A charming widow in her 70s married a factory manager and raised his children.

Chapter 202 Two Kinds of Life

Qian Quan probably learned a lesson from Huang Cuilan and realized that there were hidden dangers in the matter of surrogacy. His wife might run off with someone else if things went wrong. So when it came to his own situation, he didn't say anything or reveal any information. He didn't even know who the man was.

The thought that she had been violated by a stranger without her knowledge made Zhuang Qingxiang want to jump into the river.

"Big sister, what's wrong?"

Huang Cuilan looked up and saw Zhuang Qingxiang's pale face and swaying precariously. She was startled and quickly helped her up.

Zhuang Qingxiang was supported by her, but suddenly all her strength was gone. She couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed to the ground.

"Big sister, don't scare me, what's wrong?"

Zhuang Qingxiang didn't even have the strength to shake her head; she tightly gripped Huang Cuilan's hand with one hand.

She wanted to ask Huang Cuilan if she knew who the man was, but she was too ashamed to say it.

The tears she had been holding back for so long finally streamed down her face. Sitting on the ground, she cried so hard she couldn't breathe.

When she cried, Huang Cuilan could only cry along with her; the two of them cried facing each other.

Fortunately, the two of them specifically sought out a secluded spot to talk, otherwise passersby would probably have thought they were two crazy women.

The two of them cried for a long time, until their eyes were swollen, and finally stopped when they couldn't cry anymore.

Huang Cuilan gripped Zhuang Qingxiang's hand, her voice hoarse, and said, "Don't cry, we're both pitiful people. It's alright, it's alright, that beast is dead! Heaven has eyes, he can't harm us anymore."

Zhuang Qingxiang thought about how she had been heartbroken and saddened for a long time when that beast died, and how she had tried every means to raise money to properly arrange his funeral. If only she had known... if only she had known...

No, she should go and dig up his grave right now, exhume him, and grind his bones to dust!

"It's alright, sit down for a while and rest." Zhuang Qingxiang's voice was also hoarse.

Sitting cross-legged on the ground, Huang Cuilan felt increasingly cold and couldn't sit still any longer, so she secretly glanced at Zhuang Qingxiang.

She had come all this way with great difficulty, and she was determined not to let Zhuang Qingxiang take her daughter away. That was the provincial capital, a place she would probably never be able to visit in her lifetime. If her daughter were taken away, she might never see her again.

Seeing Zhuang Qingxiang lost in thought, seemingly oblivious to the cold and warmth, Huang Cuilan knelt down in front of her again with a thud: "Elder sister, please give Yueyue back to me. Her father and her younger brother are waiting for her at home."

Zhuang Qingxiang's eyes moved with difficulty as she looked at Huang Cuilan kneeling in front of her.

"Are you really going to take her with you?" Zhuang Qingxiang asked seriously. "You know she's doing very well now, better off with me than with you."

"I know, I know." Huang Cuilan nodded repeatedly. "I went to see her secretly back then and saw how good you were to her. I know you're a kind person, but... she's still my own daughter."

Huang Cuilan paused, thinking about how she could explain it clearly.

"Big sister, I know you're leaving with the big official, and you're taking two children with you. That big official also has a child... Your children are your own, and the big official's child is his. Only Yueyue has nothing to do with you. They're good to her now, but what about later? What if they treat her badly in the future? I won't be able to find her anywhere."

Huang Cuilan was about to cry again, but she had already cried all her tears and only felt pain in her eyes.

"I am grateful for your kindness to her, but no one can predict what will happen in the future. As long as Yueyue stays with me, her father and I will make sure she is neither hungry nor cold. Life may not be as prosperous as it is with you, but she is our own daughter, and it won't be too bad for her."

"Sister, please don't take offense at my bluntness, but that high-ranking official is kind to you and to Yueyue now. But what if he turns his back on you one day? What will Yueyue mean to you then?"

Zhuang Qingxiang stared blankly at the woman in front of her, who was clearly younger than her but looked about the same age.

She's quite intelligent to be able to say those things.

That's true. If you're not smart, how would you know to run?

Unlike myself, who knows nothing and still thinks highly of that beast.

Zhuang Qingxiang sighed, stood up, brushed the dirt off her clothes, and said in a low voice, "I understand your worries, but Yueyue is almost six years old. I've been taking care of her for two years. She treats me like her own mother, and I treat her like my own daughter. Now you suddenly say you want to take her away... I don't agree!"

"Big sister!" Huang Cuilan cried out anxiously, "She's mine, my child, the first child I carried for ten months!"

"I know." Zhuang Qingxiang gave a bitter smile, "But my feelings for her... you don't understand. I want to be good to her for the rest of my life."

Zhuang Qingxiang couldn't talk about what happened in her past life, but she would always remember how Yueyue died tragically in the cowshed while trying to protect her.

After her rebirth, she vowed to raise Yueyue well.

"You..." Zhuang Qingxiang paused, "I can tell you're having a hard time. If she goes back with you, she'll definitely have to work for you, doing chores around the house, working in the fields, digging for wild vegetables, gathering firewood, taking care of her younger brother... and maybe there will be other younger brothers and sisters in the future..."

Zhuang Qingxiang took a deep breath, her voice growing increasingly firm: "I don't want her to live that kind of life. She deserves a better life."

Huang Cuilan frowned: "Everyone lives like this, what's wrong with that? As long as the family is together, that's all that matters."

"No, no," Zhuang Qingxiang shook her head. "She goes to kindergarten every day now, and next year, or at the latest the year after, she can go to primary school. I will support her education all the way through junior high, high school, and university... She will be as educated as those educated youth from the city. Don't you want to see her become a better version of herself?"

Huang Cuilan was tempted, but still shook her head: "What's the use of studying so much like those educated youth? Don't we still have to come to our countryside to farm and earn work points?"

Huang Cuilan's face scrunched up as she thought about those useless educated youth in the village.

She didn't want her daughter to end up like those educated youth who didn't even know how to farm, and were lucky to earn five work points a day. Some of them even stole chickens and dogs in the village. Since those educated youth came, two chickens had already gone missing from their village.

Aside from being fair-skinned and clean-cut, she's really useless.

Her daughter should be as capable as her. When she grows up, she should be able to earn at least eight work points a day to be a good woman. Then, everyone in the surrounding villages will know that Huang Cuilan's daughter is hardworking and capable. Many families will come to propose to her. She will choose a reliable and honest man for her daughter so that she can live a peaceful and stable life.

The two people had different ideas and neither could convince the other.

After a brief argument, Zhuang Qingxiang took the initiative to call a halt.

"Alright, let's stop arguing. Yueyue is more sensible now. Let's ask her opinion. If she's willing to go with you, I'll agree. If she's not willing, I hope you won't force her."

Huang Cuilan frowned unhappily: "She's still a child. How can we let her have the final say?"