"Did your sister-in-law come to see me?" Hao Jianguo asked.
Xing Zhaozhao nodded, glanced at the enthusiastic plump aunt next to her, and asked cautiously, "Last time I came to see you, I saw that you had a lot of waste newspapers here. I was thinking of taking some back to wallpaper the walls. I wonder if that's okay?"
If it were just Hao Jianguo, she wouldn't hold back. But since there's also a plump auntie there, it's better to be careful.
Unexpectedly, the plump aunt didn't mind at all, and simply picked up two stacks and put them at Xing Zhaozhao's feet: "Hey, it's just some waste newspapers, take them, take them, don't be shy."
Xing Zhaozhao glanced at the two large stacks of newspapers that were almost up to her knees: "..."
There's no need to be so polite.
She only wanted to pick a few.
But, since it's already been given...
"Thank you." Xing Zhaozhao smiled at the plump aunt.
The plump woman waved her hand dismissively: "It's no big deal."
The plump auntie had other things to do, so she left first, saying, "Sit a little longer."
"Okay." Xing Zhaozhao agreed with a sweet smile. As soon as the plump aunt left, she quickly untied the two large stacks of newspapers at her feet and picked through them.
"What are you looking for? Here, just take it." Hao Jianguo said, puzzled.
Xing Zhaozhao smiled and said, "There are too many. If I take them all, it will be too conspicuous. I'll just pick some to avoid causing you any trouble."
As she spoke, she remembered the little boy from before and couldn't help but ask Hao Jianguo, "Who was that little boy just now...?"
Hao Jianguo sighed helplessly and lowered his voice, saying, "It's the old principal's grandson. Ever since their family got into trouble because of the old lady's identity, the older members of their family have cut off ties with the old couple and left. But this grandson refuses to leave, so his parents have simply given up on him."
Xing Zhaozhao frowned and asked again, "What's he doing at the scrap yard?"
"I don't know." Hao Jianguo shook his head and said, "I asked him secretly, but he wouldn't tell me. But judging from his appearance, it seems like he came looking for something."
"What are you looking for?" Xing Zhaozhao asked.
Hao Jianguo shook his head again: "I don't know..."
Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly realized something and looked up sharply at Xing Zhaozhao.
Xing Zhaozhao blinked, realizing what was happening: "It can't be..."
That rosewood box?!
Xing Zhaozhao couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.
However, she has already taken the rosewood box to auction, so it's unlikely she'll get it back.
“How about…” Xing Zhaozhao frowned.
Should she risk going there again?
"No, please don't." Hao Jianguo noticed that she seemed to want to return the wooden box and stopped her. "Given their current situation, no matter what it is, they can't keep it if you send it back. This time, you managed to find something intact, but next time, it might only be fragments left. If you really feel bad about it, I'll look after that child for you next time I see him."
Xing Zhaozhao thought for a moment and nodded: "That works too."
She'll find an opportunity to go and see for herself. If she can help in any way, she will, since she's already received such a great benefit from them.
When Xing Zhaozhao returned to the village carrying a bundle of newspapers, she saw a large crowd gathered in front of the Gao family's house to watch the commotion.
Curious, she leaned closer and asked, "What happened?"
"You're here too." Aunt Hao glanced at her and offered her some melon seeds.
Xing Zhaozhao casually picked up two seeds, looked at the commotion in the Gao family's courtyard, and asked, "What's all this fuss about now?"
"Old Gao came back with a windfall from somewhere and bought a lot of things. Old Gao's wife got jealous and said that since the family hasn't been divided yet, she wanted Old Gao to hand over all the money. Old Gao's wife refused, and they started fighting," Aunt Hao said with a chuckle.
Xing Zhaozhao didn't know what to say.
Don't flaunt your wealth these days. If you have something good, why not keep it to yourself? Are you trying to test human nature?
Captain Gao came out with a stern face and his hands behind his back: "I can't control this family anymore. They're getting more and more out of control. If they keep causing trouble, something bad will happen sooner or later."
For a while afterward, it was as if the Gao family was celebrating the New Year ahead of schedule. Not only did everyone, from the old to the young, wear new clothes, but they also ate greasy food every day. The aroma of meat lingered in their yard. Oh, except for the three sisters of the Gao family, who seemed to have become the family's unfortunate maids, as they took care of almost all the housework.
That day, Xing Zhaozhao took Xiao Hongling to Aunt Hao's house to play. They happened to run into Pandi, who had just returned from washing clothes by the river. Pandi was about the same age as Hongfei, thin and small, barely as tall as Hongyu. She had only a few sparse hairs, which were dry and yellow. Her little face and hands were red from the cold and covered in chilblains.
Upon seeing Xing Zhaozhao, Pandi timidly called out, "Second Aunt."
Although she didn't like the Gao family, Xing Zhaozhao still felt some pity for the three younger sisters of the Gao family.
She took three White Rabbit candies out of her pocket and stuffed them into her hand: "Eat them with your sisters."
Looking at the large white rabbit in her palm, Pandi's timid eyes shone with fervent joy: "Thank you, Second Aunt."
Xing Zhaozhao smiled and patted her head.
Pandi seemed a little uncomfortable, shrinking her neck and standing there stiffly.
It wasn't until Xing Zhaozhao walked away with Xiao Hongling that she slowly came back to her senses, touched the head that had just been touched, and revealed a happy smile.
When Xing Zhaozhao carried Xiao Hongling to Aunt Hao's house, she saw Aunt Hao standing with her hands on her hips, scolding the Gao family over the wall: "Eat, eat, eat, all you know is to eat! You eat such greasy food every day, be careful you don't get diarrhea."
On the opposite wall, Old Lady Gao held a large bowl in her hands, waving her chopsticks and eating large mouthfuls of fatty meat: "I'm eating, I'm eating! Our family has money to eat now, we can afford it, you'll be so envious..."
Xing Zhaozhao: "..."
Are they children?
Aunt Hao had indeed been driven to distraction by the delicious aroma wafting from across the street lately: "Pah! Who knows what kind of dirty tricks you've played with that money? Everyone in the village knows what kind of people your two sons are! If they were capable, would your family have only produced one Mingcheng in all these decades? Be careful, one day your whole family might get arrested and thrown in jail..."
No sooner had he finished speaking than a series of noisy footsteps were heard outside, followed by a loud knocking on the door next door: "Open the door, it's the Public Security Bureau."
With a loud crash, Old Lady Gao, looking terrified, fell off the wall along with the basin.
Aunt Hao covered her mouth in shock: "Has my mouth been blessed?"
Xing Zhaozhao: "..."
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