Feng Fulong crashed into a tricycle loaded with apples. The owner was selling his products when he was suddenly hit by a little boy, and the apples fell all over the floor.

It was a place with a lot of traffic, and the apples all over the ground were some kicked by passers-by, some picked up and ran away, which made the car owner anxious.

"Who are you? Whose child is this? Why don't you take good care of the child? Whose child are you? Call your parents here quickly!" The owner parked the tricycle and went over to grab Feng Fulong by the collar.

Feng Fulong bit the car owner's hand. The car owner let go of his hand in pain and turned to look at Feng Shenghui and Yao Cuihong.

"I am their child, that old woman and that man. If I need compensation, I should ask them to pay it."

Having said that, he ran away again.

"Fulong, where have you been? Fulong, come back!"

Yao Cuihong wanted to chase Feng Fulon, but she was stopped by the car owner when she was halfway through shouting.

"Don't leave yet, your child knocked over my apple! Pay me first, or you can't leave!"

"Oh my, why are you like this?! My child has run away, and you are still like this!"

"You also said that it was your child. You pay first. If you don't pay, I will call the police to arrest you! And you! You pay, quickly!" Seeing that Yao Cuihong was not convinced, the car owner looked at Feng Shenghui.

People around couldn't stand it anymore.

"You didn't educate your children well. How can you not pay for them when they break other people's things?"

"That's right. We all do small business. You are also businessmen. How come you don't understand other people's difficulties?"

"What would you do if someone broke your things and they didn't pay for it? You can't be so unreasonable!"

…

Yao Cuihong wanted to pursue Feng Fulong but failed, and was surrounded and scolded by so many people, she was so angry that her lungs were about to explode.

"What are you guys arguing about? Didn't you see that he has taken all the money? Feng Fulong, hurry up and bring the money back. You have to pay for bumping into someone's apple! Let me go. If you don't let me go, how can I ask the kids for money to compensate you?"

"If I don't let go, how would you know if you want to run away? You just want to cheat. Who would leave money on a child? Pay up quickly! You! Come and accompany me. If you don't give me money, I won't let your mother go, otherwise we'll go to the police!" The car owner looked at Feng Shenghui again.

Feng Shenghui had no choice. People around him were pointing at him. Having been arrested once, he was afraid to see the police again, so he had to take the money out of his pocket.

"How much does it cost?"

"Look at the apples I dropped on the ground. I can't sell them. I'll get at least three dollars for them!"

"Hey, it's just a few apples. It's not like I broke your whole cart of apples. Why does it cost three yuan?!" Yao Cuihong became anxious again when she heard that it cost three yuan.

Feng Shenghui counted out three dollars and handed them to the car owner.

"Three dollars. Here you go."

"Hey, Shenghui! Just give them whatever money they ask you for! How many wild vegetables do we have to sell to earn three dollars? Look..."

"Mom, I can't afford to lose face like this!" Feng Shenghui said, and then he walked towards Feng Fulong.

The car owner glared at Yao Cuihong.

"What? Do you really want me to call the police?"

Yao Cuihong was frightened by these words. Besides, without Feng Shenghui by her side, she had no confidence to be arrogant anymore and had to follow Feng Shenghui.

Feng Fulong took the money and walked into the cake shop. Since there was no chestnut cake, he bought the most expensive chocolate cake. When he came out with the cake, Feng Shenghui and Yao Cuihong happened to come over.

He made a face at the two of them and took a big bite of the chocolate cake. It seemed that he didn't want to share it with Feng Fulong and Yao Cuihong at all.

"Mom, this is the child you worked so hard to raise, the one who will collect our bodies and carry on our family line?" Feng Shenghui looked at Feng Fulon who was eating chocolate cake bite by bite. He was neither angry nor excited. He said to Yao Cuihong with a numb face.

Yao Cuihong was also despairing when she saw Feng Fulong's expression.

"I...hiss——" She took a breath of cool air. The place where Feng Fulong had bitten her was burning with pain. She raised her hand to look. The clear teeth marks were still there, and her whole hand was swollen and red.

