Chapter 81: First Watch

Chapter 81: First Watch

Back then, weekends only had one day off, referred to as "battle Sunday," as all the chores like washing, shopping, and visiting relatives had to be crammed into that single day.

Shen Moer and Fu Mingze also had a "battle" weekend.

This battle was different, as they genuinely helped those around them in their struggles.

Zhou Chuntao didn’t dare to defy the brigade and eventually returned the money to Zheng Jiamin. Later, Zhou Qingguo and his brother’s wives found out about this matter.

Although they felt a bit uncomfortable about their husbands helping their sister-in-law who had been kicked out by her in-laws, they had come to terms with it.

Now, knowing that the mother and daughter had such cunning tactics, they couldn’t help but wonder: with such skills, how could they have been driven out with nothing? Even if they were kicked out, they should have at least taken something from their in-laws.

Initially, they were told that the sister-in-law had been driven out with nothing, and the brothers, feeling sorry for her, had managed to provide her with a room, food, and money.

But if she wasn’t actually penniless… then weren’t the two families just being used?

The sisters-in-law quietly discussed it and decided to return to their respective families.

They didn’t do anything else but asked their families to go to Dongshan Brigade to find out the truth about Zhou Chuntao and her children.

This was a later development.

Meanwhile, Shen Moer had arranged for Zhou Zhaodi’s living situation. Although they had reached an agreement with the landlord and his son, Zhou Zhaodi was still in school. In the afternoon, Chen Zhuangzhuang took her and Mao Mao to the county. If she returned on weekends, she would stay in the room borrowed from the brigade. However, since she was attending school and also wanted to be an apprentice, she likely wouldn’t return often.

This news quickly spread throughout the commune.

After all, it was quite unusual for a ten-year-old child to live on her own while her father was still alive, especially since the child had to pay money to the family.

When Shen Moer and her family returned to the commune’s residential area, Liu Guizhi came over curiously to inquire: "Parents should give money to their children, not the other way around. Isn’t that backward?"

"That’s normally the case, but if it were so, would her father agree to let her live on her own? If she stayed in that household, even if education was free, would her father really let her finish high school? Now that she’s still young, what if, when she’s a bit older, there’s something more beneficial than free education?"

Shen Moer continued, "Even if she graduates and gets a job, would her father demand that she give the job to her brother? Would he use her to make money once more? Would he do something even more unscrupulous? It’s hard to predict."

"That’s true. In the past, there were cases where fathers sold their daughters into brothels. If that’s the case, it’s indeed better for her to live on her own," Liu Guizhi sighed and said, "Actually, it’s only now that life has gotten better. In the early years after the war, many children were left without parents and grew up with the help of neighbors."

The two chatted for a while longer, and then Liu Guizhi took the vegetables Shen Moer had brought her and went home.

In the commune, even a single onion or garlic clove had to be bought. Although vegetables weren’t expensive, they still counted as an expense.

Shen Moer’s family had a lot of vegetables growing in their private plot, which Fu Mingze took great care of. The family of three couldn’t eat all of it, so they sometimes gave some to their neighbors.

Liu Guizhi didn’t take them for free either; she would occasionally bring something in return.

Whether it was relatives, friends, or neighbors, maintaining good relationships required give and take.

"What’s going on with Zhou Pingan? It’s this late and he’s still not home," Liu Guizhi muttered in the hallway.

Shen Moer glanced at the time; it was indeed quite late.

Although she taught Zhou Pingan art, she didn’t interact with him much in daily life. The boy seemed to have a deep impression of her as a "female tyrant," and whether in the residential area or at school, he would avoid her like a mouse avoiding a cat, keeping his distance.

However, his art assignments were always completed well. Shen Moer had thought about asking Liu Guizhi at the end of the term if she wanted him to become an apprentice at the Embroidery Factory.

Zhou Pingan’s academic performance wasn’t great, and according to his homeroom teacher, his chances of getting into high school were slim.

Shen Moer didn’t think much about it. After a long day, she was also tired. Fu Mingze had already heated the water while she was talking with Liu Guizhi, and now he called her to wash up.

After washing up and feeling more alert, the two of them returned to their room and leaned against the headboard, sharing their "takeaways" from the busy day.

Shen Moer had vaguely heard a bit about Zheng Jiamin before, but now, listening to Fu Mingze's detailed account, she was a bit taken aback. After all, in her impression, Zheng Jiamin was quite clever and shrewd. She hadn't expected him to be fooled by Zhou Chuntao and her daughter.

