CHAPTER 771: CHAPTER 746: EXPLANATION

One week later.

Fan Jianguo returned to their small yard with Liu Huili, their daughter, and his mother.

Although their home was small, it was still their home after all.

The ancients used to say that a gold or silver nest isn’t as good as one’s own kennel.

Back at home, Fan Jianguo felt a sense of relief.

It wasn’t that his sister and brother-in-law didn’t treat him well, but staying there came with its own pressures.

Liu Huili looked at her husband somewhat anxiously.

During this week, her husband seemed to have become a different person at his elder sister’s house.

In the past, after a day of business, he’d hardly say a word upon returning, and even while busy at home preparing materials, he wouldn’t say much to her, not even cracking a smile.

But over the past few days, smiles had become more frequent on her husband’s face, and he spoke more, sometimes sitting in the yard with his sister and brother-in-law for an entire afternoon, drinking tea, playing chess, chatting.

Moreover, his complexion was improving day by day.

Gradually becoming rosy, and his voice was growing more confident.

The slightly hunched back from some time ago was now straightening, as if he’d reverted to the Fan Jianguo she met before they were married.

These last few days, as they talked things through, walls were coming down, and she felt stronger each day, especially with the child in her arms.

In the past, she and her daughter would fall ill every few days, with her daughter having fevers frequently, but after staying this week, there hadn’t been a single illness.

In her heart, she was relieved, thinking that untangling one’s mental knots, becoming happier, would also elevate one’s health.

She could only hope her own health would improve, to not be a burden on Fan Jianguo.

Who marries a wife to have someone who shares both joy and hardship?

Not to marry an ancestor to serve.

Seeing Fan Jianguo taking clothes from the cabinet, packing a bag, her heart tightened.

"The father of my child, where are you going?"

Liu Huili was uneasy, with no position to demand where Fan Jianguo was headed, but if he left this house, how could she manage?

Fan Jianguo placed the packed bundle aside and then took a bankbook from his pocket, placing it before Liu Huili.

"This bankbook has 100,000 yuan on it. This time it’s the money Xiao Xiao lent me. I’m planning to go south to wholesale fruits. Soon, I’ll contact Xiao Zhang and the others; they’re all truck drivers, gathering a group of our own acquaintances.

If this batch of goods can be safely delivered, whether our family can make a comeback, if you and our daughter can live better days, if I can let my mother peacefully enjoy her old age at home, depends on this one time!

I know your health is still weak, but I have no choice—I must go. I’m entrusting the household to you and Mother, discussing any matters between you two, taking good care of the child, and waiting for my safe return.

Here’s 500 yuan. It’s enough for your living expenses."

Liu Huili hurriedly pushed the 500 yuan back.

"Don’t worry, when you go out on business, we have Mother and me at home, we’ll definitely take good care of Xiao Nine. Give this money to Mother, so she can feel a bit more at ease; I don’t even trust myself with it, how can I expect your trust?

You’ve put money in my hands before, and look what I’ve done to our home—I won’t handle the family’s money anymore."

Liu Huili was genuine, not throwing a tantrum, speaking from the heart. Handling money made her nervous now.

Fan Jianguo held Liu Huili’s hand, "Wife, the past is in the past, no matter the mistakes. We must look forward; we have a lifetime ahead, decades to spend together; I can’t keep this family from your hands because of this.

Mother’s getting old, we can’t burden her with the household’s worries. You should have confidence; as people say, motherhood makes one strong, and I trust that for our daughter’s sake, you’ll consider things carefully and avoid being reckless.

The last mishap was due to greed, as long as we perform our duties earnestly and don’t count on miraculous windfalls in the future, I believe we can live well."

Tears welled in Liu Huili’s eyes; ever since this incident, her husband neither scolded nor hit her.

But he hadn’t spoken much to her either, yet at this moment, he suddenly felt as reassuring and reliable as Da Shan.

Her eyes had been blind in the past.

How could she think her husband didn’t care for her, and that he shouldn’t have stood firm with her family as he did back then.

No one could see the deeds her family ended up doing—those weren’t acts of people.

"The father of my child, trust me. From now on, I’ll live steadfastly, no longer indulging in such behaviors. I won’t be greedy for money again. I’ll serve you and our daughter, and Mother, earnestly, without concerning or managing other things."

Liu Huili’s tears made Fan Jianguo sigh as he held his wife tightly, gently patting her back.

The situation had escalated without needing to place blame—but both were wrong.

He’d been too negligent in letting his wife have her way, causing her to grow unruly.

Creating the opportunity for Fang Xiaohui to exploit.

Introspection was needed; despite his wife bearing 80% of the blame, the 20% that was his was unforgivable, too. Without correction, similar situations might arise again.

Mrs. Fan, embracing her granddaughter, played games in the yard with her; little Xiao Nine holding a small shovel, crouched in the yard, digging dirt.

Hearing the voices of her son and daughter-in-law from the house, Old Mrs. Fan smiled contentedly.

A harmonious household prospers; the storm has finally passed, and it looks like her son can rise again.

She couldn’t help but feel grateful to her daughter and son-in-law, and even more to her granddaughter.

Little Xiao had always been close to her, unwilling for her to suffer any hardship; today’s event truly showed Xiao’s love.

That night, Fan Jianguo found a few particularly close friends; these friends were involved in transportation, often helping him transport goods before.

This time, to venture into the fruit wholesale business, he naturally needed to rely on them; Xiao Zhang specifically brought a few men to accompany him on the journey.

They were former military comrades, thus having an exceptional bond compared to others.

Additionally, these men were nimble and skillful, making long-distance trips safer than with most others. Even when facing road thieves or bandits, they were unafraid.

The truck was stocked with food and drinks; they drove directly, sparing no expense as renting a vehicle locally could be costly, too.