Chapter 188 She was already numb.
His gaze was fixed on the intact box of fruit candies in the corner.
His eyes gradually reddened, and his nose tingled.
A tear rolled down unexpectedly and landed on the cold, hard cement floor.
Then, the second and third drops fell silently.
He remembered something.
That day, as he was being pushed by the police towards the police car, Erniu hid behind the old locust tree at the entrance of the village.
Her lips trembled, but she didn't cry out; she just stared straight at him.
The four brothers remained silent, none of them feeling that they were wrong.
They were thinking the same thing.
It's not that we're bad, it's just that we're unlucky.
If they had timed it right that day, if no one had suddenly appeared, if Zhou Shufen hadn't called the police...
If we try one more time, it will definitely work!
Zhou Shufen sat on a wooden stool in the living room, holding a phone in her hand, her fingers trembling slightly.
She hesitated for a while before finally dialing Wu Dekang's number.
I'd like to ask him about Cheng Jiaqi's recent situation, if there's any news.
As soon as the call connected, she was about to speak when she was interrupted by Wu Dekang's voice.
"Shufen, this matter... is truly heartbreaking. I just heard the news from the detention center. They're still locked up. They're arguing fiercely inside, constantly talking about revenge. People say they've never seen such unrepentant people, completely impervious to reason."
Zhou Shufen didn't even frown.
“Brother Wu, don’t pity them. They are not my sons at all. In my whole life, I only recognize Lijuan and Liya. No matter how much others cry or make a fuss, they can’t get into my heart.”
"I'm afraid people will talk behind your back."
Wu Dekang's voice was low and deep.
He knew all too well how the world could silently and relentlessly cut into people, and over time, it could crush them to death.
"Don't worry."
Zhou Shufen smiled gently.
“My heart is made of iron, and I won’t be easily swayed by anyone. Once I’ve made up my mind, not even nine oxen could pull me back, and no one can change my mind. As for your idle talk, I’ll just ignore it.”
She's someone who traveled from the 21st century and has experienced the ups and downs of the internet age.
She had seen far too many keyboard warriors' true colors.
How many times has she read those things online over and over again?
Today someone is cyberbullied, tomorrow someone's dark past is exposed, and the day after tomorrow someone else's story is turned around and they get their comeuppance...
She had long since become numb.
This little squabble was nothing more than a breeze to her.
"Shufen, Jiaqi has been really pushing herself lately."
Zhou Shufen's tone shifted, tinged with a hint of relief.
"She stays up late studying every day, with her desk lamp on until 2 a.m. Although her grades were at the bottom at first, they have been gradually improving. You can tell she has really worked hard."
"You really shouldn't keep thinking about her."
She paused, then continued.
"You, on the other hand, care so much about a stranger, buying her books and arranging tutoring for her, worrying about her more than your own mother. In contrast, Zhou Haiwei and his gang are idle all day, eating, drinking, and having fun. If they had even a shred of conscience, they wouldn't have ended up like this! Sigh!"
She sighed softly, her tone revealing less sympathy and more disappointment.
"You have to walk your own path; no one can do it for you. If you're soft-hearted and help one person today and save another tomorrow, sooner or later you'll be dragged down by their messes and won't even be able to save yourself."
"Brother Wu, listen to my advice."
She looked directly at the person on the other end of the phone.
"Don't get involved in their mess! It's a bottomless pit; once you jump in, you're never coming out."
As soon as the phone call ended, the room fell silent again.
Zhou Shufen casually placed her phone on the table and then focused on calculating the order details.
son?
She had long since forgotten about that "son".
Blood ties? Family ties?
In the face of reality, everything else is meaningless.
Having money in your hands is true skill!
Every single transaction in and out of the accounts is what she values most.
The handwriting on the delivery slip was neat and tidy.
"Order another fifty bags of laundry detergent, don't order less."
She muttered to herself while circling the items on the list in red pen.
"I need jasmine-scented and lemon-scented soaps, thirty boxes of each. Last time, customers said the lemon-scented ones were good, so we can promote more of them this time."
She glanced at the noteboard on the wall and added, "By the way, that batch of face cream sold out incredibly fast last time, it was sold out in just three days. Tell the manufacturer to send over ten more boxes as soon as possible, urgently, don't delay."
Zhou Xiaowen sat to the side keeping accounts, her pen flying across the page.
I couldn't help but laugh when I heard that.
"Auntie, your mind is sharper than a calculator, and your memory is amazing. You even remember exactly which fragrances sell well. I can hardly keep up with all of this in my notebook; the words are almost all smudged."
Master Zhou's daughter has been helping out these past few days; she's quick and efficient, and also has a sweet tongue.
Zhou Miaoling and Jiang Nanzhi were finally able to catch their breath and no longer had to work from morning till night.
Wen Shuli continued to work with Zhou Yujie at the dock, enduring wind and sun, which tanned her face.
But he was very energetic and full of enthusiasm.
Zhou Yujie didn't compete for the position and gave it to Jiang Nanzhi.
He knew her family had heavy burdens; they needed money for their children's schooling and for their elderly parents' medical care.
I'm young and strong, I can find other jobs.
The family's life, the longer they endured, the more hopeful they became.
Although it was tough, every step we took was solid.
In Ningcheng in winter, the wind is cool and a little stinging when it blows on your face, but it's not bone-chilling.
Sunlight occasionally peeks out from behind the clouds, shining warmly on people.
Zhou Shufen sent a lot of shoe and clothing patterns to Aunt Yu in her hometown, along with several fabric samples.
The letter was written in great detail, even including a diagram of how the stitches were done.
She said that she would have the old lady teach the women in the village to do it together, and if they did it well, they could earn some money, which would also help the villagers find a way out.
Zhouji Supermarket's business is booming every day.
With more and more customers and repeat customers, the business gradually stabilized and became an indispensable place for the neighborhood.
That day, Zhou Shufen took Guo Zhenyi to a small restaurant for a meal.
I ordered a plate of stir-fried rice noodles, a bowl of hot and sour soup, and two cups of soy milk.
She picked up some food while getting straight to the point.
“Zhenyi, I’m going north with my second brother to find Sister Yao. This trip will take about ten days, and we might not be back for half a month. I’ll have to trouble you to look after the supermarket.”
Guo Zhenyi was taken aback, his chopsticks hovering in mid-air, somewhat surprised.
Before she could even speak, she quickly added a sentence.
"Sister Yao was my second brother's love when he was young. They were very much in love back then, but unfortunately, their families objected and forced them to separate. I helped my eldest brother find his wife, so I should also help my second brother find his other half, right?"
She smiled, her eyes bright.
"How many truly sincere people can one meet in a lifetime? If you miss them, you really miss them."
"Go ahead, I'll take care of things here. As long as I'm in this position, no one will dare to cause trouble."
Guo Zhenyi stood at the office door, leaning against the door frame.
"Okay! These two boxes are fruit for you."
She kicked the cardboard box next to her feet.
"Take this home and eat it quickly. I see your hands are cracked; you must be lacking vitamins. Eat more. Here's some clam oil; it's great for dry hands."
Zhou Shufen bent down and gently kicked the two heavy cardboard boxes.
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