In the fiery red era of the heavens, refrigerators are refreshed daily.

The joy of receiving the acceptance letter was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples that spread throughout the Yang family and the entire alley, lingering for a long time.

During those days, whenever neighbors encountered members of the Yang family, they would greet them with smiles, their words filled with envy and admiration.

"The Yang family's ancestral graves are emitting auspicious smoke!"

"Guangming, this child, has shown promise since he was little!"

Zhang Xiuying heard these kinds of words several times a day. At first, she would wave her hand humbly, but later the smile would overflow from the corners of her eyes and brows.

Yang Guangming became a role model praised by everyone, and his name was closely associated with "Tsinghua University graduate student", as if he had his own halo.

Several teenagers in the alley, who were struggling with their school entrance exams, were dragged to the Yang family's door every day by their parents for "education," so that they could see how glorious "other people's children" were.

Yang Guangming felt rather helpless about this, but he couldn't refuse the neighbors' enthusiasm, so he could only try to avoid the limelight.

However, after the hustle and bustle, life will eventually return to its usual routine.

Smoke still rises from the chimneys in the alley on time, and housewives still wash clothes by the sink, gossiping about everyday matters. However, the enthusiasm for the "Yang family" gradually cools down as autumn deepens, and is replaced by new trivial matters.

Yang Guangming's enrollment date is in October, which is still almost two months away. This gap is a rare opportunity for him to catch his breath and prepare.

In early September, as autumn deepened and the edges of the sycamore leaves in the alley began to turn yellow, a slight chill crept into the air. He then began to systematically hand over his work.

The work of the finance department is multifaceted, involving accounts, invoices, reports, and inter-dealer relationships, all of which need to be clearly organized.

He spent a whole week categorizing all his work and compiling a detailed list of notes and precautions.

Under the lamplight, he hunched over his desk, writing furiously. The pen scratched across the paper as he meticulously recorded every project he was working on, every payment pending, and even the temperaments and habits of the heads of long-term partners, fearing any omissions that might cause trouble for his successor.

This is not only a responsibility, but also his principle for conduct.

When Factory Director Zhao Guodong first heard that Yang Guangming had been admitted to graduate school, he was surprised, but quickly turned to support him.

He convened a small meeting with the factory leadership team and finally decided that Miao, the senior, calm, and meticulous accountant, would temporarily act as the section chief and preside over the section's daily work.

Accountant Miao has worked in finance at the factory her whole life. She is capable and experienced, but she is a bit old and lacks vigor. She is good at maintaining the status quo, so she is suitable to take on this critical task.

Subsequently, Yang Guangming convened a brief but formal handover meeting with all his colleagues in the department.

The atmosphere in the small finance department office was somewhat subtle, a mix of congratulations for Yang Guangming's promotion, reluctance to see him leave, and perhaps a hint of uncertainty about the future.

During the meeting, he handed over the compiled materials to Accountant Miao and relevant staff one by one, patiently answered every question, and repeatedly confirmed that there were no omissions or ambiguities.

His attitude remained as serious and responsible as ever, without the slightest hint of perfunctoriness or slackness as he was about to leave, which earned him nods of approval from Corey's old colleagues.

"Master Miao, I'll have to trouble you to take care of things at the department from now on." Yang Guangming handed over the last stack of documents, his tone sincere.

That stack of documents was heavy, not only because of the weight of the paper, but also because of the passing on of responsibility.

Accountant Miao quickly accepted the document with both hands, her face showing emotion and a hint of pressure, her wrinkles seeming to deepen: "Section Chief Yang, don't worry, I will do my best to do the job well and not cause any trouble for the factory."

Your departure is a great loss to our department and our factory.

This wasn't just polite talk. Yang Guangming was very capable and quick-thinking. In recent years, the factory's finances had been well-organized, and he had even offered many good suggestions on increasing revenue and reducing expenditure, all of which Yang Guangming had noticed.

Other colleagues echoed this sentiment, their words filled with reluctance and blessings.

