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

Qiao Manman didn't rush to leave. She found a sunny spot to sit down, took out paper and pen, and began to write down the essay about the development of the machinery factory that she had written in the exam yesterday.

I made numerous revisions to perfect the article. After finishing, I whistled and asked the system, "System, what do you think of my writing?"

"Excellent host! I believe that with the efforts of many ambitious people, China will become better and better, reaching heights that were unattainable in my previous life!"

Qiao Manman keenly noticed something unusual, but she nonchalantly folded the paper, took out a blank sheet of paper, and began to rewrite her article.

This time, she wrote a thank-you letter.

We thank Zhou Guoping, the leader of the transportation team, for helping the people in their time of crisis. We praise Captain Zhou for embodying the spirit of Lei Feng, who served the people wholeheartedly.

After finishing her 800-word essay, Qiao Manman was quite excited.

I took out milk and bread to fill my stomach before checking out and leaving.

Qiao Manman went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a gift and found that Liang Simin was already working.

She was assigned to the watch counter, where there weren't many customers and the work was relatively easy.

Seeing Qiao Manman coming over, he smiled and waved to her.

Qiao Manman approached, said "Congratulations," chatted with Liang Simin for a while, and then went to do her business.

I bought two pounds of pastries, two bottles of liquor, and two cartons of cigarettes, put them in my canvas bag, and left quickly.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the transport team, the gatekeeper let us through before we even had a chance to say hello.

Qiao Manman followed his directions to the office and saw that the door was half-open, so she knocked gently.

"Please come in!" Zhou Guoping called out in a strong voice.

Qiao Manman pushed open the door: "Captain Zhou, it's me, Qiao Manman!"

A hint of surprise flashed in Zhou Guoping's eyes, and he quickly stood up from behind his desk: "Comrade Xiao Qiao, what brings you here? How did your father's surgery go?"

Qiao Manman nodded: "The surgery went very smoothly, and my dad's leg was saved. I came here specifically to thank Captain Zhou and also to settle the gas bill."

He handed over the canvas bag, and Zhou Guoping paused for a moment when he saw what was inside. He then smiled and accepted it, saying, "Comrade Qiao, you're too kind!"

Qiao Manman exchanged a few pleasantries with him, then took out a piece of paper from her pocket: "Uncle Zhou, please take a look and see if there's anything that needs to be changed in this letter of commendation!"

Zhou Guoping took the paper and began to read it carefully, his eyes growing brighter with each reading.

"That's wonderful, little niece Qiao, your writing is amazing! Would you be interested in working for Uncle Zhou?"

Qiao Manman gave an awkward laugh: "Uncle Zhou, my dad's leg won't get better anytime soon..."

Zhou Guoping quickly said, "It's alright, it's alright, we'll talk about it when you're done with your work."

Actually, I realized there were no vacant positions at my workplace, so it would be difficult to arrange for Qiao Manman to join.

Neither of them dwelled on the issue. Qiao Manman noticed that there were newspapers in Zhou Guoping's office, so she discussed with him which newspaper to submit their articles to.

After much deliberation, they chose the best newspaper in the province.

Qiao Manman said, "Uncle Zhou, let's submit our application to this one first. If it passes, great; if not, we'll submit it to the city's. If all else fails, I'll write a big-character poster and put it on the door of the transport team."

Zhou Guoping was both amused and exasperated, and nodded: "I'll listen to you!"

Then, he took Qiao Manman to the finance office and asked the accountant to calculate the expenses for that day's trip.

"Young man, that's seven yuan and fifty-two cents in total!"

Qiao Manman had no objection and took out her money to pay the bill. The finance staff wrote her a receipt, which Qiao Manman put in her pocket and kept safe.

After leaving the transport team, I went straight to the post office.

He submitted his essay and letter of commendation to the two best newspapers in the provincial capital, and then took a bus back to the city.

On a bright and sunny midday, Qiao Manman got out of the car and headed straight for the glass factory's residential compound.

She realized what she had forgotten. She had forgotten her promise to Fu Xianling.

I wonder if Fu Xianling waited for her under the big locust tree yesterday afternoon.

Qiao Manman jogged to the glass factory's residential compound and saw that everyone was leaving for work in twos and threes, so she wasn't in a hurry.

After waiting quietly for a while, and seeing that most of the people had left, he knocked on Fu Xianling's door.

"Who is it?" Fu Xianling shouted at the top of her lungs.

"Auntie, it's me! Do you have any hot water? I need an excuse to get some!"

Fu Xianling's eyes lit up when she heard the familiar voice. She hurriedly slipped on her shoes and unlatched the door.

"Come in quickly, come in quickly, I live alone."

Qiao Manman breathed a sigh of relief, strode into the yard, and plopped down on a small stool.

Fu Xianling went into the kitchen and poured her a bowl of cooled boiled water, smiling as she asked, "What have you been doing? Your forehead is covered in sweat!"

Qiao Manman pouted: "I was just worried about you. I ran all the way from the station to here, a full three miles. I'm exhausted!"

Fu Xianling was somewhat touched: "Quick, have some water to calm down."

Qiao Manman gulped down half a bowl of water before asking, "Auntie, did you wait for me at the old locust tree yesterday? I went out of town to get medicine and didn't make it back in time!"

Fu Xianling nodded: "I waited, but I didn't see you for more than two hours, so I came back first. I thought you might have been held up by something!"

Did you bring your medicine? Let me see!

Actually, if Qiao Manman had arrived yesterday, she might not have necessarily bought it. After all, those who are eager to seduce are either trying to cheat her out of money or sexually exploit her!

But Qiao Manman's absence actually gave her a sense of security. It was as if she hadn't misjudged her, and that Qiao Manman was sent by God to save her from dire straits.

Qiao Manman was unaware that she had stumbled into something perfectly right.

He took two pills wrapped in gold foil from his pocket and said to Fu Xianling, "These pills melt in your mouth. You take one, and give the other to your man. If you work hard these next couple of days, maybe twin sons will come!"

Fu Xianling looked at the pills with delight, wishing she could swallow them right now.

Qiao Manman calmly took back the pills, took out paper and pen, and wrote down an IOU.

"Hey, we agreed that you'd collect the final payment after you get pregnant. Here's the IOU, sign it. If you try to renege on the debt, my boss won't let you off the hook."

Fu Xianling was surprised that Qiao Manman was actually willing to buy on credit, which increased her confidence in the pills even more.

He took the pen and signed his name on the note.

He went back inside, got fifty yuan for Qiao Manman, opened one of the pills, and put it in his mouth.

The pills were slightly bitter, with a grassy aroma. Just as Qiao Manman had said, they melted in my mouth, and after a moment, I felt a warm sensation in my stomach.

Fu Xianling had never taken such a miraculous medicine before, and her confidence soared. She thanked him repeatedly.

He even confided his family's dirty secrets to Qiao Manman.

Qiao Manman didn't want to listen, but Fu Xianling wouldn't let her leave. Helpless, she could only listen to her complaints with great boredom.

"My mother-in-law, seeing that I couldn't have children, actually wanted my husband to adopt her nephew. Why should that be? The empire I've built up should be inherited by an outsider."

If anyone's going to be adopted, it should be my nephew. At least he's surnamed Fu; he won't neglect me in my old age.

"Now I can have my own bloodline. Wait until I give birth to twins, then let's see what that old hag does!"