Reborn in the 90s, I traded my ex-husband for eight apartments.

Bai Zhenzhu returned to Yuan County without informing her family, and arrived home at noon.

"Why did it take so long?"

Liu Fang smiled and said:

"Shuo Shuo misses you so much, he asks you every day when you're coming back."

Bai Zhenzhu also misses her son:

"I have a lot to do, sister-in-law. I'll head over now and have lunch there."

She set aside some of the things she brought back for Liu Fang.

Liu Fang hurriedly said:

“Take them all to Yin Yin, the children are over there.”

Bai Zhenzhu still left her a few guokui (a type of flatbread) and danhonggao (another type of pancake), and also left her half of the rabbit and half of the goose.

She didn't even go to the clothing store; she went straight to Xu Yin's house.

Several children were watching TV, and the room was relatively quiet.

Upon seeing her, Shuo Shuo pouted and pounced on her:

"Mom, you're finally back. I thought you didn't want me anymore."

Bai Zhenzhu felt a pang of sadness, hugged her son tightly, and patted his head.

Hearing this, Bai Wenbin came over and patted Shuo Shuo on the back:

"Shuo Shuo, you're so silly. You're your aunt's child, how could she possibly abandon you?"

Shuo Shuo's eyes were brimming with tears:

"But my dad doesn't want me."

White Pearl was taken aback.

She sensed Shuo Shuo's unease and fear.

I used to think he was just a kid, but Shuo Shuo is so clever, he couldn't possibly be unaware of such big changes happening in the family.

Li Xiufen sighed at the kitchen doorway:

"Shuoshuo hasn't been sleeping well these past few nights. Take him to his room and soothe him."

Bai Zhenzhu then took her son to the room.

Shuo Shuo looked at his mother with a furrowed brow:

"Mom, you won't abandon me, will you?"

Bai Zhenzhu's heart tightened, and she quickly assured him:

"Mom will never abandon Shuo Shuo in her entire life."

The mother and son hadn't talked about Pei Xiangyang yet, and Bai Zhenzhu didn't want to mention his name.

She always felt that Shuo Shuo was still too young and thought she would wait until he was older before talking about it.

But she didn't expect that Shuo Shuo actually understood everything.

"Shuoshuo, do you miss your father?" Bai Zhenzhu asked.

Shuo Shuo shook his head:

"Do not want to."

"I've never even met him, I don't miss him at all."

He looked up, his face full of confusion:

"Mom, why are all my brothers' dads here, but Jiajia's and my dads aren't?"

White Pearl stroked Shuo Shuo's round little head and said earnestly:

"Shuoshuo, there are good people and bad people in this world, and there are also good fathers and bad fathers."

“Your uncles are good fathers, but your and Jiajia’s fathers are bad fathers.”

“They’ve all gone to be fathers to other people; they’re no longer part of our family.”

"But Mom is different. Mom will accompany you, take you to school, and teach you to grow up healthy and be a good person."

Shuo Shuo nodded:

"I understand mom."

"My surname is Bai. I am family with you, and we will always be together."

Bai Zhenzhu nodded affirmatively:

"Right, that is it."

She's not a saint; she wouldn't speak well of Pei Xiangyang in front of Shuo Shuo.

It's even less likely that they'll meet.

That kind of father, just pretend he's dead.

Fortunately, Shuo Shuo has no concept of "father" at all, and has only seen photos of him before. Before long, that beast's face will completely disappear from his mind.

After being held and comforted by his mother for a while, Shuo Shuo was fully revived.

Bai Zhenzhu went into the kitchen to help Li Xiufen cook, and overheard Shuo Shuo talking to his brothers:

"My mom is a good mom, my dad is a bad dad. I don't want a bad dad, I only want my mom."

Jiajia also chimed in from the side:

“My dad is a bad dad too. He hits me. I only want my mom.”

The children didn't feel there was anything wrong with being separated from their bad dad.

Bai Wenbin, being a little older, said:

"It's so good for you to stay with your mother. What's the point of having a father? Those children without mothers are the ones who are truly pitiful."

