This Chinese New Year went much more smoothly than in previous years. First of all, Grandma Qian and Uncle Qian's family didn't come to cause trouble again.

Qian Qing didn't know how Qian's father did it, or what he said to Qian's grandmother, but it was obviously effective. Uncle Qian failed in the Clivia market and lost everything. He didn't come again during the Chinese New Year this year, and Qian's father didn't go back to see her either. He just asked someone he knew to bring back some New Year gifts for Qian's grandmother.

Jiaojiao and Yangyang were wrapped up like little dumplings. The weather was too cold, so the kang (kang) was heated early in the house in Nanyuan.

In the past few years, everyone took their household registration books to get coal purchase certificates. Coal purchase certificates were distributed according to population size. Every year, they had to take their old certificates and household registration books to apply for new coal purchase certificates, and then go to the designated coal store to buy coal.

The quality of coal is generally not good enough for most families.

Even in 1986, most of the coal in the oil compound was still distributed.

Qian Qing and Zhou Hao moved to Nanyuan. They had three rooms with kangs, and they knew without even counting that there was not enough coal.

Fortunately, Qian Yu had someone go out of town before the New Year and buy back a truckload of coal. A penny from Uncle Ding, Uncle Ding II, Qian Qing, Wen Lan, and Mother Qian was just enough to supplement their income.

Jiaojiao and Yangyang were lying on the kang, and the toys that Qian Qing prepared for the two brothers came in handy. Jiaojiao had a lot of fun playing with the small building blocks and cars. Yangyang still looked like he was about to fall asleep. I don't know how much sleep this child lacked in his previous life, but now he has been sleeping all his life.

During the Chinese New Year, Zhou Hao also took a rare day off.

He applied for a master's degree at Wutong University. If he passed the exam, he would immediately start working during the week and going to school on weekends.

Zhou Hao couldn't help but worry, but Qian Qing didn't think it was a big deal.

"Don't worry, I will be stable next year. Once the design team arrives, I will be able to start working. You don't have to worry about the family affairs."

Qian Qing had a clear mind about family matters. No matter Zhou Hao or she, they both couldn't just abandon their children while they were studying. To put it in a clichéd way, money can be made at any time, but if you miss the growth process of your children, there will be no second chance.

Just like Jiaojiao, who could only scream “ahhh” last month, but now the sounds of “ahhh” have become regular, and she can use short interjections to express her emotions and thoughts.

Qian Qing watched coldly, and Yang Yang didn't say anything. Jiaojiao was probably destined to be a worrywart for the rest of her life.

The two little guys didn't like to use the small beds that were prepared for them. They insisted on sleeping next to Qian Qing's bed. Zhou Hao could only make a small bed for the two little ones, with only a fence around the outside, and the inside was flush with the big bed. When Jiaojiao woke up, she could climb onto the big bed using her small bed.

Every morning, the first thing Jiaojiao did when she woke up was to crawl around the house. She would first crawl along the big bed from head to toe, stepping firmly on Zhou Hao. Then she would point out the window and yell a few times, and Zhou Hao would then get up with an impatient look on his face to help her pee.

It’s not over yet. Jiaojiao’s daily schedule is very busy. If there are dirty clothes left in the basket at home and not washed, he will point at them and yell. If a little cat runs over the eaves, he will yell excitedly. Even if things at home are not put away properly, he will yell anxiously...

Qian Qing pinched the little worrywart's chubby face and said, "Hurry up and learn how to speak!"

Jiaojiao thought Qian Qing was playing with him, so she dived into Qian Qing's arms.

Qian Qing held the fat baby in her arms and felt that life was becoming more and more interesting.

She found it interesting, but Zhou Hao felt subtly unhappy.

It would be fine if an uninvited guest suddenly appeared in the lives of two people. But the uninvited guest turned out to be a thief with double standards.

When it comes to Qian Qing, she just kisses and hugs her, but when it comes to him, she shows all kinds of disdain. Zhou Hao clearly saw that once during a meal, he pretended to let Qian Qing feed him a mouthful of shrimp. Jiaojiao's eyes instantly became strange, with an expression of "You are a piece of trash, why do you occupy my mother?" Zhou Hao was very itchy when he saw it.