"Mom, do you remember that one time when you were washing clothes in the middle of winter and your hands were frozen and cracked? Chang'an came over with clam oil to wipe your hands, and he was reluctant to use it himself." Feng Shenghui continued.

Yao Cuihong stopped talking. How could she not remember what Feng Shenghui said?

"Mom, it was our ancestors who made you think it's good to have a son, but what about you? Don't you have any idea at all? Do you really think boys are so good? We are living such a hard life now just for this boy.

Changan and Changning are both very sensible children. If we hadn’t abandoned Changan and Changning, they would definitely not ignore us when we were old and died. Do you think this child would care about us?” Feng Shenghui sighed as he looked at Feng Fulong who was eating cake.

There are cars coming and going and people flowing on the street.

Many parents walked by with their daughters on their shoulders or in their arms, calling them "darlings".

They laugh happily, they live happily, and they love their daughter very much.

In the past, Yao Cuihong would have felt that a family without a son would be looked down upon.

Now she was surprised that they were happier than her and no one looked down on them.

…

When Shen Huanxi entered the home appliance store, the salesperson had already packed the washing machine for Xiao Shanhe. First, he wrapped it with a layer of foam, put it in a cardboard box, and then placed it on the sandbox.

Even large items like washing machines need to be delivered home.

The four children were having a great time around the washing machine.

"Mom, there are not many families in our Guixiang Village that have washing machines. Only Chenchen's family has one, and now we have one too!" Changan said happily.

Shen Huanxi smiled and nodded, then looked at Xiao Shanhe.

"How do you still have money?" She was really confused, because Xiao Shanhe clearly gave her every penny he earned.

"It's not a lot of money, it's easy to earn." Xiao Shanhe replied.

Several salespeople laughed.

"I heard that there is a popular type of good man now, the one who is controlled by his wife. Could it be that this gay man is really controlled by his wife? He usually doesn't have any private money.

But this lady, your husband also cares about you. When he came to pick out the washing machine just now, he told us that he bought it because he didn’t want his wife to work so hard. "

"Isn't it? They are concerned about you. Just forgive them for hiding some of their private money. It's not a big deal."

Shen Huanxi smiled at the two sales clerks.

"I don't mean to blame the comrades I know, but I just don't want them to work too hard to earn money. It doesn't matter if you buy the washing machine later. I'm afraid it will be too tiring for them to earn money to buy me a washing machine."

"I'm not tired. It's not too late to buy a washing machine because the weather is getting colder. My hands will get cold when I wash clothes later. It's better to buy it earlier." Xiao Shanhe continued.

He looked down at his legs, then looked at Shen Huanxi with some apology.

He couldn't do her laundry, so he had to share the housework with her in this way.

Several saleswomen looked at Shen Huanxi with envy on their faces.

"Look at how well she married. If my wife could be half as good as this gay, I wouldn't be irritated by him every day."

"A good man like this is rare to find. Not everyone can meet him. You are so lucky, lesbian."

Several male sales clerks were not convinced after hearing this.

"Don't be jealous of others. Didn't you hear what the lesbian said just now? She doesn't want her lover to work so hard to make money. This lesbian really cares about her lover. She is gentle and considerate. That's why her lover treats her so well. Love is mutual."

Shen Huanxi and his family smiled at the salesmen. Over at Xiao Sanbeng's side, the washing machine had been tied up and the driver was ready to deliver it to the Xiao family. Shen Huanxi and his family had to leave too.

The four children were very happy that their family had a new big item.

But the way they surrounded Shen Huanxi and Xiao Shanhe, it was obvious that what made them happiest was not having a washing machine at home, but the harmony between their parents.

Family happiness and harmonious parental relations were something the four children had never experienced before.

Marriage is for happiness, but Shen Huanxi and Xiao Shanhe’s first marriage did not go as they wished.

Divorce is to get away from misfortune, and they both got what they wanted.

They remarried for the sake of happiness, and they got what they wanted.

When the family was about to return to Guixiang Village, Zhang Guifen was sitting under a big locust tree, knitting a sweater with a bag of wool and chatting with the wives of the neighbors.

