"I'll leave Ling Yongde's matter to you." After finishing their meal, Xing Zhaozhao and Fei Ge came out of the state-run restaurant together.
"No problem." Fei Ge nodded.
After Xing Zhaozhao finished speaking, she prepared to leave with the children. Looking down, she noticed that one of them was missing. She panicked and looked at Hongfei, asking, "Where's your brother?"
Hongfei gestured with his chin towards the entrance of the state-run restaurant: "Here."
Xing Zhaozhao looked up and saw that the little guy had gotten along with Wang Xiaofa at some point. They were chatting excitedly together. The two of them, one big and one small, were clearly more than ten years apart in age, but they didn't look out of place at all.
"Hongyu," Xing Zhaozhao called out.
Hongyu immediately ran over, her face beaming with excitement: "Mom, can I go play at Uncle Xiaofa's place?"
Xing Zhaozhao couldn't help but glare at Wang Xiaofa. In just this short time, he'd actually bewitched her son?
“What’s fun to do at Uncle Xiaofa’s place? We still want to go find Brother Xiaoshi. Haven’t you always wanted to play with Brother Xiaoshi?” Xing Zhaozhao said.
Hongyu's face was full of struggle. She didn't want to give up either side, but what could she do if she wanted both?
"Sister Xing, why don't we let Xiao Yumo come to my place to play first, and then I'll send her to Dacheng Street for you? It'll kill two birds with one stone, won't it?" Wang Xiaofa came over and urged.
Hongyu's eyes lit up as he looked at Xing Zhaozhao expectantly.
Xing Zhaozhao glanced at Wang Xiaofa and said, "Get lost, don't come and corrupt our little Yu Mao."
After saying that, she pulled Hongyu aside and said goodbye to Fei Ge: "We're leaving now, Fei Ge."
Then, they left very quickly.
Wang Xiaofa looked at his brother with a wronged expression: "What do you mean by 'corrupting'? Brother, Sister Xing's words are too hurtful."
Fei Ge crossed his arms and looked at Wang Xiaofa: "Indeed, it's not quite that bad."
Wang Xiaofa's eyes lit up immediately. His older brother really understood him.
"It'll make them stupid," Fei said.
Wang Xiaofa: "..."
Wang Xiaofa felt as if he had been struck by lightning. Was this really his brother? It would have been better if he had been led astray; at least his brother hadn't looked down on him for his lack of intelligence.
Fei Ge straightened his expression and said, "I'm not busy lately, so go to Qingxi Town and help Sister Xing find that Ling Yongde. Don't mess things up, or you won't be able to explain it to Sister Xing, and you won't be able to come back to see me."
Wang Xiaofa's expression was more serious than ever before: "Brother, don't worry, I will do my best to help Sister Xing get things done."
Fei Ge: "..." You don't care if it's not about Sister Xing? You deserve a beating.
Xing Zhaozhao took the three children to Dacheng Street and went straight to Fu Lan's house, knocking on the door.
"Mom, is this Brother Xiaoshi's house?" Hongyu asked.
"No, this is Sister Xiaolan's house," Xing Zhaozhao said.
Just then, the door to Fu Lan's house opened, and it was Fu Lan herself who opened it.
Fu Lan, who used to always have a smile on her face, looked unwell and listless.
Upon seeing Xing Zhaozhao, Fu Lan, whose expression had been gloomy, immediately brightened up and exclaimed with delight, "Sister Xing? What brings you here? When did you get back?"
"I just got back yesterday. I brought the kids out to play and also stopped by to see you and Xiao Qinshi," Xing Zhaozhao said with a smile.
Fu Lan looked at the three little ones clinging to Xing Zhaozhao.
The three little ones immediately greeted the person politely.
Hongfei: "Sister Xiaolan."
Hongyu: "Hello, Sister Xiaolan."
Little Red Water Chestnut: "Eeya."
Fu Lan smiled and patted Xiao Hongling's chubby face: "Hello."
"I just got back and heard about what happened between you and Qingshan," Xing Zhaozhao said, looking at Fu Lan.
Fu Lan's smile froze instantly, and her bright eyes dimmed.
Xing Zhaozhao frowned, about to ask more questions, when she suddenly heard an old woman's voice coming from the house behind Fu Lan: "Who's here, Xiao Lan?"