Fu Mingze, however, wasn't surprised: "He's quick on the small stuff but clueless on the big picture. Moreover, he's soft-hearted, especially when it comes to young girls. He didn't even think of other possibilities."

You could say he’s a bit naive. If he were truly as cunning as a sieve, Fu Mingze wouldn't dare get too close to him.

When someone’s plotting against someone clueless, and considering that Zhou Chuntao and her daughter are no simpletons, it's no wonder.

They’re good at playing the victim to get sympathy. It sounds easy, but not many can pull it off.

Shen Moer also mentioned her plan to involve Lu Dongyun in the embroidery work. Fu Mingze’s eyes lit up as he asked, "Isn’t it a bit off to have a woman from a landlord's family do this?"

Shen Moer thought to herself, "Oh no, I forgot Fu Zhiqing’s such a straight arrow." She quickly tried to make amends: "It’s not great to have troublemakers involved, but we're short on skilled workers right now. We’re focused on getting things done. Besides, it’s a chance for them to shape up and contribute to the socialist construction of our country. After all, earning foreign exchange is the most important task for the Embroidery Factory."

Fu Mingze looked down, thoughtful.

Shen Moer snuggled up to Fu Mingze, wrapping her arms around his lean waist, her face nuzzling against him as she murmured, "I'm sleepy."

Fu Mingze scooped her up, kissing her lightly: "Then let's sleep."

Though he said "let's sleep," his hands showed no intention of letting her go. His fingers slid under her nightgown, making her shiver. He kissed her eyes, nose, and lips, deepening gradually.

He clicked off the light, and the room plunged into darkness, with only soft gasps and whispers breaking the silence.

Shen Moer was actually quite tired, but after all the commotion, she started to wake up, especially when, after an unknown amount of time, Fu Mingze brought water to clean her up. She heard a sharp scream from next door.

"What's going on?"

As soon as she spoke, she realized her voice was raspy. Fu Mingze glanced at her, handing her a nearby enamel cup: "Drink some water first."

The commotion next door got louder. Shen Moer sat up, tossing the covers aside: "Let's go see, maybe something's happened."

Fu Mingze noticed her flushed face and pressed her back down: "You stay here, I'll go check."

Shen Moer obediently lay back down. She watched Fu Mingze grab the basin and head out, and soon heard the sound of their door opening. Later, she heard Fu Mingze talking at the neighbor’s.

It shouldn't have been long, but Shen Moer felt sleepy again and unconsciously closed her eyes. Then, in a daze, she heard the sound of their door closing again. Fu Mingze seemed to be talking to her father outside. By the time Fu Mingze lay down beside her again, Shen Moer couldn't even keep her eyes open.

She mustered the last bit of consciousness to ask, "What happened?"

"It's their Zhou Pingan, he just came back..."

Fu Mingze seemed to say a lot more, but Shen Moer couldn't hear it anymore. She drifted off to sleep. It wasn't until the next morning at breakfast that Shen Moer remembered to ask Fu Mingze: "What happened to Zhou Pingan last night?"

Fu Mingze scooped some eggs into her bowl before saying, "Zhou Pingan came back very late last night, soaked to the bone with a big bump on his head. It freaked Sister Liu out. Zhou Pingan just said he was playing outside, accidentally fell, and hit his head. Sister Liu didn't believe it, but no matter how she asked, Zhou Pingan stuck to his story."

Shen Shaoyuan: "It is indeed strange. That boy, though quiet and a bit reclusive, isn't the type to fool around. He comes home on time every day and doesn't even have close friends in the compound. Where could he have gone to play so late at night? And it didn't rain yesterday, so where could he have fallen to get himself soaked?"

Turning to Shen Moer: "The neighbors are good people. Later, you can help keep an eye on him at school, make sure he's not being bullied."

Although Liuqiao Commune isn't as chaotic as the outside world, and the school maintains good order, the situation is changing rapidly these days. It's possible someone has picked up some bad habits from outside and is causing trouble.

After all, Shen Shaoyuan now works in the propaganda department, albeit for a community-run factory. Since joining the propaganda department, he has been consciously keeping up with various news through broadcasts and newspapers, so his sensitivity in this regard is higher than most.

Shen Moer nodded.

Fu Mingze finished his meal and hurriedly left on his bike, while the father and daughter strolled to work as usual.

As they turned a corner, Shen Moer caught sight of a familiar figure ahead and quickly grabbed Shen Shaoyuan, whispering, "Dad, slow down."

Years of unspoken understanding caused Shen Shaoyuan to almost immediately halt and instinctively take a step back, then peeked forward.

Seeing the person in front, Shen Shaoyuan couldn't help but click his tongue.