“One of my classmates’ mothers was beaten away by his father, and his clothes were never washed and he was always filthy.”

"He had no food to eat, and his father only knew how to drink and didn't care about him at all."

In the kitchen, seeing her daughter's bad mood, Li Xiufen comforted her:

"Shuo Shuo is a sensible person. If we nurture him well, he will be someone we can rely on in the future."

Bai Zhenzhu smiled:

"I know, Mom."

She recalled the scene of her son's tragic death in her previous life, and her heart felt heavy.

I never want to have anything to do with those people again in my life.

Li Xiufen changed the subject:

"How are you going to eat all this stuff you brought back?"

White Pearl tied on an apron:

"I'm not sure either. Maybe we should deep-fry the goose and rabbit and heat them up before eating."

"Let's heat the guokui over low heat. It's getting cold, and we're worried the kids will get diarrhea if they eat it cold."

The mother and daughter prepared lunch, and Bai Chengxiang closed the shop and came back to eat.

He went to tease Xiao Wenbo as soon as he entered the room. The little guy was sleeping soundly, but he woke him up and got scolded by Xu Yin.

None of my family members have ever been to Chengdu, and they long to visit it.

Bai Zhenzhu gave them a brief explanation:

"Chengdu is much more prosperous than Yuanxian, and the streets are very wide and clean. I'll take you there for a visit when I have the chance."

Xu Yin, wearing a maternity hat, was overjoyed.

"I actually got the chance to go to Chengdu! Wow, I'm really something!"

Bai Zhenzhu smiled and said:

"This is nothing. As transportation becomes more and more developed in the future, we can even go to Beijing for a visit when the opportunity arises."

Bai Chengxiang said:

"Those things are all too far-fetched, Pearl. The idea we had before about opening a braised meat shop in Chengdu can be realized. Like that place you mentioned, Lian... Lian..."

“A chain store,” Bai Zhenzhu added.

"Yes, yes, it's a chain store." Bai Chengxiang thought his own braised meat was delicious, no worse than this goose and rabbit meat.

Bai Zhenzhu smiled and said:

"I will open a braised meat shop and a clothing store there. There are many delicious foods in Chengdu, and our braised meat is definitely worth a try."

"This time I was too rushed. Next time I have more time, I'll go and try the hot pot and stir-fries in Chengdu and learn from them."

Xu Yin clicked her tongue:

"Did everyone in our family have their brains in one person, Pearl? Mom, how did you give birth to her? You didn't even know how to share them with us."

Li Xiufen laughed and scolded:

"That can't be evened out, you weren't born of me."

Xu Yin was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter:

"That's right, hahaha..."

Soon it was time for elementary school registration.

Bai Zhenzhu and Liu Fang led their three children to school.

Jiang Ying had been waiting for them for a long time, and when they arrived, she led them directly to the Academic Affairs Office.

Jiang Ying was clearly used to this kind of thing before, and said with a smile:

"I've already mentioned it to the principal. It's the number I mentioned. You just need to complete the registration process later."

He lowered his voice as he spoke:

"Don't worry, the teachers in the classes I recommended to your nephews are all excellent."

Bai Zhenzhu's face was full of gratitude:

"Sister Ying, you've really been a huge help to our family."

She also lowered her voice, just like the other person:

"My shop has new stock, I'll save one for you."

Jiang Ying didn't say anything more. With a smile, she led them inside and personally supervised the process until all the formalities were completed and the classes were assigned before leaving.

A teacher from the academic affairs office came over and led the three children to their assigned classes one by one.

After watching the three children enter the classroom, Bai Zhenzhu and Liu Fang finally felt relieved.

"Pearl, I really don't know how to thank you enough."

Liu Fang was deeply moved.

Her son can now attend school in the city; she never dreamed of it before.

Bai Zhenzhu said irritably:

"Sister-in-law, we're family. I haven't forgotten how you stood up for me on the day I got divorced."

Liu Fang couldn't help but laugh.