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

J City was built along the river with kilns, and the city was formed because of the kilns. It extends from Licun in the east to Nanshan Ferry in the south, from the east bank of Changjiang River in the west to Guanyinge in the north. It has "four mountains", "eight valleys", "three islands", "four wharves", "eleven and a half streets" and "one hundred and eight alleys".

More than half of these pre-liberation old houses were built using bricks discarded during kiln repairs. The bricks, stained by the smoke from the pine wood kilns, exhibit varying shades of red and dark brown. This resulted in the traditional Hui-style alleyway architecture with its blue bricks, black tiles, white walls, upturned eaves, and interconnected passageways.

The walls of the kiln brick houses were covered with lush green ivy and dense moss, and the deep, secluded alleyways were paved with long bluestone slabs and gravel. The rich built large brick and tile courtyards, while the poor mostly lived in wooden houses with black tiles, which inevitably let in drafts and leaks when it was windy and rainy.

The doors and windows of ordinary houses have turned brownish-black due to the passage of time. The wooden doors have two copper or iron ring handles, and the door gods and red couplets pasted on both sides have faded and turned white.

Shi Renmei's house was also a two-room unfinished house allocated by the government (unfinished houses refer to ordinary people's housing converted from Ming and Qing kilns and porcelain-making workshops before liberation). The ground was uneven rammed earth, with only one bedroom, one main room and a narrow kitchen. A small attic was partitioned off with wooden boards to store miscellaneous items. The public toilet was at the corner of the alley, and you could usually find it by smell.

The house didn't have electric lights yet. Although the afternoon sun was shining brightly, the small main room seemed dimly lit because the doorway was crowded with neighbors watching the commotion. In those days, people's leisure time was relatively monotonous. If someone came to visit and had a quarrel, it was impossible to keep it a secret. Any gossip would become fodder for everyone's conversation over tea.

At this time, although Jing City had electricity, only schools, factories, government departments, and streetlights had electricity. Some residents who were able to get electricity also had electricity, but ordinary residents did not have complete access to electricity, and the same was true for telephones.

A portrait of Chairman Mao is pasted on the main wall of the main room. Against the wall is an eight-immortal table with a blue and white porcelain teapot on it and four blue and white porcelain teacups upside down on a tray.

Since Shi Huai'an had not yet woken up, no one was in the mood for tea. Shi Renmei sat at the table with his head down, somewhat lost in thought. After all, Huai'an's drowning was related to his younger brother's family, and it was caused by a seven or eight-year-old child. He didn't want to be too harsh, and he was also holding back his anger. He didn't want to pursue the matter further, so he asked Shi Wenbin about Huai'an's condition, then sighed and waited silently.

Shi Wenbin sat down on the other side of the table with a sullen face and poured himself a glass of water. He knew a little about the situation of his brothers' families, but he didn't want to interfere in their family affairs.

Shi Renli and Wu Yue'e sat on stools against the wall, while Xiaoyan and Yaozu stood behind their parents, too afraid to speak. The neighbors, however, recounted the events in detail, each adding to the other's account.

"Why hasn't Huai'an woken up yet after all this time?" Grandma Liu from next door asked worriedly.

“Wenbin and his brother both said it’s alright,” Wu Yue’e said with a worried look and a hint of sarcasm in her voice, “Oh dear~ Huai’an is really something, not even giving way to his sister over such a small thing. Xiaoyan, you’re also being inconsiderate. Even if you knew Huai’an could swim, you shouldn’t have pushed her. You’re used to joking around at home and don’t know your limits. When Huai’an wakes up, apologize properly. Huai’an won’t blame you, don’t worry…”

Neighbor Aunt Guan kindly advised, "Auntie, shouldn't you take Huai'an to the hospital for a check-up? Don't delay."

Wu Yue'e hurriedly said, "Huai'an just fell asleep, no need to bother him. We'll listen to our elder brother. I think we shouldn't waste his money. Didn't Brother Wenbin say it's alright? Right? Brother Wenbin is a medical student!" She looked at Shi Wenbin expectantly and asked.

Shi Wenbin hesitated for a moment. His pulse indicated that he was alright, but since he was still unconscious, he couldn't be too definitive. However, he was also a little annoyed by everyone's doubts. He cleared his throat and coughed, saying, "The neighbors mean well, but don't worry. His pulse is still stable, and he doesn't have a fever. Let's wait and observe him."

Grandpa Wu snorted and said to Wu Yue'e, "If it's going to cost money, it should be your family's responsibility. Your daughter caused this trouble, so you have to take responsibility."

Wu Yue'e sat on the stool, immediately glared back with her cross-eyed eyes, and scolded, "Who do you think you are? Why are you meddling in other people's business?"

She slapped her knees and cried out in a hoarse voice, "Brother, no one could have predicted this! Huai'an can swim, right? Xiaoyan didn't know she would cause such a disaster! It's all Huai'an's fate! If anything really happens to Huai'an, let Xiaoyan be your daughter, or let Yaozu be your adopted son. I'll let him take care of you in your old age and see you off in your final days."