The young clerk, Xiao Chen, said emotionally, "Section Chief Yang, when you go to Kyoto, don't forget your old subordinates!"

Over the years, Yang Guangming has been highly capable, fair in his dealings, and gentle in his dealings with others. He never makes things difficult for his subordinates and has a high reputation in the department. Everyone genuinely respects him.

Yang Guangming smiled and looked around at the faces he had spent so much time with: "You're all too kind. The factory is full of talented people; it can function without any of them. If you need any assistance in the future, please feel free to contact me."

He then added to Accountant Miao, "Master Miao, you are very experienced. We will need you to steer the department in the future."

With the handover of his work complete, Yang Guangming walked out of the finance department office, took a deep breath, and immediately felt a great weight lifted from his shoulders. A long-lost sense of relaxation spread throughout his body.

Although he is still nominally a member of the finance department and continues to receive his salary as usual—this is in accordance with policy, which stipulates that employees who are enrolled in postgraduate programs while employed must continue to receive their salaries from their original employers until they are assigned to a new unit after graduation—he no longer needs to go to the department to clock in and out.

The subtlety of this situation is something everyone understands without saying a word.

Accountant Miao, who took over his job, naturally didn't want her former boss hanging around every day, affecting his authority and decision-making. While it's common for people to drift apart after leaving a position, at Yang Guangming's place, it had evolved into a tacit understanding of "leisure."

Yang Guangming was happy with this arrangement, only occasionally showing up at the office in the morning to handle some personal correspondence or chat with familiar colleagues, but spending most of his time at home.

This period became the most leisurely and pleasant time for him since he traveled to this time and space.

No longer needing to worry about the factory's accounts, no longer needing to deal with complicated interpersonal relationships, and temporarily free from the pressure of studies. It's like a ship with its sails always billowing finally entering a calm harbor, where it can anchor and rest for a while.

I wake up naturally every day and listen to the various sounds gradually rising from the courtyard: the sound of bicycle bells, the shouts of housewives, the laughter of children... all of which create a vivid and lively morning symphony of everyday life.

He played with the children, taught Jing Shu to recognize a few simple words, and watched his daughter hold a pencil with her chubby little hands and draw earnestly, which melted his heart.

Occasionally, when teasing Zhiyuan, who is just learning to speak, the little guy can already vaguely pronounce the syllable "daddy," which always makes him laugh heartily.

Or I would hold Xiaowen and tell her fairy tales. Xiaowen listened intently, her big eyes never blinking.

In the afternoon, I sometimes brew a pot of light tea, its aroma delicate and subtle.

He leaned back in his recliner, reading leisurely books, mostly historical and geographical essays, or simply listening quietly to the various sounds of daily life coming from the courtyard, feeling the slow passage of time.

This slow-paced lifestyle gave him the opportunity to savor the tranquility and simplicity unique to this era.

He also often went to his parents' place to keep Zhang Xiuying and Yang Yongkang company, chatting and listening to them talk about their everyday lives.

The news of whose son is getting married, or whose mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are having a fight, has a unique flavor to it.

The Yang family is now truly proud, having produced four college students, one of whom was admitted to Tsinghua University for graduate studies. This is a unique honor in the entire region.

Zhang Xiuying walked in the alley with her back straight, her face always beaming with an irrepressible smile, and even her voice was louder when she greeted her neighbors.

Although Yang Yongkang still doesn't talk much, the melancholy that had accumulated between his brows due to the years and the pressures of life has long since disappeared.

Occasionally, I would play chess with a few old coworkers at the entrance of the alley. Amidst the swirling smoke, the sound of the pieces being placed seemed lighter, and my mood was noticeably cheerful.

As Yang Guangming watched his family change their fate through knowledge and hard work, and live a more promising life, his heart was filled with indescribable joy and a sense of accomplishment.

The feeling of influencing the destinies of those around you with your own efforts brings a profound sense of satisfaction and groundedness, far surpassing the petty scheming and wealth accumulation of your previous life.

This stems from the deep bond and reciprocation of blood ties.

