After having their own yard, everyone is more energetic.
It's really amazing. A yard and a home can make a person feel more confident and justified in doing things.
On the afternoon of the fourth day after checking in, Mao Huimei received a call from her second uncle, saying that he was about to board the train and would arrive in Yan City the next morning.
The Mao sisters were very happy.
The next morning was Saturday, and the whole family went to the train station to pick someone up.
The green trains these days are slow and delays are common. They waited for more than an hour before they heard the sound of the train arriving at the station.
Everyone stretched their necks and began to look for Mao Zhishan in the crowd.
It was Mao Huizhu, who was still in Xia Wenyue's arms, who first noticed him. "Dad! Over there, I see Dad."
Xia Mian looked in the direction her finger pointed and saw a moving mountain of luggage.
Mao Zhishan was alone, carrying luggage taller than him, with several large bags hanging from each hand. His body was almost bent at a right angle, and his dark, thin face was flushed red.
Xia Wenyue hurried over to help him unload his luggage, saying distressedly, "Why did you bring so much stuff? You've already checked it in once, so why bother checking it in again? Why go through so much trouble?"
Mao Zhishan said with a smile, "These shipping costs only more than ten yuan each time. The savings are enough to buy a set of books for Huilan."
He is a poor family with a rich future for his wife and daughter, but he saves as much as possible for himself.
Mao Huilan pulled open his shirt and took a look. Sure enough, his almost bony shoulders were rubbed raw. She said angrily, "Dad, you're only thinking about saving money. If you exhaust yourself, won't that cost you more money?"
Mao Zhishan pulled up his shirt and said with a smile, "Don't worry, Dad knows his limits."
Mao Huizhu couldn't wait to throw herself into his arms, but Mao Zhishan pushed her away and said, "Wait for Daddy to come back and wash up, you stink."
Mao Huizhu didn't care. Mao Huimei had already handed him the wet towel she had prepared. "Dad, wipe it first."
Mao Huilan also handed over the kettle, "Have a drink of water, we'll be home soon, it's not far."
Mao Zhishan smiled happily. He looked up and saw Xia Mian and Xiao Feng. He said a little embarrassedly, "Mian Mian, this is Xiao Feng, right? He's so handsome."
Xiao Feng had never met Mao Zhishan, but Xia Mian and Mao Huizhu had introduced him to him beforehand. Now, he looked at him curiously and whispered, "Hello, uncle."
"Okay, okay." Mao Zhishan obviously liked children very much. He rummaged in his pocket for a while, took out a handful of candy, and shared it with Huizhu and Xiaofeng.
They still hired a tricycle to bring the luggage back. The driver probably looked down on them and was very perfunctory. When they arrived at the door, he didn't help and just unloaded the things and left.
The family members were determined not to let Mao Zhishan do it again. Mao Huizhu dragged him to the yard and said, "Dad, hurry up and wash up and have a rest. The car ride must be tiring."
Xia Wenyue also urged him, "We're already at the door, let's just move slowly."
Mao Zhishan had no choice but to pick up a small bag and go in.
Xia Mian carried things with Xia Wenyue and the others.
Mao Zhishan probably packed his luggage according to the specifications for moving. Each of the five or six luggage bags was extremely heavy. No one knew how he carried them on and off the car.
Xia Mian and Mao Huilan originally wanted to lift it together, but it was still very heavy, so they were thinking of asking Mao Huimei to help.
A big hand suddenly reached out and picked up the bag.
Mao Huilan looked up and saw the person coming. She said embarrassedly, "Doctor Ning, it's a little dirty. We can carry it ourselves."
Ning Shaobai remained calm and asked, "Where should I put it?"
Xia Mian said, "Just put it in the west wing."
Ning Shaobai simply picked up one in each hand and walked twice to put the things into the yard.
Xia Mian took him to wash his hands and they happened to meet Mao Zhishan. Ning Shaobai looked at Mao Zhishan's expression and gradually frowned.
Mao Zhishan lowered his head awkwardly and didn't dare to speak. A man in his forties was like an awkward child, as if he had lost an adult.
Xia Mian knew that he was very sensitive to the gazes of outsiders, so she hurriedly introduced him, "Second uncle, this is Doctor Ning."
Ning Shaobai said in a calm tone, "I see you look a little unwell. Go to the hospital for a checkup when you have time."
Xia Wenyue, who followed in, was shocked when she heard this, "Doctor Ning, what happened to him?"
Ning Shaobai said, "Don't worry for now. It might be due to malnutrition and overwork. If you want to be on the safe side, it's best to go to the hospital for a checkup."
Xia Wenyue immediately said, "Let's go. We'll go tomorrow."
Ning Shaobai said to Xia Mian, "I'll make an appointment for you tomorrow when I get to work. Wait for my call and bring your uncle over after I'm done."