A moment of silence fell over everyone. Aunt Wu, pursing her lips, protested, "Are you even speaking human language? Are you cursing An'an to die? We watched her grow up! Your family has done something like this; you should at least make amends, after all, An'an suffered so much. Your elder brother and sister-in-law are kind-hearted, but they should at least have some self-awareness..."

Wang Xiuzhi had been keeping watch over Huai'an by the bedside in the inner room. She was wearing an old-fashioned, loose-fitting, modified light blue top with a diagonal collar and short, ear-length hair. Hearing Wu Yue'e's malicious words, her chest heaved with anger.

When she heard the words "nephews will take care of you in your old age and see you off in your final days," she finally couldn't help but jump up from the bedside, quickly walk out of the inner room, and point to the front door, saying:

"Get out of here! Get out right now! It's all your daughter's fault that Huai'an is like this, and you still dare to make sarcastic remarks and curse Huai'an to die. Haven't we been good enough to your family all these years? Have you lost your conscience?"

Wu Yue'e didn't care about her usually taciturn sister-in-law. With a sharp look on her face, she said, "Sister-in-law, what are you saying? I'm just trying to be helpful. Your own children, whom you gave birth to and raised, are all gone. Isn't that all fate? Who can fight against fate? Aren't I doing all this for your own good? If we weren't family, would I have given you my son?"

Wu Yue'e was actually eight years older than Wang Xiuzhi, but according to seniority, she still had to call Xiuzhi "elder sister-in-law".

Wang Xiuzhi was so angry she felt like she was going to vomit blood. She was so hurt she couldn't speak, and tears streamed down her face: "You...you've gone too far!"

Seeing Xiuzhi being mistreated, Shi Renmei angrily slammed her hand on the table and pointed at Wu Yue'e, shouting, "How dare you speak to your sister-in-law like that? What nonsense are you spewing here? You've been making a racket all this time, and you don't even know how to reflect on your own problems."

Seeing that she had angered her elder brother, Wu Yue'e's arrogance immediately subsided, though she still muttered, "What problem could I possibly have? I was just thinking of you all..."

Shi Renli quickly said, "Sister-in-law, that's really not what I meant. It's all Xiaoyan's fault for being so insensible." He then turned to Wu Yue'e and shouted, "Stop talking nonsense! Will you die if you don't speak?"

Wu Yue'e, humiliated by the insults, sat down on the ground and began wailing, clapping her hands and feet: "Heavens above! Look at me! What a miserable life I've lived since I married you, you worthless, heartless wretch! You're utterly hopeless! Why do others get married and go to the city to enjoy a life of luxury, while I'm stuck farming in the countryside? What sins have I committed? I dedicate myself to managing this household, yet I'm still not appreciated. Why am I suffering like this? I might as well just die..."

She started crying and berating her husband and children, making a huge scene.

Overwhelmed with grief, Wang Xiuzhi wiped away her tears and went into the house. She bent down and touched Huai'an's forehead, her face filled with sorrow as she silently murmured to herself, "Is this fate? An'an, without you, I don't want to live anymore..."

Huai'an couldn't bear it, so he forced his weak body to open his eyes and shook his head and winked at his mother.

Wang Xiuzhi opened her mouth wide in surprise and almost shouted out loud.

Shi Huai'an blinked quickly, took her hand, and whispered, "Mom! I'm fine, don't cry... don't make a sound, I just wanted to scare them so they wouldn't stay. Let them go, I don't like them... I'm too tired and want to sleep, don't worry about me."

Wang Xiuzhi covered her mouth, tears welling in her eyes, and nodded repeatedly. Looking at Huai'an, who was still very weak, she leaned down and whispered in his ear, "You're such a good boy. You sleep well. I'll make them leave so they won't disturb your rest. I hate them too."

Wang Xiuzhi finally felt relieved. Hearing Wu Yue'e crying outside did not soften her heart but instead fueled her anger. A mother is strong, and for her daughter's sake, she had to be strong and not let Wu Yue'e always get her way.

She wasn't unaware of Wu Yue'e's thoughts. In the past, she had always implied that only her nephew was reliable, and that daughters were a waste of money, especially since Huai'an was an adopted daughter. It wasn't until Shi Renmei lost her temper and forbade them from saying such things in front of Huai'an that Wu Yue'e stopped. Fortunately, Huai'an was still young at the time and didn't quite understand what the adults were arguing about. Thinking about all this, Wang Xiuzhi felt a pang of pain in her heart.

Wang Xiuzhi walked into the main room and looked at Wu Yue'e, who was acting like a rogue on the ground, feeling miserable. She suppressed her disgust and said in a distant but polite voice, "How can Huai'an rest if you keep making such a fuss? Brother Wenbin also said that Huai'an needs to rest quietly. It's hard to say whether there will be any aftereffects. You should go back first. The house is a mess, so I won't keep you."

