Chapter 200: Delirium

Chapter 200: Hysteria

"You think it's embarrassing?"

Hao Chengbing was finding it harder and harder to understand his wife.

He Qiaoxiang, however, didn’t think there was anything wrong with what she said. "It’s embarrassing. Have you heard the gossip around the neighborhood lately? Anything nice being said?"

Hao Chengbing: "You can’t control what people say. Why bother worrying so much?"

He Qiaoxiang: "You’re always off with the military, so you don’t hear the gossip. But I have to keep my reputation."

The argument downstairs caught Hao Yanyan’s attention.

Thinking about the Ye family from Baishi Village, she couldn’t help but worry.

When she left the Ye family, she took all the money from their home.

She thought she’d quickly earn money in the capital to pay them back, but things kept going wrong.

If we invite the Ye family, will they tell everyone about this?

Plus, Hao Yanyan didn’t want to be known as a village girl anymore; she wanted to bury that shameful part of her past.

If the Ye family came to her wedding, her past would be dragged out and compared all over again.

Hao Yanyan got out of bed and limped to the stairs with her crutches.

"Mom, Dad, stop fighting over this."

Hao Chengbing didn’t want to argue either. When Hao Yanyan spoke up, he said, "Yan Yan, go rest. Your mom and I are just arguing. We’re fine."

But He Qiaoxiang pulled her daughter into it, "Yan Yan, tell us, should we invite the Ye family or not?"

Hao Yanyan fidgeted nervously.

"What if I write them a letter? It’s so far; they might not want to come."

Hao Chengbing: "We should at least ask."

He didn’t realize the Ye family might not be able to afford the trip to the capital.

Hao Yanyan didn’t say anything, just nodded, "I’ll write them a letter."

Hao Chengbing: "Wouldn’t calling be faster?"

Hao Yanyan: "Baishi Village doesn’t have electricity; they can’t take calls."

He Qiaoxiang scoffed, "Fine, write them a letter so they don’t call our Yan Yan ungrateful."

Hao Yanyan calmed her parents down and went back to her room.

She pulled out some paper, thinking about how to start the letter.

...

Back in Baishi Village.

Ye Changqing and Zhang Xue rarely made it back home.

It was mostly Ye Changqing. Ever since he started working with Liu Jinya, he’d been spending a month in the mountains.

Luckily, their earlier mining spot wasn’t a mistake, and Ye Changqing was pretty sure there was a huge deposit of iron ore underneath.

The mining project was moving along steadily.

Now that the kids were on school break, Ye Changqing finally had time to bring his wife and children home for a visit.

Loaded up with the stuff they’d bought, the family returned to Baishi Village.

"Baocheng’s school hasn’t started yet. Let Zhang Xue stay home with the kids for a few more days. I’ll leave tomorrow."

Miao Cuifang scooped up Ye Baoyuan.

"Be careful out there in the mountains. It’s been raining a ton lately. Don’t overdo it."

Ye Changqing: "Don’t worry, Mom. Things aren’t like they used to be. I’m running the whole mining area now. I’ll be careful."

Miao Cuifang: "Go on in and chat with your dad. I’ll get dinner started."

Zhang Xue tried to help in the kitchen, but Miao Cuifang shooed her away.

"You’ve come such a long way. Go rest. It’s just a meal. I’ve got this."

Zhang Xue smiled: "Mom, I’m not tired."

"Then go on back to your room and take a break. Dinner’ll be ready in no time."

Ye Changqing went back to check on his dad’s leg.

"Dad, how’s your leg?"

Ye Jianguo: "It’s nothing serious. It’s pretty much healed up."

Ye Changqing: "You still ought to get it checked out at the hospital to see how it’s healing."

Ye Jianguo: "What’s the point of wasting money on that?"

Ye Changqing couldn’t persuade him, so he asked Ye Baocheng to try.

The chubby little boy held up the award he’d gotten at school and showed it to Ye Jianguo, "Grandpa, look at my award. Only good kids can get it. If Grandpa listens, I’ll give the award to Grandpa."

Ye Jianguo wanted to tease the little boy, "If Grandpa doesn’t go to the hospital, can’t I get the award?"

Ye Baocheng blinked his big eyes, "Of course not. Only good kids who listen can get it. Grandpa, please go to the hospital and check your leg."

Ye Baocheng swayed his little chubby waist back and forth.

The cute little act cracked Ye Jianguo up.

"Alright, Grandpa will go. Our village is getting electricity recently. Once the wires are set up at our house, we’ll go to the hospital for a check-up."

Hearing Ye Jianguo agree to go to the hospital, Ye Changqing finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Miao Cuifang carried the cooked dishes to the main room.

As soon as she stepped out of the kitchen, she nearly took a spill.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

Just as Zhang Xue was about to come out to help, she quickly supported Miao Cuifang upon seeing this.

"It's nothing, just a sudden spell of dizziness."

Zhang Xue took the vegetables, "When Dad goes to get his leg checked, you should also get checked. Now it's just you and Dad at home, and we're worried while we're away."

Miao Cuifang wanted to refuse, but what her daughter-in-law just said made sense, so she nodded.

"Alright, it's really nothing serious, just a bit of dizziness, maybe from squatting too long."

Zhang Xue: "Still, get it checked, so Changqing and I can feel at ease."

That evening, Zhang Xue told Ye Changqing about Miao Cuifang's condition.

"When I come to pick you up, let's take Mom and Dad to the county town to stay for a few days."

After Ye Changqing resigned from his previous job, he naturally could no longer live in the allocated dormitory, so he rented a courtyard, and the family of four lived very comfortably.

There were also plenty of rooms in the courtyard, so even if they brought their parents over, there would be enough space.

Zhang Xue agreed, "Yes, then it's settled."

Ye Changqing stayed the night and was about to leave early the next morning after breakfast.

On his way, he suddenly saw a group of people heading towards the river.

"Someone's drowned by the river!"

Ye Changqing thought it was strange.

The villagers have been hunting in the mountains and fishing in the river since they were kids, and there hasn't been a flood recently, so how could someone have drowned?

Ye Changqing followed the villagers to the river to check.

There really was someone lying by the river, but they had already been rescued.

"It's Li Deshu. He shouldn't have drowned. Could it be because he was upset about the divorce and jumped into the river?"

"Definitely, this kid has been down recently. I knew something was going to happen."

Amid the noisy crowd, Li Deshu coughed violently a few times.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

"He's awake! He's awake!"

As soon as Li Deshu woke up, he saw a crowd around him and reflexively covered his head.

"Get away! I don't have any money for you!"

"Deshu, what's wrong with you?"

"Could he be having a fit?"

Ye Changqing saw that Li Deshu was awake and was about to turn and leave.

But then Li Deshu saw Ye Changqing.

His eyes suddenly widened!

"You... you..."

Li Deshu scrambled up from the ground.

He recognized Ye Changqing, but this Ye Changqing looked so young...

Didn't Ye Changqing die a long time ago?

Is this some kind of ghost?