Grandpa Fu understood Fu Wan's concerns and nodded in agreement.
"Then I'll accept it. This old man is in for a treat."
Fu Wan also knew about Grandpa Fu's situation. He had suffered serious injuries when he went out to fight the Japanese in his early years, and later he took a mute woman as his wife.
In their earlier years, the couple relied on Grandpa Fu's fishing and Grandma Fu's farming for a living.
Later, as Grandpa Fu got older, he could no longer go out to sea. Fortunately, the government gave him a monthly subsidy, which allowed the two elderly people to barely make ends meet.
In the past, when Boss Fu went out to sea, he would bring some fish to Grandpa Fu. When he was a child, he didn't have enough to eat, and Grandpa Fu would bring him fish from time to time.
If it weren't for the fact that it was unreasonable and Fu Laoda's biological father was still alive, Fu Daye would have taken Fu Laoda over to be his son.
What did the old man say back then? This kid has guts in his eyes, just like I did when I was young!
After saying goodbye to Grandpa Fu, Fu Wan took Fu Ling home.
Ye Xiaocui was already cooking breakfast at home when she saw Fu Wan returning with a bucket, and then she remembered that she had forgotten something.
"Perfect timing! I'll steam some crabs and sea bream. After we eat this morning, everyone can go back to sleep for a while!"
Fu Wan nodded in agreement, then remembered something else.
"Mother, I need to go see Sister Wang. I wonder how she's recovering?"
Ye Xiaocui sighed as she thought of Wang Panlan, "This is necessary. You should quickly change your clothes and take Lingling to kowtow to your sister-in-law."
"She's had a tough life too."
“I remember I still have an unopened jar of malted milk powder in my cabinet. Go buy some peach shortbread from the village chief’s daughter-in-law and send it over together.”
"I know."
Fu Wan agreed, scooped half a bucket of hot water, and took Fu Ling to the separate bathroom in the house. The mother and daughter took a shower and changed into clean clothes one after the other.
After drifting at sea all night, and with the added smell of various fish, they smelled so bad that they were unpresentable.
The villagers at the dock were all curious and focused on the fish, so they didn't have time to check if these people still looked human.
After taking a shower, Fu Wan felt refreshed. She took out some milk powder from the cabinet and made a bowl for Fu Ling and herself, which was a simple way to fill their stomachs.
Of course, she didn't forget to make a bowl for Ye Xiaocui in the kitchen as well, and Ye Xiaocui glared at her.
"I'm a grown adult, why would I still drink baby formula? It's such a waste!"
"Mom, you're getting old, so you need to take calcium supplements. This milk is good for you!"
Modern milk powder is divided into milk powder for middle-aged and elderly people. Although resources were scarce in the 1980s and children could not afford to drink it, Fu Wan still tried her best to let everyone in the family drink it.
Ye Xiaocui couldn't persuade Fu Wan otherwise. Seeing her mother pinch her nose and take a big gulp, Fu Wan finally took the money and headed to the village store with satisfaction.
Things in the village shops aren't cheap either; biscuits are a dime more expensive per pound than outside, but they're convenient.
Without blinking, Fu Wan bought two large bags of peach shortbread, weighed out some cookies, paid the money, and then pulled Fu Ling home.
The village chief's daughter-in-law shook her head as she watched Fu Wan's retreating figure. This eldest daughter of the Fu family was too generous; she bought so many things and paid without saying much, saving everyone the trouble of haggling.
If Fu Wan knew what she was thinking, she would definitely have to explain. A penny or two was not a lot of money to her, and she would rather spend a lot of time explaining than waste a penny or two.
Moreover, the village chief rented the boat to his family, and they had a bumper harvest of goods from Shanghai last night, so it's only right that he patronizes their business.
By the time Fu Wan had finished breakfast at home, and then, with Fu Ling in hand, she took the gifts and knocked on Wang Panlan's door, it was already past ten in the morning.
Wang Panlan was curled up on her shabby bed, staring blankly at the floor.
Some villagers pitied her for being beaten all over by the three leper brothers, while others said she was a jinx, bringing misfortune to the three leper brothers, who all ended up in prison.
If Fu Da Laizi hadn't lost all his relatives in the area, he probably wouldn't even have a place to stay.
Her own family didn't even ask her anything; they just sent word that they had no money and that if she was planning to remarry, she could ask them to arrange a marriage.
They're planning to make money off the bride price again!
Wang Panlan scoffed and rolled over in self-deprecation.
Actually, she couldn't quite explain why she had disregarded being beaten up by Fu Sanlaizi and still climbed over the back wall to inform Fu Wan.
Perhaps so. She touched her flat stomach, where a tiny life had once been nurtured. If that life were still alive, it would be just as vibrant and adorable as Fu Ling.
Unfortunately, just a few months into her pregnancy, she was beaten up by the drunken Fu Da Laizi, and the baby was lost.
From that moment on, she hated the Fu family. If it weren't for Fu Sanlaizi tricking her into marrying into the family, and if it weren't for a beast like Fu Dalaizi, her life wouldn't have turned out like this.
Of course, her own family members weren't any better; they were a bunch of leeches clinging to her daughter and sucking her blood. Calling them leeches would be an insult to leeches.
"Sister-in-law, sister-in-law! Are you home?"
A clear female voice came from outside the door, pulling Wang Panlan, who was immersed in her own world, back to reality.
"Yes...yes! Who is it?"
It took her a while to find her voice, and she asked in a hoarse tone.
"I am Fu Wan."
Wang Panlan's tense nerves finally relaxed. She had thought it was her money-grubbing younger brother and sister-in-law from her own family.
"Wait a minute, I'll open the door."
To prevent anyone from coming in, she locked the gates to the yard and the house, and also put a lot of things to block them.
Fu Wan and Fu Ling waited at the door and heard a lot of noise coming and going inside the house before the door finally creaked open from the inside.
"Is...is there something you need?"
After only two days apart, Fu Wan could hardly believe that the person in front of her, who had lost so much weight, was the same Wang Panlan who had desperately tried to warn her a few days ago.
"Sister-in-law, I've come to see you."
When Wang Panlan saw Fu Ling peeking out from behind Fu Wan and looking her over, she managed a forced smile on her numb face.
"Come in and have a seat!"
After saying that, she limped into the kitchen to get bowls and pour water for Fu Wan and her daughter. Seeing that she was about to go and do something, Fu Wan quickly stopped her.
"Sister-in-law, don't bother. I just came to see you. Thank you for last time."
After saying that, she nudged Fu Ling again, "Lingling, kowtow to your aunt and say thank you. If her mother hadn't found you so quickly..."
It turned out that it was this aunt who had informed her mother. Fu Ling immediately stepped forward and knelt down with a "thud." Wang Panlan didn't have time to stop her, and the child kowtowed heavily to her.
"Thank you, Auntie!"
Seeing Fu Ling's obedient appearance, Wang Panlan quickly helped her up.
"Get up quickly, your aunt didn't help much."
Tears welled up in her eyes without her noticing. "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back."
“If my child were still alive, he would be about your age.”
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