CHAPTER 170: 169: WANG SHUMEI RETURNS (THIRD UPDATE)

Ye Ling felt that Zhang Linong was right, if no one was at home and someone broke in and took something, even if it wasn’t worth much, it would be worrisome.

Without further ado, Zhang Linong made arrangements, "Tomorrow you take Dongzi to town, Wang Ping and I will stay here. Dongzi has a volatile temper; I fear leaving him at home might lead to a fight."

"Alright." Ye Ling agreed, yawning, "I think with the way we’re eating this winter, we’ll surely gain some weight."

Though her own body wasn’t yet at the point where she felt fat just from eating, Ye Ling enjoyed the days when she could eat her fill. As she noticed it was still early, she thought of going to pay respects at her grandmother’s grave. She asked Zhang Linong to accompany her, bringing along the ritual paper her father prepared, and headed to the cemetery at the back of the land with Zhang Linong.

People from the village went there too; everyone was buried in that plot between the back land and the riverbank. It was just a mile away, which took only about twenty minutes, not far at all.

Looking at the overgrown, dry weeds on her grandmother’s grave, Ye Ling couldn’t help but feel a sense of desolation rising within her. Her nose stung as she pulled out the weeds, not minding the mud and snow on her hands. Zhang Linong frowned as he watched and walked over, extending a handkerchief to her.

"No need, there’s still some left, I’ll finish soon." Ye Ling didn’t feel cold; instead, staying near her grandmother gave her heart a sense of peace.

"Wipe your hands first, let me do it. If your grandma saw, she’d surely feel distressed. You don’t want her to keep worrying about you, do you?" Zhang Linong insisted, putting the handkerchief in her hand, "Go on, we rarely have chances to come here, let me show some consideration too. I think your grandma wouldn’t mind."

Ye Ling thought for a moment and smiled, accepting the handkerchief, "Thanks."

"Go on." Zhang Linong nodded towards the stack of paper on the ground, "Watch out, the wind outside is strong."

"Okay." Ye Ling wiped her hands while walking over, picked up the paper and squatted down, taking out the matches she had brought, shielding the wind with her body as she lit the papers, "Grandma, I’m here to see you. You must have missed me, right? I’m doing well. I’m already in the first year of high school, and after the New Year, I’ll be in the second year. Next year, I’ll be taking the college entrance exam. My dad treats me well, so don’t worry. I remember everything you told me."

Ye Ling wiped the tears from her face, "Grandma, it would be so nice if you were still alive. Didn’t you want to see me get married? When I graduate from university, I’ll definitely find a good grandson-in-law and bring him to meet you."

Thinking about reliving her life all over again and still not being able to keep her grandmother, Ye Ling wondered if her fate could really be changed? Would she still follow the trajectory of her previous life? But now, compared to before, she was already in high school—would she no longer walk the same path as her past life? And what about Grandma? Grandma left even earlier than in the previous life, what did that mean?

"It’s okay to cry, after crying, you’ll feel a bit better."

Ye Ling looked up to see Zhang Linong squatting beside her, she didn’t know when he had come over. She wiped her tears again, "I’m fine."

She was truly okay. Since Grandma wanted her to live well, she wouldn’t let Grandma down again. Sometimes she wondered if she hadn’t insisted on studying against the family’s wishes in the past, would Grandma have not been angered into an argument with her father and died from the strain?

These thoughts flashed through Ye Ling’s mind, but she didn’t dare delve deeper. She feared she would never forgive herself for a lifetime. Even if she avoided thinking about it now, she didn’t have the courage to face it all yet.

Watching Ye Ling, who was still shedding tears while insisting she was fine, Zhang Linong couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy each time. Whenever he saw her being strong, he felt compelled to comfort her, not knowing what to say, ending up choosing silence.

The stack of ritual papers they brought was completely burned. Ye Ling stopped crying, finally kneeling on the ground and knocking her head three times before standing up, not expecting Zhang Linong to follow suit with three kowtows as well. Ye Ling opened her mouth, but said nothing more. It was only when they returned home and entered the yard that she uttered a ’thank you.’

Zhang Linong beside her didn’t say anything, but Ye Ling knew he heard it. She pushed the door open and walked in, immediately hearing Zhao Guodong’s angry roar, "Didn’t I tell you to get out? So what if your dad is the team leader? Are you sick or something, woman? Do you have no shame?"

"Who are you calling shameless?" A woman’s voice was already answering back.

Ye Ling frowned, exchanging a look with Zhang Linong, then quickly pushed open the door to see Wang Shumei standing on the floor arguing with Zhao Guodong seated on the kang. Wang Ping lay sideways on the kang, watching the commotion. Seeing Ye Ling enter, Wang Shumei’s anger flared even more, "Ye Ling, good thing you’re back. The person you brought home cursed me for being shameless after I said a few words. How is it shameful that my dad is the team leader?"

"Stop distorting the truth. You barged in suddenly and woke us up. I asked who you were, and you arrogantly declared your dad was the team leader. How was I supposed to know who you were? What’s the point of showing off here that your dad is the team leader? Where did I go wrong calling you shameless?" Zhao Guodong was exasperated, not understanding why this woman was being so troublesome—coming to someone else’s house for no reason and starting a fight.

Wang Shumei’s face turned red with embarrassment, "Why shouldn’t I be here? You asked who I was, and I told you my dad was the team leader, what’s wrong with that? I heard you and Si Daochen went to school together, so I wanted to see what kind of people bully others every day."

Wang Shumei had just arrived home today, heard that Si Daochen was back, and immediately went to the Si Family. Seeing Si Daochen’s indifference towards her, she grasped at straws, casually asking about Ye Ling. She learned that Ye Ling brought male classmates back. From what Si Daochen told her about these male classmates, the impression wasn’t good. Before going home, she visited Zhang Zhenlian, who vaguely mentioned conflicts between Ye Ling and Si Daochen, related to Ye Qian. How could Wang Shumei not be jealous? Thinking Ye Ling mistreated Si Daochen with outsiders, she found her way to the Ye Family.

Not expecting Ye Ling to be absent, she found two young men sleeping inside. Wang Shumei approached the kang, but her proximity woke one of them, who stared at her with his eyes wide, scaring her into backing up two steps before calming down.

Thus began the argument. Hearing Wang Shumei’s accusation, Zhao Guodong, in anger, pointed and shouted, "What business is it to you if I bully someone? Did I bully you? Mind your own business, who do you think you are? My own father hasn’t disciplined me, so who do you think you are? So it was that pretty boy Si Daochen who sent you! Tell him to come himself. I’ll knock his teeth out." (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to qidian.com to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)