You definitely can't hit them, let alone Qian Qing. Now Jiaojiao and Yangyang can be said to be the two treasures of the family. Both children are good-looking. They have the same face, but they have the strengths of both husband and wife. They make people happy at first sight. Every time Li Hongmei comes to see Qian Qing, she can't wait to take one away, saying that these two children will become big stars in the future.

Zhou Hao could only count the time in his heart and keep track of the two children. He would ask his wife for some interest from time to time...

Zhou Hao was free during the Chinese New Year, and he had been busy preparing for exams, so he finally relaxed. The two children were still young, and it was cold outside, so Qian Qing rarely took them out. Qian Qing herself was also afraid of the cold, so the three of them stayed indoors.

Zhou Hao was in charge of purchasing New Year's goods, welcoming and seeing off guests, and interacting with neighbors and friends.

On the fourth and fifth days of the New Year, Zhou Hao sent New Year gifts to several familiar families in the compound.

After leaving the tube-shaped building where Zheng Xian lived, Zhou Hao met Azhen and Wang Hua.

Compared with the previous few months, Wang Hua's condition was worse. His eyes were dull and dark under his eyes, which was obviously due to lack of rest. He was skinny and although he was wearing bright clothes, his coat could not hide his thin figure.

Ah Zhen is still the same as before, still looking charming and seductive.

Seeing Zhou Hao coming towards him, Wang Hua shrank back at first, as if he wanted to hide away, but then he followed Ah Zhen obediently. Ah Zhen's eyes lit up when she saw Zhou Hao.

She wanted to catch up with Zhou Hao during this time, but Zhou Hao was either working, taking care of the children, or spending time in the library reading.

Obviously Qian Qing was not at home all day because of work, and there were all kinds of rumors in the compound, saying that a woman who was so away from home like Qian Qing would sooner or later have second thoughts. But Zhou Hao pretended not to hear and continued to do his own thing.

For several months, Ah Zhen didn't even have a chance to find Zhou Hao alone.

When she saw him again, Ah Zhen came up to him and greeted Zhou Hao with a smile.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Hao frowned and asked Wang Hua directly: "You don't look well, you should go to the hospital."

Wang Hua was not prepared for Zhou Hao to say such a thing, and for a moment he did not know how to react, so he could only respond casually: "Yes, I will go after the New Year."

Ah Zhen held Wang Hua's arm and said, "I guess it's because the weather has been too dry recently. I'll make you some cool soup when we get back."

Wang Hua, who should have been full of gratitude, seemed to have heard something terrible. His hands were shaking violently in a place where no one could see him.

"No, no need!"

Ah Zhen frowned secretly in her heart. Zhou Hao was not a fool like Wang Hua. What would happen if Zhou Hao found out about this?

She quietly observed Zhou Hao from the corner of her eye, but Zhou Hao acted as if what he just said was just a casual concern, and did not observe them in depth. Ah Zhen quietly breathed a sigh of relief, but a little regretful.

She thought a man like Zhou Hao would be smarter...

She has seen many stupid people, but it is rare to find someone who is good-looking and not stupid. Although Ah Zhen feels like she is walking on thin ice, she still hopes that she can find a match for her.

Zhou Hao raised his hand to check the time, and without even saying hello, he just walked past the two of them and left.

Wang Hua was still confused. If Zhou Hao and he had reconciled, how could he just let it go with a casual remark? If not, why would he express his concern?

Wang Hua's head hurt after thinking about it so much.

He held Ah Zhen's hand tightly and felt a splitting headache.

Ah Zhen's wrist was hurt by his grip. She calculated the time in her mind and couldn't help but despise Wang Hua even more.

You can't even persevere for such a short period of time, but you are still so ambitious all day long, thinking that you must be the best among men.

There is something wrong with your brain.

"Okay, let's go back right away."

The place Wang Hua and Ah Zhen returned to was not the tube building, but a house Ah Zhen bought not far away. Wang Hua had already started to sweat, and Ah Zhen took Wang Hua back to their residence.

As soon as Ah Zhen took out a box of cigarettes from the house, Wang Hua rushed over like a madman, with an expression that was frighteningly eager.

Only after finishing his cigarette did Wang Hua collapse on the sofa, feeling as if he were alive again.

