Chapter 153: Sent to Mine Coal

Hu Yao had been sick and confined to her home for several days. Today, she went out to chat with Qiu Yingwen and Du Ximei. Listening to the lively sounds of the street, she felt quite happy.

She used to prefer quiet and often stayed alone. She didn’t know when, but she started to enjoy these bustling crowds.

In the past, even if Jiang Han had forbidden her from going out, she wouldn’t have felt anything staying at home. But now, she felt a little bored, especially after the three months before she was pregnant.

Du Ximei, although pregnant, still ran around everywhere. Sometimes, she even forgot she was pregnant, which made Song Sikai extremely anxious. He couldn’t bear to let her out of his sight.

Today, the pastry shop was doing good business. Qiu Yingwen was busy, so Du Ximei was chatting with Hu Yao.

She was a little annoyed by Song Sikai’s excessive nervousness. She told Hu Yao that he was acting crazy. Her baby wasn’t even two months old, and he was already worrying about this and that. He even stayed up late at night counting his assets to see if he had enough to raise the child to eighty years old.

“He’s sick, that’s what he is.” Du Ximei bit into a sour plum, her tone a bit disdainful, but she was smiling as she described it.

Hu Yao laughed. “Jiang Han said he would kick Chaochao out when he turns sixteen.”

In comparison, Song Sikai was a good father. He was thinking about raising his child to eighty years old. Jiang Han, on the other hand, couldn’t wait to kick Chaochao out of the house. He said he couldn’t stand looking at him.

He said that, but Hu Yao knew he wouldn’t really kick Chaochao out. He still loved him very much.

“By the way, where’s Jiaxing?”

The two chatted about their children for a while. Hu Yao was curious and asked. Zhao Jiaxing usually came here often.

“Sikai said Brother Han sent him to mine coal.” Du Ximei said.

“Mine coal?” Hu Yao was slightly stunned.

“Isn’t there a coal mine in the southern suburbs of the neighboring town? Sikai said the coal mine owner who contracted it before went bankrupt. He wanted to sell the mine a few months ago, and Brother Han invested in it.” Du Ximei only knew this much. She didn’t know why Jiang Han sent Zhao Jiaxing to mine coal.

Hu Yao guessed something and fell silent.

“Isn’t Jiaxing supposed to be going to school?”

Zhao Jiaxing was only eighteen years old. Grandpa Liu and Grandma Liu strongly supported him going to school. He was in his senior year this year. Jiang Han asked him to go mine coal…

“Yeah, Brother Han told him to go mine coal for the two days he wasn’t in school. He said he was too idle.”

“…Oh.” As soon as she said those words, Hu Yao was a little sure that Jiang Han had a reason for sending Zhao Jiaxing to mine coal.

It was like she was the one who caused it.

Just as they were talking about Zhao Jiaxing, he rushed into the pastry shop to buy pastries.

He had probably just come back from mining coal. He was covered in dust. If not for his voice, Hu Yao wouldn’t have recognized him.

“Sister Jingwen, give me two pounds of peanut cakes.”

“Oh? Sister Yaoyao, you’re here too. Are you feeling better?” Zhao Jiaxing saw Hu Yao, and while waiting for Qiu Yingwen to pack the cakes, he walked over to Hu Yao and Du Ximei, raising a smile.

Hu Yao looked at his obviously white teeth and was inexplicably amused. She nodded with a smile, “I’m feeling better.”

Zhao Jiaxing, either unaware of his current appearance or not caring, finished his greeting to Hu Yao and then complained to her in a sullen tone, “I wanted to go see you, but Brother Han is too stingy. He wouldn’t let me go.”

“He even made me go to the coal mine! He said I’m a gossipmonger and talk nonsense to you. Where did I talk nonsense? I just care too much about Sister Yaoyao. I treat you like my own sister. He’s so petty and jealous.”

Zhao Jiaxing sighed.

He was telling the truth. When Hu Yao was not well, she had a childish heart. When she saw him, she would call him “brother” in return. Several times, she saw him being scolded by others with hurtful words like “bastard,” and she would fiercely go and beat and scold those people for him, share her pastry with him, and sneak out to play with him.

She also seriously comforted him and told him not to be sad because others were scolding him. She sadly told him that she was also kidnapped by human traffickers and couldn’t go back to her parents. She said that the human traffickers wouldn’t let her play and even beat her.

At that time, it was clear who she was referring to as the human traffickers. She almost made Zhao Jiaxing laugh to death.

Although her head was injured, her mind was simple and kind. Her unintentional words warmed people’s hearts.

She recovered by chance. Zhao Jiaxing was happy for her.

He was studying in the county. When he knew she was better, he came back to visit her. But Jiang Han said that she was timid after recovering and wouldn’t let him see Hu Yao. He still kept her locked up at home all day!

Now, Zhao Jiaxing’s view of Hu Yao was also strange. He treated her like a sister and a sister at the same time.

The Hu Yao before her recovery and the current Hu Yao after her recovery had completely different personalities, but one thing remained the same: it was still very enjoyable to be with her.

Zhao Jiaxing was a little regretful that she didn’t remember him very well.

Jiang Han was indeed petty. He didn’t let him play with Hu Yao much before, and now it was even more exaggerated.

He even went around saying he was a “woman!”

He was such a big guy now, and he was actually “insulting” him like that. How could he not give him some trouble!

“Should I talk to Jiang Han about it?” Hu Yao looked at his dusty appearance and decided to go back and tell Jiang Han not to let him go mine coal. He was in school, and recently, Grandma Liu’s health was not good. He was worried and ran between the county and the town almost every day. Now, he was also going to mine coal, and he had even less time to study.

“No, I’m going to dig! I’m going to dig voluntarily!” Zhao Jiaxing quickly shook his head. He was just habitually complaining to Hu Yao about Jiang Han. He didn’t want to stop mining coal.

“I’ll talk to you later, Sister Yaoyao. You and Ximei Jie can play first. I’ll chat with you next time.”

Qiu Yingwen had packed the peanut cakes. He took them, paid, and quickly ran out.

He looked like he had something urgent to do.

“He’s happy to go to the coal mine. Jiang Han even helped him.” Qiu Yingwen laughed.

Zhao Jiaxing had been buying two pounds of peanut cakes from her every day. Grandma Liu liked peanut cakes, but she wouldn’t eat that much every day.

It was the daughter of the coal mine owner who liked them.

He was running around trying to win over the girl, and Jiang Han even threw him in front of his “father-in-law.” He wasn’t going to work hard.

“That girl is his classmate,” Qiu Yingwen brought over a pot of boiled water and said.

Business has been surprisingly good lately, and she’s been a little overwhelmed.

“I’m going out to buy some flour, Ximei, you can watch the shop for me.” Qiu Yingwen poured water into their cups, glanced at the time and said.

“I’ll go buy it for you, Sister Wenwen, my sister also needs to buy something, we’ll go together.” Du Ximei stood up and took over the task for her.

Qiu Yingwen looked at them, a little hesitant. She wasn’t just buying flour, how could she let the two pregnant women carry it?

“I’ll go, what does Xiaoyao need to buy, I’ll buy it for you.” She still wasn’t very relieved, letting the two of them stay in the shop, she took the money and went out.