Refusing to marry a widower, I went on a crazy spree of sending my children to the army.

Qiao Manman walked forward and soon found number 285.

But it took a full five minutes to get to number 286, which is next to it.

Standing in front of the door, Qiao Manman felt insignificant for the first time.

White walls and gray tiles, a typical Jiangnan courtyard house. Heavy wooden doors separate the inside from the outside into two worlds.

The stone lions at the entrance solemnly guard this place.

The green branches extending from the corner of the wall gave her a touch of playfulness and liveliness.

Qiao Manman saw a river in the distance and started walking towards it.

The river meandered forward, and many young wives were washing clothes there.

Tall trees grow on both banks of the river, and stone tables and chairs are placed under their shade. Early risers play chess and chat here, creating a peaceful and idyllic scene.

Qiao Manman found an empty table and sat down, then had the system amplify the audio signal from residence number 286.

It was quiet inside; there were people there, but no one spoke.

She wasn't in a hurry; she crossed her legs and ate some peanuts and melon seeds.

His carefree and contented demeanor attracted the attention of many children.

Qiao Manman wasn't stingy either, raising her hand to beckon, "Come here, I'm not a bad person!"

The child hesitated, but then remembered that the adults at home were nearby, so he took small steps and sat down opposite Qiao Manman.

"Hey, eat up, I bought a lot!"

Qiao Manman grabbed a handful for each of them, and the children hesitated for two seconds before eating.

While eating, she asked, "Sister, where are you from? We've never seen you before!"

Wow, she can understand the Mandarin this child speaks!

Qiao Manman's eyes lit up. She patted the pastries on the table and explained, "I'm here to visit relatives."

"Oh, why didn't you go inside? Did your relatives kick you out?"

Qiao Manman sighed, "No, I can't remember my great-aunt's house number!"

The children didn't understand, so Qiao Manman made up a story: "To be honest, even my grandma didn't know which house my great-aunt lived in."

She was abducted as a child and settled down in another city. I always remembered that her older sister married into a family in Paiyun Street, but it's been so long that I've forgotten which family it was.

All I remember is that her older sister's maiden name is Shanshan, and she's two years older than her. Now that I'm in Suzhou on a business trip, she insists I help her find her sister.

I said so many years have passed, she might not even be alive anymore. But my grandma was stubborn, she insisted on knowing if her sister was doing well, and if the family had contacted her.

The children were stunned, then raised their hands to comfort Qiao Manman: "Don't be afraid, sister, we'll help you find it!"

Qiao Manman asked with a smile, "Can you tell me about the people around here? I'll see if I can match them up with my great-aunt!"

The children immediately promised to speak freely and without reservation.

Qiao Manman took out a few fruit candies from her pocket as a reward for them.

She also said that if she could find her great-aunt, she would treat them to a meal at a state-run restaurant after they recognized each other!

The children cheered, attracting many onlookers.

Qiao Manman quickly made a "shh" gesture: "Keep your voices down!"

The children nodded, nuzzled together with Qiao Manman, and whispered, "Sister, did you see that? The one in the blue and white checkered dress is the young wife from number 232. Their family..."

As Qiao Manman listened, she guided the conversation toward number 286, and after a short while, she actually got the information she wanted.

"That old lady didn't originally live here. My mother told me that they used to live in a large mansion in the western suburbs, a very wealthy family with five courtyards."

There are few people there. The old lady was almost killed by the Japanese when she was young. It was the Eighth Route Army that passed by and rescued her. That's how her family moved here.

The old lady's surname was Tao. Her family used to run a business and were very wealthy.

My father said that Grandpa Tao was so grateful to the Eighth Route Army for saving his daughter and grandson that he donated all his property to support the Red Army's resistance against Japan.

The top leader even wrote a thank-you letter to Grandpa Tao for this!

So, is Qiao Runming a descendant of a "red capitalist"?

A sense of pride welled up in Qiao Manman's heart, and she asked, "Then, is that family's old man still alive?"

The child gave Qiao Manman a strange look and nodded: "Of course! Grandpa Qiao studied abroad and his medical skills are exceptional."

Not only does he provide free medical care to residents of Paiyun Street, but he also teaches at the university!

I haven't been to Shanghai lately; I don't know if I'm on vacation or retired!

Qiao Manman's eyes lit up, and she inquired about other matters concerning the Qiao family.

She knew that Qiao Runming was not Qiao Lingyue and Tao Yingzhen's only child, and she also knew that the fake Qiao Zhicheng worked in a textile factory.

He even became a group leader.

In the past two years, there has been an encouragement for urban youth to go to the countryside to build the country. Qiao Zhicheng, for the sake of honor, disregarded his family's objections and sent his two daughters to the far northeast.

Only a seven or eight-year-old boy was left behind, whom they cherished like a precious jewel. He was particularly famous in the area.

As for Qiao Zhicheng's wife, he found her himself.

Tao Yingzhen had originally introduced him to a gentle and intellectual middle school teacher, but Qiao Zhicheng disliked her appearance and broke off the engagement to marry Jiang Xiaomei, a young and beautiful temporary worker at the textile factory.

Jiang Xiaomei is barely literate, but she is extremely good at pleasing men.

He coaxed Qiao Zhicheng away, and from time to time he went against Tao Yingzhen.

They also favored sons over daughters, raising their two daughters to be thin and timid, and their only son, Qiao Lihui, to be short-tempered and stupid like a pig.

Oh, right, that boy is skipping stones up ahead.

Qiao Manman glanced at him, clicked her tongue, and thought, "He's not nearly as good-looking as my dad!"

"What about Boss Qiao?"

The "eldest son" mentioned here refers to Qiao Lingyue and Tao Yingzhen's eldest son, named Qiao Lixin.

When Tao Yingzhen gave birth, she went to another place with Grandpa Tao.

Otherwise, with him watching over things, Ding Cuiying wouldn't have had the opportunity to switch the prince with a cat.

"Uncle Qiao is really something. He's a soldier and doesn't come back often."

Uncle Qiao's three children are also in the military; I heard one is in the army, one in the navy, and the other is a military doctor.

Qiao Manman was surprised to find that her uncle and several cousins ​​were so capable, and a sense of pride rose in her heart.

Just as I was about to say something, I heard the children chattering all at once: "Uncle Qiao is amazing too, he's the director of our local agricultural bureau..."

Qiao Manman gained a basic understanding of the Qiao family and then asked some other questions.

Seeing that it was getting late, I gave each of them a bag of peach shortbread, told them to keep it a secret, and then left.

Arrive at the opposite side of number 286 and keep watch from a secluded spot.

At noon, those who went to work started going home one after another.

Based on the children's descriptions, Qiao Manman identified the men who entered residence number 286 one after another: the second son Qiao Mingqian, the old man Qiao Lingyue, the fake Qiao Zhicheng, as well as the fourth cousin Qiao Haoyang and the fifth cousin Qiao Chengping from the second uncle's family.

As for women, they are also easy to distinguish.

Young and beautiful, with a swaying waist, she is Jiang Xiaomei, a female worker in a textile factory.

With her gentle demeanor, poise, and exceptional temperament, Dong Shilan is the director of the Women's Federation.

The chubby little boy, who had been playing in the water all day, ran back excitedly: "Mom, what's for lunch? I want roast chicken!"

Jiang Xiaomei took a handkerchief and tenderly wiped the sweat from the little fat boy's forehead, saying to him, "You'll have to bother your grandma with this!"