Chapter 175 : The Mistress Comes to the Door  

Thus, a color TV became the highlight of Fang Xiaoluo’s living room.  

In the military compound, only a few families had black-and-white televisions, and those were rare enough. Suddenly, Fang Xiaoluo and Shen Zheng’s home had the only color TV in the entire compound.  

Chen Shisong and his colleagues even came by to help install a TV antenna on the roof.  

Shen Haifeng and his friends, seeing a color TV for the first time, were amazed.  

Zheng Lanhua marveled, “Now this is something else. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.”  

Fang Xiaoluo, staring at the small but vivid screen, laughed and said, “Mom, just you wait. If you live another fifty years, I promise you’ll see even more amazing things.”  

Zheng Lanhua chuckled and replied, “Alright, this time I’ll listen to you. I’ll aim to live another fifty years and see it all!”  

—

Meanwhile, more gifts kept pouring into the Fang household, including from unexpected sources.  

Tang Jingxian, for instance, arrived driving a car filled with boxes of goods, creating quite the scene in Honghe Village.  

At the same time, the Fang family began renovating their house. This included an upgrade that caused quite a stir: the workers built a small boiler and installed a heating system.  

The villagers buzzed with curiosity and envy. “They say it’s a water heating system. Once the boiler is lit, the water heats up, and the whole house stays warm!”  

Naturally, news of the Fang family’s flourishing reached Xu Yaqiu’s ears. But rather than simple envy, what she felt was a mix of jealousy and bitterness.  

When Xu Yaqiu lived with the Fang family, they had been struggling financially. In her previous life, their situation had only worsened. Fang Shijun’s illness drained the family’s savings, delaying Fang Jie’s college entrance exams. After Fang Shijun passed away, Fang Jie quit studying altogether and took up manual labor to make ends meet.  

But after her rebirth, Xu Yaqiu thought she could escape to a better life by reconnecting with her biological parents. She was wrong. Xu Zhigang and Zhao Lihong were sent to prison, and just days ago, they received their sentence eight months in prison, to be served until April next year.  

Even when they were released, there wouldn’t be much left to rely on. Xu Chengwen’s incompetence had already driven the family factory into bankruptcy, and Zhao Lihong had suffered a cerebral infarction that left her paralyzed on one side.  

Meanwhile, the Fang family had thrived.  

Fang Shijun was healthier than ever, and the family seemed to be doing well in every aspect.  

Could she go back to them?  

On August 15th, the Mid-Autumn Festival, Fang Xiaoluo took her family to the compound for a celebration.  

From the many mooncakes and fruits they had received as gifts, they kept only a small portion for themselves. The rest, Shen Zheng delivered to his regiment to be shared with the soldiers.  

By now, everyone in the army knew of Fang Xiaoluo. Her generosity ensured that the Third Regiment, where her husband served, benefited immensely. This only increased Shen Zheng’s prestige within the military.  

That same Mid-Autumn Sunday, Xu Yaqiu packed a pound of mooncakes and a few apples, boarding a bus bound for Honghe Village.  

She knew her biological parents were no longer reliable and believed she could appeal to Zhang Xinyan and Fang Shijun’s soft hearts. After all, she had lived with the Fang family for over eighteen years.  

But when she reached the Fang household, she found the gates closed and locked. Peering inside, she realized no one was home.  

Her arrival in Honghe Village didn’t go unnoticed, however. As soon as Wang Hongfang heard Xu Yaqiu was there, she rushed over.  

“Yaqiu!” Wang Hongfang called out as she approached.    

Xu Yaqiu turned around and asked, “Hongfang, where are my parents?”  

Wang Hongfang replied sarcastically, “Fang Xiaoluo took them to the military compound. She said it’s nice there and that the whole family would celebrate the festival together.”  

She glanced at the things Xu Yaqiu was holding and smirked. “Yaqiu, are you bringing this for the Fang family? Do you think they still care about such little things? Even if you give them gifts, I doubt it’ll mean anything to them now.”  

Xu Yaqiu frowned. “I’m not trying to curry favor with them. After all, they raised me. It’s the holidays, I should come and visit.”  

