Chapter 106: The Mother-in-Law's Decision

Director Wang immediately understood Yang Qing's meaning.

They've come to plead.

She put on a cold face and spoke in a low voice.

"Do you know what's going on with Xu Liangcai?"

"He's a spy left here by the Japanese."

"We've gathered a lot of evidence at his house."

"And Chen Xueru is very close to him."

"Someone like that—given your position—is it something you can interfere with?"

Yang Qing sighed, really stumped by how complicated the matter was.

"Well, Xu Huizhen—I've heard she's always performed well."

"Besides, her background is pretty good; she married in from the countryside."

"She's just terribly unlucky, screwed over by her husband."

Director Wang tapped the table and lectured him.

"Speak properly."

Xu Huizhen's case actually has no problem; she's considering whether to tell Yang Qing.

Seeing her attitude, Yang Qing knew there was a chance and continued.

Xu Huizhen, Auntie, she still has two kids; with no milk, her daughter can only drink rice porridge—the baby can't digest it, so she has constant diarrhea and cries miserably every day.

Oh dear, how pitiful.

Yang Qing's words touched Director Wang's feminine side; she told him to stop pretending to be pitiful.

Alright, I've told you.

As for Xu Huizhen, we've found no issues; she doesn't know Xu Liangcai, and she'll be released tomorrow.

But about this, I'm telling you—just keep it in mind, don't go blabbing.

Her family can't talk about it either.

And you definitely can't go pick her up.

If this leaves this door, I won't acknowledge it—you wouldn't know anyway.

Yang Qing heard this and smiled.

This is a good sign—Xu Huizhen being released indirectly shows Chen Xueru probably has no serious trouble, and Yang Qing's goal is achieved.

Thank you, Aunt Wang.

Director Wang gave Yang Qing a complicated look.

This kid has changed too much lately.

She can't read this kid anymore.

She doesn't know whether it's good or bad.

Anything else?

She's trying to get rid of him.

Yang Qing smiled along and asked.

It's about my job at the steel mill—how is it now? Should I still go?

Director Wang waved her hand.

That job ended ages ago—just go to the steel mill sometime to collect your wages.

Alright, nothing else—you can go.

I'm busy here.

Also, hurry up and let Chen Hong come to work—she's trying to work me to death.

This is another signal: Yang Qing is completely cleared of suspicion, and Chen Hong can now come in to help with deeper matters.

Yang Qing nodded and promised.

I'll make sure she comes to work tomorrow.

Upon hearing this good news, Yang Qing ran all the way home.

Not long after, the delivery person arrived.

Yang Qing had people move the bed and boxes into the room.

Then he ran all the way to Xu Huizhen's house.

Seeing Yang Qing again, Cai Quanwu became much more enthusiastic.

What's wrong? Why the rush? Look at you, all sweaty.

Yang Qing grabbed him and spoke softly.

Xu Huizhen will be back tomorrow.

About this, don't tell anyone, and don't go pick her up.

Just pretend you don't know.

As long as you know it in your heart.

If the Marquis Pacification Commissioner is okay tomorrow, I guess Chen Xueru will be fine too.

Finally, he reiterated it once more.

Just keep this to yourself—no one is allowed to talk about it.

Just act like you know nothing, got it?

Cai Quanwu was overwhelmed by his output; his inner gloom vanished instantly, and he couldn't help but break into a smile.

I understand, I understand, I know how to do it.

Brother, come in quick, have a drink, look at you all sweaty.

Yang Qing stopped him.

I'm not going in; don't let Hou Kui see me again—I still have things to do.

Saying that, he turned to leave.

Suddenly remembering something, he turned back and cautioned.

That smile won't work; you'd better put on a dead‑pan face, or else anyone will see right through you.

Since others have tipped us off, we can't let them down or make things difficult for them—so you should go again for a day.

Cai Quanwu's smile vanished instantly at those words.

We must never harm our benefactor.

Yang Qing patted his shoulder.

That'll do; I'm off.

Then Yang Qing waved and ran off.

Cai Quanwu's face was stern, yet he couldn't keep the smile from tugging at his lips.

Yang Qing said goodbye to Cai Quanwu and made his way straight to the old lady's.

He happened to see Chen Hong and the old lady coming back from their walk.

As soon as the old lady saw Yang Qing, she snapped.

Where have you run off to now?

Why is Chen Hong the only one doing the chores?

It looks like Chen Hong has already spun a tale.

Yang Qing laughed.

Isn't this the last wave of wild greens? The factory's taken in too much—we have to work hard to process them.

What needs drying gets dried; what needs pickling gets pickled.

No one knows when this famine will pass—better safe than sorry.

That reasoning holds water.

The old lady believed him.

You said we were moving, right? Since we've decided, let's move soon—I can help out at home.

Once Chen Hong has a child, I'll lend a hand while I'm still able.

Then she turned her gaze to Chen Hong.

How are things going with your mom?

With my guarantee and your rations, though it's not much, it's still far better than going hungry in the countryside.

Chen Hong heard the old lady but wasn't thrilled.

My mom says she won't come; she says she's still got some grain in the village, but if she came here and relied on our rations, she'd never get enough to eat.

Yang Qing still has no steady job—it's just me—and she fears she'd hold me back, so she refuses to come.

Yang Qing fell silent upon hearing that.

No one knows what the mother-in-law is thinking.

She likely feels tremendous guilt for putting her daughter through such a perilous flight.

Now that her daughter has finally found her footing, she doesn't want to keep dragging her down.

The resilience of country women far surpasses what most people imagine.

Besides, their village lies far from the city, so they aren't dazzled by the urban‑rural divide.

They harbor no dream of moving to the city.

Besides, leaving home is hard for her—she's never gone far from her village.

At home she has clan elders looking out for her; once she leaves, she's on her own.

(Chen Family Ditch—just from the name you can see it's a big local clan.)

(Back then, going out was truly hard—you didn't know the people or the place, and when trouble struck, your pleas to heaven and earth went unanswered. That deep‑seated sense of belonging and security is a big reason why our local ties run so deep.)

The old lady sighed; she understood that feeling.

She came to the city, but her heart never settled; everything here reminds her she doesn't belong.

If you don't want to come, then stay away.

Without work, the city won't be any better.

From now on, send them some money each month; with cash and grain tickets, living in the countryside won't be much different from the city.

You can also buy grain at the uniform price (also called resale grain—meaning the grain is sold back to you; the amount you can purchase depends on your household's size and labor). If that isn't enough, the money and grain tickets you send will cover their food; when I lived in the countryside, fifty yuan a year was enough to live comfortably.

(Rural hardship comes from not earning money; a year might yield less than fifty yuan for a whole family, and many even end up owing the collective. While rations are based on grain output, in an ordinary year the ration may last ten months, otherwise you need to buy subsidized grain. In a famine year the ration may last only a few months, and even the resale grain is insufficient; worse still, even if you have grain you may lack money to buy it.

Famine-year order did not collapse; institutions like the Supply and Marketing Cooperative still existed, and in those years, thanks to good relations with Britain, we imported a lot of grain from Canada.)

If they're missing something, buy it and mail it over—put yourself in their place.

The old lady said as much.

Chen Hong felt a little easier.