No one knew who started spreading the rumor that Zhao Xiuli was interested in Xu Xiaoyun. They said that she had already gone to the Xu family to see Xu Xiaoyun before Gu Chengze came back. 

The Xu family was also very satisfied with Gu Chengze, and now they are just waiting for the Gu family to invite a matchmaker to the Xu family to officially discuss their marriage. 

Everyone who heard this thought it made sense. Otherwise, why hadn’t Gu Chengze gone to see any other potential matches since he’d been back for so long? It turned out that everything had already been decided. 

Xu Xiaoyun had a delicate appearance, was hardworking, and had several brothers in her family. Zhao Xiuli really knew how to pick a good match. 

Xu Xiaoyun went out for a walk and she ran into several people. Everyone looked at her with teasing smiles, “Xiaoyun, are you about to see your match?” 

“Auntie, you’re teasing me again.” 

After Xu Xiaoyun finished speaking, she lowered her head shyly. 

“Don’t be shy. A man and a woman should marry when they come of age. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.” 

“I need to go home and cook, so I’ll head back first. Auntie, take your time talking.” 

Xu Xiaoyun said goodbye to the group of people with a red face and then run away. 

Even when she was running far away, she could still hear them talking about her and Gu Chengze. Xu Xiaoyun lowered her eyes to hide her emotions. All she needed to do now was wait patiently at home. 

She believed that it wouldn’t be long before the Gu family would send a matchmaker over. 

When Gu Chengze went back, he heard his two aunts talking about this matter. 

When they saw Gu Chengze coming back, they quickly stopped pursuing this issue. 

Although the team leader had someone clarify the wheat field incident that day, they had completely given up on the idea of arranging someone from their family.  

The reason they had entertained the thought in the first place was because Gu Chengze had been away from home for years, and they had forgotten about his temperament as a child. They were only focused on the benefits, like his monthly allowance. 

They had even forgotten how indifferent they had been to him when he was young, along with other matters. In the end, they felt guilty, so the idea was dropped without further discussion. 

Gu Chengze didn’t bother to pay attention to their little thoughts, but when he thought about what he just heard, he couldn’t help but frown. He was supposed to see Xu Xiaoyun; How come he didn’t know? 

Could it be that his grandmother had gone to the Xu family to propose this? 

Zhao Xiuli hadn’t expected this to be spread around either. She called Gu Chengze into the house and seriously asked for his opinion, “Although I used other excuses at the time, I did go to see the girl from the Xu family. Now that everyone’s talking about it, how about I have Aunt Xi go to the Xu family tomorrow and set up a time for the match?” 

Gu Chengze shook his head and refused directly “Grandma, I don’t think Xu Xiaoyun and I are a good match.” 

Gu Chengze had no intention of seeing any matches until this matter was cleared up. 

“Not a good match? You don’t like the girl?” 

Rather than being upset, Zhao Xiuli seemed a little excited. 

Since he mentioned it wasn’t a good match, it meant he had given the matter some thought, unlike before when he was indifferent. 

“I’ve only seen her a few times, so how would I know if I like her or not? I just don’t think our temperaments are compatible.” 

Gu Chengze didn’t like Xu Xiaoyun’s behavior of turning back. 

In his opinion, once you chose a path, no matter how difficult or hard, you had to see it through. 

“Then what kind of temperament do you like?” 

Zhao Xiuli looked at Gu Chengze with a smile on her face. 

Her original intention wasn’t to pressure him into marriage; she just wanted him to live more happily and simply, like others his age.  

What he just said showed that he was changing for the better, so Zhao Xiuli was quite pleased. 

After hearing Zhao Xiuli’s words, the image that flashed through Gu Chengze’s mind was the scene of Tang Momo speaking seriously to Director Wu today. 

That serious and confident Tang Momo looked particularly charming.  

Gu Chengze quickly shook off this scene. He raised his eyes to meet Zhao Xiuli’s expectant eyes and said in a confused tone, “I don’t know either.” 

Tang Momo thought that Tang Jianan had already heard the news after returning from work; he couldn’t stop stealing nervous glances at her. 

While Tang Jianan was in a difficult situation, he hesitated over whether to inform Tang Momo that Gu Chengze was about to meet someone and that he was unworthy of her affections. 

Tang Momo looked at Tang Jianan with some confusion. “Why are you staring at me all the time? Do you already know?” 

She thought Tang Jianan had already learned about her job at the food factory. 

