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

Li Huaijin, the eldest daughter of the Li family, loved listening to and learning opera, just like her mother. When she was twelve, she secretly went with her classmates to audition for the city's Gan Opera troupe. Guess what? She actually passed the audition without even realizing it, and became a student learning the old female role singing style of the Gan Opera troupe.

Li Hanchen harbored some reservations about this matter. Singing and listening to music in his spare time was just a form of entertainment, nothing serious. However, when Li Huaijin formally joined the troupe to learn opera, he always felt a little awkward and uncomfortable.

For some reason, he always felt that Li Huaijin's status had become lowered after becoming an actor. After all, in the past feudal society, actors belonged to the lowest of the low, a group looked down upon and despised. But now we have entered a new society, where people advocate equality for all, and professions are no longer divided into high and low. So, although he still had some reservations, he could only slowly accept reality. After all, society now advocates that professions are only different in terms of division of labor, not in terms of high or low status, just like advocating freedom of marriage and love. Parents cannot openly oppose this, especially in such a sensitive period, lest they be unwittingly labeled by those with ulterior motives.

Li Hanchen felt conflicted, thinking that he still needed to keep up with the times and raise his awareness.

He dared not disagree, otherwise it would be sabotaging socialist construction. But He Shuyi did not think so. She had a deep love and passion for opera and could be described as a true opera fan.

Despite the decline in living conditions, nothing can dampen her enthusiasm for attending any opera performance. Upon learning of a show, she would unhesitatingly send her sixth child to Wang Xiuzhi's place, hastily make simple arrangements for her other children at home, and then eagerly take her eldest daughter to learn and appreciate the opera. This dedication and love for opera has become a great source of joy and solace in her life.

For a while, new plays, the Gan operas "Xie Yaohuan" and "The Female Inspector," starring the famous actress Wang Gengmei, were staged. After dinner, people would call their friends and family and rush to see the plays in large groups. After all, television was not common in those days, and there were not many entertainment options. Opera occupied half of the cultural market. People needed to relax after a hard day's work, and they were just as enthusiastic and obsessed as modern people are with their idols.

Fortunately, since Wang Xiuzhi had to run the tobacco stall anyway, she took even better care of Liu Yatou, making sure the child was well taken care of. However, she would occasionally bring up the matter of adoption to test He Shuyi's opinion.

In early autumn of October 1951, He Shuyi finally made up her mind.

One day, He Shuyi hurriedly came to Wang Xiuzhi with her eight-month-old daughter in her arms. She hesitated for a moment before saying, "Xiuzhi, I'm so sorry to trouble you. I don't know how to thank you enough. My daughter only recognizes you and is even closer to you than to me, her own mother! I'm so busy. Thank you for your hard work."

Wang Xiuzhi chuckled and teased Huaiyu with her finger, making the innocent Huaiyu giggle. She said, seemingly jokingly, "Are you willing to part with this precious child? Why not give her to me? You have so many children and you're too busy to manage them all. If Liuya were my daughter, I'd wake up laughing in my dreams, and I wouldn't be so tired."

He Shuyi glanced at Shi Renmei, who was tidying up her cigarettes, and sighed with a smile, "You two are living such a carefree life, enjoying your time together! If we had a little troublemaker like this, you probably wouldn't be so free and easy."

"I'd love to," Wang Xiuzhi kissed Huaiyu's little face again and pleaded once more, "Why don't you give me Liuyatou? You still have two daughters and two sons. Sigh, I really envy your good fortune, having so many children, a complete family, unlike me..." Xiuzhi sighed, unwilling to bring up the past again.

He Shuyi seemed to have made a great decision, and then asked Shi Renmei, "Old Shi, what do you think?"

Shi Renmei was taken aback, and unconsciously straightened up. She looked at Xiuzhi and instantly understood. She hurriedly said, "Of course we're willing. Xiuzhi talks about it every day and can't live without this girl."

Wang Xiuzhi suddenly realized what was going on and said to He Shuyi with delight, "Are you serious? You agree to give me Liu Yatou? Then it's settled, you can't go back on your word. You know I've been dreaming of having a baby. Don't worry, we're so close, just let me raise her here. When she grows up, she'll still be just as close to you as you are."

Looking at the kind-hearted Xiuzhi, and then at the babbling Lao Liu, He Shuyi felt a little reluctant, a little ashamed, and a little helpless.

She bent down and kissed Huaiyu's face, which was still fragrant with milk, and said to Wang Xiuzhi with a heavy heart, "Now that I've given her to you, I will never acknowledge her back. From now on, she is your biological daughter, and I will never break my promise."

