The Sweetness of the Seventies
Chapter 97: Crisis Averted, Baffling (360+)_1

Chapter 97: Chapter 97: Crisis Averted, Baffling (360+)_1

He Tiantian couldn’t sleep after returning to her room, pacing back and forth, looking and touching everything.

"Tiantian, go to bed early, don’t walk around," Wang Shuping reminded He Tiantian from outside, urging her to rest early to avoid exhausting herself.

Obedient, He Tiantian lay down on her single bed, feeling completely relaxed. It was best being at home, so comfortable.

A golden and silver nest doesn’t compare to one’s own doghouse; she felt a bit reluctant to leave her cozy spot.

She dozed off into a fitful sleep and by the time she woke up the next day, it was already ten in the morning.

Wang Shuping had resumed work last month, and because her daughter had come home, she let her husband take the sick leave letter from Jiang Lifang to the factory to ask for a leave today.

Since the daughter woke up late, Wang Shuping made a simple breakfast. For lunch, she planned to prepare something more substantial for her daughter.

There were still several dried rabbits left in the Barrier Space from the Snake King, all in a small hemp bag, which the Snake King threw out upon her request.

Even living in the city, one might not eat more than ten pounds of meat in a year. The contents of this half bag added up to about fifteen or sixteen pounds. Before in Qijia Village, Tiantian wanted to keep them to bring home for the New Year. Since she came back early, she decided to take them out for her parents to enjoy sooner.

"Mom, there’s something delicious here, you can cook it for lunch," He Tiantian said as she placed the hemp bag in the kitchen next to her mother.

"Huh?" Where did this hemp bag come from, "Did you bring it? How come I didn’t see it yesterday?"

He Tiantian just smiled, "I left it in the yard last night, it was dark and you didn’t notice. I was so excited last night, I forgot about it."

"Oh!" Wang Shuping didn’t suspect anything since her excitement seeing her daughter return yesterday meant she only had eyes for Tiantian and had overlooked these small details.

Seeing her mother had no suspicions, He Tiantian relaxed.

When Wang Shuping opened the bag, she saw it contained five dried rabbits and two pheasants, and she asked in amazement, "Tiantian, where did you get all these dried rabbits and pheasants from?"

Feeling proud, He Tiantian replied, "I was responsible for cutting grass in the livestock team in Qijia Village, and since I often went up the mountains to cut grass, I learned how to set traps from others and I actually caught quite a lot. I secretly tucked these away, planning to bring them back for the New Year. Since I came back early, I don’t know if I will be able to return home for the New Year, so I brought them back for you to nourish yourselves."

"Is... Is this really all caught by you?" Wang Shuping couldn’t believe it. Her daughter used to scream and turn pale at the sight of caterpillars in the yard, and now she was hunting.

"Yes, where else would they come from!" He Tiantian said, extremely grateful to the Snake King—she had no worries about food and drink!

Wang Shuping was both impressed by her daughter’s abilities and lamented that her daughter had to suffer; she had mixed feelings.

All this stemmed from a mother’s love for her daughter, and He Tiantian felt sweet inside without a hint of impatience, helping her mother cook potato rabbit stew. One rabbit was enough to fill a big pot, sufficient for a family of three. Thinking Huo Zhekun and He Jingyu had gone to the commune and might come over for lunch, Wang Shuping also made a big platter of cabbage.

"Mom, what happened after I left?" He Tiantian asked, "How did you get through the tough times?"

Now that her daughter was grown, she couldn’t keep the truth from her.

"People from the provincial units came down and re-examined our cases. Those of us who didn’t have anything found in our homes were released. Two months ago, your father resumed work, researching new peach varieties; a month ago, I also went back to work. Now the household is better off, and you don’t have to worry about us when you’re away," Wang Shuping explained leisurely without haste.

Despite being in the past, He Tiantian could still detect the helplessness and fear in her mother’s tone.

"Director Yang from the unit?" He Tiantian frowned, "Is that the person nicknamed Bighead Yang?"

"Yes!" Wang Shuping nodded, "You know him too?"

Know him? In her previous life, this Bighead Yang was quite formidable! Throughout the entire special period, he firmly held a position in Nan City’s units, and was a person of influence in Nan City, capable of calling the shots. However, after the reform and opening up, those who had been persecuted began to resume work, and the many people Bighead Yang had offended spelled trouble for him. He ended up being accused of rape and went to prison.

As for what happened later, she had no idea.

"I used to have a classmate named Yang Susu. I heard from Liu Lingli that Susu’s dad was the head of the commune and he had a huge head," He Tiantian explained, not worried about slipping up since Liu Lingli wasn’t around.

What baffled He Tiantian was that Bighead Yang’s downfall happened seven or eight years sooner than it had in her previous life.

"Oh, that Bighead Yang is no good. If he knew someone had valuables, he would arrest them. Even if they gave him what he wanted, he wouldn’t let them off easily, and would only torture them more. Without giving in, he would just keep causing trouble. Luckily, someone caught wind of his crimes," Wang Shuping said through gritted teeth, worried it might scare her daughter, and then added, "But things are better now. The new Director Tang who replaced him was personally promoted by your Uncle Huo. Director Tang is diligent, reviewed each case thoroughly, and there aren’t any wrongful convictions anymore—the community has become much more peaceful. And your Uncle Tang is capable too—believe it or not, he’s caught a few traitors who were colluding with enemies."

"Of course, it’s not what you are talking about," Wang Shuping explained, "The fat kid from the house that’s separated from ours by one street, that chubby kid who used to always pull your pigtails when you were young."

"Ah? Little Fatty?" He Tiantian was surprised, "What has happened to his family now?"

"They were arrested, of course, but where they’re being detained, I have no idea," Wang Shuping whispered softly, "Don’t talk about this outside, to avoid inviting disaster."

He Tiantian covered her mouth and promised repeatedly not to mention it outside.

Besides Bighead Yang getting his comeuppance earlier, even Little Fatty’s family’s situation was different from what it was in her previous life.

All the crises seemed to have inexplicably dissolved.