Then she couldn’t help but mumble, “That’s not right. Besides Gu Chengze and the captain, I only told the news to mother. The other two aren’t the type to be talkative either, so you shouldn’t know.” 

Tang Jianan couldn’t help but be shocked. What? Did the captain and Gu Chengze himself know that his eldest sister liked him? 

That scoundrel Gu Chengze, he already knew that his sister liked him but still he still went to see someone else. Tang Jianan decided that he would never like him again. 

Although he knew it was not his fault, family loyalty came first, and he would definitely side with his sister. 

Just as Tang Jianan continued to think about the scene where he met Gu Chengze on the road but turned a blind eye to him, Tang Momo across from him reached out and pinched his face. “How did you know that I was going to work in a food factory?” 

She planned to surprise everyone next time she came back with the things from the factory. 

“Sister, you’re going to work at the food factory?” 

After being stunned for a while, Tang Jianan finally came to his senses. 

“Yes, I thought you already knew.”  

After Tang Momo finished speaking, she continued to stare at the chicken in the pot. 

Zhang Xiaoli specially brought something to exchange with the neighbor next door. She had been simmering it for almost two hours, and the aroma was constantly coming out. 

“Really?” 

It turned out that his sister was talking about going to work in the food factory, not Gu Chengze. Thinking of this, Tang Jianan couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. 

“When have I ever lied to you?” 

Tang Momo pretended to be dissatisfied and flicked Tang Jianan’s forehead. 

Tang Jianan knew that he had misunderstood, and instead of thinking about Gu Chengze, he pestered Tang Momo, “Sister, tell me how you got the job at the food factory!” 

“Of course I got in based on my ability. Knowledge is power, so from now on, you just go to school obediently. Got it?” 

Tang Momo thought this was a great opportunity to encourage Tang Jianan to return to school.  

Tang Jianan was originally a junior high school graduate, and he used to study, but after Tang Dajun’s death, he regarded himself as the pillar of the family and rushed to work instead of going to school. 

No matter how Zhang Xiaoli and Tang Momo tried to persuade him, Tang Jianan was determined not to go to school and said that he should shoulder the family burden. 

“What does this have to do with school?” 

Tang Jianan felt that this was another opportunity his sister took to teach him to go to school. 

“I was able to get a job in the food factory this time thanks to the books I read before. Jianan, sister has a job now, and I will also get father’s job back. When the time comes, you can go back to school. How about being a good example for Yangyang and Jianping?” 

Tang Momo touched Tang Jianan’s head and learned from the original owner’s memory that he actually liked studying. 

Nowadays, many people in countryside do not pay attention to education, but Tang Momo knows the college entrance examination will be resumed in two years. 

In the future, educational qualifications would be the key to opportunities, so she didn’t want them to miss out.  

“Can we really get Father’s job back?” 

Tang Jianan looked at Tang Momo hesitantly. He actually liked going to school, but if he went to school, only Tang Momo and Zhang Xiaoli would work, but there were five mouths to feed at home. 

“Of course we can get it back; you just need to believe in your sister.” 

Tang Momo said confidently. 

“Then let’s wait until we can get Father’s job back.” 

If that really happened, there would be two people working, and they wouldn’t have to worry about going hungry in the future. 

Tang Momo rubbed Tang Jianan’s head and said softly, “Alright, then we can go to the city for your education.” 

While the siblings were talking, Zhang Xiaoli came back with the two little ones. 

“Sister, look, we were really good today. We picked so many wheat ears.” 

Tang Yangyang and Tang Jianping proudly showed off their harvest.  

“Yes, Yangyang and Jianping are really good.” 

Tang Momo generously praised them. 

Sure enough, after hearing her words, the expressions on the faces of the twins became even more excited. 

“Have you pack your things?” 

Thinking that Tang Momo was going to the city tomorrow, Zhang Xiaoli planned to tell her what was in the jar tonight so that she would have an idea. 

“Not yet, but don’t worry. I’ll take care of it later” 

Tang Momo had been thinking about mooncakes all afternoon and had forgotten to pack her things. 

“Then I’ll help you later.” 

After Zhang Xiaoli finished speaking, she couldn’t help but sigh. Tomorrow, Momo will leave home and go to the food factory. 

“We’ll help too!” 

The twins also hurriedly spoke out after hearing this. 

“Okay, okay, everyone come help.”  

Honestly, Tang Momo was still a bit reluctant to leave them and go to the city. It seemed that the shoe factory plans had to hurry up. 