Wu Yue'e was taken aback, then hurriedly scrambled to her feet, patted her bottom, and instantly adopted a pitiful expression, saying ingratiatingly, "Xiuzhi, I'll stay and help you take care of Huai'an. It breaks my heart to see her like this. You're busy with work, so leave Huai'an in our care. We're family, what are you worried about..."

Shi Renmei glanced at Wang Xiuzhi, surprised that his usually meek wife had told his brother's family to leave. He must have been furious. He nodded and said, "It's good that you go back. This place is too small to stay in."

Wu Yue'e looked at Shi Renmei somewhat awkwardly and stammered, "This year's harvest was bad. The fields were infested with insects, so there wasn't much to show for it. It wasn't easy for us to come all this way, and we don't have the travel expenses. Your nephew Yaozu is starting school soon. He's a good student, and his teachers all praise him for being smart. Could you perhaps help him with some of his tuition? We're all family, and Yaozu is the only son in your Shi family. If he succeeds in the future, it will bring you honor, and it will bring honor to the Shi family..."

Shi Renmei was extremely disappointed by Wu Yue'e's previous "fate of losing a child," and now she was saying the same thing again. Furious and helpless, she slammed her hand on the table with a "bang," and with a livid face, she gave them the order to leave: "Renli, you and your family should go home first!"

The neighbors gathered outside the door had long disapproved of this shrewish and mercenary behavior, and they all clicked their tongues and watched coldly.

Wu Yue'e stood stubbornly without moving, as if her elder brother's family owed her something, determined not to give up until she got the money.

Shi Renli kept his head down and remained silent. His wife spoke up, though it was a bit shameless, but the family was indeed broke. A man without money loses his confidence, so he naturally didn't dare to say anything, otherwise he would only bring trouble upon himself and wouldn't have peace when he got home.

Shi Renmei sighed, frowned, took out ten yuan from his pocket, slapped it on the table, and said, "Let's go back first. This is all I have." He didn't want to completely offend his younger brother. After all, there was still an ancestral home in the countryside, and there would be a time to go back. No one is born from a stone, and it's impossible for a person to live without relatives to visit.

Ignoring the disdain on everyone's faces, Wu Yue'e stepped forward, clutched the money tightly in her hand, and said with a forced smile, "Brother and sister-in-law, you're busy, we'll go back now."

Although Xiuzhi felt bad about spending the money, seeing that she had finally gotten rid of them, she could only shake her head and go back to her room. It would be better not to have such relatives at all.

Wu Yue'e pulled Xiao Yan and squeezed her way out.

Aunt Wang, who was blocking the doorway to watch the commotion, sneered, "Don't be in such a hurry to leave. Your uncle and aunt are naturally worried about An'an, so they'll definitely have to pay for her medical and nutritional expenses, right?"

Sister Zhao nodded repeatedly and said, "I guess it should be at least twenty or thirty yuan. It's not much. Last time my son got into a fight with his classmate and broke his head, requiring more than ten stitches. Not only did we have to pay for medical expenses and lost wages, but we also had to pay for a basket of eggs, two bottles of fruit cans, and a can of malted milk powder. And the classmate wasn't happy about it."

Uncle Liu shook his head and said, "I don't think Xiaoyan's matter can be let go so easily. You can tell what a person will be like at three and what they will be like at seven. If we don't educate her properly now, she'll be a different person when she grows up. Who knows what kind of big things she might do? The parents have a responsibility."

The others whispered among themselves, nodding and offering suggestions: "How dare they take the money? Ten yuan! This is like throwing good money after bad. I think we should report it to the police or the neighborhood committee..."

Wu Yue'e panicked. She didn't care about education or anything like that; what really hurt was the money.

Twenty or thirty yuan is equivalent to more than half a year's work points.

Keep in mind that at the time, the eldest brother, Shi Renmei, worked at the Jingshi Food Company and earned only twenty-eight yuan a month.

Wang Xiuzhi works at a shoe factory sewing shoe soles, earning a monthly salary of fourteen yuan. She also helps out by taking care of other people's children to supplement her family's income.

Not to mention that Wu Yue'e's family worked in the countryside on a work-point basis, and even after a year of hard work, they wouldn't earn more than a few dozen yuan. They had no money to lose, but they had several lives to live on.

Wu Yue'e suddenly pulled Xiaoyan and Yaozu up, hurriedly pushing through the crowd, saying, "You people shouldn't be so eager to stir up trouble and sow discord between brothers. We're perfectly fine, we don't care about this..."

Shi Renli also got up somewhat awkwardly, exchanged a few polite words with his brother and sister-in-law, saying that he must send chickens and eggs back when he got back, and then slunk away.

Although Shi Renmei looked unhappy, she couldn't do anything to her brother's family. She could only try to cover it up and not be too heartless, after all, they were family.

Shi Wenbin shook his head, then checked An'an's pulse again. He felt there was nothing seriously wrong; her complexion was normal, and her breathing was even. She must be asleep. He comforted Wang Xiuzhi and told her to send someone to call him if anything happened, and not to be shy, before leaving.

Knowing that Huai'an was alright, the neighbors shook their heads and dispersed, and the noisy world suddenly became quiet.