However, the river of life is never always calm and still; it always stirs up new waves when people relax a little.

This turmoil may not be a raging storm, but it is enough to disrupt the established rhythm and force people to confront the complexities and helplessness of life once again.

In mid-September, on a drizzly afternoon, the fine rain tapped against the tiles and windowpanes, making a soft, pattering sound.

Devastating news came from Yang Xianglan's family—her mother-in-law, Wang, who had been bedridden for seven years, had suddenly passed away.

The message was a pass-by from Mr. Wang through a neighbor, delivered in a hurried and sorrowful tone. The neighbor, wearing a soaking wet raincoat, stood at the Yang family's door, said a few words briefly, and then hurriedly left, leaving the house filled with astonishment and silence.

At that time, Yang Guangming was sitting by his window, watching the drizzling raindrops hitting the moss in the courtyard, the air filled with a damp, earthy smell.

Upon hearing this news, his hand holding the teacup paused slightly, and the warm tea spilled out, splashing onto his hand.

There wasn't much surprise in my heart, but there was still a trace of sigh, for the passing of life, and for my elder sister's seven years of hard work, which had finally come to an end.

Grandma Amao has been bedridden and paralyzed since suffering a stroke seven years ago.

For the past seven years, the Wang family has been shrouded in the shadow of the patient's long-term need for care, and has been under tremendous pressure both financially and emotionally.

Initially, according to the plan that the Yang family had helped to decide, they asked an aunt surnamed Zhao from the same alley to help take care of them during the day, so that the Wang Jinhuan and Wang Yin sisters were freed to return to their respective families, only occasionally coming back to visit.

Xianglan faithfully fulfilled her duties as a daughter-in-law, handing over her monthly salary and diligently serving her mother-in-law after get off work, feeding her, wiping her body, massaging her, and cleaning up after her. She did this for seven years without ever uttering a single complaint, through freezing winters and scorching summers.

Thanks to her and Aunt Zhao's meticulous care, the old lady has been bedridden for so many years, yet she remains clean and has never developed a single bedsore, which is extremely rare among long-term bedridden patients.

When neighbors talk about Yang Xianglan, everyone gives her a thumbs up, praising her for being filial and virtuous. This reputation is the result of countless days and nights of hard work!
However, being bedridden for a long time eventually severely depleted the elderly person's physical foundation, leading to organ failure and a significant decline in immunity.

According to the messenger, the old lady was in good spirits the night before, ate a small bowl of porridge, and showed no signs of illness. However, the next morning, when Aunt Zhao went to wake her and feed her breakfast as usual, she found her lifeless, having passed away peacefully, her face calm, as if she had quietly departed in her sleep.

A minor cold could take the life of such a frail elderly person. This "death in one's sleep" may seem sudden for a long-term bedridden patient, but it is not entirely unexpected, and could even be considered a relief.

Although the Wang family had been mentally prepared, they still could not hide their grief when the day actually came.

Mr. Wang and his wife had been inseparable for half their lives and had a very deep affection for each other. Although his wife was bedridden in her later years and needed his care and attention, her sudden loss still left him feeling like a huge void in his heart, as if half of the pillar of his life had collapsed. The room was no longer filled with the figure he always cared about, and he aged considerably in an instant, his eyes losing their luster.

Upon receiving the news, Wang Jinhuan and Wang Yinhuan rushed back and wept bitterly at their mother's bedside. After all, she was their biological mother. In the past, they might have thought she was a bother, but now, with their eternal separation, the gratitude they had for raising them welled up in their hearts, and their pain was heart-wrenching.

Xianglan, as the daughter-in-law, also wept uncontrollably.

For the past seven years, she has lived with her mother-in-law day and night, bringing her soup and medicine, wiping her body and turning her over. Although they are not related by blood, they have developed a deep emotional bond and a sense of solidarity in facing life's hardships together.

Although her mother-in-law could not speak, her eyes could convey emotions, and Xianglan could feel her dependence and gratitude.