The chicken that Zhang Xiaoli exchanged for was an old hen. It had been stewed all afternoon, and the aroma had already spread to the front yard. 

“Grandma, it smells so good! I want to eat it too.”  

Xiao Bao smelled the meat and took Chen Lanying’s hand, hoping that she would go to the backyard and serve it to him directly like before. 

Chen Lanying had smelled this fragrance for a long time. She felt that Zhang Xiaoli and Tang Momo must have done it on purpose. Maybe they broke off the relationship a few days ago so that they could eat alone openly. 

“Grandma, please hurry! We haven’t had meat in a long time.” 

Xiaobao couldn’t help but smacked his lips as he said it; it smelled really good. 

“Eat, eat, eat. All you think about is eat, are you a starving ghost?” 

Chen Lanying looked at Xiaobao angrily. 

Xiaobao was stunned for a moment, and then he cried loudly. Grandma had never been so cruel to him, and it was all because of the people in the backyard. 

Thinking of this, Xiaobao ran directly to the backyard crying, he picked up some stones on the ground, and threw them inside while shouting, “It’s all your fault, it’s all your fault. If it weren’t for you, Grandma wouldn’t be scolding me!” 

Tang Momo’s family of five was having a lively meal when suddenly there was a loud noise on the door, and then followed by the faint sound of a child crying. 

Tang Momo couldn’t help but frown. “I’ll go out and take a look.” 

Zhang Xiaoli was a little worried. “I’ll go with you.” 

When they went out, Xiaobao was about to throw the second piece. When he saw Tang Momo and the others coming out, he couldn’t help but pause. 

“Tang Jianbao, who asked you to throw it?” 

Tang Momo stepped forward and snatched the stone from his hand and grab his ear with one hand. 

Before, she had no objections to the twins playing with him. She thought children had no bad intentions, but she didn’t expect him to be so cruel at such a young age.  

“Tang Momo, you stinky girl, let me go. If you don’t let me go, I’ll call Grandma to deal with you.” 

Xiao Bao tried to break away from Tang Momo and kicked Tang Momo with his feet. 

“Then remember to shout louder so they can hear you.” 

After Tang Momo finished speaking, she looked at Zhang Xiaoli, “Mother, we should report this to the police. If Yangyang and the others were playing in the yard and got hit in the head by that stone…” 

Tang Momo didn’t say the next words. She really didn’t expect Xiao Bao to be so vicious at such a young age. 

Xiao Bao, who was still struggling at first, finally became frightened when he heard the words ‘report to the police.’ “No, you are not allowed to report to the police. I didn’t mean it. It’s just an accident” 

He didn’t think too much at the time, so he just picked up whatever he picked up and smashed it directly. 

“If you can throw a stone like that by accident, imagine what would happen if you did it on purpose.” 

After Tang Momo finished speaking, she couldn’t help but sneer. 

At this moment, people from the front yard finally rushed over and saw Tang Momo grabbing Tang Jianbao’s ears. Tang Sanjun and his wife, Xie Xiuhua, were not happy.” 

“Tang Momo, why are you grabbing Xiaobao’s ears? How can you, a girl, be so vicious?” 

After Xie Xiuhua finished speaking, she was about to step forward to rescue her son. 

Tang Momo glanced at the person who came, but the strength in her hands did not relax. “You came at the right time; we’re going to report this.” 

Tang Sanjun and Xie Xiuhua were shocked when they heard Tang Momo’s words. Why was she reporting to the police? Did Xiao Bao do something? 

When Tang Sanjun and Xie Xiuhua learned the whole story from Xiaobao’s mouth, although they both felt that she was making a big deal out of it, they couldn’t refuse given the situation. 

“Momo, you see we are all a family. Why do you have to make it so ugly? Xiao Bao is just a child; he doesn’t know better. We’ll apologize on his behalf.” 

Tang Sanjun said this while looking at Tang Momo expectantly. As the uncle, he was already backing down; surely a smart person would know what to do. 

Tang Momo chuckled lightly and then said slowly, “Have you forgotten that we have severed our relationship? Besides, this isn’t a small matter; it’s a serious issue that could cost someone their life. I can’t believe Tang Jianbao is capable of such viciousness at his age.” 

“Tang Momo, don’t go too far. How can a child like him have such thoughts?” 

Xie Xiuhua was naturally unhappy when she heard her son being spoken to like this. 

“If he didn’t, then it’s what the adults taught him.”  

Since they had already cut ties, Tang Momo wasn’t willing to let the matter drop easily.  