Shi Renmei quickly said, "Don't say that. I know you have no choice. You're in a difficult situation right now, but things will get better slowly. When she grows up, it's the same as visiting relatives with you. We are all people of the new era and don't follow those old customs."

He Shuyi shook her head firmly: "Without rules, there can be no order. You watched her being born, and some things are predestined. This is also because of your deep connection. From now on, Sixth Girl will take your surname, Shi. I have a suggestion for her name, and I don't know if you would like to hear it? I hope to keep the middle character 'Huai' as a memento of my giving birth to her. The last character is up to you. The kindness of raising is greater than the kindness of giving birth. Don't worry, we will not do anything to take away someone else's fruits."

Her voice choked with emotion, and she seemed unable to continue: "From now on, she will be your biological daughter. You are her real parents, and I hope you will treat her well. I have two more requests that you can keep: first, she must go to school; second, she can only be raised by you two. If you really have difficulties, you can give her back to me, but you can't give her to someone else... I see that you really love Liu Yatou, and I don't trust you to hand her over to others. As for the rest... don't worry, I've discussed it with my husband, and we will keep our word and will never disturb your peace."

After saying that, she steeled herself and solemnly placed the soft and cuddly sixth daughter into Wang Xiuzhi's arms.

Sixth Sister sucked her thumb, her eyes like a pair of bright stars, innocently watching the adults' ever-changing expressions, full of curiosity.

Wang Xiuzhi hurriedly took the child, so excited that she could barely speak. At that moment, Liu Yatou suddenly giggled at her, her laughter filled with the pure magic unique to children, as if it could melt one's heart.

Xiuzhi immediately smiled broadly, nodding repeatedly with a smile: "Hmm... Hmm... Sister He, look, the baby's smile is so beautiful."

He Shuyi also laughed and said, "This child must really dislike his own mother to be so close to you!"

The three of them laughed again. Seeing He Shuyi turn to leave dejectedly, Xiuzhi quickly said, "Don't worry, I will definitely send her to school. I won't let anyone else raise her. I will treat her well, with all my heart. Mrs. Li, no, Sister He, how about I give her some money... What do you think is a suitable amount?"

He Shuyi's expression changed upon hearing this. She reached out to snatch the sixth son away, her face instantly turning cold as she said firmly, "Am I someone who has never seen money before? Do you want to sell your daughter? It's only because you genuinely care about her and hope she can find a good home! If you're talking about money, then give it back to me. No matter how difficult things are at home, we won't starve."

Wang Xiuzhi wouldn't let her take the child away. She turned to the side, holding the child tightly in her arms, and said with a look of shame, "I didn't mean that, Madam. Please don't be angry. I will definitely treat her well. I love this child so much, I can't even cherish her enough! I know you're only in a temporary predicament. I just didn't know how to thank you properly, so I was rambling a bit. Please forgive me!"

Without a word, He Shuyi turned around, tears streaming down her face. She straightened her thin back, raised her head, and quickly disappeared into the dark alley with its blue bricks and black tiles.

She was such a proud person! She once possessed endless wealth and glory, yet now she had to face the cruel reality of giving away her youngest daughter. Why does fate play such cruel tricks on people?

Thinking of Liu Yatou's innocent laughter, He Shuyi's heart was filled with pain and helplessness. This little life, which should have enjoyed the treatment of royalty, was instead being sent to a stranger's home to suffer. She couldn't help but sigh inwardly: My Liu Yatou is truly born a lady, but has the fate of a servant!

However, can all of this really be entirely blamed on her?

As a housewife, in order to minimize the obstacles in her husband's future, she handed over all of her family's property to the government. However, her husband is still suffering setbacks at work, and every day is filled with criticism and struggle sessions.

She didn't know how he managed to keep going; she only knew that he had to take care of the lives and studies of four children at home, and that he was busy and chaotic every day, yet he was always anxious and had no sense of security.

In this turbulent era, everyone is struggling and trying to find a way out. Despite her best efforts, she cannot change the situation. She can only silently endure it all, hoping that one day she can escape her predicament and give her children a better life.

Ho Suk-yee was pampered and spoiled from a young age, living a life of luxury and never experiencing hardship. She was the apple of her family's eye, enjoying a life of ease and comfort. Although she had never received a Western education, her family environment had instilled in her a certain understanding of accounting and household management. However, as time passed, her life underwent a dramatic change.