Now that this familiar life has suddenly vanished, she feels not only sadness, but also a sense of bewilderment, as if she has lost her balance.

The two children, Honghong and Amao, have even more complicated feelings towards their grandmother.

They had seen their grandmother lying in bed since they were little, needing someone to take care of her. She couldn't speak in complete sentences and could only communicate with them through muffled "ah ah" sounds and her eyes.

But when Grandma was occasionally lucid, her gaze towards them was always loving.

Now that her grandmother has suddenly passed away, ten-year-old Honghong is old enough to understand what death means. She will never see her grandmother lying in bed again, and she cries very sadly.

Seven-year-old Amao was still somewhat bewildered. Seeing the adults crying, he also shed tears. He held tightly to his mother's clothes with his little hands and looked timidly at his grandmother who seemed to be asleep on the bed, not understanding why everyone was so sad.

Upon hearing the news, Yang Guangming immediately put down his book and rushed to the Wang family in the rain.

The rain wasn't heavy, but it was persistent. By the time I reached Wang's house, my shoulders were already soaked.

He saw his older sister's red and swollen eyes and her undeniable exhaustion, and felt a pang of pity.

The Wang family was immersed in grief and in a flurry of activity. Yang Guangming, who happened to be free at the moment, took the initiative to help Master Wang with the funeral arrangements for the old lady.

He ran around, contacting the funeral home, procuring funeral clothes, incense, and paper money, notifying relatives and friends near and far, and arranging the vigil.

He was methodical and thoughtful in his work, and in this chaotic moment, he became the backbone of the Wang family, bringing relief to the grieving Master Wang and the bewildered Xianglan.

Even Wang Jinhuan and Wang Yinhuan were at a loss at this point, and mostly just listened to Yang Guangming's arrangements.

The funeral was simple and solemn, in line with the current advocacy of changing customs and traditions, while also fulfilling all human sentiments.

On the day of the funeral, the sky was overcast, with leaden clouds hanging low and the autumn wind blowing the fallen leaves along the roadside, adding to the desolation.

Mr. Wang, carrying his late wife's portrait, walked at the head of the funeral procession, his steps faltering, his back hunched, as if all his energy had been drained away overnight. Sisters Wang Jinhuan and Wang Yinhuan supported their father, their cries filled with sorrow.

Xianglan, with Honghong and Amao in tow, followed behind, silently shedding tears.

Yang Guangming, Yang Yongkang, Yang Guanghui, Yang Guangyao, and Li Guihua, all dressed in plain clothes, silently accompanied him, fulfilling their duties as in-laws. Some familiar old neighbors from the alley also spontaneously came to see him off; the procession was not long, but it was filled with sorrow.

After burying the old lady's ashes in a cemetery in the suburbs, the Wang family and the relatives and friends who came to see her off returned to the Wang family's slightly dark and damp shikumen house.

The room seemed to still have the smell of medicine and a hint of loneliness.

After offering words of comfort such as "please accept my condolences" and "take care," the relatives and friends took their leave one after another.

In the end, only a few people from the Wang family and the Yang family who came to help remained.

Those who stayed at the Yang family's side included: Yang Yongkang, Zhang Xiuying, Yang Guanghui, Li Guihua, Yang Guangming, and Yang Guangyao, who also took leave to come.

Lin Jianyue, Yang Xiangmei, Yue Xinlei, and others were unable to attend due to school classes.

The atmosphere in the small living room was heavy and oppressive.

After the sadness, a sense of emptiness and reality pervaded the air.

Master Wang sat on the worn-out old wooden chair, his hands resting on his knees, staring blankly at the ground, as if he had not yet fully recovered from the grief of losing his wife.

The leftover tea from entertaining guests was on the table, now completely cold and devoid of its warmth, much like Master Wang's heart at that moment.

Yang Yongkang cleared his throat, walked over to Master Wang, patted him on the shoulder, and said in a low but comforting voice, "Old Wang, please accept my condolences. The dead cannot be brought back to life, but the living must move on. Your wife... she is finally free, no longer suffering from illness."

