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

Qiao Manman took it out and looked at it, and found that the dust was particularly heavy, as if it had been pressed at the bottom of a box for many years.

"Tell me, how did such a small post office manage to hoard so many valuable stamps? The one with the dragon design is decades old!"

"They know nothing about it; all they know is that the host's luck has improved a little more!"

He happily put the stamps into the cookie tin and left the post office.

I wonder how furious someone will be a few days later when they come to see their precious child but can't find them.

I regret hiding the collection in the warehouse for security reasons. I thought it wouldn't be discovered, but...

Of course, every cloud has a silver lining; we'll have to wait and see what happens next.

Qiao Manman left the post office and went to the supply and marketing cooperative, where she bought some pastries and candy.

He slipped into a dead end and came out with a quilt under his arm.

They carried their belongings to the county hospital to thank Qin Xiangfeng for lending them the quilt.

When she emerged, she felt completely relaxed. Qiao Manman put on some makeup and headed to the location of Qiao Laoda's mistress in the novel—the steel factory's residential compound.

Hey, why do you think Boss Qiao dared to put his mistress under everyone's noses?

Of course, it's because this woman is also a steel factory employee!

Moreover, she was best friends with Boss Qiao's wife and often complained that her husband had died young and she couldn't raise her son alone.

Qiao Laoda's wife felt sorry for her young widow and often asked her husband to come and help her with things like pulling coal briquettes or changing light bulbs.

This back and forth gave the two of them the opportunity to hook up.

Judging by the days, the woman was secretly pregnant, and her belly was about to become visible!

Qiao Manman only vaguely remembered the name and didn't know what the person looked like. Having no other option, she decided to stake out the location.

So, they sat under the shade of a tree, eating sunflower seeds and waiting for a miracle.

They waited and waited, kept knocking, and when they got thirsty, they took out a canned food jar to drink water.

Several women nearby looked at her with puzzlement, wondering what illness their daughter had that required her to drink such a dark and bitter medicine.

Qiao Manman: "What do you know? This is the ultimate sugary drink! It's amazing!"

This wait lasted for more than an hour.

As the sun grew stronger, Qiao Manman's cheeks ached and felt weak, so she decided to go to the state-run restaurant for a meal.

As it turned out, fate was truly kind to her. And so, Boss Qiao and a beautiful young woman returned together, looking radiant and lovely.

The two stood a meter apart, chatting and laughing. If Qiao Manman hadn't known that her "aunt" wasn't this woman, she would have definitely thought they were a couple.

After the two had walked a distance, Qiao Manman hurriedly followed, and watched as Qiao Laoda touched the woman's buttocks as he went upstairs.

Then the woman giggled and said to Boss Qiao, "Go back quickly, or your sister-in-law will be waiting anxiously!"

Tomorrow is Kang Kang's birthday, come over early, I need to talk to you about something!

Boss Qiao smiled and kissed the woman's lips. After she went around the corner of the stairs, opened the door and went inside, he went downstairs and walked towards his own building.

Qiao Manman had already come downstairs when the two parted ways.

I had lunch at a state-run restaurant, hitched a ride to a nearby production team, and got home in the late afternoon.

As it turned out, Qiao Runming said that Director Yan from the machinery factory had come and asked her to report for duty the next day.

Qiao Manman rolled her eyes: "Didn't he see your leg? I'm not going. Even if I have to go to work, I'll wait until things are settled at home."

He Nian said anxiously, "Manman, your dad's leg is almost healed. We can't miss such a good job opportunity!"

Qiao Manman didn't care: "They didn't want mine first!"

Qiao Runming sensed her grievance and sighed, "It's all my fault!"

Qiao Manman interrupted, "No, it's because the Qiao family is bad. Dad, when I have the chance, I'll ask Grandma Qiao where you came from."

Qiao Runming hummed in agreement, following his daughter's lead.

Qiao Manman rested at home for a while, stewed a fish, and took the thermos to the educated youth settlement, but Lu Yuan still hadn't returned.

I haven't seen Lu Yifeng for a long time either.

Zhang Xiu said sarcastically, "Some people are just shameless. Lu Zhiqing has already gone home to avoid you, but you still shamelessly stick to him!"

Qiao Manman snorted coldly: "None of your business!"

He turned to leave, but his brows were furrowed tightly. He was afraid that something might really have happened to Lu Yuan.

He was feeling down after returning home, but unexpectedly, right after he finished eating, Boss Qiao showed up at his door.

"Man'er, we're all family, after all. Zhenzhen is just being immature. Please be lenient and let her off the hook, okay?"

Qiao Manman pointed at herself: "Uncle Qiao, our two families have severed ties, and Sister Zhenzhen is still causing me trouble. What does she mean by that? Does she think I'm easy to bully?"

"That's not what I meant. Zhenzhen is spoiled by us, and she's not very bright."

Man'er, even if we break bones, the tendons are still connected. Zhenzhen going to jail will also affect your work.

I heard the machine factory has decided to hire you!

Qiao Manman narrowed her eyes: "Uncle Qiao, are you trying to threaten me?"

Boss Qiao gave a forced smile: "I wouldn't dare, I'm just stating the facts."

I heard that the third brother's hospital bills exceeded one hundred yuan. As the eldest brother, I should do my part to help.

He took out a hundred yuan from his purse and said, "Take it, I don't have any more."

Qiao Manman knew that now that Qiao Laoda had a "son," spending 100 yuan on Qiao Zhenzhen was already a huge expense.

But she didn't want to let it go so easily.

To everyone's surprise, Qiao Runming said, "Manman, quickly thank your Uncle Qiao!"

Qiao Manman looked at Qiao Runming suspiciously, and seeing the worry in his eyes, she instantly understood his concerns.

They probably feared that if the machinery factory heard about Qiao Zhenzhen's situation, they would think that their family had poor discipline and would cancel Qiao Manman's admission qualification again.

By then, my daughter's life will be completely ruined.

Qiao Manman sighed and called Wang Defa to be her witness. After receiving one hundred yuan, she withdrew the charges against Qiao Zhenzhen.

Chen Dashan's family had been waiting at the Qiao family's door since they heard the commotion.

Seeing that Qiao Manman had relented, they all came in smiling, hoping to settle the matter with money.

Qiao Manman raised her finger and waved it: "If Chen Dashan wants to get out, compensation alone won't be enough. You have to sign this!"

Chen Dashan's parents were illiterate, so Wang Defa took the letter and read it aloud.

"I, Chen Dashan, was misled by Qiao Zhenzhen and slandered Comrade Qiao Manman's reputation, fabricating facts in an attempt to force her to marry me."

I was wrong, utterly and completely wrong. I hereby promise that I will never dare to appear before Comrade Qiao Manman again, or else I'll be locked up in jail until I die…”

Chen Dashan's parents were furious.

They had already planned that once their son was born, they would pin the blame on Qiao Manman to clear Chen Dashan's name.

As a result, they cut off their escape route.

Qiao Manman snorted coldly: "Did you think I read all those novels for nothing?"

"So, it's up to you whether you sign or not. It doesn't matter if you don't. At worst, the younger generation of the Chen family won't be able to take the civil service exam, join the army, or go to university in the future. What's the big deal?"