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Zhou Village Head led Xiao Fan, Wolf Child, and Big Wolf, carrying a basket of fish, into the house with great enthusiasm.
Yezhi immediately hugged Niu Niu and hid inside. It wasn't that she was stingy; she was genuinely angry at the Village Uncles for not taking her along for the winter fishing. Fine! What could she do as a woman tagging along? She didn't want to hear it! They even took Wolf Child with them, who wasn't a girl, making it unfair. Even worse, they had specifically chosen Black Treasure to go, saying that this strong kid could catch more fish. If Black Treasure was working hard, why couldn't she cheer him on from the sidelines? Besides, everyone knew that Black Treasure listened to her the most.
"Yezhi, still mad?" Zhou Village Head quietly asked Aunt Zhou.
"Yeah!" Aunt Zhou also disapproved of Yezhi going; she couldn't help out and would just stand there looking foolish. It was better to stay home and help.
"I can see she's quite upset!" Yu Jianhua, focused on chopping vegetables, spoke up.
Zhou Village Head tugged at his hair in frustration. "Why did I agree with that rascal Wednesday? Yezhi must be mad at me for saying she was meddling!"
"Sister Ye, Sister Ye!" One Egg cheerfully ran into her house.
"One Egg, you're just in time!" Zhou Village Head looked at One Egg kindly, making him feel anxious. "Uncle, what mistake did I make?"
"One Egg, I have an honorable mission for you!"
An honorable mission? He loved doing honorable things! One Egg boldly said, "Uncle, tell me!"
"Your Sister Ye is still upset about not going winter fishing. Think of a way to cheer her up!"
"Sister Ye is just like those little kids with Zhou Xiaomu; she gets mad and needs someone to coax her!" Yu Jianhua laughed so hard he could barely hold the knife. Aunt Zhou wholeheartedly agreed with One Egg's words. "One Egg is indeed reliable!"
Zhou Village Head cleared his throat and asked, "Do you have confidence in cheering her up?"
One Egg patted his chest confidently. "Just watch me!"
One Egg walked into the room where Xiao Fan was animatedly recounting the winter fishing experience. One Egg rolled his eyes, thinking Xiao Fan was just the silly kid Sister Ye often mentioned. Wasn't he just rubbing salt in Sister Ye's wounds?
"Grilled fish is so delicious!" One Egg cried, tears streaming down his face. Wolf Sister was acting foolishly as well; it was truly a case of everyone being intoxicated while he remained sober. What would they do in the future without him?
"Wolf Sister, fish can't compare to meat! Especially the meat made by Sister Ye; it's simply fragrant!"
Yezhi thought One Egg's words were quite reasonable. What was so good about fish? It had a strong fishy smell; meat was better!
"The fish is tasty; I ate two big pieces and still want more!" Wolf Child was a straightforward girl. She was very sensitive to changes in atmosphere, but when it came to reading people's expressions, her ability was zero!
One Egg tugged at Wolf Child's sleeve, looking somewhat anxious. "Wolf Sister, there are some truths you shouldn't say!"
Wolf Child was confused, while Yezhi looked at One Egg with a mischievous smile. "Black Treasure, One Egg wants to practice wrestling with you!"
Black Treasure stood up unsteadily, his thick arms waving excitedly in the air. "Mama Bear, look at me!"
One Egg was dumbfounded. Right now, he could only lose; he didn't know what Sister Ye had been feeding Black Treasure for him to grow so fat and strong. He was practically the tyrant of Zhoujiatun; no one could move under his hefty backside.
"Sister Ye, I was wrong! Uncle can't help you!" The last sentence One Egg shouted towards the door.
"Black Treasure, go!"
"Aw!"
"Sister Ye, how can you be so ruthless! If my brother-in-law finds out your true nature, be careful he won't want you!" Why did they always bring Xiaobinzi into this?
"Our Yezi is still angry; why get upset during the holidays? Come on, smile!" Luo Fengjuan put down her bag and tugged at Yezhi's mouth.
"Sister Luo, Zhou Feng's wedding dress has been measured!" In the past, Zhoujiatun was poor, and many girls from the village married outside. Nowadays, unless someone like Yezi married into the city, there wasn't much attraction for the beautiful girls of Zhoujiatun. Their biggest wish was to live like Yezi; she was the brightest star that all these girls collectively admired.
Yezhi heard that many young girls in Zhoujiatun were causing a "revolution," with marriage autonomy being the most fiercely contested issue. The villagers of Zhoujiatun had been somewhat influenced by Yezi and had become more lenient towards their daughters. When parents looked for partners, they no longer only considered the reputation of the village or the amount of bride price; they would also ask their daughters for their opinions. Adults were no longer in such a hurry either; after all, Yezi didn't get married until she was 21 or 22—14 or 15 is still too young!
These small changes greatly benefited the young girls of Zhoujiatun.