Although this is a cliché, it is the most practical comfort at this moment.

Master Wang raised his head, his cloudy eyes bloodshot. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end it turned into a long, trembling sigh. He nodded, his chapped lips twitching slightly: "...Yes, I'm free."

Yang Guanghui and Li Guihua also said a few comforting words such as "Take care of yourself" and "There's still a long road ahead."

Looking at her father-in-law's distraught appearance, and then at her eldest daughter Xianglan standing to the side with red and swollen eyes, a haggard look, and a thin frame, Zhang Xiuying felt a mix of emotions. She felt sorry for her daughter's sacrifices over the years, worried about the future of the Wang family, and also felt a mother's instinctive vigilance.

She hesitated several times, her gaze shifting between Yang Yongkang and Master Wang.

There were some things that Yang Yongkang, as the groom's in-law and colleague, found difficult to say.

Zhang Xiuying knew that she would probably have to play the "villain" who was responsible for her daughter's reputation and future.

She took a deep breath, as if to encourage herself, and stepped forward, her face showing just the right amount of sympathy and concern. She said, "Father-in-law, I know you are feeling bad right now, and we are feeling bad too. It's so much quieter here now that the old lady is gone."

Master Wang raised his eyelids, glanced at Zhang Xiuying, and nodded silently, his voice hoarse: "...Yes, it's deserted."

Zhang Xiuying changed the subject, her tone becoming more tactful, but every word was carefully chosen: "Sigh, speaking of which, housing is tight for every family these days. Sometimes a whole family is crammed into one room, it's hard to even turn around, there's just nothing we can do about it."

She glanced around the small living room, her gaze sweeping over the simple wooden partition.

The Wang family lived in a typical Shikumen (stone gate) guest room. Although it had been simply partitioned with wooden boards in earlier years to separate the inside from the outside, it was still essentially one large room with almost no sound insulation.

“Your house…” Zhang Xiuying continued, her tone becoming gentler, yet carrying an undeniable air of authority, “is home to three generations of our family. It used to be just enough room for everyone. Now that the old lady is gone, you’re all alone, and it must feel so empty inside. It breaks our hearts to see you like this.”

She paused, observing Mr. Wang's reaction. Seeing his eyes flicker slightly, she continued, "Jin Huan and Yin Huan are both filial children. They will definitely come back to see you and take care of you often. With them coming back frequently, we relatives and friends can feel more at ease."

Master Wang listened with no expression on his face, but his fingers, which were resting on his knees, unconsciously curled into a fist.

Zhang Xiuying finally got to the most crucial point, her tone becoming gentler, yet carrying an undeniable air of authority:

"Given the current situation... it's probably not appropriate for Xianglan and her two children to stay here any longer. I'm always uneasy and worried about them."

She looked at Master Wang with earnest eyes, yet with the determination of a mother: "I was thinking of taking Xianglan back to our parents' home to stay for a while."

Honghong and Amao can run between the two sides.

"On Sundays and holidays, I'll come back to visit your grandpa. During the week, when I'm at school, I'll stay with Xianglan; it'll be easier for her to take care of me then. Do you think this is alright?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Xianglan was stunned.

She never expected her mother to suddenly make such a request.

In her view, her mother-in-law had just passed away, her father-in-law was depressed, and the family needed someone to take care of them and keep them company. As the daughter-in-law, she should stay and do the housework and comfort the elderly.

She instinctively objected, her voice still trembling with tears: "Mom, how can this be? Grandpa Amao is all alone... Someone has to clean the house and cook..."

Before she could finish speaking, Zhang Xiuying, who was standing next to her, quickly pinched her arm hard, with a clear warning.

Xianglan winced in pain, hissed, and the rest of her words caught in her throat. She looked at her mother with confusion and grievance, her eyes reddening even more.

Li Guihua immediately stepped forward, secretly grabbed Xianglan's other arm, and whispered urgently in her ear, "Big sister, don't speak, listen to Mom! Mom is doing this for your own good!"

