The beloved but ungrateful girl is reborn: This time she has truly changed.

Qi Weiwei shook her head: "No, he was also afraid that the charge of breaking up a military marriage would fall on his own son."

Qi Zhuangzhuang opened the car door and let Qi Weiwei get in first before getting in himself.

The car was warmer than outside, but Qi Weiwei still couldn't help but shiver.

Once Qi Zhuangzhuang was in the car, the jeep started immediately.

Qi Weiwei pursed her lips, looked out the window, and gripped the car door handles tightly with both hands.

"Weiwei," Ling Heping's voice broke the silence, his tone half reporting and half joking.

"I have arranged for your two daughters, your sister-in-law and two nephews, as well as your second sister, to stay temporarily at the home of a comrade-in-arms."

Absolutely safe, rest assured.

Their family is of high status; there's a sentry post in their yard. Unless Tang Qu is insane, he couldn't possibly go there to arrest someone.

Qi Weiwei felt a warmth in her heart and turned to look at him.

Ling Heping's profile is very strong, his hands gripping the steering wheel have distinct knuckles, and there is a thick callus on the base of his thumb.

Today he was wearing a military green cotton overcoat, without a hat, and his hair was shaved very short, revealing his full forehead.

Qi Weiwei looked for a while before realizing she was staring at someone, and quickly looked away.

"Thank you, Brother Heping," she said sincerely. "What about my fourth and fifth brothers?"

Ling Heping smirked, "No matter how we try to persuade them, they won't leave. They're waiting with your grandparents. Your fourth brother said he's going to kill those two little beasts, and your fifth brother is even more extreme, saying he'll trade his life for the lives of everyone in the Tang family. They're too impulsive; you need to talk them out of it."

Qi Weiwei felt a lump in her throat.

In her past life, her fourth brother was sentenced to prison because she stole medicinal herbs, and her fifth brother was given a demerit because she took on private jobs.

In this life, she will never let them risk their lives for her again!

As they were talking, the car entered a side road, and wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys of the courtyards beside the road.

Having a car is so much faster; if I were walking, I'd still be on the road right now.

Before I knew it, we had arrived at my grandparents' courtyard.

Ling Heping parked the car close to the courtyard wall, turned off the engine, and the three of them got out of the car.

The courtyard gate was tightly closed.

Ling Heping stepped forward and knocked on the door three times.

There was no movement inside.

"Knock knock knock." He knocked three more times, this time louder.

"Who is it?" came the wary voice of Grandpa Qi Dayou from inside, hoarse and showing signs of old age.

"Grandpa, it's me, Weiwei," Qi Weiwei quickly replied.

There was silence for a few seconds inside the door, followed by the clanging sound of the latch being pulled open.

The wooden door opened a crack, revealing Grandpa's wrinkled face. His eyes lit up when he saw Qi Weiwei, and then he opened the door wider.

"Come in quickly, come in quickly!" Grandpa lowered his voice, and as soon as the three of them came in, he immediately closed the door and bolted it.

In the courtyard, the fourth brother, Qi Chun Chun, stood on the left with a wood-chopping axe, while the fifth brother, Qi Maomao, stood on the right with a large wrench. Both of them were in an attack stance.

Seeing that it was Qi Weiwei and the others, they breathed a sigh of relief, but did not put down their "weapons".

"What are you doing?" Qi Weiwei felt like crying and laughing at the same time. "Are you setting up an ambush?"

"I'm afraid that old bastard Tang Qu will come after us!"

Qi Chun Chun gritted her teeth, her eyes fierce, and said, "If he dares to come, I'll chop him up first!"

Qi Maomao didn't say anything, but just gripped the wrench in his hand tightly.

He was more robust than Qi Chun Chun, and the sleeves of his cotton-padded jacket were rolled up to his forearms, revealing his strong arms.

"Alright, alright, come inside."

Wen Sumei came out of the house with red eyes, clearly having just finished crying. "It's cold outside."

The group entered the main room.

The stove was burning brightly, and a black iron kettle sat on top of it, with white steam rising from its spout.

"Weiwei, how are you?" Grandma pulled Qi Weiwei down to sit, her hands trembling. "Tang Qu... he didn't give you any trouble, did he?"

All eyes were on Qi Weiwei.

Grandpa stood at the door, listening warily to any sounds outside.

The fourth and fifth brothers stood on either side of the door, like two door gods.

Qi Weiwei took a deep breath, took off her scarf and put it on the table: "I've talked to Tang Qu, and he promised to release my parents before midnight tonight."

The main room was quiet for a few seconds.

"Really?" Qi Chun Chun was the first to ask, her voice trembling.

"Really." Qi Weiwei nodded. "The condition is... I promise not to make a big deal out of it."

She didn't mention the IOU.

Grandparents had no idea that her parents had incurred so much debt for her sake; these debts were silently borne by her parents.

In her past life, she only learned how much her parents had suffered to repay the money on her deathbed.

Grandma covered her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes: "Then...that's good..."

Grandpa let out a long sigh of relief, his grip on his cane loosening slightly: "It's good that you agreed to release them, that's good..."

Qi Chun Chun and Qi Maomao exchanged a glance, both seeing the relief in each other's eyes.

Qi Chunchun leaned the axe against the wall, and Qi Maomao also put down the wrench.

"Weiwei," Grandpa walked to the table and sat down, looking at her with his cloudy eyes, "what do we do now?"

Before they knew it, everyone in the room was looking at Qi Weiwei.

The youngest sister in the family, who used to be the darling of the family and only knew how to act spoiled and unreasonable, has now become the pillar of the family.

Because she accomplished what everyone thought was impossible—she got the person back from Tang Qu and escaped unscathed.

Qi Weiwei felt the trust and reliance in those eyes, and her heart felt heavy.

In her past life, she failed to live up to all of this.

In this life, she must shoulder the responsibility.

"I'm not sure if Tang Qu will send the person back or just release him."

She was organizing her thoughts, her voice clear.

"Therefore, we should wait in separate groups."

Fourth Brother, Fifth Brother, you two go and wait at the entrance of the committee compound.

If your parents come out from that side, then you can pick them up.

"Heping and I will go to the railway family quarters to wait."

She looked at Ling Heping, who nodded: "Okay."

"And what about me?" Qi Zhuangzhuang asked.

"Big brother, you stay with Grandpa and Grandma and take good care of them."

Qi Weiwei said,

"Someone will come to let us know when Mom and Dad get home safely."

"Wait!" Grandpa stood up as well, his expression excited. "No need for anyone to stay and take care of us, we'll go wait too! Staying at home is making me restless!"

"Grandpa," Qi Weiwei said, taking his arm. "Your legs aren't good, and it's so cold outside. What if you catch a cold? Besides, what if... I mean, what if Mom and Dad think the railway family quarters are dangerous and come here? So someone needs to be home. Please wait at home, and we'll come and let you know as soon as we pick them up, okay?"

Grandpa stopped talking.

Grandma quickly advised, "Old man, listen to Weiwei. Let's wait at home and not cause trouble for the child."

Grandpa sighed and nodded.

Qi Zhuangzhuang nodded, "Weiwei, don't worry."

"Let's go then." Qi Weiwei stood up.

"Don't rush off yet," Grandma said, turning and going into the kitchen. A moment later, she brought out a plate of steaming hot buns and a large pot of tea. "Have something to eat to warm yourselves up. The night is long. Come on in!"