"Our Dashan loves his wife very much. He used to be very good to Lan Linxiang, and now he is even better to Huanxi. He knows that the weather is getting colder and it is inconvenient for Huanxi to wash clothes, so he bought her a washing machine, which cost more than 100 yuan."

"I've never seen her feel sorry for me, an old lady with frozen hands while washing clothes. She only feels sorry for her wife. After a man gets married, he should be more partial to his wife."

…

Sitting with Zhang Guifen were Aunt Jiang, Aunt Zhou and several other young wives in their twenties and thirties.

When everyone heard her say this, instead of saying anything about Xiao Shanhe and Shen Huanxi, they actually praised Xiao Shanhe.

"Dashan did a good job. A man who loves his wife is a good man."

"Isn't it? Haven't you heard that women are the Feng Shui of the home. If they are good to the Feng Shui, the Feng Shui of the home will be good. A man who is good to his wife can make a fortune."

"So Dashan is quite wealthy, isn't he? He can build a house and buy a shop, and even earn enough money to buy a washing machine. This is the reward for being good to his wife."

…

Listening to what these young daughters-in-law said, Zhang Guifen had a smile on her face and was very happy.

She didn't come here to complain. She was clearly here to show off the good relationship between her son and daughter-in-law.

When a young daughter-in-law hears that a man is good to her, she will definitely be jealous and admire him. Only some older bad mothers-in-law will say bad things about young couples after hearing what Yao Cuihong said.

Zhang Guifen deliberately said these things to the young daughter-in-law, but of course she was not complaining.

The young daughters-in-law were still praising Xiao Shanhe, and Zhang Guifen smiled even more happily.

If there were a few elderly ladies frowning behind them.

"He really has forgotten his mother after marrying his wife. If my son is like a mountain, I will be so angry that I will die."

"If my daughter-in-law is like Dashan's wife, I will punish her!"

…

Yao Cuihong ignored these old ladies, but the young wives who were chatting with Yao Cuihong couldn't stand what they said.

"It's really unlucky to be your daughter-in-law. Fortunately, my mother-in-law is not like you."

"Isn't your daughter-in-law very unfilial? She deserves it. Look at how you treat her."

"Wang Sanpo, your youngest son hasn't found a wife yet, has he? It's because you bullied your eldest daughter-in-law that other girls don't dare to marry into your family, and you're still so proud of yourself."

"Dashan is divorced and has two sons, but he was able to marry a beautiful wife like Xiaoshen who is also a government employee. You are so amazing, how come your son is not even as good as Dashan?"

…

After being confronted by the young wives, the old ladies dared not say a word.

There's no way to argue with them; they have valid reasons.

Shen Huanxi drove to Guixiang Village with the driver of the motorcycle, and she also heard the conversation between the wives and the old women.

She couldn't hear what they said before, but from what they said later, she guessed about 70% of it.

To be honest, Zhang Guifen is a really good mother-in-law. Shen Huanxi always feels that Lan Linxiang really missed a good mother-in-law.

However, Lan Linxiang values ​​money more, and there is nothing you can say to her. Everyone has their own aspirations, and Lan Linxiang is just pursuing the life she wants.

When the washing machine is delivered to your home, ask the technician at the appliance store to help you install it in the bathroom so that it is convenient to use.

Fortunately, they built the house themselves and it was not a commercial house. The bathroom was spacious enough and there was no crowding even for a washing machine.

Zhang Guifen is making halved noodles tonight. The halogen is already prepared, and now that Shen Huanxi and the others are back, she is going to cook the noodles.

The four children ran to the bathroom and circled around the washing machine curiously. Shen Huanxi then realized that the yard had been swept inside and out, and even the moss on the bricks in the yard had been scraped off.

"How come it's so clean? It's not New Year or any other festival." Shen Huanxi was curious, "Did you clean it? Or was it mom?"

"I cleaned it." Xiao Shanhe said, "I can't let you down. I have to be nicer to you."

"Ah..." Shen Huanxi looked at his legs, "Are you free?"

"I used to clean the yard, but I stopped after I injured my leg. But today I tried it and found it's not that difficult and quite convenient."

"Actually, you don't have to do this... There's some moss in the yard, but it doesn't matter." Shen Huanxi said, and then he realized that the window glass at home was also wiped clean.

