Old Mrs. Song is reborn; get out of here, you scumbag husband and illegitimate child!

The ugly woman plopped down on a chair in Song Xianglan's house.

He hadn't caught his breath yet.

He grabbed the large porcelain jar and poured half of the cooled boiled water into it.

"I'm so angry! What a bunch of ingrates!" Liu Chounu slammed the jar down on the table, making the basket on the table jump.

"Why is my life so miserable? I had two sons, and I married two troublemakers."

They used to look down on Xiaofang for being unlucky, but now that they see she's making money, their eyes are practically glowing like hungry wolves, as if they want to pounce on her and tear a piece of her flesh off!

Song Xianglan was sewing shoe soles, her needlework moving swiftly.

Without even lifting his eyelids, he said, "You can't handle this? This is nothing."

"Xianglan, do you think I did something wrong?"

Liu Chounu wiped the water from her mouth, her eyes somewhat glazed over.

"I shouldn't have let them know Xiaofang is making money. Those two spendthrift women were just arguing with me, saying they wanted to help Xiaofang. Pah! They're acting like royalty."

Song Xianglan stopped what she was doing and glanced at Liu Chounu.

"What do you want to do? Really let them go?"

"I was thinking... if Xiaofang really gets too busy in the future, family is always better than strangers, right? We know each other well, so we're not afraid of her taking things by the nose or demanding money." Liu Chounu's tone softened a bit. After all, she was a mother, and she always had a wish for harmony in her family.

Song Xianglan threw the shoe sole into the basket.

"You've lived most of your life, can't you see through this little thing?"

When outsiders do the work, you pay them and they put in the effort. If they don't do a good job, you can just start yelling at them. If they don't listen, you can tell them to get lost.

It's easy to invite a god into your own family, but difficult to send him away.

"If your two daughters-in-law go there, learn the skills, and then turn around and drive Xiaofang away, can you control that?"

The ugly woman was stunned.

He stood there with his mouth open for a long time without saying a word.

She only thought about keeping the benefits within the family, but forgot that you can't judge a book by its cover.

Especially those two shallow-minded daughters-in-law.

"This... can't be, right?" Liu Chounu's voice sounded a little weak.

"Don't you know whether you can or can't do it?"

Song Xianglan got up to add water for Liu Chounu, saying, "Children and grandchildren have their own blessings; you don't need to worry about them."

Xiaofang's life is just starting to improve, so the biggest help you can give her is to not cause her any trouble.

If you're really short-handed, it's better to spend money to hire a quick and efficient outsider than to have your whole family involved.

The ugly woman held the water vat, her hands trembling slightly.

Song Xianglan's words were unpleasant.

Every sentence is reasonable.

She let out a long sigh, feeling as if all her strength had been drained away.

"You're right. I was just worrying unnecessarily. I'm not going to care anymore, whatever."

They say they don't care.

But once she stepped outside, the ugly woman's back still appeared somewhat hunched.

As parents, how can we really just abandon our responsibilities?

He's just being stubborn.

……

The snack shops in the county town are doing increasingly well.

As dawn broke, Lin Fang and Tang Juhua were already busy as bees.

The oil in the large pot of frying dough sticks was bubbling and sizzling, and the golden and crispy dough sticks were scooped out one by one, their aroma wafting for miles.

Old Zhao strolled over slowly, his hands behind his back.

Song Xiangmei followed behind him.

"Xiao Fang, two bowls of salted bone congee and two fried dough sticks!" Old Zhao found an empty table and sat down, acting more at ease than if he were at home. "And a plate of pickled cucumbers and oysters, and a plate of cabbage too."

Song Xiangmei looked at the crowded people.

Looking at Lin Fang's forehead, she couldn't sit still as soon as her bottom touched the stool.

"Are you this busy?" Song Xiangmei rolled up her sleeves. "I'll go lend a hand."

"Oh, young lady, you're here for dinner." Old Zhao tried to stop her but couldn't.

Song Xiangmei skillfully picked up long chopsticks and helped to turn the horseshoe pastries in the oil pan.

She's destined to be a hard worker all her life; she feels restless whenever she's idle.

Since becoming Old Zhao's nanny, she has been living a very comfortable life. She eats and drinks well with her employer every day, and she doesn't have much work to do. The salary she receives is so high that her hands are burning with envy, but she feels uneasy about it.

"Auntie, go take a break, be careful of the oil splashing," Lin Fang called out without looking up as she was serving porridge to a customer.

"I feel uncomfortable with my hands being idle."

Song Xiangmei worked quickly, frying food while keeping an eye on the front. "Business is really good. Fang, I see more and more people coming in. Is this enough to sell? How about we add steamed buns?"

Tang Juhua, who was busy calculating the bill for the customers, suddenly had a bright idea.

"Auntie, that's a great idea. I've been thinking about it too. Lin Man has been sending more and more meat these past few days; it would be a shame not to make meat buns."

Song Xiangmei perked up, "I'm also good at making fillings. I'll teach you later."

Lin Fang smiled and nodded, "Then let's prop up the steamed buns too!"

On the way back after breakfast.

As Song Xiangmei walked, she discussed things with Old Man Zhao.

"Brother, I'm thinking we should just go out to eat twice a week from now on. If we go every day, I'll feel guilty taking my salary."

Old Zhao nodded, his hands behind his back and his eyes narrowed.

"Okay, whatever you say."

Song Xiangmei sighed and looked towards the southern sky:

I wonder how Xiao Chuan and the others are doing in Guangzhou? His father has been gone for so long, and he's still completely unaware...

……

Guangzhou is sweltering in the heat.

