Besides, she couldn't bear to see her adorable little son by convenience turn into a complete psycho!
Once that thought appeared, she couldn't take it back. Xu Han figured that finding a job would be difficult for her anyway, so she might as well go back and give it a try. If it didn't work out, she could come back and find work later.
Xu Han snapped her fingers excitedly and muttered to herself, "That could totally work!"
So as not to frighten Grandma Qiao, Xu Han told her that even after finishing her confinement, she couldn't possibly go out and look for work right away. The cost of living in the city was high, so they might as well stay in the countryside for a while and treat it as a chance to relax.
Even though she had only said she wanted to relax, Grandma Qiao looked terrified. Qiao Wanqing had never acknowledged that she had been born there, and she had loathed that place to the extreme. Let alone going back, Grandma Qiao had never even dared mention it to her.
Only after Xu Han repeatedly assured her that she wasn't joking did Grandma Qiao believe her. Her face lit up with joy, and she hurriedly packed their things, planning for the two of them to return once Xu Han's confinement was over.
"I don't know where Miss Qiao went either. She didn't terminate the lease, and she paid rent six months at a time, so it hasn't expired yet. We only care whether they pay their rent on time, not whether they live here."
The short, plump landlord wore a fawning smile as he spoke to the tall, handsome man before him. The man had an overwhelming presence and an innate air of authority even without anger, making the landlord so deferential that he practically wanted to bow and scrape.
Gu Yanqing stared coldly at the tightly shut door for several seconds before saying, "Please notify my assistant when she comes back."
His assistant, Wang Xiao, promptly handed the landlord a business card. The landlord hurriedly accepted it and said eagerly, "Of course, of course! As soon as she comes back, I'll notify you immediately!"
"Sorry for the trouble."
The landlord quickly said, "Not at all, not at all."
Gu Yanqing did not waste any more words. He turned and left Qiao Wanqing's rented apartment. Once he was in his car, he asked Wang Xiao calmly, "What were the results from the hospital?"
Wang Xiao replied, "We just received them. Miss Qiao did indeed give birth to a baby boy at that hospital a month ago."
Gu Yanqing's hand tightened. "The timeline matches?"
"Yes."
Gu Yanqing's expression darkened. His tone was hostile as he said, "Find her!"
Seeing Gu Yanqing's grim expression, Wang Xiao did not dare delay. "All right. I'll have people look for her immediately."
Wang Xiao had been by Gu Yanqing's side for many years. Though Gu Yanqing was a highly placed figure admired by many and of distinguished status, he was well-mannered and had never been one to lose his temper easily or speak harshly without cause.
Yet whenever it came to that Miss Qiao, Gu Yanqing was clearly far more irritable.
Only that woman had the ability to challenge Gu Yanqing's bottom line again and again.
Gu Yanqing rubbed the space between his brows tiredly.
His work focus had shifted to another province. He had returned these past few days on business, and a subordinate who knew a little about what had happened between him and Qiao Wanqing mentioned that during a recent hospital visit, he had seen someone who looked like Miss Qiao with a very pregnant belly.
Since that subordinate had only caught a brief glimpse of Qiao Wanqing before, he could not be certain and did not dare mention it rashly to Gu Yanqing. He had only brought it up casually after Gu Yanqing returned this time. Gu Yanqing immediately sent people to investigate, only to find that Qiao Wanqing had actually hidden a child from him.
That woman's intentions were easy enough to guess. She merely wanted to use this to threaten him and climb the social ladder. Did she really think that giving him a son would let her rise from the branches and become a phoenix?
Gu Yanqing gave a cold laugh inwardly. He would do exactly the opposite of what she wanted.
Xu Han took Koukou and returned with Grandma Qiao. They first rode the high-speed train back to the province and city where their village was located, then took a bus that bumped along for more than two hours to Town. After that, they hired a local family's truck and rode for another half hour before finally reaching Dongyang Village, where their home was.
Their house was still an old-fashioned mud-brick home. It looked quite aged, but construction workers back then did not cut corners, so the house did not seem too dilapidated overall. Instead, it carried the distinct charm of an old rural home.
Xu Han was very satisfied with it. It matched the old house she had imagined.
The only flaw was that Grandma Qiao had been in the city for over three months, so the large courtyard in front of the house was overgrown with weeds. Cobwebs hung beneath the eaves, making the place look terribly deserted.
A large lock hung on the front door. Grandma Qiao opened it and pushed the door inward, revealing an interior far better than the outside. The floor had been cemented, and the walls had been whitewashed with lime.
Grandma Qiao had also kept it very clean. Aside from a layer of dust and a faint musty smell from being unoccupied for so long, it was not too hard to accept.
Grandma Qiao seemed like a mother-in-law bringing her city daughter-in-law back to the village. Looking embarrassed, she said, "The house isn't cleaned up, and it's run-down. You probably won't be used to living here. How about you take Koukou to stay at an inn in Town?"
Xu Han said, "There's no need to go through all that trouble. We can just clean it up."
Seeing that Xu Han's expression was calm and lacked the familiar look of disdain, Grandma Qiao secretly breathed a sigh of relief. "Then you rest with Koukou. I'll go tidy up your room first."
But Xu Han put Koukou in the stroller, rolled up her sleeves, and said, "I'll help too."
The two of them spent most of the day cleaning, and the house was soon spotless. Grandma Qiao also prepared a room for Xu Han. The quilts were already there and only needed airing out. Xu Han had brought duvet covers and sheets with her, worried that the child might not adjust well.
Xu Han looked at the freshly renewed house, filled with a sense of accomplishment.
From now on, this would be her home.
Author's Note:
The baby's name is Koukou, as in the kou from "mouth," so it isn't censored.
Cheat Code
Because of the circumstances, Grandma Qiao picked a handful of still-tender greens from her weed-filled vegetable garden for lunch, sliced up some ham, and made two bowls of noodles to make do.
But Xu Han needed to produce milk for the baby, so she needed proper nutrition. Those things alone definitely would not be enough. That evening, Grandma Qiao went to Er Zhu's house in the village to buy a fish and make soup for Xu Han.
Grandma Qiao was an excellent cook. She fried the fish in a hot pan with cold oil until it turned golden, then poured in boiling water and simmered it over high heat for around ten minutes. The fish soup soon turned milky white, rich and fragrant, with a layer of golden oil floating on top.
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