Yang Xianglan glanced at her mother's stern eyes, then at her sister-in-law's tense expression, and then at her father, who stood silently with a slight frown, and her brother Yang Guangming, whose face was solemn. She vaguely sensed that something was amiss in the atmosphere, and it seemed that only she herself did not understand the key to it.

She thought that Grandpa Mao would definitely object, since the family had just held a funeral and it would be unreasonable to "send" his daughter-in-law back to her parents' home.

However, to her surprise, although Master Wang's expression remained somber, he did not show much surprise or opposition.

He was silent for a moment, then raised his eyes, his gaze slowly sweeping over the Yang family members. His eyes held sorrow, helplessness, and perhaps a hint of understanding, before finally landing on Zhang Xiuying's face. His voice was hoarse but unusually calm as he said, "Mother-in-law... you are right. You have considered everything very carefully."

He paused, as if gathering his strength, his tone even carrying a hint of relieved exhaustion:

"Let Xianglan go back with you. Honghong and Amao, your studies are important, you don't need to keep coming back to keep me company. I live in this big house by myself, it's quiet. Jinhuan and Yinhuan... they will come back often. I... have nothing to worry about."

He agreed very readily! Moreover, he specifically instructed Honghong and Amao not to run around too often, so as not to interfere with their studies.

This statement surprised Zhang Xiuying, who had prepared a whole host of arguments and was even prepared to speak frankly.

She paused for a moment, then a look of relief and gratitude appeared on her face. She quickly said, "Oh, good, good! Father-in-law, it's best that you think that way! Don't worry about Xianglan at her parents' home, we'll definitely take good care of her. Honghong and Amao will definitely come back to visit you when they're on vacation!"

Only Yang Xianglan and Yang Guangyao, who were standing a little behind, were still young and inexperienced, and hadn't fully reacted yet, their faces showing confusion.

Yang Guangyao even felt that his parents were making a mountain out of a molehill and were being unreasonable.

The other adults present, including Master Wang, Yang Yongkang, Yang Guanghui, Li Guihua, and even Yang Guangming, already understood the true meaning behind Zhang Xiuying's words.

The Wang family's living quarters were the main room, which was essentially one large room with simple partitions.

Now that the old lady of the Wang family has passed away, Mr. Wang, the father-in-law, is actually not very old, not even sixty years old.

Allowing a father-in-law who is not old to live with his young widowed daughter-in-law in a space without strict physical separation for a long time will inevitably attract gossip.

No matter how upright each person's conduct is, it cannot stop outsiders from speculating with ambiguous eyes.

Public opinion can be a fearsome thing, especially in this relatively closed-off alleyway environment where rumors spread extremely quickly.

Those idle gossipy women are best at making up stories with erotic undertones, enough to ruin a person's reputation, make Xianglan unable to hold her head up in the alley, and might even affect Honghong and Amao.

Once that kind of dirty water gets on you, it's hard to wash it off.

As parents, Zhang Xiuying and Yang Yongkang had foreseen this potential risk and naturally wanted to take precautions to prevent it from happening. They were determined not to let their daughter suffer such an undeserved disaster.

This is not because they are judging others with petty minds, but rather a helpless consideration based on the realities of human relationships.

Even if the Yang family can barely squeeze into their Shikumen house now, and even if they really can't fit everyone in, they must find a way to rent a house and bring Xianglan out.

Fortunately, Master Wang is a sensible person who understands immediately. He may have even thought of this himself long ago, but he just didn't want to bring it up.

After all, it would seem cold-hearted of him to suggest that his daughter-in-law move out.

Now that his mother-in-law has taken the initiative to propose it, he can go with the flow, which saves face for both sides and avoids future troubles. He may also feel relieved.

Living with his daughter-in-law for extended periods must have been an invisible constraint and pressure for him.
Since Master Wang readily agreed to Zhang Xiuying's request to take her daughter back to her parents' home, things became much easier.

