Rebirth Counterattack with Space
Chapter 152 - 147 Fear

Chapter 152: Chapter 147 Fear

"How did you know?" Lu Aijiao almost dropped the dish she was holding.

As expected.

"So you did know, Big Sister. You always said we got along better than other siblings, but you’ve kept such an important matter secret for so long without giving me the slightest hint?" Xia Yuan accused Lu Aijiao with her gaze.

That’s not what I asked!

Lu Aijiao gave a dry laugh and awkwardly put down the dish in her hands, eagerly looking at Xia Yuan, "...Xia Yuan, I...I didn’t mean to keep it from you on purpose, it’s just...it’s just not that...I actually wanted to tell you in my heart."

"I know, it’s about that agreement the older generation made, right?" Xia Yuan sighed and went over to pull Lu Aijiao’s hand. "Big Sister, don’t take it the wrong way, but you’re too honest. Even if there was an agreement, did the elders make a strict rule that forbade the next generation from talking about it?"

Lu Aijiao was taken aback, "That they did not."

"That settles it then. If they didn’t, why couldn’t you speak up? You’re a good few years older than Aiguo, are you telling me someone else told you about what happened back then? Over the years, do you think our parents felt alright in their hearts? Even Aiguo, he told me that when he was little he more than once wished he was actually the child of the second branch of the family."

Xia Yuan’s eyes turned red, and she even changed how she addressed Lu Aibing and his wife.

"Did Aiguo really say that?" Lu Aijiao, seeing Xia Yuan nod, couldn’t hold back her tears any longer.

"It’s all my fault, I should have thought of this sooner. Back then, I was already old enough to remember, and suddenly my brother was taken away and given to San-shen to be his cousin, and at home, one parent was sighing all day long while the other cried. San-shen clung onto my brother, refusing to let go, and I secretly ran to take a peek but couldn’t even catch a glimpse. Later I was admonished not to tell anyone."

Lu Aijiao wiped her tears, filled with self-reproach, "How could I have been so foolish?"

"Big Sister..." Xia Yuan let out a deep sigh, finally restraining herself from speaking ill of Aiguo’s foster mother, San-shen’s past actions. The deceased are gone, after all, and even if one wanted to speak up, shouldn’t one ask Aiguo first?

Her own tears fell like beads, and the two of them held their heads and wept together for a long while before they remembered that everyone would be coming back for lunch soon. So, suppressing their desire to confide in each other, they hurriedly started preparing the midday meal.

When everyone came back and stepped inside the house, they sensed that the atmosphere was noticeably different, with both Xia Yuan and Lu Aijiao having red eyes.

Shitou and Lu Yun knew the whole story, while Xie Jiang and Wu Tan were clueless.

Now that the secret was out, there was no need to hide it anymore. Both Xie Jiang and Wu Tan were utterly astonished when they learned the truth. Wu Tan was okay, but Xie Jiang couldn’t help feeling secretly elated inside.

That afternoon, Xia Yuan and Lu Aijiao had no heart for anything else and talked all afternoon on the sofa in the living room. That night, Lu Aijiao wrote a letter to Lu Aibing and his wife.

When Lu Aijiao’s letter arrived in Yushu Village, Lu Aiguo had already taken Lin Weisheng and Zhang Ming, and they were halfway back to Haicheng by car.

Lu Aibing did want to go along, but in the end, he was persuaded to stay behind and help out at the factory.

The factory was bustling with work, and Lu Aimei and Zhang Cai were helping a group of people cook meals. Lu Aimei’s father-in-law, Xie Lao Si, had poor legs, so he helped watch over the two children. Xie Changgen and Lu Aibing followed wherever help was needed, whether it was doing some heavy lifting or running errands.

The three-wheeled bicycle that Lu Aiguo brought back had been tested; it worked very well for travel between Xie’s Village and Yushu Village, and even on the way to the township. Of course, the ease of travel on these routes had something to do with them clearing obstacles themselves with tools while they were test riding.

After several days of pondering, Lu Aiguo discussed with Uncle Lu a few more times and decided to apply for a shop license and a street vendor permit when he returned to Haicheng. Although quite a few people ran factories and workshops under the table, we should still be good citizens, shouldn’t we?

And how could we not think of giving back to society after making money?

Lu Aiguo decided that once all the paperwork was complete, he should at least make donations to the school and orphanage first, give away some school desks, books, toys, and money, and then go comfort the teachers and staff. Wasn’t it right to offer them some welfare benefits?

Then there were the neighborhood committee, police station, and industrial and commercial offices that oversaw their area... After accepting their care for so long, and now that his family had become one of the first to prosper, it was only proper to visit and express gratitude during the holidays...

Having come to this realization, a heavy weight finally lifted from Lu Aiguo’s heart.

"What did Aijiao say in her letter?" Uncle Lu’s wife, while feeding the chickens, smilingly asked Uncle Lu, who was reading his eldest daughter’s letter, "It couldn’t also be about Xia Yuan’s pregnancy, could it?"

Uncle Lu’s wife continued speaking when Uncle Lu didn’t immediately respond.

"Who would have thought Xia Yuan would become pregnant so quickly? It’s January now. Two months in, the baby will probably be born in the summer. Although the summer is a bit hot, it’s still better than the dead of winter. Aijiao will be returning after the New Year; there will be no shortage of chores inside and outside the house. How about I go with them after the New Year to help?"

"We need to raise more chickens this year, and we should also raise another pig. You’ll have to work a bit harder at home. From now on, whenever we gather enough eggs, don’t exchange them for cash or goods at the supply and marketing co-op; just bring them all to me in Haicheng."

Uncle Lu’s wife paused after saying this and then, worried about overburdening Uncle Lu, suggested, "With so much work to do and you also having to take care of the village, don’t wear yourself out. You’re getting on in years, and one must accept aging. Maybe we should stop farming our land and see if someone else would like to farm it. We shouldn’t ask for much, and there should be willing people; or perhaps we can first ask the eldest branch of the family what they think—does this sound okay to you?"

After talking at length and finishing with feeding the chickens, Uncle Lu’s wife realized that Uncle Lu hadn’t replied, which was unusual. She turned to him, somewhat surprised, only to be shocked. She saw that Uncle Lu was sitting there, lost in thought, clearly not having heard her words.

Uncle Lu’s wife’s heart skipped, and she quickly went over to shake him, "Old man, what’s wrong with you? What happened? Did Aijiao write something in her letter?"

"Aiguo and Xia Yuan know," Uncle Lu finally reacted with a low spirit, softly speaking to Uncle Lu’s wife.

"Know... what?" Uncle Lu’s wife paled, "That damn girl, has she become so loose-lipped in just a few days out?"

"Don’t blame Aijiao; Xia Yuan asked her. Shitou and Xiaoyun overheard people in the village whispering, and they tricked Wei Sheng into talking," murmured Uncle Lu, "It’s better they know."

Uncle Lu’s wife snatched the letter from Uncle Lu’s hand and quickly read through it. The letter was short, just a single page. After reading it, she too sat down on a small stool, as if all the strength had drained from her body, her voice trembling, "We’re done for. Old man, what do you think Aiguo is thinking deep down? Is he blaming us? Yes, he must be. Otherwise, why would he behave as if nothing was amiss when he came back this time?"

Uncle Lu’s wife became increasingly fearful, her tears flowing, "Old man, what are we going to do? The more I think about Aiguo holding a grudge against us, the more my heart feels as if it’s being sliced to pieces. What if he refuses to deal with us anymore..."