Tang Momo was packing their things in the room when the twins decided to run outside to Gu Chengze. 

Gu Chengze patted the bench next to him and greeted the two little one with a rare gentle tone. “Come and sit beside me.” 

Initially, the twins were a bit shy, but seeing Gu Chengze’s patience and gentle demeanor, they quickly relaxed. 

Tang Jianping even made a request. “Brother Chengze, can I touch your clothes?” 

It was the first time Gu Chengze realized that children could be so adorable. He smiled slightly and replied softly, “Of course.”  

Tang Jianping quickly touched his clothes, then clenched his fists with a serious look on his face. “Brother Chengze, I want to be like you in the future.” 

Gu Chengze rubbed his head, and his tone became serious. “Mm, I believe you can.” 

This is what Zhang Xiaoli and Tang Jianan saw when they came back. Before they could ask Gu Chengze why he was here, the two little ones had already gathered around them. “Mother, Sister said we are going to the city today. Later, I’ll ride Brother Chengze’s bicycle to the city with Yangyang.” 

This will be the first time the two little ones ride a bicycle, so they are very excited. 

Zhang Xiaoli was full of questions. After hearing what the two little ones said, she couldn’t help but glance at Gu Chengze, unsure of what was happening.  

“Aunt, Comrade Tang is inside packing up. I happen to be going to the city and will give them a ride. You don’t need to worry,” Gu Chengze explained, noticing Zhang Xiaoli’s confusion. 

Zhang Xiaoli wasn’t worried; she just didn’t understand what was happening. She felt a bit embarrassed that Gu Chengze would give such a straightforward explanation.  

For a moment, the atmosphere in the yard was a little awkward. Just when Zhang Xiaoli was about to say something to break the tension, Chen Lanying’s sharp voice came from outside. “Tang Momo, come out! At such a young age, how can you have such a vicious mind? Xiaobao is so small, and you actually hit him!” 

“It was actually  Xiaobao who bullied us first,” Tang Yangyang whispered to Zhang Xiaoli. 

Chen Lanying dragged Tang Jianbao and was surprised to find Gu Chengze. She instinctively frowned, wondering why he was still around. Wasn’t it said that Tang Momo had rejected him earlier that morning? What was he still doing here? Did he not give up?  

With Chen Lanying backing him up, Tang Jianbao looked smug. However, when he saw Gu Chengze still there, he subconsciously hides behind Chen Lanying. 

Tang Momo heard Chen Lanying’s shout from inside. No need to think about it; she must have wanted to take the opportunity to cause trouble. Thinking that Gu Chengze was still outside, Tang Momo didn’t want him to see this ugly situation, so she walked outside. 

“Zhang Xiaoli, do you have any conscience? Now that Xiaoxue is doing well in her job, you’re going to snatch it from her? How is she supposed to live in her in-laws house in the future?” 

Chen Lanying was fuming with anger. Why couldn’t she think about Xiaoxue? 

“What you’re saying is ridiculous. This job originally belonged to my husband. When Tang Xiaoxue took over without permission, did she think about me? I’m a widow with four kids, and life is tough. If she had any conscience, she wouldn’t have ignored us for the past two years. If she had helped us even once, we wouldn’t be looking for the union now.”  

Tang Xiaoxue had never considered her feelings, so why should she consider hers? 

“Didn’t Xiaoxue give you money back then? What more do you want?” 

Chen Lanying gritted her teeth in anger; this mother and daughter were clearly here to get back at her. 

“Are you talking about the ten yuan? It costs at least four to five hundred to buy a job. Do you think ten yuan is enough to brush off someone? Besides, we didn’t even accept that ten yuan.” 

Tang Momo stepped forward to stand beside Zhang Xiaoli, urging her to go inside and finish packing. “I can handle this.” 

“I’m not concerned about the job. Dajun is the oldest and has to provide for us. If he’s gone, Zhang Xiaoli, you need to stay and take care of us.” 

Seeing that Zhang Xiaoli was about to pack her things, Chen Lanying couldn’t help but raise her voice. 

Tang Momo gave her a funny look and kindly reminded her. “Have you forgotten that we have severed our relationship? Besides, a daughter-in-law has no obligation to support you. If your other two sons are unwilling to take care of you, you can go find my father, as long as you can find him.” 

After Tang Momo finished speaking, she realized something was wrong. It was as if she was cursing them. 

Sure enough, Chen Lanying on the other end couldn’t breathe smoothly. “Tang Momo, are you cursing me?” 

“If I said no, would you believe me?” 

Tang Momo looked innocent. Heaven knows she really didn’t mean it that way. 

“I’ll beat you to death, you ungrateful girl! If I had known you’d turn out like this, I shouldn’t have kept you when you were born.” 

Chen Lanying’s eyes were red with anger, and she raised her hand to slap Tang Momo. 

