Xing Zhaozhao tossed Zhang Peng aside with disgust, as if he were trash.
Zhang Peng lay on the ground, writhing in pain: "It hurts, it hurts so much."
He looked at Hao Xiuning with pleading eyes, as if trying to show weakness and evoke her maternal love: "Mom, Peng'er is in so much pain, Peng'er's hand feels like it's broken, Mom..."
Peng...er?
Hao Xiuning: "..."
Hao Xiuning felt disgusted.
At your age, can you please stop acting like a three-year-old?
Xing Zhaozhao frowned, feeling nauseous as well.
Just then, someone came running from afar carrying a stick.
Before he even arrived, his voice came over: "Zhang Peng, you bastard, I didn't beat you enough last time, and you still dare to come..."
It's Hao Qiang.
To make it easier to take care of his aunt, he lived nearby and rushed over as soon as he heard the news.
Seeing that things were going badly, Zhang Peng, who had been lying on the ground pretending to die, immediately nimbly scrambled to his feet and ran away.
Hao Qiang saw from afar that his aunt was alright, and without stopping, he dashed past them and chased after Zhang Peng, yelling, "You little bastard, stop right there if you dare!"
The crowd of onlookers gradually dispersed.
Xing Zhaozhao walked up to Hao Xiuning and asked with concern, "Grandma, are you alright?"
Hao Xiuning recognized Xing Zhaozhao and was momentarily stunned. She couldn't help but excitedly grab Xing's hand and instinctively called out, "Sister-in-law?"
Xing Zhaozhao's lips trembled, pretending not to have heard clearly: "What did you say, old lady?"
Hao Xiuning then came to her senses and carefully examined Xing Zhaozhao again.
It looks just like it, it really does.
But it only looks similar.
My sister-in-law has long been worn down by that family, so how could she be so lively?
Besides, my sister-in-law is long gone.
Even if she were still alive, more than fifty years have passed, she shouldn't still look like this.
Hao Xiuning gave a self-deprecating laugh.
She's obsessed.
However, thinking of the person who was no longer there, Hao Xiuning held Xing Zhaozhao's hand tightly, reluctant to let go.
If only my sister-in-law were still here.
"Sorry, you look a lot like someone I know. I mistook you for someone else," Hao Xiuning said with an apologetic smile to Xing Zhaozhao.
"It's nothing." Xing Zhaozhao shook her head dismissively, then made as if to leave, "If you're alright, I'll be going now..."
"Hey," Hao Xiuning held her hand tightly, still refusing to let go, "If it weren't for you today, I would have been beaten by that unfilial son. I haven't even properly thanked you yet, so you can't just leave like this. At least come to my house for a while and have a cup of tea."
Xing Zhaozhao was more than happy to agree, but she didn't agree too quickly, saying hesitantly, "Perhaps... there's no need to go to that trouble."
Hao Xiuning shook her head repeatedly: "No trouble at all, no trouble at all, I'll take it, I'll take it."
Fearing that Xing Zhaozhao would refuse, she made up another excuse: "Besides, I just got into a fight with that unfilial son, and my legs are still a bit weak. I can't walk very well, so I'd like to trouble you to take me home."
After saying that, she paused, and then added, feigning helplessness, "If you really don't want to, then forget it."
Since things had already come to this point, Xing Zhaozhao "had no choice" but to nod in agreement: "Well... okay."
Hao Xiuning smiled broadly and took her hand: "My home is just ahead, not far."
After saying that, she pulled Xing Zhaozhao towards her home, walking very fast, no longer pretending.
Hao Xiuning's home is a small one-bedroom apartment, decorated very cozyly. The walls and cabinets in the living room are covered with photos taken when she was in the village, showing that she probably still misses her life there.
Hao Xiuning brought Xing Zhaozhao home and went straight to the kitchen: "I'll make some tea, please make yourself at home."
While Hao Xiuning was making tea, Xing Zhaozhao looked through all the photos hanging on the wall and cabinets, but she couldn't find any of the mother and her two children. Her heart tightened.
Hao Xiuning brewed some tea and came out. Seeing Xing Zhaozhao looking at the photos, she smiled and said, "These are all old photos from before, nothing to see. Come and sit down."
Xing Zhaozhao smiled and agreed.
Hao Xiuning poured tea for Xing Zhaozhao and cut her a piece of the cake she had just bought: "My favorite cheesecake, it's delicious, have a taste."
Xing Zhaozhao imitated Hao Xiuning, scooped out a little with a small fork, tasted it, and her eyes lit up.
It's delicious, and the taste is so novel. I'll buy some for her two little ones to try next time.
While sipping tea and eating cake, Xing Zhaozhao casually asked Hao Xiuning about the photos: "Are those old photos of the old lady?"
"Okay." Hao Xiuning nodded and said to Xing Zhaozhao with a smile, "Don't call me old lady anymore, it sounds too formal. My surname is Hao. Judging from your age, you should be about the same age as my grandson, so just call me Grandma Hao."
Xing Zhaozhao smiled and couldn't help but laugh.
Over there, she only called her mother "Auntie," but unexpectedly, here, she has to call her mother-in-law.
Hao Xiuning, puzzled, asked, "What's wrong?"
Xing Zhaozhao took a sip of tea, concealing her emotions, shook her head, and said, "It's nothing."
Then she asked, "Is this the place where you used to live, Grandma?"
“Yes.” Hao Xiuning turned to look at the photos, nodded with a nostalgic expression, and said, “It’s the place where I’ve lived for decades since I was born. It’s a pity I can never go back.”
"Where is it? Is it far? Actually, Grandma, you seem to be in pretty good health. If you really miss me, it wouldn't be a problem to go back and visit," Xing Zhaozhao said, pretending not to know.
Hao Xiuning chuckled and shook her head, saying, "It's not far, it doesn't even take half an hour to get there by car."
"You know there's a reservoir at the foot of the mountain to the west of here?" she asked, meeting Xing Zhaozhao's bewildered gaze.
Xing Zhaozhao nodded.
“That used to be a village called Xiaogaozhuang, where I used to live. It was completely submerged to build a reservoir, and I can never go back,” Hao Xiuning said.
Xing Zhaozhao seemed to realize something at this moment: "So that's Xiaogaozhuang. I know that place. I heard from the elders in my family that one of my great-aunts married into Xiaogaozhuang, but that was decades ago. I wonder if you, Mother-in-law, still recognize her."
"Oh? Tell me about it. Although I'm over seventy, it's hard to say if you're talking about things from a hundred or eighty years ago. But I should know about things from the last few decades," Hao Xiuning said with a smile.
Xing Zhaozhao thought for a moment "seriously" and said, "I remember, my great-aunt married into the Xing family in Liuwan Village. Her cousin who married into Xiaogaozhuang was surnamed Xing. Right, her name was Xing Zhaozhao. She married a soldier from your village surnamed Gao, and they had three children..."
Upon hearing this, Hao Xiuning's smile instantly froze.
She suddenly stood up, looked at Xing Zhaozhao with a somewhat gloomy expression, and asked, "Your surname is Lin?"
Xing Zhaozhao was stunned when she saw Hao Xiuning's sudden change in expression. She was genuinely stunned, not pretending.
"Yes." She nodded.
Her mother's surname is Lin, and her father's side of the family has no relatives left. The only relatives she can borrow are those on her mother's side.
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