Rebooting 60, let's go on a rampage with the orange cat!

Seeing Shi Huai'an's hesitant expression, Wu Chunli couldn't help but laugh, "This girl is quite perceptive. Are you afraid we'll break our promise and lie to you? Don't worry, we'll not only take you away, but we'll also keep it a secret. You also need to be careful not to let them find out, lest trouble arise and you can't escape. We've watched you grow up since you were little, we won't lie to you. As for whether you can get out of that house, that depends on your abilities. I've always looked down on your aunt. We used to be from the same village, and we've been enemies since childhood. When she finds out you're gone, she'll be furious!" After saying that, she playfully winked at her.

Huai'an, embarrassed that his thoughts had been exposed, said, "Uncle, Aunt, my mother always told me that you were very good people. I will definitely come tomorrow." Mentioning his mother, Huai'an's eyes reddened, and he bowed deeply to them before turning to leave.

Shi Wenbin and his wife were deeply saddened and did not mention the matter to their relatives and friends when they returned home.

When Huai'an returned to her uncle's house, her aunt glared at her and scolded, "You're always out there running wild, why don't you just die out there? You're never even here for meals, do you think you're some kind of pampered young lady who deserves to be treated to food? If you don't eat, you might as well starve to death, let's see how long you can last! Hurry up and wash the dishes, you all, you eat and then slip away, one of you has to go to the toilet, another has something to do, you're all lazybones reincarnated, I really don't know what sins you committed in your past life..." She kept nagging, scolding this person and that person, her mouth never getting tired.

This time, Shi Huai'an didn't argue back. She looked around and found the pot empty, with no leftovers. She had no choice but to go hungry, obediently washing the dishes with her head down, and quickly returning to her room.

Seeing her so meek and submissive, Wu Yue'e felt a surge of pride, thinking: "I'll have to get rid of your thorns eventually, so I can eat you properly later."

Shi Huai'an was still living in the small house her mother had lived in before her death, not with her uncle and aunt. As soon as she entered the room, she saw a plain cake wrapped in a blue checkered handkerchief on the table; it was a little cold. She was taken aback, but immediately understood whose kindness it was…

Before tissues were available, Wang Xiuzhi would prepare small handkerchiefs for Huai'an to wipe his mouth or nose. This particular handkerchief had the character "An" embroidered on it by her mother. Picking it up, she couldn't help but reminisce about the warm days under her mother's wings. A deep sense of loss washed over her; those days were gone forever…

It turned out that Shi Yaozu noticed that Shi Huai'an hadn't eaten dinner, so he brought a vegetarian cake to find her. From afar, he saw Huai'an talking to her cousin Shi Wenbin and his wife. Although he couldn't hear what they were saying, he vaguely guessed that Huai'an had something to tell her uncle, and he had a bad feeling.

Shi Yaozu felt uneasy, so he wrapped the vegetarian cake in a handkerchief and placed it in the room where Shi Huai'an lived.

This handkerchief belongs to Huai'an. That day, he slipped and rolled down the hillside while chopping firewood. Huai'an and Xiaoyan were gathering pig feed at the bottom of the hill when they rushed over to help him up. When Huai'an saw that his hand was cut and bleeding, he took out a floral handkerchief from his pocket and bandaged it for him.

Later, Yaozu washed the handkerchief clean and put it away. Xiaoyan kept pestering him for a handkerchief, but he wouldn't give it to her. Country girls rarely care about such things; wiping their noses with their sleeves is enough. Why would they need a handkerchief? Cloth coupons are hard to come by these days.

This time, Shi Yaozu saw that Huai'an hadn't eaten and it wasn't convenient to put the vegetarian cakes directly in a bowl, fearing that his family would find out and laugh at him. He was also afraid that Huai'an would find it dirty if he put them directly in a pocket, so he wrapped them in this precious handkerchief and sent them over. He originally wanted to talk to Huai'an and make a good impression, showing that he was different from his mother and sister, but he didn't expect to see this scene.

