Wang Shuifeng scolded Tian Xianglan: "You are good at talking, and you hit and smash things. If those people see you, will they let you in? Bao Shunfeng will ask them to throw you out first! Besides, the last time our family was in trouble, the whole village didn't like the Tian family. Do you have the nerve to get into the crowd?"

"Why am I ashamed? I didn't eat that grass, and I didn't do anything shameful like you guys. It's embarrassing..."

Tian Xianglan blurted out, Wang Shuifeng's face turned pale, and he raised his hand and slapped Tian Xianglan in the face.

Tian Xianglan was stunned for a moment, then suddenly fell to the ground and burst into tears: "You hit me! Why did you hit me? Isn't it all your fault? Who told you to pretend to know everything, picking up herbs all day and bringing them home, collecting the sticky grass, and even teaching Taohua... Now it's retribution, right? The whole family is finished!

I am the worst off. Liang Tiezhu said that he never disliked me for not having a son, but now that I have a family like this, he is too ashamed to see the villagers and can’t live in this village, so he ran away with that bitch. He doesn’t want me and the children anymore... Woohoo! Look at what you have done. You have harmed me and my child. We might as well die..."

Wang Shuifeng turned pale, and pointed at Tian Xianglan with shaking fingers: "I hurt you? I worked so hard to raise you... You are my eldest daughter, I have loved you and indulged you since you were young, and I still worry about you when I am old. Did I hurt you? Fine, fine! You ungrateful wolf, get out, get out, go back to the Liang family! Don't come back if you have no place to live in the future, let's see who will protect you!"

After saying this, he turned and walked away with staggering steps. Tian Xianglan's daughters wanted to follow him, but Wang Shuifeng picked up a dead branch on the snow and hit them back without any reason.

Tian Xianglan sat on the snow and cried loudly. Several children surrounded her and cried together. The wind was strong and the snow was heavy. It was really miserable.

At this time, the courtyard of the Meng family in the village was filled with laughter and warmth. The jeep went around half of the village and took the wider dirt road to reach the Meng family. So almost everyone in the village, young and old, knew that the Meng family had guests, who came by car, so they all ran to watch the fun.

There was a brazier in the house, but there were too many people and it was impossible for them all to squeeze in. Meng Tao asked several young people to build a big fire with firewood by the courtyard wall so that the old and the children could warm their hands. Anyway, it was snowing so heavily, and the Meng family and several nearby households all had tiled houses, so there was no need to worry about sparks causing a fire.

Old man Liu Yongsheng first went to Pingjiang City and stayed at his eldest son's house for one night before coming to Xingyang County. The jeep came directly from H Province and was borrowed by his second son Liu Jianye from his unit. It was just enough for four people to sit in. After arriving in Pingjiang City, Old man Liu asked Liu Jianxin to get in the car as well, which made it seem crowded. Fortunately, Old man Liu was thin due to long-term illness and did not take up much space, so he was able to make the journey.

Sun Hong couldn't come with Mingming, so she prepared some more things for Liu Jianxin to bring, including two large bags of candies, melon seeds and peanuts, which were just right to share with the villagers.

Zhou Shi'an introduced Liu Yongsheng to the team leader Bao and several team cadres, shaking hands and greeting them cordially, and then to the elderly people in the village, especially the old friends who used to have a good relationship with Meng Shengli and often visited him. They shook hands and talked endlessly, and naturally all they talked about were things during Meng Shengli's lifetime.

Meng Tao watched the adults' simple and warm ceremonies. She and Zhou Cuiling made some tea on the side, passing a bowl to each other. Since there were so many people, they didn't care about the cups or plates, and just used coarse porcelain bowls.

The guests had just drunk the ginger and sugar water to ward off the cold when they came in. Aunt Yang and Aunt Yu, the wife of Captain Bao, had already prepared it. Chicken was stewing in the kitchen, and the other dishes were also prepared and steamed in large steamers, so they could be served at any time.

Liu Jianxin was also talking with the brigade cadres. He was in the forestry business, and agriculture and forestry were one family, so they had a lot of topics to talk about and they could get along well.

The young man from the village helped the two young men move things from the jeep. There were quite a lot of big and small bags.

Liu Yongsheng had just introduced the two young men to Captain Bao. One of them was his second son Liu Jianye, and the other was Xu Zhenguo's eldest son Xu Yulin. Xu Zhenguo was also a good friend and brother of Meng Shengli. He has passed away. He missed his old friend very much during his lifetime, so this time, his two sons came along to visit.

Different from Liu Jianxin's elegant temperament, Liu Jianye and Xu Yulin both have a heroic spirit, with regular and strong facial features, upright posture, and a breeze in their walk. Everyone praises the two young men for their good spirits.

The young man who had just been riding on the ox cart, with his hands cupped, sat by the fire beside the courtyard wall to warm himself for a while, chatted with the children in the village, and asked who was Meng Taohua. Seeing that everyone was busy, he walked up to Taohua and shouted with a smile: "Meng Taohua, little Huahua! It's me, I'm here, don't you remember me?"

"I'm just kidding. My name is Xu Yuting, and I'm six months older than you."

Xu Yuting smiled and said, "You have to call me brother. My mother said that when we were young, I gave you half of my food rations."

Meng Tao: "So now, are you here to ask me for it back?"

Since you are just joking, it's not that she can't afford it. She can still afford it. She has a big box of milk powder stored there. If you want it, just give it to her. I guarantee that you, a pretty boy, will drink it until you become a little cream.

Zhou Cuiling beside her burst out laughing.

Meng Tao and Xu Yuting stared at each other with eyes bigger than their eyes.

"Xiao Huahua! Don't listen to this kid's nonsense."

Xu Yulin and Liu Jianye came over. They were about 24 or 25 years old. Meng Tao consciously called each of them "brother". Xu Yulin agreed, but Liu Jianye said, "I just heard you call my eldest brother 'uncle', so I should be 'second uncle', right?"

Xu Yuting laughed when he heard it: "Really? Then I am your uncle too! Xiao Huahua, come on, call me uncle!"

Meng Tao: “…”

It’s over. He forgot about his seniority again and called this six-month-old pretty boy uncle. It’s outrageous!

Xu Yuting was overjoyed and waited for someone to call him uncle. Fortunately, Liu Jianxin came over with Liu Yongsheng.

"Huahua, little Huahua! Come here and let Grandpa Liu take a look!"

As Liu Yongsheng called out, Meng Tao complained in her heart: Calling her Taohua is good enough, but now she has a nickname like Huahua... Who gave her this? I have to argue with him!

Liu Jianxin said: "Dad, Taohua has grown into a big girl, so you should call her by her full name, Meng Taohua."

"Oh, yes. I forgot. I only remember that when your uncle Meng first brought her home, she was like a little civet cat, so tiny. Every day you guys fought over holding your sister and almost dropped her on the ground. Your mother used a kang broom to beat you one by one."

(End of this chapter)