Xiao Shanhe, does this really mean Chinese New Year?

Xiao Shanhe shook his head.

"I will do what I did before, and I will do it more and better."

Shen Huanxi felt a little embarrassed when he saw that he spoke so directly.

She remembered what her neighbors had said.

They said that Xiao Shanhe had been very good to Lan Linxiang in the past. Lan Linxiang never had to do any housework at home, and all the work was done by Xiao Shanhe and Zhang Guifen.

When they said these words, Shen Huanxi heard it, and Xiao Shanhe heard it too. It was after hearing these words that Xiao Shanhe bought her a washing machine.

"What is this?" Shen Huanxi was about to say something when he saw a wooden rack in the yard. It extended from the eaves of the house on the east side and had three wooden poles lined up side by side.

"This is a clothes drying rack, it's electric and inductive, I designed it myself. I've seen you collecting clothes before. When there was a sudden dust storm a few days ago, you were frantically collecting clothes and I couldn't help.

This electric induction clothes drying rack will automatically retract as soon as it senses dust, rain or snow, or you press the red switch over there, so you don't have to work so hard to collect clothes. It can also be used when there is no dust or rain. Come in with me."

After Xiao Shanhe introduced the clothes rack, he went into the study before Shen Huanxi had a chance to take a closer look. Shen Huanxi had no choice but to follow him in.

After entering, Shen Huanxi found that the layout of the study had also changed.

Xiao Shanhe's desk was moved outward, and another desk and a bookshelf were added inside.

"The desk is for you. Your data and mine will inevitably get mixed up if they are placed together. It would be better for you to have a desk all by yourself. And the bookshelf can also be used to store some of your books. When it is full, I will buy you another one."

"Thank you...thank you." Shen Huanxi felt an indescribable warmth in his heart.

She looked at Xiao Shanhe.

"You don't have to take to heart the idle talk of the neighbors..." Shen Huanxi said what was in his heart.

She never thought of competing with Lan Linxiang, and never thought that Xiao Shanhe should be as good to her as he was to Lan Linxiang.

Jealousy is such a petty thing.

What Shen Huanxi couldn't understand the most was that some girls would get angry because their current boyfriend was nice to his ex. If he was nice to his ex, didn't it show that he was a responsible and caring man?

Knowing that Xiao Shanhe had been good to Lan Linxiang in the past, she was very happy and relieved because she was sure that she was marrying a man who would treat his wife well.

It is precisely because of this that she would never compare herself with Lan Linxiang.

And even if she would make a comparison, she wouldn't think Xiao Shanhe treated Lan Linxiang better than she did.

At least when Lan Linxiang asked Xiao Shanhe to go out and earn money before, Xiao Shanhe never gave in. But for her, he would take the initiative to earn money for her to spend.

What's more, she did housework at home not because Xiao Shanhe and Zhang Guifen asked her to do it, but because she did it voluntarily.

"I never took what they said to heart, nor would I care..."

"But I care." Xiao Shanhe said very seriously, "I don't want you to be wronged, even if you are wronged in the mouths of others."

"But I feel bad for you doing this. You are a train power engineer. You shouldn't use your advanced mechanical knowledge to make these small devices for me. I would rather see you maintain your professional level. One day I will see you return to your post and continue to shine."

"So I can't let you down. I will go back, but it won't conflict with what I have done for my family."

"Hmm..." Shen Huanxi felt his cheeks getting hot when he heard Xiao Shanhe say this.

She didn't know when it started, but it seemed that the relationship between this couple who lived together as partners had gradually become corny.

The four children circled the washing machine several times, then ran out and found that there was no one in the yard.

Zhang Guifen was cooking knife-cut noodles in the kitchen. The voices of Shen Huanxi and Xiao Shanhe came from the study. The two younger children, Changning and Zhengzheng, wanted to run to the study to find Shen Huanxi, but were pulled back by Xiao Yutang by the collar behind their necks.

"Mom and Dad are in love, what are you doing?" Xiao Yutang spoke in the tone of an elder brother.

"What is love?" Chang Ning didn't understand.

"You are still young and don't understand. You will understand when you grow up. Anyway, you can't go in now. Let's not go in."

