. What a piece of trash she is. But we won't say anything. We're not stupid. The thief has been found, but Xu Changjin and his son have disappeared. And the police will definitely come to our door to demand the stolen money."
Yu Songchuan: "Our family saved Xu Jinbao twice, and Xu Changjin turned around and stole our car. He has a terrible conscience."
Yu Songqing also hated the Xu family to the core. He would never forget the pain of losing his bicycle; he felt like a walking corpse! He said, "A whole family of wicked people. They live a life of luxury, and they know exactly where their money comes from. Why do they have to ask us?"
Yu Jiajia thought everyone was right, and she felt that the cured pork rice was really delicious.
Before long, the commotion outside started again. Aunt Hu stormed into the Xu family's house, entered, and began smashing things. She threw away stools and smashed tables, but she didn't touch the thermos flasks, fearing she would have to pay compensation.
Aunt Hu would only pick on things that wouldn't break and wouldn't cost her any money to get revenge. "You should have been made to move out long ago. You're a whole family of scum, stealing people's bicycles. Aren't you afraid of getting your comeuppance?"
Granny Xu's heart sank to the bottom. "What nonsense are you spouting?"
She refused to believe it; she was convinced her son and grandson must be busy outside, which was why they hadn't come home.
Aunt Hu sneered, "Xu Changjin and Xu Dali are both in the police station now, and you still won't admit it? That brat Xu Changjin has been a bad kid since he was a child, all because you spoiled him. Xu Dali is even more disgusting. Now look what you've done, the police are teaching him a lesson. It's just a pity for my bicycle."
Granny Xu couldn't accept this fact, so she pounced on her and started fighting with Aunt Hu.
Both were shrewish women, and they fought back and forth, neither gaining the upper hand.
Seeing such a commotion, the Yu family quickly came out to see what was happening.
Yu Jiajia was thoroughly enjoying watching it; let's fight!
Other families also came out. Grandpa Wang said, "Why are they fighting? Xiuying, quickly pull them apart."
Cheng Xiuying immediately stepped in to break up the fight. She didn't take sides, but instead pulled Xu Pozi along and let Hu Dama come up and beat her. Once Hu Dama had had her fill of beating, she would pull Hu Dama back and let Xu Pozi beat her instead.
The main focus is on fairness and impartiality.
Yu Jiajia was even more thrilled, and she was so excited that she wished she could rush up and break up the fight. She really liked Cheng Xiuying!
Grandpa Wang was furious: "Cheng Xiuying, is this how you try to break up a fight? Wang Cuifen! Are you just going to stand by and watch? Do you want to get beaten to death?"
Wang Cuifen didn't try to break up the fight. She was heartbroken; her husband and son were finished, and her family was ruined.
Fortunately, the rest of the Hu family slowly caught up and quickly came to break up the fight, so Cheng Xiuying withdrew. Although the Hu family members seemed to be breaking up the fight, they were actually beating up Granny Xu together.
Grandpa Hu valued his reputation above all else, so he didn't lay a hand on her. Instead, he shouted from the side, "Stop hitting her! It was Xu Changjin and Xu Dali who stole the bicycle. It has nothing to do with Granny Xu. Stop it now. Even though Granny Xu eats steamed buns and chicken, she didn't steal the bicycle after all."
Grandpa Wang: What the heck? Xu Changjin and Xu Dali are car thieves?
Upon closer inspection, the father and son were indeed not there, nor was Xu Jinbao.
Pan Hongying clicked her tongue a few times: "I was wondering how the Xu family made such a fortune, with chickens and meat all the time. Turns out they made their money by stealing their neighbor's car. And the father and son even did it together. I've learned something new."
"Just beat me to death! If you kill me, I won't have to worry about anything anymore." Granny Xu covered her head as she was beaten, crying with tears streaming down her face. She was so confused; what would she do now?
Xu Jinbao heard the commotion outside and peeked out. He saw his grandmother being beaten, but he didn't dare to come out, afraid that he would be beaten too.
Grandpa Wang: "Do you want someone to die? If you really kill someone, won't you go to jail?"
When Grandpa Hu heard that someone had been beaten to death, he finally moved and stepped forward to grab Grandma Hu, who was in a rage, saying, "That's enough."
Granny Xu continued to lie on the ground, weeping, her son and her grandson crying.
Aunt Hu didn't pity her at all; she only felt sorry for her own stolen car: "They stole my car and still have the nerve to cry. Xu Changjin can just wait to be shot."
Old Hu's family went to the police station but didn't get a bicycle back. The police said they had to wait until the bicycle was assembled before they could go back to collect it with their identification.
The Hu family was very anxious. They couldn't rest easy until the car was gone. They blocked the police station and refused to leave, demanding to retrieve the car immediately and asking the police officers who the car thief was.
Fearing that the Hu family would vandalize the Xu family's home, the police didn't accuse them of being thieves. It was Hu Jianguo who climbed over the wall and saw Xu Changjin and his son being held in the police station through the window.
Aunt Hu rushed back and beat him up, wanting to vent her anger first. She threatened, "If you pay for the car now, I'll forgive Xu Changjin."
Granny Xu only had a little over sixty yuan in her hand, fifty of which was given to her by Changjin yesterday. She was willing to use this money to get Changjin back, so she gave the money to Aunt Hu.
Then he went to the Yu family for help.
She knelt at the Yu family's door: "Xiuying, I know you have a kind heart. Please forgive Changjin and Dali for the sake of our two families being neighbors for twenty years. You watched Dali grow up, and you even held him when he was little. Your car wasn't stolen, and you even got a better one. When Dali gets out, I'll have him take care of you."
