Chapter 100: Going Home

The truth was mostly buried with Xu Liangcai's death.

Yang Qing was also a bit confused; what exactly was Xu Liangcai's reason?

He treated him well in public, but secretly got involved in the treasure matter.

And how he knew his father was still alive also became a secret.

When Yang Qing walked out of the office, Chen Hong was already waiting at the door.

Her eyes were wet and red; she had cried and hadn't slept well.

Director Wang stayed by her side, and upon seeing Yang Qing, pointed him out to her.

"Look, he's out, I told you it's fine, but you just won't believe me."

"Could Aunt Wang still be wrong?"

Director Wang didn't know that Yang Qing had also undergone strict interrogation, nor that Yang Qing was a bit flighty and had said some inappropriate things.

Seeing Yang Qing's haggard appearance, Chen Hong's tears began to drip.

She grabbed Yang Qing in a tight embrace and said sternly.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I told you to keep nothing from me."

Saying this, she shoved Yang Qing's head into her armpit.

Then she dragged him toward home.

Yang Qing didn't even have time to greet Aunt Wang before being dragged away.

Director Wang, upon seeing this, knew Chen Hong bore a grudge against her.

Letting her husband take such a risk, and then detaining him for several days.

"What kind of person is that?"

All the way, Chen Hong dragged Yang Qing back home.

The people of the siheyuan they met along the way all looked at him with tense expressions.

He seemed like a murderer.

He didn't see Zheng Changguì's family.

He didn't know whether they had been arrested or sent there.

Having lost her husband, with no support and two children to raise, that woman's life would surely be hard from now on.

The key is, according to Zheng Changguì's offense, he not only died in vain, received no compensation, and likely lost his job as well.

His family might have to rely on making matchboxes to get by, just like the Gu Ning family.

Although Yang Qing felt pity, he had no regrets; Zheng Changguì had schemed against him, so everything was his own doing.

"How can there be a perfect solution in this world?"

Speaking of Gu Ning, Gu Ning now wears a worried frown.

Originally, through her efforts at the market, she had earned over two hundred.

She also brought back many household supplies for the family.

But after being interrogated, her dealing in goods was exposed.

If it weren't for her selling the game and cured meat she had acquired to wealthy people,

and some of those wealthy people were officials.

The impact was somewhat significant.

Moreover, the market was encouraged by the new regulations.

Those interrogating her dared not cause complications, so they could only handle it lightly, confiscating some money and forbidding her from going out to cause trouble.

She might still be detained at the office now.

Seeing Yang Qing brought back with his head tucked under Chen Hong's arm, Gu Ning composed herself and headed toward the rear courtyard.

In the rear courtyard, in Yang Qing's small courtyard.

Yang Qing and his wife were sitting at the dining table.

On the table were several dishes, and beside them sat a jar of osmanthus-aged wine.

Chen Hong stared at Yang Qing and said fiercely.

"If anything like this happens again, I'll break your leg."

Yang Qing repeatedly begged for mercy.

"I dare not, I dare not; I worked hard all day for no gain, and was even detained like a criminal for several days—such a losing venture, I absolutely cannot do it again."

This time he had schemed against many people; those who plotted against him were likely mostly eliminated.

Even in the short time remaining, he dared not act.

The biggest obstacle on his odd‑job route, the Sun family, was also wiped out in one sweep.

From now on, when he does odd jobs, he won't have to fear east or west.

Nor will anyone deliberately come to pick a fight.

He felt utterly relieved.

Chen Hong let out another snort.

"This time I'll let you off, but if you offend again, I'll certainly give you a proper lesson."

"Tomorrow I'll go buy a new washboard and have it ready for you."

Yang Qing wore a bitter‑gourd face.

"Who did you learn all this from?"

Chen Hong said proudly.

And the folks in our village, they say it works very well.

Yang Qing's eyes shifted.

This won't do; here in Jingcheng it's different from the countryside.

The gentlemen in Jingcheng all care about saving face; here we make the daughter-in-law wash feet as punishment.

At that moment, Gu Ning came over.

She heard it all, stifling a laugh, she gave a little cough.

Chen Hong looked at Gu Ning, a bit puzzled about why she had come over.

Gu Ning is a widow.

Yang Qing, good; sister-in-law, good.

Yang Qing took out a stool and handed it over.

Sit, sit, and have a bite while you're at it.

Gu Ning waved her hand, saying embarrassedly.

I won't sit; I saw Qing Ge'er come back, so I came over to tell you.

As for the market matter, they won't let us do it; at the police station I didn't mention you.

I said it was all my idea.

Yang Qing understood her meaning; this was her coming over to pledge loyalty.

The meaning is that I haven't betrayed you.

The bigger reason should be that she hopes Yang Qing will give her a clear path forward in the future.

Yang Qing nodded.

If it's fine, then fine; if they don't let us do it, we won't. I told you, just do it a few times in a short period.

I didn't expect you to keep doing it until now.

Not getting in is already pretty good.

Be content.

Gu Ning nodded, promising.

From now on I will definitely listen to you.

If she had stopped earlier, she wouldn't have suffered such a big loss.

If I count the money I've hidden and kept secret, it's only over fifty dollars total.

Everything else was taken away.

She almost fell back to before liberation.

Fortunately he was clever and made more places to hide money.

Chen Hong narrowed her eyes at Yang Qing.

What's going on between you two that I don't know about?

Gu Ning saw it wasn't good and hurriedly took her leave.

That Yang Qing, Chen Hong, I still have rice cooking in my pot, I'm heading back first.

She slipped away, oiling her feet.

Yang Qing never expected Gu Ning to pull this on him, so unrighteous—what are you running from?

This makes it seem like there's something shady between us.

Seeing Chen Hong's face darken, he hurried to explain.

Didn't I tell you? Gu Ning's family is very poor; they're the second poorest household in our courtyard.

Seeing our days getting better and better, she came to ask me for advice.

I heard the state opened a market, so I had him give it a try.

After that try, her family became much better off.

Chen Hong said doubtfully.

Really?

Yang Qing raised his hand and swore.

Absolutely certain.

This time I'll count you as honest.

Saying that, she poured him a drink.

Have a drink, a welcome drink.

Yang Qing lifted it, took a sip, full of osmanthus fragrance, much tastier than grape wine.

(Actually, our country used to have a great variety of liquors; during the Song and Ming dynasties, liquor culture developed rapidly, but after the founding of the nation, many complex brewing techniques were abandoned, and the Soviet liquid method was widely promoted; the so-called liquid method is actually blended liquor.

Although it lowered costs, it also caused the loss of many brewing techniques.

Compared to European liquor, our former liquor is really far inferior.

Thus, even now, blended liquor prevails in our country, and foreigners generally think there is no good liquor domestically.

(Baijiu, or shaojiu, in the Yuan-Ming period was actually the drink of the lower classes; during the Qing and Republican eras it saw some development, but good liquor was still things like osmanthus-aged liquor, daughter red, lotus flower white, etc., these refined liquors; lotus flower white is a medicinal liquor, a type of tribute liquor to the imperial court, and is not the same as the later lotus flower white.)

After a quarter hour.

Yang Qing drank for a while, ate some dishes, and became slightly tipsy.

Chen Hong suddenly asked.

I've heard Chen Xueru often comes over at night.

After she comes over, you close the door and shut the windows.

How about it? Is Chen Xueru fun?