“You’re so kindhearted,” Wang Hongfang said mockingly. “Meanwhile, Fang Xiaoluo didn’t even hesitate to send her adoptive parents to prison.”  

While they were talking, a car pulled up behind them.  

Wang Hongfang had seen this car before, it had been to the Fang family home previously.  

The driver was none other than Ma Yongfeng, the owner of the Peace Hotel. Since it was the Mid-Autumn Festival, he decided to personally deliver gifts.  

Stepping out of the car, Ma Yongfeng noticed the locked house. He casually asked the two women at the gate, “Excuse me, is the Fang family not home today?”  

Wang Hongfang quickly smoothed her hair, trying to appear more presentable. Judging by his car and demeanor, this man was clearly wealthy.  

“Yes, they’re out. But you can tell us if there’s something you need. Oh, by the way, this young lady is also part of the Fang family. We’d be happy to pass on your message.”  

Ma Yongfeng glanced at Wang Hongfang, then at Xu Yaqiu, who was noticeably pregnant. “Are you also a daughter of the Fang family?”  

Sensing an opportunity, Xu Yaqiu smiled and said, “Yes, is there something I can help you with?”  

“I’m a friend of Fang Xiaoluo. I came to visit her family for the festival,” Ma Yongfeng explained.  

Xu Yaqiu was inwardly furious. ‘Fang Xiaoluo again! Where does she get all these wealthy friends?’  

Ma Yongfeng continued, “Since you’re also part of the Fang family, may I ask your name?”  

“My name is Xu Yaqiu,” she replied. “And you are?”  

Ma Yongfeng was taken aback. “Your last name isn’t Fang?”  

Xu Yaqiu clarified, “I’m the adopted daughter of the Fang family. I lived with them for nearly nineteen years. Although I’ve found my biological parents, the Fang family still treats me the same as before.”  

Nodding, Ma Yongfeng introduced himself, “I’m Ma Yongfeng, the owner of the Peace Hotel. May I ask where you work, Comrade Xu?”  

Realizing she was speaking to the hotel’s wealthy owner, Xu Yaqiu saw a chance to impress. “My father-in-law is the director of Jiangcheng Garment Factory, and I work there as well.”  

Wang Hongfang couldn’t hide her envy. She realized the people connected to the Fang family weren’t ordinary.  

But she also remembered what happened last time and didn’t dare to overstep. After all, if Fang Xiaoluo could send her adoptive parents to prison, she wouldn’t hesitate to deal harshly with others.  

Ma Yongfeng offered, “Comrade Xu, since your parents aren’t home, are you planning to return to the city? If so, I’d be happy to give you a ride.”  

Delighted at the opportunity to get closer to him, Xu Yaqiu agreed. “Thank you, Boss Ma. I’d appreciate it.”  

Meanwhile, at the military compound, Fang Xiaoluo had prepared an elaborate feast with chicken, fish, meat, and ribs. The whole family gathered, creating a lively atmosphere.  

Children ran around playing while the adults, both men and women, busied themselves in the kitchen. Amidst laughter and chatter, the hard work didn’t feel tiring.  

In stark contrast, the Zhou household was also preparing for the festival but in a quieter manner.  

That afternoon, Qian Haixia cooked six dishes and prepared two kilograms of mooncakes. She had made an agreement with Zhou Yanwen earlier no running around, everyone was to stay home for the holiday.  

True to his word, Zhou Yanwen returned home on time. Surprisingly, Xu Yaqiu, who had gone out earlier, didn’t cause any trouble upon her return, which pleased Qian Haixia.  

But just as they were about to sit down for dinner, an uninvited guest arrived, Wu Xiaoling.  

The moment Zhou Yanwen saw Wu Xiaoling, he nearly jumped out of his skin.  

The rest of the family stared at the unfamiliar woman as she walked in. Qian Haixia asked cautiously, “Miss, who are you looking for?”  

With a smile, Wu Xiaoling replied, “I’m here for Yanwen. He promised to spend the holiday with me and the baby I’m carrying.”