"Okay." The two younger ones listened to Xiao Yutang and did not go into the study.

Chang'an looked at Xiao Yutang with some trepidation.

"Brother, do you think Dad is better to your mom or to our mom?"

"My dad is nice to everyone, but he seems to be more proactive with your mom. With my mom, sometimes he would only do something after my mom told him to. He had no experience at that time. Now my dad is a second-time married veteran with rich experience. Of course, he is more considerate with your mom. No... your mom is my mom, too."

"Yes, it's all our mother's fault." Xiao Yuzheng said aggrievedly.

Changan also realized that he seemed to have said something wrong and hurt his brother's feelings, so he touched Xiao Yuzheng's head.

"I'm really sorry, it was my sister who said the wrong thing. Now she is our mother, and your mother as well. She is our common mother, and we are brothers and sisters."

Shen Huanxi and Xiao Shanhe came out of the study and just heard what Chang'an said. Both of them had relieved smiles on their faces.

"Okay, brothers and sisters, let's go have dinner and see if your grandma has prepared dinner."

…

The next day, Shen Huanxi arrived at the unit. As soon as he entered the office, he found that the atmosphere in the whole department was weird.

Before I could ask what was going on, I saw Yue Danqing walking towards me with a briefcase and a gloomy face.

Director Zhou patted Yue Danqing on the shoulder.

"It's okay, we all respect your choice, but if you want to come back someday, you're always welcome."

Yue Danqing's eyes turned red.

"Thank you, Director Zhou, for your trust and cultivation during this period. I...I may not be able to come back..."

After Yue Danqing finished speaking, Director Zhou sighed and patted Yue Danqing on the shoulder.

"I wish you a bright future. It doesn't matter if you can't come back. We can still be friends if we can't be colleagues. Come back often."

"Okay, Director Zhou also wishes you all the best in your work." Yue Danqing said with red eyes, and looked at Shen Huanxi and other colleagues.

"Thank you all for your care during this time. I wish you all the best in your work. We will still be friends in the future."

"Okay, I wish you all the best in the future, take care." Li Shaohua and other colleagues who arrived earlier said goodbye to Yue Danqing.

Shen Huanxi had just arrived and didn't know what had happened, but he could see that Yue Danqing had resigned, so he said goodbye to him too.

After Yue Danqing left, everyone was still sighing, so she went to ask what was going on.

"Comrade Yue's wife is not happy that he continues to work here. She became unhappy a while ago and said that she would divorce him if he did not resign."

"Wasn't Comrade Yue's mother sick and hospitalized a while ago? His wife has been taking care of her, and it has cost a lot of money. They have two children to raise. His wife thinks the salary here is not enough, and has urged him to start a business a long time ago."

"His wife packed her luggage last night and is going back to her parents' home with her two children. Comrade, there is nothing we can do. We can't just abandon our wife and children."

…

After hearing what everyone said, Shen Huanxi could only sigh.

Just yesterday afternoon, Yue Danqing wrote five or six slogans and showed them to her. He asked her if they were good and discussed with her where to write the slogans.

Finally, he even said that he wanted to write the slogans he wrote on the inside of the kindergarten walls. You said that tree planting should start from childhood.

Every time they went out to write slogans and distribute brochures, Yue Danqing was one of the most active propagandists.

Shen Huanxi remembered that Yue Danqing's most common saying was that one day, they would make the Northwest become like the water towns in the south of the Yangtze River, so that foreigners who came to see it would sigh and say that this was a Chinese miracle.

Such a passionate and good colleague with whom they had fought side by side for a long time eventually could not withstand the pressure of reality and left their team.

Shen Huanxi was not surprised. In this age full of opportunities, not to mention the staff of the Three Norths Project, even some government agencies have suffered a serious brain drain. Countless people have given up their iron rice bowls to go into business. It is normal for someone to resign from the Three Norths Project Command.

Shen Huanxi could even foresee that Yue Danqing would not be the last one, and there would definitely be many more colleagues who would leave their team one after another.

She knew that the Three Norths Project was difficult, otherwise the country would not have continued to pour talent and funds into the project for decades...