Chapter 60
In early January 1981, He He returned to the He family home to collect her living expenses for the month.
Something came up this week, so she didn't go back to the He family home on the 5th as usual. Instead, she went back a day early to get the money.
She arrived in the evening, just when everyone was getting off work, and she knew He Zhongguo would definitely be home.
As soon as she entered the government compound, an auntie who was sitting and chatting in the courtyard greeted her.
"Oh, our college students are back again! They look even prettier than before."
“Xiao He is back. I saw your dad and aunt just went upstairs. You can go back and you’ll be able to get in without having to make a wasted trip like last time.”
"That's perfect timing. It's good that my dad is home. I can't make this trip for nothing again, otherwise the travel expenses would be too high." He He smiled at her aunt.
When she came last time, He Zhongguo and Wang Rongfang were not home, and He Shengli was nowhere to be seen. When she entered the house, it was dark and there was no one in sight. She called out several times and, after confirming that no one was home, she left without taking her living expenses.
This infuriated her. They had clearly set a time for her to come and collect her living expenses on the 5th of each month, but the He family refused to let her stay. And to make matters worse, they refused to let her stay.
At least give her the money properly, even if it's just lying on the table. That way she can get it when she comes back, instead of making a wasted trip.
Although He Zhongguo called later to explain that there was a reason for the incident, she still couldn't forgive him. It was really too much; he didn't even have time to give her daughter living expenses.
He He took two steps at a time and soon arrived at the front of the He family's house.
She took out her keys and was about to open the door when she heard rustling sounds coming from inside, like an argument.
He He was a little confused, but she still opened the door.
Once the door was opened, the sounds of arguing inside became clear.
The two arguing were He Zhongguo and Wang Fangrong, who were shouting insults at each other in their room.
This was the first time He He had ever heard the two of them argue so fiercely.
The reason for the fierce argument was that Wang Fangrong felt He Zhongguo was giving her too much living expenses.
They said her 40 yuan a month wasn't enough for living expenses, and she kept going home to ask for more money. How could that money not be enough for her? How could she spend so much?
They then compared her to He Shuying.
He He found the two arguing quite amusing, and walked over to the coffee table with interest to pour herself a glass of water.
She was a little thirsty after walking for a while.
He He continued listening to He Zhongguo and Wang Fangrong's argument.
This was the first time she had heard Wang Fangrong openly criticize her for being wasteful, and at this moment, Wang Fangrong no longer pretended to be a good person.
At home, Wang Rongfang spoke without restraint, showing none of the same care and concern she showed He He in front of outsiders. She relentlessly belittled He He while praising He Shuying.
He He didn't interrupt. It seemed that they were being so unreserved because neither of them was home, and the two sides started hurling insults at each other.
She sat casually on the living room sofa, and she could hear their argument very clearly.
Just as she was thinking about when to interrupt the two's argument, what Wang Fangrong said the next second made He He's jaw drop.
“He He is your daughter, but isn’t Shu Ying your daughter too? How can you treat Shu Ying so differently? We agreed to give her a 10 yuan raise, which would only be 35 yuan, 5 yuan less than He He’s. You’re not even willing to give her that, and now you’re reducing her by 5 yuan.”
"What? My daughter is not as good as your daughter from before? If I hadn't voluntarily stepped aside back then, how could you have been with her and had He He? You have wronged me and my daughter all these years. I can't live like this anymore."
Before He He could even process what was happening, she heard He Zhongguo shout, "Haven't I given you enough all these years? I found you this job, and I'm the one who gave you the good life you're living now. If it weren't for me, you'd still be doing farm work in the countryside. If you're not satisfied with your life now, then get a divorce and go back to the countryside."
He He's brain was working at lightning speed.
Was Wang Fangrong implying that she and He Zhongguo had a relationship long before her mother, and that they got together even earlier? And that she had He Shuying?
Therefore, He Shuying was not adopted from her uncle's house at all, but was the biological daughter of He Zhongguo and Wang Fangrong.
He Zhongguo kept it a secret from his mother that he had been married before and had a child. After his mother got married, he took the child back from her parents' home in the countryside, using the excuse that his uncle's family couldn't afford to raise the child.
Her mother never knew until her death that the child she adopted with He Zhongguo was his biological daughter with another woman.
He He felt disgusted. No wonder He Zhongguo was able to marry Wang Fangrong just a few days after his mother's death, and then bring He Shuying back to the city from the countryside not long after.
So that's what they had in mind from the beginning.
That's really disgusting.
He He couldn't take it anymore. Her eyes were red with anger. She stood up and pushed open the door to He Zhongguo and Wang Fangrong's room. She shouted at the people inside, "You are disgusting! You really disgust me! How could you treat my mother like this? Why don't you have any sense of decency or shame? You just want to keep lying to me like this, don't you?"
When He He came in, He Zhongguo and Wang Fangrong were both startled. Despite their bickering, the two had no intention of telling the children about these old stories, especially He He.
He He knows, which means the Cheng family must know. Once they all know, what awaits them is the Cheng family's wrath.
The Cheng family has extensive connections, and He Zhongguo even works under someone personally trained by Old Master Cheng. How could he dare to offend the Cheng family?
Both He Zhongguo and Wang Fangrong looked terrified. It was all over. Judging from He He's expression, He He must have overheard their entire conversation.
He Zhongguo reached out to grab He He, "Xiao He, listen to your father, this is not what you heard. Wang Fangrong is talking nonsense. You must not believe her."
"What you're saying now is a lie, just like before, you're deceiving me." He He didn't let He Zhongguo touch her, and coldly tried to run away.
Seeing this, He Zhongguo winked at Wang Fangrong, wanting to stop He He together.
But they were old and couldn't stop He He, who was running so fast. In the blink of an eye, He He disappeared.
They chased him down to the second floor of the stairwell, but dared not continue, fearing they would attract the attention of others. Disheartened, they went home to discuss their next move.
He He ran out of the government compound and was seen by the other women. They were puzzled and wanted to ask her what had happened, but she ran too fast and no one could stop her.
Unable to calm her emotions, He Heping wandered the streets until she reached the bus stop, where she stopped.
She didn't know how to talk to her grandparents, how to bring it up. After all, He Zhongguo was still her father. She had always thought He Zhongguo was bad, but he wasn't that bad.
But now she discovers that it's not true at all. He Zhongguo is utterly wicked; he deceived his mother, his grandparents, and the Cheng family.
She still believed that her parents had been in love before, and that her mother had married for love, but that He Zhongguo had changed his mind later.
What she just heard told her that He Zhongguo's initial intentions in approaching her mother were impure; he wanted to use the Cheng family to advance his career and had abandoned his wife and daughters in the countryside.
She didn't know what to do. Her grandparents were old, and they would definitely not be able to accept it if they heard that their daughter had been tricked into marriage like that.
Before the bus back home arrived, the bus back to school arrived at the bus stop first.
The bus seemed to have given her the answer, and He He boarded the bus.
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Author's Note: He Bao isn't trying to hide it, she just needs to discuss with someone how to tell her family [doge head with rose in hand]. It seems like every time it's midnight, Jinjiang (a Chinese online literature platform) freezes for ages and she can't log in [question mark].
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