Ah Zhen picked up a cigarette for herself, but did not light it. She just put it to her nose and smelled it.

The room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

After a long, long time, Wang Hua finally spoke with great difficulty.

"Ah Zhen... there's something in here, right?"

Wang Hua is not really stupid. Besides, even if he is, it has been so long, how can he not feel the changes in his body?

It's just that some words are kept in my heart, and saying them out loud and not saying them out loud are two different things.

Wang Hua recalled the look in Ah Zhen's eyes when he met Zhou Hao on the road just now. It was not a look of friendship, but a look of agility and inquiry that he had never seen before.

"Azhen, what do you want me to do?" Wang Hua asked sadly.

Ah Zhen chuckled and put the cigarette away.

She had been waiting for such a long time, waiting for the moment when Wang Hua would ask.

Wang Hua must start this question, so that he can feel his own changes and give his bottom line...

Of course, Ah Zhen knew that it made no difference whether there was a bottom line or not. From the moment Wang Hua opened his mouth, he lost the right to choose freely.

Ah Zhen still had a smile on her face, but Wang Hua felt she was becoming more and more unfamiliar.

"What I want you to do is very simple," Zhen changed into a more comfortable position, "From now on, you have to cooperate with me."

"I'm going to open a business club after the New Year, and you'll have to stand by my side then. You've been running a tobacco and liquor store during this time, so you've met a lot of wealthy people, right? Some of them are officials... The business club has just opened, so we need some connections. Remember to make more contacts."

Ah Zhen didn't explain it in detail, but Wang Hua's face turned pale.

"Ah Zhen, what is your purpose? I tell you, I still have a son. I can't accompany you to do such life-threatening things!"

Ah Zhen seemed to have heard something ridiculous and was laughing so hard that her body was shaking.

"Wang Hua, Wang Hua, I used to think you were useless, but now I see that you are not. At least you are thick-skinned enough."

"Don't you think it's ridiculous to talk about your son at this time? You are a cowardly and incompetent person who usually doesn't even care about your son. Isn't it a little late for you to play the role of a loving father now?"

"When you were stranded in Pengcheng, did you feel like a huge fortune fell from the sky when you met me? You must have felt so happy, and felt that you were infinitely charming. Even if you were temporarily in trouble, you could still meet a noble person. I paid for you to open a store, provided you with goods for free, gave you money, and took you to see the world... You must have felt very proud, right? Even if you knew that the goods I gave you had problems, you still turned a blind eye and took them happily."

"I didn't falsify the labels on the cigarettes and alcohol. They were clearly smuggled goods. Why didn't you ask before putting them on the shelves? It's because these things can bring you benefits. And if you don't ask, you can just say you didn't know when something goes wrong, and put the blame on me. You have a good plan. Why are you panicking now?"

"And your divorce," Ah Zhen said with a mocking smile, "Did I ask you to get a divorce? I never told you to live your life well and I didn't need you to get a divorce. But why did you get a divorce? It's because you were investigated and had to pay a fine, but you knew you couldn't pay it. You wanted me to pay, but you were afraid I would get angry. So you just divorced your wife and let me marry you so that you could give you money."

Ah Zhen made a ruthless judgment: "I'm not a good person, but you're not a good person either. At this point, you and I both know that you don't have the guts to report me. The end result is that you just have to follow us obediently. I advise you not to play moral games with me, but to be more obedient, so that your future life won't be so difficult."

Wang Hua's face turned pale, but Ah Zhen didn't care at all.

On the other side, Zhou Hao returned home and became eerily silent.

Jiaojiao was lying on the kang in the inner room. When she heard the door knock, she started shouting "Ahhhh".

When he looked over and saw it was Zhou Hao, he immediately stopped talking and turned his head as if he had said nothing just now, and continued to play with the toy. A pink penguin, which was covered with saliva from his licking, but he just held it in his hand and refused to let go.

Zhou Hao looked at his wife and children playing on the kang, and his heart grew heavier.

It took Qian Qing a while to realize that something was wrong with Zhou Hao. When she wanted to ask Zhou Hao, Zhou Hao had already put on his coat and went out.

The cold wind outside blew in. Zhou Hao blocked the door and spoke to Qian Qing.

"I have to go out for a while and will be back soon."