When leaving, Qiu Hualan suddenly remembered how a few days ago Ye Weijun had taken things from his clothes pocket, and it seemed there was quite a bit of money in there.
Looking at the clothes still on the ground, Qiu Hualan steeled herself, took a deep breath, and took all the money from his pocket.
She counted it; there were over two hundred yuan. Qiu Hualan didnât really take it all, she just took 150 yuan, leaving enough for him to pay for the bus ride back home.
Qiu Hualan thought he might see this difficulty and retreat. Without money, he wouldnât survive over here. By then, he would have to obediently go back.
Things couldnât be carried all at once, so the winter clothes and blankets were just directly left at Du Guangjunâs house for now, waiting for Du Guangjun to help transport them later.
The two of them took advantage of the night, carrying Hua Hua and dragging a bunch of things out to the suburbs...
Du Guangjun had talked about this place before the New Year, but at that time Ye Weijun had already returned to his hometown, so she hadnât really moved back. The yard was somewhat dilapidated, clearly uninhabited for a long time, and full of dust inside.
"The house is a bit rundown, and no one has lived here for several years. I also havenât rented it out. Itâs a house my parents left behind, somewhat isolated, and the people nearby arenât concentrated. Because there are few people, he wonât be able to find you."
"Hmm, hmm," Qiu Hualan nodded with reddened eyes, placing the sleeping Hua Hua on the tricycle, and applying wind oil essence to prevent mosquito bites.
The electricity in the house seemed aged from somewhere, it wasnât working, so the two lit candles and together tidied up the house a bit.
Secretly, he swore that after Qiu Hualan divorced, he would treat her well.
...
"Ah Hua, you dead person, quickly get me some water, do you want to make me thirsty to death?" Ye Weijun mumbled upon waking up the next day, still lying in bed.
He called out but received no answer, and after a few more calls with his eyes closed, still no response. Ye Weijun was annoyed now, his face turned cold, he suddenly sat up.
"Ah Hua, Ah Hua, where did you die off to?" He got out of bed and walked outside, feeling increasingly that something was missing at home.
When he reached the kitchen, he realized something was wrong. The pots, pans, and dishes were all gone, even rice and flour had disappeared.
Back in the room, he opened the wardrobe, and all the clothes and quilts were gone. He suddenly thought of his money. He hurriedly picked up his pants from the ground and rummaged through the pockets.
Who knew more than half of the money was gone.
Ye Weijun immediately understood what was going on, cursed loudly with some unpleasant words, and squatted down with his head in his hands, frustrated.
...
Today was Han Yi and Lin Wanâs moving day. In the morning Han Yi had already driven two trips. The quilts, clothes, rice, and ingredients were almost all transported.
Only a few large items were left. The TV definitely needed to be moved, and Lin Wan also wanted to take the refrigerator and washing machine, but they wouldnât fit in their car.
Brother Congnan said heâd help them transport these big items when the truck was free in the next few days.
Moving house wasnât easy, but Lin Wan would still have to come over daily. Because Yanran here had already turned into a small workshop for making clothes, Momâs place was already piled up with their winter clothes.
Waiting for the weather to turn, theyâd start stocking up.
Of course, this year their familyâs sweater styles had more than ten types, with hoods, turtlenecks, and with an extra layer of cotton fleece inside.
This yearâs quantity was also quite large, mainly because Lijuan had encouraged her classmates to help knit quite a few, and after completion, she collected them with a profit of two yuan per item. Qianqian also recruited many women to help.
They collected over a hundred items of goods. Once August passes, when September cools, they could immediately start stocking up. Only this year, some old clients were smart, having already seen the family styles and started pre-ordering.
Lin Wan estimated that not much would be stocked in their store. This yearâs knitted sweaters would have at least two thousand pieces, and still, they wouldnât be enough to sell.
"Little brother will come out soon, want to play?" Listening to Little Starâs not fully spoken words, Shi Lan, pregnant and beside him, laughed heartily.
"Star is great, then wonât leave, okay? Stay home with godmother?"
"Star, canât do that, godmother has a little brother to take care of; you canât trouble godmother. Letâs wait for little brother to be born and come back to play, okay?"