Xia Mian asked curiously, "You've already started working? Which hospital?"
"Yenchi University Hospital."
"Wow!" It seems that Ning Shaobai's medical skills are really amazing and he can be successful wherever he goes.
Xia Wenyue thanked Ning Shaobai profusely. Ning Shaobai felt uncomfortable for a while and pulled Xia Mian out to talk.
"How did you and Zhou Qianqian buy the house?" Ning Shaobai asked.
Xia Mian was puzzled. "Didn't Brother Rong tell you? The down payment is 20,000, and the next 50,000 will be paid in two months."
"Wouldn't it take time to sell the stamps? And I don't have the money right now."
At this point, Xia Mian hesitated, "Do we really want to buy all these yards?"
She was no longer furious, and after calming down, she felt that there was nothing wrong in giving people a way out. "After all, he is Chenchen's grandfather.
"Master."
"Chenchen's grandfather?" Ning Shaobai's eyes suddenly turned cold. "Do you think Fan Xiuzhi could have arranged Chenchen's affairs so perfectly without the Huo family's cooperation?"
Xia Mian was shocked, "How can this be related to the Huo family?"
"My sister and Chenchen seemed to have been irritated and left suddenly, but those human traffickers happened to be waiting there." Ning Shaobai said, "Fan Xiuzhi couldn't have contacted them at the last minute."
"Chenchen is safe and sound because he is lucky. If you hadn't reminded him, or if he hadn't met you at that time..." When Ning Shaobai said this, his face turned cold and a murderous aura emanated from him.
Xia Mian recalled Chenchen's experience in the original book. When he was only six years old, he had several fingers cut off and his legs broken.
After being rescued, his fingers were completely damaged, and his broken leg suffered sequelae because he did not receive timely treatment. For more than 20 years, he was in excruciating pain every time it rained.
Ning Shaobai and Ning Shaoyun spent many years trying to make him live like a human being, but those shadows accompanied him for most of his life, and he eventually grew into a gloomy, indifferent, unkind and paranoid man.
When I read the novel, I felt that this character was very touching, and the mutual redemption and healing between him and the heroine was very beautiful.
But looking at the cheerful and happy Chenchen now, Xia Mian could no longer treat him as a paper man. When she thought about the hardships Chenchen might encounter, she wished she could tear those people into pieces.
She, an outsider, is like this, let alone Ning Shaobai, who is related to her by blood.
"Just because Chenchen is fine doesn't mean those who did bad things will be fine." Ning Shaobai's eyes were cold, "I won't let anyone go."
"What does this have to do with Mr. Huo?" Xia Mian frowned, "Wasn't it Mrs. Huo and Zhou Qianqian who did it?"
Ning Shaobai laughed sarcastically, "Chenchen almost blocked the way of everyone in the Huo family."
Xia Mian blinked, totally unable to understand, "Including Mr. Huo?"
"Yes. Including Huo Pengyi."
"Huo Xuewen is not the biological son of the Huo family at all." Ning Shaobai casually revealed a big secret.
"The old lady was able to marry Huo Pengyi because she took advantage of someone in need. She was just lucky and got pregnant right away. Huo Pengyi's father, Old Master Huo, was sent down to work on a farm. Huo Pengyi had a bad background and had no chance to resist Hu Cuihua's family, so they got married."
"Later, the old man was rehabilitated, and Huo Pengyi followed him back. He found that the Huo family was dwindling, and Old Master Huo was also dying. His only hope was the child in the old lady's belly."
Xia Mian quickly figured out the key, "So the old lady's biological daughter is actually Zhou Qianqian?" This all made sense, and why the old lady was so good to Zhou Qianqian.
"I checked. The old lady and Zhou's daughter-in-law accidentally fell while collecting firewood together and gave birth at the same time. When the two families received the news and rushed over, they had already given birth."
Although no one knows how the old lady did it, the result is that she exchanged her own daughter for the son of Zhou's daughter-in-law.
So, thanks to the successor of the Huo family, she followed Huo Pengyi back to Yan City, squeezed out Huo Pengyi's childhood sweetheart, and secured the position of Mrs. Huo.
"No wonder she insisted on bringing Huo Xuewen and Zhou Qianqian together," Xia Mian said, "If they get married, the child they give birth to will be a true child of the Huo family."
"Life is really full of melodrama." Xia Mian suddenly thought of the whispers Ning Shaobai had said to Old Madam Huo that day. "So you're using this to threaten Old Madam Huo?"
"Shouldn't I tell Sister Ning and Huo Xuewen about this?" Xia Mian asked in confusion, "How did you find out?"