Zhou Feng was able to marry Zhou Qiang from the same village, thanks in large part to Yezhi's bold performance at her own wedding. Otherwise, Zhou Feng would not have had the courage to confess her feelings to Zhou Qiang, nor would she have known that he liked her too. If it weren't for the previous changes, Zhou Feng's family would never have allowed her to marry an orphan like Zhou Qiang, who had nothing.
Yezhi found a design drawn by Sister Luo and exclaimed, "Why is it the same as mine again! There's no originality!"
"Who told you your wedding dress to be so eye-catching!" Recently, she had taken on about ten wedding dress orders, and they were all the same.
"Sister Luo, you're going to kill the business like this. We need to innovate, constantly innovate. The biggest highlight of my wedding dress is the fitted waist. Zhou Feng is tall and slim; we should make it into a small suit with tapered pants. It will definitely look beautiful!"
Luo Fengjuan was still pondering Yezhi's idea of innovation. In her spare time, she had also sketched a few designs but always felt they were somewhat off. "Yezhi, let me get something for you!" She said and ran out.
"Sister Ye!" One Egg, pinned down by Black Treasure, was in distress. Finally, Sister Ye heard his cries for help.
Xiao Fan and Wolf Child, carefree as ever, were still cheering for Black Treasure. Just like his mother, Black Treasure shone when given a little attention; if someone cheered him on, he would perform even harder. How could he let down the audience?
"Black Treasure!" Black Treasure lifted his fluffy head and shook it from side to side, looking adorably silly—an absolute showstopper for Yezhi!
"Yezhi smiled!" At that moment, Zhou Village Head rushed in.
"Hmph, I'm still angry!"
"Yezhi, next time I’ll take you with me!" Next time? That would be next year. What if there was no winter fishing next year? This year it was because the fish in the rice fields sold early and were all bought up by Acquisition Station; everyone went winter fishing just because they had nothing else to do. If they were busy next year, who would go? Besides, winter fishing spots weren't exclusive to their village; everyone went fishing together. Each year there were fewer fish—what was the point?
"Our Yezhi is a bit stingy!" Zhou Village Head sighed. "If only Xiaolin were here!"
As the saying goes, speak of the devil and he shall appear.
Aunt Zhou's hearty laughter sent shivers down Yezhi's spine. Soon enough, even Sister Luo was giggling uncontrollably. When Zhou Village Head looked outside, his face lit up with joy. "Yezhi, Xiaolin is back!" He said before rushing out, with Niu Niu bouncing ahead of him toward Xiaobinzi.
Yezhi kicked at Black Treasure, who had lost his audience, freeing the sulking One Egg. As she reached the door and looked far away at Xiaobinzi surrounded by everyone, her eyes unexpectedly welled up with tears. Nima, was it really necessary to be this emotional? The more she thought about it, the less she could control herself.
"What’s wrong?" Lin Haitao dropped his luggage and stepped forward eagerly; heaven knew how much he missed his wife.
“Xiaobinzi, Village Uncle is bullying me!” After saying this shocking statement, the girl buried her face in Xiao Lin's arms and sobbed, as if she had suffered a great injustice.
Lin Haitao felt heartbroken. His wife usually laughed cheerfully and never seemed troubled; for her to feel wronged during the New Year and cry meant something serious had happened.
“It’s okay, I’m here!” Lin Haitao held Yezhi tightly.
Zhou Village Head stood awkwardly on the side, “No… that’s not it… Xiao Lin, let me explain…” Just as Zhou Village Head was trying hard to organize his words, One Egg burst out laughing on the ground, “Yezhi~ Oh my, you’re killing me with laughter! Why haven’t you finished complaining yet?”
Aunt Zhou also laughed loudly, “This girl is getting more and more like a child! Xiao Lin, don’t mind her!”
Elder Brother Yu and his wife smiled but remained silent; however, their gazes were quite meaningful. With her head down, Yezhi truly felt a bit embarrassed now; she looked at her husband returning and threw a little tantrum.
“Yezhi, how embarrassing!”
“Brother Lin and Sister Yezi are so loving!” One Egg punched Xiao Fan playfully, “What do you know about love, you little brat?”
Xiao Fan looked up proudly and said, “Hugs, kisses, and playful fights are all love! I know that; Zhou Xiaomu knows too!”
Ignoring them, Yezhi continued to complain, “Village Uncle won’t let me go ice fishing; they said I would be a nuisance. But they took Wolf Child with them, even Black Treasure went!”
Lin Haitao was both amused and exasperated, “If they won’t let you go, I’ll go with you tomorrow.”
“That’s a good idea!” Zhou Village Head agreed.
“What’s the point of that?” She just wanted to experience the legendary ice fishing; if it was just the two of them going, it would be better to stay home.
Zhou Village Head promised to take her next time. This little one even made Wolf Child write a guarantee.
After Zhou Village Head pressed his handprint on it, he complained to Aunt Zhou, “I just found out today that Yezhi has quite a temper!”
“And she still hasn’t grown up!” As soon as Aunt Zhou finished speaking, the two burst into laughter.