Gu Chengze grabbed Chen Lanying’s arm and said in a cold tone. “Grandma Tang, it’s wrong to hit someone.” 

“Are you helping this girl?” 

Chen Lanying looked displeased at Gu Chengze, wondering what right he had to meddle in the Tang family’s affairs. 

“I’m just being realistic.” 

Gu Chengze’s said it with his usual cold expression. 

Tang Momo didn’t want to give Chen Lanying a chance to trouble Gu Chengze, so she approached him and said softly, “Comrade Gu, could you help me borrow a cart?” 

Gu Chengze glanced at her and roughly understood what she meant. He hesitated and nodded. After all, this was a private matter for her family, and it wasn’t convenient for him to get involved. 

After Gu Chengze left, Tang Momo chuckled at Chen Lanying. “Grandma, I know why you’re here making a scene. Aren’t you just trying to stop my mother from working at the shoe factory?” 

“It’s good that you know. Your father is my eldest son, so he should provide for us in old age. If he is gone, your mother will have to stay and take that responsibility.” 

Chen Lanying had already asked Tang Zhaosheng to find the other elders in the Tang family. If they didn’t agree, that would be unfilial. 

Tang Momo knew she had guessed correctly, and her smile grew sweeter. “But my aunt has already been fired today. Even if my mother doesn’t go, she still can’t go to work.” 

“What right do they have to fire Xiaoxue?” 

Chen Lanying felt a pain in her chest from anger and shot Tang Momo a fierce glare.  

“Of course, it’s because they have already investigated clearly. If you really want my mother to take care of you in your old age, that’s fine. Then hurry up and divide your family so my second and third uncle can move out and give the main house to the eldest son, which is where my father should be living.” 

After Tang Momo finished speaking, she couldn’t help but sneered at her. Even at this point, they still insisted on making trouble. 

“That girl is right. Since you want the eldest son’s wife to take care of you in your old age, then what belongs to the eldest son should be given to her.”  

At this time, the old man standing next to Tang Zhaosheng slowly spoke. 

Tang Momo knew that the person speaking was the most senior elder in the Tang family, and he was usually asked to seek justice for matters that could not be resolved at home. 

Chen Lanying didn’t expect that this old man would actually speak for Tang Momo. She glanced at Tang Zhaosheng and signaled him to say a few words quickly. They couldn’t let them leave like this today. 

“Stop it already. I know what you’re all planning. Since you have already signed a note of severance with the captain before, don’t cause any trouble now. If this gets out, it will only make fools of us. Do you want us to lose the Tang family’s reputation? 

“Sure enough, my uncle is sensible. We have nothing to do with the Tang family for a long time now. This is all clearly written in black and white.” 

After Tang Momo finished speaking, she was too lazy to look at Tang Zhaosheng and Chen Lanying anymore. 

Tang Daguai glanced at Tang Momo and shook his head. Tang Zhaosheng and Chen Lanying were fools. They had driven away the most promising junior in their family.  

At this time, Gu Chengze had already pushed the borrowed cart in. He nodded to Tang Dagui, then walked to Tang Momo and said warmly, “Have you packed your things?” 

Seeing that Tang Zhaosheng and Chen Lanying seemed unwilling to leave, Tang Daguai shot them a fierce glare. “Aren’t you leaving yet? Do you want to continue embarrassing yourselves here?”  

Although the two of them were reluctant to leave, seeing the rather attentive Gu Chengze on the other end, they realized they wouldn’t have the upper hand if things escalated, so they could only leave in resentment. 

After walking a few steps, Chen Lanying thought of Tang Xiaoxue in the city. She quickly sped up and muttered, “No, I need to visit the Qiu family. Now that Xiaoxue has lost her job, those people in the Qiu family won’t know how to deal with her.” 

After Chen Lanying left, Tang Dagui glanced at Tang Zhaosheng with a look of disappointment on his face. “How come you can’t even suppress your wife and let her ruin the family’s reputation like this? When Dajun was still around, didn’t he treat you well? You’re just too ungrateful and don’t cherish a good child.” 

“What’s wrong with him? Ever since he got married, he has been at odds with us.” 

The reason Tang Zhaosheng and Chen Lanying didn’t like Zhang Xiaoli was that they felt that she had instigated the relationship between Da Jun and them. 

“Once married, having your own family and your own thoughts is normal. You all should just keep on as you are. Do you think your second and third children will be any better? When you get old, you two will be the ones suffering.”  

After Tang Dagui finished speaking, he didn’t bother to look at them anymore. Their hard days were still to come. 

After Tang Zhaosheng and Chen Lanying left, the yard became quiet instantly. Tang Momo glanced at Gu Chengze and the cart beside him. She cleared her throat. “Thank you, Comrade Gu. Please sit for a moment; I’ll check if everything is ready.” 

Seeing Tang Momo come in, Zhang Xiaoli finally had the chance to ask her question. “What’s going on?” 