Although she was kneeling, she was filled with hatred. It was Cheng Xiuying who led the men to capture her son and grandson.
But she has no other choice now.
Cheng Xiuying felt it was bad luck, and shouted, "Get out, get out, get out!"
Granny Xu naturally refused to leave, so Cheng Xiuying grabbed her and threw her back into the Xu family home. She then dragged out Xu Jinbao, who had been hiding, and gave him a beating.
They beat Xu Jinbao until he cried out for mercy and begged for forgiveness.
Cheng Xiuying: "Grandma Xu, you're too old for me to deal with, but I can deal with your grandson. Your eldest grandson is locked up, but you still have a little grandson, don't you? Please don't disgust me anymore."
As Cheng Xiuying came out of the Xu family's house, she ran into Liu Xianghong. She was slightly embarrassed. "I don't act rashly. There was a reason why I acted this time!"
Liu Xianghong: "They must have been at fault first." She heard about what happened to the Yu family in the first half of the night and rushed over after her shift ended. She came to deliver the money. "Let's assemble another one. If any parts are missing, have Xuefeng make one."
Cheng Xiuying naturally wouldn't accept the money; her family intended to maintain a long-term relationship with the Chen family. She smiled and said, "Thank you, Xianghong, the bicycle has been found." She pulled Liu Xianghong into the house to look at the bicycle and then asked Yu Hong to cook some cured meat noodles for Liu Xianghong to eat first.
Liu Xianghong spotted the bicycle in the main room at a glance and exclaimed in shock, "Found it? That's great!!"
In reality, very few people who steal bicycles from their homes ever get them back; thieves don't give you a chance to find them.
Cheng Xiuying pulled Liu Xianghong to sit down. "I had no choice but to beat that kid. His grandma was kneeling at my door. I couldn't beat her. She's so old. What if she got seriously injured?" She explained the whole story in detail.
Yu Jiajia made orange juice and placed it next to her, and also brought out a small plate of peanuts and melon seeds so that she could listen to the music while eating melon seeds.
Liu Xianghong was truly shocked. She felt that the Yu family was incredibly capable, with a whole repertoire of skills in catching thieves. They had actually caught three thieves and even tracked them down to their hideout.
Yu Jiamin brought out a large bowl of cured pork noodles.
Liu Xianghong really didn't want to eat it. The cured meat was indeed a gift from her, but the noodles were really expensive, something most people wouldn't dare to eat.
This is an exceptionally high standard for entertaining guests.
Cheng Xiuying: "Xiang Hong, don't be shy, the noodles will get soggy in a bit. We don't usually eat like this, but we found a bicycle today, so we have to celebrate."
After Liu Xianghong finished eating and heard the whole story, she couldn't help but curse a few times. Some people are really heartless. If you help them, they will turn around and stab you in the back, and then blame you for not helping them thoroughly enough.
Liu Xianghong said goodbye, and Cheng Xiuying and her family also prepared to go to work.
Cheng Xiuying looked at the brand-new bicycle and liked it more and more. She felt that this whole trip was worthwhile! "Sibao, you go to work by yourself. I'll go with your dad today."
She had to show off her feat of catching the thief, and this bicycle was the best proof of it.
Yu Jiajia asked worriedly, "Mom, is Second Brother alright? Why hasn't he come home?"
Cheng Xiuying: "Your second brother is smarter than a monkey, nothing will happen to him. He'll be so happy to come back and eat watermelon and cured meat rice." She rode away on her bicycle with Yu Hongding on the back, then turned back to tell Yu Jiajia: "Sibao, be careful riding your bike, wait for Mom at noon."
She gave her a look that suggested they sneak a bite together, and Yu Jiajia said, "Okay!"
Yu Songqing also set off on his bike. He should be happy, since he now has a bike, but he wasn't really that happy. The bike wasn't what he really wanted.
He also wanted to ride the new bike.
"Jiajia, let's go together."
Yu Jiajia: "Big brother, you go first. I'll call my third sister and take her to school. She's had a long night!"
As soon as Yu Jiamin opened the door, she heard Yu Jiajia's words. How could she not be happy to be remembered?
Yu Jiajia ran over happily. Seeing that her third sister's skin was still fair and radiant, unaffected by the weather, she said, "Sister, I'll take you to school."
Yu Jiamin patted her hair: "You'll be too tired to come back after you drop me off at school. I can't ride a bike either, so I can't give you a ride."
Yu Jiajia hesitated for a moment, thinking about how uphill she had been and how tired she was: "Sister, you need to learn to ride a bike quickly!" She then called out to Yu Songqing, who was about to set off: "Big brother, don't go yet."
Yu Songqing braked: "What's wrong?"
Yu Jiajia: "Big brother, could you take Third Sister home? She spent all night looking for your bicycle and she's so tired. Don't let her take the bus."
Yu Songqing: I'm not tired. Do I need you to play the good guy?
Yu Jiamin smiled at Yu Jiajia and didn't say anything that wasn't necessary.
Yu Songqing could only say, "Jiamin, I'll take you."
Yu Jiamin sat in the back seat of Yu Songqing's car, and it was the first time her family had driven her to work.
Yu Jiajia called out, "Goodbye, brother and sister."
She also rides her new bicycle to work, envying Yu Songchuan who can sleep soundly at home.
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Author's note: I'm so sorry for the late update.
I'm moving to a new house these next two days, so I'll make up for the 2,000 words I owe today the day after tomorrow.
I'm handing out red envelopes to everyone, and I'm bowing.
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