After exchanging a few more polite words, such as "take care of yourself" and "let's keep in touch," the atmosphere became more relaxed than before.

The Yang family then took their leave and departed from the Wang family.

Stepping out of the alley where the Wang family lived, the oppressive atmosphere seemed to ease.

The autumn sun barely pierced through the clouds, casting a warm glow on the damp cobblestone path.

Yang Xianglan finally couldn't hold back any longer and quickened her pace to catch up with her mother, her tone filled with confusion and a hint of resentment:
"Mom, why did you pinch me just now? Why wouldn't you let me speak? Grandpa Amao just lost his wife and is feeling sad. The house needs someone to take care of it. What kind of behavior is it for me to go back to my parents' house at this time?"

Will people say I'm an unfilial daughter-in-law, running away to have some peace and quiet right after my mother-in-law passed away?

The more she thought about it, the more wronged she felt, and tears welled up in her eyes again.

Zhang Xiuying stopped, turned around and glared at her daughter, feeling both heartache and anger, and said irritably:
"You're such a simpleton! All you know is to bury yourself in work, you have no idea how treacherous people can be! If your father and I didn't think about you, even if you worked yourself to death, you wouldn't have a good reputation!"

Seeing that there were no outsiders around, Li Guihua spoke frankly. She grabbed Xianglan's arm, lowered her voice, and said urgently:
"Big sister, Mom is doing this for your own good! How can you not understand?"

Think about it, the living room in your house is really just one room. Before, when the old lady lived there, there was a clear distinction between the inside and outside.

Now that the old lady is gone, it's just you and Grandpa Amao, a widowed father-in-law and a widowed daughter-in-law, living in the same house for a long time. Is this...is this reasonable?
"What will those gossipers say in the long run? They'll drown you in their spittle! You won't be able to clear your name no matter how hard you try!"

Although she didn't put it so bluntly, her meaning couldn't be clearer.

Yang Xianglan was stunned at first, as if struck by lightning. Then her face flushed red, but the color quickly faded, leaving her pale.

She wasn't an ignorant little girl; with just a little understanding, she immediately grasped her mother's previous intentions and the deeper meaning behind those seemingly abrupt words.

She felt a chill rise from the soles of her feet and instantly spread throughout her body, making her hands and feet feel cold.

She was so engrossed in her grief over her mother-in-law's death and her sympathy for her father-in-law that she completely overlooked this most realistic and fatal concern!
Yes, she was a widowed daughter-in-law, living alone in a room with her father-in-law who wasn't that old. Even if their relationship was completely innocent and there was nothing improper between them, it couldn't stop the malicious speculation and gossip from those with ulterior motives.

At that time, not only will her reputation be ruined, but Honghong and Amao will also be gossiped about and unable to hold their heads high! Master Wang will also be implicated and his reputation will be tarnished in his later years!

Thinking of the terrible consequences, Yang Xianglan couldn't help but shudder, feeling both fear and gratitude.

She looked at her mother, her eyes welling up with tears again, this time from gratitude and guilt, her voice choked with emotion:
"Mom...I...I didn't think of that...I was only thinking...thank you for being so thoughtful...I was so stupid..." As she spoke, tears rolled down her cheeks.

Seeing her daughter finally understand, Zhang Xiuying sighed with a mixture of heartache and helplessness, reaching out to wipe away her tears: "You child, you're too kind-hearted, always thinking of others and never considering yourself. If I don't think of you, who will? In this world, the hardest thing to guard against is the human heart!"

Yang Guangyao, who was standing to the side, understood as well. He suddenly realized and patted his head: "So that's how it is! I knew it... Mom and Dad are really farsighted."

He then realized how naive he had been to think his parents were heartless.

Having resolved the biggest concern, new problems have arisen.

Yang Xianglan said with worry, "But... if I move back now, how will I live? Xiangmei and Xiaowen are living with my parents now. If I move back, there's only one room in the front building. How will we fit in? It's too inconvenient."

She knew full well the housing shortage at her parents' home and really didn't want to cause them any more trouble. (End of Chapter)