"Okay"
Lin Wan patiently explained to the child, and Little Star nods wisely, understanding her meaning.
Lin Wanâs moving house made Shi Lan a bit regretful, unable to move herself, with imminent labor unsuitable for moving, and her family business needed attending.
The armyâs side, Ning Jiang, returned weekly, and after reporting this time, heâd definitely return for those two days near childbirth.
Fortunately, Lin Wan wasnât completely gone, sheâd still come during the day.
The first day Lin Wan and Han Yi moved to the army base, the family made braised pork and stewed beans to âwashâ the pots.
Little Star didnât find it greasy, eating piece after piece of fatty meat, making Lin Wan feel worried, fearing sheâd upset her stomach.
"No more eating, no more eating, eat some vegetables instead, eating more veggies will help you grow tall, okay?"
"But Dad said, to eat lots of meat," Little Star, with greasy hands, looked pitifully at Han Yi expectantly for help.
Han Yi sighed with a smile, set down his bowl and chopsticks, and wiped her little hands with a tissue, soothingly saying, "Listen to Momâs words, or else the tummy will hurt. If Little Star doesnât behave, Dad wonât tell you stories tonight."
Upon hearing no bedtime story, Little Star immediately nodded obediently, "Iâll behave, Little Star will behave, Dad will tell stories tonight."
"Alright, Dad will tell stories, how about eating some greens? Eating greens helps you grow tall, and when you grow up, Little Star will tell Dad stories, okay?"
"Okay"
Lin Wan watched the father-daughter exchange, smiled, knowing Han Yiâs patience in coaxing children was unmatched.
They say daughters are their fathersâ past-life lovers, and thatâs true. Han Yi, who wasnât usually at home, had been back for just a few days, and Little Star stuck to him like glue, following him everywhere.
Her effort this past couple of years as a mom didnât compare to Han Yiâs one month.
"Little girls mustnât eat and turn into Fatty Pigs, or else no one will like you when you grow up." Lin Wan didnât forget to tease her daughter teasingly.
"No, no, Little Star doesnât want to be a fatty; neighbor sister is fat; Little Star doesnât like it."
"Neighbor?" Lin Wan and Han Yi raised their eyebrows, thinking it must be Wang Guihua mother and daughter have returned.
"Sister is mean, took Little Starâs candies, scared Little Star."
"So big sister took your candies?" Judging by the childâs description, it was undoubtedly that Miao Miao.
Kids in this courtyard, apart from being tough, were mostly polite.
Only Wang Guihua mother and daughter were exceptions. After eating, Lin Wan tidied the dishes, Han Yi took the child for a walk.
Returning, he told Lin Wan, "Wang Guihua mother and daughter are back. Keep distance from them so Miao Miao wonât bully our child."
"Theyâre really back?" Lin Wan frowned, wondering why Wang Guihua, after two years in the hometown, had returned now.
Lin Wan was speechless, knowing being neighbors meant inevitable arguing.
At night, as spouses lay in bed telling Little Star stories, these childrenâs storybooks were sent by Shen Jie from the newly released .
Little Star loved the stories and pictures inside, unable to sleep without listening to two at night.
However, the child was easy to coax, and while listening, sheâd fall asleep on her own, far more obedient than cousinâs Da Ming.
After moving to the army base, Lin Wan daily drove the car with Little Star back and forth to S City. Occasionally, encountering courtyard people going to the city, Lin Wan would generously give them a ride.
This gesture provoked much jealousy from Sun Yu, who commuted by bus every day. Since Wang Guihua arrived, Sun Yu sought her out again.
She felt only in front of Wang Guihua could she show her superiority. Wang Guihua, over the two years in the hometown, must have endured quite a bit, aging several years, with rough and dark skin, clearly from daily labor, sun, and wind exposure.
Miao Miao, on the other hand, had grown fatter and taller. Her daughter was soon entering first grade; if not for the army primary school opening, prioritizing the childâs future, heâd never let Wang Guihua return.
However, Lin Wan clearly felt Wang Guihuaâs quiet this time, being much more polite than before.
Lin Wan guessed she was being cautious, afraid of provoking Feng Xiaoxian and being sent back to her hometown again.
...