Fu Lan's expression changed, and she immediately lowered her voice nervously and said to Xing Zhaozhao, "Pretend you don't know her in a moment."
Xing Zhaozhao was stunned for a moment. Before she could react, she saw a little old lady who looked somewhat similar to Fu Lan walk out of the house behind Fu Lan.
"I don't know her, I'm just asking for directions, Grandma," Fu Lan said, turning to the old lady.
Grandma Fu looked at Xing Zhaozhao with a suspicious expression.
Xing Zhaozhao had already realized what was going on and immediately smiled and asked, "Hello, ma'am, I'm from Qingxi Town. I'm here to see the former principal of Lanyuan Middle School. I heard he lives nearby. Do you know him?"
"So you're here to see the old headmaster. He lives next door," Grandma Fu said, unsuspecting.
"Oh, it's right next door. Sorry to bother you." Xing Zhaozhao said, quickly winking at Fu Lan, and then headed towards the old principal's house next door.
Fu Lan understood immediately and closed the door behind her.
Xing Zhaozhao went next door and knocked on the old principal's door.
It was Xiao Qinshi who opened the door. Seeing Xing Zhaozhao, he looked delighted and said, "Sister Xing, you're back! Come in quickly."
Xing Zhaozhao led the three little ones through the door.
The door to the old principal's house had just closed when the door to Lin Wan's house, two houses down, suddenly opened. Chen Xiaxia poked her little head out, looked around, and seeing no one, she quickly pulled her head back in, completely bewildered: Strange, she thought she had just heard Hongfei's voice.
As soon as she entered, Xing Zhaozhao saw Old Madam Qin sitting in the yard sunbathing and exclaimed in surprise, "Old Madam, you can get up now? It seems like you've recovered a lot!"
When Grandma Qin saw Xing Zhaozhao, she immediately got up to greet her, excitedly grabbed her hand, and said, "I was just talking to Old Qin about you a couple of days ago, thinking about when I could meet you and thank you properly. I didn't expect you to come today. If it weren't for the money you left last time, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to make it."
"That means you're destined to live to be a hundred years old, ma'am," Xing Zhaozhao said with a smile.
Grandma Qin's kind gaze fell on the three children beside Xing Zhaozhao: "These are your children."
Xing Zhaozhao nodded: "Eldest brother Hongfei, second brother Hongyu, and little girl Xiaohongling."
"This is my older brother's grandmother, Grandma Qin," Xing Zhaozhao introduced to the three children.
Hongfei and Hongyu immediately called out in unison, "Grandma Qin."
Little Red Water Chestnut also chirped "ee-ee-ya".
"Good girl." Grandma Qin said, taking out some money from her pocket and giving each of them a one-yuan red envelope.
Hongfei and Hongyu didn't answer immediately; they both looked at Xing Zhaozhao questioningly.
After all, it was the old man's kind gesture, so Xing Zhaozhao did not refuse.
The two little ones happily accepted it, and Xiao Hongling's share ended up in Xing Zhaozhao's hands, which she kept for her.
Grandma Qin liked Xiao Hongling very much and reached out to hug her: "The little girl is so pretty, come here, let Grandma hug you."
Xing Zhaozhao was about to remind Grandma Qin that Xiao Hongling could recognize people now, but unexpectedly, Xiao Hongling sniffed and seemed to really like the fragrance on Grandma Qin. She leaned over and took the initiative to move closer.
Xing Zhaozhao: "..." Fine, she's happy to be able to relax.
Just then, the old principal came out of the room: "Little Xing is here."
"Old Headmaster," Xing Zhaozhao called out, taking a thick bag of money from her basket and handing it over, "the money from selling incense last time."
The old headmaster's hands trembled as he took it: "So much?"
Xing Zhaozhao smiled and nodded, saying, "The buyer knows his stuff."
"There's too much. Why don't you take some back with you?" the old principal said.
“I’ve already deducted the commission; you deserve all of this,” Xing Zhaozhao said.
The old principal then stopped insisting.
"I haven't gathered all the spices you requested yet, so I'll have to deliver them to you next time," Xing Zhaozhao said.
The old principal said he didn't care; as long as she wasn't in a hurry, he wasn't in a hurry either.
Xing Zhaozhao handed the contents of the basket to the old principal as well, and said to the two elders, "There is another matter I would like to ask you two for a favor."
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