Shi Yaozu paced back and forth in his bedroom, but then he thought that if he told his mother, she would scold Huai'an again, given her temperament. Thinking about how there would be no peace at home, he held back. It was better to avoid trouble and not ruin his reputation. Perhaps he was just overthinking things.

Shi Huai'an barely slept all night. She packed a simple bag late at night without disturbing anyone. She didn't have a clock and was afraid of missing the time, so she tiptoed out the door before dawn. She left without incident, while the Shi family was still fast asleep.

When she arrived at the agreed location, it was quiet and no one had arrived. Huai'an hid behind a big tree and carefully observed her surroundings. The winter morning was bitterly cold, and she was only dressed in thin clothes. Her hands were also covered in chilblains, so she could only keep stamping her feet or jogging along the roadside to keep warm.

After waiting for about an hour, the tractor driver finally arrived with the tractor chugging along, followed by Shi Wenbin and his wife.

They helped Huai'an into the car, and Wu Chunli handed her a boiled egg, saying, "How long have you been here? Haven't you had breakfast yet? Here, take this." Huai'an gratefully accepted the egg, thanked them, and whispered, "Not long."

Only when the tractor finally drove out of the village did Shi Huai'an finally relax.

A biting wind was blowing in from all sides of the tractor, the north wind whistling like blades against her face. Shi Huai'an couldn't help but sneeze, her nose running. Feeling a little embarrassed, she hurriedly pulled a handkerchief from her pocket to wipe her nose, even though the handkerchief had been used to wrap things and was a bit dirty. But at this moment, she couldn't care less...

This is a handkerchief embroidered with the character "安" (peace/safety) by her mother. Her thoughts drifted again, and the thought of returning to Jing City made her heart burn with excitement. At this moment, she had already left Wu Yue'e's family far behind. As for Shi Yaozu, she didn't care about him at all. After all, if she stayed, Yaozu would become the one who imprisoned her and aided and abetted her evil deeds. She was too busy escaping...

This handkerchief is one of the keepsakes her mother left her. It has the character "安" (peace/safety) embroidered on it by her mother. She will cherish it. And all of this has nothing to do with Shi Yaozu...

After arriving at the station, I transferred to a bus. The windows were closed, and the bus was packed with people. Finally, Huai'an wasn't so cold anymore.

Back in the city, Shi Wenbin and his wife dropped Huai'an off at the store where Shi Renmei worked. Huai'an shouted loudly to Shi Renmei at the counter, "Dad, I'm back! Please give me back the one yuan and ten cents to Uncle Shi."

Shi Renmei was busy taking stock with her colleagues when she saw Huai'an. She seemed very surprised, but she quickly calmed down, paid for the train ticket, and pulled Shi Wenbin into the store to get a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes as a token of her gratitude.

Shi Wenbin waved his hands repeatedly, refusing to accept the cigarettes, but Shi Renmei, being tall and strong, insisted on stuffing them into his pocket.

Wu Chunli smiled and flattered Shi Renmei, saying, "Brother Shi, don't be so polite about it since it's on our way! If Huai'an hadn't told us that you wanted her to come back to school, I almost wouldn't have believed it. There aren't many people in the countryside who are willing to send their daughters to school. You're quite an enlightened person."

Shi Renmei awkwardly touched his nose, laughed, and didn't offer any further explanation. His conscience had been tormented by not going to the countryside to bring Huai'an back to study. Huai'an was someone he had doted on since childhood; it was impossible for him not to worry about him. Now that Huai'an was back, he felt a sense of relief, as if a heavy stone had been lifted from his chest.

He patted Huai'an's head, breathed a sigh of relief, and smiled, saying, "It's good that you're back."

Wu Chunli pressed her advantage, saying, "I know someone at Hongqi Elementary School who can help you transfer to a class. Just let me know if you need help, and it'll definitely be fine."

