CHAPTER 620: CHAPTER 252: SYSTEM CALLS ME TO SAVE THE DAY (PART 9)_2

Oh no, not even love can be guaranteed to last, the relationship between a strong woman and a weak man in a marriage is not stable.

A family, where both parties contribute, is truly happy and balanced.

But when one party sacrifices excessively and the other only enjoys without giving back, sooner or later, that family will face problems.

"Ah, I knew it, the plot still needs me, the top-grade ex-wife, to push it forward!"

He Tiantian sighed helplessly in her heart.

"Jiaojiao, what’s the matter with you? You can tell Granny straight."

Granny Qiao gently took He Tiantian’s hand, and a glint of light flashed through her somewhat cloudy eyes.

Granny Qiao detested Mrs. Qiao, her daughter-in-law, but she was very fond of and cherished her eldest grandson, Qiao Zhenbang.

Loving the house and its crows, Granny Qiao also looked upon her granddaughter-in-law "Jiao Jiao" more favorably.

Moreover, in the past year or so, the granddaughter-in-law had spared no effort to be filial to her.

Her kind of filial piety was different from that of Mrs. Qiao.

When giving things to the elderly, even if Mrs. Qiao was to deliver just a piece of steamed bread, she’d travel from the east end of the village to the west, and within half a day, everyone in the village would know that Mrs. Qiao had done a good deed and delivered it to her mother-in-law while it was still hot.

But "Jiao Jiao," whether she was stewing fish or frying meat, would always deliver it quietly.

If someone saw it and asked proactively, "Jiao Jiao" would then respond truthfully.

If no one noticed, she wouldn’t broadcast it all over the place.

Granny Qiao, shrewd with age, could naturally discern who was putting on a show and who was sincerely kind-hearted.

Their Zhenbang was truly fortunate to have married such a good daughter-in-law.

Even she, the mother-in-law who was driven out of the house by her daughter-in-law, had received care from the granddaughter-in-law.

After He Tiantian arrived, she indeed kicked up quite a fuss but kept her "battlefield" limited to the Qiao Family.

At most, the neighbors to the left and right might hear some noise, but the rest of the villagers, including the Jiao Family, and even Granny Qiao, were unaware that "Jiaojiao" had changed her attitude.

However, even without knowing the "truth," Granny Qiao still sensed something was off.

The granddaughter-in-law was filial indeed, but it always felt like there was a distance between them.

And now, the granddaughter-in-law seemed to be more sincere and closer than before.

While feeling comforted in her heart, Granny Qiao was still somewhat astonished—what on earth had happened? Why had the granddaughter-in-law changed like this?

"Granny, there’s really nothing serious. I just suddenly feel that I might have done something wrong in the past!"

He Tiantian withdrew her hand from massaging Granny Qiao and spoke with slight regret.

"Done something wrong? What did you do wrong? Or is someone picking on you? Don’t be afraid, if someone bullies you, just tell Granny!"

When Granny Qiao mentioned "someone," she bit down especially hard with her teeth.

Clearly, Granny Qiao believed that "someone" was none other than her worthless daughter-in-law.

Seeing that Granny Qiao had misunderstood, He Tiantian quickly shook her head, "No one is bullying me, I just, just—"

He Tiantian appeared troubled, at a loss for what to say.

After a good while, as if she had found the right words, she spoke slowly: "Granny, you should also know, Zhenbang used to have a bad reputation, mainly because the Qiao family’s status was not very good!"

Granny Qiao did not know why He Tiantian had suddenly changed the subject, but she still followed her lead and nodded gently, "Yes, poor Zhenbang. He’s so smart and spirited, yet—"

In the city factories recruiting workers or the army calling for conscription, young men with the same age as Qiao Zhenbang but inferior in ability and appearance, could all qualify to sign up.

Qiao Zhenbang, however, did not even have the chance to apply.

Aside from farming in the countryside, all other avenues of advancement were blocked to him.

He was sad, his hope diminished, and he did not wish to repeat his father’s fate, yet he was powerless to change it.

And at that time, Zhenbang was only seventeen or eighteen, at the age brimming with hot blood and rebellion.

The harsh realities forced Zhenbang to become an idle ruffian, though in the past it was an act, given that Zhenbang needed time and energy to trade goods.

He pretended to be a lazy man, not working for the production team, but secretly dealing in goods and trade.

Outsiders didn’t know and scolded him for being a good-for-nothing troublemaker.

The Qiao family, however, knew all too well the grievances of Zhenbang, especially Granny Qiao—for her beloved grandson was her life.

Watching her grandson have to stoop to "self-degradation" to support the family, Granny Qiao couldn’t help but feel heartache.

Luckily, the granddaughter-in-law was not swayed by those rumors, and no matter how others advised, she was certain about her own grandson.