Lin Haitao kissed Yezhi lightly and said, "I submitted my application for the job transfer. I might be able to move to the Qingshan Police Station, which is closest to home, by April. After that, I can come home every day!"
Yezhi returned the kiss and replied, "You are so wonderful, my husband!"
Lin Haitao recalled the shocked expression on Zhang Dou's face when he submitted the application. "Bro, you really can leave me behind!"
"Xiaobinzi, you heartless guy! You have good food and a wife to hold, and you don't need your brothers anymore? We are sworn brothers!"
"Did Zhang Dou really say that?" Yezhi asked with a laugh as she listened to Xiaobinzi's recounting.
Lin Haitao chuckled and said, "Yeah! That kid isn't going to miss me; he just can't bear to part with your delicious cooking!"
Yezhi sincerely remarked, "Marrying me means you've made the biggest sacrifice, my husband!"
"I don't think so. When I was young, my dream was to be someone who could go anywhere. But now that I'm a police officer, I'm different from others because my motivation isn't pure; I'm doing this to find my mother."
So he became a police officer for his mother. "You want to investigate your mother's cause of death?"
Lin Haitao held Yezhi tightly and whispered in her ear, "I just hope she isn't dead; I hope she's somewhere waiting for me to find her!"
"Even if... she really is dead, as her son, I still want to find her remains!"
Perhaps from watching too many TV dramas, Yezhi genuinely thought that Xiaobinzi's mother might not be dead. "Do you have a photo of her?"
Xiaobinzi rummaged through his bag and pulled out a red book containing several photos. One looked a bit blurry. "This is a photo of my mom when she was young."
"This one is of my mom when she was younger, and this is my grandfather!" Xiaobinzi's grandfather really was a handsome old man. Yezhi said regretfully, "Honey, if you looked like your grandfather, you'd be ten times more handsome than you are now!"
"My brother looks like our grandfather!"
"Oh my gosh, doesn't that mean he's more handsome than you?"
"I think you shouldn't just look at a person's face!"
"I believe the first thing you notice about someone is their face. Being good-looking definitely brings some advantages, at least it gives a good first impression!"
Lin Haitao laughed again. The number of times he had laughed with Yezhi in the past year was more than all the times combined in the previous 21 years. "That's the truth, but don't say it outside!"
"I won't! The feeling of being 'the only one sober among a crowd' is amazing!" Lin Haitao truly felt that his wife was a treasure.
"Honey, when was this photo of Mom taken?"
"It was taken when I just started high school, why?" Yezhi frowned, "It looks so familiar!"
As soon as Yezhi said this, Lin Haitao excitedly grabbed her, "Have you seen her somewhere?"
Yezhi's mind was in a jumble. She thought the person in the photo looked somewhat like Madwoman, but she wasn't sure.
"Aunt Zhou, Sister Luo, Elder Brother Yu!"
Yezhi called out urgently. Lin Haitao's heart raced as Aunt Zhou and the others rushed into their room. Yezhi showed them the photo, "Do you think she looks familiar?"
Aunt Zhou carefully examined the photo and said, "Isn't this Madwoman?"
Lin Haitao's eyes were filled with tears. Madwoman, the poor old lady Yezhi had mentioned, she is?
Lin Haitao eagerly handed the photo to Elder Brother Yu and the others, "She really looks a lot like Madwoman!"
Lin Haitao felt a mix of joy and sorrow as he trembled and asked, "Yezhi, where is she?"
"I'll take you there!"
Arriving at the cave where Madwoman lived, Lin Haitao couldn't stop crying. "When you see her, don't react too strongly; that might scare her, okay?" Lin Haitao nodded. "Madwoman! Madwoman!"
The Madwoman crawled out of the cave holding a sweet potato. The sky was getting dark, and Lin Haitao couldn't see her clearly. He felt anxious and took two steps forward.
"Ah~!" The Madwoman hated it when anyone approached her cave. Except for Wolf Child, Black Treasure, and Niu Niu, even Yezhi could only stand at the entrance, and that was only because of Wolf Child and the others.
"Madwoman, Wolf Child said he wants to treat you to some candy. Can you come out to eat it and then go back to sleep?" She wondered why she hadn't brought Wolf Child along, but luckily she still had a piece of candy in her pocket.
The Madwoman swiftly crawled out, opening her mouth wide as Yezhi handed the flashlight to the excited Xiaobinzi, who could hardly contain himself.
Through the dim light of the flashlight, Lin Haitao saw the Madwoman across from Yezhi. She was in rags, but her face was surprisingly clean. She looked very thin, as if a gust of wind could blow her away. Her face was both familiar and strange.
His mother didn't look that old! His mother was only forty-seven years old, unlike this elderly woman who appeared to be in her sixties or seventies!
Yezhi turned to ask, "Is that so?"
Lin Haitao's heart ached so much that he couldn't even form a "yes." He nodded vigorously, desperately shaking his head up and down.
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