Nie Xiaochuan squatted on the steps of the wholesale market.

He had an unknown, cheap cigarette between his fingers, and three buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing his lean chest.

The timidity of a rural child is gone, replaced by a fierce, wolf-like determination.

Not far away.

Song west was shirtless, tossing boxes of goods onto the truck.

The muscles on his arms were like rocks.

Sweat streamed down his back.

These past few months, they've truly fought their way to victory in Guangzhou.

When they first arrived, they were bullied by local thugs who demanded protection money from them and even burned down their shacks.

Song Qiang didn't say much and endured it for three days with his brothers.

On the fourth night...

Song west carried a steel pipe, Song Bei carried a watermelon knife and a stick, and the others carried iron rods with strips of cloth wrapped around them. They rushed into the gang's hideout in the dark.

That fight was brutal.

Song west was tall and incredibly strong; he could break a person's arm with a single blow from a steel pipe.

Song Bei was ruthless and always targeted people in their most vulnerable positions.

the next day.

Those thugs would avoid them if they saw them.

They made a name for themselves.

Business will naturally follow.

Song Qiang was quick-witted and recognized the pain point of out-of-town merchants fearing that their goods would be intercepted, so he set up a transportation team.

They not only help with deliveries, but also ensure people are safely transported to the train station, and can even deliver goods onto the train carriages.

As long as you pay, you'll be safe on your journey.

Song Bei trotted over, a calculating smile on his face. "That Hong Kong businessman came again just now. He said he's going to the next city to check out a factory and wants to hire two tough guys to come with him. He'll give me this amount."

Song Bei stretched out a hand and flipped it over.

Song Qiang spat out the cigarette butt from his mouth and stubbed it out with his foot.

"You and Song west go. He's physically strong, and you're quick-witted. Don't push your luck in a critical moment; just take that gun."

"Don't worry, bro." Song west grinned, revealing a set of bright white teeth. "I'll just treat it as a vacation."

Song Bei's eyes darted around.

"I'm sure I'll make a name for myself in Hong Kong business circles."

After arranging this matter.

Song Qiang suddenly felt a sense of emptiness.

Having been out here for so long, besides making money and fighting, it seems like I've forgotten something.

"Let's go call Auntie San." Song Qiang patted the dirt off his backside.

……

Koizumi Brigade.

As soon as the phone rang at the brigade headquarters, Zhao Chunhua's daughter-in-law rushed to Song Xianglan's door like a magpie delivering a message: "Aunt Xianglan, it's a call from Guangzhou."

Song Xianglan was holding a meeting with the women of the transport team in the courtyard.

This team now has about twenty people.

It was all elderly rural women, including Huang Ronghua's wife and Wang Zhihe's wife.

Upon hearing the call from Guangzhou, Song Xianglan immediately ran away.

Suddenly, more than twenty women stopped working.

Chen Xiuqin was sitting on the millstone, cracking sunflower seeds, surrounded by several idle men and gossipy women.

Watching Song Xianglan dart past.

Chen Xiuqin spat the melon seed shells on the ground and spoke in a sarcastic tone:

"Look at this commotion, anyone who didn't know better would think they were going to receive an imperial edict. A women's transport team? I think it's more like a 'flying chicken transport team'."

The idler nearby listened and chuckled lewdly.

"Xiuqin, what do you mean by that?"

Chen Xiuqin rolled her eyes. "What good things can a group of twenty-odd old women do together?"

They went into the mountains and to the county town every day.

I heard that it's an organized operation to find men. That Song Xianglan is a pimp.

"Really? The brigade leader's wife went too, she's quite old..."

"Why not?"

Chen Xiuqin glared, spitting as she spoke.

"Old people have their advantages; they're experienced. They're skilled, earning three to five cents a time, and they manage not only those above them but also those below."

Tsk tsk tsk... You bunch of country bumpkins, what do you know?

The people around burst into laughter.

His eyes held a lewd glint.

Song Xianglan had sharp ears and vaguely heard the noise from the other side.

I don't have time to deal with this gossipy bastard right now. But when I have the chance, I'll tear her mouth apart.

We arrived at the brigade headquarters.

Song Xianglan grabbed the phone receiver and shouted, "Feed?"

Song Qiang's somewhat distorted voice came from the other end of the phone.

Amidst the crackling of electricity, she said, "Third Aunt, it's me."

"You brat, you still know how to call? It's already June, don't you want to come back?" Song Xianglan scolded, but a smile played on her lips.

"Third Aunt, how could that be? I've just been busy." Song Qiang chuckled on the other end of the phone. "I have something to report to you. We've obtained temporary residence permits in Guangzhou."

Here, if you're willing to spend the money, they'll really get things done.

I figured there were more opportunities and less shady paths here, so Xiaochuan and I wouldn't go back; we'd settle down here.

Song Xianglan tightened her grip on the microphone.

"However... Song Dong said he's not used to it here, misses home every day, and wants to go back to work for you. I'm thinking of having him take the train back in a few days."

"Okay, let him come back. We're short-handed at home, and I'm going up north. We need someone who can handle things." Song Xianglan made a quick decision.

Song Xianglan: "Tell Xiaochuan that his father has been dead for several months."

A burst of noise came from the other end of the phone.

It seems that Song Qiang handed the phone to someone.

After a long while, Nie Xiaochuan's trembling voice came through the receiver:

"Third Aunt...my dad...is he really gone?"

"That's all..." Song Xianglan's voice was flat, without much variation.

All I could hear on the other end of the phone was heavy breathing.

After a long while, a suppressed sob was heard:

"I understand, Auntie. I'll go back tomorrow."