Shi Renmei said cheerfully, "I'll go back to my old school. It's closer to home. If I ever have any difficulties, I'll definitely ask you for help."

Shi Huai'an looked at Wu Chunli gratefully and said, "Thank you, Auntie. I will definitely repay you when I start working."

Everyone burst into laughter. Before leaving, Shi Wenbin pulled Shi Renmei aside and said a few more words to her.

The couple chatted and laughed on their way back, feeling deeply moved. In any case, they had done a good deed, and they were quite satisfied.

Seeing that Huai'an's clothes were thin, worn, and too short, Shi Renmei felt a pang of sadness. She took Huai'an to a store and bought him a cheap cotton-padded coat. She also had two overcoats made at a tailor shop. In the past, the cotton lining of winter clothes was only dried in the sun and not washed. The cotton would clump together and become less warm if it was wet. Overcoats, however, could be washed and changed.

Xiuzhi used to make all of these by hand. He was a grown man and didn't know how to take care of girls, but he knew a little bit. So he gave Huai'an a few dollars to buy girls' supplies and told him not to spend them recklessly.

On their way home, he said seriously to Huai'an, "I will write back to your uncle and make things clear. If you really don't want to get married, then don't. But don't be too ruthless. Who can predict what will happen in the future? Let me tell you something else. I was thinking that it's not convenient for me to take care of you since you're a girl. Last month, I found you a stepmother. She has no children or burdens and is a very good person. You should get along well with her. You're old enough to be sensible."

Shi Huai'an was shocked to find that his father had remarried only half a year after his mother's death. He was at a loss for words. After a moment of silence, Huai'an asked frankly, "Dad, can I still go to school?"

Shi Renmei rubbed her hands together for a while, then said with a wry smile, "I've already patted my chest and said it in front of outsiders, it definitely means it! We'll go to the school tomorrow morning to ask about transferring."

As they walked home, they encountered many acquaintances who nodded and smiled at them. This was especially true as they entered the alley. When the neighbors on either side of the door saw them, they greeted them warmly, with some saying, "Is Huai'an back? He's grown so much!"

Some said, "Long time no see! You've grown taller. You're not leaving this time, are you?"

"Hello, uncles and aunts! Hello, grandpa and grandma... Um, I'm back, I'm not leaving anymore." Shi Huai'an politely responded to each of them.

They were surrounded by neighbors chatting at their doorstep for a while before they went inside.

As soon as Shi Huai'an and his companion entered the house, the neighbors began to whisper and shake their heads in small groups...

The front door was wide open, and the inside was dimly lit; the lights weren't on yet.

A woman in her fifties was carrying steaming hot food to the table.

Shi Renmei greeted, "Lvping, I'm back." He went over to help light the kerosene lamp, and the room was instantly brightened up, no longer gloomy.

Sun Lüping turned to look at them. The smile that had appeared on her face gradually faded when she saw Shi Huai'an. In fact, she had already heard the commotion outside, but she was a little embarrassed by her status and did not want to come out and greet them.

She looked at Huai'an, her expression turning serious. She was short and of medium build, with a long, thin face and single eyelids, her eyes revealing a scrutinizing gaze; her cheekbones were high, her lips thin, and she wore a dark blue overcoat jacket, black jogger pants, and black soft leather shoes. Her feet were not bound, and she was impeccably dressed from head to toe, clearly a cunning and difficult woman to get along with.

Shi Renmei nudged Huai'an again and said ingratiatingly, "Quick! Call her 'Mom'~ Lüping, this is Huai'an."

The woman before her had forcefully taken Xiuzhi's place, and Huai'an felt both repulsed and somewhat intimidated, stammering and unable to change her words. But having experienced the changes of the past year, she had matured considerably, and she knew that if she couldn't win this woman's favor, she might lose her place in the family.

She quickly composed herself, blushed, and mustered her courage to call out in a barely audible voice, "Mom."

