B5SB -Chapter 173 Caught

Outside the Small Western-Style House, Father Lu looked at Mother Lu with a cold gaze. “You don’t need to come back here anymore. If you dare to show up on your own, we’ll get a divorce.”

Mother Lu lowered her head, staring at the pile of luggage at her feet. She never imagined that Father Lu would actually make her leave.

Hearing him mention divorce, tears welled up in her eyes instantly. She lifted her head, tears threatening to fall, and asked, “How can you treat me like this?”

Father Lu glanced at her with a trace of disgust. At her age, she was still acting like a little girl.

Yet, no matter what, they had been married for decades, and he had always trusted her. He never imagined she would disregard their own family’s well-being just to support her natal family.

He looked at her coldly. “I hope you take care of yourself.”

Seeing Father Lu turn to leave, Mother Lu immediately grabbed the edge of his coat. “My eldest sister and the others will pay the money back!”

Father Lu shrugged off her hand and looked at her mockingly. “Their monthly wages are thirty yuan. Even if they don’t eat or spend a thing, it would take them fifty-five years to repay thirty each month.”

Tears streamed down Mother Lu’s face. “I was wrong.”

Father Lu ignored her and continued, “This money wasn’t lent out all at once, was it? How much has been repaid so far?”

After saying this, he returned directly to the small courtyard and instructed Aunt He, who was standing at the door, to close it.

Mother Lu followed her eldest son in a daze to the allocated unit in the old-style apartment building. She plopped down on the sofa, covering her face and crying loudly.

Lu Huaixu ran back and forth several times before finally bringing all of his mother’s luggage back home.

Seeing his mother’s sorrowful expression, he felt extremely distressed. “Mom, what happened between you and Dad?”

When Lu Huaixu received the call from Father Lu, he was scolded for a long time before he was finally told to pick up his mother at the Western-style house. There was no time to ask further—the call was abruptly cut off.

Mother Lu wiped her tears and choked out, “Your sister-in-law gave birth to a boy, and Dad insisted on giving 8,888 yuan. There’s no way the family has that much money.”

Lu Huaixu felt uncomfortable. They were already living tightly. Although Mother Lu helped out, Fang Yi had monthly expenses for buying clothes and even meat from the black market, which added up quickly.

He complained, “Dad is too much. Why didn’t he give that much when Miao Miao was born?”

“Creak.”

Fang Yi, panting, pushed open the door and saw Mother Lu sitting on the sofa. “Mom, I just heard from downstairs that Dad kicked you out?”

Lu Huaixu’s expression darkened. “Fang Yi, what are you talking about?”

Fang Yi pouted. “I’m not the one saying it; the whole building is talking about it.”

No matter what, Mother Lu didn’t want her daughter-in-law to see her humiliation.

With red eyes, she glared at Fang Yi. “If it weren’t because you couldn’t have a son, would I have suffered such injustice?”

Fang Yi asked, “What do you mean?”

Lu Huaixu sighed. “Your sister-in-law gave birth to a boy. Dad wants to give the child 8,888 yuan. Mom disagreed, and they started arguing.”

Fang Yi screamed. “What? A boy?”

Gu Yihan was just so lucky. Fang Yi prayed daily for her to have complications, yet it didn’t work at all. It must be that Heaven was blind.

Elsewhere: The Family Compound

Gu Yihan, now drinking soup daily, finally had milk. But whenever the baby nursed, it hurt so much she grit her teeth.

Grandma Gu brought a bowl of egg porridge into the bedroom. Seeing her little granddaughter’s expression, she couldn’t help laughing. “It’ll get better in a few days.”

Gu Yihan was truly worried—her nipples were already sore and cracked. “How long until it stops hurting?”

Grandma Gu placed the porridge on the dresser, then went over to see her great-grandson nursing vigorously.

Sweat dotted his head. She smiled. “Haohao will be as strong as his father.”

Looking out the window at the sunlight, Gu Yihan couldn’t help but say, “Grandma, he’s so hot.”

She herself felt uncomfortably warm as an adult, let alone the baby in long sleeves, long pants, and a thick diaper.

Grandma Gu had even wanted to tie the baby’s legs with a string to prevent bowlegs, which had scared Gu Yihan badly. She refused firmly, and Grandma Gu eventually gave up. But she didn’t stop the baby from grabbing a thick book to sleep on, saying it would make him sleep flat.

At the Military District Hospital, Shi Lan had been anxious these past few days. Soon, she would be sent back to her hometown commune hospital.

Before leaving, she had to retrieve what belonged to her.

Not far away, she saw Qiao Shuhui walking slowly. Shi Lan quickly approached and pulled her to a more secluded spot.

Qiao Shuhui shrugged off her arm and said irritably, “Why are you in such a hurry to see me?”

Shi Lan smiled tightly. “The thing you asked me to do has succeeded.”

Qiao Shuhui sized her up and scoffed. “So?”

Seeing her attitude, Shi Lan’s expression turned cold. “Since it succeeded, you should honor your promise.”

Qiao Shuhui raised a hand to cover her mouth and laughed heartily. “How come I heard Gu Yihan gave birth to a boy?”

Shi Lan’s heart skipped a beat. She steadied herself, expressionless. “You said it. It’s fine if the child isn’t swapped. After birth, feed him high-concentration saline; that counts as completing the task.”

The veteran soldier monitoring Shi Lan felt a pang of dread. What kind of hatred must this be?

A newborn’s kidneys are underdeveloped; feeding high-concentration saline could kill the baby.

Qiao Shuhui gave Shi Lan a sidelong glance. “Oh? Did you feed it already?”

Shi Lan nodded. Whether she actually fed it or not, she didn’t know.

“Ha ha…”

Qiao Shuhui suddenly laughed. Her gaze on Shi Lan was full of contempt. “No money!”

Shi Lan glared at her viciously. “Don’t go too far.”

Qiao Shuhui looked at Shi Lan coldly. “You’re too foolish, believing I had that much money.”

She turned to leave, but Shi Lan grabbed her, threateningly. “Do you believe I could make you have no place in Kun City?”

Qiao Shuhui sneered. “Guess why I didn’t go after all the nurses, but came for you?”

Shi Lan was puzzled, not understanding what she meant.

Qiao Shuhui snorted. “Idiot, because I know you’ve swapped children more than once.”

The veteran soldiers, seeing the conversation nearly finished, gestured.

In an instant, Shi Lan and Qiao Shuhui were surrounded by several veterans.