The two of them dug up two baskets, which they couldn’t finish eating. After cleaning them, they gave some to Sister-in-law Jiang, some to Gu Lin next door, and made the rest into shepherd’s purse and meat buns, knowing that their cousin didn’t have time. Now that Yangyang is studying abroad, it’s just the two of them at home. After Lin Wan finished, she sent them seven or eight buns.

When Little Star and Dingding came back, each ate two. In the evening, they didn’t cook, instead made some egg drop soup with hot water, and ate the buns with garlic sauce, feeling quite satisfied. The one who ate the most was Han Yi, who managed to eat six by himself. Lin Wan looked at his belly and didn’t see it swell up. She couldn’t understand what kind of stomach he had to hold so much.

...

"Lan Hua, Hua Hua’s grandma is not doing well, should we go see her?" Du Guangjun only found out that Hua Hua’s grandma was ill and quite seriously when he was sending Hua Hua back.

Qiu Hualan had rented a small storefront next to the community, not big, selling her vegetable pastries and fried dough sticks in the evenings. When Du Guangjun came back, she was busy frying things. Upon hearing that Hua Hua’s grandma was sick, she was first surprised, then didn’t feel much about it.

"It’s just as well if she passes. If they go early, Hua Hua can be with her every day."

"We should still have a look. Let’s go tomorrow." Social etiquette required them to pay their respects. After all, they were long-term acquaintances. Hua Hua was already in the second year of junior high and would start the third year after the new year.

Qiu Hualan intended to have the child live on campus for high school to develop properly. The Li Family pampered Hua Hua too much, which wasn’t a good thing.

"Aren’t we supposed to visit Ah Qing tomorrow?"

Qiu Hualan then remembered she was supposed to visit her daughter. Thinking of her daughter, Qiu Hualan was filled with worry. After so many years, her daughter hadn’t improved much. The only progress was not being afraid of people approaching her and being able to eat on time.

But she still sometimes zoned out and talked nonsense.

"Let’s visit Ah Qing the day after tomorrow, one day won’t matter."

"Alright, I’ll follow your lead."

These years, following Du Guangjun, Qiu Hualan lived in comfort and happiness. Although she experienced the loss of her parents, it was something everyone goes through. When her parents passed, they didn’t suffer much, which was a comfort.

These were the only two times she returned to her hometown in recent years, both times for family funerals. Each time, she brought Du Guangjun back with her. She wanted to show the people back home that she, Qiu Hualan, was now a city dweller and was living well after enduring hardships.

Now her daughter had opened a factory in the south, and her grandson had grown up.

Qiu Hualan told her family like this; the people back home didn’t know about Ye Qing, so they believed her, envying her greatly. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

However, some people did ask where Ye Qing’s factory was located, what it made, and if it needed workers.

Just like Lin Yinghui, who opened a logistics company, and several young men from the village went to work there. Although heavy lifting was tiring, the pay was good, and the food was decent.

Many people wanted to go, but they were no longer hiring. Also, at Liang Hongmei’s restaurant, several young women from the family worked there, with meals and lodging provided and a salary of 300 a month. It was better than guarding their small plots of land back home.

However, when Qiu Hualan boasted about her daughter, she also considered this aspect, telling people that Ye Qing’s place didn’t provide meals or lodging, required twelve hours of work a day, and the pay wasn’t high, only a bit more than 100 a month.

Upon hearing this, people definitely wouldn’t want to go; work paying just a bit over 100 couldn’t even cover meals and lodging. They felt like they were being tricked. Instantly, they regretted asking about this and knew Ye Qing was just as heartless as the Ye Family.

Qiu Hualan knew what they thought. She didn’t care what others said, as long as they knew she, Qiu Hualan, was now better off than them.

Speaking of which, Qiu Hualan was making a good income with her small business, even though it’s just a few dimes and nickels. Adding it up annually, they could save ten to twenty thousand.

She and Du Guangjun saved all this money, planning for Hua Hua’s college expenses in the future.

....

"Today is the day your mother is supposed to visit you, isn’t it? Why hasn’t she come yet?" In the mental hospital’s garden corridor, Ding Dongqin brought a basin of water, allowing Ye Qing to lie on the rocking chair as she helped her wash her hair. The sun was good today, with no wind, ideal for washing hair. Ding Dongqin deftly washed Ye Qing’s hair, indicating she did it often.

Yes, she had been working at this mental hospital for five years.