"After you reminded me that Mr. Huo had an illegitimate child," Ning Shaobai said, "I checked my sister and Chenchen's lives in the Huo family and found out they weren't doing well. I felt suspicious and sensed something was amiss. When I met with the old lady that time, I only had guesses and no definite evidence."
"Is everything confirmed now?" Xia Mian said.
Ning Shaobai nodded, "It was just confirmed not long ago, and everything has been checked."
"You said Chenchen blocked everyone's way..." Xia Mian was puzzled. "In other words, Mr. Huo actually knew about this?"
Ning Shaobai laughed sarcastically, "The Huo family is dwindling, so they value offspring so much. But have you met Huo Pengyi? Do you think he values Huo Xuewen and Chenchen?"
Xia Mian's eyes widened. "So he really knew? He just made Huo Xuewen work for the Huo family before the illegitimate child grew up?"
Ning Shaobai sneered, "That illegitimate son of his... He probably knows that he is hopeless."
"Is that why you didn't expose him and just kept exploiting Huo Xuewen?"
Xia Mian thought, isn’t Huo Xuewen too miserable?
No wonder she felt that the Huo family was cold and indifferent. It turned out that both Mr. Huo and Mrs. Huo only treated Huo Xuewen as a tool.
Xia Mian frowned. Huo Xuewen was miserable, so wouldn't Ning Shaoyun and Chenchen be even more miserable?
The Huo family took advantage of Huo Xuewen's marriage to Ning Shaoyun and gained benefits, but they never wanted to keep them from the beginning to the end.
In the end, Mr. Huo still wants to support his biological son, and Mrs. Huo wants her biological daughter to return, so whether Chenchen is dead or disabled, they are happy to see it...
Xia Mian recalled the original book, where Huo Yuchen was abandoned by the Huo family in such a miserable situation...
I couldn't help but clench my fists.
"They each have their own selfish motives. Why should they sacrifice my sister and Chenchen?" Ning Shaobai's expression was indifferent, but Xia Mian felt as if a volcano was pressing on his chest.
"Do Sister Ning and Huo Xuewen know about this?" Xia Mian asked, "What are you going to do? Should we tell them directly?"
"I'll tell her in person after a while." Ning Shaobai said, "As for Huo Xuewen, our Ning family has nothing to do with him anymore. It's better for him to find out on his own."
Xia Mian interpreted the big boss's meaning, which was that it was not appropriate for Ning Shaoyun and Huo Xuewen to know now, and they didn't know what big conspiracy he was brewing.
"Anyway, just wait for the yard to be cleaned up." Ning Shaobai said.
"As for Zhou Qianqian," Ning Shaobai asked, "what did you say when you paid the balance?"
Xia Mian thought about Zhou Qianqian's personality, "Oh, she asked me what to do if I couldn't pay it back, and I said at the time that if I couldn't pay it back, I would return the yard to you in its original state."
"Why are you asking this..." Xia Mian reacted for a moment, blinking, "So Zhou Qianqian is starting to have evil intentions? She wants me to return the yard to its original state?"
This is something Zhou Qianqian would do.
Xia Mian frowned, "What can she do? Old Madam Huo has been dealt with, and Old Master Huo..."
"Ah, didn't you say that Mr. Huo knew?" Xia Mian suddenly said, "He knows that Zhou Qianqian is his daughter, right?"
"Then why do you think the old lady was able to transfer this courtyard to Zhou Qianqian so easily?" Ning Shaobai asked, "Although Huo Pengyi doesn't care about the affairs, the old lady made quite a commotion when she was cleaning up the courtyard for Zhou Qianqian."
Therefore, there is nothing wrong with giving a yard to your own daughter.
"Then why didn't he let Zhou Qianqian and Huo Xuewen get married?"
Ning Shaobai sneered, "Because Zhou Qianqian is of no value."
So, in the final analysis, Mr. Huo values the family business more than his daughter. It doesn't matter if he gives some benefits, but when it comes to the family business, he thinks that using Huo Xuewen to marry into the Ning family can gain greater benefits...
Xia Mian could understand very well why Huo Yuchen in the book bankrupted the Huo family. For their own selfish reasons, they ruined the lives of both Huo Yuchen and Ning Shaoyun. If she were in his place, she would do the same.
It's so fucking abominable.
"Since Mr. Huo has no intention of recognizing this daughter, Mrs. Huo is worthless, and Huo Xuewen also hates her." Xia Mian asked, "What kind of waves can Zhou Qianqian make?"
"There is also the Fan family." Ning Shaobai said.
"Fan family?" Xia Mian couldn't figure out which one it was.
Ning Shaobai seemed to have no intention of saying anything. Xia Mian saw his disgusted look and suddenly realized, "Your stepmother's family!"
Ning Shaobai nodded.
