Chapter 8: Going to the Capital to See the World!

Ye Sanqiu actually didn’t have much to pack. When she came here, the original owner left her only two sets of clothes and a pair of worn-out cloth shoes. One of the clothes even had patches on it.

She had long discarded those two sets of clothes.

In the past three years, in order to avoid suspicion, even though she had money and coupons, she didn’t buy much.

In the end, Ye Sanqiu only took two sets of clothes and all the savings she had accumulated over the past three years.

Over these three years, she had made quite a bit of money by working in the black market through her partner, Gao Qianjin.

To be honest, the money she earned in these three years was enough for her to live comfortably for two lifetimes in the countryside.

After packing, Ye Sanqiu took out paper and a pen, sitting at the table to write a letter.

Before she left, she had to leave some instructions.

She wasn’t at ease leaving the old lady alone in the countryside. The first and second branches of the Ye family were unhappy with the old lady because of her. When she was at home, they didn’t dare say or do anything, but if she wasn’t there, those women with black hearts in the two branches might bully the old lady.

So she had to find a reliable person to report on the old lady’s situation regularly.

After thinking it over, the only person who seemed most suitable was her partner, Gao Qianjin.

Gao Qianjin was from the neighboring village, but both villages belonged to the same work team, the Morning Glory Brigade, and they worked together regularly.

Although Gao Qianjin was chatty, he was capable, had decent relationships with people, and was reliable enough!

If he helped look after the old lady, she would feel more at ease.

After finishing the letter, she waited until everyone was asleep and sneaked out of the house.

She went to the place where she had arranged to meet Gao Qianjin and left the letter in the spot where they had agreed to exchange things.

The next day, before dawn, Ye Sanqiu heard a knock on her door.

Ye Sanqiu had always been very alert. As soon as the old lady knocked, she woke up.

Opening the door, she saw the old lady standing outside with a plate.

On the plate was an enamel bowl with two eggs in it, and next to it, a white flatbread.

The old lady handed the plate to Ye Sanqiu and whispered, “Take it inside and eat. I’ll go help you with the wash water.”

Without giving Ye Sanqiu a chance to speak, the old lady turned around and left, moving quietly.

Ye Sanqiu looked at the plate in her hand, then at the direction the old lady had gone, and finally glanced at the dark courtyard, deliberately looking toward the first and second branches’ directions.

Both branches had been eerily quiet since last night.

Had the old lady decided to keep her trip to the capital a secret from the first and second branches?

In fact, she had felt this way since last night.

What was the old lady up to?

She couldn’t quite figure it out…

The old lady had sent Ye Sanqiu off, and during the entire journey from her home to the village entrance, she kept nagging.

“I heard there are a lot of pickpockets on the train, so you must keep an eye on your things.

Also, remember, don’t eat anything from strangers, and don’t talk to them.

When you get to the capital and see your in-laws, be sure to write to me.

Once you’re in the capital, control your temper, don’t act like you do in the village and throw punches at every little thing, but don’t let anyone push you around either. If someone bullies you, don’t back down—fight back!

Remember…”

The old lady spoke as though she was sending a child off on a long journey, filled with all sorts of concerns.

Ye Sanqiu listened in silence and suddenly didn’t want to leave anymore.

It wasn’t urgent to see the world in the big city, was it?

“Maybe I shouldn’t go to the capital after all, I…” She hadn’t finished speaking when the old lady, who had been soaking in the sorrow of her granddaughter leaving, immediately changed her expression.

She quickly hushed up, pushed Ye Sanqiu forward, and with a tone of clear disdain, said:

“The letter of introduction has already been written, it can’t go to waste. You’d better go see your in-laws quickly, old me still wants to live a few more years.”

Ye Sanqiu: “…” The old lady, so contradictory, was actually a bit adorable.

Worried that Ye Sanqiu might really change her mind, the old lady kept an eye on her for the rest of the way, preventing her from running off, and deliberately kept talking about how great the capital was to tempt Ye Sanqiu.

Ye Sanqiu: “…”

When they reached the village entrance, the old lady’s reluctant emotions resurfaced.

But she didn’t dare say more.

She shoved the prepared bundle into Ye Sanqiu’s arms. “This is some dried food I’ve packed for you. You can eat it on the way. Alright, go now. It’s getting late, and you’ll miss the train if you don’t hurry.”

Ye Sanqiu had to walk to the town, where she would take a bus to the county, and from the county, she could catch a train.

Looking at the old lady who was eager for her to leave, Ye Sanqiu sighed softly, then took out a rolled-up item from her pocket and slipped it into the old lady’s.

“This is the reconciliation letter from Wang Zhiqing. You can take it to the team leader to report.”

The old lady was stunned for a moment. After processing what her granddaughter had said, she quickly reached into her pocket, her voice filled with urgency. “Wang Zhiqing gave you the reconciliation letter? When did she give it to you? Why didn’t you tell me earlier? You…”

The old lady was nearly panicking. If she had known Wang Zhiqing had written a reconciliation letter, she wouldn’t have let her granddaughter go to the capital to meet this so-called fiancé.

Who knew if the fiancé was good or bad?

Such an important matter, and her granddaughter didn’t bring it up sooner!

The old lady reached into her pocket, wanting to grab Ye Sanqiu’s arm.

Don’t go to the capital!

No, you’re not going!

Her hand froze halfway through.

Forget it, it’s done now. Just go.

With her granddaughter’s ability to stir up trouble, after Wang Zhiqing, there would probably be Li Zhiqing, Huang Zhiqing…

She couldn’t guarantee every youth she had helped would willingly write a reconciliation letter.

It was better to let her go to the big city and see the world.

Since the relationship with the daughter-in-law and close friends was good, her in-laws probably wouldn’t be hard to get along with.

The old lady waved her hand. “Alright, go on now.”

Ye Sanqiu bent down to hug the old lady. “Take care of yourself. Once I settle in the capital, I’ll bring you there.”

The old lady patted her granddaughter’s back, holding back the tears that threatened to spill, and forced a light tone. “Alright, I’ll wait for you to take me to the big city.”

Ye Sanqiu left.

The old lady stood at the road entrance, watching.

She didn’t turn her gaze away until Ye Sanqiu’s figure became a small dot and then completely disappeared. Only then did she reluctantly pull her eyes away.

She wiped her tears, cursing herself for being so weak.

How old was she? Why was she still crying?

Her granddaughter was going to the big city to live a good life. What was there to cry about?

The old lady turned and walked back home.

As she turned, she remembered the reconciliation letter her granddaughter had slipped into her pocket. She reached into her pocket to check. Upon touching the rolled-up item, her brow furrowed.

The reconciliation letter shouldn’t be this thick, right?

The old lady seemed to have realized something, and the corners of her eyes reddened again.

She took out the item, and sure enough, in addition to the reconciliation letter, there was something else.

Ten 10-yuan bills tied together—one hundred yuan in total.

It was the amount of money a country person would save over many years, and her granddaughter had left it for her just like that.

A poor old woman like her wouldn’t be able to use so much money.

“This girl, how could she be so extravagant?” she murmured, but then a smile spread across her face.

“This girl is just like her father—such a filial child.”

The old lady had known all along that her granddaughter had been doing some things in secret over the past two years.

As for what exactly she was doing, the old lady had her suspicions.

Usually, she turned a blind eye and pretended to know nothing. Sometimes, she even helped cover for her.

But now, thinking about it, what her granddaughter was doing wasn’t exactly safe. It was probably better for her to go to the capital, so the old lady wouldn’t have to worry anymore.