Sun Lüping's expression changed slightly upon hearing Shi Huai'an's form of address. She looked at Huai'an coldly, not particularly pleased, but forced a smile and said politely, "Don't stand there, wash your hands and eat first." She then raised her eyes and glanced sideways at Shi Renmei, saying, "No one told me we had guests, so we didn't prepare any dishes. Just make do with what we have."

“What guests? We’re all family, order whatever you like.” Shi Renmei broke the awkward silence, then smiled at Huai’an and said, “Huai’an, come on, let’s eat first, Mom’s cooking is pretty good…”

As Sun Lüping set the table, she glanced around with her triangular eyes and noticed the new clothes Shi Huai'an was holding. Her pupils involuntarily contracted slightly, and a sharp glint flashed in her eyes. She quickly followed up with a forced, nonchalant laugh, saying sourly, "Your dad is really generous to you. This must have cost a lot of money, right?"

Huai'an looked at her father, bewildered, without answering.

Shi Renmei awkwardly touched her nose and chuckled dryly, "The child just arrived and didn't bring any change of clothes, so I just bought some random things. Come on, come on, let's eat, the food's getting cold."

Sun Lüping was so angry that she didn't say another word and lost her appetite.

The three of them finished their meal in silence. Huai'an obediently washed the dishes and then boiled water to take a bath inside.

Sun Lüping looked impatient. The house was small, so Huai'an could only take a bath in the inner room, which made the floor wet.

Sun Lüping was very unhappy. The inner room was her and Shi Renmei's bedroom, and now a 14-year-old daughter had suddenly appeared and was getting in and out of sight. What kind of situation was this?

But she couldn't immediately lose her temper, because the neighbors were watching and it would make her seem petty. Being a stepmother is already difficult enough, so she suppressed her anger and grievances, feeling incredibly frustrated.

After Shi Huai'an came out of the shower, Sun Lüping immediately went into the inner room and slammed the door shut. Because it wasn't locked, the door bounced back and remained half-open.

Shi Huai'an was so frightened that he didn't know what to do, like a startled bird.

Shi Renmei frowned and followed her inside. The two seemed to be arguing quietly about something.

A short while later, Shi Renmei carried out the disassembled bed boards one by one, and placed a long bench at each end of the wall next to the dining table to set up a simple bed.

Then he went back into the room and brought out two sets of bedding and pillows, which he then laid on the beds.

Shi Renmei said, "Huai'an, our house is small, so we have no choice but to set up a bed here. Your mother is right. It was fine when you were little, but now that you're older, it's not very convenient for the three of us to share a room. You can make do in the main room for now. It's more convenient to do your homework at the table."

Huai'an nodded understandingly and said, "That's good, Dad, I understand."

She didn't really mind; she thought it was fine this way. Although she didn't have her own room, she was content as long as she could come back to school.

After her father came into the room, she lay down on the bed. The mattress was very thin, and the bed board was a bit hard and uncomfortable.

Her adoptive mother, Wang Xiuzhi, has passed away. There are some things that no one will ever care for her like her loving mother did, and she is a child without a mother's care.

Huai'an's tears flowed down her cheeks without her realizing it. She silently wiped them away, feeling that she no longer had the right to cry.

She's already 14, not an ignorant child. In many families, this age is already capable of shouldering responsibilities and earning money for the family. She's at the boundary between adulthood and childhood. If she's brave, even braver, she can get through it…

Without her birth mother's care and support, and having lost her adoptive mother, Huai'an had essentially lost half of her world. Now, she was left all alone, utterly isolated. She had to learn to take care of herself and her father, to avoid causing him any further trouble. She would handle things on her own, like putting a hot water bottle in bed to keep her feet warm tomorrow…

As long as you don't starve, there's nothing that can't be solved...

The thought of going back to school tomorrow and sitting in the classroom with her classmates, listening to the teacher's lectures, filled her with immense excitement.

She drifted off to sleep, lost in her dreams...