“What do you mean?” 

Tang Momo didn’t understand what she was asking about. 

Zhang Xiaoli pointed outside and lowered her voice. “Why is Xiao Gu here?” 

“I ran into him at the village entrance. He heard we were going to the city and said he was going anyway, so he would take Yangyang and Jianping along. I didn’t want to trouble him, but he asked me if I was still upset about this morning’s matter. Since he said that, if I refused again, wouldn’t it make me look unreasonable?” 

Speaking of this, Tang Momo’s tone was full of helplessness; this person must have done it on purpose. 

“Since that’s the case, we can only trouble Xiao Gu again. I should find a chance to thank him properly later.” 

After Zhang Xiaoli finished speaking, she remembered that they don’t a place to stay yet. 

“How about our house? Where are we going to stay when we get there? Did the shoe factory arrange accommodations for us?” 

Speaking of this, Zhang Xiaoli couldn’t help but pause. If nothing had happened to Dajun back then, they would probably have been allocated a welfare housing by now. 

“No, I found a place. It’s not far from the shoe factory, but it’s a bit poorly lit. Time is tight, so I didn’t have time to look for something else. We’ll make do for now and switch to something better later,” Tang Momo quietly explained. 

“Having a place to live is good enough,” Zhang Xiaoli knew it wasn’t easy to find a house in the city. As long as there was somewhere to live, there was no need to be particular. 

Zhang Xiaoli and Tang Momo quickly packed up their daily necessities and settled them on the cart, and by the time everything was packed, an hour had already passed. 

“You go first, I’ll push the cart.” 

Zhang Xiaoli urged them to leave first. 

“Gu Chengze will take Yangyang and Jianping, and I will take Jianan. After sending them, I’ll come back to help move things,” Tang Momo suggested. 

By then, the backseat would be free to carry some things. 

“No need. You just take them. These things aren’t that heavy,” Zhang Xiaoli said. She worked every day and still had enough strength to push the cart.  

The two kids, one sitting on the crossbar and the other on the back seat, Tang Momo gently rubbed Tang Jianping’s head and said softly, “Hold onto his waist, don’t be afraid. We’ll be there soon.” 

“Can you carry him?” Gu Chengze glanced worriedly at Tang Jianan sitting behind Tang Momo. 

“I can. Don’t worry.” Tang Momo reassured him. She had given her college roommates rides all over campus before, so carrying Tang Jianan wasn’t a problem.  

“Alright, let me know if you can’t manage,” Gu Chengze said before riding ahead. 

Tang Momo followed behind and said some instruction to Tang Jianan, “When we arrive, stay in the house with the twins. I’ll come back with Mother to get the rest of our things, okay?” 

Tang Jianan originally wanted to say he could help, but remembering that he didn’t know how to ride a bike, he just quietly responded, “Okay, I understand.” 

After sending them to the yard, Tang Momo made a brief explanation. When she came out, she found that Gu Chengze was no longer there. She guessed that he was probably busy to take care of his own affairs. It seemed like she would have to thank him some other time. 

Tang Momo returned the same way, and when she finally saw Zhang Xiaoli, she found that Gu Chengze was putting things on his bicycle. 

Tang Momo was surprised, “You’re done with your work?” 

“Yeah, I just went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy something. It was quick,” Gu Chengze replied, tying a large bag onto the back seat, and even stuffing a snakeskin bag under the front crossbar. 

Seeing him like this, Tang Momo felt really embarrassed: “Will this take up too much of your time?” 

“It’s fine. I don’t have anything going on today anyway.” After Gu Chengze finished speaking, he glanced at her. He hadn’t heard her thoughts for a long time. 

“Then I’ll trouble you.” At this point, Tang Momo no longer pretended that she didn’t need his help. It was better to accept it openly and thank him generously. 

After Gu Chengze left, Zhang Xiaoli glanced at his retreating figure, then at Tang Momo next to her, and couldn’t help but sigh. If she had gotten her job at the shoe factory earlier, maybe she wouldn’t have to reject Xiao Gu’s proposal. 

With Gu Chengze and Tang Momo going back and forth to move things, Zhang Xiaoli’s cart was soon empty. She decided to return it right away so they wouldn’t have to make another trip. 

By the time they picked up Zhang Xiaoli and returned to the courtyard, the sky had already darkened. 

Tang Momo first organized the kitchen. She had already asked Guan Shijie to help buy some ingredients, and along with the things they had brought, they could finally start cooking.  

Logically, she should ask him to stay for dinner.  

Gu Chengze, who was originally planning to leave, paused and decided to wait for her invitation. 

***

🌸 Thank you so much for reading! 🌸 If you’d like to download the PDF or EPUB version, you can grab it for free on my Ko-Fi page! ☕📖✨

https://ko-fi.com/s/3b1f469e02