Whether it was framing Ning Shaobai or colluding with criminals to kidnap Chenchen, you could tell from his actions that he was not a person with a bottom line.
Xia Mian suddenly remembered, "Oh, I was distracted by the Huo family's affairs. Weren't you the one who took charge of Chenchen's affairs? We called the police at that time. Is she in jail now?"
Ning Shaobai's face turned cold and he was about to say something when his cell phone suddenly rang.
He looked at the caller ID and said to Xia Mian, "I have to go. Anyway, if anyone comes to see you or my sister recently..."
At this point, he looked at Xia Mian and suddenly smiled, "You're stupid, do I need to tell you?"
Xia Mian said speechlessly, "I know my limits, okay? If it affects you and Sister Ning, I will restrain myself a little."
"Don't be shy," Ning Shaobai tapped the brim of her hat. "Whatever you want, I'll take care of it for you."
"Wow!" Xia Mian exclaimed, "That's really the nicest thing you've ever said."
With Ning Shaobai's words, Xia Mian no longer had anything to worry about, and she calmly decorated her new home.
The next day, Xia Wenyue handed over the stall operation to Mao Huimei, and she personally accompanied Mao Zhishan to the hospital.
Yanda Hospital was not far away, and the two of them returned before noon.
"Is my dad okay? Mom." Mao Huilan asked hurriedly.
"It's not a big problem, I'm just very weak." Xia Wenyue said, "The doctor told me to rest well, not do heavy work all the time, eat well and drink well, and I'll be fine in a few months."
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and then Mao Zhishan was forced by the Mao sisters to take a good rest for two days.
Xia Wenyue would cook different kinds of food every day to nourish him.
Speaking of this, Mao Zhishan was used to being laughed at, and he was sensitive and inferior. After coming here, he was afraid of embarrassing Xia Wenyue and her daughter, and was almost unwilling to go out.
He was especially afraid to go to Ning Shaoyun's house. He only visited her once out of courtesy on the first day, but he just kept his head down and ate, not daring to speak at all.
Xia Wenyue also felt sorry for him, so she simply cooked and brought it to him.
But it still seems impolite.
Fortunately, market day is coming soon, and as long as they get all the pots, pans, and stove utensils ready, they can move in completely.
Speaking of going to the market, in Xia Mian's time, most people would go to the temple fair during the Chinese New Year. The stalls in the market mainly sold snacks and fun things.
But now the market is much more interesting, with all kinds of things, food, toys and daily necessities, as well as various lost acrobatics.
Especially for children, every market day is like a festival.
This can be seen from Huizhu and Huilan, who are practically counting the days.
Mao Huimei and Xia Wenyue made a long shopping list, adding to it from time to time, waiting for the day to make their big move.
On market day, everyone got up early again.
Xia Wenyue reminded everyone, "Make sure you hold Xiaofeng tight. The gathering is lively, and there will be many thieves and beggars. Huilan will be responsible for holding Huizhu. Don't let go at any time. Got it?"
Xia Mian took out a rope made of a sheet, tied one end around Xiao Feng's waist, and held the other end in her hand. "Don't worry, Second Aunt, look at me, I'm doubly protected."
Xia Wenyue laughed, "Alright, as long as it's useful."
Mao Huizhu was older and more sensible. She said cautiously, "I don't want to be tied up. I can walk on my own."
Then he ran out quickly and shouted to the door opposite, "Chenchen, are you ready? We are leaving!"
Because Mao Huizhu and Xiaofeng were going to the market, little Chenchen naturally didn't want to be left behind and also wanted to go. Ning Shaoyun hesitated for a long time, but finally agreed.
However, she was deeply traumatized by Chenchen's kidnapping, so she also called Ning Shaobai to join her.
As soon as Mao Huizhu called out, Chenchen ran out excitedly. He also had a red cloth wrapped around his waist, but it was much more beautiful than Xia Mian's. He held the other end in his hand, and the extra rope dragged behind him.
He and Xiao Feng were both wearing eye-catching red sweatshirts. After coming out, he shouted to the next door, "Uncle, uncle, hurry up, let's go!"
After a while, Ning Shaobai also came out leisurely. Chenchen ran over and put the other end of the rope in Ning Shaobai's hand, "Uncle, you have to protect me today."
Ning Shaobai was confused for a moment holding the rope, then looked at Xia Mian and Xiao Feng who were wearing the same style over there, and he was suddenly at a loss whether to laugh or cry. It must be this girl's idea again.
Not many people keep pet dogs these days, so Xiaofeng and Chenchen were lucky not to encounter similar ones along the way. They just thought it was very fun to run out like flying a kite, and then be stopped by a rope and pause for a moment.
The two of them were running one after the other, and Xia Mian really had the illusion of walking a puppy, which made everyone laugh.
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