In the end, they did not report to the police. It was not because Tang Momo and the others changed their minds, but because Jia Daguo said that they had to go to the commune to do report. 

Now there is only one public security officer in each commune. If the team can handle such matters, they will try their best to handle them. 

Jia Daguo asked Tang Sanjun and his wife to compensate Tang Momo and the others for the smashed door. 

Then, he told them to take Tang Jianbao for some ideological education and stated that he would severely criticize them on the loudspeaker in the village the next morning. 

Tang Momo was quite satisfied with this result. She had intended to use it as a warning to others, making sure that people in the front yard and even the entire Qingshui Brigade knew that their family was no longer an easy target. 

Because of Tang Jianbao’s interruption, Tang Momo felt that the chicken in her mouth no longer tasted good. She didn’t know when the job at the shoe factory would be completed. But it was too dangerous for Zhang Xiaoli to live here alone with her three children. 

Tang Jianbao dared to throw stones in their backyard today because the people in the front yard treated them poorly and subconsciously believed that they were unimportant and could be easily bullied. 

“I should have twisted his hands earlier,” Tang Jianan said, his face full of anger. 

“Jianan, using violence to fight violence also depends on the situation. If you really lay hands on him, even if we’re in the right, it will make us seem wrong.” 

After all, compared with Tang Jianbao, Tang Jianan was several years older. 

“Should we just let them get away with it then?” Tang Jianan still felt a bit dissatisfied.  

“Did we not send them for ideological education? Tomorrow, the door will be replaced with a better one. Even if we call the police, this is the best outcome we can achieve,” Momo explained.  

“Mother, why don’t we get a dog, a more aggressive one, so at least no one will dare to come to our yard casually.” 

Tang Momo thought. Having a dog could at least help guard the house and alert them when strangers approached. 

“Yes, I’ll ask around tomorrow to see if anyone has a suitable puppy,” Zhang Xiaoli agreed and thought that it was a good idea. 

After discussing their plans, Momo saw Jia Daguo returning and quickly went up to him. “Captain, is there anything else?”  

“Aren’t you going to the city to report to the food factory tomorrow? The commune’s tractors will be heading into the city, so you should wait at the village entrance early in the morning. I’ve already made arrangements with them.” 

After finishing speaking, Jia Daguo patted Tang Momo on the shoulder and encouraged her, “Do a good job and try your best to help our team gain more opportunities.” 

Thinking that Jia Daguo went out of his way to contact the tractor for her, it would be a lie if Tang Momo was not moved by it. After hearing his words, a surge of warmth filled her heart. 

She nodded, “Don’t worry, captain, even if I go to work in the factory, Qingshui Brigade will still be my home. I will work hard to sell our little fruits.” 

“Just don’t overdo it, especially since you’re just starting,” Jia Daguo replied. For him, it was enough that she had this mindset.  

“I was still thinking about walking there tomorrow morning. It will be much more convenient now that there’s a tractor.” 

Without needing to walk, Zhang Xiaoli’s smile widened even more. 

“Mother, I will follow the team’s tractor into the city tomorrow morning, so you don’t have to see me off.” 

Although there is a tractor, she still needs to get up early. If she misses the tractor, she has to walk all the way to the city and that would be quite tiring. 

“With the tractor, you might as well take your sibling along to see,” Zhang Xiaoli pointed out. The two little ones had never been to town, and since Tang Dajun’s passing, Tang Jianan hadn’t gone either. 

With Zhang Xiaoli’s suggestion, Momo could no longer object. She gently rubbed the heads of the two little ones. “Alright, let’s all go see.” 

When they heard they could enter the city, the twins couldn’t stop smiling. Even the usually mature Tang Jianan had a faint smile on his face, which only made Tang Momo more determined to take them into the city.  

After all the commotion, it was already late. Zhang Xiaoli asked Momo to pack her things while she washed the dishes and Tang Jianan took the twins to wash up and encouraged them to get an early rest. 

Tang Momo didn’t have much to pack. The original owner had only a few clothes, and she fit them all into one small bag.  

She also brought some daily necessities with her, and when she was almost done, Zhang Xiaoli opened the door and came in. 

Tang Yangyang was sleeping soundly on the bed. Zhang Xiaoli waved to Tang Momo, “Momo, come with me. I have something to tell you.” 

Tang Momo followed Zhang Xiaoli back to her room. Seeing her squatting down and reaching under the bed for a while, she suddenly pulled out a large jar. Tang Momo was a bit surprised. “Mother, what is this?”