Chapter 33 - 33: Going Home!
In Qiao Xiaomai’s view, Zhuang Luhe’s actions were justifiable.
Years ago, when the Qiao Family divided their house, Qiao Changshun and Zhuang Luhe were given just fifteen acres of farmland, two bags of millet, and a few bowls and chopsticks, leaving them essentially destitute.
At that time, Qiao Changshun and Zhuang Luhe lived in a tiny straw hut with a young child for two months during the summer, only able to build a modest thatched cabin in the fall.
The simple thatched cabin had been their home for more than ten years. It required constant repair and would leak when it rained, with cold winters and hot summers, their living conditions were extremely harsh.
Therefore, Qiao Xiaomai thought that what Zhuang Luhe did was right, persistently building a house despite enduring a beating and immense pressure.
However, she did not believe in the rumors, but Zhuang Luhe did.
Thus, Zhuang Luhe could not bear the pressure and life’s hardship and ran away.
Qiao Changshun did not initially believe it, but now he did. His leg was broken, his wife left, so when Zhu Cuiying proposed to buy his house a couple of days ago, he didn’t react explosively.
If he had taken things that he shouldn’t have, retaliation was inevitable.
Thinking about these upsetting matters, Qiao Xiaomai heaved a sigh and looked at Tong Tiehu and his son, apologizing again, “Grandfather Tong, Brother Tong, please feel free to ask for my help in the future.”
Tong Tiehu’s reputation in the village was even greater than she had anticipated, and now he had declared that no further discussion about rumors concerning her family would be tolerated.
Now she can focus on making money untroubled.
As to why Tong Tiehu didn’t impose this ban before, she didn’t care. She would face whatever comes her way.
“Okay, you should go home. Now that you are the pillar of your family, work hard.” Tong Tiehu looked at her, his eyes filled with compassion.
His son also looked at her and said, “If you need anything, come to grandpa. He is the Village Chief and will stand up for you.”
“Great!” This was what Qiao Xiaomai wanted to hear, she replied crisply.
“Go home,” Tong Tiehu waved his hand, gesturing her to go home.
A smile crept up on Qiao Xiaomai’s face, “Goodbye, Grandfather Tong, Brother Tong!”
After that, she turned and ran in the direction of her home.
When she had come to the Tong Family, Qiao Changshun and Qiao Dami had followed her. Now that the matter was resolved, they were nowhere to be found. Could they still be halfway here?
Her guess wasn’t wrong. The Qiao Family was in the west and the Tong Family in the east. She needed to walk a quarter of an hour to cover this distance herself, let alone the limping Qiao Changshun.
When she turned the corner, she ran right into Qiao Changshun and Qiao Dami.
Limping along, Qiao Changshun was already drenched in sweat. Seeing Qiao Xiaomai, he hurriedly asked in concern, “Are you okay?!”
“I’m fine, don’t worry.”
Qiao Xiaomai went over to support him, “Let’s go home, we can talk on the way.”
Upon hearing this, Qiao Changshun took a deep breath, his heart sinking back into his stomach.
Qiao Dami also took a deep breath, he had been quite worried!
Seeing his worried expression, Qiao Xiaomai couldn’t help but laugh, “Let’s go. We’re going to make something delicious at home!”
The old hen in her basket had been moving all along!
“Great!” A joyful look appeared on Qiao Dami’s face, they had not only the hen but also pork hocks!
Qiao Changshun, unlike Qiao Dami, didn’t forget about everything else after hearing about the tasty food. He couldn’t resist quietly asking, “What about your aunt?”
“She got beaten and is immobile, lying at the village chief’s door, waiting for uncle to pick her up,” Jing Xiaomai said of the incident’s outcome quite nonchalantly.
Qiao Changshun was stunned!!