Divorced woman with child travels through time

After the woman disappeared from sight, Chu Yi emerged from under the shelf after a long while. Chen Wenfang wanted to ask her something, but then she saw Chu Yi pull Shi Wu aside and whisper in a corner behind the house. Just then, Er Niu called her to go buy glutinous rice, interrupting Chen Wenfang. Not wanting to ask any further questions, she gave up, thinking she would ask him alone when she got home. Could that woman be the children's stepmother?

Chen Wenfang followed Wang Erniu to buy glutinous rice and put it on the carriage. After thinking for a while, she also took the time to buy ten catties of cotton and four bolts of cotton cloth. They now ordered food at the stalls and ate dinner before going home. Chen Wenfang was tired after a long day and didn't want to cook when she got home.

On the carriage, Chen Wenfang said to Aunt Liu, "Auntie, wait a minute, could you please go to Wangjiazhuang and find some acquaintances there to see if they can help make cotton-padded clothes? Just for the few of us, one set each, and three sets each for Erniu and Xiao Ahao. If anyone knows how to make shoes, they can also make cotton-padded shoes for me. I'll pay for the labor. We've both been busy with business lately and haven't had time to make clothes."

Aunt Liu was very happy that Fang'er had entrusted her with this important task, and quickly replied, "It's no trouble at all. This is very simple. Leave it to me. I know exactly which family in Wangjiazhuang has the best handicrafts. I'll go to Wangjiazhuang as soon as I get home and make sure I get the job done. I'll make the clothes you make beautiful and sturdy."

Chen Wenfang nodded and smiled, "Of course I believe you."

Turning to Uncle Liu Hai, he said, "Uncle, you don't need to come with us to the stall these next few days. You can stay at my house and keep an eye on things. The rice we have at home is drying in the house and it's not drying very easily. If you're home, you can help us move it to the yard to dry, and the rice will dry faster. Also, could you help me find a few people to repair the path between my house and yours and make it a main road? That way, the horse-drawn carriages can come directly to our house. What do you think? It's the off-season for farming anyway, and there are a lot of people in the village, so it should be easy for you to find people."

Uncle Liu Hai said, "That's possible, but what about our manpower for selling rice candy? If I don't go, who will do it?"

Chen Wenfang laughed and said, "I recently saw that Dazhuang can come and cut the sweet potatoes, so I let Shitou sell them. I saw that Shitou is selling them quite well, and he's not shy at all." Shitou smiled happily at the praise.

That was settled, but Chen Wenfang noticed that Chu Yi had been very silent the whole way, so she could only go back and ask him.

After arriving home, Wang Erniu conscientiously went to fetch water to soak the glutinous rice. Chen Wenfang got out of the car and led Chu Yi into the room. They had stopped counting money recently; counting too much had exhausted them. Chen Wenfang felt that as long as the money looked piled up to a reasonable level, it was fine. Anyway, they would exchange it for loose silver the next day, and others would know just by weighing it.

Seeing Chu Yi enter the room, Chen Wenfang closed the door behind her. Looking at the well-behaved and sensible Chu Yi standing in front of her, Chen Wenfang said softly, "Chu Yi, come on, tell your godmother what happened?"

Chu Yi looked at Chen Wenfang, then suddenly knelt down and cried, "Wife, please buy me and Shiwu together."

Chen Wenfang quickly helped him up and said, "What are you doing? Don't cry." She wiped away his tears and patted his head, saying, "Let's talk things over. We'll solve any problems we encounter. Don't be afraid, don't cry. Be good, I'm here for you."

As Chen Wenfang spoke, she pulled him to sit on the kang (a heated brick bed). Chu Yi, sobbing between tears, said, "That woman from last time is our stepmother. If she sees me here with you, she'll definitely sell us off, and she might even try to take advantage of you. You'll have to pay her a huge sum of money! I won't allow her to do that unless you buy us. Then she'll have nothing to say. Wife, please buy us." Chu Yi really didn't want to go back. He and his younger brother were doing very well here. Chen Wenfang was no worse than his own mother, and she treated them so well. He would definitely learn from his godmother and work hard to earn money so he could take good care of her in the future.

Chen Wenfang asked hesitantly, "Are you sure she would do that? Your stepmother doesn't seem like that kind of person."

Chu Yi said with unwavering determination and seriousness, "She definitely will. Don't let her honest appearance fool you; she'll never hesitate to ask for money. When my father was sick, I saw her forcing him to hand over his personal savings and begging him to sell his 15th brother. Wife, let's draw up a written agreement; I'm begging you."

He was about to kneel down again when Chen Wenfang helplessly pulled him up and said, "Don't rush, don't rush, let me think about it first." With that, she opened the door and went out.

Chu Yi was a little confused, but he could only follow her out of the room. Back in the main room, Chen Wenfang said to him, "Don't follow me. I'm going to talk to your Uncle Erniu." With that, she went into the kitchen.

Wang Erniu was boiling water when Chen Wenfang walked over and suddenly grabbed his hand, saying, "Brother Erniu, let's go for a walk outside!"

"Me!" Wang Erniu was stunned for a moment. He looked at her. "Going out in this freezing weather?" He looked down at Chen Wenfang holding his hand, his heart softened, and he nodded, following Chen Wenfang out the door.

Having spent so much time together, Chen Wenfang had roughly guessed Wang Erniu's thoughts, so she thought she could pull him up with her hand and seduce him a little, and maybe the matter would be resolved. The two of them left the yard hand in hand.

The three little ones, who were being affectionate with Luo Xiaohei in the courtyard, watched curiously as they walked out.

The two slowly walked out of the courtyard, and Chen Wenfang said softly, "Brother Erniu, I have something I'd like to ask you."

Wang Erniu said, "What is it? Tell me and I'll agree to anything!"

Chen Wenfang suddenly laughed and said, "You agreed before I even said anything. Aren't you afraid I'll sell you out?"

Wang Erniu looked at her intently and said, "I know you, and I believe you. You won't lie to me."

Chen Wenfang suddenly felt a little ashamed and said in a low voice, "When I came here, I ran in such a hurry that I lost my household registration book and other documents. I want to register my household and get a new household registration certificate. Can you act as a witness for me?"

Wang Erniu pondered, "Then where will you register your household?"

Chen Wenfang asked, "Can't I stay here?"

Wang Erniu said, "It's not impossible, but you're a refugee who came here, so you must have a place of origin and settle here. Otherwise, it's hard to explain if you're an unregistered resident." Chen Wenfang was in a dilemma.

Wang Erniu thought for a moment and said, "How about this, since you've always called yourself my cousin, I'll get a certificate to transfer your original household registration to my mother's place, and then transfer it to our place. What do you think?" After saying that, Wang Erniu smiled and said, "Actually, I really do have a cousin. Before I met you, I always thought it was really my cousin who came here. I even thought she wouldn't be so bold as to kill someone."

Chen Wenfang smiled and said, "Of course I can, as long as you don't make things difficult for me." She added, "So what if you kill someone? There's no other way in that situation."

Wang Erniu laughed and said, "Well done! For a woman like you to have such courage is truly remarkable."