Now, she has to deal with countless chores every day, and to save money, she has to be extremely frugal, stretching every penny. Worse still, her former servants now hold sway, some even becoming neighborhood officials through whistleblowing and meritorious service. They swagger in front of her, making her feel deeply humiliated, yet powerless to do anything about it. This lifestyle is a world apart from her former life of power and extravagance, filling her with endless pain and helplessness.

But no matter how difficult it was, she had to persevere and give the children the opportunity to receive an education. She understood from plays and historical stories that those who would govern the country in the future would be educated, and that education was still the best way to differentiate social classes. "Parents who love their children plan far ahead for them."

She deeply understood the importance of knowledge in life, especially when the country was rebuilding and needed talented and capable people to build the future. Therefore, even though life was full of hardships and difficulties, she was willing to silently endure everything, just to create better conditions for the children. However, faced with the pressures of reality, she couldn't help but feel helpless and heartbroken.

In the end, it was Liu Yatou who suffered...

To give other children a better chance to grow up, we had no choice but to give away our innocent and naive sixth daughter. This is what her parents owe her...

That evening, two-year-old Li Huaiyuan searched around the room, pointing at the empty cradle, shaking He Shuyi's hand frantically, and anxiously calling out "Ah ah~".

He Shuyi impatiently dragged him to bed and said, "Go to sleep quickly, or the big bad wolf outside will eat the child." She then said to the children in the room, "Go to sleep early."

The children had already sensed something was wrong. The second child looked at the book without moving, while the youngest, Huaizhen, quickly climbed onto the bed and started taking off her clothes. She was the most well-behaved and sensible.

Only the eldest son, Li Huaijin, leaned against the door frame, remained silent for a long time, and then asked, "Mom, where's the sixth son?"

He Shuyi didn't answer, but instead yelled, "Go to sleep and mind your own business." After saying that, tears streamed down her face.

Li Huaijin, still unwilling to give up, stubbornly asked, "Did you really give her away?"

Li Huaiyuan seemed to understand, and burst into tears. His beloved little sister was gone... his silly little sister who always smiled at him was gone...

Li Hanchen kept his head down and remained silent. Suddenly, He Shuyi rushed forward and punched him hard on the back. Then, as if startled, she took a few steps back and burst into tears: "Why aren't you saying anything? Why do you always make me face this? How am I supposed to explain this to you..."

Li Hanchen fell silent. He glanced at the children and then fled into the house as if in a panic.

He Shuyi sobbed softly, not feeling she had done anything wrong; such things were commonplace in this era. Sometimes you have to give up something to gain something. She firmly believed that as long as her family remained loyal and patriotic, and held fast to their beliefs, they would eventually see the light at the end of the tunnel.

She doesn't know if she'll regret her decision later; for now, she can only focus on the present...

That year, Wang Xiuzhi was 36 years old, and Shi Renmei was 51 years old.

The couple were overjoyed all day long after their precious daughter was born.

Shi Renmei was in high spirits as she searched everywhere for channels to purchase milk powder. It's important to understand that in those days, milk powder was a very scarce commodity, usually obtainable only through special supplies. However, Shi Renmei had her own unique methods and channels. After all, she was an expert in the market's sourcing channels, knowing them inside and out.

With his years of experience and connections, Shi Renmei was confident he could find a suitable milk powder supplier and successfully complete the procurement task. Thinking this, he quickened his pace and walked forward with confidence.

Although they weren't wealthy, they were just the two of them, unlike typical families with children and high expenses. They were used to being frugal, and while they occasionally sent money to their younger brother in the countryside, the lack of children to support them in their old age was a concern. Who could they rely on for money? If they were poor, their nephew wouldn't acknowledge them as his uncle. Even biological parents are seen as a burden by some children if they're poor, let alone uncles and aunts. In the countryside, where poverty is common, even brothers dividing their inheritance might split a single stool in half…

They knew perfectly well what was going on, and outwardly they and their brother's family kept putting on a show, maintaining that thin familial bond. After all, he sent money home on time every year, which could be considered fulfilling his responsibility. Besides, everyone eventually returns to their roots and is buried in the ancestral grave. If they truly had no children, they could hope that their nephew would burn some paper money for their parents when he visited their graves in the future…

Although you can't see anything after you die...

They usually save money and have accumulated some retirement savings. Having money in hand makes them feel much more at ease.

But now that they have a daughter, everything has changed. They are determined not to let their precious daughter suffer even the slightest grievance. They will cherish her with all their heart, nurture her with love, and let her thrive in a happy environment, becoming a healthy and joyful girl.

They wanted to see her smile as bright as the sun, eat as sweetly as honey, and sleep as soundly as in a dream. They looked forward to watching her grow up day by day, learning to walk, learn to talk, learn to read and write…